Tygerberg MTB Club Trails

[Thermophage]

So I've been avoiding the hub for the past month as I found it too depressing since currently being unable to ride my bike. To advocate that a trail doesn't have to be tech or graded black for people to hurt themselves, at the end of Jan I was climbing hillcrest red, was in the wrong gear, stalled, wanted to unclip and put my foot down before I fell over and well... pics below will tell the rest.

 

But more to the point, I fully support that it would be nice to have a little more variety on the network.

 

What we have is great and as has been said multiple times by the club and people hear - caters to the majority of members. Patrick has done a fantastic job building the trails, and personally, they probably peak at the the limit of my ability so I don't see myself doing anything more tech. But there are people that want to, there are youngsters coming up that will need to keep developing, so it would be nice if some of that was offered on our doorstep.

 

And I also think people are sometimes to quick to jump at thermophage without actually reading his posts and then getting surprised by his response. Prime example, he posted about how committee members were approached to broach the subject and the feeling was that it should be brought up at the AGM, and then someone jumps in with it shouldn't be raised at the AGM and he should instead try approach the committee.

 

And now those pics. Also big shout out to the team at Hillcrest who helped get me down to the ambulance and looked after my bicycle.

 

Accident1.jpeg

 

Accident2.jpeg

 

Accident3.jpeg

 

Accident4.jpeg

 

Accident5.jpeg

 

Ouch man! That looks pretty nasty! I hope you're healing up well already?

Thanks for the support, appreciate that.

[soconnor]

you can't do certain trails until you do... It's not a grading problem it's a "being an idiot or not" problem.

Whenever I go on a black trail for the first time I always go carefully, take time to analyse each drop or rock garden to try and see the best line and if that means stop every 10m to look at it, so be it. That's how you learn and improve. For sure 1st time I went down cobra or black rhino when I reached the end I was like "hm okay that wasn't too bad" whereas when I did the conties revised for the first time  (and the few times after the first) I was like WTF, stopped numerous times to analyse most things. In between the tokai cobra was mix of challenging, but not enough to need to stop, just go slowly and process information on the go.

 

For me the difference between trail gradings is :

- blue = you can go and fear nothing

- black = you should be ready to stop anytime : doesn't mean you necessary will

- double black = stop at everything out of the ordinary to have a good look

 

If you let a black grading stop you, you'll never improve. On the opposite if you think you can do all black trails because once in your life you did a black trail and it wasn't too bad, then sorry my friend, but what's happening next is what we call natural selection...

Agree totally apply common sense on every trail you ride,be it blue through to double black irrespective of ones skill level..

[aquaratza]

Weird seeing a post on Bikehub by someone you've been following on Strava 

 

Hope you recover quickly man.

 

Your incident reminds me to always be careful and not underestimate the risks posed by sections of the trails. Very easy to misjudge too. Also useful to know that there is some kind of effective response in place when stuff goes wrong? Although your friend had to go get help?

 

I've become very risk averse on the trails because I've seen my friends fall a few times - I'm doing it for fun, exploring and fitness. I'm generally very happy with the network's trails. I don't expect or need fancy, black diamond stuff. I like hopping from one farm to the next, doing a circuit, staying off the roads. The current network gives me this and then some. Thanks Patrick and the club!

Edited February 28, 2020 by aquaratza

[piotter]

Ouch man! That looks pretty nasty! I hope you're healing up well already?

Thanks for the support, appreciate that.

 

Got a moonboot this week so have started "walking" on it with crutches. Cycling unfortunately is months away.

 

Weird seeing a post on Bikehub by someone you've been following on Strava 

 

Hope you recover quickly man.

 

Your incident reminds me to always be careful and not underestimate the risks posed by sections of the trails. Very easy to misjudge too. Also useful to know that there is some kind of effective response in place when stuff goes wrong? Although your friend had to go get help?

 

I've become very risk averse on the trails because I've seen my friends fall a few times - I'm doing it for fun, exploring and fitness. I'm generally very happy with the network's trails. I don't expect or need fancy, black diamond stuff. I like hopping from one farm to the next, doing a circuit, staying off the roads. The current network gives me this and then some. Thanks Patrick and the club!

 

Haha it is quite weird hey. Yeah you never know when things can go wrong. Stupidly, my biggest falls - usually when doing something stupid, have lead to scrapes and bruises. It's the little innocuous falls - usually on flat ground or when going slow, that have led to my biggest injuries.

