If you’re into riding bikes or biking is your sport, you’re probably always looking for an adventure. Maybe you just want a challenge or an adrenaline rush. This is the reason why bike trails are made. Every rider should be knowledgeable enough of the necessary information on trail guides before actually riding on these trails. With that being said, a rider should learn the difficulty of the trail that they’re planning to take and assess themselves if they’re skilled enough to pursue it to ensure the safety of the rider.
What are the basic bike trail symbols? The basic bike trail symbols are white circle (easiest), green circle (easy), blue square (intermediate), black diamond (advanced), and double black diamond (expert).
Before going on your bike adventure, it is best to know what trail is perfect for you, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. In this article, I will elaborate on the meaning of each trail as well as provide some of the trails that you can go on depending on its difficulty. I will also talk about the factors that you need to classify in order for you to determine what trail is best for you.
Levels Of Mountain Bike Trail Difficulty
You have to agree that not all bike riders can handle the same trail. Some riders prefer an intermediate trail, and others prefer an extremely difficult trail because they like the challenge. Either way, the following will explain the difficulty levels of trails so that you know the perfect trail for you.
Easiest (White Circle)
The white circle indicated that it is the easiest trail, which is also known as the greenways or greenbelts trail. It is best for newbies, especially for those who cannot find a riding buddy who still wants to put in the miles.
These trails usually have a paved or unpaved surface that is flat and very wide where it’s big enough to drive a car on. The trail is often 72″ or more. The greenways trail is usually two-way traffic where it can consist of both walkers and riders at the same time. Now, it may sound that this trail may just be an ordinary sidewalk, but it’s more than that.
It is also usually placed near or through natural green spaces as well as preserves, whereas a sidewalk is built close to neighborhoods, and sometimes bikes are not allowed on it. The greenways are made for multi-purposes such as for cyclists and walkers with a long, continuous surface that has minimal interruptions by cross streets and other motorized traffics.
Now, this is the first step of getting on the trail because it can be the first exposure to riding your bike on a soft surface trail. They may also have hardened dirt and gravel, which is different from riding your bikes on the pavement. The greenways also offer the lowest-risk type of trail riding possible.
A rider is less likely to encounter technical trail obstacles that might throw them off their bikes when they are on this trail. Another advantage that the greenway trail has is a beginner biker is unlikely to get lost. Most of these trails are straightforward, where a rider can ride their bikes to the end and turn around to come back. It can also be a closed loop that begins and ends at the same place.
There is one thing that you need to remember when riding on this trail, and you always have to remember that the walkers have the right of way. You have to be courteous and don’t go at a speed that you cannot handle, as well as make sure to slow down when the traffic increases. Always remember that a greenway trail is always two-way traffic.
One of the best greenway trails is the McDowell Mountain Preserve, which is located in Phoenix, Arizona. It may be called a “Mountain Preserve,” but most of the trails on this location are flat. There are a few non-threatening routes that are perfect for beginners. The trail is a beginner flow where it provides an opportunity for new riders to practice turning on a secure surface, with the exception of a few sandy washes.
If you are looking for your first trail, this is the perfect trail for you to practice!
Easy (Green Circle)
The green tails are also great for beginners who want to try the trails on their own. Though this trail may be great for beginners, it also offers increased grades for uphills and downhills where it can have both avoidable as well as unavoidable obstacles. The trail width is usually 36″ or wider, and it is more firm and stable.
The unavoidable trails are usually two inches tall or shorter, which is small enough for the mountain bike tires to roll over. However, even the smallest obstacle can throw off a new biker. Caution and discretion are still needed as they are still learning new bike handling skills.
This trail is considered a beginner-friendly trail that still contains short segments or individual features that are more difficult than a greenway trail. One of the best green trails is Eagle Scout Trail, which is located in Helena, MT. It provides a super sweet single track for beginner bikers.
The Eagle Scout Trail provides switchbacks that are gentle grades and have a large enough radius that will not threaten any new rider. You can find one sharp climb, but it’s short enough so that the rider will not be discouraged.
Intermediate (Blue Square)
The intermediate trails are perfect for those who have progressed their skills beyond the beginner level. Blue trails are a third narrower than the green tails with a trail width of 24″ or more. It is mostly stable, meaning that you won’t find a great deal of loose gravel, rocks, or sands. The grade of the uphill and downhill will be a greater average, which increases the difficulty and dangers of the trail.
Bikers should have advanced handling skills when going on the blue trail. Good balance is a requirement when going on this blue trail. You need to have the ability to shift your body weight to overcome any obstacles, descend steps, ride drop-offs, and safely negotiate corners. Learning how to brake safely is also a must. There are a few jumps that you may encounter on this trail.
