Bike Parks: Past and Present

[Low Angle Life]

Low Angle, what you said about everything being a flow trail out by you is really interesting to me.

We don’t have much of that around here so I love them and love building them even more. I think as a builder or an advocacy group or planner it’s important that we try our best to not fall into a certain sort of formulaic way of trail design. That’s one of our biggest challenges I think. The formulaic standards of a really good flow/park trail does make sense and it obviously works really good but if everything is like that mountain biking will get very boring.

I think you’d really like the more natural tech we have around here.
Click to expand...

We actually have phenomenal variety around here in northern NJ/southern NY and a majority of what is local to me its boney old single track, some dating back to late 1800's mining activity, others purpose built by MTB advocacy groups in the past 10 years. We actually have just employed the first contractor to to do machine built multi-use trail in down state New York.

It's the bike parks that are all flow, I started riding Mountain Creek around 2005 when it was still Diablo Freeride Park. Back then there was one jump trail, everything else was natural, unsustainable, rock-strewn single track. It informed my early riding style and preference for boney natural trails. Up until about 2015, flow trails in the north east were a rarity, lift access or otherwise.

It just seems that since the introduction of Gravity Logic venturing out beyond Whistler, all bike park trails follow the same mechanical formula and take little to no inspiration from the natural terrain. Flow trails can absolutely be informed by the terrain to create one of a kind riding experiences. Personally I just feel that having 1 trail contractor designing and building 80% of bike park terrain leads to a lot of homogeneity.

 

[jasonwx]

We actually have phenomenal variety around here in northern NJ/southern NY and a majority of what is local to me its boney old single track, some dating back to late 1800's mining activity, others purpose built by MTB advocacy groups in the past 10 years. We actually have just employed the first contractor to to do machine built multi-use trail in down state New York.

It's the bike parks that are all flow, I started riding Mountain Creek around 2005 when it was still Diablo Freeride Park. Back then there was one jump trail, everything else was natural, unsustainable, rock-strewn single track. It informed my early riding style and preference for boney natural trails. Up until about 2015, flow trails in the north east were a rarity, lift access or otherwise.

It just seems that since the introduction of Gravity Logic venturing out beyond Whistler, all bike park trails follow the same mechanical formula and take little to no inspiration from the natural terrain. Flow trails can absolutely be informed by the terrain to create one of a kind riding experiences. Personally I just feel that having 1 trail contractor designing and building 80% of bike park terrain leads to a lot of homogeneity.

I agree,
my bike park experience isn't a vast as yours.
I have ridden Mt Creek, Okemo, Jackson Hole, Windham and Highland Bike Park..
With the exception of the Creek , the rest are very similar. The Creek has some of the gnarliest tech trails i have ever walked and crashed on.
Also if a flow trail isn't well maintained , the brakeing bumps will loosen your fillings..
I'm looking forward to all the new work at sterling.. We do have a amazing amount of great trails in our area. I have pulled up to a packed Middle School parking lot , and don't bump into a soul on the trails..

 

[raisingarizona]

We actually have phenomenal variety around here in northern NJ/southern NY and a majority of what is local to me its boney old single track, some dating back to late 1800's mining activity, others purpose built by MTB advocacy groups in the past 10 years. We actually have just employed the first contractor to to do machine built multi-use trail in down state New York.

It's the bike parks that are all flow, I started riding Mountain Creek around 2005 when it was still Diablo Freeride Park. Back then there was one jump trail, everything else was natural, unsustainable, rock-strewn single track. It informed my early riding style and preference for boney natural trails. Up until about 2015, flow trails in the north east were a rarity, lift access or otherwise.

It just seems that since the introduction of Gravity Logic venturing out beyond Whistler, all bike park trails follow the same mechanical formula and take little to no inspiration from the natural terrain. Flow trails can absolutely be informed by the terrain to create one of a kind riding experiences. Personally I just feel that having 1 trail contractor designing and building 80% of bike park terrain leads to a lot of homogeneity.

For sure. You need different contractors, eyes, styles etc.

My favorite trail has a little bit of everything. It’s so much fun to design and build that stuff!

 

[tirolski]

It’s so much fun to design and build that stuff!

If ya do what ya love you’ll never work a day in yer life.

 

[Low Angle Life]

With the exception of the Creek , the rest are very similar. The Creek has some of the gnarliest tech trails i have ever walked and crashed on.
Also if a flow trail isn't well maintained , the brakeing bumps will loosen your fillings..
I'm looking forward to all the new work at sterling.. We do have a amazing amount of great trails in our area. I have pulled up to a packed Middle School parking lot , and don't bump into a soul on the trails..

