How often would you ride a freeride area?

[gopherhockey]

If a freeride area became available within 40 minutes of the metro area, would you go there? More specifically, how often?

The more specific the better....

[FSSS]

This is a tough one - it would obviously depend on the quality of the park.
But... I voted every couple of weeks. More if it was a fun park with a good atmosphere. Probably once a week in the summer if it was high quality, and had a variety of terrain (easy, intermediate and challenging sections).

[nigel]

Id have to go every couple of weeks, since thats about how far it is for me to get to places like Murphy/Farm/Hillside (40 min that is). Might be a lil out the way, but i'd for sure go ride every couple weeks!

D

[JSkater127]

every weekend If i could make it, and it was worth it. If anyone has any ideas of places, hit me up, put me to work.


peace
james

[quinnsoccer27]

a good freeride park in minnesota... Everyday!

[gopherhockey]

every weekend If i could make it, and it was worth it. If anyone has any ideas of places, hit me up, put me to work.


peace
james
That probably hits on another question which would be if anyone would be enthused enough to travel that far to help with trailwork. Might be lots of fun stuff to build in a place like this.

[thebionicman]

I would probably go about once every two weeks. Depending on how much terrain there is, obstacles and such. Its forty minutes to the farm and I still haven't gotten out there this year.

[hockeynut]

Might be lots of fun stuff to build in a place like this.
Totally agree with this. Though the only time I'd probably get up the guts at least initially to ride it would be if there was a good beginners section so I could wet my teeth... anything that gets me off the ground at all intentionally freaks me out a bit at the moment.

Also..since it's 40 minutes from the Cities... it could be just 10 minutes away for me.... or almost 2 hours.... so I'd either try to make it for as many building sessions as possible, or would seldom even think about it (I haven't been able to find the hour to get to Leb or Terrace yet after work). My .02

Z

[FSSS]

To those (5 for now) that said they don't care about freeriding...

You honestly wouldn't even check the place out once or twice?

Is it the image that "freeriders" portray that you don't like, or are you truly not interested in stunts and this type of riding?

I know the image portrayed by SOME "freeriders" can come off as pretentious and/or rebellious (this isn't directed at anyone in particular - more at advertisements and the press, so please don't get pissed @ me). But that doesn't mean this type of riding isn't fun! I would think anyone that enjoys the stunts at Leb would agree, and would at least check the place out! I'd also suspect many "strictly XC" riders would show up for a another skills session ride, or a MORC only group ride, if one was organized at this type of area. A place like this would be great for practicing your bike handling skills! I just find it hard to believe that such a large percentage (at this point at least) wouldn't even check it out once or twice.

Also, I think making the area appealing to all abilities is essential to its success.

[gopherhockey]

I threw that one in there, but I should have worded it better. I'm pretty sure most if not all wouldn't say they don't "care about it" but probably rather apply their time and riding to something else. I would doubt it has anything to do with the freeride image... but someone can speak up if they like (maybe better to do this in another thread to keep this one centered on the questions at hand)

Its my fault for selecting the wording of that one...

[nigel]

I threw that one in there, but I should have worded it better. I'm pretty sure most if not all wouldn't say they don't "care about it" but probably rather apply their time and riding to something else. I would doubt it has anything to do with the freeride image... but someone can speak up if they like (maybe better to do this in another thread to keep this one centered on the questions at hand)

Its my fault for selecting the wording of that one...
Not to sound mean, but i do think that "dont care" is the correct wording, at least from some ive met.

D

[Buck]

I'd be very interested in helping do some building, more so if it ws 40 minutes south towards Plainview where I live in the summer months, or 40 minutes north closer to Duluth where I live during the school year...keep us posted!!!
L8R
Buck

[BrightYellow]

I put down that I'd check it out once or twice - both because of the distance and because it would be a freeride park. I really like the Farm, but because it takes so long to get to, I only ride there a couple times a year.

I really like the stunts at Leb too, so I think I would enjoy a bunch strung together. Especially if they were like these : http://www.mmba.org/gallery/breck. Those stunts look a lot more doable than some of the crazy crap they have out at Whistler. That stuff at Whistler is so out there that I honestly could never see myself riding it.

[iceskier]

Tough poll since I would probably check it out at first, and then determine the worth of going there. I did put down that I would go once a month though. I like Don's response with the pictures of Breck, that looks like a fun area. Somewhere that would have some stunts, elevation, non-hospital air, and the ability to be ridden without shin/elbow pads and full face helmet. (ie Leb with a little more elevation). I would use that for sure!!!

[Buck]

hmmm, I disagree here...if I have to pay to ride it, I want stuff that will challenge me, if that means I need to ride with a full face(which I do most of the time anyway) all the better.I suppose though if it is 240 acres of land there is plenty of space for well built beginner trails and advanced a like...I would love to see something like A-Line...and like I said in the other one, who wants to ride a sidewalk in the trees???, build it high, build it skinny!!! I hope all this works out it would be great to see some stuff like that in MN...it is time...
L8R
Buck

[tedsti]

Some of this depends on if is is crazy freeride or just some cool stunts. Some people may not want to ante up and buy a freeride/big-hit bike after spending a ton on their XC bike. Me, I would love to buy another bike, but my wife seems to think that new living room furniture is more important.

