A Lesson In Failure
Posted by Landozine - 04/01/10 at 11:01:59 pm
There is nothing quite like giving something your all and completely falling on your face. You know, like when you spend all year training really hard to win the big track and field meet only to show up and get murdered by all the kenyan kids with 6 foot long legs, or when you go into the exam and totally flunk it because you stayed up all night studying super hard for it, or when you ask out that super pretty girl and she turns out that you’re not nearly attractive enough. Failure is like fine wine; it’s bitter and if you sample enough of it eventually you get addicted.
I’m no prophet, but I predict doom for Markham’s new answer to the famous “Ray’s MTB”. This park, if you haven’t already heard about it, is a year round all bike training ground with all kinds of really cool ramps, all made out of a space age wood compound called “chip board”… I’m not a scientist or anything, so I couldn’t begin to explain to you how engineers have crafted this magical board for maximum strength and durability. Although I seem to remember how easily squirrels could bore through it and get into my cottage as a kid… before we changed the window shutters to ply wood… but again.. I’m neither a scientist or a carpenter so what do I know.
The park does look pretty fun, I’ll give it that. The ramps seem well shaped, and the little bits of video footage I’ve seen online show some pretty gnarly riding. However, despite their seductive shapes, I’m sure as soon as someone spills a gatorade on the ramps, that spongey wood will suck it all up and change forms dramatically. Perhaps a no water rule will be implemented, it seems that management has a hardon for ridiculous usage stipulations so anything is possible.
Of these stipulations, one is “No brakeless bikes” (as seen above). And this really makes me reflect upon the failures of EVERY SINGLE INDOOR PARK to open in ontario over the past decade. Every time they fold, and always because they can’t remain financially viable. Not enough clientelle. So obviously opening a new park in Markham, it makes sense to bar 70% of the BMX/MTB community’s riders from riding it. And not even that, all the pro riders in the Toronto area are brakeless. The most influential dudes in the area will never ride that park. Great choice guys! You’ve clearly thought this one through. If you should have banned anything it should be pegs, not even perfect brakes will stop pegs from making gnarly holes in all your chip board ramps.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a brake rider through and through. And truthfully I would really like to ride this park. However I can’t imagine when I’ll ever get the chance. The only guy I ride with that consistently has brakes is Jorden. And so on a roadtrip its not like he and I will go ride and all my other friends will sit out. Fuck no. We’re going to go someplace else.
I hate to wish failure upon these guys, they’ve publicly stated that they have invested their life savings in it, and I wish I could be optimistic about it but when you make such foolish decisions about the small details, I can only imagine what kind of boners they’re pulling on the big stuff.
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Pingback by REPSET - BMX IN CANADA — January 5, 2010 #
ON POINT.
Comment by Andrew — January 5, 2010 #
Having been to the park twice now I will say that it is very well constructed from ramps to the washroom and that the ramps are essentially the same material as the metro course/ The Warehouse (RIP) was before Masonite was put in.
The ramps seemed to be holding up to abuse pretty well (though Cole did put a hole in one of the decks trying an insane bar to wall tap) and they didn’t flex at all.
Construction/Transition wise I had few complaints and the box rhythm is hours of fun alone.
With all of the other elements in the park I feel pretty confident in saying that BMX is not going to be their bread and butter and won’t keep the place open.
There were quite a few people doing endurance training both times I went and I even saw a person on a trainer in between laps on the cross country loop/pump track and I must say good on them for finding a way to draw people with money into the facility this might be the thing that keeps this place open versus all of the others that have failed.
While the brake thing is most defiantly a hot button issue (next to the price) from the brief chats I have had with the owner it seems the issue comes down with the insurance company they chose to use.
It’s a bummer for sure but I have seen a few brake less dudes there on a one time deal type situation and riders who are traditionally brake less have thrown on a brake that sort of works just to get in.
When it’s all said and done I would rather support a bike park that makes brakes mandatory over a skate park that makes me take my pegs off and tape my bar ends, pedals, axles, etc.
In a perfect world this park would have everything we need but the world sure isn’t that.
Comment by Dave Thomas — January 5, 2010 #
Just one question, have you even been there?????
Comment by vik — January 5, 2010 #
Heaven forbid brakeless riders ride a season trying out a different way of setting up their bikes. How about just a front brake? No gyro, simple set-up.
Another solution – hinged one finger lever mounted as far away from your fingers as possible so as to not activate it accidentally with your sloppy brakeless bar-catching style, a cable mounted with velcro straps instead of through mounts for easy removal / installation, and one of the disposable centre-pull brakes that come on completes that the shops don’t install. Might have to drill a small hole in the frame for it (makes frame lighter!). Two minute installation or removal once it is set up.
Combine the first two ideas and have a disposable useless front brake!
OR, you can just complain about it like a 15 year old well in to your 20s. (The very definition of BMX!)
Comment by Wade — January 5, 2010 #
One other thing – my only problem with SUBURBAN bike parks is that they require a CAR to get to a BIKE park.
Anything north of Steeles is off the Island of Toronto.
Comment by Wade — January 5, 2010 #
I thought that I had made it pretty clear that I hadn’t been. I’m judging the park based on principals alone, and think i’ve done a pretty fair assessment. If you don’t agree, fair enough, but i’ve made some observations and its up to you to either agree or disagree. I encourage any and all discussion on the matter though.
