Trail Ratings - Can I ride my 990ADV on the B route?

[Dorky]

At this time of year we get a lot of questions about what bikes are suitable on which routes. The answer is we don't know - it all depends on the rider's skill level. We have seen amazing riders take giant adventure bikes on hard routes where they had no business being. We have seen riders on tiny dirt bikes crying on the side of the easiest trails. Here is a (we think) pretty good guideline for what sort of skills are needed for each route.

Big thanks to Aquafire for getting this started.

Download this and give it an honest read. Where do you fit on this chart?

Notes:
Each skill level requires all the skills from lower levels. (Obvious?)
The font is small. Hold down Control and + to zoom in if you are viewing it in your browser. Control and 0 will return to normal size.
This guide seems reasonable for Kamloops and the LSDS. Other areas or rides may have different levels of difficulty.

 

[Dorky]

Talking about tires - when we say new, good knobbies, this is what we mean.

Or even better

These are not going to cut it...

This is not a knobby tire

 

[04klr]

hey dorky, I just read thru the guide and that sure seems to answer a lot of questions about difficulty levels and obstacles that may be encountered, lots of good information. thx!

 

[Bora20]

We have seen riders on tiny dirt bikes crying on the side of the easiest trails

…you have sex with one sheep and they never let you forget...

 

[sylvain]

Hey Dorky,

Which model is the even better, it look awesome.

It might be time to start another Tires Thread :Stir

 

[sylvain]

…you have sex with one sheep and they never let you forget...

Is it lots of imagination and phantasm or experiences...
I had lots of images in my head now, quite confusing...

 

[tomcycle]

Very concise description of difficulty rating system for the LSDS

However I did notice that for the A and A+ you are recommending that riders be in good physical condition

How about these two guys, will they be able to make it or should they carry additional heath insurance?

 

[Dorky]

Very concise description of difficulty rating system for the LSDS

However I did notice that for the A and A+ you are recommending that riders be in good physical condition

How about these two guys, will they be able to make it or should they carry additional heath insurance?

We'll see if these two BFFs are available for conversation after dinner at the Loose Screw or if they just go to bed at 7pm again...

 

[Cultusking]

the frontal counterweight seems to be helpful in most terrain, i think Tom and Mark will be just fine

 

[Fbomb]

Which one is Fitness? Determination? Where are the hydration packs they are known for?

 

[black99S]

went looking for the dual sport trail rating guide and the link is broke.
Anyone know where the original document is?

 

[tomcycle]

went looking for the dual sport trail rating guide and the link is broke.
Anyone know where the original document is?

Let me see what I can find

 

[lagbc]

went looking for the dual sport trail rating guide and the link is broke.
Anyone know where the original document is?

re-Attached pdf document to the first post.

 

[black99S]

re-Attached pdf document to the first post.

Thanks.

 

[tomcycle]

re-Attached pdf document to the first post.

This was something that the Loose Screw Guys put together some years ago and is well thought out.

I do have some problems with it now that we are a few years down the road

• Too many Ratings in fact 7 different rating, most DS ride only have 2 routes sometime 3
• When this was done Adventure Riding was not a big thing, that obviously has really changed
• Way too much to read or remember if handed out on a ride, great for a sit down behind the computer but no good on the ride
• The designation system is old school, back in my day A = Excellent C= Mediocre or not very good, Nobody thinks they are a C rider and often pick the wrong route day of a ride.
• With the explosion of Dual Sport Bikes comes a lot of new bikes that have different capabilities

Last year a couple of us started to try and create a better or more up to date system based on the above document, however it was just abandoned and never finished