Mountain Biking Forum

C3PO

JJJJNR wrote: »

There's no grey area, from a coillte standing its a criminal offence to remove trees from forests and rightly so, personally there's nothing I hate more than seeing a badly thought out route, that has healthy trees removed for the sake of a recreational trail.

I've been around mountain biking for close on 15 years now and I've never seen a healthy tree cut down/removed to make way for an MTB trail .... dead trees and a few branches maybe!

Actually that's not true ... the official Coillte trails cut down lots of trees!! :rolleyes:

CrowdedHouse

So long as it's a forum under Sports not a sub forum of Cycling cos it's not really cycling.....:D

no.8

+1

steamsey

I think you're meant to do the +1's on https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=461.

Must be 50 plus votes at this stage so plenty of support.

Let's not get bogged down with whether or not we can talk about trails - we can agree to be discreet, cryptic where we need to be but let's not exaggerate the risk either.

There is a lot of other stuff to discuss - trails being just one of many.

muckwarrior

Big Nasty wrote: »

I've no issue with any other forest / recreational area users once people are respectful of others and don't put peoples lives in danger.

Would agree with that other than to say that motocrossers can be a bit anti-social due to the noise pollution. Not necessarily a big deal in some areas, but there was one day about a year ago when I was hiking around Djouce woods and the sound of MX bikes was echoing loudly throughout the whole valley completely destroying the peace and quiet.

Horse crap can be a bit annoying sometimes, but it's a small price to pay for people being able to get out and enjoy the hobby they love. Live and let live I say.

Wishbone Ash

bogmanfan wrote: »

.... a separate mountain biking forum or sub-forum makes total sense to me. As someone who cycles on-road and off-road...

The main disadvantage though, is that many like myself may venture into a MTB thread in the main Cycling folder and perhaps contribute to it but we are unlikely to do so in a sub-forum/separate forum.

Chiparus

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The main disadvantage though, is that many like myself may venture into a MTB thread in the main Cycling folder and perhaps contribute to it but we are unlikely to do so in a sub-forum/separate forum.

I would agree, mostly road cycle but do a bit of down hill mtb - probably would not look at a separate forum .

Chiparus

df wrote: »

In legal terms the law is very clear, there is no grey area. However it's fair to say that Coillte turn a blind eye to mountain biking to some extent, but they have little choice. How could they enforce the bye-law?



I would say the opposite.

Really depends on the forester.

benneca1

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/si/151/made/en/print

Pretty clear here unless you are on a designated trail you cannot cycle in Coillte forests. Enforcement is a different matter but I am pretty sure if you hit a walker you will be wrong. Would also be interesting whether or not CI insurance would cover any claim that might arise.

magicbastarder

i think we have an early contender for the first topic of debate in the MTB forum.

Hurrache

Big Nasty wrote: »

I've no issue with any other forest / recreational area users once people are respectful of others and don't put peoples lives in danger.

Guys on scramblers, not trials, can't help ruin a nice quiet ride, walk or run in the countryside because of the noise from a lot of their **** boxes.

Complaining about horse **** in the woods is a funny thing to complain about though.

idnkph

i want to +1 on the phone and the tramp of a link aint working

JJJJNR

Think we should sticky a Trail-building thread when we get the forum up and running. Be cool.

C3PO

JJJJNR wrote:

Think we should sticky a Trail-building thread when we get the forum up and running. Be cool.

That's a joke ... isn't it?

Eamonnator

C3PO wrote: »

That's a joke ... isn't it?

Anybody. who thinks that senior staff in Coillte don't monitor social media, needs a reality check.
A few years ago, I was involved with a MTB club. We used unauthorised trails, which were well tended and away from pedestrian routes.
One evening a young lad had a bit of a crash. There was quite a bit of spilled blood. Before the chap got home, there were photographs posted on Facebook, showing lots of blood and cuts.
At 9.15am, the following morning, I got a phone call from C.I.'s mountain bike rep, asking wtf, we were thinking about, posting the photos. He had been called by The CEO of C.I., who in turned had been called by an executive in Coillte, who had seen the Facebook post. Thereafter Coillte took a great interest in the wood, where the incident occurred. They put up new "Biking prohibited" signs, trashed trails and knocked and destroyed some features of the trails.
To this day, Coillte take a keen interest in these trails.

Tenzor07

JJJJNR wrote: »

Think we should sticky a Trail-building thread when we get the forum up and running. Be cool.

Don't you mean the Trail building forum on Private Land thread?

Anyone who builds trails won't be advertising it on a public forum, not just because of some Coillte exec might call Sean Kelly himself to sort it out!

Coillte's business is planting and harvesting trees, anything outside that is of extremely little interest to them...

xxyyzz

muckwarrior wrote: »

I think coilte either needs to be replaced or overhauled. We need someone whose priority is the environment, not profit. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/ireland-s-native-woodlands-are-quietly-disappearing-1.3529317#.Wyj1p4IqxAY.facebook

In any case this is getting a bit off topic. If only we had a forum to discuss such things

I build a lot of under the radar trails and the thing with the article above is that the soil conditions under pine/spruce trees make for the best trail building. It's generally dryer, grippier and loamier. Also very little grows on the ground under them so it makes trail building much easier.

The dirt under Ireland's traditional woodland type trees turns to slippy muck at the merest hint of rain. Also the scrub underneath them like briars, willows, nettles etc thrive under them so it makes trail building a nightmare. Bring on the spruces I say

ford2600

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Coillte's business is planting and harvesting trees, anything outside that is of extremely little interest to them...

They also sell sites when it suits them and have no problem earning money from recreational activity; hunting rights are sold every year and the sums involved aren't small.