The unavoidable obstacles are eight inches tall or less, while other avoidable obstacles may be present. The unavoidable bridges are about 24 inches or wider with a width of a deck that is greater than half the height. This trail is best for riders who are in good health with basic off-road riding skills.
High Bridge Park Trail, which is located in New York, is one of the intermediate trails that you can go on. It may be situated in an urban location. It offers challenging terrains that are best for bikers. It has a span of over three miles and includes some areas for beginners as well.
A Pro Line bike trail is also part of the blue trail, and it is characterized by narrow forest paths followed by rocky sections. This trail is packed with actions because it has doubles, tables, drops, technical route passages, and lots of smaller jumps. The upper section of the trail is technical, while the bottom part you’ll find wider bends which you can take with more speed.
Advanced (Black Diamond)
The black diamond trail is for those bikers who have surpassed the intermediate level. It is half as wide as the blue square trails with an average of 12 inches as its width. The surface of the path is variable, which means that you’ll find a lot of loose gravel, rock, and sand. The unavoidable obstacles are much more significant than those on the blue and green trails.
They are usually about 15 inches tall or less, and some avoidable obstacles may be present. The unavoidable bridges are generally 24 inches with a deck that is less than ½ of the height. Since the uphill and downhill grades are higher than the other trails, the difficulty and danger will be increased.
This trail is excellent for proficient bikers with good off-road skills, and it’s created for those who are experts in mind. As a biker, you are required to have excellent balance, the ability to ride tight switchbacks, jumping skills, outstanding breaking, and trail-specific techniques.
Doctor Park in Colorado is one of the best black diamond trails for you. It delivers high entertaining singletrack, great views, challenging rocks, and high-speed sections down low. Doctor Park also offers single and double black diamond trails. It has the highest rating in Colorado because of the challenge and beauty it provides.
Expert Trails (Double Black Diamond)
These trails are perfect for those bikers who have exceeded their intermediate skills on the bike trail. The width of the trail is usually about six inches or more. The trail surfaces are extremely variable and unpredicted. This means that you’ll find a lot of loose gravel, rocks, sand, and other difficult surfaces.
The unavoidable obstacles in this trail are usually about 15 inches tall or greater. The trail has some avoidable obstacles as well, which may include loose rocks. The unavoidable bridges are 24 inches wide or narrower. The width may be unpredictable when it comes to this trail. It is perfect for bikers who have a high level of fitness. You would also need a high-quality mountain bike to go on this trail.
The Blevins Gap Preserve in Alabama is one of the known double black diamond trails in the area. The trails run for five miles with many challenging obstacles. It is worth riding because of the technical difficulties associated with the trail. You can also get a wonderful view when you choose to ride on this trail.
Now, if you want a place where you can experience all of the difficulty levels, Whistler Mountain Bike Park is the right place for you. It’s great for beginners to experts and even for your children to enjoy. If you want to have fun with your family or maybe just looking for a trail that best suits you, Whistler Mountain Bike Park is the best trail for you!
Meters To Classify The Trail
When it comes to choosing the right trail, you would have to consider the different meters in classifying a trail. Knowing what the tread surface, trail width, and other factors are is important because it will keep you informed on what to expect before choosing your trail.
Tread Surface and Trail Width
The tread surface is referring to the surface of the trail, and it is used to determine the difficulty of a certain trail. As mentioned above, there are smooth trails, and others have a lot of loose gravel, rocks, and sand. Some trails are unpredictable and are perfect for those bikers who are on the expert levels.
Trail width, on the other hand, is just like the name suggests, it is the width of the trail that you’ll be going on. The width would depend on the difficulty of the trail. The wider it is, the easier the trail can be. For instance, the easiest trail, which is the greenway, has a trail width that can cater to two-way traffic.
Technical Features and Natural Obstacles
One of the things that can add to a challenge on the trail is the objects on the trail. Some of the examples are rocks, gravels, holes, ledges, or roots. Other obstacles that you might find on the trail are the uneven trails where you can reach up to 24 inches tall. It will provide amazing jumps and thrills that you want to experience on your bike adventure.
Conclusion
Knowing the right trail symbols is important, especially when you are just starting. The white circle is best if you are a first-timer on the trail and would like to ride with other bikers. The green circle is best if you want to ride by yourself, but you are still considered a beginner. Blue square pertains to the intermediate level where the trail width is narrow, and there’s a lot of unavoidable obstacles that you can expect. The advanced (black diamond) and expert (double black diamond) trails are best for excellent off-road skills. When you have chosen the perfect trail for you, all you need to do is have fun and keep shredding!
