Bikesoiler said:Quoted message said:lol, exactly what I am talking about.
Pissing in the wind with unsubstantiated claims is going to bite them
in
the [censored].
Do not confuse purpose built courses as part of recreational
facilties,
for which there will be a allocation for ongoing maintenance, with the
unsubstantiated general claims being advanced by mtb'ers that the
overseas "research" proves their contention that mtb cause as little
damages as bush walkers. It needs to be shown that this applies in
Australia.
Terry
If any soil scientist has funding for research into this topic I'm
willing to volunteer my time to help.
Look, all you need is is someone who knows how to document research and
do some stats or learn how to do it yourself. You can/will find the soil
scientist/others later to classify your soils and help you with
recording any other data needed.
Find various "virgin" strips of local bush and repeat those
experiments. Take photos every 50/100 trips say.
Do this on various slopes. Ideally, repeat on/under different vegetation
zones.
It would be best to have these test strips somewhere that normal riders
and walkers do not use. Then you can examine them for long term damage.
e.g the claim that bushwalkers do more damage on downhills can be
currently countered that bushwalkers heels do not create versial strips
that allow runoff to accelerate and create soil erosion.
Publish on the net. Basically, you just document your methods in word
and photographs (include date and time for weather input calculations),
then collect results. Riders could contribute test strips from their
location.
My expectations are that MTB groups will come out in support of bans on
mtb riding on certain slopes and certain vegetations because the
potential for long term damage is just too great. This may well apply to
bushwalking above a certain level as well.
E.G. NPWs builds walk ways across certain vegeations in Kosciosko NP to
stop the impact of walkers.
Do not be intimidated by peeps with thinking it needs to be carried out
by peeps with letters after their name. There is a good proportion of
reaseach carried out by people without formal education in the field.
Quoted message said:I spend plenty of time & effort on trail building & maintenance.
This in a small way compensates for the damage I may do
while riding my MTB.
Note, my issue isn't with "constructed recreational facilities" which
are not what this is about. That is an entitrely different matter.
Quoted message said:I know many MTB riders are neither MTBA members nor give a sh!t
about trail maintenance. Simular attitude to the road riders ignoring
traffic laws.
Agreed, unfortunately they are the ones that the public sees and
writes/telephoes their local paper, councillors, local member, etc about.
Quoted message said:
Are you part of the solution, or part of the problem?
Both {:-). I love off track wild riding. You see some great places.
I've also met the [censored], selfish MTB'er and they do not impress me
with their claims that they should be allowed to ride anywhere they
like. I place them in the same category as 4WD'ers who think they should
have unfettered access to national parks.
OTOH, I'm the person that added "bicycle trails" to a phamplet 13 years
ago on uses for our loca bush reserve. It is now council policy. lol we
snuck that one in. BUT, the support is only for using the existing
firetrails (two trails in 100m width is excessive).
The really major problems here are;
a) motor bike that go everywhere and contribute to major sand drifts
(sandstone soils),
b) bmx'ers who use backhoes to construct jumps everywhere (I believe
this is a council employee/contractor doing this),
c) the use of ungraded crushed sandstone on the trails (loose traction
going down a sloping road and you kiss the ground)
d) too many keys to locked gates (firewood collectors amongst emergency
services personnel),
e) lizard, snakes, etc collectors (acres of surface stones overturned in
searches for these).
f) bush rock stealers.
It isn't that exiting for MTB stuff, so we don't see them much.
You can shoot the messenger, but if you want to cut out the hysterics[1]
who oppose you, then you have to have hard, valid data. To me, MTB'er
currently sound like all those housewives who drive their children to
school in $WDs so keep them safe from drug crazed, bicycle ride peodophiles.
[1] You are not going to win them over. You just have to convinve
council/some-authority staff that it is all anti-bike hysteria and you
have the proof to support your claims. As it stands, anyone with
experience in writing submissions can, with a little research, pull the
rug out from all the pro-MTB claims being made.
