Route Colouring

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

(Disclaimer. This is just my opinion. I can only use what I've seen as a guide)

 

Tokai DH is a blue with 1 red feature. The road gap. The jumps are tiny.

 

I'm just saying what I've seen. Also it has to be said that the grading seems to differ from place to place. The Blue at Morgins would be a red in Les Gets for example and the Blue trails in Chatel are still pretty darn steep. Most of the black trails in France I wouldn't even consider riding down.

 

The new Jonkers line has 2 massive doubles and proper big rock drop/stepdown in it at the top. Those are black features for sure.

 

 

I've only ridden the PMB track once a few years ago and it was proper. Don't be fooled by the flat bit in the middle. The PMB world cup track is a black. There's some proper HUGE jumps on that track. And some steep ass tech stuff at the top. That money maker jump at the end is FARKING HUUUUUUGE.

 

But we're derailing the OP's thread here.

 

Unfortunately that makes DH0 a Red trail. Agreed on the rest of them though. Firmly blue. Pretty much everything but that rock drop into the flow section on DH1 is rollable.

 

But, as you (and I) have said, the grading needs to take the prevailing trails into consideration. There are very few PROPER black trails in RSA. Other than the provincial / national level ones, of which there are a handful.

 

And yes - the level needs to be raised. For developments sake. But we also can't all-of-a-sudden make EVERYTHING on the DH line a black, overnight. People WILL end themselves. It has to be a gradual increase in technicality, so that in 3 to 5 years, maybe, it's a proper black, and not blue interspersed with a single red feature. Say it's red in a year's time. Then yellow in 3 years. And so on.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

The setup at Northern farms makes sense:

 

Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, red, black

 

And this is EXACTLY why people get confused. Trail grading colours MUST be standardized. And the best way to do that is by following the IMBA standards. With a few years in the sun, the red grading colour will look pink, and people will think they can ride it. And be wrong. Horribly, when they encounter a drop across the entire trail (red route, after all) and aren't prepared for it.

[Grebel]

Unfortunately that makes DH0 a Red trail. Agreed on the rest of them though. Firmly blue. Pretty much everything but that rock drop into the flow section on DH1 is rollable.

 

But, as you (and I) have said, the grading needs to take the prevailing trails into consideration. There are very few PROPER black trails in RSA. Other than the provincial / national level ones, of which there are a handful.

 

And yes - the level needs to be raised. For developments sake. But we also can't all-of-a-sudden make EVERYTHING on the DH line a black, overnight. People WILL end themselves. It has to be a gradual increase in technicality, so that in 3 to 5 years, maybe, it's a proper black, and not blue interspersed with a single red feature. Say it's red in a year's time. Then yellow in 3 years. And so on.

 

For development's sake somebody needs to fill the massive gap in the middle....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

For development's sake somebody needs to fill the massive gap in the middle....

 

Indeed. Which is why there's quite a bit of focus on putting in new lines in Tokai, as well as the skills park areas etc.

 

We need to put as much trail as possible, but it's just such a pity that we have such a limited amount of slope to work with in Tokai...

[DJR]

People, just relax and accept that Mayhem is the way forward! (I've always wanted to say that )

[Flowta]

Unfortunately that makes DH0 a Red trail. Agreed on the rest of them though. Firmly blue. Pretty much everything but that rock drop into the flow section on DH1 is rollable.

 

But, as you (and I) have said, the grading needs to take the prevailing trails into consideration. There are very few PROPER black trails in RSA. Other than the provincial / national level ones, of which there are a handful.

 

And yes - the level needs to be raised. For developments sake. But we also can't all-of-a-sudden make EVERYTHING on the DH line a black, overnight. People WILL end themselves. It has to be a gradual increase in technicality, so that in 3 to 5 years, maybe, it's a proper black, and not blue interspersed with a single red feature. Say it's red in a year's time. Then yellow in 3 years. And so on.

 

So the colour on the new signage for DH0, DH1, etc. is?

[Capricorn]

People, just relax and accept that Mayhem is the way forward! (I've always wanted to say that )

 

lol. i see what you did there

[Capricorn]

 

 

And yes - the level needs to be raised. For developments sake. But we also can't all-of-a-sudden make EVERYTHING on the DH line a black, overnight.

 

I know what you trying to say, but i disagree because that's exactly why there is a trail grading standard and chicken runs. Riders must understand what double black and trail grading in general, means. Ppl fall and hurt themselves, even on jeep tracks in JHB. Can't blame a trail with proper and sufficient trail markings for rider stupidity.

 

I say make the current tokai DH trail black already. At worst.

Chicken runs and/or trail markers for the rest including the new stuff being built.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

So the colour on the new signage for DH0, DH1, etc. is?

 

Black. In keeping with local skills and conventions. We cannot yet compare local trail to Europe, when the majority of riders view a pavement as a "major obstacle"

 

Sad but true.