Tygerberg MTB club newsletter - unacceptable

[Meezo]

https://youtu.be/dnFsj6oWs24

Edited October 10, 2022 by Meezo

[Meezo]

How do i embed a YouTube video 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Meezo

[Rock Guy]

Its been a while since I saw a newsletter rant of this magnitude from Patrick. We all need to get our frustrations out in some way, this is obviously his way of dealing with the demons. But ja, its a bit rough ne.

Tygerberg has done well to move away from the tar and feather culture that it suffered from some years back. Newsletters like these remind me of those days, not so lekker.

On a more positive note, I saw Patrick take his trailbuilding crew out for a ride at Bloemendal/Contermans on Saturday morning (all on their brand new bikes). Very cool to see the guys doing the hard work enjoy some of the trails they help build and maintain. 

 

['Dale]

52 minutes ago, Thermophage said:

They have done great things, but it does not in any way absolve them from criticism.

Jy is reg. Provide feedback and challenge all you want, Bru. Any organisation must be kept honest. 
My invitation will always be to protect your inner peace and go ride your bike and shred. 

[DMJ]

18 hours ago, tygerbergmtb said:

Hi all

We're not fond of hiding behind aliases and you can get the list of committee members from our website and I'm happy to correspond directly if required.

We apologise unreservedly for both the language and tone of the latest club newsletter. It was both offensive and a poor reflection on the club, it's employees, it's leadership and the sport as a whole. 

We do not however condone riding in such a way that causes undue wear and tear on our trails. The purchase of an annual or day permit does not entitle you to ride a trail in a way that causes undue wear and tear. 

Going forward, our newsletters will be vetoed before publishing.

Fair play - they admit wrong, apologise and promise to do better. Good response from them. Can't really ask for more.

[blackwing]

Klink asof iemand net dikbek is omdat hy nie weet hoe om draaie te ry nie....

 

[BaGearA]

Why not build all corners flat and then just at the entrance build A step up jump that lands onto the raised berm.

 

exit doesn't have to be A gap but might as well be , that way only slightly above average oakes will ride the berms and if they drag rear brakes through them its obviously intentional.

 

Rear that however you choose to ... I just want more step up , step down jumps in local network 

[flymango]

Offended readers, Courier Guy adverts, eBiker and teenage culprits, manicured berms, an apologetic club ... 

All I can do is shake my head.

In the unlikely event of there being any responses to my post, I won't be engaging in an online debate. I've got much more constructive things to do. 

[Eddy Gordo]

20 hours ago, Rock Guy said:

Its been a while since I saw a newsletter rant of this magnitude from Patrick. We all need to get our frustrations out in some way, this is obviously his way of dealing with the demons. But ja, its a bit rough ne.

Tygerberg has done well to move away from the tar and feather culture that it suffered from some years back. Newsletters like these remind me of those days, not so lekker.

On a more positive note, I saw Patrick take his trailbuilding crew out for a ride at Bloemendal/Contermans on Saturday morning (all on their brand new bikes). Very cool to see the guys doing the hard work enjoy some of the trails they help build and maintain. 

 

Well, I kinda know Patrick, due to someone else I know who is good friends with him. To me Pat comes across as quite a chill person. I have heard already how he whispers his rants when he sees people do to berms what he does not like. "oh thats not good!!"

So yes it is probably how he vents!! I take the newsletter with a pinch of salt anyway.

Also, I can understand from his point, he and his team put in hours hand building those trails. Anyone who has done similar, believe me it aint easy at all. Mixing cement is childs play. So how would one feel when you do something with passion and someone else comes along and well lets say tears at your strings?

[MTBRIDER1234]

On 10/9/2022 at 9:13 PM, DieselnDust said:

actually those braking bumps are really annoying and quite unpleasant. It's also the kind of erosion that gets the SANBI peeps curlers in a birds nest which makes it harder work for the TokaiMtb committee to do their advocacy job. I get it that its a cool riding style as promoted in vide clips with cool music accompanyment but its a real drag in the real world when people are working really hard to keep trails open let alone build new ones

I don't have a huge problem with them, but guys on short travel bikes or hardtails hate them. I learnt that from my years of hardtail riding haha

Most of the braking bumps are caused by **** riders and more likely then not, the experienced riders have much less to do with this. It is the idiots who go too fast and then when they get scared, they pull a handful or rear brake and skid like their life depends on it. Also E bikes do much more damage due to the extra weight.

