Pinkbike Poll: How Often Do You Drive to Your Local Trails?

May 8, 2020
by Mike Kazimer  
Sea Sucker Mini Bomber review


I started riding years before I had a driver's license, which meant that almost every one of my mountain bike adventures started from my driveway and involved miles of pavement before I could put tires on dirt. I'd pore over paper maps at night (yes, this was in the olden days, back before Siri had all the answers), trying to figure out which powerline access roads could potentially reduce the amount of time I spent spinning away on the asphalt.

Nowadays, I don't have to pedal quite as far to reach my local trails, but I also have a vehicle, which means that there are instances when I'll end up driving to a relatively close trailhead in order to get in a longer off-road ride before the sun sets. The twinge of guilt that I feel when I load my bike onto my van tends to fade away after a couple tacky turns, but it's still something I think about, and I do my best to pedal from home whenever possible.

This isn't meant to shame anyone – I fully understand that work, kids, sketchy, narrow roads, and other factors can all make finding the time and motivation to ride instead of drive to your local trails difficult. After all, when you have a limited window for riding, the last thing you want to do is play chicken with a bunch of drivers who are too busy making TikTok videos to look at the road. Still, if you're driving in circles for 20 minutes trying to find a spot to park at your local trailhead, it probably makes a lot of sense to consider trying to ride rather than drive whenever possible.

It's the idea that there are more people than ever working from home and riding locally that got me thinking about this week's poll question. Has your usual routine changed for the better? Or do you prefer to drive, and keep those knobby tires off pavement at any cost? Have you been able to turn lemons into lemonade by discovering new trails nearby that you'd previously overlooked?


How often do you drive to your local trails?



Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Polls


Author Info:
mikekazimer avatar

Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,732 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Kona Bicycles' Parent Company Appoints New CFO, Intends to Sell Brand
64697 views
Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
46959 views
Brian's Randoms from Sea Otter 2024
44858 views
Randoms Round 3: Dario's Treasures
44622 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in 10 DAYS!
39810 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
38272 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Araxá XC World Cup 2024
38178 views
Spotted: Frameworks Racing DH Bike with Electronic Fox Shock & Unreleased Enve Rims
37335 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

317 Comments
  • 288 16
 Always, trails are 6 minutes by car, and death by texting driver by bike.
  • 137 0
 MTB might have more frequent injuries than Road riding, but Road accidents are more life threatening when a vehicle is involved.. scary.
  • 9 1
 This.
  • 21 69
flag just6979 (May 8, 2020 at 12:17) (Below Threshold)
 If it was that dangerous, then those 6 minute drives would be full of accidents.
  • 28 2
 Facts. I don't know if you heard, but the Pro Cyclist Ben Sonntag was hit and killed about 5 miles away from my house. Road riding is becoming impossible.
  • 43 7
 @Shafferd912:

I’m never not amazed at all the roadies I see on the twisty dangerous fatality-ridden mountain roads here in Southern California. You couldn’t pay me enough to ride a bicycle in the streets in Los Angeles.

If you held a gun to my head and told me I had to choose between learning to ride a Rampage line or spend the rest of my life riding a bicycle in the street every day I would choose the former every time.
  • 35 3
 @MasterSlater: I'm just as perplexed when I see roadies in Colorado. Why ride with the cars when you can ride trails?
  • 6 1
 Couldn't agree more, plus all the good rides finish with a downhill so if you have a mechanical or a spill you can roll back to the car fix your bike/patch yourself up (or drive to the ER). Much better than a painful ride/push along the road to get home.
  • 20 6
 Where I used to live in Ontario (Canada) there was 1 major truck route connecting two towns about a half hour apart. Single lane the entire way with about 6" of shoulder. Guess where a lot of roadies loved to ride? I don't know how many times you can almost get hit by a dump truck before your "I have the right to be here" attitude changes.
  • 5 4
 @MasterSlater: so you’d die either way
  • 8 2
 @MasterSlater: Amen. Safe San Diego road-bikeable routes are few and scattered. I'm also amazed that road bikers choose to ride as much as they do here. Pacific Highway is full of distracted drivers; thoroughfares are too, with higher speeds. Backroad bike lanes are typically narrow or nonexistent. The general mentality seems to be that cyclists are 2nd or 3rd class citizens on roads shared with cars.

I'd take the Rampage line challenge too, and at least be able to put a date to my hospital visit Wink
  • 17 4
 In the United States, traveling on the road by bike is only twice as deadly as traveling by car, per mile, and roughly equally as deadly per hour.

If you think "twice as deadly" is meaningful, you probably aren't being consistent. Do you ever decide, "Nah, I'm not going to that restaurant that's six miles away because I have twice as high a chance of dying vs. that restaurant that's three miles away?"
  • 5 0
 This right here!!!! I can ride to a multitude of trail heads in every direction and almost never would until i am now forced. I've been hit and run over the hood while riding from trails back to work...don't need that again.
  • 7 0
 @SJP: Good points.

