Trail etiquette guide

shin0r

Hi all

I'm trying to put something together for a group of friends that are interested in taking up mountain biking. Most of them have plenty of experience on bikes, but not necessarily off road / trail centre stuff. I'm trying to come up with some golden rules for their first trip to Afan. Here's what I came up with so far.

1: If you take it up, bring it back down. Don't leave any litter, be that chocolate bar wrappers, bottles, old tubes and brake pads etc on the trail. Litter ruins it for all of us.

2: Don't stop on the trail. Be aware of your surroundings; if you do need to stop, find a safe place off to the side of the trail.

3: Let slower riders know you are coming. Either give a brief shout; "rider!" or "coming through", or anything not too offensive. Ring your bell if you have one. Most riders will try to get out of your way. Say thanks!

4: Let faster riders overtake. There's always someone faster than you. Let them enjoy their run. They aren't victimising you by flying up your backside, don't take it as a personal slight to your manhood. Get out of their way. They'll say thanks.

5: If you see a rider down, slow down or stop and ask if they need help. They probably won't, but karma is a wonderful thing.

Please feel free to add to this.

cheers

littleandy0410

Probably really obvious, but don't ride the wrong way up a trail. If you need to go back for something/someone, get off and walk up the edge, and be ready to move well off the trail if someone comes down.

zero303

"4: Let faster riders overtake"

You really need to add to this, don't just stop dead if a faster rider is coming up behind you. I take a lot of beginners out and this rule normally gets phrased as only stop and pull over when there's a safe place to do it.

P-Jay

Yeah don't "session" a section unless you can find another route up, don't ride / push back up the trail.

Remove the stupid little reflectors from your pedals, they'll break, they'll end up on the trail.

If you're new to trail centres, they're not like your local woods, there will be dozens of other people in front and behind you, don't congragate THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOODY BLACK RUN AT WHITES, please.

Oh and trail centres aren't Alton Towers, if you bin it and call 999 and tell them your's "somewhere at Afan, you know after the section with the old wheel nailed to a post and the wet roots" they wont know where you are. Take a trail map with you and the number of the ride centre. Although, don't panic and try to walk out through the woods, another rider will be along shortly.

Don't fling a bust tube over a branch "because someone might want it" they wont.

I'm very angry today.

stevieboy

zero303 wrote:

"4: Let faster riders overtake"

You really need to add to this, don't just stop dead if a faster rider is coming up behind you. I take a lot of beginners out and this rule normally gets phrased as only stop and pull over when there's a safe place to do it.

Yup, what i've learned from racing is that when Nick Craig/David Fletcher etc is on your tail about to lap you it's best to point where you want them to go past and leave a nice gap. They appreciate it more than blind panic and confusing vocal communication.

"To the right"
"On your right"
etc etc all sounds the same at race pace with heavy breathing etc.

As for the trail, well the same applies. But what I hate is when you approach a gaggle of riders and they speed up as you approach - clearly beyond their pace/ability - to the point where everyone's ride is spoilt, just to keep you behind. Trying to keep up with people is a different thing to trying to stay ahead.

And also - please please please for the love of god DON'T BE IGNORANT. If a rider says "morning" etc return it! Even if your bike is wayyyyy better than Mr/mrs x's. He/she is more than likely is a much better rider and most probably a better person than you!

Don't stop at the end of trails, move along and save the banter for the cafe or somewhere at least 50 yards away from the trail end so that other users can carry on at their own pace.

If someone offers you help, don't reject if it you need it, even if it kills your pride! I once come across someone at the start of my ride fixing his chain, "everything ok, need any help?" "No ta". About an hour later I left the trail to find the same person still stood there trying to fix his chain. So I stopped, gave him a free powerlink, and off he went! People!!

Bit of a rant, but there are some strange goings on in our sport!!

stumpyjon

Couple of others.

Make sure your bike is sound before you leave (and don't have a huge fettling session the night before a group ride, your companions won't appreciate you stopping every 5 mins to adjust stuff).

