Grading sections of trail

[Jokipea]

I think the reason we're all discussing this is because grading trails is not as easy as we expect it to be.
We are effectively grading the rider to trails suitable for their individual ability.
Climbing grades are subdivided by necessity to a far greater extent than MTB trails need to be so having them, MTB grades, graded into a few colours but with more specific differentiation between the Reds and Blacks as they need better explanation as to their difficulty. No method of grading is ever going to satisfy everybody.

 

[Old Codger]

Not sure what ability gaps, I assume you mean with riders, have to do with grading trails. If you take into account abilities you are, in affect, grading the rider not the trail. Similarly with conditions. These do of course affect the grade but the grade should be for optimum conditions. Getting centres to sing from the same page is a problem but they should not be the ones in the driving seat. Being a climber of some considerable experience and a mountain biker of less experience but nonetheless enough, IMO trails should be easier to grade than climbs and do not require the same degree of granularity.

On the contrary, you are grading a route to suite a rider or what’s the point of having a grading system.
For example, if I was a blue rider wanting to get better but I was finding red routes too hard then I could do with a blue/red route, or a blue+,or a red -. So you are grading routes to suite a rider’s ability.
I visit lots of bike parks but usually to park, use the café then take of across country. On my return I will usually finish down one of the runs, usually blue but sometimes red. At present there is a massive difference in the severity of same colour routes. Whiteness the difference between a red in Sherwood Pines and a red at Dolby or Glentress.
A few years ago I was in Morzine and the “family run” there was harder than any U.K. red. Loads of people were either bailing out or walking back up. This makes the cross country grading a shambles.
Where do you go when the blacks become too easy and you want more?

 

[Dax]

Where do you go when the blacks become too easy and you want more?

Dyfi.

 

[JoeBlow]

On the contrary, you are grading a route to suite a rider or what’s the point of having a grading system.
For example, if I was a blue rider wanting to get better but I was finding red routes too hard then I could do with a blue/red route, or a blue+,or a red -. So you are grading routes to suite a rider’s ability.
I visit lots of bike parks but usually to park, use the café then take of across country. On my return I will usually finish down one of the runs, usually blue but sometimes red. At present there is a massive difference in the severity of same colour routes. Whiteness the difference between a red in Sherwood Pines and a red at Dolby or Glentress.
A few years ago I was in Morzine and the “family run” there was harder than any U.K. red. Loads of people were either bailing out or walking back up. This makes the cross country grading a shambles.
Where do you go when the blacks become too easy and you want more?

We will have to agree to disagree. If you grade a route to suite a rider then there would be an infinite number of grades making the whole idea of grading a nonsense. If I find a route to be a red, you find it to be a blue and several other riders think it's blue. By concensus it's blue. The fact I think it's red is an indication of my lesser skill set not the actual difficulty of the trail. Unfortunately it will always be somewhat subjective

 

[steve_sordy]

.................
At present there is a massive difference in the severity of same colour routes. Whiteness the difference between a red in Sherwood Pines and a red at Dolby or Glentress.
A few years ago I was in Morzine and the “family run” there was harder than any U.K. red. Loads of people were either bailing out or walking back up. This makes the cross country grading a shambles.
.......................

This is the whole reason for the thread. There should not be a "massive difference" in the grading.
In addition, people should know what to expect in advance. A red should be a red, should be a red. Maybe award a plus or minus to account for a range.
If the grading system was improved and common, then it would no longer be a shambles.

 

[Old Codger]

Dyfi.

What colour are they there, purple?

 

[JoeBlow]

This is the whole reason for the thread. There should not be a "massive difference" in the grading.
In addition, people should know what to expect in advance. A red should be a red, should be a red. Maybe award a plus or minus to account for a range.
If the grading system was improved and common, then it would no longer be a shambles.

I agree but can't really comment on this as I have not been to that many bike parks. My local is FOD and I find the grading reasonably consistent there these days and very much in line with those at BPW and Flyup417. It wasn't always the case and I did get into serious problems back then attempting a trail at FOD that was considered Blue. It's now graded Black with additional adjectives and double diamonds and warning signs. I had to get off and push downhill with considerable difficulty and was unable to push back up to the firetrail even though I was only a few metres below it. You do have to be aware of sand baggers. It's the same in climbing. When people ask me for advice I am extremely honest. One of the advantages of age is loss of ego, well it is for me

 

[Dax]

What colour are they there, purple?

What ever colour terror is. Brown?

 

[Old Codger]

What ever colour terror is. Brown?

Yes Adrenalin is brown and comes with an odour just so your mates know.
But this is a typical example of why a consistent grading system is needed, at least U.K. wide. Then Dyfi will be a lot cleaner.