However, those statistics are averages across the US. And "only twice the death risk" by the numbers doesn't make cycling alongside today's drivers on busy roads any more comforting an experience. Incidents of cyclist and pedestrians hit by vehicles are increasing in the US, despite decreasing vehicle crash rates.
www.theverge.com/2019/10/23/20927512/traffic-death-crash-statistics-nhtsa-us-2018

Contrasted against localities lacking sweeping backroads, wide shoulders, and low vehicle traffic, I'll opt to mountain bike and take my chances with trees and critters.
  • 3 1
 ABOSLUTELY! How often do you see a cross (gravemarker) at the side of trails? Compare that to the side of roads.
  • 8 2
 @just6979: Fact. I was hit by 2 different white 2500 series trucks in a span of 3 weeks, both times less than 3 miles from home.
I don't ride road anymore. I work in insurance and since smartphones hit the market, it's just asking to die. At least in a vehicle I can see the car about to plow into me when my eyes are up.

First time, I took an F250 plastic mirror to the back at 30mph or more. Leveled me. Technically unhurt after that healed clean.
Second time, an old dude cut across the intersection at a 3 way stop and sent me across his hood, not under the wheel, but only because I unclipped a foot just as his bumper shot the bike back behind me via my ballsack down the lane.

So just because all the people getting hit on the road aren't calling your home # (because most cops really give a shlt less about us), don't think it's not murderer's row on a bike out there.
  • 1 0
 I was hit twenty years ago in Seattle. I only cross roads on my bike now. A civic took me out of service for almost a year. We have beautiful roads and canyons to ride but the f350s make it not worth it.
  • 10 0
 Mountain bikers buy health insurance, roadies life insurance.
  • 2 0
 @friendlyfoe: try road riding around Penticton. Same deal. Going down to Osooyoos is scary because of the road bikers
  • 4 0
 @MasterSlater: Grew up in LA as a roadie and at that time didn't see it as excessively dangerous. Jump ahead decades and now that we (family) mountain bike, no way in hell will any of us ride on the road for any signficant distance (don't live in LA anymore) as there is too much risk from distracted drivers/texting. I'll ride the sidewalk over the road nowadays. If you crash mountain biking and get hurt, it's your own doing.

I think the year over year consistent fatality rate for roadies in Southern California is 2 per month. That's every month, and I don't know the stat for how many get hit but didn't die.

Last 2 yrs in the US, about 2500 deaths:
www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-01-28/bike-fatalities-hit-25-year-high-in-california-rise-nationwide
  • 4 2
 I have always said that's it is safer to ride double diamond DH run without a helmet than riding in town with one.
  • 3 0
 Yup. I have two trailheads I would love to ride to (not the best trails but the only close ones) but both routes involve High speed narrow roads with no shoulder area. I have done it before but it’s scary af and I won’t do it again. So I drive the 5 miles to the trail.
  • 2 0
 @friendlyfoe: I know right or here in BC people ride on freeway or the sea to sky highway, really with all the world class trails we have here you ride beside 100km/h 1000lbs + vehicule on scenic windy road where people get easily distracted by the scenery???
  • 16 5
 @MasterSlater: and, do you EVER see a roadie looking like they're having fun??? I've never heard roadies hoot and holler and whoop it up after section of road....
  • 2 0
 Since this virus shit our weekend DH trips in the NE are not happening. Built a whole system upstate on private family land. Have been up here a few months. Walk down 2 flights of stair , out back door , feet on pedals, 0-40 mph in 5 seconds. Very fortunate but we worked hard to have this land and years building trails and features.
  • 3 4
 @shrockie: I know guys who jump off cliffs...road riding? Pussies.
  • 1 4
 @classicmoto: oh please. Maybe 1% of those may be cyclists, maybe.
  • 2 0
 @scottlink: That happens in Colorado when bombing canyons.
  • 2 0
 thats 35 minutes best spent somewhere else. I can peloton if I need cardio
  • 1 0
 @makripper: No thank you. And I love mid summer when they shut the highway down so they can ride their bikes. Wonder if I could get the same thing for a ball hockey tournament? I really like ball hockey.

When I worked in Oliver trying to get around the packs of riders on the side roads was always interesting.
  • 1 0
 @friendlyfoe: I lived in Penticton for 6 years. I feel your pain man
  • 2 0
 @MasterSlater: I've never had a tree or cactus cut me off on a trail
  • 1 0
 @just6979: or maybe because nobody use their bike there?
  • 6 0
 @shrockie: I worked in a bike shop in southern CT last year, first off the amount of roadies in such a horrendous place to road ride was surprising, but the funniest thing was when they asked me what I rode and I said MTB they’d look at me like I was nuts, but I’d then explain that cars freak me out way more than anything you can find on a trail, they’d continue to think I’m nuts somehow...
  • 2 0
 @Louisd2000: This is not uncommon as I have heard that from roadies multiple times. To be fair I wouldn't expect a roadie to see the appeal in hitting 4+ foot drops, but it's like they've never heard of cross country. You know, like road riding but in the woods, and without getting hit by cars. All of this has gotten me thinking of Nicky Hayden and now I'm sad.
  • 1 0
 Yep - I have a road bike. Cycling on the road scares the crap out of me.
  • 3 2
 Yep, the danger from cars aside, riding on the road feels like a colossal waste of energy and time. How roadies can actually enjoy it completely mystifies me.
  • 2 0
 @Shafferd912: I read it was a dirt road with little traffic and a pickup that was speeding.