Be reasonably self sufficent, carry tools, tubes, spares and food. Carry a map and know how to read it

Give way to non-cyclists on shared trails,at the very least don't mow them down or expect them to automatically move out of your way, I'm thinking of bits like the start of The Wall on the railway line. If they do move say thankyou.

stumpyjon

Couple of others.

Make sure your bike is sound before you leave (and don't have a huge fettling session the night before a group ride, your companions won't appreciate you stopping every 5 mins to adjust stuff).

Be reasonably self sufficent, carry tools, tubes, spares and food. Carry a map and know how to read it

Give way to non-cyclists on shared trails,at the very least don't mow them down or expect them to automatically move out of your way, I'm thinking of bits like the start of The Wall on the railway line. If they do move say thankyou.

gpsBRM

One to add might be to get out the way of the ends of trails. I see it so often at trail centres where poeple get to the fire road section after some singletrack, dump their bikes down and just leave them, right in the way of others coming off the trail.

Also don't stop and obscure waymarkers.

shin0r

Thanks all for your contributions - maybe we could collate everything and turn it into a sticky like the DH etiquette one? Mods?

Banned!

my personal bugbears


dont try to ride a trail if you dont have the skills or confidence to do it. dont try to ride it slowly with your brakes on the whole time, you are a danger not only to yourself but to everybody behind you.

if your mate isnt ready to try the black run or they just wants a bit of an easy ride today do NOT pressure him/her into riding it with you.

laughing at other peoples skills and bikes make you an a5shole. a huge one. so dont do it. we're not all loaded or lucky enough to have rich parents.

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES MODIFY THE TRAIL. if you think that corners exit should have a nice little kicker on it then go make one on your own trail. do not go f**king about with somebody elses. they wont know its there next time they ride and, well, you know whats gonna happen.

Im sorry if Im in your way,but i am going at my own pace. try to over take me and i will make room for you next time I can, but until then stop shouting at me or i will get off my bike and knock your silly little head clean off.

cee

if one of your riding buddies stacks it, always leave just enough time to make sure they haven't hurt themselves before laughing. Laughing prematurely and then having a trip to a hospital is not cool.

Anonymous

Jesus_Christ wrote:

laughing at other peoples skills and bikes make you an a5shole. a huge one. so dont do it. we're not all loaded or lucky enough to have rich parents.

Im sorry if Im in your way,but i am going at my own pace. try to over take me and i will make room for you next time I can, but until then stop shouting at me or i will get off my bike and knock your silly little head clean off.

i like those, especially the second,

personally, i am sorry if im sh1t at bike riding, come and tell me and i will show you how awesome i am at battering you in front of your faggot mates.

1340jas

Top marks to Sheepsteeths translation of Jesus_Christs views.

Perhaps we could have an official set of guidance and then one by Sheepsteeth.
I think the latter would get the point over and leave no one in any doubt as to best etiquette whilst on a ride, whether with your faggotty mates or not.

Anonymous

i like your plan, my view on letting faster riders past:

tough mate, you should have got up earlier then you would already be past me, gob off some more and instead of battering you, i'll batter your mate.

Thewaylander

Interesting on the battering but can we leave it to the fish in my fat ass fish and chips hehe.

I agree on the above but like to emphersize the point of being polite it makes for a great atmosphere at the center, and met some great people to ride with that way.

Also go out prepared i.e trail tools spares and a basic FIRST AID kit people i ride with and not have been grateful to have mine at hand!

stumpyjon

Jesus_Christ wrote:

dont try to ride a trail if you dont have the skills or confidence to do it. dont try to ride it slowly with your brakes on the whole time, you are a danger not only to yourself but to everybody behind you.

Not sure I fully agree with this statement, seems a bit at odds with your other comments that I fully agree with. How do you know if you don't have the skills if you haven't ridden the trail. We all need to push our limits a bit if we want to get better.

Anonymous

stumpyjon wrote:

Jesus_Christ wrote:

dont try to ride a trail if you dont have the skills or confidence to do it. dont try to ride it slowly with your brakes on the whole time, you are a danger not only to yourself but to everybody behind you.

