What Is 'Singletrack'?

johnnyrotten

Proper noob question, but how would you define Singletrack? :oops:

mellex

Well, my definition of singletrack would be a trail which was tight and narrow so as to allow only one route of decent or accent.

GHill

Off road track that you can only get one bike (or a "single" bike) down at a time.

I know that covers some downhill courses etc. too, but I don't think there's any hard or fast rule. It's all just mountain biking...

Bobhellen

some of the best fun in the world but still not better than sex and if any one tells you other wise they are lieing :P

johnnyrotten

Bob, that view depends on what you are better at out of the two pursuits. My biking's not that great

Banned!

i would say sheep tracks and hill/wood paths less than 18 inches wide. you know, little single tracks.

Bobhellen

lol it had to be said at some stage thought i would get in there first.

belugabob

mellex wrote:

Well, my definition of singletrack would be a trail which was tight and narrow so as to allow only one route of decent or accent.

The pedant in me feels compelled to point out that you probably meant...

"...only one route of descent or ascent."

But don't worry about it too much - these are very common mistakes in the MTB world

singlespeedexplosif

The second best bike magazine (after Bicycling)

stumpyjon

^^

I think of singletrack being footpaths, double track being vehicle tracks with grass down the middle and fireroads as being boring.

MattHarper

anything which looks like this



as people above have said, anything which is narrow, off road and with only one way to go

johnnyrotten

Thanks folks, my MTB knowledge has increased by around 78% today.

J.C, I can't help thinking I've seen your avatar somewhere before. It's awesome!

Stoo61

Come on then lets hear the width that a path should be to be labled single track, i want numbers!! :x

llamafarmer

MattHarper wrote:

anything which looks like this



as people above have said, anything which is narrow, off road and with only one way to go

No, that's just pornography.

Banned!

Stoo61 wrote:

Come on then lets hear the width that a path should be to be labled single track, i want numbers!! :x

no more than 18" wide with a bank of less than 4" either side, although for those on a hillside this rule may be waived for a distance of no more than 12 meteres.

any track more than 18" inches wide shall be classified as a path and riding it makes you an old woman.

MattHarper

llamafarmer wrote:

MattHarper wrote:

anything which looks like this



as people above have said, anything which is narrow, off road and with only one way to go

No, that's just pornography.

lol, nicey put! Its actually Dalby forest (red route) in North Yorkshire

Mark_K

A poster i did for my lad from our boys holiday last year

singlespeedexplosif

that pic of Dalby is far too wide to be singletrack. Could get a bus down that.

BorisSpencer

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

that pic of Dalby is far too wide to be singletrack. Could get a bus down that.

But you couldn't get two buses down side by side, hence it's singletrack.

singlespeedexplosif

I bet you could.

GT Destroyer

I was actually going to mention Dalby in my response to this question so I still will.

I'm not exactly sure where it is but we refer to it as "at the back end" of the red route. We start from Dixons hollow car park.

There is a small section which I absolutely love, its narrow, no room for walkers or dogs, or anyone coming the other way. It has green ferns either side of the trail, its fast and zippy (not like george Zippy). I had a strange experience here which I can only describe as "flow", I was in control, but out of control at the same time, the riding was so fast, and you are so close to the edge of the trail. The singletrack there is the best I have ridden on, lovely.

Bikerbaboon

dalby does make me smile every time i ride that place

MattHarper

GT Destroyer wrote:

I was actually going to mention Dalby in my response to this question so I still will.

I'm not exactly sure where it is but we refer to it as "at the back end" of the red route. We start from Dixons hollow car park.

There is a small section which I absolutely love, its narrow, no room for walkers or dogs, or anyone coming the other way. It has green ferns either side of the trail, its fast and zippy (not like george Zippy). I had a strange experience here which I can only describe as "flow", I was in control, but out of control at the same time, the riding was so fast, and you are so close to the edge of the trail. The singletrack there is the best I have ridden on, lovely.

mhm, the red bit from Dixons hallow is some of the best bits to be honest, i usually do that and then head onto the NS bit and do the black to Dixons hallow. My photo was taken just of the fireroad at the start of the red section from Dixons Hallow.

It worth paying £35 for a years pass!