I guess your equivalent of a county lane or B road in the UK. Although usually quieter in terms of traffic and people sometimes think safer but those roads can be more dangerous than anything else as cars travel fast with limited visibility around corners.

Ben Sonntag seems to have been very unlucky to come across what seems to have been a driver that was on the edge of crashing.
  • 4 0
 @MasterSlater: I live outside of NYC and I feel much safer riding in the city than I do on the surface streets of northern Westchester County. Bike lanes and slower traffic patterns in the city compared to more open windy roads with 45mph+ roads with everyone whipping around while on their cell phones feeling that they're entitled to the roads. You obviously have to be heads up in the city but I feel much more comfortable on the city streets. I worry more about someone in a parked car opening their door into my immediate path.
  • 8 0
 @Mlloyd550: that’s just like, your opinion man...

But seriously, this is why gravel riding is blowing up, essentially to get away from car traffic/distracted driving. I started road racing in college 25 years ago and it is way worse now.

RE enjoyment, it is certainly different. I do enjoy mountain bike riding more, but road racing is much more enjoyable than XC racing - imho aas the tactics aspect (drafting, teamwork,etc) barely play a part in the later.

But overall, I just don’t care for labels; most people I ride with have multiple bikes and ride road/cross/gravel/mtb.

Right now, under lockdown, I’m considering a trials bike to screw around in the yard...
  • 7 0
 @Louisd2000: on the mountain bike, I generally get to decide the level of risk I am comfortable with; on the road, you are at the mercy of other’s negligence.
  • 2 0
 @Mlloyd550: Bikes are fun. Spending time with friends is fun. Combine the two in almost any way and I'll have fun.
  • 1 0
 @Shafferd912: oh shit... I raced XC and cyclocross against that dude in college. RIP.
  • 3 0
 I commute by bike to work everyday and most of the time I ride my mountain bike to work and then ride it to the trails. Riding with cars is really dangerous but if you choose your route carefully (and that is the most critical part) things can become way safer. It's just like backcountry skiing the most critical safety element you can control is terrain.
  • 2 0
 @Mlloyd550: a deserted country road in the spring or summer on a road bike is pretty nice. Add in cars and it's not so fun, but road biking is fun.
  • 1 0
 @MasterSlater: cannot upvote more
  • 1 0
 Yes! I was hit twice by guys texting and driving less than 6 months apart.i was driving so not on my bike fortunately. Happened 10 years ago and my back, knee, wrist, shoulder and ankle are still in pain. I'd be dead if it happened on my bike.
  • 3 0
 This is why paved bike trails in urban areas are so important. Cyclist need to advocate for more 'greenways' throughout their cities, so you don't even have to worry about vehicle traffic.

As a moto rider, I'm optimistic on the new safety features on cars like BSM (blind spot monitoring) and AEB (Automatic emergency braking). I think if they refine these features enough, it could lead to a much safer driving experience for motorcyclists and cyclists alike. They say cyclists are the most difficult to detect (versus pedestrians), as they are in blind spots and move faster than the 3 second window required for the systems to act. They would need at least 180 degree frontal vision versus something less than 50 degree cone of vision for pedestrians. Here is an interesting article on it:

spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/safety/accidents-show-smart-cars-need-wide-vision-to-spot-cyclists
  • 1 0
 @Malcb: Yeah, it was. Probably the least-driven road in my county, and he got hit by a texting 20-yr old. (dont quote me on the exact age)
  • 1 0
 @sspiff: Oh man. Sorry to break the news to you this way. That really really sucks man.
  • 1 0
 As someone who has been hit a few times by cars...I dont ride in the streets anymore.
  • 1 0
 @Arcadyus: At least the ride would be more enjoyable.
  • 2 0
 @friendlyfoe:
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie: Ha, I just got a dirt jump bike to mess around with in the back yard. My enduro rig is a bit big for the back yard. So far so good, but it feels a bit like riding my daughter's penny skateboard- pretty damn twitchy but I'm sure I'll get used to it. Go for it!
  • 2 1
 @Explodo: I'm afraid some people just like wearing lycra whatever the risks...
  • 1 0
 @MasterSlater: I saw 3 people get hit during the crash the marathon ride in LA a number of years ago and those streets were "closed" already..

