Steel Pipe Fencing.

[wardy]

I just seen another picture of thump coming around the first corner at cooperland.

my question is why do tracks spend thousands of dollars on 2 inch black water pipe, have it welded all the way around a MX track? I mean driving a pipe in the ground 2 ft, then welding it to another one which is in the ground is pretty solid.

Is there a benefit that I don't see? Great to lean against, but hitting that at speed seems to me kinda immovable?

Any thoughts, I only use cooperland because we have been there and seen it being installed. but I have seen hundreds of pictures of other tracks with this set up.


Curious minds need to ask.....

 

[76GMC1500]

Last trip to Hollister they had pulled up the haybales and had only fence posts to prevent you from sliding into the road. My friends have hit those haybales on several occasions. We all made sure to take those turns extra carfully that day.

 

[Chili]

Wardy I often wondered the same thing. At DW04 there was a kid ripping on a RM125 (not mine) that kept practicing that off camber after the finish trying different lines and techniques. The one time he came through and as he's starting to slide out the bike hooks up and he goes right at that fencing, I thought he was going to rip his head off but he got control back just in time. Most of our tracks seem to use snow fencing to separate the spectators from track access, although it is usually far enough off track that collision with a crashing rider is unlikely.

 

[wardy]

Well I don't see them putting like netting or some "soft" things on race day, (pictures again), so it won't stop a spectator from walking under it. And the only way it stops a bike or a rider is going to be painful. I mean hell that fence won't move, and if you aim at it wrong it is the exact hight to "peel" you right off the bike.

 

[justme1]

I have noticed green, like stretch catch fencing, on the gp tracks over across the water that is a idea. It lines the track than alittle further off the track is your spectator fence. It is not cheap to use but looks nice and safe for the riders. At some tracks you have to play dodge a pole at times as if the rider doesn't have enough to worry about out there.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

In the winter at an indoor track a rider hit a crossbar and that thing shot 15 feet like a bomb went off,fortunately nobody else was around,it would have sent them to the hospital,and the fence did stop most of the bike! Say no to unmovable objects with in 15-20 feet of the track,PLEASE! Gerhard I hope You have better luck with mother nature and hope 800 bikes show up tonight!

 

[BSWIFT]

I don't like the fencing at Cooperland either. I'm not sure, however, if there are not insurance issues to required them to be put in. A layered approach makes better since IMO. Something to cushion and slow down a rider, a second to stop the bike a bit farther out, and then a retaining area to stop spectators.
At the SX events that I have been to, there have been areas that have been cordoned off in the spectator seating. These were areas the had high probability of having roost or off track excursions by bike and rider. This practice is common at road courses, leaving a safe area for "run out".

 

[oldguy]

I always wondered about Cooperland also. My thought was that with all the oil wells in the area that it was used pipe that they got for a bargain or free price. Can't imagine the damage to rider and bike that would occur with a collision.
I know that at Aztalan we get 3 or 4 complaints a year because we have snow fencing held up with steel T poles. The plastic poles would be great but at tracks that I have seen them by mid season they all seem to be drooping all different directions.
Millville uses Century fence but the have a 20 foot buffer on each side of the track minimizing chances of a collision. Problem is most tracks do not have the room to buffer the track by that distance

 

[justme1]

I have seen tracks use the pvc (1.5)dia to hold up fencing but they do tend to bend also when used on hillsides with the winds. But in my op is a good and safe method of holding it up. I personnally do not like to see metal closer than 20' at any part of a track. I have seen chainlink rather close to a corner before but a chainlink verses the big dia pipe and fence which one is the lesser of the 2 evils? The chainlink give you that trampolin spring back feeling where as the pole fence gives you that :eek: outcome.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

How would the 4 foot tall,5 inch square wire fencing with the snow fence poles hold up. It would not be as painful, seems inexpensive, may need more maintenance.

 

[justme1]

Well we all know how spectators like to find something to lean on as the day wears on and the kids will always find a way to try and climb and play on it. It would probly be a never ending fight to keep the fence up.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

Most are just keeping the spectators back out of the way.Tight tracks that do not have 15 20 feet,block off the area,still have a view. Any type fence is gonna be real expensive,I would like to see redbuds bill!

 

[justme1]

Yea your right it would be scary to see that bill :nod:

 

[thorman75]

Most are just keeping the spectators back out of the way.Tight tracks that do not have 15 20 feet,block off the area,still have a view. Any type fence is gonna be real expensive,I would like to see redbuds bill!

Are you talking about me, Redbud's Bill. :rotfl:

 

[ctdyno]

um, ow, that just seems not smart to me, it will definitely stop bike and rider but it might kill the rider in the process

 

[Rubey]

um, ow, that just seems not smart to me, it will definitely stop bike and rider but it might kill the rider in the process

It happened here in N. Texas a couple of years ago.

A suggestion to all promoters is that if you're going to use heavy steel pipe fencing you need to be very careful and conscience of the track layout and the possible trajectories of a crash or an out-of-control rider.