Which do you Prefer: Machine- or Hand-built Bike Trails?

Construction methods can affect a mountain bike trail's look and feel.

By Jeff Barber
October 11, 2020 Last Updated: October 11, 2020

8 comments

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Fresh, machine-built singletrack. photo: Leah Barber

No matter where you go on planet Earth, chances are there are mountain bike trails to ride. Not only that, in many areas riders will find more than one type of trail to choose from. It is truly an excellent time to be a mountain biker!

Of course many of us enjoy riding more than one type of trail, so try to think about the type of trail you would ride if you hadn’t ridden in weeks and might not be able to ride again for a while. Many trails are built using a combination of methods; for example, a trail might be machine cut but hand finished. For our purposes we’re calling any trail where motorized, earth-moving equipment is used at any point during construction.

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8 Comments

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Dr Sweets Georgia // 2016
Oct 17, 2020

I am not a fan of machine cut trails, preferring natural gnar. Most machine cut trails too often just seem like dirty streets. Also a big factor for me is that many machine cut trails drain poorly. An obvious local (ATL) example is Big Creek vs. Blankets Creek. I like them both, but Big Creek dries up much faster than Blankets ever does, due to it's natural and rougher tread. It's no surprise that the biggest machine cut effort at Big Creek (Hawkeye) drains like crap. I have always found it curious that more trail systems stateside (particular in the ATL metro*) do not take a clue from the work in the PNW. The trails there are ridable wet or not as they are designed to manage drainage better than anyplace else. If this was not the case no one would ever ride there. *ATL actually gets more inches of rainfall per year than Seattle.

1 reply

LStadelmeier Georgia // 2014
Oct 18, 2020

Hand cut is what mountain biking is all about. Ever changing terrain with obstacles requiring you to successfully negotiate them makes for a rewarding experience. The terrain should dictate the needed skills to participate in the sport. Machine cut trails do allow for more speed,yes it’s fun, however fewer skills are needed. If you prefer machine cut trails, you may as well get a gravel bike! Don’t get me wrong, there are some great machine cut trails out there, but my preference is hand cut!

0 reply

shiggy 2010
Oct 12, 2020

How the work was accomplished doesn’t matter that much.
Most important is how the trail was laid out.
A poorly riding trail is a poor trail and vice versa.

scbiker South Carolina // 2013
Oct 12, 2020

I love a good hand cut trail. There is nothing like weaving through the trees and following the natural lay of the land. Natural rock gardens add a challenge and washes, gullies and ravines add spice to the trail. Then there are machine cut trails which provide a different and fun aspect to riding. If properly built they develop over time as riders fine the best lines through the turns. Their jumps, berms and off camber turns are maybe too much fun. But I'm the guy who doesn't mind climbing 45 minutes to blast down the handcut / forest service road trail for 10 minutes. I like to go fast and I like to go slow. Mostly I like to ride any trail I can get on. I like to ride!!

Biking with JP Ontario // 2019
Oct 12, 2020

I love when flowing hand-made single-track has you weaving between trees and the natural landscape is used for features like a giant rock to climb over or a fallen tree used as a skinny!

Called2RideMTB Maryland // 2017
Oct 11, 2020

Personally, I don't have a preference. I enjoy each of those types of trails for the challenges and differences they bring.

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Oct 13, 2020

Seems to me that the best trail builders usually use both.

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Oct 11, 2020

Which trail type?? The one that had ingenuity and imagination involved prior to turning a shovel. It is amazing to use the deer trails that never saw a shovel... Exploring can reveal some real treasures that folks do not have to put much work in to make a good ride happen.
Machine built, hand built, if the job is done well, it's all good. Excellet craftsmanship can make any trail a great experience regardless of what or who built it.

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