Not sure I fully agree with this statement, seems a bit at odds with your other comments that I fully agree with. How do you know if you don't have the skills if you haven't ridden the trail. We all need to push our limits a bit if we want to get better.

i agree with jon on this one:

yeah, i know im not doing it right but if i dont try, i wont ever be able to do it right, now, which of your mates do you want me to batter?

Banned!

i mean dont try to ride the fort william world cup trail if youve only been riding for 5 minutes but it looked easy enough on tv.


take time to learn to ride before you try riding like a nutter.

Thewaylander

Kinda agree with you guys.. but on the same hand i'd say if you have only ever ridden a blue trail don't go jumping onto a black... thats just not wise build up a bit, but definately push on

shin0r

sheepsteeth do you work in a chip shop?

stumpyjon

Ok, see what you're saying. The way you've rephrased it makes more sense now, bit like don't go walking on Helvelyn in the middle of winter in jeans and trainers :shock: (saw that a few years ago, someone got blown off the top on the same day).

jadamson

i think another good one would be to encourage other riders if there struggling!

i was down my local trail and i did what you advised and did all the trails before going on black but when i did go on the black there was a proper mean hill! but some very nice guy at the top stopped for a rest and encouraged me up the hill what was great! you have to remember what your first time on a black run was like! where you amazingly fast?

MarvintheAndroid

Stupid question time.

What is the correct convention whan riding on cycle tracks ?
I always keep to the left and overtake on the right, but often I see oncoming riders keeping to my left so one of us has to switch over - and I wondered if I was the idiot or them ?

Marv

stumpyjon

I do the same, if in doubt keep left, works on the roads (usually :roll: ).

realnumber 1

cee wrote:

if one of your riding buddies stacks it, always leave just enough time to make sure they haven't hurt themselves before laughing. Laughing prematurely and then having a trip to a hospital is not cool.

Spat my drink out reading that lol . So true and I always struggle not to do it

Northwind

DON'T ****ING SKID.

At trail centres, don't go off the trails, and if a section is closed it's closed for a reason- don't ride it anyway, even if it looks fine.

This is more commons sense than etiquette, but ride at your own pace- riding slower than you like makes you bored and careless, and more inclined to take daft risks. Riding faster than you're safe with is just obviously daft. But an awful lot of crashes (on mtbs, skis, motorbikes, cars...) come from these 2 things.

Anonymous

shin0r wrote:

sheepsteeth do you work in a chip shop?

unfortunately not, the sig comes form a wagon i saw which had emblazoned on the side as big as could be possible on a 40ft truck "eat more chips" im assuming it was a potato wagon but either way, it worked for me!!

this isnt my website but i have just googled for a pic and look what i found:

http://eatmorechips.com/photoblog/2005/ ... rries.html

singlespeedexplosif

agreed 1000% with the 'don't f*ck with teh trails' one.

Main one for me is - riders going uphill should have right of way over riders going downhill.

mcbazza

sheepsteeth wrote:

shin0r wrote:

sheepsteeth do you work in a chip shop?

unfortunately not, the sig comes form a wagon i saw which had emblazoned on the side as big as could be possible on a 40ft truck "eat more chips" im assuming it was a potato wagon but either way, it worked for me!!

this isnt my website but i have just googled for a pic and look what i found:

http://eatmorechips.com/photoblog/2005/ ... rries.html

I saw that on the side of a lorry many years ago when driving back from from the Mini Run To The Sun.

I took it as some kind of message from God. An 11th commandment, if you will.
And did.

Anonymous

tis good advice for everyone, young and old.

Banned!

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

agreed 1000% with the 'don't f*ck with teh trails' one.

Main one for me is - riders going uphill should have right of way over riders going downhill.

im assuming you mean actuallt pedalling up the track and not pushing.

if you see somebody pedalling up the track and you're coming down then get out of thier way and dont make them have to stop and try to get back into thier groove on a hill, dummy.

if you're pushing a bike up a trail and you see somebody coming down get out of the f**king way you moron.