Ive been hit twice and given up road biking.. car door opened (window was down) infront of my by kingsbeach and an 90 or so year old drunk lady in monterey.. lucky that I only got a concusion, some broken ribs, and stitches
  • 1 0
 Yeah... safer to drive to the trails. If people saw the trails we ride they’d think it’s so dangerous but the stats don’t lie. I’m 6-10 min from our closest trails but I don’t feel safe on the road. :shrug:

Also, can PinkBike stop with the qualifier statements in the answers? “Always” is enough.
  • 1 0
 @Explodo: Lets just let them ride the roads, our trails are crowded enough. I tell everyone how great the Colorado road riding is just so they don't get on the trails.
  • 1 0
 @shrockie: That's why I gave up on road riding motos and bikes. The consequences of my mistake or someone elses on dirt = repairable damage most of the time. Road damages with caged inattentive drivers is loss of limbs or worse.
  • 1 0
 @MasterSlater: My next door neighbor who I got involved into riding when I lived in Santa Monica was hit by a catering truck on the road in Malibu and Mexican Illegal driver fled the scene leaving him to die.
He bled to death after going through the windshield.
  • 1 1
 @chileconqueso: F350's got nothing to do with it. Jesus.
  • 1 0
 I drive one. F350s are awesome! Narrow roads and distractions are the problem. Getting hit by 8000lbs would suck worse than the Honda that took me out. @chasejj:
  • 1 0
 @chileconqueso: Probably about the same. The difference in mass is inconsequential once you exceed a certain point. Any car vs bike is a no win situation for a bike and it's rider.
  • 1 0
 @chasejj: It is absolutely not the same. Sedans hit your legs and sweep you on to the hood. High front end vehicles directly impact your vital organs

www.outsideonline.com/2411345/suvs-trucks-deadly-cyclist-crashes
  • 1 1
 @pmhobson: OK reasonable enough. Either way your f*cked though.
  • 1 0
 @chasejj: You're not in a good place. But you're in very different degrees of f*cked (as the doctors in the article clearly point out)
  • 1 0
 @pmhobson: I buy my vehicles to drive and carry what I want not minimize damage to what I hit with it. I would say if my 4WD van with giant winch bumper and cattle guard on the front hits a cyclist, it would be a bummer.....for the cyclist most likely. More reasons to stay on dirt.
  • 1 0
 Exactly!
@chasejj:
  • 2 0
 @chasejj: I have no opinions or cares about your vehicle choices
  • 1 0
 @pmhobson: About 3 posts back you did when you pasted a link to some anti truck/suv article.
  • 1 0
 @chasejj: Nope. I was just letting you know that there is a difference between the impacts of sedans and full sized truck with human bodies.

you do you, man.
  • 76 0
 How is 'I ride to the trails' not an option?
  • 26 0
 I was about to say the same thing. I always ride to the trails, but they aren't close to me.
  • 8 0
 Absolutley. Also, at least here in Czech Rep. you very often don't need to ride on a road to get to the trailhead. There are so many fireroads and pedestrian paths that you can often ride that, if you don't like driving or riding in asphalt.
  • 3 0
 Ya I often ride to the trails of I'm not biking in my back yard. It's like an hour to an hour and a half by myself Smile
  • 4 0
 Same answer I wanted to choose ????????‍♂️
  • 5 0
 This. The nearest trail system is about 20 km from my house. Do I care? If anything it's just additional fitness training.
  • 4 0
 This 100x. Weirdly similar answers but the obvious one left out??
  • 1 0
 Agreed, ride to the trails even though they are up to 1 hour away.
  • 1 0
 I'd say you should vote for Option 1 in that case - you never drive to the trails, they are on your doorstep
  • 7 0
 Maybe a somewhat American point of view? Same with the permanent poll: "What car do you own?" Why is "None" not an option? I've never owned a car and I'm not planning to. Also it seems deeply off-putting to need a car to go riding bikes.
  • 62 0
 Answers on the poll are quite limited. I have some nice trail locations nearby, so for trail riding i go by bike, same for dirt jumping spot. but my DH jumps are way to far away for me to reach by bike especially Downhill one Big Grin
  • 24 0
 100x this. I've got ok trails a 20 minute pedal from my front door. Which I'm getting bored of under "ride local". But I've got better, more weather resistant trails 40 minutes car drive away.
  • 4 0
 Agreed. The xc’ish stuff I ride most days is a 5 min pedal from my door, but one the weekends I will drive 25 min to get to the stuff I can bring my enduro rig out.
  • 12 0
 Yes they left out "my trails are a significant distance but I still pedal to them".

My trail commute is 22 miles. Then a couple trails at 6-7miles each. So a typical ride 30-40 miles. And I do that at least 3 times a week.

Luckily I've found a route that has no forced road riding. It's mostly gravel and I like it.
Except for the three dogs that are out to get me one of which is a very large Mastiff.
  • 36 0
 Answers to the poll are rather North American... no riding to the trail, if it‘s 30 minutes away, at least not _always_, rather take the car.

