Anyone have anything they'd like to rant about?

[One (+) Sentence]

Oh and fucking gapers that drive straight and cut off the curves on our flow trails.

That may not be gapers. One might argue that the problem is flow trails and poor trail design.

Maybe the problem is simply allowing automobiles on mountain bike specific flow trails?

[Shredhead]

Maybe the problem is simply allowing automobiles on mountain bike specific flow trails?

It’s google map’s fault!

[Sandbox]

It’s google map’s fault!

That’s a real shame....


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[Beaver]

Got rookie bike mechanic employee. I was learning him how to bleed a brake and got a phone call. 5 minutes later, brake fluid fucking everywhere, piston pushed out of caliper. Almost all the system fluid on the floor.

How do you fuck something so simple up so fast?

Then the less rookie decided to help while I was still on the phone. The blind leading the blind at this point, I just said "STOP, put down all tools!"

When I got close to done I discovered he'd lost the rubber o ring for the lever bleed port.

[Bunion 2020]

One of the 1st and best tools I leaned to use was a cafeteria tray.

Put all the small parts on the tray immediately and keep the tray where you are least likely to knock it off the work bench.

[smartyiak]

Just got an email for a “special edition” Rapha set. Nearly $500 for Jersey and bib.

I know it’s de classe to complain about price, (just don’t buy it....blahblahblah) but that’s a lot of scratch for Lycra.

Back to the clearance bin for this hoi polloi.


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[evdog]

Shit heads who keep braiding the trails. Line on the right was not here a few months ago. Started as a strava line and now it seems every rider is getting gnar and taking the line. I've tried blocking it a few times, people keep pulling the branches off to ride it. Next up I may dig it out and make the line in the middle, hopefully both sides grow back in. We're trying to get this trail adopted as a system trail. This just makes us look bad as a user group.

[Beaver]

Just dig the grass out of the middle, braid gone. I used to maintain a trail in the kootenays, someone took it upon themselves to create a new line that fucked up the original line and flow. I dropped a tree right down the middle of their line. Problem solved.

[toast2266]

Shit heads who keep braiding the trails. Line on the right was not here a few months ago. Started as a strava line and now it seems every rider is getting gnar and taking the line. I've tried blocking it a few times, people keep pulling the branches off to ride it. Next up I may dig it out and make the line in the middle, hopefully both sides grow back in. We're trying to get this trail adopted as a system trail. This just makes us look bad as a user group.

Looks like it may have started as people avoiding a puddle on the low line?

Ultimately, minor braids like this are going to happen. They happen on every heavily used trail I've ever seen, regardless of whether it's mostly a bike trail, hiking trail, or equestrian trail. The real question is: why do you care? The braid doesn't appear to create any issues.

[evdog]

Looks like it may have started as people avoiding a puddle on the low line?

Ultimately, minor braids like this are going to happen. They happen on every heavily used trail I've ever seen, regardless of whether it's mostly a bike trail, hiking trail, or equestrian trail. The real question is: why do you care? The braid doesn't appear to create any issues.

Yeah, but this trail has been here for 20+ years with no braids. This one and another just popped up. Its annoying that one set of tracks across the grass draws other bikers like stink on shit. The puddle is left over from rain a couple weeks ago. This line started before that.

I care because so many of our trails here have turned into wide, braided, clapped out messes. I maintain this one and want to keep it narrow. As mentioned we're trying to get it adopted into the system. Keeping it in good shape will help with that.

This particular braid is completely pointless.

[toast2266]

Yeah, but this trail has been here for 20+ years with no braids. This one and another just popped up. Its annoying that one set of tracks across the grass draws other bikers like stink on shit. The puddle is left over from rain a couple weeks ago. This line started before that.

I care because so many of our trails here have turned into wide, braided, clapped out messes. I maintain this one and want to keep it narrow. As mentioned we're trying to get it adopted into the system. Keeping it in good shape will help with that.

This particular braid is completely pointless.

Yeah, that all makes sense. And don't get me wrong - I'm not in favor of braiding.

But I do kinda like how trails evolve over time. Maybe a new line develops and the original line gets abandoned. Or a tree comes down that creates a new line around it that becomes permanent. Those little changes over time help make the same old trails stay slightly more interesting.

Of course, those little evolutionary changes aren't always for the better.

[evdog]

Yup. We've had plenty of changes to this trail and I'm good with quite a few of them. But not that one above.

This trail is used heavily by neighborhood kids and every so often a few will come in and build jumps. A jump line appeared above the trail a few years ago inside the part owned by the city. At the same time the original trail which runs right along the creek bed was undercut and crumbling into the stream. I just joined the jump line in with the original trail and brushed over the old section. Looks and flows very natural now. The jumps had to be cut down but you can still double them up with enough speed, otherwise they are fun rollers.

[toast2266]

Yup. We've had plenty of changes to this trail and I'm good with quite a few of them. But not that one above.

This trail is used heavily by neighborhood kids and every so often a few will come in and build jumps. A jump line appeared above the trail a few years ago inside the part owned by the city. At the same time the original trail which runs right along the creek bed was undercut and crumbling into the stream. I just joined the jump line in with the original trail and brushed over the old section. Looks and flows very natural now. The jumps had to be cut down but you can still double them up with enough speed, otherwise they are fun rollers.

