ATT: Trail Park Builders

[Red Robin]

youngest is 5 and gets a little flustered (because of lack of experience) when things are not smooth. i.e. rocks or roots that need to be navigated. Although I think in a few months when she progresses to a bigger bike with bigger wheels it will make things easier, right now those tiny little wheels on her 16" bike dont roll over obstacles that easily.

 

Like I said, she did get more confident second loop around.

 

Maybe try Benoni Country Club for her as well. Very child friendly. 

[ChrisF]

youngest is 5 and gets a little flustered (because of lack of experience) when things are not smooth. i.e. rocks or roots that need to be navigated. Although I think in a few months when she progresses to a bigger bike with bigger wheels it will make things easier, right now those tiny little wheels on her 16" bike dont roll over obstacles that easily.

 

Like I said, she did get more confident second loop around.

The 20" wheels will really help her. A year later and the 24" will be a game changer.

 

 

Separate trails .....

 

We have Hazendal that is targeted at KIDS.

 

Extremely gratefull for how it helped Maritz on those first rides.

 

 

Bloemendal has a very nice track for the kids !!

 

Once the kids are comfortable on the pump track they are okay, though slow, on B Spot.

 

I have never seen any adults rushing kids along B Spot.

 

The layout does help ... easy to see when fast riders catch up, long before they are on your back wheel. Plenty spots to pull over, though most people hang back and dont crowd slow riders.

 

The irony ... think we pass more first time adults than kids along this section.

[Robbie Stewart]

From my personal experience I can confidently say that even when kid dedicated trails are present some people will still venture out on to more adult oriented trails.

Bloemendal bike park as prime example. I cannot count how many times I have come blasting down the Home Run section at full gas only to meet a parent guiding a toddler on a balance bike, sometimes up the wrong way as well.

 

Last weekend I was back there getting my eye in after being away from trails and jumps in particular for this whole year due to work, and on one occasion I found some kids dawdling along on the trail where it is not very open, and on another run I came through the Kuilvoergat dedicated jump line, and as I exited the line a kid came running up the exit transition. This is a 6-foot blind transition and when you exit the line at speed, the last thing I am anticipating is a kid's face moments away from needing an ambulance after being hit by 120kg of meat missile.

Any trail park builders reading this, what I would want is a dedicated trail for kids up to say 5~6 y.o. and then one for the up to 12 y.o. and after that the normal trails should suffice and absolutely no cross-pollination allowed, i.e. no under 12's on the adult line, no over 12's on the kiddie lines. That way everyone is safe.

[ChrisF]

Robbie on Saturday there was a close one Kuilvoergat ....

 

Highschool kids .... parked at the start of wooden frames ....

 

A gent was done repeat runs of the left line .... coming done Homerun with a LOT of speed, and properly clearing the jumps on the left.

 

 

 

As he comes blasting around the berm these high school kids decide to circle around .... this was way too close to a very high speed T-bone !!!

[Robbie Stewart]

Robbie on Saturday there was a close one Kuilvoergat ....

 

Highschool kids .... parked at the start of wooden frames ....

 

A gent was done repeat runs of the left line .... coming done Homerun with a LOT of speed, and properly clearing the jumps on the left.

 

 

 

As he comes blasting around the berm these high school kids decide to circle around .... this was way too close to a very high speed T-bone !!!

Ja that line is very fun and deceptively dangerous being that it ends where everyone starts. I always go full speed on home run and most times I ride the Kuilvoergat jump line. I'm a big boy and I go fast. If I crash its always a spectacular event. Should a kid come into my line and I am unable to avoid them the consequences will be critical.

 

I've raised this with the club but it fell on deaf ears. There are way too many kids there to make that line safe.

 

Perhaps the time has come to rather go hang out at the Leatt Skills Park. No unskilled beginners likely there and even if they venture that way the lines themselves will frighten them enough to stay well clear of anything not on the extreme left side of the park.