We are a group of mountain biker’s aged 11 to 24 from Kidsgrove and surrounding areas. We have come together because of the lack of official facilities in the area. Mountain bikers are often involved in conflict between other park users because they use the same areas and paths. This should not be the case as the majority are responsible youngsters with the same love of the outdoors as other park users.

Club President – Simon Davies

Treasurer - Liam Murphy

Safety Liaison – TBC

Construction Leader- TBC

Sponsors- TBC

Proposal

We are proposing that a designated area for mountain bikers be built in Bathpool Park and feel that the area already popular with mountain bikers has the potential to become a real attraction to rival the likes of Delamere forest and Cannock Chase’s facilities.

North Shore

North Shore is the name of a style of mountain bike obstacle that originated in Canada on Vancouver’s famous North Shore. The idea is to create raised platforms usually made from timber and logs that keep the rider off the forest floor. The advantage of this to the rider is that trails become a lot more interesting and don’t get muddy when wet. The advantage to other park users is that cyclist’s tyres no longer erode the paths away. In recent years Britain has seen the introduction of North Shore mountain bike facilities in a few forestry commissioned areas and parks. Glentress in Scotland officially opened the first freeride bike park in the UK complete with North Shore obstacles. This has been a huge success and led to others opening up around the UK such as the course shown in the photographs taken at Okehampton in Devon.

Dirt Jumps

Dirt jumping is already popular in Kidsgrove mainly with the younger riders in the club. Many of the cyclists in the club use the park in Rookery to practise dirt jumping. This park can attract in excess of 20 cyclists at one given time. This style of riding involves creating large jumps made out of soil or gravel and using them to launch into the air whilst performing aerial tricks.

Location

For this project to begin, Kidsgrove Freeride Mountain Bike Club firstly needs a designated area assigning to us. We will require an area in the park with a large vertical drop allowing the courses to be challenging and long enough to warrant such a project. We would prefer to use a quiet area of the park where our presence will not cause conflict with other users. This will minimise the risk of the area becoming a hotspot for antisocial behaviour and vandalism as seen at some town centre skate parks. The area will also need to be easily accessed by bike.

Obstacles

After discussions with club members we decided that we would initially like to build a north shore course, as there are no official ones in the midlands. This would give Bathpool a unique feature and be a great start to the project. The club would also like to build dirt jumps similar to the ones found at the park in Rookery. So far we have not received any interest from cross-country cyclists but would be keen to work with them if necessary. We would keep an open mind about future developments and use a democratic system to decide on any actions.   

Safety

The risk to the user can never be completely eradicated but can be carefully monitored through logging all accidents in an accident book. This way if any sections of the course become regular accident spots, they can be modified. One club rule would be to report any broken slats or obvious risks to a senior club member. The problematic area could then be closed while maintenance is carried out. The most essential rule would be to always wear a helmet on the course. This will be enforced and any riders who do not wear one will be asked to leave. We will also encourage the wearing of other safety equipment such as body armour and shin pads. See signage section below.

 Signage

We will need visual display boards to inform people of what the structures purposes are for and the rules of use; such as the wearing of a helmet is mandatory and no littering. The display boards would also provide an opportunity for advertising for sponsors and allow the club to inform the users of any forthcoming events such as trail building days, club meetings, and contact details. The trails could also be graded for difficulty level using a similar scale to that found in ski resorts.

Litter Provision

Litterbins will need to be installed if the area is to stay in pristine condition. They also remind users of their responsibility to keep the area clean.

Materials

Wood is the primary material of North Shore obstacles. Often the frame of the North Shore is constructed using logs or sturdy wooden posts. There is an area of Bathpool where a large number of trees have been cut down leaving piles of logs on the floor. Using these would have an economic advantage over using treated timber and would be more environmentally sound. 30mm thick timber would be needed for the slats to allow an even riding surface. The slats could come from old pallets to cut costs.

Tools

Various tools will be needed to construct obstacles. On a basic level, tools such as wheelbarrows, spades and saws can be acquired relatively easily. Power tools such as chainsaws and hole borers will require trained operators. 

Insurance

As this style of cycling does have an element of risk associated with it insurance is very important and such a project will not succeed without it.

Maintenance

The course will require regular inspection and maintenance to ensure that it is structurally sound. The maintenance will be carried out by a group of volunteers from the club weekly. We would like to invite people to report any safety issues to myself or whichever club members contact details we put on the signage.

Environmental Issues

We would like to have as little impact on the environment as possible and blend into the woodland unnoticed by other park users. We will make sure that all our structures use biodegradable materials and contain no contaminating substances. This project will act as a platform for educating young people about the environment and how to minimise our impacts. 

Sponsorship

We are keen to attract local businesses to sponsor our project. We would hope to receive money, materials, or tools from sponsors. Roy Swinnerton Cycles have had a big influence on the Cannock Chase mountain bike trail building. The shop sponsors and organises trail-building sessions there.