mtb videos and mtb trails

[DaveM]

I've been thinking this for awhile now and in light of a few recent threads about shoddy stunts, looking for secret trails and one hit wonders it's got me thinking.

Do you think that mountain bike videos these days are doing anything positive for mountian biking?

Look at the newest videos in the past few years. Movie guys and riders head up into the woods and build secret stunts and lines for the sole purpose of filming them for a movie. Lots of these stunts and lines are built in highly contraversal, even illegal areas. Once the movie is filmed, unless you're a select group of people that know where it is, this stuff usually gets left to rot and decay, or worse found by hikers or authorities. The other byproduct of this is it seems to put the message out there to every kid with a camcorder that it's perfectly ok to go out and build some shoddy stunt and film his buddy riding it so they can be the next hero on youtube. Once it's filmed (if it actually gets that far) it's usually abandoned and left to litter the forest. I've seen countless remnants of this everywhere I ride.

While the videos are amazing at showcasing the advancement in riding talent and skills that we have today, what is it doing for the trails? In my opinion it seems to be detrimental to trail building and trail advocacy.

I don't want to pick on any one trail builder or movie maker, because they all seem guilty of it. Who goes in and looks after these trails once filming is done? What happens to them, should it be a filmers responsibility to either remove them or maintain them once the camera has turned off?

Discuss.

[rasd1]

i totally agree. from what Ive seen the film makers basically pimp and ho areas out, and give nothing back aftre they are done.

[Mic]

Right now I do not have the time to reply properly to this thread..but I agree as well. Will write a good one soon. Reply, I mean.

[Shrew]

Stunts, Trails, Jumps etc wouldn't have to be made hidden if every MTBer didn't think they have the right to poach something that isn't theres.

[M@M]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Stunts, Trails, Jumps etc wouldn't have to be made hidden if every MTBer didn't think they have the right to poach something that isn't theres.

ding. But think about the number of times locations of trails from movies have been asked about on here. It seems that there is a burning desire in many people to know where "secret" stuff is, even if they have no hope of riding it. It's almost like, as you said, people think they have the right to poach things that are not theirs, and that were clearly not intended to be ridden by them. However, there is then the idea that this stuff is on public land, so there shouldn't be anything stopping them.
Crap, I've gone cross eyed.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by M@M

ding. But think about the number of times locations of trails from movies have been asked about on here. It seems that there is a burning desire in many people to know where "secret" stuff is, even if they have no hope of riding it. It's almost like, as you said, people think they have the right to poach things that are not theirs, and that were clearly not intended to be ridden by them. However, there is then the idea that this stuff is on public land, so there shouldn't be anything stopping them.
Crap, I've gone cross eyed.

Difficult subject, it's usually always bittersweet, half the riders want something, the other half want the exact opposite.

[Sideshow]

OMG what a load.........I would imagine that "movie" people account for a very small amount of "secret" stunts being built.

Every kid I know has a mini section built in the trees by his/her house, your attacking the true nature of what we all do. Pretty much every trail in the world was built illegally until the municipalities recently stepped up.


Yeah filmers are the only ones that build shoddy stunts and then let them fall apart. Geez, what planet are you guys from??

I obviously represent alot of us that can't speak for themselves here. Lets have everyone that replies to this thread name where they work, and the future sustainablity of the industry they are in. Hmmm any contractors?? Tech people.....it all relates to mountain biking somewhere down the line.

[Sideshow]

ACTUALLY.........

when you guys wanna stop for a moment and look at a real local problem that affects us all, and the future of our trails.

TOUR COMPANIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not Bush Pilot BTW. Johnny and Barb have put in mega time for the local riders.

Just had a sit-down with some Squamish/Pemby Locals, and they are about ready to start bazooka-ing tour vans. These people are destroying the Corridor Trail systems and putting NOTHING back. Thousands of riders that would never find a lot of these trails, cutting switchbacks, do whatever they please and having no respect for what they are doing and not doing to give back.

In the old days you had to know someone, or find out where a cool line THAT YOU SAW IN A VIDEO was. Now its a phone call and a credit card away.

Think about that all you here that have taken a tour. After you spent your money and had a great vacation, did anyone go back and replace the divots??

