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I've been trying to get various mtb websites to run a proper article on this for a while, but it seems people either aren't taking me seriously or just don't care. This really is as dire as it sounds - it maybe the end of midland uplifts as we know it..............
I've recently been having many talks with (the legend that is…) Dave Pearce about all things uplift-y and about the up-coming Pearce Winter Series (previously known as the Midland’s Winter Series). Dave expressed a serious concern that the races may suffer from the recent disputes about uplift safety and the FC (Forestry Commision) and BC’s (British Cycling) inclusion to the discussions and even the real possibility of cancellation of the race series! What he said was that discussions were being held by the FC who aren’t fully aware of how things currently run, what’s safe, practical, and what’s not. The FC have always aimed run their forest tracks under the same legal regulations as any public road and are concerned that the current system of uplifts contravenes these rules. The FC are not the enemy here and they want to allow mountain bikers to use their land as it brings in revenue, but they need to set guidelines and standards for all uplift organisers to agree on and most importantly that things are legal.
The temporary standards set out to allow things to continue until a suitable proposition was decided will end at the beginning of the new year. If something isn't sorted out soon then the Pearce cycles uplift system may be compromised entirely.
Dave has asked me to put the word out to riders and racers, to ask them to send emails and letters of their opinion’s of what the rider’s themselves think and their ideas on what they feel is safe and practical as there is lack of feedback from the people that matter – you lot. So please could you send an email to shop@pearcecycles.co.uk And try and express support for the Pearce group as I and many others believe that they are vital to our sport and make up the backbone of everything good we currently have. If you can, include you BCF Race License number – just to add some validity to your comments. If you don’t have a license, don’t worry.
Below is a copy of the email I’ve written so you can get some idea of what we’re asking:
Quote
To whom it may concern,
I understand there is dispute over the current system of uplifts used at Downhill Mountain Bike events and races run on Forestry Commission land. This is a letter, just to voice a couple of my opinions on the subject as I believe it relevant to include the thoughts of the riders and racers themselves.
I have been a mountain biker for many years and over the last 4 years I’ve been keenly entering as many Downhill events as possible in the UK and abroad. I am also a BCF race license holder (452876 UCI number GBR 19800517). Last year for example I entered over 30 DH races including National Points Series, Scottish Downhill Association, Welsh Dragon series, Midlands winter and summer series, the National Championships as well as races in France such as the Mega Avalanche, Grenoble regional’s and a Maxxis Cup race.
At all of these events, I’ve seen a wide variety of uplift systems employed such as 100 person Gondola’s (in the Pyrenees), 2 person “Egg” bubbles in Les Gets, chairlifts made from park benches in Grenoble, I’ve been transported in the back of Transit vans, pick-up trucks, dumper trucks, mini-buses, articulated lorries, service buses, Land Rovers, Tractors and a multitude of trailer designs.
As well as having experience of all these methods, I also compile method statements and risk assessments on a daily basis in my professional life, working as a Section Engineer for a civil engineering company Edmund Nuttall Ltd.
I think the Pearce cycles system of uplifts using large welded trailers pulled by tractor’s is an excellent system. I have always found it to be a perfect balance of safety, turn-around speed and practicality. All passengers are kept totally separate from bikes in a comfortable and organised manner and the tractor’s only travel a little over walking pace. To my knowledge it’s a system that has run without fault since well before I got into the sport and I see no reason for things to be changed as safety levels are more than adequate.
The Dragon system of uplifts run by Jason Carpenter is also a safe system in my opinion. I applaud Jason’s bold approach as he is using the recourses available to him on FC land tracks that can support the use of service buses pulling specially welded bike trailers. However, the use of such a system is a rather extreme measure to address the issue of safety and is definitely not something that would be practical at all downhill track venues in the UK as service buses simply wouldn’t be able to drive through deep mud and steep slopes like tractor’s can.
