Mountain Bike Trails & Tips

If you want to be part of the solution and not the problem, then these Low Impact Mountain Biking tips will help to keep the trails open. Responsible riding will go a long way in maintaining trail conditions and access. The following tips are directly related to being on the trail. Getting involved with mountain bike organizations, patrols, trail work and advocacy issues is also important. The International Mountain Bike Association’s (IMBA) Rules Of The Trail are important to know and can be accessed here on bikekinetix.com.

• Help reduce crowding on popular trails. Discover new mountain bike trails on to bikekinetix.com, or consult a guidebook and map to find other rides in the area. Try riding popular trails during off-peak hours or during the week, if possible.
• Keep your riding group small. This will minimize impact on the trail and won’t disrupt other trail users. Break up a larger group into smaller ones (2-4 riders) and plan meeting times and locations along the trail.
• Keep the trails clean. Pack out what you pack in. If you see trash on the trail pick it up. Discarded inner tubes, bottles or energy bar wrappers detract from the experience for all trail users.
• Don’t tear up the trail. Avoid skidding. When faced with a steep hill that you are not ready at the moment to conquer, dismount and walk to avoid soil damage.
• Use the middle of the trail as much as possible. Be careful and stick to your line around corners to avoid going off trail. Riding around a log, rock or waterbar will widen the trail. Instead, ride over these obstacles (this skill will require practice) or dismount and walk over. Riding off the trail to see a view damages plantlife.
• Avoid trails after heavy rain. Riding through mud deepens the bog and riding around it will widen the trail. After a rain, or when a trail is known to be very muddy, find another place to ride that drains well.
• Don’t build or ride on any unauthorized or illegal trails.
• Anticipate other trail users, especially on narrow winding trails. Slow down, acknowledge the hikers, size-up the situation and pass safely. Be prepared to stop and dismount, if necessary (especially when encountering horses). Relations on the trail are important to the future of mountain biking. Not detracting from the experience of other users as well as your own is a fine balancing act. For an uninterruped smooth ride, designated one-way mountain bike trails are best.
• Be nice to people you meet on the trail! This could go a long way toward reducing trail conflict issues.
• Finally, take a kid mountain biking. While both a workout and an adventure, it also builds self-confidence and responsible biking habits.