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Hcor · Site Admin

I will start this forum off using part of a discussion from a related thread. What really does cause erosion? We all know mother nature has the final say...but how do we limit the effects of it?

Taz · Site Admin

With DH trails errorsion will occur and it's very hard to prevent it. With DH your only real option is to repair it on a regular basis.

To build a trail that will not erode, you would have to follow IMBA trail construction rules which of course don't work for a DH course.

However you can do things like put water breaks in long sections, and put water brakes at the top of really steep sections to keep water from flowing down them. Water breaks also add to the trail too, so you can have fun with them and help prevent erosion.

Switchbacks are another way to help prevent errosion and also add some fun to the trail.

One easy thing that can be done is to keep leaves on the trail, don't rake them off unless absolutely necessary. Undergrowth (weeds, grass, etc) help to keep the dirt in place as well.

Steep sections can be helped by putting in landscaping timbers every few feet to hold the dirt in place. There are also this special plastic grating that can be used to hold dirt in place (you see this stuff in Cali. a lot).

I have to say the most important thing is regular maintenance, and lots of manual labor!

kunfus1on · Burner

water water water i hate it when it rains my DJ in my back yard gets smaller and smaller Sad

Crazybastard · Webster's worst nightmare

I think not skidding with rear tire helps a lot too.

Yeti DHer · Kingpin

Lack of water drainage. Puddles and "lakes" start to form. The trail gets saturdated with water and starts to slide away...

Crazybastard · Webster's worst nightmare

yep good example is carlmont, last time I have been there in may it had totally changed form april everything got way rougher and huge cracks and grooves all over the place

madbiker · Assclown

Vermontdave · Burner

No amount of bike traffic will do what water can. Weather people skid or not is not a real issue..there is enough soil displacement just riding trail to make it the oath of least resistance. Fall line trail....and time...

Taz · Site Admin

VD, skidding IS a real issue, skidding creates channels for the water to flow in the first place. It also removes folliage from the trail that helps to prevent errosion. Riding in the mud also is extremely damaging to a trail.

Vermontdave · Burner

I agree about riding in the wet, but foliage is gone weather people skid or not. the trail will become the apth of least resistance evenn if people just ride it....because the root system is done.....

MrPrime · All-City

Heres a good site that i found.
http://www.pinkbike.com/stories/trailbuilding.htm

http://www.nsmba.bc.ca/structures/structuresmistakes.htm

http://www.nsmba.bc.ca/structures/structuresgood.htm

Try using rock armoring, i hear it works well.

Also dig a hole and take rubber tubing and make like a drainage pipe type idea.

amateur · All-City

build on/through as much rock as possible, build on ridge lines.

Vermontdave · Burner

even if noone ever skidded on it. Skidding may accelerate erosion, but it's all about water flow as has been said.

Rustmouse · Burner

One of the reasons the trails erode so quickly is because as more and more people ride on a trail, the more compacted the soil gets. This prevents the water that would normally be absorbed into the soil from getting absorbed. It turns into runoff. The soil compaction also prevents plants from being able to root in the trails, keeping the soil loose and in place.

Thats where you get standing water, channels in the surface, ruts, and mud pits.

Short of some pretty extreme trail building methods: digging up the trail, putting down a gravel base, filling it back in with engineered soil mix (gravel/sand to prevent compaction) and reinforcing the really rough areas, it's difficult to stop it.

Nobody · Burner

it's from the 'chattering' effect that comes from the elbows while mounting a hot, but short, latina babe in the middle of the trail.

at least, thats what happens to the trails i 'ride'....

oh, sorry, you're not a member of that club.

never mind.

(knees, then, likely.)

okay, real natural erosion is caused by fluids (water) in flow, that are suspending particulate matter (grit) that then under flow 'abrades' the surrounding land.

and, yea, the previous statement is correct. the first is purle salacious.