Ted

[quinnsoccer27]

make the stunts big for shure if it wasn't challaging and i didnt get a cupple of bruses i woulnt think its a fun course

[FSSS]

I think...

The key point I have gotten out of these posts (and I hope the developers have too) is the importance of the area appealing to ALL abilities of riders. Extremely skilled "freeriders" will always be a hard group to keep from getting bored, but it could be done. Your best customers will probably be novice and intermediate riders that return often to improve their skills (this is the majority of riders, which is good). BUT... it is just as important to provide challenging opportunities to keep them coming back for more once they get more skilled.

Providing many types of riding is another important point of these posts. If you build a 'typical' XC trail you are probably only going to get local riders there, since there are many other XC trails around. An XC rider probably wouldn't drive very far to pay to ride a 'typical' XC trail, but they might check out a place with a dual slalom and a freeride area (maybe a true downhill course??), since these opportunities aren't offered at other locations around the metro.

[quinnsoccer27]

true ture, but what one person thinks is expert or advanced really isnt some parts of leb are supposed to be expert but i really dont think a 2 ft wide teater tater is really going to challenge most freeriders, so we need to make the expert stuff super challenging

[manual63]

The key here is that it has to be good enough to make me want to come back. I would go about twice a month and maybe more if it was addicting enough. It has to make me wanna come back.

I have been to skateparks that I just don't want to go back to. Either it's the attitude of the people running the park.....or the park just sucks.

[nigel]

I think...

The key point I have gotten out of these posts (and I hope the developers have too) is the importance of the area appealing to ALL abilities of riders. Extremely skilled "freeriders" will always be a hard group to keep from getting bored, but it could be done. Your best customers will probably be novice and intermediate riders that return often to improve their skills (this is the majority of riders, which is good). BUT... it is just as important to provide challenging opportunities to keep them coming back for more once they get more skilled.

Providing many types of riding is another important point of these posts. If you build a 'typical' XC trail you are probably only going to get local riders there, since there are many other XC trails around. An XC rider probably wouldn't drive very far to pay to ride a 'typical' XC trail, but they might check out a place with a dual slalom and a freeride area (maybe a true downhill course??), since these opportunities aren't offered at other locations around the metro.
Right on! Ability for EVERYONE to use a park like this is key. It has to be thought of as a bussiness, if you limit it to the hard core expert guys only, your not going to make that much money off it. Kinda like, believe it or not, i know people that wont go back to Lebanon because they ride it, XX and all and were not ready for it and hated the whole ride! If the area is big enough there should be no problem making different levels of trails, it could even be a "stacked" system as Lebanon is, but have short cuts to the expert stuff so those peeps dont have to ride the easy stuff if they do not want too. Also saftey has to be a major concern with something like this, as im sure it is at every other area like it around the world.

D

[manual63]

I agree the park needs to have different skill levels, but I don't think it should be designed like Leb. Leb makes it so anyone who wants to ride the XX-Loop has to ride a large part of the intermediate trail. There should be direct and quick access to the fun stuff. Freeriders with 40 plus pound bikes don't want to have to climb and ride a bunch of single track just so they can do a skinny or a jump. Leb works great this way, but a paid park with lots of extreme (that word again) freeride stuff would not.

If it is at a ski area, I think having a singletrack loop with some climbs would be great. That would be for riders who want to do that and do the climbs. Then in another section, have a freeride loop or even a layout similar to a skatepark where you can choose many different lines or just take the one obstacle you want without having to ride anything else.

My wife wants to leave Minnesota......but.....but....with all this goin' on and maybe a real form of public transportation someday......how can I think of leaving???

[bradpartyka]

Right on! Ability for EVERYONE to use a park like this is key. It has to be thought of as a bussiness, if you limit it to the hard core expert guys only, your not going to make that much money off it. Kinda like, believe it or not, i know people that wont go back to Lebanon because they ride it, XX and all and were not ready for it and hated the whole ride! If the area is big enough there should be no problem making different levels of trails, it could even be a "stacked" system as Lebanon is, but have short cuts to the expert stuff so those peeps dont have to ride the easy stuff if they do not want too. Also saftey has to be a major concern with something like this, as im sure it is at every other area like it around the world.

D
And make it all skill levels and it could be a family place to with camping and a pool.... Hot tub??? :D

[FSSS]

I agree the park needs to have different skill levels, but I don't think it should be designed like Leb.
Freeriders with 40 plus pound bikes don't want to have to climb and ride a bunch of single track just so they can do a skinny or a jump.
Yup, it has to provide riding opportunities that other locations can't. It has to be something special for people to drive a good distance and pay!

[quinnsoccer27]

but the majority of the trails still have to be freeride trails cause thats what were trying to make, you can always build round abouts for the big stuff so it could work as a expert/ intermidiate/ beginer trail

[ryno lite]

I say put it all in one place. Places like Whistler have freeriding and cross country trails for many abilities. They should make as much freeriding as possible to get people to drive to it and pay, especially in this freeriding free state. Also quick access to the freeriding via short trails and/or ski lift would be great I'd imagine. After all this is done, you could add 20 miles of singletrack to make it a destination for cross country riders also. You could try to get money from freeriders or get money from cross country riders or you can build a ton of both and get money from both groups! If I was thinking of doing this as a business, I'd have it all and as much of everything as I could fit on the chunk of land. The more the better! The more you have, the more people will drive and pay money!