CRAMBA: Addison Oaks

[flamingo]

I might be either idealistic or a purist. Part of MTB experience for me is to ride as natural trails as possible. I welcome technical stuff but as long as it is not artificial. So man made log piles jumps etc don't entice me at all. I have been to Stoney Crek skills area only ones. Personally I would prefer to see resources allocated to building more trails than jump ramps. Plus I am getting old and health insurance is not cheap.

[c0nsumer]

I might be either idealistic or a purist. Part of MTB experience for me is to ride as natural trails as possible. I welcome technical stuff but as long as it is not artificial. So man made log piles jumps etc don't entice me at all. I have been to Stoney Crek skills area only ones. Personally I would prefer to see resources allocated to building more trails than jump ramps. Plus I am getting old and health insurance is not cheap.

I find this interesting, because by their very nature trails are engineered. And, it's all a scale... Completely natural would be impossible; it'd be just riding through woods and over deadfall. Clearing away the surface on a chosen route is immediately non-natural and constructed. Then it's basically a sliding scale all the way up to a completely surfaced (paved) trail.

Personally, I like technical features, but unless it's specifically a technical feature trail (eg: Danimal or Flying Squirrel at CH) I think they should almost-always be optional. The majority of people don't ride such things, and since trails are for most people, options are good.

[b_b]

If you want features in lower mi they need to be engineered and I invite that aka merrell and dte rock features since our terrain is rather homogeneous, but that shouldn't stop anyone from creating cool stuff. We just don't have the variety of some other places like UP rocks. Not familiar with your skills areas, but TreeFarm and Hines skills areas are a big hit with the kids and help teach the skills needed. They get kids outdoors and might get some hooked on mtb too. I'm all for them!

[crustaceous_flora]

This area could definitely use some bigger wooden drops such as found at Cannonsburg on the west side of the state. The wooden drop on Sugar Loop is okay but it's easy. A 20 mph drop launching into a steeper fall line landing would be pretty sick at places like Poto or Pontiac

[c0nsumer]

PS: If you want constructed technical features enough to build them, check out the CRAMBA Trail Features Program. You design it and build it, CRAMBA will handle the approvals and will pay for it.

[JohnnyC]

PS: If you want constructed technical features enough to build them, check out the CRAMBA Trail Features Program. You design it and build it, CRAMBA will handle the approvals and will pay for it.

not sure if the topic is staying aligned with addison any more. IS there a way to open a thread in a more appropriate forum?

I like the rollers in this video around 3:20 https://youtu.be/5wx2d758Q4Q
and this guy on YT's channel Backyard trail builds-builds stuff that looks like an absolute riot in his backyard with fallen trees and dirt from his yard. here's one.
https://youtu.be/DTbOfkO049I

I dont know which trail or where they would fall in.
Lakeshore is fun and I am glad they have the stuff they have out there. Have not been to Hines yet. The Stoney Skills Park was "ok" But if all of these tech features were built into the trails as well as being in a skills park wouldn't that make sense? You can ride all of them to get good on them in the park setting then apply those skills on the trail.

Copper Harbor is another beast on its own.

Michigan is great. A great place to ride trails.....but the trails are all built the same-just single track. Not all technical features have to be a 6 foot drop, 45 foot gap jump. But maybe filled in jumps so you can just roll over if you want or let it rip if you want "S" turns with berms to go down hill instead of just straight down to the bottom, or "S" turns going up hill to grind a bit, High bank turns, wall rides......etc
All features should have "outs" to go around. Or have a loop that bypasses the tech trails. anyway. I digress. Ill hit Addison tomorrow and have fun,

[b_b]

I like the rollers in this video around 3:20 https://youtu.be/5wx2d758Q4Q

Treefarm skils area has a skinny roller 3 or 4 humps not as big as that one but nice feature and Hines skills area has wider rollers that are kid/beginner friendly.

[JohnnyC]

I like the rollers in this video around 3:20 https://youtu.be/5wx2d758Q4Q

Treefarm skils area has a skinny roller 3 or 4 humps not as big as that one but nice feature and Hines skills area has wider rollers that are kid/beginner friendly.

Yeah, Lakeshore was my home trail for a while then I moved. Basically hit Lakeshore, ILRA, Maybury on the regular. Haven't been to hines yet. Rollers are a blast the skinnier and the higher there's pucker factor but they all improve skills.

[mrbikester]

I rode trail yesterday and it was about as perfect as it gets. Like the new little bridge after the very large bolder near end.

[J_Westy]

@Paul -- Thanks for the fist bump last week. I'm Jeff and was on the Fatty with the prosthetic leg.

Keep up the good work sir

[Josh McCreedy]

If Lapeer isn't too far and you (or anyone) want to build help tech features, let me know. Evenings, weekdays, and weekends are available. And yes, take CRAMBA up on the tech features program. I wouldn't bother starting another "more tech features" thread here or anywhere (they just fizzle out...) when there is plenty of tech available to build right now, if you have credibility, ambition, and connections to trail coordinators or builders.

PS: If you want constructed technical features enough to build them, check out the CRAMBA Trail Features Program. You design it and build it, CRAMBA will handle the approvals and will pay for it.

not sure if the topic is staying aligned with addison any more. IS there a way to open a thread in a more appropriate forum?

I like the rollers in this video around 3:20 https://youtu.be/5wx2d758Q4Q
and this guy on YT's channel Backyard trail builds-builds stuff that looks like an absolute riot in his backyard with fallen trees and dirt from his yard. here's one.
https://youtu.be/DTbOfkO049I

I dont know which trail or where they would fall in.
Lakeshore is fun and I am glad they have the stuff they have out there. Have not been to Hines yet. The Stoney Skills Park was "ok" But if all of these tech features were built into the trails as well as being in a skills park wouldn't that make sense? You can ride all of them to get good on them in the park setting then apply those skills on the trail.

Copper Harbor is another beast on its own.

Michigan is great. A great place to ride trails.....but the trails are all built the same-just single track. Not all technical features have to be a 6 foot drop, 45 foot gap jump. But maybe filled in jumps so you can just roll over if you want or let it rip if you want "S" turns with berms to go down hill instead of just straight down to the bottom, or "S" turns going up hill to grind a bit, High bank turns, wall rides......etc
All features should have "outs" to go around. Or have a loop that bypasses the tech trails. anyway. I digress. Ill hit Addison tomorrow and have fun,