[Closed] Pushing Up

I tend to educate on the trail with a proper explanation as to why its a bad idea.... I know it screws up your flow but stopping and having the chat, pointing out where the best push up alternative is etc does help

Not a trail centre.

Your point flashy?

It's not a directional trail. It's a trail, probably a ROW but not too sure if it is or not. Either way, assuming it's like a more controlled trail centre trail is misguided.

I'd still revert back to common sense though. Fast section, jumps and drops its a stupid idea to be pushing up the trail.

It's not rocket surgery though, is it? Directional or not it should be obviously to all but the hardest of thinking that pushing up the trail you just hurtled down is not the best idea in the world.

I agree, Mike  however, it's also a stupid idea to assume that everyone knows it's a fast section etc. May have been their first time there, who knows. Could be someone mistakenly walking up it thinking was a footpath, etc.

It's not the same as a trail centre, where trails are directional, controlled. Also, on a day like this, the SH will be teeming with all sorts.

Hence stop, tell them and educate. As said many times if we all expect the unexpected it would. Be a du walking pace ride.

And given the info available you can find an easy ride up push up alternative

Supernova on Trailforks
http://www.trailforks.com/trails/supernova/

I did give them a cheery "Wrong way dudes" on my way past. However it's better to educate  the next generation before they hit the trails.

As for "it's not a trail centre, directional" etc, yes we all need to take care around other trail users, however these were teenagers in full Stormtrooper-esque downhill gear, so I find hard to believe they were noobs, rather they just couldn't be arsed to ride back up the fire trail below, or the road above.

Is it a defined bike trail with a defined direction? If not, you can try and chat but otherwise it is a free-for-all on going up or down.

Can't remember the code (maybe driving a vehicle), but I'm sure people going up have right of way (thinking is that it is harder to start going up than down) - kills a downhill but you should be riding to the conditions and all that.

Started a mild rant so I'll stop but will repeat, if it is a designated trail with a specified one-way only direction, then they have the same right to go up as you have to go down. Part of the joy of the great outdoors, others use it as well.

Saying that, if I know a trail is used mainly as a downhill then I tend to avoid riding up - so although I'm sounding all holier-than-thou, I'd also be a bit annoyed if people were not being careful on their way up.

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/map/?lat=51.185037&lon=-0.444981&z=16&m=trailforks on the left hand side on that

I agree with the it's not a trail centre comments. You need to expect the unexpected on these bit, could be anyone walking up, doesn't really matter if it's people on bikes or not.

Couldn't agree more with OP except the world is not perfect.

Funnily enough, one of my mates noticed some kids doing this today. Said they weren't walking up the side of the trail, but straight up the middle.

While I agree with riding within your limits because it's not a race etc, this is a well known local descent, and I'd expect a rider to have a bit more common sense.

I'll regularly push up trails if I'm riding somewhere unfamiliar or I see an new one.  Tends to be the best way to find out where they start and if there are any big features I'm not good enough to ride.

Not everyone goes out for a ride treating Trailforks like a piste map. Some of us just go out and follow our nose.

Biggest problem I see is other riders treating public land like a race track.

Some of us just go out and follow our nose.

Are you prepared to get out of the way of fast airborne riders?

Pushing up might be good for scoping out but it's not the easiest way to find the top these days

As for treating things like a race track some stuff doesn't work slowly. If it's got jumps and drops safety says look from the top and get off otherwise you are another hazard on the trail.

Don't Diss Trailforks as a piste map, it's really good for giving you info for nowt and saves you having to work out where the push up or ride up is

Blooming proofreading and lack of!

I meant if it wasn't a designated trail with a specified one-way only direction!

Rather poor rant if I'm not even saying what I'm trying to rant about!

I'm certain it would be useful to stop and chat to some youngsters with body armour and explain that the etiquette is not to do what they're doing, that's cool, we're helping ours become better bikers.  The fact is, unless it's a trail centre you can pretty much assume you don't know what is round the next corner anyway, and should ride accordingly.

If it's a horse/wild boar/deer/baby robin you'll have a harder job explaining what you want it to do...

I’ll regularly push up trails if I’m riding somewhere unfamiliar or I see an new one. Tends to be the best way to find out where they start and if there are any big features I’m not good enough to ride.

