Michigan Mountian Biking

With my injured knee, I'm going to try and bike a bit extra this year.
Two others and I welcome any invites to go biking down trails, or some casual rides or what not. Nothing to crazy steep terrain. (like biking down the ski hill)

Idea's or get togethers, what not, let me know via PM or reply here.

It was finally time to get out the Mt bike and I have to say, it felt great!!!

I set up some obstacles in the back yard with lumber and logs to practice skinnys and teeter totters........couldn't help myself, I had to take off into the woods, where I found out that getting back on the bike in the spring is like, riding a bike....... 

I've been riding on the rail trail but am getting anxious to get muddy! 

Hopefully the trails will dry out enough to get offroad this week.  Its going to be a big summer for biking, I've got an entry to the iceman in November to prepare for.

Wow, that is the last thing I want to do anymore on a bike, Get muddy. haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talyn 

Wow, that is the last thing I want to do anymore on a bike, Get muddy. haha.

once you stop caring riding becomes so much better.

Mud can be fun in July or August when its hot out, not so much when its still cold out!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushwackerinPA 

 

 

once you stop caring riding becomes so much better.

I was in a race were you had to run through a river immediately after you crossed the start line. Once my feet were soaked, I didn't care about the other half dozen river crossings on the course.

Generally I prefer dry trails though. Leave no trace.

Quote:

Originally Posted by telerod15 

 

Generally I prefer dry trails though. Leave no trace.

That is the best for the sport as a whole and why I've been riding on the rail trail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by telerod15 

 

I was in a race were you had to run through a river immediately after you crossed the start line. Once my feet were soaked, I didn't care about the other half dozen river crossings on the course.

 

Generally I prefer dry trails though. Leave no trace.

eh ruts are gone in a day here in pittsburgh it rains all the time id imagine in DC area it the same.

Horsesback riders they have postholes one of my local trails to a unrideable point.

I prefer slightly wet trails aka 'tacky", then dry trails, then wet trails as long its rideable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedalbiker 

 

 

That is the best for the sport as a whole and why I've been riding on the rail trail.

again you live in michigan the trail would have to be beyond wet to actaully damage it to a point where it cant come back in a day or 2 of other riding. Any place where it rains alot the trails are generally ok to ride from an erosion stand point at nearly anytime.

andl like the post right above horses suck, untill I see one(or many like the mountain bikers in the area) rider show up to pittsburgh trail work day I will continue to think they are lazy fat as scum whos has no current right to ride there especailyl when its soft enough there 500 + pound a piece hoof makes pot hole all the ways down the trail.

now if you lived in utah or colorado or another dry climate when it rains there the trails are not only un rideable but generally you are doing damage that can last months.

just a thought to poeple readinf this in western Pa Mountain bikers easily out number other user groups by possiable as higher as 5 to 1, and we do all the trail maintence so IMO I have every right to be pissed that horse keep tearing shit up. Its not like I am riding on trails horse back people made and complaining about it.

Why is your track gone in a day? Erosion, and your tracks contribute to it, possibly more than hoof prints. Sorry. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by telerod15 

Why is your track gone in a day? Erosion, and your tracks contribute to it, possibly more than hoof prints. Sorry. 

because its so wet that it jsut gets trampled down by other bikers hikers and horseback riders..

erosion? c'mon on dude these trail ahvent changes in 4 years of riding on them I am pretty sure there is no more erosion going from any user group.

The horse jsut suck because of how far they penatrate down in the dirt. I have never seen a 7 inches deep rut from a mountain bike that is over a couple feet long. A horse can get that deep the entire way.

"We have to move the issue beyond out respective passions," Haugland says. "Our feeling is that the data (from elsewhere) don't conform to the needs here in the eastern forest. We see the evidence of (bike) impacts, but it has not been studied scientifically."

This is a quote from the link I am about to post. ^^^

http://www.imba.com/resources/science/trail_shock.html

There is nothing really to gain by arguing and blame. I personally believe that it has less to do with use, but with trail design. If you really want to make a difference, fix the trails. There are many groups that do this, check out wvmba for example. I really want more people to be active. I live and work in what is possibly the epicenter of bad health. The National Park Service's solution to trail erosion, is to shut them down, and limit access. 

