Do not worry about making ruts anywhere when it is wet. I have ridden regularly in a couple of the places where it is considered taboo to ride when wet and guess what? Ruts go away quickly anywhere and everywhere. Rut freaks are Nazi's. I bought into it for a few since I am respectful but found that I could still ride the trails with ruts in them and then I found myself needing to ride when it was wet and went for it. I managed to have fun when muddy and with the rutted up after effects. My name is not Josh Bender by the way.
Riding in wet conditions
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
Trolling is not the case. Notice that this is in the beginners area. Beginners should be enlightened because I know that the topic messed with me for a bit as mentioned. Ruts are never a concern and do in deed go away quickly and never present anything other than a new, temporary and very minor challenge to a trail. Variety is the spice of life. The primary basis for my statement is the fact that these so called vulnerable areas are pretty much the same now as they were 16 years ago when I was being bullied into not riding for some (I could add a lot here) reason. No matter what these Nazi's say these trails get ridden every season when muddy and they always recover. It is dirt. We are not adding to global warming or something.
Joined
·
2,536 Posts
^^ Same with our trails. If you make a rut in the spring and don't fix it, it stays all summer long.
Some of us that maintain the trails are guilty of riding when we shouldn't though. Then we pay for it the next weekend when we fix everything. So I understand the urge to ride. We are lucky to have a trail nearby that can handle riders in the rain without causing any damage.
Some of us that maintain the trails are guilty of riding when we shouldn't though. Then we pay for it the next weekend when we fix everything. So I understand the urge to ride. We are lucky to have a trail nearby that can handle riders in the rain without causing any damage.
Joined
·
291 Posts
We have a similar problem at a popular riding spot nearby. When it rains they close the trail. But within an hours drive there are plenty of trails that can and do get ridden in all weather types. (hey it adds to the fun when that puddle you ride into suddenly deepens to near your knees.)
Joined
·
6,753 Posts
You're right...
And you shouldn't lie or misrepresent to make your point. You haven't been riding for 16 years.
You should also avoid making specious leaps of logic. Global warming?
Do you perform trail maintenance on those trails that you rutted? If not, then you're basing your opinion on nothing more than ignorance and selfishness.
It's ignorant trolling.Guy Cool said:
And you shouldn't lie or misrepresent to make your point. You haven't been riding for 16 years.
You should also avoid making specious leaps of logic. Global warming?
Do you perform trail maintenance on those trails that you rutted? If not, then you're basing your opinion on nothing more than ignorance and selfishness.
Joined
·
256 Posts
Both sides are correct here-- it really depends on the soil the trail is on. The reason you're getting flak for your blanket statement that it's OK to ride on wet trails is because a great number of trails are *not* so resilient. You don't want to have beginners just off riding whatever whenever because some of these trails are going to require maintenance to get rid of the ruts-- riding isn't going to clear up ruts in harder clay-like soil.
Some can take it, some can't. When in doubt, don't ride it and risk making other folks lives miserable.
Some can take it, some can't. When in doubt, don't ride it and risk making other folks lives miserable.
Joined
·
465 Posts
Guess it depends where you ride. I ride in the Santa cruz Mountains in N California. We ride year round. Certain sections get rutted up and when the dry season comes around all the ruts are ground flat again.
Joined
·
990 Posts
Baloney. Some other "cool guys" rode our local trails during a warm spell and rutted the heck out of some sections. Now they're frozen and a pain in the ass that will be there till the trail maintainance guys (including me) fix it in the spring.Guy Cool said:
Troll. I can never understand people who post up blatant BS just to provoke a reaction from others.
Steve Z
Joined
·
3,217 Posts
Ken is right on this. I have seen the ruts left behind by folks riding when they should not have been...The ruts prohibit proper drainage of the trail and riders tend to ride around the water filled rut which further damages the trail.Ken in KC said:
Then you eventually have a 10 foot wide pond on the trail and it takes that much more longer for the trail to dry out and then you have to fix the damage.
Some areas in the nation can handle wet riding...Some cannot. It is each riders responsibility to educate themselves on the trails they want to ride on and ensure they are not damaging them by riding when they shouldn't be...
four words...IMBA...
four more words...USFS...
another six words USACOE...
in essence all three would agree that, in the majority of cases, water is the worst enemy of trail systems...above wind, feet, hooves, tires, etc...etc...etc...
undeniable considering that the above have been building trails for decades upon decades...
WATER IS THE DEBIL...!!!
four more words...USFS...
another six words USACOE...
in essence all three would agree that, in the majority of cases, water is the worst enemy of trail systems...above wind, feet, hooves, tires, etc...etc...etc...
undeniable considering that the above have been building trails for decades upon decades...
WATER IS THE DEBIL...!!!
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
Join the discussion