 

The worst part really is then sitting on the sidelines for months at a time. 

[aquaratza]

It's the little innocuous falls - usually on flat ground or when going slow, that have led to my biggest injuries.

 

The worst part really is then sitting on the sidelines for months at a time. 

A MOOOONBOOT! 

 

Like learning to use clipless pedals, forgetting to unclip and then falling face-first on your brick driveway...

[SuperDooperSnooper]

SNIP

 

I've become very risk averse on the trails because I've seen my friends fall a few times - I'm doing it for fun, exploring and fitness. I'm generally very happy with the network's trails. I don't expect or need fancy, black diamond stuff. I like hopping from one farm to the next, doing a circuit, staying off the roads. The current network gives me this and then some. Thanks Patrick and the club!

 

I am sure you probably did not intend it this way, but statements like these would be similar to saying "Thank you, City of CT/Joburg/Dbn, I am quite comfy riding my car to work, so you really don't need to bother with cycle/bus lanes for anybody else who prefer a different way of travel. Because when I am satisfied and happy, who cares about anybody else...?"

 

Saffers are so used to think only about "me and mine" that we don't even realise how we mess things up for somebody else who might prefer a different flavour. Look around, by far the biggest problem breaking our beautiful country apart in recent times.

 

What's wrong with adding some technical flavour to all the great stuff that's already there? If you don't feel like riding it now, you may change your mind in a year or two when you see somebody previously a noob now hollering and whooping for mastering "that tricky bit"...

[piotter]

I am sure you probably did not intend it this way, but statements like these would be similar to saying "Thank you, City of CT/Joburg/Dbn, I am quite comfy riding my car to work, so you really don't need to bother with cycle/bus lanes for anybody else who prefer a different way of travel. Because when I am satisfied and happy, who cares about anybody else...?"

 

Saffers are so used to think only about "me and mine" that we don't even realise how we mess things up for somebody else who might prefer a different flavour. Look around, by far the biggest problem breaking our beautiful country apart in recent times.

 

What's wrong with adding some technical flavour to all the great stuff that's already there? If you don't feel like riding it now, you may change your mind in a year or two when you see somebody previously a noob now hollering and whooping for mastering "that tricky bit"...

Saying I’m very happy with the present situation because it caters to my needs is VERY different to saying they should only cater to my needs. That’s also quite a big in SA - if you’re not with me you’re against me mentality.

 

It’s completely acceptable to be happy with the trail network as is and doesn’t mean you’re ignoring that other people have different needs.

[Mamil]

Exactly. Well put.

 

Saying I’m very happy with the present situation because it caters to my needs is VERY different to saying they should only cater to my needs. That’s also quite a big in SA - if you’re not with me you’re against me mentality.

It’s completely acceptable to be happy with the trail network as is and doesn’t mean you’re ignoring that other people have different needs.

[aquaratza]

 

Pretty much what piotter and Mamil said: It wasn't my intention to make it sound like I was knocking the needs/desires of people who want trails that are more downhill/enduro in nature. It's weird, I had this same conversation earlier with a friend after we rode the MTB Challenge. My friend is more in the camp of "why are they adding jumps to x trails?! I hope they don't do this everywhere". I convinced them to try the Black Rhino recently and they weren't happy with me afterwards ahahahahaha whoops     .

 

But yes, what I'm trying to say is, as a TMTBC member who rides the trails a lot (maybe too much ), I'm very happy with the network. It's amazing.

 

The reason I'm saying this is because it's important to give credit to the club for creating something unique and really pretty amazing. I've ridden trails in other countries (Australia and Spain so far) and their offerings, while not bad, aren't anywhere close to what we have in the club. The club is staffed by real people and they should know their work is appreciated.

 

One has to give a voice to people like me, who ride for fitness/pretty-nature-things/views and don't expect downhill/enduro trails. All the trails require maintenance and so, if the loudest voices in the room are "downhill/enduro trails" - the wrong impression may be conveyed that the club predominantly consists of downhill riders, which I'm sure isn't the case. This will naturally trickle down to the trails.

 

So I'm not knocking your desire for gnarly trails, I'm just saying that (1) the club do an amazing job and (2) we're in this together and we have to share finite resources. The poll on this thread is a bit misleading (which I'm sure was accidental) and that was part of the reason I chipped in.

