Fat Bike Trail Ethics

[MClark]

Note - this is something I included in our shop's January newsletter. I also brought up this topic last night @ the WMMBA meeting as was asked to post it here.
So - here 'tis, as requested.

EDITORIAL - "JUST 'CUZ YOU "CAN" DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU "SHOULD".

Probably not a bad rule to keep in mind in general but right now I'm talking about the relatively new phenonenon of the "Fat Bike". These 4" wide tired bikes are easily the hottest thing in the shop this winter, we're riding them, we're demo-ing them and we're selling them - and that's great. However - I'm becoming concerned that once again we (the bike industry) is revealing its historical inability to learn from its past mistakes. So bear w/ me a sec, okay?

Here's the thing - I was in the bike biz in 1984, when mountainbikes first showed up in West Mich. I bought one right away and the few of us that had 'em rode all over the place, on any trail we could find. It. Was. A. Blast. But guess what? By 1986 the DNR in this state (and most others) reacted to the presence of bikes where there had been none before in a predictable manner - they banned us from every state park and most of the county ones too. The Michigan MountainBike Association formed right about then ( I know - I wrote the 1st donation check they ever received) and since then volunteers have been busting their butts all over the country - working w/ various Goverment entities, co-operating w/ other user groups, paying their dues w/ work days and otherwise re-gaining access to public lands by virtue of being a responsible user group. Our local chaper of the MMBA - the aptly named WMMBA - has made amazing strides in the past few years - opening new trails, improving existing ones and making West Michigan a destination for mountainbikers from all over the Midwest.

See what I'm getting at here? Fat bikes are mountainbikes. Simple as that. They have fatter tires and that means that they can go places that "normal" mountainbikes can't and that's a huge part of the fun but just 'cuz ya can doesn't mean that you should! If we start riding our fat bikes on trails closed to bikes, over fragile environments, on groomed ski trails or private beaches - we will negate all the hard work and progress that the bike advocacy folks have made since 1986.
And that would be a shame!

Please enjoy the awesome capabilities of your MukLuk or Pugsley responsibly! (And for the other 90% of our readers who don't have a clue what I'm talking about here - I hope you skipped right past this part!)
Thanks, MC

[RickPlite]

Note - this is something I included in our shop's January newsletter. I also brought up this topic last night @ the WMMBA meeting as was asked to post it here.
So - here 'tis, as requested.

EDITORIAL - "JUST 'CUZ YOU "CAN" DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU "SHOULD".

Probably not a bad rule to keep in mind in general but right now I'm talking about the relatively new phenonenon of the "Fat Bike". These 4" wide tired bikes are easily the hottest thing in the shop this winter, we're riding them, we're demo-ing them and we're selling them - and that's great. However - I'm becoming concerned that once again we (the bike industry) is revealing its historical inability to learn from its past mistakes. So bear w/ me a sec, okay?

Here's the thing - I was in the bike biz in 1984, when mountainbikes first showed up in West Mich. I bought one right away and the few of us that had 'em rode all over the place, on any trail we could find. It. Was. A. Blast. But guess what? By 1986 the DNR in this state (and most others) reacted to the presence of bikes where there had been none before in a predictable manner - they banned us from every state park and most of the county ones too. The Michigan MountainBike Association formed right about then ( I know - I wrote the 1st donation check they ever received) and since then volunteers have been busting their butts all over the country - working w/ various Goverment entities, co-operating w/ other user groups, paying their dues w/ work days and otherwise re-gaining access to public lands by virtue of being a responsible user group. Our local chaper of the MMBA - the aptly named WMMBA - has made amazing strides in the past few years - opening new trails, improving existing ones and making West Michigan a destination for mountainbikers from all over the Midwest.

See what I'm getting at here? Fat bikes are mountainbikes. Simple as that. They have fatter tires and that means that they can go places that "normal" mountainbikes can't and that's a huge part of the fun but just 'cuz ya can doesn't mean that you should! If we start riding our fat bikes on trails closed to bikes, over fragile environments, on groomed ski trails or private beaches - we will negate all the hard work and progress that the bike advocacy folks have made since 1986.
And that would be a shame!

Please enjoy the awesome capabilities of your MukLuk or Pugsley responsibly! (And for the other 90% of our readers who don't have a clue what I'm talking about here - I hope you skipped right past this part!)
Thanks, MC

Well said Mike! Lets keep this thread right at the top for a while or even make it a sticky because this is important and I can see the day that these bikes come back to bite us in the Fat Bike owners take note, please ride on trails only open to bikes. Another thing, they don't float over muddy trails as some would suggest. Remember, leave no trace.

