Minimizing Impact of Mountain Bikes on Single-Track Trails Even though mountain bikes have been shown to have less impact on trails than do horses, they do have some impact, and on trails that are heavily used, this impact has become significant. I see five main problems: Allowing ones bike to run off the trail, causing erosion of the trail edge and therefore widening the trail. If you find that you are continually running off the trail, perhaps you should practice on wider trails or ride at slower speeds until you have better control over your bike. Everyone runs off the trail every once in a while, but please do not make a habit of it. Allowing the back tire to lock up when going downhill, causing the tire to dig into the trail. A sliding back tire is fairly useless in slowing you down and causes heavy erosion of the trail. Keep the back wheel turning! I find that it helps to pump the rear brake lightly and quickly. Allowing the bike to slide around corners, causing lateral erosion of the trail. Sliding around corners has become a acquired skill for many riders, but it does cause a great deal of trail erosion. Riding a corner cleanly -- without sliding -- is harder to do, but preserves the trail and demonstrates superior bike handling skills. Riding through deep mud, causing deep ruts which act as erosion trenches. The wonderful thing about modern mountain bikes is that they are light! That means that they can be picked up and carried through deep mud. (I wish equestrians could do this with their horses!) Riding around natural barriers and water-bars, which widens the trail and contributes to erosion. Half the fun of riding single-tracks is to succeed technically -- to ride over roots and rocks and water-bars. If you meet up with an obstacle that you cannot ride, please get off your bike and carry it over the obstacle rather than riding around it. Low-impact riding not only prevents erosion of trails, but also preserves our right to use single-track trails, and might even lead to the opening of more trails for our use! Roger's Ideas For Reducing Conflicts On Multi-use Trails It takes more than one person to cause a conflict, so I have ideas for ALL trail users to help decrease the severity and amount of conflicts on multi-use trails and fire roads. The first thing that we must do is check our attitudes. We must not judge others who use the trail. Regardless of the manner in which they use the trail, they are basically out there to enjoy nature and to enjoy their sport, whether it be hiking, backpacking, horse riding, or mountain biking. These forms of trail use have been shown to be similar in impact, and are all valid ways in which people enjoy natural areas. Restricting any one group is a form of discrimination. All trail users are responsible for being alert and for watching and listening for others. But the faster that a trail user is moving, the more alert that user needs to be. Headphones, loud conversations, and day-dreaming contribute to a loss of alertness. All trail users should stay to the right of the trail. This allows people to approach and pass each other easily, and removes any indecision about the proper side on which to pass. >Faster users should slow down when approaching blind curves so as to not surprise a user on the other side. Sometimes this requires a much slower speed than the customary 5 MPH. Bicyclists can help to warn others by ringing a bell. Faster users should take care so as to avoid throwing dust or mud onto other users. Trail users need to get used to (desensitized) to other trail users. This will decrease fear. It is interesting to note that bicyclists are not afraid of other bicyclists, and that hikers are not afraid of other hikers, and that equestrians are not afraid of other equestrians. The more we know of each other, the less we fear each other. Concentrate on similarities -- not differences. We are all out there for the same reasons: To enjoy nature, and to enjoy what we are doing... Roger McGehee, rogm@microweb.com

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