north shore building techniques

@nDr3w

Likes Dirt
howdy all,
I have been building various FR/DH trails and i am thinking of taking them to the next level by putting North Shore peices in. any advice on building NS structures would be greatly aprecciated.

cheers,
andrew.
 
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Superman

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My technique is none at all because in Australia it isnt needed? That is unless you need to build a bridge over a river/creek or something, which im sure you could find help.

And if you build it in state/national/crown land, you will probably have quite a bounty on your head.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Nailing pallets to live trees can kill them (there was a great post on this a while back I haven't been able to find). Best to use dead fallen trees as much as possible.
 

S.

ex offender
Binaural said:
Nailing pallets to live trees can kill them (there was a great post on this a while back I haven't been able to find). Best to use dead fallen trees as much as possible.
Unless the tree's health is balanced on a knife edge already, nailing anything to it will do absolutely nothing to harm it. I work as a tree lopper - take my word for it when I say that trees are much harder to kill than a lot of people appreciate. We commonly find nails in perfectly healthy trees (often pretty old ones too), ranging from your typical fencers nails up to iron bars/bolts an inch or two in diameter (not exaggerating here).

Andrew: if you need to know something specific about NS building, then please say so, otherwise you're basically asking for a thesis on light duty wooden structures.
 

tonka_202

Likes Dirt
i use something like the a-frame technique as it provides a very good structual support. i can't take all of the credit for this as my dad who has over 40 years of building experience and his dad almost 70, and also his family is huge in building and had is own building company and now is a site manager for building multi story building and plenty more (anyway this isnt a story about him) he has tought me the best way to build things and it is all so simple not much wood is really needed to make something very supportive. you just have to make sure you have all the geometry right.and making sure the weight is shared over the whole structure and even'd out, and to make sure that is can take the force from any angle. and also the best thing is to make sure you dont use heaps of nails just make sure you put them in the right spot, and don't nail along the grain. Also just one last tip, try to alway keep the timber side on so that it can't bend to easy but just enough so it doesnt snap.

anyway hope this all makes sense and i was just trying to help,
tonka.
 
the way i have been building my north shore stuff is pretty simple, just using solid hard wood beams and building them up on rock supports and on trees. ive found the best way to attach to a tree is to drill two holes in the beam and get some of that long threaded stud wire, bend it around the trunk of the tree. and put the two ends through the holes in your beam then washer and tighten up, this is by far the most effective way of putting a beam on a tree. the only problem is that it WILL kill the tree. at least criple it if not. its like ringbarking a tree. it cuts off most of the cappilary action up the tree that keeps it alive. none the less if the tree is dead or doesnt mind sacraficing itself for the trail then i would suggest to go that way. it works wonders. anyways other than that have fun with ur building. i know i am
 

benmwatkins

Likes Dirt
north shore

If you know what your doing is going to kill the trees, why do it? You make all mountain bikers look like idiots to park rangers. If you need to put a beam elevated up in the air but against a tree, cut an upright log (dead or something you cart in) to the height you need, then metal strap that to the tree with nails (wont harm the tree) then put your beam on the top of your cut upright beam. The strapping will stop your upright from moving and the beam is supported by the upright you have cut. If your trail is on public land and your killing trees, and the wrong person finds it, it will either be wrecked and all your work is wasted or you may get in the shit from a ranger. Build your north shore dude, but do it smarter.
 

andy73

Likes Bikes and Dirt
beginner_giantDH said:
the only problem is that it WILL kill the tree. at least criple it if not. its like ringbarking a tree. it cuts off most of the cappilary action up the tree that keeps it alive. none the less if the tree is dead or doesnt mind sacraficing itself for the trail then i would suggest to go that way.
dude that is ridiculous. As much as I know there are plenty of trees lining up to sacrifice themselves for the trail, I reckon that kind of attitude goes against the very grain of what MTB is all about. As Ben suggested, there are ways and means to add support beams without killing the trees.

I love North Shore stuff I really do, but it's gotta be well built and work in with (even enhance) the natural environment. Look at the real North Shore in Vancouver. The ladder bridges etc are built mostly with dead-fall that looks natural and is built to both last and be cognizent of the environment. while we don't have beautiful cedar that we can cut into slats, I still think you can make your shore sturdy without killing trees (or using CHEP Pallets).
 
i agree, good point, im still learning. will consider these when building my next shore section. but when it comes down to it on a dead tree i dont think u can beat it for the streght and ease of setting it up to the way the beam is strapped onto the tree. best way for strenght and easy height without stuffing around.
 
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