Johnny Depp wrote:
Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.
I don't know Todd, I hope he ...more
Johnny Depp wrote:
Great News! It's a long drive from North Austin, but we'll do it a few times a year for sure.
I don't know Todd, I hope he makes a track for the 90% that want fun with no injuries. Blind jumps and a track prepped so deep there was no sense going out until after noon when it became ride-able. It has been one of the few places where a big bore can stretch it's legs.
I enjoy the truck track too, a great place to work on setup in the flat corners and whoops. Maybe a circle berm and a snail turn might be fun.
I'm the polar opposite.
If you want an mx track....
The demise of cycle ranch began with less deep preps, easier jumps, and "more friendly" concepts. In its heyday it was fast, deep, rougher than all hell past 1oclock, had a couple tough "pro" style true doubles, but was mostly all motocross with it's elevation change. It used to have challenging whoops, and often times very tough six pack type doubles that were 6 foot faces/landings. People showed up because at the time it was the widest, fastest, gnarlest, and best prepped track in texas. At the time rumor was (and almost came to be) it would be the next outdoor national track...so people seemed willing to "rise to the challenge" of a pro style track. Despite plenty of very large doubles that very few jumped, it was not an injury prone track.
Prep it deep as possible, there is no limit to what the track takes in water...And it doesn't ever rut unless it has rained 2 feet. Cycle ranch requires a deep prep to shape up and form the berm type lines it needs to be fun. These lines get the rolling whoops in them...it's motocross, not road racing on the some of the best moto dirt god ever made.
In it's heyday the first practice of the day was a wide open, eat all your HP up affair where you went all of 20 mph on a straight. but 50 riders and 30 minutes later, it was completely rideable and by noon it was what I call a proper motocross track. Lines, bumps, even kickers..which is a skillset. Change your line or learn to hit them...or don't jump the jump.
Yes it gets bumps. This is what sand does...the 10000 dollars motorcyles we ride can go over them...last I checked bikes are better and more capable than ever. People set their bikes up now for jumps often times. I see it all the time...and they bitch and moan about the track when it gets a semblance of a bump. Or they set up for bumps and bitch and moan they cant mis time jumps. There is no winning it seems. But well built jumps with STEEP enough landings make jumps a non issue...if you land it right.
Red rock mx national track has what I consider the best built jump you can find. landings that match the size and shape of the face.
And you can ride it till dark if you desire, once it forms lines it can dry out, become dusty, and it still has the lines and the dirt remains soft as it dries.
But if you want a "friendly" track....
dont rip it deep, the beautiful sand out there becomes hard packed and wont accept water.
By 10 am it's dusty, no lines have formed, the track is stupidly fast, and it begins to form tiny chatter bumps
They try to water at 12 - but it just sits on top, creates slim that is terribly slick, and in summer time by the time the water truck has made one lap most of it evaporates anyways.
By 1pm no is riding except those stubborn 85cc kids who will ride anything....and no one goes home thinking, "man what an epic track"
Cycle ranch never has and never will be any good unless you prep it to the tilts. It takes twice the water you think, needs to be ripped as deep as you can, and it takes a little time to shape up. But once it does, there isn't a better track in the country IMHO.
I hope they keep the GP track on site with a few tweaks to it, and provide a "friendly" prep every weekend to that track for those who like that type of riding. The night track can also be prepped more friendly, maybe like a three palms concept. All three available during the day with varied levels of prep and challenge to suit the demands of the diversity in riders
Super excited for the track!
Sadly that weekend WPS/FLY is hosting their annual ride day...somewhat a shame cycle ranch didn't partner with them to couple that as the grand re opening...would have been 500 + people
Not to mention, you never knew when, or if, it would be open.