If I put my bike in the car, it‘s to take it to another country...
  • 24 0
 Sorry, that sounded too prejudiced - but I’m really surprised, that riding to the trail doesn’t even seem to be an option for so many people.
  • 2 2
 Answers 2 and 5 are also the same answer....
  • 4 0
 Where’s the shuttle and bike parks option. DH ain’t dead, only on Pinkbike polls
  • 2 5
 @FuzzyL: lol, I enjoy driving and would rather ride an extra trail than pedal to the trailhead on gravel / road (if I lived close enough to even do that).

I have great trails about 30miles from my house, and I happily drive there 3-5 days a week.
  • 3 1
 @Legis: so your answer is my LOCA TRAIL start in my backyard,and that's it.
  • 1 0
 @mountainsofsussex: more or less exactly the same for me.
  • 2 0
 @fracasnoxteam: I go to trail riding and dirt jumping by by bike but its still around 30-40 minutes pedal Big Grin
  • 2 0
 @shoreboy1866: if it takes you over 30 mins to ride to your local trails you might not always have the time or the energy to ride there and back. But if it takes you over 30 mins to drive there it's highly unlikely you'll ever ride there & back. Different answers
  • 1 0
 Yeah same. I've got decent trails about 2mins ride from my place. Great trails 10min drive from my place and the 2008 WC track half an hour from my place. Some days I ride, some days I drive.
  • 36 3
 When you live in the country, 30 min away is "local"
  • 8 0
 Even in more urban areas I’d say anything within 30-40 is “local.” If I’m driving to another region to ride, to me that would be “not local.”
  • 5 0
 @BiNARYBiKE: In LA, 30 min away is only like 10 miles most days.
  • 1 0
 In Paris area, 30minutes away is 3miles
  • 1 0
 In Buenos Aires, 30 minutes away is only a couple of kilometers ... and there are no mountains for at least 300 kilometers.
  • 1 0
 @matiasmere: sorry to read this. Hope you find spot to ride.
  • 32 1
 Ride to the trailhead 100% of the time. Takes me 30-45min to hit dirt. Why? Because it's better than driving and I like my planet.
  • 17 1
 I am carless, so I always pedal to the start of the trails. Or take the train, I went to most of the places in Belgium where there was a race or an organized ride.

You realize that most bikers have to "drive" in orders to "bike". Mountain Biking would not be a green sport after all?
  • 10 4
 Takes a train!! Yeah when I and 5 friends drive 5 cars to the trail we have a huge carbon footprint for a supposedly green activity .
  • 6 9
 I wouldn't say MTB is a "green" activity by itself, but the people who ride _tend to_ do other things in their lives that benefit the environment.
  • 27 3
 I don't see how MTB is a green sport at all.

Cycle commuting is a green mode of transportation. Recreational trail riding is not (ecological footprint, carbon footprint of production and travel, planned obsolescence, carbon waste, lots of plastics). You can minimize you rimpact, but recreational cycling is not green.
  • 8 4
 @robwhynot: well it's certainly greener than many, many other sports. Espacially all indoor sports, where you need to build the facilities. Even most outdoor sports tend to use up much more land. If you don't buy 10 bikes every year, mtb is a green sport.
  • 3 1
 Never pretend I was being green mountain biking.
  • 2 0
 @Lanebobane: ya for sure. Nascar, they drive there just like us and THEN they roar around a track in fast cars.
  • 5 1
 @Lanebobane: Nah, other way around. Mountainbiking itself is an inherently green activity as your emissions while doing it are absolutely minimal.

It's just that lots of people go about doing it in a way thats absolutely not green at all - aka driving themselves and their bikes to the trailhead in their pickup trucks.
  • 3 2
 @benmoosmann: there is nothing green about mountain biking, dont trick yourself into thinking because there are trees what you are doing is "green". What about mtb is decreasing carbon footprint?
  • 4 0
 @RonSauce: Depends on what you compare it to. Almost everything we do has a (negative) environmental impact. Unless you were to stay in your (ecologically built, unheated/uncooled) home without using electricity and eating only vegetables from your own garden, next to every other activity you might engage in is prone to leave a larger footprint than riding a (muscle-powered) mountain bike through the woods. And being outdoors a lot might even make you slightly more environmentally aware. And you might even end up riding your bike not only for fun but also to work. Where, again, it will not contribute in any positive way, but will have a lesser impact than all alternatives (car, train, bus,...).
  • 2 1
 @FuzzyL: you’re correct with respect to the act of cycling. The industry as a whole likely much worse than people consider.

Everything we do has an impact, being better than others doesn’t make something good. Relativity can be a misleading lens to look through.
  • 3 0
 @pourquois-pas: The only way to reduce our personal negative environmental impact to zero is to kill ourselves. If we rule that option out, all that remains is comparing the impact of one option against that of another.
  • 2 1
 @FuzzyL: sure we will always have a negative impact, but less negative doesn't equal positive.

The only thing green about mtb is the lack of motors......oh wait, nevermind.
  • 1 1
 @FuzzyL: agreed.

Recreational MTB is a green activity.

Recreational MTB is green compared to other activities.

Recreational MTB has significant impact but less so than others forms of recreation.

