cyclochica

I know there have been threads on this topic before and it won't be anything to many, but I thought someone might find this article interesting. It makes me nervous.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2002Oct1.html

a2psyklnut

Pretty scary what we're up against. Especially that last comment. I find that the equestrian use does far more damage than a mtn bike wheel, however there is no lobby against this use. Is it because it's not as popular, or more expensive to be a part of? Who knows?

Reading this makes me wonder why everyone isn't a member of the IMBA. I let my membership run out, I think I'll rejoin.

L8R

fubar5

and League of American Bicyclist. IMBA,LBA,Bike......To much drain on my poor wallet.

nathank

hmm... wow, think how bad it would be if we didn't have IMBA? we'd be shut out of the trails - case closed - and no one would listen...

so the article didn't seem to make it clear: are mountain bikes being banned b/c they damage the wilderness or because of trail conflicts with hikers?

IF it's the former, then California should check out some of the newest research that shows that mountain bikers tend to do little or no more damage than hikers to the trails and that mountain bikers disturb wildlife to about the same extent as hikers... i.e. sure, hikers and mountain bikers both do more damage than if no one were there, but both are about the same level, so to outlaw mountain bikers b/c of damage to trails or disturbing wildlife and not hiker is wrong...

i am a major conservationist (and also a hiker) and the MTB image has improved mostly b/c of IMBA, but we still get a bad rap.

another reason to be friendly to hikers on the trails AND don't lock up that rear brake or make shortcuts or ride around obstacles...

Maelstrom 

Ahh Canada and its cooperations with environmentalists.

Joe Pozer

Very true...it's a great model...

Anyone visiting california, especially the Bay Area will be very surprised by the amount of trail conflict going on. We are prohibited from some of the best trails in the area. In marin county, which is supposed to be the birth place of modern mt. biking, has very little legal singletrack. I have friends who are in the political aspect of this issue and they tell me that the bans have nothing to do with damage to the trails, it's just political. Those in power are usually older and have a bad image of mt. bikers plus they receive quite a bit of money from the Sierra Club.

I'll give you an example of some of the B.S. going on here. In the East Bay bikes are banned from single tracks because of the damage the cause. But get this, on these same lands they allow cow grazing to occur. So bikes cause more damage than cows? You should see how these herds destroy the trails, create wide paths and trample over everything in site...I won't even go into all the crap they leave behind.

I know a lot of people are against riding on illegal trails but here in the Bay Area riders have been pushed over the edge...it's gotten to the point where even advocates say screw it...if you get caught pay the fine. Before anyone says this will just get trails closed, it's too late, they already are closed.