fastest way to make singletrack?

[HuskyDude]

The best way we found is you really need two or more people. Three is the best.
Once agreed on the path to be taken 1st guy ties ribbon, next guy has a set of sharp loppers and the third guy comes along with these.

We also carry these in our camel pacs for maintenance of the trail.


Leave the ribbon up. Just cuz you cut a new trail on foot doesn't mean you really remember it once you ride it.

Keep it tight so no quads can use it....

[ramcclure200]

No true easy way to cut but well worth all the sweat and blisters.
I've cut in my fair share of trails over the years and found a machete to be the best tool for the job, keep a file handy so you can keep it sharp.
when cutting concentrate on clearing the insides of the turns and face slappers.
Keep it tight because it all opens up when ridden.

I usually try to cut for a couple three hours then ride it in then repeat it doubles as a killer work out and if you do it long enough say bye bye to arm pump when race day comes.

[skid jackson]

ummmm ... who owns the land??? do they know your out there?? Government owned ... go for!! Private .... might be a bit different in any case if its not yours I'd be a bit hesitant to have the trail lead right to my house. some landowner/forester will stumble on it eventually .. an old timer told me the fastest way to burn in trail was to get on your bike and ride it where it will naturally go. Go at a decent clip and start looking for "holes" in the woods. Go for bit than go back and trim it ride repeat. Years ago I had a thing for bootleg mtb trails. You might want to check into some of the resources about building mtb trails. the appalachian mountain club had a nice book about trail building. My personal advice is to stay on the high ground and "ridgelines". stay out of the "gullies", "valleys" and "drain ways" If water has a natural tendency to want to gravitate to where your trail is going to be don't put it there. you'll end up with erosion isssues and gullly washouts. Never go straight up hill if it can be avoided, always go up on the contour. makes for a more interesting trail and avoids the washouts. Seriously ... read a few books about it ... and be prepared to spend a lot of time at it!!

[stainlesscycle]

government owned. much of this area is strip mine reclamation, and the area i'm talking about is being used currently to move mine run off water from a mine about 2 miles away. they've constructed giant 3 tier pools that they fill with run off.

for what it's worth, i regularly ride on mine/utility/water/energy company etc. land. if it's posted with a private owners name, i stay off it. if it's says 'consol energy' or the like, i ride on it like it's mine.

it's pretty rural here...and atv's are as common as cars, due to the way the laws are setup here, there's trails everywhere. most of the regular trails i ride are within a mile of my house, but it would be nice to have a solid chuck of single track in the backyard.


i'll have to slap the video cam back on the helmet and go for a spin.

[300XCRider]

we use machetes, but lopers work equally well. Better hide your entrances/exits or the qwads will have made an interstate hwy out of it no time. They like to get on ours and ride it backwards, making spears out of the saplings. Nothing makes me madder than a qwad on the singletrack, ruining all the work.

[Adrian]

Weedeater with a chainsaw style brush blade, dirtbike and a paint ball gun.

[stainlesscycle]

paintball gun to mark trail?

i bought one of these:


and cleared some test track for a couple hours this morning. no need to exercise today - that is a workout. gonna go run over it a few times, and see if i need change distances around - not sure how tight i want it, and walking the track is way different than riding...

[SideshowBob]

Originally Posted by stainlesscycle

paintball gun to mark trail?

i bought one of these:


and cleared some test track for a couple hours this morning. no need to exercise today - that is a workout. gonna go run over it a few times, and see if i need change distances around - not sure how tight i want it, and walking the track is way different than riding...

I have been cutting single track lately too on some private property. One tool I have found to be awesome is a cordless sawzall with the heaviest wood blade I can find. Makes very quick work of small-med branches and trees. Also if you carry the other blade with you it allows for cutting other materials you may come across (old barbwire fence in my case).

[stainlesscycle]

oooh cordless sawzall - didn't think of that. good idea.

[SideshowBob]

Originally Posted by stainlesscycle

oooh cordless sawzall - didn't think of that. good idea.

These are what you need-

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-48-0.../dp/B000E8SZSC