Very different statements.

I suspect our views are aligned. I’m just being nit picky, not meant personally.
  • 1 0
 @pourquois-pas: being greener than other forms of recreation doesn't make it green, just green(er). Alloy manufacturing, paint, anodizing all have huge environmental cost, not to mention carbon, or brake fluid...or the ever green rubber tire.

Sure you could compare it to other things and say its better, but driving a car doesn't become green because my Saturday morning pastime is throwing cans of spray pain in fires and dumping gas in lakes.
  • 8 0
 At least a 20 min drive for me in every direction, to reach my local trails. After having my 2nd boy 3 weeks ago and this virus situation, I bought a 70AR Travis Rogue Hoe to speed up my backyard trail building!
  • 7 0
 I hate loading my bike to the car. I ride 20 to 50mins to reach the closest to me trails. Driving to the same spots would only save me 10 mins most days due to traffic. There are places that I have to drive to, it would take half a day to reach by bike and then I'd be too tired to ride the trails. I try to keep driving to the absolute minimum. Cars are nice for travelling.
  • 1 0
 I'm in the same boat. It's 40 minutes to the trail by bike and 20 by car, but then you have to load/unload, put your gear on, etc.

Then it's actually faster for me to get home via bike, since it uphill to the trails and downhill on the way home.

It's pretty much zero difference in time between riding and driving, in my case, so I ride and get in more miles.
  • 5 0
 I’m a bit suprised about the answering options. I ride 30 minutes through a big city just to reach the woods. That wouldn‘t be much faster by car. Yes those 30 minutes suck on an enduro, but by car would never be an option. Just include the on- and offloading.
Public transport is unfortunately too crowded.
Come on guys...nature and stuff...
  • 3 0
 How big of a city though, I live in a heavily populated area, I would never ride on the roads here, and it's illegal to ride on sidewalks. My commute isnt that bad, I wish I could ride to the trails, but it is far to dangerous. (I've been hit by cars on three different occasions).
  • 6 2
 When I was in my 20s I would ride from home in East Vancouver to Mount Fromme, about 60 minutes, I was very fit. Now I always drive. Even if I had an ebike I would probably drive. I do feel guilty when there’s 5 riders and 5 cars. Not sure about car pooling and shuttling with the covid thing.
  • 1 0
 How did you have time for that?
  • 1 0
 @wmoody54: if you mean the 60 minutes one way commute I was single and only on weekends. Now I don’t work so lots of time but the body is weak.
  • 1 0
 @kingbike2: Ah yeah the weekend makes sense. I would love to drive to the trail but the roads on the way are a death trap.
  • 1 0
 In my twenties I also rode to the trails but set 45 minutes one way as the limit. My requirement was that I'd ride as much on the actual trail as I'd spend commuting to and from. So this trail 45 minutes from home required me to ride there for 90 minutes, making it a three hour ride. Because I also commute loads every day by bike, I was afraid to get the balance wrong and turn into a diesel.

With work and kids and all I still ride to the trails but these are 5, 10 and 15 minutes from home (and a pumptrack at 3 minutes). Other trails are well over an hour to get to so yeah, if I'd go there I'd mostly take the car. But that's well under 10% of my rides, even much less with the corona thing.
  • 2 5
 Time I could be using to ride on trails. Not much to be gained through riding to your trails if it's more than 5 minutes drive away, imo. Grinding away on pavement is boring.
  • 8 0
 Never. 30 minute ride to the trails from the house.
  • 1 0
 This, It's more along the lines of 15 to 20 for most of the stuff I ride from home, but still, why is this not an option in the poll?

Going by car is also not an option for me since going local I often end up on the asphalt quite far from where I left it in the first place and going back to get the car takes about as long as just going home does...
  • 6 0
 missing a category.. rarely? I can ride many trails from my house, but a couple times of month I drive to others I cant pedal to...
  • 4 0
 I never drive to my local trails - I ride to my local trails.

Why would I take the car? Kinda defeats the purpose of going out for a bike ride. Closest trails are 20km away? Stop complaining, thats additional fitness training if anything.
  • 1 0
 I admit that 20 km away is something I'd do with a car. Even 10 km is quite far if I'm honest.
  • 1 0
 One of the reasons we started driving to trails instead of riding was the mechanicals and injuries . It would have been a hell of long way home if we had to walk.
  • 2 0
 @kingbike2: Thats a legitimate reason. I'm fortunate enough that my city has a nice network of cycle paths and I can otherwise mostly use back- and gravel roads.
  • 6 0
 I can't show off the sick Kuat rack on my Subie to the boys over a couple of local IPA's if I ride to the trails...
  • 4 0
 Why we need more trails close to home... Even if trails are not in your backyard, any chance to ride to them is a must do thing... It's a bike which is a form of transportation and recreation.
  • 3 0
 After almost 30 years of riding on roads I'm done with the ever increasing distracted driving. I've got one life to live and I don't care about the miniscule few gallons of gas ill use over my lifetime vs getting hit by a car, again.
  • 1 0
 I'm not even all that comfortable in a car with other drivers anymore.
  • 2 0
 I ride to the trails about 75% of the time. Its only 2 miles to access my network, and I ride solo early in the morning a lot. If I'm riding with friends I typically drive because those rides typically start a little farther away at a different access point.
  • 3 1
 Nearest trails to me are about 6-10 miles, and a couple hundred feet of elevation.