[Headshot]

I think the newsletter was not meant to be taken literally and I'm not sure it warranted the offended reactions seen on this thread. Yes, it could have been more subtle but I suspect when at the coal face of trail maintenance it gets rather frustrating dealing with borderline deliberate trail damage. That said the club is well funded and its all part of the job. 

[Headshot]

17 minutes ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

I don't have a huge problem with them, but guys on short travel bikes or hardtails hate them. I learnt that from my years of hardtail riding haha

Most of the braking bumps are caused by **** riders and more likely then not, the experienced riders have much less to do with this. It is the idiots who go too fast and then when they get scared, they pull a handful or rear brake and skid like their life depends on it. Also E bikes do much more damage due to the extra weight.

I agree on the trail damage - that rear brake dragging messes berms up swiftly. I suspect you're wrong on the eBike trail damage argument. There is extra weight but a big guy on a normal bike is as bad. I weigh more on my normal bike than many people do on their eBikes. 

[MTBRIDER1234]

16 minutes ago, Headshot said:

I agree on the trail damage - that rear brake dragging messes berms up swiftly. I suspect you're wrong on the eBike trail damage argument. There is extra weight but a big guy on a normal bike is as bad. I weigh more on my normal bike than many people do on their eBikes. 

I may well be, but I was generally referring to a guy on an E bike vs the same guy on a normal one. An extra 10 kilos or so.

And rear brake dragging kills trails faster than almost anything else

[Josh Baptie]

23 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

I agree with this 100%.

 

Ive never come across anyone purposefully trashing the trails but that’s just me. If you’re experienced, you’re obviously gonna go quickly and if you overcooked it, what are you supposed to do? Surely that’s all part of the sport. Then they also complain a lot when newbies overuse the brakes around corners. Seriously, if you’re just starting out, its pretty normal to do this until you get the hang of it. I’m trying to understand what exactly the correct way of riding now is.

 

Regardless, if you build specific trails with all these berms, drop offs and switchbacks, then unfortunately it’s gonna take damage. Perhaps this is is becoming too costly to maintain, but then they should increase the membership fee. I do think for the number of trails we get to ride, its amazing value for money. But if its not sustainable then perhaps increase it. 

Agreed.
All the things mentioned in this thread are simply characteristics of progression and the sport. I highly doubt and am yet to see a single person out there PURPOSEFULLY damaging trails.
It pointless building fast flowy trails with jumps and big berms that encourage aggressive riding and then moan about having to maintain it when money is literally being paid towards exactly that...
As you said there could be the possibility that the funds are not adequate for such regular maintencance but then as suggested the solution would be to raise the fees to accomodate for it, not to lash out at people.
It confuses me as to what was expected when the idea came about to build the trails.. Big berms, Jumps, speed, hundreds of riders but minimal wear expected?

The trails are absolutely great especially Hammer and Terra flow as they brought more options to the table for that riding preference. Peeps are gonna want to have fun and ride hard! 
As mentioned is most likely not even these peeps damaging it its more likely novices braking in corners.

The attitude is just not great. TMC definitely has the monopoly and if youve ever watched Spider man.. with great power comes great responsibility. 
While myself and probs most of the community are extremely grateful that the land owners allow the access and opportunity for us to have what we do...im not fond of how there is a constant humbling involved.... To the land owner yes... To the club yes , to an extent..but ALSO alot of people pay alot of money towards it for the services offered. To then blast them and try make them feel like they must just be greatful is abit beyond me.
 

[MORNE]

5 minutes ago, Josh Baptie said:

Agreed.
All the things mentioned in this thread are simply characteristics of progression and the sport. I highly doubt and am yet to see a single person out there PURPOSEFULLY damaging trails.
It pointless building fast flowy trails with jumps and big berms that encourage aggressive riding and then moan about having to maintain it when money is literally being paid towards exactly that...
As you said there could be the possibility that the funds are not adequate for such regular maintencance but then as suggested the solution would be to raise the fees to accomodate for it, not to lash out at people.
It confuses me as to what was expected when the idea came about to build the trails.. Big berms, Jumps, speed, hundreds of riders but minimal wear expected?

The trails are absolutely great especially Hammer and Terra flow as they brought more options to the table for that riding preference. Peeps are gonna want to have fun and ride hard! 
As mentioned is most likely not even these peeps damaging it its more likely novices braking in corners.

The attitude is just not great. TMC definitely has the monopoly and if youve ever watched Spider man.. with great power comes great responsibility. 
While myself and probs most of the community are extremely grateful that the land owners allow the access and opportunity for us to have what we do...im not fond of how there is a constant humbling involved.... To the land owner yes... To the club yes , to an extent..but ALSO alot of people pay alot of money towards it for the services offered. To then blast them and try make them feel like they must just be greatful is abit beyond me.
 

exactly.

