Obstacle tracks? What are they called? Where can I find them?

[Dane M]

Sorry I don't know what they're called, but I'd like to find out if there are any tracks near where I live that have the raised platforms, obstacles, drops etc. I'd really like to ride at one. Also what do they call trials courses? I'd be interested in trying to find some of those places as well.

Thanks
-Dane

[thestig]

Originally Posted by Dane M

Sorry I don't know what they're called, but I'd like to find out if there are any tracks near where I live that have the raised platforms, obstacles, drops etc. I'd really like to ride at one. Also what do they call trials courses? I'd be interested in trying to find some of those places as well.

Thanks
-Dane

You answered your own question.

[Dane M]

Originally Posted by thestig

You answered your own question.

Well I was talking about 2 different things, but if they're all called trials courses then I guess there aren't any around here. Can't find any.

[JacobSpera]

the trials course is the city you live in

[Dane M]

Originally Posted by JacobSpera

the trials course is the city you live in

Haha yes I get that part. But I'm looking for those raised muni tracks and such, I really want to ride one. Like in Dan Heatons Columbia ad.

[JacobSpera]

haha good luck finding something like that. I have only seen stuff like that in mountain bike films that are deep in the forrest. I know some places have them but they look pretty cheesy. Look up mountain bike parks, that would be your best bet for trying to find stuff like that.

[thestig]

Originally Posted by Dane M

Haha yes I get that part. But I'm looking for those raised muni tracks and such, I really want to ride one. Like in Dan Heatons Columbia ad.

Oh, north shore

[Dane M]

Originally Posted by thestig

Oh, north shore

Oh good, that's just a 35 hour drive or somethin

[johnfoss]

Actually it's probably closer to half of that; so things are already looking up! There's a small set of "freeride" mountain bike stuff in a local park in Folsom, but I don't know if they'll even allow unicycles on it. Mostly you don't see it in this country due to liability.

Vancouver is definitely the Disneyland of mountain biking trails, so I highly recommend checking it out. Too bad you missed the MUni Weekend last year!

Trials courses are man-made. Trials obstacles can be found all over the place, but your legal ability to ride on them is often in question. Probably your best opportunity for a proper Trials course/competition coming up will be NAUCC in July, in Madison, WI. That's probably over 35 hours though...

[skilewis74]

I've herd them called Mtb skills courses or obstacle courses.

Some of those can also be used for easy - med trials, but for more advanced stuff that you could not ride normally w/ a b*ke I haven't seen anything here, besides ones people build on their own property.

I have seen ones in Europe in people's vids like this one.

0:30-0:52

Look for large abstract art sculptures, training stations along running trails, construction/demolision sites. There are often good obstacles in parks. One of the easiest things is to build your own in your yard. Start w/ a bungh of pallets and scrap wood, you can usually get them free.

[Dane M]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

Actually it's probably closer to half of that; so things are already looking up! There's a small set of "freeride" mountain bike stuff in a local park in Folsom, but I don't know if they'll even allow unicycles on it. Mostly you don't see it in this country due to liability.

Vancouver is definitely the Disneyland of mountain biking trails, so I highly recommend checking it out. Too bad you missed the MUni Weekend last year!

I hadn't thought about the liability aspect. And that vancouver muni weekend was actually before I got back into uni, and before I'd even tried muni. Would be cool though, I plan to go in the future. Looks like an absolute blast.

Originally Posted by skilewis74

There are often good obstacles in parks. One of the easiest things is to build your own in your yard. Start w/ a bungh of pallets and scrap wood, you can usually get them free.

I have thought about that for sure. My back yard is dirt rocks and trees, would be fun to build trials obstacles. Where do you often find your scraps and interesting items?

EDIT: Oh and I did find a raised track in fresno... but it's only like 1 foot off the ground, and it's in Fresno..........

[skilewis74]

Pallets: Any store that uses pallets, big box stores are usually best. Stop by and ask if you can have some, next time they get a shipment they could give you a few. Do that at several places several times and in a couple of weeks you could have over 20.

Scrap wood: Construction/demolition sites. Do the same as above, preferably just as or before they have started, that way they can put them aside for you and you just grab the pile each day, and if it was a demol. let them know you want it before they totally destroy whatever. (My Grandpa built a 6' fence over 300 feet long using almost exclusively scraps from a major construction site. I took him almost 6 mo. of daily trips to collect all of it.) Also lumber yards have smaller scrap pieces, usually up to 1 or 2 ft.

You can get tree stumps and logs from tree trimmers, old tires from a dealer who installs new ones, call around to places that use tractors and get yourself a couple old tractor tires. There is a few places in my city that has piles of large rocks and concrete blocks dumped. W/ a few friends, a truck, and a portable crane (like those for lifting engine blocks) you could take a bunch of those home.

[knoxuni]

you can also drive around town and look for places to try and just have your unicycle in the car and when you see a spot and stop and try it.

[tholub]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

Actually it's probably closer to half of that; so things are already looking up! There's a small set of "freeride" mountain bike stuff in a local park in Folsom, but I don't know if they'll even allow unicycles on it. Mostly you don't see it in this country due to liability.

It doesn't have to do with liability; liability is used as an excuse by people who don't want to get into the political wars which are the inevitable result of doing anything which is perceived as being for mountain bikers.

[deadbeatpope]

Originally Posted by skilewis74

Pallets: Any store that uses pallets, big box stores are usually best. Stop by and ask if you can have some, next time they get a shipment they could give you a few. Do that at several places several times and in a couple of weeks you could have over 20.

Scrap wood: Construction/demolition sites. Do the same as above, preferably just as or before they have started, that way they can put them aside for you and you just grab the pile each day, and if it was a demol. let them know you want it before they totally destroy whatever. (My Grandpa built a 6' fence over 300 feet long using almost exclusively scraps from a major construction site. I took him almost 6 mo. of daily trips to collect all of it.) Also lumber yards have smaller scrap pieces, usually up to 1 or 2 ft.

You can get tree stumps and logs from tree trimmers, old tires from a dealer who installs new ones, call around to places that use tractors and get yourself a couple old tractor tires. There is a few places in my city that has piles of large rocks and concrete blocks dumped. W/ a few friends, a truck, and a portable crane (like those for lifting engine blocks) you could take a bunch of those home.

Sounds like a great idea. I'll run it by my wife and see what she thinks.