Mountain Bike Access

Inside the city limits of El Paso sits the largest urban park in the country, Franklin Mountains State Park. Compared to Central Park’s 843 acres in New York City, Franklin Mountains State Park is mammoth in size, stretching across 24,000 acres of beautifully rugged terrain. At this popular state park, you can find abundant wildlife, magnificent scenery, and a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

This West Texas state park is an adventure-lover’s dream. Here, you will find over 100 miles of hiking trails that intertwine around the park. The trails are just as well suited for a rugged back country adventure as they are for a short hike with the kids. Many of the trails at the park are designated for mountain biking, giving biking adventurists with ample opportunity to explore the wilderness on two wheels. Visitors to Franklin Mountains State Park also enjoy rock climbing at Sneed’s Corey on the northeastern section of the park and McKelligon Canyon. Throughout the park, at its many picnic areas, along the trails, and at marked areas along the roads, you will find amazing sightseeing opportunities and scenic overlooks.
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Tucked along Florida’s southwest coast is a virtual mecca for bicycle enthusiasts. On a barrier island west of Fort Myers lies Sanibel Island, a 12-mile-long island destination for nature and bicycle lovers.

While drivers in Florida beach towns are used to braking for swimsuit-clad pedestrians roaming the streets, on Sanibel Island it seems the bicyclists easily outnumber foot travelers. Like the postman who makes his rounds in rain, wind or sleet, you can find a bicyclist on the trails well after sunset or in a downpour, clad with a poncho. You may prefer to bring your own bike, but there’s really no need. There are plenty of bicycle shops which rent to island guests.
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After many years, wasted land that was formerly a decommissioned Navy base will soon become Orlando’s first mountain bike park.

Hidden a few blocks north of Colonial Drive near downtown, the partially wooded property used to be home to warehouses and a dry-cleaning facility for the Orlando Naval Training Center. The husks of those buildings remain, but to the numerous mountain bike enthusiasts, the site couldn’t be better.
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While we haven’t quite gotten to the point of including mountain bike trails Google did just launch bicycle directions for Google Maps. This will make it easier for cyclists to plan routes in 150 U.S. cities including Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Portland and Washington, DC. You can use Google Maps to find cycling-specific directions in urban areas, and by default Google Maps will plan your route to avoid steep hills whenever possible. The new maps feature can also be used as a map layer to get an overall sense of cycling accessibility in a particular city.
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From Key West and Miami up through North Florida, the state is a bicyclist’s paradise, offering entry to some of the state’s best-kept secrets. Inviting weather year-round, unique wildlife, breathtaking coastal vistas, lush natural areas, and quaint downtowns and small towns can all be found on the paved and off-road trails described in this brochure. Leisurely rides through sandhill communities offer glimpses of wildlife such as gopher tortoises, white-tailed deer and red-cockaded woodpeckers. Two-wheel excursions along the coast and Florida bays may give rise to brown-headed pelican, dolphin or blue heron sightings. Cruise along Florida’s historic rivers, visit pre-Civil War forts and bubbling natural springs. So check the tire pressure, strap on your helmet, fi ll the water bottle, scan the sky and prepare to Bike Florida; where southern charm, sweet iced-tea and smiles await you.

The mountain biking in San Diego varies from gentle beach cruises to rugged mountain climbs. But no matter where you ride, there is a sensory onslaught: the sharp tang of sea air, the warm gust of an afternoon breeze, the jitter and bump of a rocky singletrack, the nurturing patter of a mountain waterfall, the refreshing spatter of mud after tearing through a puddle. San Diego is alive like that, a rich, vibrant land that fairly begs to be experienced. 

Don’t forget to check out YouTube to see if anyone has posted any videos of the trails you are interested in. More often people are using something like an extreme sport camera and their $20 handlebar/seat mount kit to create videos like the one below to capture their experience on the trail.

Riders searching for the most challenging San Diego riding experience will want to head inland, using the convenience of Highway 15 or Interstate 8 to reach the mountain trails of the Cleveland National Forest. The trails are well maintained, and well marked, and riders new to the area will be surprised how alpine San Diego can truly be. 

Riders who don’t have the time for a drive inland, or who prefer a more coastal riding experience, will revel in the countless public parks and local riding trails. For all its urban accouterments, San Diego has open space galore along the coast. A great ride is never far from your hotel. Read the rest of this entry »

Urban Mountain Bike Trail has no signs, no restrooms, no parking and no water fountains. Bikers come to this fifteen acre trail because of the natural wash of rolling sandstone and that the elevation makes for some spectacular rises and fast fall-aways. If you need to park there is parking available only at the neighborhood shopping centers surrounding the trail. You will ride at your own risk, so be careful.

The next bike trail is located in a great place to overlook Las Vegas.  The Red Rock Canyon is 42 miles and has single tracks and a stunning scenery to look at while biking. The trails are very smooth and it does have some difficulty places, but you can always make the most of it and enjoy a great trip. You will pass by the Cottonwood Valley and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. The trail usually takes two days and the trail is even called the Mustang Trail more places you will see along the trail are the Keystone Thrust Fault, the Black velvet Cliffs and the Fossil Ridge. Take a vacation and travel the Red Rock Canyon Trail. Read the rest of this entry »

Buying a mountain bike can be very time consuming and frustrating. Before you purchase a bike you might find it useful to be aware of a few things before you buy.

First, decide on a budget for your endeavor. Set a price range that you would be willing to pay and try to stick as close as possible to that price. In order to receive the best service and best quality bike, it is best to buy from a bicycle shop or dealer rather than a large retail chain store.

After you set your budget, it is time to decide on a style of bike that will best suit your needs. Try to figure out what types of trails you will be riding on the most. You can choose from cross country, racing, smooth riding, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill style.

Next, decide if you need a hard tail, meaning no rear suspension, and is lighter and more efficient to pedal. Full suspension offers better control and more overall comfort. One big factor that can help with your final decision goes back to what you decide on for a budget.

Since there is such a wide variety of components on today’s mountain bikes, it is hard to decide on the features which will suit you the best. Fick out a few features that you may definitely want to have on your bike and stick to that. This will ensure that you get more for your money while remaining within your budget.

The price of mountain bikes varies at different times of the year. Spring and Summer are peak buying seasons, but hundreds of dollars can be saved by buying in Fall and Winter. Bike shops will often times offer up free accessories or discounts if you purchase from them. When choosing a dealer to buy from, shop around a little. It is best to have a dealer who is interested more in selling a good product versus trying to make the most money.

Be sure to test ride several bikes before you buy one. Some will feel better when riding than others, and you can make sure that the bike is in good working condition.

A good way to get an idea which bikes are the best overall is by reading product reviews before you begin your search for the perfect bicycle. These reviews can give you the best insight on which bikes have been rated with the best overall performance and reliability.