Category: Mountain Biking

How Much Trail Do You Use In An Hour? (A Trail User Speed Comparison)

jimmymac

Four major user groups share unpaved recreation trails designated for non-motorized use; hikers, trail runners, equestrians and mountain bikers. A change in California law (that other states may adopt) has permitted electric-motorized bikes access to these same trails, thus adding a new user group into the mix. While these five different user groups share the same trail, how do their speeds and amount of trail used in a specific amount of time compare? Anecdotal answers abound, but finding quantitative data on the question is difficult. My solution was to conduct…

The 2019 Mike Nosco Memorial Bicycle Ride 11 Years Strong

jimmymac

Last week we had hurricane-strength winds, major power outages and wildfires that seemed to negatively impact every family in California. Well, all that changed on Sunday November 3rd because it was time for the 11th Mike Nosco Memorial Bicycle Ride and Mike must have been pulling some strings from up in Hero Heaven. Riders were treated to the best weather imaginable (I was tempted to hop off the moto and jump in the ocean) and the riders again showed up to support the event in impressive numbers. Cyclists are good…

Concept Bicycle Helmet That Tucks Into A Water Bottle

jimmymac

No doubt, it is a cool concept. Make a bicycle helmet sans a hard-surface shell that can fold into the palm of your hand and tuck neatly into a tube the size of a bicycle water bottle. Make it so small that it could easily be mistaken for a baseball hat (with a three-point retention strap). Finally, make this helmet meet or exceed the U.S. CPSC and EU EN-1078 cycling safety standards. Park & Diamond, a company that has never made a bicycle helmet or any other product, claims they…

Cycling Without Age Offers Safe and Sane Cycling To The Elderly

jimmymac

Here is the feel-good story of the month. Writer Tom Hallberg of the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports on the activity of Cycling Without Age in Jackson, Wyoming. Cycling Without Age pairs pilots (who volunteer their time and leg muscles) with older residents (sometimes shut-ins) for trishaw rides around their community. These folks may not have felt the wind rushing through their hair since, well, since they had hair. Seniors jumping back on a bike find that their balance, coordination and dexterity may no longer be up to the…

Harley-Davidson Debuts Bicycle Line

jimmymac

While Harley-Davidson struggles to remain relevant by introducing new product lines that attract a younger demographic of customer, we are not sure how the Low Rider HP® will achieve this goal. The Low Rider HP (that stands for Human Powered) takes too many of its design cues from existing Harley-Davidson motorcycle models. While the electric-powered motorcycle prototypes and rich-kid scooters are closer to Harley’s desired goal of attracting buyers who are under 60 years old, the Low Rider HP appears too cumbersome and lacking in performance to ignite the passion…

Gitche Gumee Gran Fondo Honors Steve Tilford’s Legacy

jimmymac

The Gitche Gumee Gran Fondo starts in Cable, Wisconsin (this year it was on August 26th) and treats riders to scenic back-country roads and even crosses the Continental Divide. This year’s event teamed up with The Steve Tilford Memorial Fund, as the event’s official charity, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the fund’s partnership with USA Cycling’s mission to foster a commitment to the safety, integrity, and joy of cycling. This fund honors Steve’s passion for cycling and continues his legacy. If you couldn’t make it this…

The Interior Secretary Wants To Sell More E-Bikes, But At What Cost?

jimmymac

The one-page document from Interior Secretary David Bernhardt (Order Number 3376) did far more than redefine non-motorized recreation. The Order revealed a seismic shift in how the Department of The Interior views its responsibility in overseeing public lands. Conservation and stewardship are replaced with a new mandate to exploit public lands to the fullest. And maybe that’s what the majority of Americans want? The Interior Secretary also showed a lack of understanding by adopting the language crafted by the e-bike industry, whose objective is to sell more e-bikes. Trying to…

Department Of The Interior Redefines Electric-Motorized Bikes As Human-Powered Bikes

jimmymac

The United States’ Secretary of the Interior on August 29th signed Order Number 3376 titled “Increasing Recreational Opportunities through the use of Electric Bikes,” that instructs Federal land management agencies to view electric-motorized bicycles the same as a human-powered bicycle. Dennis Byrd, Outdoor Recreational Planner-Travel and Transportation Mgt, explained to Jimmy Mac On Two Wheels that “This newly penned Secretarial Order gives new guidance on how to manage e-bikes on BLM (and other DOI agency) managed lands. E-bikes, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 2085. will be allowed where all bicycles…

Opening Trails To Class-1 E-Bikes Opens Trails To All E-Bikes

jimmymac

E-bike designations (Class 1, 2 and 3) were written by a trade organization to do three things: (1) open previously non-motorized trails to motorized vehicles, (2) evade enforcement, and (3) sell more e-bikes. This class definition is being adopted by state and local legislators who don’t understand that opening a non-motorized trail to any class of e-bike, virtually opens the trail to all e-bikes. Here’s why. THE CLASS DISTINCTION Class-1 and Class-2 electric bicycles have less than 750 watts and cease to provide power when the bike exceeds 20 miles…