Even the jumps at Mountain Creek are built different than at other bike parks. Poppy as all get out with steep BMX style lips, not that low and long bullshit that makes everyone feel like a hero. They've also held onto a good bit of the old school tech which helps. Northern NJ being such an under the radar MTB local is great in my mind, I don't care much for MTB'ers in general so being able to roll out solo and not run into anyone is a huge positive.

My favorite trail has a little bit of everything. It’s so much fun to design and build that stuff!

Our newest trail @jasonwx is referring to is exactly that, wide machine built flow sections broken up by bouldery tech and narrow single track. We are very fortunate to have a phenomenal builder that we've hired for the project, he worked for hiking organizations in the past and knows how to make something built with machine look like handwork, he's also a former skateboarder and views the landscape like a street skater eyes up the streets.

 

[raisingarizona]

Even the jumps at Mountain Creek are built different than at other bike parks. Poppy as all get out with steep BMX style lips, not that low and long bullshit that makes everyone feel like a hero. They've also held onto a good bit of the old school tech which helps. Northern NJ being such an under the radar MTB local is great in my mind, I don't care much for MTB'ers in general so being able to roll out solo and not run into anyone is a huge positive.

Our newest trail @jasonwx is referring to is exactly that, wide machine built flow sections broken up by bouldery tech and narrow single track. We are very fortunate to have a phenomenal builder that we've hired for the project, he worked for hiking organizations in the past and knows how to make something built with machine look like handwork, he's also a former skateboarder and views the landscape like a street skater eyes up the streets.

That’s dope. I’m working on cleaning up my work to try and make it look more organic but it’s been tough with budget and other challenges. I’ve been told my trail designs feel like they’ve been built by a skier. Who’s the builder you’re talking about? Is he on Instagram?

 

[raisingarizona]

I agree,
my bike park experience isn't a vast as yours.
I have ridden Mt Creek, Okemo, Jackson Hole, Windham and Highland Bike Park..
With the exception of the Creek , the rest are very similar. The Creek has some of the gnarliest tech trails i have ever walked and crashed on.
Also if a flow trail isn't well maintained , the brakeing bumps will loosen your fillings..
I'm looking forward to all the new work at sterling.. We do have a amazing amount of great trails in our area. I have pulled up to a packed Middle School parking lot , and don't bump into a soul on the trails..

Those trails at MC are rocky!

I had a healing broken wrist when I rode there and had to rent a bike. It was 2005 and their rentals were shit. I had fun but it hurt real good.

I remember the one jump trail that low angle has mentioned and I remember it having a bmx feel to it.

Low angle, I do love my low and lofty mountain bike jumps that make me feel like a hero ?. I don’t have that BMX dirt jump background so big steep jumps scare me to be honest and I’m too damn old now to take too many chances. Got any links for vids or cool riding pics? I’d love to see some.

 

[Low Angle Life]

That’s dope. I’m working on cleaning up my work to try and make it look more organic but it’s been tough with budget and other challenges. I’ve been told my trail designs feel like they’ve been built by a skier. Who’s the builder you’re talking about? Is he on Instagram?

Erik has a website, https://trailism.com/ with a link to his instagram, nerd level of interest in all aspects of trail building.

Low angle, I do love my low and lofty mountain bike jumps that make me feel like a hero ?. I don’t have that BMX dirt jump background so big steep jumps scare me to be honest and I’m too damn old now to take too many chances. Got any links for vids or cool riding pics? I’d love to see some.

As for pics of myself I'm trying to dig up a few, this is probably my best dirt jumping photo from 2015 when I still lived in Vermont. I haven't really had the same access to a set of trails since then so I really don't jump much anymore and also don't document most of my riding as its solo trail riding.

 

[raisingarizona]

Erik has a website, https://trailism.com/ with a link to his instagram, nerd level of interest in all aspects of trail building.

View attachment 12236
As for pics of myself I'm trying to dig up a few, this is probably my best dirt jumping photo from 2015 when I still lived in Vermont. I haven't really had the same access to a set of trails since then so I really don't jump much anymore and also don't document most of my riding as its solo trail riding.

That’s sweet man! I wish I spent more time on dirt jumps when I was younger but there wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity in north Jersey for that stuff in the early 90’s.

 

[jasonwx]

That’s sweet man! I wish I spent more time on dirt jumps when I was younger but there wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity in north Jersey for that stuff in the early 90’s.

jumping is my nemesis , finally able to clear small tables ..