Nice. That's lucky - I've never been able to salvage any of the work from neighborhood kids. Seems like usually their jumps are just a pile of twigs covered in a thin coat of debris that sort of looks like dirt.

[HankScorpio]

A trail network around here goes by the acronym RASTA (Rochester Area Sport Trail Alliance) and they're changing their name because its not culturally appropriate.

Really? I missed the part when mountain biking became ultra woke.

[GoSlowGoFar]

Yeah, but this trail has been here for 20+ years with no braids. This one and another just popped up. Its annoying that one set of tracks across the grass draws other bikers like stink on shit. The puddle is left over from rain a couple weeks ago. This line started before that.

I care because so many of our trails here have turned into wide, braided, clapped out messes. I maintain this one and want to keep it narrow. As mentioned we're trying to get it adopted into the system. Keeping it in good shape will help with that.

This particular braid is completely pointless.

We've started having a lot of issues like that the last couple years in Reno. I can't tell how many folks just ride off the trail to avoid having to yield to another mtber. I never know how to deal with it, yell at them, shake my head and keep moving, just don't react at all and get on TGR to bitch about it....?
Also, the 6 foot distancing thing has led to a widening of a lot of our trails.

[bagtagley]

The tweaker fucks that stole my catalytic converters while I was riding. Broad daylight right next to a major road. Ballsy fuckers. I passed the truck twice while I was riding, too.

Still deciding if I'm gonna do the work myself or submit a claim and have the stealership do it.

[plugboots]

We've started having a lot of issues like that the last couple years in Reno. I can't tell how many folks just ride off the trail to avoid having to yield to another mtber. I never know how to deal with it, yell at them, shake my head and keep moving, just don't react at all and get on TGR to bitch about it....?
Also, the 6 foot distancing thing has led to a widening of a lot of our trails.

There's a lot of this kind of thing in general, especially since COVID. I had a few things like this just on an 8 mile ride near Issaquah a couple days ago.
-Downhill riders just coming at me, hogging the middle, not a thought of stopping, barely acknowledging me.
-Group of 3 riders, coming at me, climbing, (I stop and pull over), clustered together, not one said Hi.
-2 runners with headphone, not hearing me, over and over... finally I had to yell to pass, (and they're startled).
-etc.
I wonder how many people are gonna stick it out or how many are going to go back to Orange fitness or whatever. The braiding pisses me off.

Also... What the fuck is with the Microsoft Priority Bike ad? The ad makes it seem like they couldn't sell bikes during COVID and Microsoft saved them? Really?

[evdog]

We've started having a lot of issues like that the last couple years in Reno. I can't tell how many folks just ride off the trail to avoid having to yield to another mtber. I never know how to deal with it, yell at them, shake my head and keep moving, just don't react at all and get on TGR to bitch about it....?

I see that a lot too. It was happening before Covid, and now much worse with all the newer riders. I usually pull over to let people pass and save them the trouble of riding off trail around me, but half the time they still do. I've got it taken care of though, already ranted about it about 30 or 50 pages back.

[Bunion 2020]

Come to terms with it and accept that if a trail is popular and sees use it probably isn't going to remain narrow?

[powdrhound]

Combine the multitude of new riders that didn’t receive the Official TGR Trail Rules booklet when they picked up their new toy with the current “I don’t give a fuck about your ’rules’, get out of my way” attitude, and your trails are going to evolve in ways that you won’t like.
Unless you anticipate the possibilities and prevent them.
Good luck.

[Canada1]

Ultimately, minor braids like this are going to happen. They happen on every heavily used trail I've ever seen, regardless of whether it's mostly a bike trail, hiking trail, or equestrian trail. The real question is: why do you care? The braid doesn't appear to create any issues.

Evdog. Thank you for working on and caring about trails. Be grateful you don't have free range cattle or horses. There would be five braids there. You are blessed if that is the extent of dumbass on any trail you work on!

[toast2266]

Come to terms with it and accept that if a trail is popular and sees use it probably isn't going to remain narrow?

There's an argument to be made that if the trail is 2 directional and very popular, it really shouldn't be narrow. That just leads to constant stopping / pulling over to let others pass.

Which is another reason that good trails work better when they're directional.

[westoxified]

what used to be a headache from a backwards tire install or improperly taped rim is now an absolute nightmare from installing cushcore without the correct valve stem... my thumbs are not built for this type of madness.

[Bunion 2020]

There's an argument to be made that if the trail is 2 directional and very popular, it really shouldn't be narrow. That just leads to constant stopping / pulling over to let others pass.

Which is another reason that good trails work better when they're directional.

Ongoing debate at the new hipNgroovy bike trails west of here.

A: "Damn it these trails keep getting wider".

B: " Its because people are riding both directions, make them directional or live with it"

C: "Oh we can't do that! Damn it these trails keep getting wider".

[Dee Hubbs]

Stupid asymmetrical stem faceplates! I’m building a bike with one right now, every time I look down my brain thinks the bars are not straight.
I could never ride a bike with one of these, it would drive me crazy.
I had to replace one of my Garmin out front mounts because it made the computer sit 2-3 degrees off center line.
These are the things i stare at when I’m in the pain cave and climbing.