mountian biking, who's into it, where do you go?

[1wildchild]

I just started riding more this spring. So far I have signed up for two road events. I want to get more into mountain biking. Does anyone ride Stoney's trails? How about Kensington? Where is a good place to start near oakland county?

[tangleknot]

Paint Creek trail that starts in Rochester and runs North is a very nice trail. Very scenic and a pretty smooth ride. I've ridden stoney's paved trails but not off road. They are nice also.

Road events are fun. We used to do a fall color tour(25 miles) on the west side of the state that was beautiful. We also used to do the MS 150 every year. That was a real challenge on a mountain bike. We used to put on a special tire for road events rather than the knobbys. I think they were called slicks and made for a better ride. The kids are getting older so hopefully we'll be riding more in the future, also.

[Steve]

Island Lake State park by Kensington has some trails that won't kill first time riders (me). Also Mayberry state park in Northville has some more trails which are a bit shorter and more hilly.

[Liver and Onions]

You may want to look at a copy of Michigan Sports & Fitness. It is a free magazine available at bike shops and some running stores. It will list some mountain biking events...from fun rides to sanctioned races. Also it will list a few triathlons or biathlons with mountion bikes. Most of these races are with racing bikes.
I prefer to ride the dirt roads.

L & O

[SA ULTRA MAG]

1wildchild,

Checkout this website for trail reviews in Michigan.

http://www.mtbr.com/trails/Michigan_name.html

[1wildchild]

Thanks everyone! I've been on all the trails that you have mentioned, just not the off pavement varieties!

Steve- I am riding Island lake on the 22nd in Tour De Cure for diabetes. thirty very hilly miles. I know it just starts at Island Lake, hits the roads after that. I gotta get some slicks, my knobbies are killing my speed!

[wmduckman]

I just rode part of the Musketawa trail today. The trail is 26 miles long. The part I rode was really nice. The trail is paved and there are portapots along the way. http://www.musketawatrail.org
The trail runs through muskegon and Ottawa counties. Very nice farm country and small towns we rode through today.


I am told this is another great trail to ride.
http://www.muskegonrr.com/histhartbiketrail.html

[jnpcook]

I haven't been riding much this year but I need to get out again and start riding. The scale isn't being very friendly to me this year :D

Stoney Creek is a great choice as it has all types of riding available. The paved bike trail (6 mile loop) and the park road offers road riding opportunities. The mountain bike trails located in the West Branch Picnic area offer many types of mountain biking opportunities. The off-road trails have wide two-tracks that would be good for just starting out and for taking kids on. I generally ride in the evening and would come across more deer than I could count on almost every ride. There is also some great single track riding back there as well but you can pick and choose the trails so you could mix and match single track with two-track or just ride single track or just two-tracks. The single track trails have some nice downhill and uphill switchback sections.

There is usually at least one race a year there as well.

John

[malainse]

Go to Michigan Mt. bike assoc. site. Have a lot of trails listed and other events, link below...

http://www.mmba.org/cgi-bin/index.pl

[1wildchild]

Thanks for all the info! I've been riding stoney but there just aren't enough hills to work on. I know this ride I am doing on the 22nd is REALLY hilly. I'll be out at Kensington on Tuesday to work on those hills a bit. If anyone wants to come along, just email me.

[SnowSledHead]

I like to bike any of the cross country ski trails. There is something everyone should try. Hills, valleys, along creek beds. The are trails in just about every county in Michigan.:D

[YPSIFLY]

Anyone ride the Potto? Its a tough ride for newbies, but its the best riding I have ever done. I usually just do the Crooked Lake Loop, almost all hills.

[Ron L]

Well, for the SE area, Island Lake, Novi Tree Farm, Maybury, Bald Mountain, Pontiac Lake, Highland, then the ubiquitous Potto.

Bald Mountain and Island Lake are a few of the easier trails around. Maybury isn't bad but the last time I was out there, it was pretty twisty. Pontiac Lake used to be pretty hairy in spots and pretty good overall. I heard that it's changed quite a bit thought. I've never ridden the Novi Tree Farm, but I've heard it's not that difficult. I haven't ridden Highland in a couple years. It's a but more difficult and a bit twisty and it was an absolute hoot to ride. Not Potto, that's another story altogether. Long and probably the most difficult trail I've been on outside of the NORBA course in Bell Aire.

Ypsi, you're close enough, we ought to plan a ride for forum members one of these days. We could do Island Lake with a time at the range afterwards. May as well kill 2 birds with one stone. :D

[stoney]

Bishop lake out in brighton is another good trail system.
The murrey lake loop is a good one for the newbie and still fairly challenging. The other, torn shirt is pretty tech. trail. I would say not a good trail for beginners.
I would like to try Potto sometime. Everyone says it pretty challenging.
If you guys plan on getting a ride together I would be interested.

Stoney

[mparks]

Can't beat Poto for my money.

Do a little scouting and you can break the trail up into small sections. I like to ride the very back 5ml(Gosling Lake Loop). Not many people. Its been a long time since I was in good enough shape to do the whole 18m. Even longer since I did the once-a-year Triple Trail Challange - 40 miles! I wasn't in shape for that one then!

[BeaverPilot]

how about the trails up here? wildwood by indian river, boyne mtn, boyne highlands(awesome, but unmarked, ladder bridges being built, very technical), aspen park in gaylord, shingle mill/ high country pathway in pigeon river country, north country pathway(tower hill, or north of harbor springs) just curious if anybody rides these parts, big hills, wildlife, and not many people on the trails. dont forget the ICEMAN race from kalkaska to traverse city in early november, thats a fun one!!!!

[gregm]

I've hit the VASA in TC, The Cadillac Pathway in Cadillac, and the BIG M and NoCo Marilla section both in B.F.E. I love all of them. Coming from Central Indiana (where I just moved from) where a 10 foot river embankment is considered hilly, those rides are awesome!!! Never hit the UP yet, but looking forward to it come next year.

For all its good trails, though, nothing compares to Crested Butte, Colorado -- That's MTB nirvana (been there a couple of times riding)

[wackoangler]

I.m gonna try Bald Mountain for the first time later today, hopefully it's a good workout.

[DetroitIron]

Potowatomi is a great trail. You better be somewhat experienced with "body english" on the pegs on some of the downhill routes. Pretty fast; a bit hairy. Great trail. However, make sure you take your tire patches. I got a flat halfway through Potowatomi and had to carry my bike out of the place. That sucked.

[Lunker]

I ride wherever I can. Mostly down on the Towpath on the Maumee River. That way I can check the fishing while Im riding. Im supposed to be riding to Macinac this summer from Toledo.

[plhnw]

Look up info on the US map on this website. http://visualsearch.dogpile.com (http://www.michigan-sportsman.com)

It will tell you where local trails are! Cool site, by the way -- especially good for beginning bikers.
(http://visualsearch.dogpile.com/)
plhnw
(http://visualsearch.dogpile.com/)