If by that you mean right up the middle of it as the OP implies these lads were then you're (at least half of) an accident waiting to happen

Biggest problem I see is other riders treating public land like a race track.

This and what CHF said.

Mike, I'll ask you the opposite side of the question. Could you stop in time for an elderly dog walker who's stumbled upon a nice looking path to walk?

In your scenario what's the difference if I've gone in at the top and had to walk round a jump/drop and am mincing my way down to a point I can remount?

I actually love the Trailforks app, but it's IS being used as a race map.

Ive ridden round Dunkeld for 20 years but since the recent trailbuilding and boom of Trailforks, riders are treating all the local paths as enduro stages.

There needs to be some recognition that we're sharing these trails with others and act responsibly.

. Could you stop in time for an elderly dog walker who’s stumbled upon a nice looking path to walk?

Nobody has invented air brakes yet have they?

If your building trials your need land owner cooperation and signage. That is step one. For such an established area it should be there.

That is step one. For such an established area it should be there.

I think quite often the trails aren't in any way agreed, signed or whatever.  Trailforks at least has no indication of which are and which aren't.

Well get it sorted then! Want a trail with jumps and drops get people warned. This does go both ways here hiding from responsibility is a bad idea for everyone.

Well get it sorted then!

Not sure that's pointed at the right person.  I'm one of those advocating speaking to those who push up in full armour in order to help them understand trail etiquette, I'm also one of those advocating that unless it's a trailcentre, dedicated trail you should be riding as fast as you can see but no more...

Many of the trails on Trailforks round here are the "wrong " way round. On that basus I give it no credence whatsoever.

Oh, so if you have Trailforks you can ride like it's a taped off trail. Sweet, brah! #schralp #gnar #shredding #braaplivesmatter

Nope it gives massive power to the landowner and user comments flashy. But it tells you a direction of most travel, gives you use stats and shows you good ways to get up the other way around.

But in general if a trail has jumps and drops wtf are you doing riding up it ?

But in general if a trail has jumps and drops wtf are you doing riding up it ?

And how are you supposed to know that before you start if there are no signposts?

I've seen people pushing up and hanging around on that trail a few times. It situations like this, as long as there is space to pass, I just carry on as normal and not think anything more of it.

That'll either reinforce the message they're going against the flow or if they know what they're doing it lets both of you get on with their/your route up or down without conflict.

And how are you supposed to know that before you start if there are no signposts?

As riders get involved and get some signs/agreements in place.

As riders get involved and get some signs/agreements in place.

And how do you know if that's the case if you're walking your dog up a track that you've found.  I don't disagree that all you say is the right thing to do, I do disagree that somehow assuming it's done is a reason to take your index finger off the brake.

If you're in a trail centre, assume that you can let rip, if you're not, assume that you will need to stop right after the next bend you can't see round.

Is that unreasonable?

If you’re in a trail centre, assume that you can let rip

Tell that to the family with a pram and a dog pushing up the fastest bit if the Haldon red run a few weeks ago. Nearly messed my shorts.

If you’re in a trail centre, assume that you can let rip, if you’re not, assume that you will need to stop right after the next bend you can’t see round.

Is that unreasonable?

STW have debated this one at length

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/what-the-are-you-doing/

STW have debated this one at length

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/what-the-are-you-doing/

I'm not clear what you mean. Are you agreeing with me?

Not that unusual for Peaslake but mainly it's kids doing their orientateering that I tend to see but usually on the more quiet trails. You can argue about it being an open trail and non directional, what ifs and x family but that's not relevant in this scenario. Just sounds like a lack of common sense/laziness in this case.

Just sounds like a lack of common sense/laziness in this case.

Or maybe not everyone knows about trail forks. I only found the app about a month ago.

Or maybe not everyone knows about trail forks. I only found the app about a month ago.

Very obvious that this trail is DH biased given the drops and small jumps through the upper and middle sections and not a trail you'd really want to ride up.  You wouldn't need trail forks to come to that conclusion if you were to see the trail for yourself.

Given that the kids in question were pushing wearing full face helmets it sounds like they were sessioning. Fine in itself if there is a safe area to push up but the vast majority of the trail is single track based.

Maybe they were inspecting the track to see if it was safe to proceed....