Anyone have anything they'd like to rant about?

[Andeh]

We have a local trail that was extended a couple years back, and the berms a *tiny* but built exactly like this. They area goddam menace to hit with any kind of speed.

Yeah, there's a trail in the next town up the coast that's built like that. I don't ride it often, but when one of my buddies dragged me up there because he claimed that it had just been rebuilt, my first comment was, "they didn't know what the fuck they were doing."

I'm helping a friend dig a new trail (as in, he does 90% of the work, I show up when I can). He wants to make it ride as long as possible given the available elevation, so he puts in a shit load of tight corners, zig-zagging back and forth across this beautifully pitched slope. Because he's trying to cram in so many lines and corners, the corners get tight. Then he has to put in giant bunker berms to make them not get instantly blown out. I've tried to hint to him that we should just rough in the line with bigger radius corners and give it a test ride, then only put in berms as needed, but he's a stubborn bastard.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I gotta give a shout to to Jenson USA for sucking. I ordered a few parts from them 3 weeks ago. Tracking says they never left the post office they dropped it at in California. I've tried calling, emailing, submitting a ticket, using their live chat function, etc. No response. I had to get Amex to just refund me today as I was over trying to get Jenson to respond.

[SchralphMacchio]

Seems pretty unusual for Jenson, no? Probably suffering from increased demand and rocky transition to work from home for a lot of staff?

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I think that's right. Their voicemail calls out how busy they are. Which, honestly, as a customer isn't really all that helpful, but I get it. I'd still buy from them in the future, but maybe post COVID

[Andeh]

Yeah, Jenson has been really good to me. Most recently, they let me return a pair of shoes that I'd ridden twice, for a full refund, because they wouldn't stick to pedals. Their CS is completely overwhelmed right now though, and USPS is completely fucked by Trump's hatchet man. USPS just lost a package sent to me from Patagonia, and while they're going to send me a new one, I can tell the CS people are getting really frustrated with this sort of thing.

[teledad]

A lot of berms do get built completely wrong. Really big early in the corner in the fall line, then way too small or gone entirely late in the corner across the fall line when you actually need it, and often not steep enough.

It's a lot easier to build up a berm on the uphill side of the turn where the slope is helping rather than downhill where you need to dig in a lot more (or use something to support it). Plus drainage can be an issue. Agree that there's a lot of shitty berm builds out there.

[steff]

Yeah, there's a trail in the next town up the coast that's built like that. I don't ride it often, but when one of my buddies dragged me up there because he claimed that it had just been rebuilt, my first comment was, "they didn't know what the fuck they were doing."

I'm helping a friend dig a new trail (as in, he does 90% of the work, I show up when I can). He wants to make it ride as long as possible given the available elevation, so he puts in a shit load of tight corners, zig-zagging back and forth across this beautifully pitched slope. Because he's trying to cram in so many lines and corners, the corners get tight. Then he has to put in giant bunker berms to make them not get instantly blown out. I've tried to hint to him that we should just rough in the line with bigger radius corners and give it a test ride, then only put in berms as needed, but he's a stubborn bastard.

Ah ya... the traverse/hairpin/traverse/repeat trail. Some brilliant thinking must go into those. ha

[toast2266]

Plus drainage can be an issue. Agree that there's a lot of shitty berm builds out there.

That's the thing - tough to build a proper berm into a sidehill that both finishes well and drains well.

Which doesn't change the fact that lots of people build shitty berms just out of laziness. But still, even if they weren't lazy, building the berm right is trickier than just stacking more dirt.

[whyturn]

Berm with basketball sized pokey rocks that took me out. On a green run!!!!


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[skaredshtles]

That's the thing - tough to build a proper berm into a sidehill that both finishes well and drains well.

Which doesn't change the fact that lots of people build shitty berms just out of laziness. But still, even if they weren't lazy, building the berm right is trickier than just stacking more dirt.

And let's not forget that trail-building, in general, is a COMPLETELY thankless job.

[whyturn]

And let's not forget that trail-building, in general, is a COMPLETELY thankless job.

Agreed. This was more rain and ride that destroyed the berm. It’s not a green anymore. But yeah 12th st bike park builders do great work


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[Dantheman]

And let's not forget that trail-building, in general, is a COMPLETELY thankless job.

I don't disagree at all, but it's a lot easier to just not build a berm in the first place than build a bad one.

[toast2266]

I don't disagree at all, but it's a lot easier to just not build a berm in the first place than build a bad one.

I mean, you can always just ride the corner inside of the berm. Then you're riding it like you would if the shitty berm wasn't there at all.

[Dantheman]

Well, yeah. But I still feel bad for the poor soul who busted their balls for nothing.

[zion zig zag]

And let's not forget that trail-building, in general, is a COMPLETELY thankless job.

Ha, speaking of things to rant about. The people who are actually mad that you are working on the trail. Everyone who doesn't have a shovel in their hand is an expert and a critic, or you are messing up their ride.

[skaredshtles]

Ha, speaking of things to rant about. The people who are actually mad that you are working on the trail. Everyone who doesn't have a shovel in their hand is an expert and a critic, or you are messing up their ride.

Yeah... I like to refer to that as the "sanitation lamentation" - whining about EVERY bit of trail maintenance as a way to make their GNAR-BRO trail a dirt sidewalk.

[RootSkier]

That's the thing - tough to build a proper berm into a sidehill that both finishes well and drains well.

Which doesn't change the fact that lots of people build shitty berms just out of laziness. But still, even if they weren't lazy, building the berm right is trickier than just stacking more dirt.

The thing is...there are a fuckton of really good berms in your area. Do you remember what they are like down here? Sadness-inducing.

[jamal]

Was it here that I heard this joke?

How do you piss off a mountain biker?



Build him a trail

[muted]

Dropped my bike off to the bike shop in late May. Got a phone call yesterday that it was ready for pick up.


COVID delays on parts, spacers for the new wheel....

[RootSkier]

I have literally nothing to say, but:

https://twitter.com/GriffinMalone6/s...31733292077058

[jm2e]

And let's not forget that trail-building, in general, is a COMPLETELY thankless job.

I always need to remember to clarify whether I’m bitching about paid trail building or bandit/local trail building. I’ve got a lot of patience for locals outing in their own time. And if I want it done my way I need to get out there and dig.

Most of my angst right now is focused on bike parks building shitty trails and not fixing them when it turns out they’re shitty. Or the local stoner bro turned professional trail builder on an excavator who wants the same pass as dedicated volunteers when he makes a wet/dangerous/uphill/unsustainable feature. Sorry bro, just like the guy building playground equipment for the city park, if you do a shitty job that you were paid thousands of dollars for, we’re gonna let you know and expect you to fix it.


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[jackstraw]

Cunts who aren't good enough to ride my shitty trails. They just need to get better or buy an ebike so they can be the full package asshole.

[MegaStoke]

We used to call them Meeker turns.

Lol, I never thought I’d read the phrase “meeker turns” on the interwebs.

[scrublover]

Berm with basketball sized pokey rocks that took me out. On a green run!!!!


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Ugh. Welcome to "berms" in my locale. So. Much. Fucking. Rock.

[Falcon3]

Spokane held a bike race this week on our in-town hill. So many little shits pushing their bikes off trail up switchbacks because they're too rad of DH racers to learn how to ride uphill, creating social trails and tromping down vegetation. Not to mention I have no idea how this race passed the Wa state regs on gatherings, there were huge groups of plague rats running around the hill.