If the roads had good bike lanes, I might do it occasionally (or get a gravel bike to ride chill trails when I was there).

But it’s a winding, blind curve, no streetlight, no shoulder (outside lane lines are literally the end of the pavement, some paint on grass) road, with an asphalt company at one end, so there are big trucks on it regularly.

I don’t mind riding roads. But it would be a death sentence ( Not hyperbole, some guy was hit/killed by a semi truck just down that road 4 years ago) and I’m not about to risk my life for some extra spinning.

The upside?

Covid19 has me working on a little trail at home to satisfy momentary urges for railing a berm.
  • 5 0
 I bought my home for two reasons: There was enough space to build a shop and I'm close enough to ride to trails.
  • 2 0
 I'd prefer to live next to trails, so you can ride from your house and get to the trails in a few minutes. I can still ride from my house, but it involves about an extra hour of riding which I do sometimes, but not a fan of road riding with cars around.
  • 2 0
 I live in Edmonton. We have a massive river valley that has an admirable trail system, some of which I still haven't ridden. I can ride for 3 minutes on pavement and drop in to some pretty fun stuff. We do pretty well for a non-mountainous city. That said, if I want proper mountain biking I'm looking at a 3 hour trip at least.
  • 2 0
 40 Minutes from Calgary, join the dark side Wink
  • 1 0
 Whilst being furloughed from work I have been forced to stay local with my riding and have discovered trials that I never knew about right from my doorstep. I will now do more of a mix of both. I don't have friends local enough to ride to so I would get the car out to go and ride with mates, but for solo rides I'm happy pedalling to get to the trails.
  • 1 0
 Live very close to the Don Valley trails in Toronto but splashing through sewage and garbage and god knows what sometimes is a bit grosse. Alternatively it’s at least a 120 km round trip to hit Durham or similar from central TO not factoring in ridiculous traffic. Looking to move.
  • 1 0
 Sometimes.We're lucky here in the north east of Scotland as we've a small population, unlimited access and heaps of hills. I can either ride from the house with a 5 minute cycle along the road to the forest or drive to around 8 different areas within 30 minutes.
  • 1 0
 Needed a "most of the time" except for pandemic.

All the good trails are 25min to 1hr+ away and then bike parks are 2-4 hrs away. And then it's fun to drive around the state for day trips and then obviously road trips to neighboring states with wold class riding...

BUT, I do have mellow trails within 20-30 minutes i ride. Still, most of the time I'm in a rush to get in a ride so I still drive the 5- 10 minutes over to the trail head, OR during the pandemic I drive half way over and park on a dirt road so I'm not close to anyone and then I ride part way on the dirt road to get to a trail...

OK, so I needed "all of that" as a survey option... Smile
  • 1 0
 I'm pretty lucky. I live across the street from the National forest with a single track trail about 100 yards from my garage. that trail leads to 100's of miles of dirt roads and single track. The only problem is that I live a 7000' and in the winter we sometimes get lots of snow and cold, so I do have to drive at least 30 minutes to get some riding in.
  • 1 0
 Almost never cause in the 1:00h or 1:30h to get there(20/25km)I still have fun in some mini mini singles and rural tracks and some fire roads and yes some tarmac,but it depends of the ride ,but I love that “warm up”I like to ride my bike is it 10 or more then 100 km ,some call me crazy because of the bike and the tires but hey just ride your bike
  • 1 0
 My dh park of choice is almost two hours away and I have a season pass. At least the new car gets more than double the mpg of my old truck.

Local stuff, one place I could potentially pedal to, but with two young kids and only being out of the house for 2-3 hours max means I’m always driving to the trail. The other spots would be more road miles than dirt... I already own a road bike that I don’t use LOL
  • 3 0
 Very fortunate to have solid trails at 15 min pedalling from home. Plus I dont have a car presently. So either way for instance I pedal there.
  • 1 0
 Around here the trails are just small paths between the houses.. Some are pretty nice, but all are very short.
If I want real nice trails, it's between 30 minutes (for xc) and 1h30 drive (for real mtb). But I usually just stay around the house nowadays and try to connect the nice bits without going on tarmac.
  • 3 0
 People have accused Mike and Mike of being paid off by industry. What a crock of crap. The Poll caption photo proves my point.......
  • 1 0
 Out of curiosity. Does it happen that the cranks rotate backwards when driving that Seasucker equipped car and if so, does the pedal hit the rear window. And if not, if you're on a bumpy road and your suspension is supple off the top, would the pedal hit the window in such a situation?

