Riding up the DOWNhills at Tokai

[grb285]

Guys, the DOWNhill runs at Tokai are for riding DOWNHILL. This means that anyone who is riding DOWN has the right of way. That means if you are cycling up the downhill run, you move off the track. Down has RIGHT OF WAY.

 

To the chop who didnt move earlier today, and yelled at me to "chill bru" as I flew past him, please get this into your head. It's a downhill run. I'm there on a downhill bike. My aim is to go as fast as I can. Thats what downhill riding is about. The fact that you chose to ride up this downhill is your choice. I have right of way. I'm not going to slow down for you chop. If I had to plough into you trust me you'd come off second best.

 

The downhill runs at Tokai have one direction. You know how you can tell? There are no marker boards at the bottom of the trails. There are only marker boards at the trail heads. Please get right off the track if someone is sending the run. This is not a little 'greet on the way' democracy. There are plenty of fire roads to climb the hills on your hard tail or whatever.

 

Thanks,

Gary

Edited May 22, 2011 by grb285

[Lucky Luke.]

[onetrackmind]

Guys, the DOWNhill runs at Tokai are for riding DOWNHILL. This means that anyone who is riding DOWN has the right of way. That means if you are cycling up the downhill run, you move off the track. Down has RIGHT OF WAY.

 

To the chop who didnt move earlier today, and yelled at me to "chill bru" as I flew past him, please get this into your head. It's a downhill run. I'm there on a downhill bike. My aim is to go as fast as I can. Thats what downhill riding is about. The fact that you chose to ride up this downhill is your choice. I have right of way. I'm not going to slow down for you chop. If I had to plough into you trust me you'd come off second best.

 

The downhill runs at Tokai have one direction. You know how you can tell? There are no marker boards at the bottom of the trails. There are only marker boards at the trail heads. Please get right off the track if someone is sending the run. This is not a little 'greet on the way' democracy. There are plenty of fire roads to climb the hills on your hard tail or whatever.

 

Thanks,

Gary

Big tough downhiller on trails that are possible to ride up? Surely not...

 

From memory, and I haven't ridden there in a year or so, there is no designation as to either trail direction, or the 'grade' of the trail. So, it boils down to just getting along, and sharing the trail. Race downhill in a downhill race, or on designated trails.

 

Seems to be an awful lot of aggro from DH riders on the hub lately, or am I imagining things? You guys haven't got into the roadies' chemistry set, have you?

 

[dirtrider]

I am not even a DH'er but can understand his frustrations . Surely the must be another route to get to the top on this route ? Anyway if you go up a route and don't see any signs to indicate you are actaully on a route then ge the F@# out of there and this goes for Groenkloof as well . I see it is the "in" thing to go DOWN onion hills these days !!!!

[Santa C]

Well put Gary!!

 

Idoits...Get off the downhill tracks

[DJR]

Manners seem to be getting scarser on the mountain, perhaps it's because of the roadie invasion?

[Berry]

Chill bru

[Capricorn]

my 2c worth (comes with change too )

onetrack: if u consider the number of dedicated trails for the XCer versus those for the DHer, the XCer has the world. Gary is right. XCers should gtfo the DH trails, not only cos it's the right thing to do, but also because that sort of arrogant, ill considered stupidity is going to get someone seriously seriously hurt. The DH track is not meant for two way travel, it's meant for the DHers to exercise line option for practice. Since there arent many dedicated DH trails available, that width is all they got to practice on. Yet the XCer, who in all likelihood, doesnt even pitch for trail maintenance days, has literally a number of alternate, dedicated routes to take. (the tokai trails map indicates DH trails, so no excuse. Same applies to DHers bombing down XC tracks scaring the little hair left on the XCers. That's just stupid)

 

The aggression is an accumulation of frustration at lack of choice, while being bombarded with arrogance on the trail, and online by those thumbing their ignorant noses at the reality that riding up a DH trail is just the height of stupidity.

And just to underscore something, everyone can ride any trail, the difference is mostly likely the speed and willingness to take a calculated risk to do the section in the short possible time. Last i checked, there aint room in all that lycra for the size stones required. But I'm willing to stand trail side while you try to prove me wrong. Willing to put your skills where your mouth is, onetrackmind?

Edited May 22, 2011 by Jarek Wysocki

[leet22]

If he is talking about DH2 then I have no idea why u would want to ride up that.

If its Vasbyt u can ride up all the way to the steps. We do all the time but move out the way for ppl coming down.

Most of the trails have signposts and grades on them.