You didnt, neither did the guide that you tipped handsomely for the advice. Did he tell you that you are your friends helped to ruin a trail that took 20 yrs to take shape, no he didnt, he was too busy loading the van for another tour.

Hmmm think about it. We as film folk leave pretty small imprints compared to the natural build of things.

Oh and to all the idiots I see driving thru Lynn Valley speeding and pissing and parking all over the place. You havent gotten any better, most of you dont live here, I do. I see you all the time, and lets get real, our PUBLIC infestation of some of the wealthiest neighbourhoods on the shore has a way larger impact on future trailbuilding permissions than a few shoddy stunts left behind from the next Freeride project.

Riders build Dave, they often dont follow the rules, but they will continue to do so whether they are being filmed or not. Whewww.

[jzogaris]

there are a lot of trails that have beer cans and litter all around them and are left to rot but IMO builders like digger keep thier seen clean. his trails are usually looked after or maintained by him or the people who like to ride them and its kept there for years, pluss he doesnt nail into live trees like a lot of unexpierenced builders are these days so it really isnt bad for the enviorment its just fallen down trees and dirt moved into a rideable stunt and when it does get left to rot in the forrest it is all biodegradable

[Mic]

Sideshow, you have some valid points. BUT not all trails have started out as illegal ones. Anyways, I think that Dave was referring to the fact that with the help of the movies trail building and stunts look easy, and a lot of younger kids just start building useless and crappy stuff just because they wanna be like the rockstars they adore...do not feel pissed off because you are a movie maker.

[sleeper]

It makes money for riders who do do something for the sport.

[Mic]

Originally Posted by sleeper

It makes money for riders who do do something for the sport.

*provoking, putting on armor* what do the pros do for the sport apart from appearing in the media and looking like everybody's darling?

[Sideshow]

ooo this is getting delicious...

[SEKTER13]

Originally Posted by Mic

*provoking, putting on armor* what do the pros do for the sport apart from appearing in the media and looking like everybody's darling?

Organize comps, teach riding to the next generation, some go to trail days like the rest of us, most importantly they are the public face of our sport. The non-riding public looks at the pros to see where our sport is, thats pretty important. I tend to agree with SIDESHOW on this one, everyone does it with or without the cameras.

[Smoke]

Lots of points to consider here.

I consider myself a pro, and I try really hard to put back the extra usage we cause the trails (thanks for the props, Cory). It's sort of hard to quantify though. If I can get a hundred people out to a trial day, is that sort of like a hundred days of work on my behalf? Sort of, sort of not. At he same time tht I'm encouraging more people to come and maintain the trails, I'm also encouraging them to ride them more. I know that from my perspective, I'd like to see a permit process for tours that goes through the local trail associations. That way there's easy local accountability.

I think that many of what most people think of as "pros" (sponsored riders/racers) do far too little to preserve and protect the resource that they make their living from. There are some exceptions, but the majority of them are "too busy" to put in the time. In the words of the board....

WEAKSAUCE

Luckily, the good guys like Simmons, Shandro, Lorence, etc., are putting back in to the system. Maybe they can be a better influence on the rest.

I get lots of guys who want to ride the stuff they see in the vids, especially in kamloops. I get to tell them that it's not worth going too, as walking around a bunch of one-hit wonders in the sage is about as exciting as golf. Unfortunately, what looks good in a vid is rarely the same thing as what is fun to ride down. That's why you don't see footage of Jamieson Creek, but you do see the same wedge booter at Rose over and over again. Not many folks are really into a 50' stepdown gap, but it's pretty cool to watch.

Not gonna name names here, but certain NS based video makers are one of hte biggest factors in pissing off the land managers. Winching stumps and digging tank traps for a tranny that maybe 5 guys will hit and that will potentially hospitalize some dumb kid is not endearing our sport to anyone. It's ugly and its stupid. Maybe further out in the woods where the NIMBY's can't see it it's OK, but not when it's within sight of a road or a house. Some beautiful natural features have been badly scarred by this practice. Maybe it's not as bad as a highway or a townhouse, but it's still destructive and polluting. Sort of makes you wonder if a boycott of their videos is the way to go.