Practice Good Trail Etiquette when Mountain Biking
Being a great mountain biker involves more than just knowing how to ride. Practicing good trail etiquette is part of the puzzle, and makes you a more valuable part of the mountain biking community.
Contents
Steps
Taking Care of the Trail
- Always stay on the trail. Chances are the trail goes where it goes for a reason, and deviating from the trail puts you, a fellow mountain biker or trail user and the environment in danger.
- Don't be a litterbug. A wrapper from a Cliff Bar or a Snickers bar weighs less than an ounce and is not going to weigh you down. Put it in your pack and throw it away in a proper trash receptacle at the end of your ride.
- Pass others with care. When it's necessary to pass, try to stay on the trail if at all possible.
- Make sure the trail is open. If a trail is closed if will usually say something about it at the trailhead. Usually, two logs across the trail means it's closed. Trails are 99% of the time closed for a reason so don't ride on closed trails.
Meeting Other Trail Users
- Slow down! Carrying more speed while passing mean less time to react to any situation that may occur. Slow down and stay in control of your bike.
- Alert the other user (especially if you are passing from behind). This is especially important if you are passing a horseback rider, since horses are not predators and will spook. It's wise to ask the rider how they want me to pass since they will get the shortest end of the stick if the horse bucks or runs. When passing a biker or pedestrian, try to say "On your left" or "On you right".
- Choose where you want to pass. Avoid passing another user before a turn (especially if it is a blind turn). Pass at a wide point in the trail.
- When passing from behind, leave plenty of space. Think of those signs on the interstate about passing a truck that read "leave more space." Make sure not to cut the other user off because nothing is more annoying than having to brake and lose precious momentum because some jerk cut you off.
- Yield right of way to horses and walkers/hikers/joggers. If you meet a fellow biker, the rider who is going uphill has the right of way.
Being Prepared
- Know your limits. Start out slow, riding green or beginner classifies single track trails, then work your way up from there.
- Always wear a helmet. Nobody wants their ride ruined from seeing your brains splattered across the trail because you hit a rock or tree and weren't wearing a helmet. Your brain is the most important part of your body.
- Wear proper clothing and make sure your bike is in good shape. Although it might be amusing to see a rider wearing a speedo, you'd look pretty foolish. Bring plenty of layers and keep in mind that you may change several hundred feet in elevation and that it is colder at higher elevations. Make sure that your bike is in good running order, that your gears shift well, your brakes work and that your tires are properly inflated.
Tips
- Mountain biking is all about having fun. If you pass another rider, smile and say hello. It will improve both of your rides.
Warnings
- Always wear a helmet. If you think it's cool to not wear a helmet, you're wrong. The best cyclists in the world always wear their helmet, so you should too.