The uplift system currently being employed by the SDA races of pairs of lorries/cattle trucks running in tandem – one full of bikes, one full of riders is unfortunately not satisfactory in my opinion. The issue of health & safety has been taken too far and has caused the turn around time to suffer dramatically when I really don’t think there was a problem in the first place. The previous system of stacked bikes and riders in the same lorry always seemed more than satisfactory in terms of safety as the lorries traveled at slow speeds (less than 15mph) and had well sealed back doors. Passengers were seated and wore helmets, to my knowledge there was never a problem with this system.
To sum up, I don’t think its possible to standardise the system of uplifts employed at venues throughout the UK. Each system should be based on its own merit and aplicability to the venue, also previous experience of success should not be discounted. As a guidline for event organisers I think that during uplifts riders should be kept seated and in an enclosed area so there is no chance that they fall out. They should be kept separate from bikes, but only by partition – separate vehicles for the two are not necessary.
I understand there is dispute over the current system of uplifts used at Downhill Mountain Bike events and races run on Forestry Commission land. This is a letter, just to voice a couple of my opinions on the subject as I believe it relevant to include the thoughts of the riders and racers themselves.
I have been a mountain biker for many years and over the last 4 years I’ve been keenly entering as many Downhill events as possible in the UK and abroad. I am also a BCF race license holder (452876 UCI number GBR 19800517). Last year for example I entered over 30 DH races including National Points Series, Scottish Downhill Association, Welsh Dragon series, Midlands winter and summer series, the National Championships as well as races in France such as the Mega Avalanche, Grenoble regional’s and a Maxxis Cup race.
At all of these events, I’ve seen a wide variety of uplift systems employed such as 100 person Gondola’s (in the Pyrenees), 2 person “Egg” bubbles in Les Gets, chairlifts made from park benches in Grenoble, I’ve been transported in the back of Transit vans, pick-up trucks, dumper trucks, mini-buses, articulated lorries, service buses, Land Rovers, Tractors and a multitude of trailer designs.
As well as having experience of all these methods, I also compile method statements and risk assessments on a daily basis in my professional life, working as a Section Engineer for a civil engineering company Edmund Nuttall Ltd.
I think the Pearce cycles system of uplifts using large welded trailers pulled by tractor’s is an excellent system. I have always found it to be a perfect balance of safety, turn-around speed and practicality. All passengers are kept totally separate from bikes in a comfortable and organised manner and the tractor’s only travel a little over walking pace. To my knowledge it’s a system that has run without fault since well before I got into the sport and I see no reason for things to be changed as safety levels are more than adequate.
The Dragon system of uplifts run by Jason Carpenter is also a safe system in my opinion. I applaud Jason’s bold approach as he is using the recourses available to him on FC land tracks that can support the use of service buses pulling specially welded bike trailers. However, the use of such a system is a rather extreme measure to address the issue of safety and is definitely not something that would be practical at all downhill track venues in the UK as service buses simply wouldn’t be able to drive through deep mud and steep slopes like tractor’s can.
The uplift system currently being employed by the SDA races of pairs of lorries/cattle trucks running in tandem – one full of bikes, one full of riders is unfortunately not satisfactory in my opinion. The issue of health & safety has been taken too far and has caused the turn around time to suffer dramatically when I really don’t think there was a problem in the first place. The previous system of stacked bikes and riders in the same lorry always seemed more than satisfactory in terms of safety as the lorries traveled at slow speeds (less than 15mph) and had well sealed back doors. Passengers were seated and wore helmets, to my knowledge there was never a problem with this system.
To sum up, I don’t think its possible to standardise the system of uplifts employed at venues throughout the UK. Each system should be based on its own merit and aplicability to the venue, also previous experience of success should not be discounted. As a guidline for event organisers I think that during uplifts riders should be kept seated and in an enclosed area so there is no chance that they fall out. They should be kept separate from bikes, but only by partition – separate vehicles for the two are not necessary.
On the whole, things are looking pretty grey at the moment as there needs to be some kind of loop hole found in order for the current systems to continue. Many of the uplift organisers have put considerable funding into the systems they currently have operating - many of which won't be legal by the end of this year.
What is needed is some kind of legal loop hole - any legal types out there?
Ta
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