[utabintarbo]

Ummmm, where has this been shown to be a problem? Or is this merely a "preemptive strike"?

[Di_bear]

Bob, the point is that if a trail is closed to bikes, it's closed to bikes.

[utabintarbo]

Bob, the point is that if a trail is closed to bikes, it's closed to bikes.

Stipulated.

Where has this been shown to be a problem? Is there some stealth campaign to get fat bikes classified as some new "breed" that no longer need to follow the old rules? If so, where do I sign up?

[RickPlite]

Bob, the point is that if a trail is closed to bikes, it's closed to bikes.

Stipulated.

Where has this been shown to be a problem? Is there some stealth campaign to get fat bikes classified as some new "breed" that no longer need to follow the old rules? If so, where do I sign up?

It's happening over here. For some reason some riders with Fat Bikes think they can go anywhere, creating shorts cuts or on beaches closed to the public, etc. We have seen it first hand. But you are right it isn't a huge issue yet, so yes this is a preemptive strike.

[Steve_Balogh]

Ummmm, where has this been shown to be a problem? Or is this merely a "preemptive strike"?

IMBA has an article on this also.

A few people on MTBR have been chased by police asking them not to ride on beaches, a lot of dunes are off limits too. On the west side, certain beaches like Nordhouse are off limits and not marked. Lake Michigan beaches can also be shut down during the spring when Piping Plovers nest on the lakeshore; endangered species.

I can't see much of an issue on our side of the state unless people like riding horse trails.

On the flipside, another issue is some residents living on Lake Michigan also believe they own the shore, but most often that's not true. Stay at least 500' away from the home, stay along the waterline. A well known MMBA member tells me he got yelled at for riding his kayak to close to shore

If the DNR wants to ticket you, they can do so for not riding your bike on a designated trail. Most of my rides over there I've asked permission.

For those of you not familiar with fatbikes, there's a lot of influence from around the world on the fatbike forum on MTBR. Some countries are blessed with an abundance of land you can go anywhere on by fatbike. As I've said here before, I've accidently crossed the line somewhere I shouldn't have - a lot of places off limits have no signage. It's easier than you think to do. There's no "Epic Ride" down Lake Michigan unless you are willing to hit the roads.

[RickPlite]

riding on Cross Country Ski trails that are used for biking in the summer will *beep* people off too. Give the skiers their time in the woods. For instance, Pigeon Creek Ski Area over here allows biking in the summer but it would not be cool to ride on those groomed ski trails in the winter.

[Sortaslow]

http://xxcmag.com/archives/4318

The whole stay off the ski trail thing doesn't fit with fatbikes . Old thinking. Be a little more progressive in your thinking. Realize there is a considerable difference with fat bikes vs skinnies.

[SteveF]

http://xxcmag.com/archives/4318

The whole stay off the ski trail thing doesn't fit with fatbikes . Old thinking. Be a little more progressive in your thinking. Realize there is a considerable difference with fat bikes vs skinnies.

Interesting article. I watched the video and the ski trail they rode is a lot different from the sort of groomed XC trail that would be an issue 'round here. Where they literally groom ski tracks into a narrow trail.

Note the tracks this gentleman is skiing in:



In this pic, there is room to the side for skate skiing and perhaps fat biking but most of the groomed ski trails I see 'round about here are basically singletrack with room for the groomed in tracks and not much else. If you can't ride (or walk) without messing up those tracks, you're gonna create issues...

[utabintarbo]

Odd that the dog walkers around here have no issues with walking on (or even crapping on) said groomed trails.

[RickPlite]

In this pic, there is room to the side for skate skiing and perhaps fat biking but most of the groomed ski trails I see 'round about here are basically singletrack with room for the groomed in tracks and not much else. If you can't ride (or walk) without messing up those tracks, you're gonna create issues...

+1

[SteveF]

Odd that the dog walkers around here have no issues with walking on (or even crapping on) said groomed trails.

Un-curbed dog and inconsiderate or ignorant owner, that!

[cramer]

Odd that the dog walkers around here have no issues with walking on (or even crapping on) said groomed trails.

Most other trail user groups aren't as considerate of others as we mountain bikers. We're known collectively for our excellent trail manners, safety and respect for other trail users. Just check some hiking message boards on the Internet and you'll see the love they have for us. It's unfair to hold dog walkers to the same high standards that our entire group adheres to.

[Di_bear]

http://xxcmag.com/archives/4318

The whole stay off the ski trail thing doesn't fit with fatbikes . Old thinking. Be a little more progressive in your thinking. Realize there is a considerable difference with fat bikes vs skinnies.

Wrong. This is coming from a skate skier. Also, consider that classic skiers don't like me skating over their tracks.