There is more benefit for cyclists, backcountry skiers, equestrians, hikers, hunters, and others to join together, and keep the trails open. I wish that WV were more active in this respect. There are perhaps thousands of miles of trails in my area. Old logging and mine roads that could be used to maintain an active lifestyle. These areas are being bought by the NPS and turned into Wilderness areas. Anything that has, wheels, hoofs, or skis, is outlawed. These lands were deemed for public use. Who uses them? The conversion of these lands, has decreased useage. 

honest the misinfo thats get passed around the web(johnny zoo is the only one that has a clue here) is going to cause me to go out rut up a freaking trail take pictures and come back a couple days later to show how durable eastern dirt..

PacNw, Midwest, appalachian, new england, east coast, and other places where it rains tons. You can ride in the wet, you can get muddy you are not damaging anything. Soil that get moisture all the time is nearly impossiable to damage by riding on it, assuming the trail wasnt designed by monkeys.

as for horse, they penetrate further in same soft soil and that does not get erased.

Some of you guys sound like the Sierre Club on Mountain bikes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnnys Zoo 

I personally believe that it has less to do with use, but with trail design. If you really want to make a difference, fix the trails.

Quoted for truth. People ride the trails on horses because they are good for horseback riding. Work on bike specific trails. Horseback riders won't ride them. They won't be able to. Also consider the trailhead. If an F350 with a trailer can't park/turn around there the horses will stay away.

As for erosion, it's a trail design problem, and most trails are poorly designed. That's why they erode, not because people ride on them. Still, there is a time an place to ride and trails can be too wet to ride without damaging them.

 My local bike club has been watching outsiders ride our main trail in the rain for years while we sit on the sidelines and wait for it to dry. Finally last year the club woke up to the fact hat no matter how you approach it, you won't stop people from riding the wet trails wether it be with signs or angry confrontations and began a major armoring project to make the trail as close to all-weather as possible.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushwackerinPA 

assuming the trail wasnt designed by monkeys.

 

as for horse, they penetrate further in same soft soil and that does not get erased.

 

Some of you guys sound like the Sierre Club on Mountain bikes.

Again, most trails are. IMHO if you are riding trails that are already trashed by other users you have nothing to worry about.

I really don't think that bikes are the problem. Hiking trails erode too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by epic 

 

 

Quoted for truth. People ride the trails on horses because they are good for horseback riding. Work on bike specific trails. Horseback riders won't ride them. They won't be able to. Also consider the trailhead. If an F350 with a trailer can't park/turn around there the horses will stay away.

 

As for erosion, it's a trail design problem, and most trails are poorly designed. That's why they erode, not because people ride on them. Still, there is a time an place to ride and trails can be too wet to ride without damaging them.

 

 My local bike club has been watching outsiders ride our main trail in the rain for years while we sit on the sidelines and wait for it to dry. Finally last year the club woke up to the fact hat no matter how you approach it, you won't stop people from riding the wet trails wether it be with signs or angry confrontations and began a major armoring project to make the trail as close to all-weather as possible.

 

Again, most trails are. IMHO if you are riding trails that are already trashed by other users you have nothing to worry about.

 

I really don't think that bikes are the problem. Hiking trails erode too.

I would argue that a trail that biker's enjoy IE not too steep anywhere lots of rocks, logs, and roots will erode less than a steep 'hiking" trail with just foot traffic on it.

It has to do with pitch, how it drain and what the sidehill is like. alot of trails local to pittsburgh were modified by MTB specific trail groups because we are by as many 10 fold the largest user group. The trail simply dont get messed up by any amount of bike traffic and most hold up to horses assuming the horses wait till its at least somewhat dry.

Motorbikes and 4wheelers are the only thing that really tears up trails here in michigan.
But they are back to normal soon due to the way our soil is here.

Even after rain and stuff, ruts easily wear away due to the high clay amounts in our soil, which after so many people ride them, they just turn to dust and smooth out.

I've been down some rutted trails, but the rut IS the trail, where everyone rides and it is not really a rut. It's just a wide path that is lower in the middle out in the woods.

Roots are fun, except at high speeds.
I honestly prefer a nice ride down a paved path though. Hurts my back to much to bounce around on trails all day biking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talyn 

Roots are fun, except at high speeds.
I honestly prefer a nice ride down a paved path though. Hurts my back to much to bounce around on trails all day biking.

Sheesh how old are you?  

'Oi, my aching back'

I'm guessing that if I were to ride with you, you'd kick my butt!

Bend over for 8 hours a day like I do, and your back will hurt also. =)