 

It's also important to go to the AGMs/SGMs. The last one I went to was an interesting insight into what the committee go through and some of the things they have to deal with. Also pretty interesting looking at the club's financials... it's a balancing act I wouldn't want to do.

 

The club should maybe do a survey of current members and ask them (1) what kind of trails they like to ride and (2) what kind of trails they'd like to see built and then use the results to inform future decisions.

Edited February 29, 2020 by aquaratza

[SuperDooperSnooper]

Saying I’m very happy with the present situation because it caters to my needs is VERY different to saying they should only cater to my needs. That’s also quite a big in SA - if you’re not with me you’re against me mentality.

 

It’s completely acceptable to be happy with the trail network as is and doesn’t mean you’re ignoring that other people have different needs.

 

This thread (and its predecessors) tend to go around in circles. I think it has been well established that everybody are appreciative of the fantastic job done by Patrick & team, and by proxy the club committee, and that those who like more mellow trails' needs are being catered for. There is no denying that.

But it seems that the minority who are asking for a openminded discussion about the possibility of adding more tech trails in future builds (not making current trails more difficult and taking away from the majority) are getting increasingly frustrated as they are being ignored, or seemingly actively opposed. They are not advocating against the current awesome existing trails, but to add to the network some extra trails where you need to bring your bigboy pants if you want to ride them. And again, nobody would be forced to ride these trails either. But the option to choose should exist.

[Skubarra]

This thread (and its predecessors) tend to go around in circles. I think it has been well established that everybody are appreciative of the fantastic job done by Patrick & team, and by proxy the club committee, and that those who like more mellow trails' needs are being catered for. There is no denying that.

But it seems that the minority who are asking for a openminded discussion about the possibility of adding more tech trails in future builds (not making current trails more difficult and taking away from the majority) are getting increasingly frustrated as they are being ignored, or seemingly actively opposed. They are not advocating against the current awesome existing trails, but to add to the network some extra trails where you need to bring your bigboy pants if you want to ride them. And again, nobody would be forced to ride these trails either. But the option to choose should exist.

Complain about this thread going around in circles, followed by the 1000th repeat of the argument that goes around in circles.

 

FWIW I would be mightily surprised if anyone ever on the hub (this thread or others) said: "We oppose more varied trails at Tygerberg"

 

Let us know what is said at the AGM on the 18th. I hope there is some progress.

[aquaratza]

Yes, let's all make an effort to attend the AGM

[Vallende Vaandel]

Is it safe to ask what happened on the 18th? It is Friday afterall...

[Thermophage]

AGM was cancelled - virus. They also told us on FB no non-members, contrary to what was said before.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Is it safe to ask what happened on the 18th? It is Friday afterall...

Nothing at all. Also closed it to non-members, despite the previous commitment to allow non members to come through. 

[Hein_CT]

So, having read most of the comments and replies to this poll, as it started out, it's clear that there are those that like TBMC and those that do not - for various reasons. One being obvious that the feeling is that the technicality of the trails are lacking and that the outcry from (I think I read this right) around 300 riders for more technical trails deserves acknowledgement from the club - but to be fair it is probably more.

So, I want to ask this, where would you like this to be built - the technical trail(s). Considering that certain riders feel entitled and would access trails even when there is clear signage up not to do so (thinking of incidents in Stellenbosch where trails were close with barriers and the individuals still rode on them), marking a trail as a legitimate black route would not necessarily mean the unskilled or for lack of a better description unwanted riders would refrain from using them - arguing that in riding these trails there skills would improve over time, but in doing so frustrating riders with required skills to enjoy the said trail to it's full potential. Also, I might be wrong here, but the land owners might have an issue with a serious technical trail being built on the farm as the risk of injured riders increase, leaving them open to potential financial claims. (Indemnity waivers are a completely different topic)

So again, where would you have such a trail or trails built? I personally have no issue with the trail network available by TBMC, and feel really spoiled for choice. Having spent some time in JHB and being able to ride some of the trail networks there, I don't think the average riders in Cape Town and surrounds understand the options that are available to them here. TBMC, Bottelary, Jonkers, Tokai - to name but a few. 

I am going off my own topic here, to get back to it, I agree that there is a desire and place for more technical trails, question remains where? 

My 2c worth...