Riding in rain poor form?

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Originally Posted by DisArray

I am not joking. Riding in the rain doesn't hurt trails, and is a big myth IMO. This is from my own observation. Of course you have a right to disagree with me ... but I have seen severly rutted trail, 'heal' itself in a few days just from regular riding and without anyone working on it. Maybe it is different in other places, soil types etc... I don't know, but mother nature has her ways...

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where do you live? it really depends on that.

Believe it or else, there are trails that don't get damaged one bit if you ride them in the rain. Unfortunately, these same trails have a tendancy to damage you if you ride them in the rain. Nothing like sliding down a bunch of wet rocks/roots.

As far as riding in the "mud" goes, I don't make a practice of it.

It really pisses me off when people ride in the rain in UT. There are sooo many dry days that there is no need to ride in the rain. Why create divits and ruts on these otherwise dusty and rocky trails? We should leave that to the tourists. So, yes, in UT, it's bad form to mountain bike in the rain.

Except people do it all the time, and yet... the trails are fine. The problem with Utah is not people riding in the rain, it is that the whole riding culture there, like the culture in general, is oppressively moralistic.

'Disarray' has officially used up whatever credibility points that (he) may have held.

Ignore him, and his trolling ways.

Clearly a clueless, bored tool.

and the correct answer is .... IT DEPENDS.

is it a private or public trail?
is it a lift-assisted DH course or backcountry singletrack?
is it flat and rocky or is it steep and packed dirt?
is it often rainy or rarely rainy?
is it.....oh you get the idea.

i love it when people make broad sweeping generalizations and then argue with others who make opposite broad sweeping generalizations.

I don't know if it's "bad form" in buffalo creek but I just rode in pouring rain and half inch hail. We got nailed! The lightning hitting all around us while we were on top of a hill, in a burn area, so there was no cover, that was the best part. Those trails hold up pretty well when ridden in the rain because they are kinda gravely, but the riders are another story.

You are going to hell.

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Originally Posted by rideit

'Disarray' has officially used up whatever credibility points that (he) may have held.

Ignore him, and his trolling ways.

Clearly a clueless, bored tool.

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Yes, Master.:rolleyes2

It's cool you do tons of building and maintainence, but that doesn't give you carte blanche to act all judgemental and self-righteous. Unless you are very familiar with the specific trails Diss is talking about, you're just talking out of your ass. I've built/ridden many trails that recieve zero damage from getting ridden in the rain - even by a bunch of brake locking, skidding morons. There are way way too many variables involved (as Rip said) to say anyone who rides in the rain is a clueless tool.