Most trail builders share the opinion that shooting down trails with locked rear wheels is not okay. But they also specify their opinion. Philipp Bont from Vast Trails therefore reminds us: "Hardly any mountain biker who is only halfway fast manages to ride a trail completely without a locked rear wheel." This statement makes it clear that Bont does not want to go on a witch hunt and point the finger at those who have an active riding style. For Rafael Rhyner from Trailworks, drifting - a so-called Scandinavian flick - is part of good riding technique. "If it's done well, it's not much of a problem, as there's hardly any pressure on the rear wheel when sliding and the actual braking effect takes place on the front wheel."

Good riding technique is trail-friendly

The four trail builders Bont, Rhyner and Ueli Guntli, head of bike and hiking trails in Laax and Pirmin Kündig from 'Wegdynamik' agree that a skillful drift is a lot of fun and part of a good riding technique. "What bothers me, on the other hand, is when people ride off too fast and then try to make up for their lack of riding technique by blocking the rear wheel," says Guntli. Pirmin Kündig from Wegdynamik also considers good riding technique to be trail-friendly, but emphasizes training: "The riding technique, but also the behaviour, starts with the youngsters. When we demonstrate riding with locked wheels during kids' bike training, they see it as normal and they spur themselves on to take it even further. We are therefore convinced that the right training is the most trail-friendly."

The basic speed problem

Currently, however, Kündig also sees the problem with high speeds: "Today's enduro bikes make it possible to ride at very high speeds on single trails. The higher the speed, the more the braking zones suffer. So we think you should take it easy on single trails and ride in a much more controlled manner. On designated bike trails, especially in bike parks, that's okay. After all, these are there to test your limits. Bont, Guntli and Rhyner also share this opinion.

When biking on hiking trails, Ueli Guntli appeals for respect: "Trails can quickly become damaged during hard braking maneuvers. I myself am rather cautious on trails that have often existed for over 100 years. This also has to do with respect for past and present trail makers, but also for all trail users." The problem with hiking trails often lies in their maintenance. Wear and tear is not repaired as quickly as on designated bike trails or bike park routes. During heavy rainfall, wear and tear very quickly turns into major damage. The four trail builders agree that this should be avoided on hiking trails.