Maybe they should put up no entry signs at the bottom of them if u not supposed to ride up?

[Capricorn]

meanwhile, once i come off my low saddle, i dont mind if they ride up, i mean it's ok if they cause ruts and destroy lips on jumps they dont build. As long as they respectfully pull completely off the trail so i can have my width (size does matter, cos really, without size, what's the use of technique), then i dont see a problem. Thing is, the attitude and lack of forethought suggests this is the exception.

[Joe Low]

Most of the trails have signposts and grades on them.

Maybe they should put up no entry signs at the bottom of them if u not supposed to ride up?

Sheer genius in its simplicity

 

I would imagine there are loads of occasional riders that dont know what the DH guys know & arent trying to be difficult.

[Capricorn]

 

 

I would imagine there are loads of occasional riders that dont know what the DH guys know & arent trying to be difficult.

 

agreed Joe Louw. In general, that is the case. However, when calibrated, the XCer still maintains he has right of way. So either they know and dont give a toss, or they dont know, but insist they 'right'. It gets very annoying.

Good thing it doesnt happen often. I just shudder to think of the day that big smash happens.

[grb285]

Big tough downhiller on trails that are possible to ride up? Surely not...

 

From memory, and I haven't ridden there in a year or so, there is no designation as to either trail direction, or the 'grade' of the trail. So, it boils down to just getting along, and sharing the trail. Race downhill in a downhill race, or on designated trails.

 

Seems to be an awful lot of aggro from DH riders on the hub lately, or am I imagining things? You guys haven't got into the roadies' chemistry set, have you?

 

 

Actually, the downhill routes are clearly marked as such. You failed to look at the map at the entrance. There are plenty of bi-directional singletracks at Tokai, and the few DH runs are clearly marked. They are NOT bi-directional.

 

This 'aggro' is not unjustified. It's dangerous. I had just come around a corner and I nearly flew into these two. The first guy moved off the track. The &*$$@hole behind him just stayed put, and shouted at me to chill?? I was moving fast and if I'd have had to swerve properly off the track I'd have seriously seen my ass. I nearly did come off, but managed to stay in control and just carried on riding because I really didnt want to stop and argue with some $%^&head while I had adrenaline going.

 

All I expect is that people don't ride up the DH routes. If they do end up riding up them, at least be on the lookout for guys descending and move off the track.

 

As Jarek mentioned, these XC riders have also been messing up the lips on some of the booters. Now if they want respect from us, they'll need to reciprocate. I've done nothing to make their lives harder. I go there, mind my business, do my thing. Rules are rules for a reason though. Some people choose to ignore them.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

agreed Joe Louw. In general, that is the case. However, when calibrated, the XCer still maintains he has right of way. So either they know and dont give a toss, or they dont know, but insist they 'right'. It gets very annoying.

Good thing it doesnt happen often. I just shudder to think of the day that big smash happens.

 

This is one of the things that I find hardest to get around... Us okes, barrelling down the single-track, have next to no time to react to the imbeciles that insist on going up the downhill tracks and do not move aside when confronted with one of us going down at a rate of knots. Not to mention the fact that they shouldn't be there in the first place.

 

This was actually something that a mate of mine (who happened to be enjoying his first ever MTB experience (previous BMX'er) commented on - and he couldn't believe that us as those who go down downhill tracks, moved over for those coming up. I was siumply trying to get down with the least amount of resistance, and WAS waiting for him at times, but it seriously interrupted our flow.

 

Not cool...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Not to say that I'm a downhiller, on my flimsy little 100mm XC bike, but I put my seat down low and ride it like a DJ bike when / if I can. Plus, I don't ruin lips & berms. I remember too fondly how I used to slave over the jumps I used to build over the spare rocks and bricks we could find to do something that criminal.

 

I'm constantly trying to extend my jump meterage and speed in the berms. And if somebody has just dragged bis rear brake through the whole berm, it could create a bit of a problem for me, a novice berm-rider!

[Edge_Design]

And the DH riders who walk up the tracks pushing their bikes (presumably because they aren't able to ride them up there, not because they don't want to)? Is it not exactly the same thing? I do agree there is a danger factor to it and thus it is not the most intelligent thing to ride up the tracks in certain areas where there are fast, blind corners, but I don't think you are in a position to lay claim to any land in tokai forest as your exclusive place to be and I can't see any specific rules that provide for your claims so it's probably not best to go around calling people names, but rather try a constructive, intelligent discussion and take the time yourself to discuss it with whomever might be able to make rules or put up warning signs on the dangerous areas. Just a suggestion...