Mud Season

[FarmerBEN]

If I'm not supposed to being riding in the mud why can I buy mud tires and fenders?

I have been trying to ride rural gravel roads that are quite muddy and fenders would come in pretty handy at times.

[Thewavebb]

Ahhh early spring and no mtn biking, i love my road bike

I just got my first road bike this year and i'm just lovin it. No more waiting to ride for me. I started commuting to work too. It just makes my day so much better when it starts and ends with some riding.

[transplant]

Because there are people out there that aren't as responsible as MORCers, that's why. And there are places where it's actually okey-dokey to ride in the mud. Years ago, in IL, we'd ride in whatever weather was going on. My worst race was a mudfest. By the end, I was riding a singlespeed with about an extra 10 lbs. of weight attached. Sanctioned by NORBA, no less.

[soupboy]

If I'm not supposed to being riding in the mud why can I buy mud tires and fenders?

[steef]

It seems like there's enough sand on the roads to qualify as a trail.

[nigel]

Ahhh early spring and no mtn biking, i love my road bike

[jaybird]

ahhh... the beauty of the internet. Posted once, but useful over and over. .... this should still be posted in every bike shop from here to the border!!!

[mtnbykr]

thought i'd "bump" this post to get riders attention. it is that time of the year...

kl

[gopherhockey]

I totally agree - a nice piece of writing. I handed copies of this out last weekend at Lebanon to riders (with our web site info on the bottom)

Maybe we ought to send a copy out to the various bike shops. I'm not sure, but I don't know that any of them actually read or look at our web site(s) that often.

I'll talk to some of the MORC board about doing this. We're going to feature something like this in our April 1 newsletter as well...

[jaybird]

This is the exact kind of letter that should be posted at all of our local bike shops and hang outs! It explains clearly and openly to everyone what happens and alternatives to get our biking bug out.

I hope any shop owners or employees take this message and run with it this spring.

[mtnbykr]

As posted on the NEMBA board
We know that this has been a tough winter to fulfill our mountain bike passion. Tons of snow and bitter cold have left us with a jones to get out there and ride on real dirt. But use your head and stay off the trails until the thaw is out of the ground and the trails have dried and hardened. One of the worst things you can do is ride —or hike— on trails before they are ripe.

Trails are dynamic and change with the seasons and weather conditions. While during most of the season the mineral soils that make up a good hardened trails are fairly stable, spring is the most sensitive time for trails, making them vulnerable to erosion and long term damage.

As frost works its way through the upper soil cap, the soil moves and shifts. The trail loses density as frozen water pushes and prods the mineral particulate, and Mother Nature becomes vulnerable. As the frost thaws and releases water, the dirt resettles and realigns in a muddy mix, and the organic matter from last fall's leaf litter blends in with the mineral soil to begin to create a new generation of trail dirt. This organic/mineral mix eventually re-hardens and makes for a primo path through the woods, but it's critical to let this process happen on its own.

If we ride, hike or horse around on the trails before this process is complete, the damage to the trail could be permanent. The soils will be churned up, and gravity and the sheeting action of rain will wash them away, leaving a mess of exposed roots and rocks. If the trail is soft, our wheels may leave sunken tracks, which can become natural channels for rain to carry the soils away. If we hike, our heels will dig deep into the trails and help push the soils downhill.

We know it's hard —you want to ride— but be patient. Just because you "can" ride, doesn't mean that you "should." Here are a few ideas and other riding option:

Use your lawn as a trail barometer. Before you think of hitting the trails, take a ride on your lawn. If you can see your tracks sinking in, stay off the trails. Chances are they’re not yet ripe for riding or hiking.

Use mud season to build fitness by putting in some serious "base miles" on the road. If you don't have a road bike, buying some skinny slicks will make you feel super-charged, and the fitness you'll develop will make your trail riding that much more pleasureable later on.

Do some urban or suburban assault rides. Explore the neighborhood for ramps, steps and other challenges that can hone your technical skills.

Ride on rail trails or other hardened bike paths. You'll be away from traffic, getting some needed fitness, and feel good about yourself since you're doing the right thing by staying off the trails.

Lastly, use the "Trail Conditions" section of www.mtbmn.com Online Forum to check out where the riding is good and where it isn't.

If all else fails, go to the gym and take a spinning class! You’ll be riding dirt before you know it.

kurt