In July 2025, we released another update to the ITRS on www.itrs.bike. If you are an active user of the ITRS, please download the updated materials and review the following article thoroughly.
This update introduces a 5th subfactor for wilderness: natural hazards. It also brings a refined description for the rating of jumps, a definition of green TTF, example pictures for the rating of surface types, refined definition of black and orange wallrides, and several minor corrections and refinements, including making the proposed signs for technical difficulty of a trail better readable for colour blind persons.
So what’s new and why:
- Wilderness – new Natural Hazards subfactor
In addition to the existing 4 subfactors (Mobile reception, evacuation/rescue options, water supply, wildlife) an additional subfactor was added: Natural Hazards. Here it is rated how much preparation is required to account for potentially difficult river crossing, passing through zones with probable rock falls, or through restricted areas for which specialized guides are mandatory.
- For crossings of seasonal or permanent rivers the bikers will have to take the weather into account – if there was or is forecast significant rain upstream of the river, the crossing may be dangerous or impossible.
- For zones with high probability of rock falls the bikers need to plan carefully to cross them depending on the time of the day (sun melts ice and frost and can lead to rock falls), and depending on precipitation levels (rain increases the chances of rockfalls).
- Areas which can only be entered with a specialized guide (for example around active volcanoes) require respective arrangements to be made before starting the tour.
Please read the definitions of the natural hazards levels carefully, since these 3 topics listed here are combined there.
- Definition of Jumps
The general description of the factors influencing the technical difficulty of jumps has been refined. Es a special required riding skill the ability of riders to control the position of the bike in the air has been added to the requirements for black level jumps.
The descriptions of jumps in each difficulty level have been refined accordingly to improve the consistency of rating jumps, which so far cannot be based on numbers but on several qualitative factors.
- Green TTFs and minimum length of TTF of type High-Wide
So far on green trails the ITRS did not allow TTF of the type ‘high – wide’ (north shores, skinnies etc.). Now we developed a definition of such TTF that qualify for green trails. We want to cover especially wooden constructions that one can find in skill areas and that enable a playful and safe learning for kids and beginners.
The criteria are consistent with other ITRS values (trail width, obstacle height) and should be regarded by trail builders to check if their constructions fulfil these requirements.
We also added on the general description of TTF that we only regard TTF that are longer than 1 meter. So shorter planks that cross a ditch do not have to be rated as TTF, but just by their ‘Trail Width’
- Trail Surface
We added example pictures for typical surface types on all 5 levels of technical difficulty. In our Certified Trail Rater examinations, we realized that the rating of surface types was less consistent amongst candidates than the data-based criteria. Surface type difficulty cannot be measured but with those pictures the rating consistency will be improved.
- Wallrides
Threshold values for the inclination of black and orange wallrides were introduced. Black wallrides now extend until fully vertical walls. Wallrides that are overhanging – including a full looping – qualify for orange.
- Obstacles
The general definition page of obstacles was refined, making a stronger link to the required riding skills. E.g., if a safe bunny hop is required to clear an obstacle, that qualifies the obstacle for black.
- Drops
The general definition page of drops was refined, addressing the effect if a drop is built rollable, or the landing is narrower than the take-off.
- Signage
In the last update we introduced a signage proposal to show the technical difficulty of the segments of a trail by displaying the course of the trail and showing the segments as a line with the colour of the respective technical difficulty. To enhance readability of this type of sign for colour blind persons, we added the symbols for the technical difficulty levels next to the course of the trail on the sign.
- Various
- Guidelines for Trailbuilders
We refined the recommendations for unavoidable bridges being in line with the refined TTF definitions.
- Comments on Exposure ratings
We added a paragraph on the effect if a fall off the trails leads to crash on a road or into a river or lake. Exposure should in these cases be rated at least red.