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Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Race (riders ready, pedals ready... GO!!) => Topic started by: piper on January 22, 2007, 02:25 PM

Title: Track design..good and bad
Post by: piper on January 22, 2007, 02:25 PM
What`s the best track you rode and why,what makes a good track and what makes a bad one,what aspects are a definite no,no when it comes to track design,could have an exciting project coming up... :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: wolfybmx on January 22, 2007, 02:40 PM
from bitd the water jump at buckmore park was great. always like jumping over that  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: spillers#1 on January 22, 2007, 04:06 PM
Harvington raiders track in beckenham it had a wicked kong jump i've got some pics somewhere i'll dig them out.
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: MartyC on January 22, 2007, 04:15 PM
from bitd the water jump at buckmore park was great. always like jumping over that  :daumenhoch:

That was good I remember struggling to clear it in the mud once along with everyone else as we had no speed by the time we hit it  :LolLolLolLol:  The one they put in at Hounslow was pretty good too.  I also liked the step up jump into the last berm at Hounslow that was good and Birmingham Wheels track was excellent, mainly because it was downhill  :LolLolLolLol:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: db-oldskool on January 24, 2007, 06:42 AM
The best track ever built,both BITD & today.
The only thing I'd change would be to put a 4 foot high tabletop jump across the finish line,for those spectacular Harry Leary style jumps while crossing the finish. :daumenhoch:

Pros:
Very tough track.
Lots of technical.
Intimidating.
Longer for pro riders.
Tighter for amatuers.
Staying dry.

Cons:
Very tough track.
Lots of technical.
Intimidating.
Longer for pro riders.
Tighter for amatuers.
Getting wet.

 :daumenhoch:

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/b13/joecustom/Track1.jpg't=1169620266)


There are too many tracks today that are essentially formula 1 tracks with bumps.  :(
This track has everything except a tunnel & makes for great spectating.  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: piper on January 24, 2007, 08:06 AM
That looks pretty mental,tell me do most tracks have a left or right hander as the first berm or does it not matter too much, :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: RATTY on January 24, 2007, 10:26 PM
Having the extended pro section is a good move, especially for the old uns who dont finish the track, then we can run the short bit....
Making the track over technical is a bummer...

The best english track was one in Albury, A very fast, very long downhill track, not too technical but cos of the speed made for some rad action.
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: db-oldskool on January 25, 2007, 05:31 AM
That looks pretty mental,tell me do most tracks have a left or right hander as the first berm or does it not matter too much, :daumenhoch:

I've seen plenty of both,right or left,I guess it just depended on the builder. :-\

Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: db-oldskool on January 25, 2007, 05:45 AM
Having the extended pro section is a good move, especially for the old uns who dont finish the track, then we can run the short bit....
Making the track over technical is a bummer...

The best english track was one in Albury, A very fast, very long downhill track, not too technical but cos of the speed made for some rad action.

Yes but that's mostly how the US built them BITD,plus training on or racing a lot on a track like that was the best way to hone the skillz.
When you hit an easier track you blew everybodys doors off,A lot of Pro riders got their "RAD" from riding tracks like that (No pun intended).  ;D
There would be no or very few shots like this with those F-1 lump tracks everywhere.

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/b13/joecustom/EK3-83BMXAsmall.jpg't=1169703791)
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: RATTY on January 25, 2007, 09:35 AM
That is one fantastic shot, i remember that from bitd, it hung on my wall for years...
And i agree about honing your skills, the faster you hit jumps and berms, the better. When I race nowadays, i know im slow but, there seems to be very little action, it all seems to be gate and then pump, and as for these rhythm sections, you cant jump em, and you seem to loose so much speed. Bring back fast and Rad :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: slurp on January 25, 2007, 07:54 PM
i agree,personally i think they have ruined hayes by building those monsters at the end of the 1st straight.there wasnt many people jumping them when i went last year,and they wiped out speed if you "climbed" them.maybe there should novice section built around them.

best track for me bitd was chorley.steep start,loads of speed and the 2nd berm was like surfing a tube.

bartons attempt of putting a water jump in was toss as it was the middle of winter and they did it to cure the drainage problem.

i never raced darn sarf bitd but you boys had some great tracks.

dave :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: MartyC on January 25, 2007, 09:40 PM
i agree,personally i think they have ruined hayes by building those monsters at the end of the 1st straight.there wasnt many people jumping them when i went last year,and they wiped out speed if you "climbed" them.maybe there should novice section built around them.

dave :daumenhoch:

Dave, interesting comment about the new jumps, some guys like Alex Dick, the mad South African cruiser rider (don't know his name but he's fecking mental!), Charlie Luckhurst and a few others have no trouble in clearing them but you are right to a degree, they can suck the life out of you.  Perhaps one big set would have been better but who knows, it certainly gives riders a challenge.  Perhaps Uncle Buck can give us some insight as to why they were built  :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: slurp on January 26, 2007, 10:57 PM
i guess it depends on how compatent a rider you are. i was trying to get back into racing,went down one thursday last summer for a blat around and papped myself. havnt been back since which is a shame as theres a new standard 125r sat in my garage doing nowt. it was impressive when the lads you mentioned jumped them,but last year when i visited for a race there were only 3 lads who jumped them,the rest had there speed wiped off,and one young un got his folks to push him up them,which is why i believe in a pro section. that way the top riders have a challenge,whilst others can still ride the track. i guess thats why track building is bloody hard,everyone has there own ideas of what makes a good 1.(hence this thread)

cheers

dave :daumenhoch:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: Moschops on January 27, 2007, 08:35 PM
Im not fussed about design coz I aint a good enough rider for it to bova me, however I hate HATE riding clockwise tracks....is it just me who's a bit  :idiot2:
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: Dingobmxer on January 27, 2007, 08:45 PM
I used to like the OLD Chesterfield track design, downhill and scary quick (I once crashed there and seemed to slide forever) the g forces in the bottom turn after the big step down fade were huge  :idiot2:
The new Chesterfield track is pretty Rad too, I also liked Farnham back when I could jump  :daumenhoch:
The problem is always gonna be that one track is gonna be used by 4 year old novices AND Elite riders on the same day so will always be a compromise
 :) DINGO :)
Title: Re: Track design..good and bad
Post by: Flying_fox on January 27, 2007, 08:55 PM
Chesterfield...... the best track in england. Down hill, fast as hell, big jumps.

There's nothing wrong with Hayes first straight, it's my bollox that let me down on it... You have to push things or we'd still be racing on flat pieces of crap like we were in the 80's.

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/b13/joecustom/EK3-83BMXAsmall.jpg't=1169703791)

to

(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/unclebuck50/billy2high.jpg)

(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/unclebuck50/billyjumpside.jpg)

Not a million miles apart is it, just 25 years.

FFS, even kids jump it

(http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/unclebuck50/tyler3high.jpg)

And next time so will this dodgy old schooler.

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