Mountain biking in NSW National Parks - Have your say!

[crank]

I'm all for shared trails as long as there is sgnage or something to let users know that's what they are and that no user has more right to the track than any other. I think all of the comments on the SYS site say they've never had a negative experience but with multi-use trails the potential is there. I imagine that the same potential would be there for mtb specific trails if they aren't directional. I'm okay with either though.

Hopefully someone from here is attending the Turramurra forum right now and will report back on how that went. I know Grant from Trailflix is attending.

[thecat]

the oaks single tack at the end is known as a MTB track. i haven't seen walkers ever on it

I don't ride it often but have seen walkers on it every time I have ridden it

but i have seen MTB riders riding up it the wrong way. i almost crashed into them one time.

There is no wrong way on the Oaks. Riding up is just as valid as riding down.

All riders need to make sure they are riding in control of there bike so that if they do come across some thing unexpected on the trail they have the reaction time to avoid it.

If I want one way streets and traffic rules I'll ride road bikes.

[ido09s]

best you get a roadie mate because most of the people i have seen reply to these online surveys have said that a single direction of travel on trails is highly recommended.

I have to agree with Matt in that the Oaks would be best ridden from top to bottom. There are just to many fast sections on that trail that are a recipe for disaster.

[Lambchop]

Every time I ride the Oaks/Ando trail (which isn't a lot lately) I start at Glenbrook and ride up before doing the return. I think the trail is fine to be a multi directional track. I have never come across any grief even on the last section of single track.

As thecat says if you are in control of your bike you should be able to slow down enough to let a rider through. Most of the flat out sections are on the fire trails anyway, so if you can't dodge someone riding up hill at 15km you probably don't deserve to be out there in the first place, that said, riding up still needs a bit of common sense like not hugging the apex on blind corners etc.

[ukalipt]

single-track. sorry i will break that down for you

sin?gle:
   /ˈsɪŋgəl/ Show Spelled [sing-guhl] Show IPA adjective, verb,-gled, -gling, noun
–adjective
1.
only one in number; one only; unique; sole: a single example.
single: meaning one

its called single track for one single reason. it is singular. meaning one.
therefore if TWO riders are coming towards each other it isn't designed
to cater for this... therefore there will be an issue.

as for fire trail - thats pretty obvious. its wider so it has more ROOM for
passing - and as i originally said, it is mainly single track i have issues
with. i should have stated it was on the SINGLE track at the oaks where
i encountered people riding UP it.

there is also a difference between coming across something that is stationary
on the trail and something that is moving towards you. i understand this as i
live next to yellomundee track. because i know it so well i become complacent
at times and have been caught out a few times with fallen trees that weren't
there upto a day ago.

Yellomundee again is a perfect example. i have come across people riding
clockwise where the normal is to ride yellomundee anti-clockwise. NO IT
ISN"T THE RULES but ... there is some kind of logic to riding a trail in one
direction - trail conservation also contributes to the preferred direction
of a track/trail

signage + direction [where appropriate and IMHO i deem SINGLE track appropriate]
is the right way forward.

as for controlling my machine:
if i am riding down a trail at 30km/hr* and a rider is coming
up the same SINGLE track at say about 12km/hr+ - thats a recipe for disaster
no matter if myself or the other rider are the best rider in the world or not.

ps. i ride all roads, single track, fire trail, one way streets, two way streets,
freeways, causeways, boulevards, driveways etc.

* checked my garmin and yes - last time i rode the oaks single track i was
averaging 30km/hr at the top section [i was being held up though by a
slower guy on a single speed bike [not someone from this forum]]

[Lambchop]

Not having a go, I was just saying what I had experienced on those particular trails, didn't mean to piss on your cornflakes, sorry

[ido09s]

I dont think it has anything to do with being in control, its more to do with where do you go when you come across the bike coming the other way. Also all beginners wont realise the speeds that some people may reach and wont really know what to expect. You have yourself admitted that there is a cause for concern by commenting on not hugging apex's on blind corners.

I work in the city and you do quite often find yourself trying to dodge people only to walk into them because you both dodged in the same direction. Its a little different when your riding a trail at 30 odd kph and the other guy doing 10kph swerves with you. You dont get a second chance to swerve back and thus you have an acco

I guess something we need to remember is that we cant make these trails experienced MTBer safe, we need to make them beginner safe as the whole idea of making these trails legal is to encourage beginners to get out and enjoy themselves. If we start letting people ride in every which direction its going to cause hassles and turn people off the sport for good.

Each track needs to be assessed on a case by case basis i guess

[thecat]

I remember coming across a rider a lidsdale. He was a bit concerned that I was riding it the "wrong way".... Never mind that I built the trail and was riding it the normal direction it's just that we ran the previous 8hr in reverse.

and how hard it is to see someone coming and pull over to let them pass.

I'll just say 3 more things on the issue

1.) Never assume a trail is 1 way only
2.)Never assume your are the only person on the trail
3.)Respect other trail users. IMBA sugestion giving way to all users. As my grandda use to say about driving, give way to the left, give way to your right, give way to everyone, we'll all get there in the end and be happier for it.

[hewey]

I think you guys are missing one of the key points from the discussion paper

There is evidence that there will be a shift in the near future towards greater participation by young women, with females 18?24 in many regions of NSW significantly more likely to express interest in participating more frequently in cycling and mountain biking on an unsealed road or track

[crank]

and how hard it is to see someone coming and pull over to let them pass.

I'll just say 3 more things on the issue

1.) Never assume a trail is 1 way only
2.)Never assume your are the only person on the trail
3.)Respect other trail users. IMBA sugestion giving way to all users. As my grandda use to say about driving, give way to the left, give way to your right, give way to everyone, we'll all get there in the end and be happier for it.

I generally follow those rules as well. The Oaks singletrack is wide enough for two riders in a lot of places anyway. I've encountered riders and walkers coming up the singletrack before. If I'm riding down I give way unless they have laready pulled over.

I saw Jing and Brandon at Appin the other week when I was riding the track in reverse. We all pulled over in time and had a quick chat and off we went again, no worries.

There are starting to be a few more negative comments on the SYS website too.

Did anyone from BMU attend the Turramurra meeting last night? How did it go?