Coillte want it every way; they have been handed a massive asset to manage but their priority has evolved to just a commercial one with a few mtb parks thrown/walking trails thrown in as tokens.


It needs a political/legislative solution to get the most out of an underused and massive resource and bring some control freak forest managers to heel.

The hunting thing is a mess waiting to happen. The typical procedure is blocks comprising 100's of acres are sold off every year. When the hunters come in they place "no entry signs firearms in use" at public roads entrances. It sounds great in theory but usually hunters aren't local and put up two signs not knowing there are 5/6 more vehicular entrances into wood and many more by bike.


On 3 occasions in last 5 years I've meet d1ckheads with rifle on bipods on forest road aiming gun down forest road waiting for deer to cross, while I've been approaching. I own a deer capable rifle myself and I'm not anti hunting but that carry on isn't near good practice.


It isn't hard to manage different users but it would take effort from Coillte. As cyclists/walkers/horse riders add nothing to coffers guess who'll come out the best side of any sorting of issue.

Macy0161

I would say again, that Coiltte are given a contradictory role. If we don't want it to be a commercial semi-state, that should be the debate to be had politically. It is falling between two stools, but that's because it's given two different aims. It's expected to provide a dividend to the state and manage the resources for recreational use. They're not always going to work together, especially when harvesting time comes.

I'd prefer it to be given a total recreation remit tbh, as from a tourism perspective we really under utilize our forested areas. Could've been worse, FF/ McCarthy had it on his list for privatisation...

Thud

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Coillte's business is planting and harvesting trees, anything outside that is of extremely little interest to them...

Except this:
https://www.coillte.ie/our-business/our-products/renewable-energy/

supposedly their main focus lately

muckwarrior

xxyyzz wrote: »

I build a lot of under the radar trails and the thing with the article above is that the soil conditions under pine/spruce trees make for the best trail building. It's generally dryer, grippier and loamier. Also very little grows on the ground under them so it makes trail building much easier.

The dirt under Ireland's traditional woodland type trees turns to slippy muck at the merest hint of rain. Also the scrub underneath them like briars, willows, nettles etc thrive under them so it makes trail building a nightmare. Bring on the spruces I say

I know what you mean, but apart from being a mountain biker I'm also a nature lover and think it's a shame that there's such a lack of native forest in Ireland. Besides, I've ridden plenty of awesome trails built in broad-leaf forests

benneca1

muckwarrior wrote: »

I know what you mean, but apart from being a mountain biker I'm also a nature lover and think it's a shame that there's such a lack of native forest in Ireland. Besides, I've ridden plenty of awesome trails built in broad-leaf forests

Hence the name muck warrior I assume

comanche_cor

Any sign of the new forum? Looking for some help on new routes to find. Getting bored going my standard loops around ticknock and balinastoe and looking for ideas on some new routes where I can stretch the legs a bit more!

C3PO

comanche_cor wrote: »

Any sign of the new forum? Looking for some help on new routes to find. Getting bored going my standard loops around ticknock and balinastoe and looking for ideas on some new routes where I can stretch the legs a bit more!

The best thing that you can do is join a club! Nobody (with any sense) will publish routes on a forum other than the official Coillte trails!

Eamonnator

comanche_cor wrote: »

Any sign of the new forum? Looking for some help on new routes to find. Getting bored going my standard loops around ticknock and balinastoe and looking for ideas on some new routes where I can stretch the legs a bit more!

As I see it, this is part of the problem with an MTB forum. Most of the trails on Coillte land, that MTBers use, are unauthorised. People using them are unlikely to discuss them on a public forum, for fear of Coillte taking action against them.
As things stand, Coillte turn a blind eye to a lot of unauthorised use, but if such use is publicised, there would almost certainly be a change in attitude.
If the MTB forum is set up, posters would be well advised to thread carefully on it.
Moderation would also be difficult. People giving advice on unauthorised trails might be seen as advocating an illegal act, which Boards.ie
would would hardly be too pleased about.

rizzodun

There's a hell of a lot more that can be discussed other than unofficial trails. How about techniques, review of races, maintenance of MTB specific bikes and components, discussion on international series and also MTB specific places to visit abroad?

'68 Fastback

Thanks for doing this Steamsey. My bike time is mostly commuting with the kids these days but there was a time when Ticknock was my stomping ground and I'm hoping that soon it will be again!

steamsey

The reason I suggested this forum is that there's a LOT to discuss - not just trails. I think people have to use their common sense, and remember that everything said on Boards is easily searched and found.

With that said - clubs are not for everyone and clubs are where we tell people to go when they ask about trails. It can all seem quite closed off / exclusive to people who simply want to know where to ride their bike.

I think it's fine to discuss trails as long as we don't discuss the exact location. If people want to know where they are, they can ask (PMs, ask other riders when out on the bike etc). But at least by discussing them, discreetly, people can learn that they exist and find them in ways other than explicit directions on a public forum.

The intention is to help people get more out of their time on the bike.

But I do think that anything that is explicitly talking about trail building activity / location of trails should be removed (unfortunately). It just wouldn't end well. Use your PMs / meet up in person.

bogmanfan

I think trails can be discussed, just in a round about way. I could ask for advice on riding Nowhere for example and people could reply with line choice information. No need to mention where that trail is located. Anyone who wants to know can PM.

But so many more areas of discussion are possible. Protective gear advice, helmet options, pedal types, bike types, race tips, club options etc.

C3PO

I know for sure that I won’t get involved in any discussion about trails (in a “round about” or any other way) and I’m strongly of the opinion that, if there is to be an MTB forum, all such threads should be banned!