I have  also defended the club and their work up to this point and yes, will continue to do so. There is no point I guess in cutting off my nose to spite my face. 

I do it on other platforms too when people get all "Tygerburm" this and "Tygerberg Cult" that. I do it in person for the same reasons, although it is pretty k@k having to feel i must because of the way other people feel about them. It's not my job to defend them....but since I have a pink board on my bike I get associated with them instantly. 

Thats what i mean by there is a definite perception about them/us/it out there. I'm relatively new member, but i've been paying my way and using the trails for the past 7 years.  I am grateful for the variety.  Some riders prefer more gnar/natural trails and some others more flowey bike park type setups. They are all nice and we have all those options in CT. 

Also, Im going to say this again because it seems like some people are trying to steer this into a "must be hate for Patrick as a person" discussion. It has nothing to do with him. As I said, he seems like a likeable guy...I even watch his vlogs every two weeks to keep up to date with what is going on with he trails. My issue is with the authoritarian perception the club sends out.

What it basically boils down to is.... i'm just gatvol having to feel the need to defend their questionable attitudes towards paying customers. Also having to feel semi ashamed sporting that board on the front of my bike when people talk about them the way they do. It's not cool.

The letter and it's tone just served as new fuel to all those things mentioned here and stuff i probably don't even know about obviously.  I tested the letter on non-cycling colleagues and asked their opinion, since i thought maybe I was being silly. They also reacted negatively: "imagine your bank, body corporate etc sends you a letter like this" 

And that is why I took issue with it ultimately. Not because i'm a 'sensitive snowflake' or some 'SJW' or some of the other things some of you have called me haha. Me= duck/water/back - all it showed me was who the supporters of those type of things are. I don't mind stepping on toes to challenge the status quo.

That said..I also appreciate that the club rep on here was willing to see the issue and address it publicly and hopefully work on sending out more positivity in this regard. It will imo lead to more respect from both sides, trail builders and riders...and more respect for them will probably mean less people feeling they have to prove a point on either side.

 

[Max Headroom]

22 minutes ago, MORNE said:

exactly.

I have  also defended the club and their work up to this point and yes, will continue to do so. There is no point I guess in cutting off my nose to spite my face. 

I do it on other platforms too when people get all "Tygerburm" this and "Tygerberg Cult" that. I do it in person for the same reasons, although it is pretty k@k having to feel i must because of the way other people feel about them. It's not my job to defend them....but since I have a pink board on my bike I get associated with them instantly. 

Thats what i mean by there is a definite perception about them/us/it out there. I'm relatively new member, but i've been paying my way and using the trails for the past 7 years.  I am grateful for the variety.  Some riders prefer more gnar/natural trails and some others more flowey bike park type setups. They are all nice and we have all those options in CT. 

Also, Im going to say this again because it seems like some people are trying to steer this into a "must be hate for Patrick as a person" discussion. It has nothing to do with him. As I said, he seems like a likeable guy...I even watch his vlogs every two weeks to keep up to date with what is going on with he trails. My issue is with the authoritarian perception the club sends out.

What it basically boils down to is.... i'm just gatvol having to feel the need to defend their questionable attitudes towards paying customers. Also having to feel semi ashamed sporting that board on the front of my bike when people talk about them the way they do. It's not cool.

The letter and it's tone just served as new fuel to all those things mentioned here and stuff i probably don't even know about obviously.  I tested the letter on non-cycling colleagues and asked their opinion, since i thought maybe I was being silly. They also reacted negatively: "imagine your bank, body corporate etc sends you a letter like this" 

And that is why I took issue with it ultimately. Not because i'm a 'sensitive snowflake' or some 'SJW' or some of the other things some of you have called me haha. Me= duck/water/back - all it showed me was who the supporters of those type of things are. I don't mind stepping on toes to challenge the status quo.

That said..I also appreciate that the club rep on here was willing to see the issue and address it publicly and hopefully work on sending out more positivity in this regard. It will imo lead to more respect from both sides, trail builders and riders...and more respect for them will probably mean less people feeling they have to prove a point on either side.

 

 

Well said.

I am also bored with the newsletter 50% complaint content - and the language, really? All the members who receive the letter are not the part of the ruffian hooligan community - Is this the language you expect anyone - including your teen sons and daughters to hear and see as acceptable ?

Thank you TMB-Club for the apology.