Comment by Landozine — January 6, 2010 #
I value Dave Thomas’ opinion. But I CANNOT put brakes on. I would have to weld brake mounts on. I for one am not willing to swap frames to ride an overpriced chip board playground.
Otherwise, the place looks like fun. Fun desgin and good looking trannies.
Comment by Rich Red — January 6, 2010 #
Rich, does your fork have a front brake hole? I’ve seen people there with a lever on the cross bar and a side pull brake with 1 pad on…
However my current forks don’t have that hole so you could be in the same boat… I know some people tried zip tying brakes to their frame to mimick workability but I am pretty sure got shot down.
Comment by Dave Thomas — January 6, 2010 #
my question is, whats the point? if you’re macguyvering a useless brake to your bike, does that make the bike any safer? both from an insurance perspective it probably makes it more dangerous.
Also, do they kick people out if their brake cable snaps?
I have a hard time believing its an insurance thing. Seems a bit much to think that the insurance company actually stipulates in the agreement that bikes are allowed but only with brakes, but includes brakes attached to strange parts of your bike. seems bogus. I may be wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time. But I’m curious to read that agreement.
Comment by Landozine — January 6, 2010 #
I do not believe I have a hole in my fork for those brakes.
But even if I did, I wouldn’t want to rig it up just to ride that place. Looks good, just not THAT good though. It’s not worth it for me anyway.
I can happily go elsewhere is my point.
Money loss.
Comment by Rich Red — January 6, 2010 #
I think what it comes down to is that if a brake is on your bike when you enter and functions as far as providing a way for you to slow down then joyride is off the hook if the brake is actually a piece of garbage that fails under real world conditions and you smash into a wall or someone else that’s your own fault.
But ya for you guys to travel and go through the hassle it doesn’t make sense at all, for me it’s the closest park that doesn’t require me removing parts from my bike (pegs).
Comment by Dave Thomas — January 6, 2010 #
Can I get a spicy chicken combo #6?
Comment by Prashant — January 6, 2010 #
Well I guess based on your reasearch of the place your blog of the park is totally useless. How can you write about something that you didn’t even reasearch about. ie: maybe go and see it for yourself, ride it, speak to the people involved with the park. Then you can write up something more accurate with creditable information. There has been many pro’s that have been there and they had no problem with putting a brake on.
You might want to put one on and go there and see how much fun you’ll have.
Comment by vik — January 6, 2010 #
You’re missing the point. I’m not criticizing the park. In fact if you re read my post, you’ll see that I said it looks fun. I also mentioned that I do run brakes. However, because of the discriminating rules, I’ll never be able to go because bike riding is a social thing for me. I roadtrip with friends and most of my friends ride brakeless.
So my criticism remains, i’m not the only one around who feels this way, so think of how much potential revenue this park is missing out on by discriminating brakeless riders.
I will definitely be making a trip to ride this park sooner rather than later, because I doubt it will be around too long.
Comment by Landozine — January 6, 2010 #
first of all ‘vic’, you clearly haven’t read the blog, since your criticisms of it miss the point.. ironic considering the criticisms you’re laying on Lando.
secondly Lando is not saying that it is impossible to throw on a brake (though for some it may be), or that it is pointless to do so in order to ride the park. But consider for one second the number of kids that ride brakeless – the number of cheap ass, lazy kids (perhaps myyself included) – that don’t own a set of working brakes and could not be bothered to throw a set on. ‘Course, for us in ottawa the distance weighs in on the negativity, but that doesn’t imply that this criticism is unwarrented. seriously, i can count the number of riders i know with brakes on my two hands.
plus, chip board might work for a few months but give it a year and they’ll have to replace all the wood in the park…
at the same time i’m not opposed to it and if i could find some brake parts i’d throw on my old ones to giver if i was in the area.
Comment by andrew — January 10, 2010 #
Here’s 2 things I have learned about running a bike only park, and the use of “chip board” (I’m pretty sure it’s called, particle board, or press wood)
“chip board” costs about $5-6 for a sheet of 1/4 in Queerbec, I use it for cheap walls that I don’t want a punker to punch through, yet am too cheap to pay $15 for a sheet of 3/8 plywood, this is the only use I have found for the stuff
the 2nd and more important thing I have learned is this, invest that extra $$$ into the templates of your ramps, studs (i.e. tons of 2x6s) and your layering wood of the ramp surface…..
perfect examples of this are the large vert wall at HQ, which needs to be rebuilt this summer, or the 6′ 1/4 pipe we re-built last November…. remember how soft that sucker was???? and that was with a rebuild/re-enforcement already
now ride that breast, bomb/zombie proof, as are the 2 new 1/4′s we built since, the box jump, spine, all our ramps in fact….
That extra $3 for a sheet of plywood, as apposed to “chip board” will save you sooooo much $$$ in the long run, between rebuild costs, and down time and loss of income due to rebuilds……
But what do I know, it’s not like I run a successful bike park, or know anything about construction…..
I build flight simulators for a living…..
and after re-reading this post, I’ve realized I’m also a JERK!!!!
Comment by Liam@UAB — January 13, 2010 #