162:(South Carolina, U.S.) Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences conducted a study on mountain biking and the sustainability of the sport as it relates to the natural environment. The researchers outlined four capacities that must be met to sustain a trail or trail system: Physical Capacity, the amount of space a given activity demands, Ecological Capacity, how much damage the environment can withstand before detrimental effect, Facility Capacity, what a given population needs in order to enjoy such recreational areas; and Social Capacity, the point at which one decides how many users the trail can accommodate comfortably at any one time. Mountain biking is a sustainable sport in that once a trail or trail system is made, it can be used for many years, but like accommodating for specific carrying capacities, there are many concerns in maintenance and use. Resource managers, typically employed by private or federal agencies, are in position to make judgment on how and when trail maintenance needs to be done. Resource managers take care of outstanding trail conditions such as the following: erosion control, trail widening and or rutting, shortcuts, soil decomposition, damage to drainage structures, damage to flora, fauna and water structures. In order to preserve the sustainability and progress the mountain biking community has seen in the most recent of years, trail maintenance must be continual, from being proactive in legislation, to environmental awareness in physical maintenance.
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There are often volunteers, both organized and informal, that maintain and create singletrack in many places. Organized volunteers coordinate with park districts or land owners to modify the natural woods or terrain to accommodate singletrack bikers. Some paths are created from scratch, while others
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strives to promote mountain biking in a way that trails made are done so according to previously ordained regulations and the idea that if built properly, trail maintenance and environmental impact will be minimal. In one example, Singletrack
Advocates (STA) is a nonprofit organization that strives
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Many mountain bike riders prefer singletrack over other types of trails, as singletrack is usually designed specifically for the sport, and therefore can have elements which highlight features of the sport (whereas other trail types will usually be more straight, and not exhibit as many hills and
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highlights several potential problems when it comes to trail building: effects on natural resources, use of designated wilderness, conflict with other users, and notable safety issues. These regulations are devised to make mountain biking sustainable; the
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The IMBA has developed a set of rules "to promote responsible and courteous conduct on shared-use trails." Every trail may have a slightly different set of rules. Most commonly, the rules include provisions such as the following:
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which is wide enough for four-wheeled off-road vehicles. It is often smooth and flowing, but may also feature technical rocky sections, go over tree roots, and include berms, banked turns, switch-backs, hills,
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to build and maintain singletrack around
Anchorage. Since its beginnings in 2007, STA has prevailed in legislation and construction of over 20 miles of new trails in the Anchorage area (Alaska).
262:"Farlow Gap - Mountain Biking: fall line (2nd paragraph) — "The trail becomes loose and rocky, and becomes fall line into a wide-open rock garden...""
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hikers and riders on horses (equestrians), unless the trail is clearly designated and marked for bike-only travel. Hikers yield to equestrians.
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Symmonds, Mathew C.; William E. Hammitt; Virgil L. Quisenberry (2000). "Managing
Recreational Trail Environments".
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Downhill riders yield to uphill riders (unless the trail is clearly marked for one-way or downhill-only traffic).
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trail that is approximately the width of the bike. It contrasts with double-track or
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Other rules are often posted for the considerations of specific individual trails.
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IMBA Resources: Bicycle
Management: The Importance of Singletrack
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Mountain Biking; Issues and
Actions for Forest Service Managers
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351:"9 miles of singletrack bike trail going into Kincaid Park"
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and fire roads are examples of a doubletrack trail.
19:"Singletrack" redirects here. For the magazine, see
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IMBA (International
Mountain Bicycling Association)
86:other special features). Some singletrack includes
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A cross-country rider on singletrack during a race.
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312:"Technical Trail Features"
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34:A singletrack trail near
377:Environmental Management
334:Chavez, Deborah (1996).
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21:Singletrack (magazine)
389:10.1007/s002679910043
285:MrKawi (2015-07-25).
227:Cross-country cycling
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411:"Rules of the Trail"
355:Anchorage Daily News
297:– via YouTube.
237:Singletrack Magazine
193:is never acceptable.
166:"Rules of the Trail"
232:Glossary of cycling
140:In one report, the
455:Single track video
160:Clemson University
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36:Woodstock, Georgia
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122:double track
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104:rock gardens
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63:single track
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25:Single track
126:Jeep trails
118:Doubletrack
59:Singletrack
464:Categories
416:2024-08-27
317:2024-08-27
294:2024-08-27
271:2024-08-27
266:Rootsrated
248:References
112:wall-rides
207:Fall line
191:Littering
158:In 2000,
108:gap jumps
96:log rides
92:log piles
80:fall line
71:fire road
397:10742481
360:12 April
201:See also
100:skinnies
38:(U.S.).
475:Trails
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110:, and
88:TTF's
76:drops
393:PMID
362:2012
177:both
147:IMBA
142:USDA
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