Hoogekraal Cobra - rant

[Skubarra]

 

Yeah but Meez, that's not the point. The point is that the grading is being incorrectly applied. Having more technical trails would be great, yes. But if I ride a blue route I expect it to be of a certain level. And people need to know that if they ride in Hoogies / wherever, the blue there is comparable to the blue in Jonkers, or the blue at Welvanpas, or the blue wherever else.

 

I'm with Meezo here - yes it should be correct but thinking that a few "conservatively" graded trails on Tygerberg are giving people over-inflated egos and ideas of their ability as well as leading us to producing unskilled riders - come on...

 

Who are these masses of mtb'ers riding only Tygerberg thinking these trails are very technical compared to the rest?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Overall gradient is 9% on the steepest decent on Trail Z according to the GPS data.

Given the "drop" is rollable, does that even count towards the blue gradient?

There's one unavoidable drop of more than 2" high and less than 8" high. Even though it's perfectly rollable, that means it's classified as a blue. 

 

And the grade definitely goes over 15% in places. One could even argue that due to the trail structure (loose stone, etc) in the "freeride section" that it qualifies as a blue as well. 

[T-Bob]

Yeah but Meez, that's not the point. The point is that the grading is being incorrectly applied. Having more technical trails would be great, yes. But if I ride a blue route I expect it to be of a certain level. And people need to know that if they ride in Hoogies / wherever, the blue there is comparable to the blue in Jonkers, or the blue at Welvanpas, or the blue wherever else.

 

 

This sums it up. Nice. 

 

For me the big problem is that Z is a blue in the realm of the trails around it, the grading in the area and alot of people's experience of trails in the immediate area. It's not blue in my mind and compared to some trails I've ridden here, in UK, Europe and Aus'. You can't label it a green because compared to what people are likely to have been riding as a green locally then you're not giving people the right info and they will come up short.

 

Consistency is alway going to be an issue national and internationally. When skiing and snowboarding most of the blacks I've ridden in Aus fields (and alot in NZ) aren't even going to get a blue in Chamonix or on the runs at whistler so it's a pretty common thing. When comparing apples with apples you'll find one is a lemon!

[Thermophage]

This sums it up. Nice. 

 

For me the big problem is that Z is a blue in the realm of the trails around it, the grading in the area and alot of people's experience of trails in the immediate area. It's not blue in my mind and compared to some trails I've ridden here, in UK, Europe and Aus'. You can't label it a green because compared to what people are likely to have been riding as a green locally then you're not giving people the right info and they will come up short.

 

Consistency is alway going to be an issue national and internationally. When skiing and snowboarding most of the blacks I've ridden in Aus fields (and alot in NZ) aren't even going to get a blue in Chamonix or on the runs at whistler so it's a pretty common thing. When comparing apples with apples you'll find one is a lemon!

Well if we're gonna do it that way then I need to start advocating for a black trail again instead of just asking them to properly grade the existing ones 

It's just bloody frustrating riding trails that are SUPPOSED to have technical features but which don't and for which my HT is even overkill 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

This sums it up. Nice. 

 

For me the big problem is that Z is a blue in the realm of the trails around it, the grading in the area and alot of people's experience of trails in the immediate area. It's not blue in my mind and compared to some trails I've ridden here, in UK, Europe and Aus'. You can't label it a green because compared to what people are likely to have been riding as a green locally then you're not giving people the right info and they will come up short.

 

Consistency is alway going to be an issue national and internationally. When skiing and snowboarding most of the blacks I've ridden in Aus fields (and alot in NZ) aren't even going to get a blue in Chamonix or on the runs at whistler so it's a pretty common thing. When comparing apples with apples you'll find one is a lemon!

Agreed fully. And it seems I got it wrong. It is a blue, due to the fact that there's:

 

- one unavoidable drop of mroe than 2" high, less than 8" high

- Variable trail surfaces

- max grade of more than 15% at a few points (regardless of how short     those sections are, and whether they're uphill or downhill)

 

Each one of those in their own right would mean that the trail is Blue. Maybe there should be shades of blue, in which case this trail is a turquoise or duck egg blue or sky blue. 

[Meezo]

Welvanpas is graded well

Would you all agree?

 

Must get back there

Beautiful

 

make a date, I'm ready, must be Saturday though. got school on Sundays

[MTBeer]

There's one unavoidable drop of more than  2"  high and less than 8" high. Even though it's perfectly rollable,  that means it's classified as a blue. 

 

And the grade definitely goes over 15% in places. One could even argue that due to the trail structure (loose stone, etc) in the "freeride section" that it qualifies as a blue as well. 

2 inches...8 inches? I'm sure you mean feet (')?

[Thermophage]

There's one unavoidable drop of more than 2" high and less than 8" high. Even though it's perfectly rollable, that means it's classified as a blue. 

 

And the grade definitely goes over 15% in places. One could even argue that due to the trail structure (loose stone, etc) in the "freeride section" that it qualifies as a blue as well. 

Hmmm...not convince on the drop argument as if it's rollable then it can't be a drop and then can't be considered as part of the technicality (man that was probably poor engrish) of the trail...Ya perhaps some of the trail is steeper than 15%...on the UPHILL 

Ye, when i rode it the whole trail was stable like the green description. But may have been due to rain.

[MTBeer]

I'd hazard a guess that 95% of riders (me included) don't know what a Blue trail is supposed to have. They just know that Green is easier than Blue is easier than Black

[Meezo]

The upper Jonkers black I have done a WHILE ago...but did the chicken run entry.

Riding it blind was ... interesting, but nothing too bad higher up.

most def an eye-opener coming from Tygerberg though.

 

Which is the clue at Jonkers, Canaries?

 

NES, Never Ending Story, with Hike-a-Bike(the scariest part for me)

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

2 inches...8 inches? I'm sure you mean feet (')?

Nope. It's definitely inches. 2 drukkies. 

 

Technical trail features (TTF's) have the feet designation. 

[Thermophage]

make a date, I'm ready, must be Saturday though. got school on Sundays

Riding it this sunday if me riding partners don't drop me...again 

[MTBeer]

ok so excluding the full on downhill lines, what is the most technical trail in the TMBC network?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Hmmm...not convince on the drop argument as if it's rollable then it can't be a drop and then can't be considered as part of the technicality (man that was probably poor engrish) of the trail...Ya perhaps some of the trail is steeper than 15%...on the UPHILL 

Ye, when i rode it the whole trail was stable like the green description. But may have been due to rain.

technically it's an "Unavoidable obstacle" which includes drops, roots, rocks, etc that take up the entire width of the trail. 

[Thermophage]

ok so excluding the full on downhill lines, what is the most technical trail in the TMBC network?

My money is on the Full Monty at Welvanpas of the Black from the top of Contermans.

At the moment with the overgrowth the very top from the pines in Majik might just take it though! 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Riding it this sunday if me riding partners don't drop me...again 

All the others pull out?