If so, riding your bike to the trails is probably the better option.
  • 1 0
 Riding to the trails is always the better option, but if you want to keep the cranks from rotating backwards just shift a bunch after the bike is on the rack (so the derailleur moves but isn't able to actually shift the chain down the cassette). That always worked when I used to use a roof rack.

(Picture what happens if you try to shift to a harder gear while stopped and then try to backpedal.)
  • 2 0
 @vinay: The kit comes with a velcro strap to hold one crank arm to the chainstay. I went the more convenient route of placing spacers under the fork mounts, which provide the necessary clearance on my car.

And I strongly suspect that the rough surface necessary to significantly move the suspension of an unladen bike would destroy most road vehicles...
  • 1 0
 I mostly ride local trails, 3 miles to the top from my house, through safe neighborhood streets and patches of forest, then I do laps in the zone and coast back home. I actually like the warmup element from the ride into the woods. Other trails that I ride are further away and require driving. I might drive to those trails a few times a month. Definitely wouldn't ride to those trails because the roads are not safe and they're about a 30-minute drive away.
  • 1 0
 I have an odd situation. I live very near some epic rides. But they require a 3000’ climb (roughly 1000m for the non-Americans) to get started and a big ass climb to return as well. If I’ve got 4-6 hrs and the trails have been cleared of dead fall then it’s great. Otherwise it’s 20min+ in the car to to trails.
  • 1 0
 I've got 20 miles of trails with a trailhead 2 blocks from my house. I am living the good life. Another 15 miles of trails about a 30 minute pedal away that I usually drive too because I am a lazy ass. Not bad for living within the city limits of a major East Coast city.
  • 1 0
 On my mountain bike there are no trails worth riding that I can ride to. But I also have a gravel bike that I ride from home to reach some decent trail riding. So I put sometimes for the poll, but it's really more about which bike I'm on.
  • 1 0
 I live really unfortunate. In two hours I can reach the alps but it's the part of the alps with the worst trails and almost the worst laws. For decent trails with 100-150 meters elevation I have to drive almost 30mins by car and the only enduro/jump-style trail with more than 200m elevation is like 35 mins by car. But there isn't much more. For really good trails with decent legnth and variety I have to drive 2hours. I'd love to live somehwere where awesome trails just start right behing my house... :/
  • 1 0
 Varies 'tween ride and drive depending on which trails I plan to hit?
Local is a 10-15 min pedal to the trail head so I ride.
If I was heading to Maraka that's a1.5 hour pedal to the trailhead so I drive.
Same with Mt Vic/Polehill/Miramar/Belmont/Aka's/Colonial, more than a 40min pedal and/or some significant hills between me and the trails = drive there.
  • 1 0
 Riding a bike with 150mm of travel and a MaxxGrip Assegai on the front isn't very fun on the road, so even if the trails are close I'll still drive to the trailhead. Taking the XC bike out in a few minutes to ride to the trailhead, so different bikes, different trails, etc.
  • 1 0
 I moved so I am too far to pedal to trails now, but can pedal to work. Takes me 20minutes minimum to drive to trails. Where I used to live was closer to one spot (3mi on a gravel path) so I would ride there when I went there. I also used to carpool before I moved. And I was driving to a friend's house then carpooling before this when we rode together.
  • 1 0
 With the shelter-in-place happening, I've been riding road to the closest trails (well, fire roads). 2200 ft of road climbing just to reach a dirt surface. Trail-to-road ratio is quite low. Closest OK singletrack is 30 min by road, but is closed right now. I can almost see the appeal of E-bikes now. Almost...
  • 1 0
 There are some decent trails (~300-400ft of elevation with 3 or 4 pretty fun little tracks) that I can pedal to from where I live but the problem is riding there includes a ferry ride too... So even though it's only 5 miles of road riding each way (and 9 bucks for the ferry) to get to these trails, it takes the same amount of time as it would for me to just drive to wayyy better ones... So I'm not saving any time and I'm not saving much gas $$$ either because of the ferry fee. Kind of a weird situation haha..
  • 1 0
 I like how there is not an option for me but I guess since I don't have a car this poll isn't for me. So I ended up putting the very misleading public transportation answer. Not that I'd EVER put my mountain bike on that bus rack in Los Angeles to get to Orange County... Holy shit

My trails are not in my backyard but I usually ride 30 minutes to get to local trails. And in Los Angeles they aren't very long/rewarding. But it's what I got. North LA mountains and Orange County hills are equidistant from me so it would be nearly 2 hours ride to get to the trailheads... Then go up the fire road lol. No thanks

I'm thankful for every bike trail we have in this area. As overpopulation makes hikers and equestrians aggressively anti-bike in LA. And shout out to the secret trail builders keeping things spicy off the beaten trails...
  • 1 0
 it's about a 20-30 minute ride to my closest trails. But it's not about the time. I hate riding my trail bike with minions on the road. it sucks. Also the good riding is a 40 minute drive away and I'll always do that if I have 4 hours of daylight.
  • 2 0
 i was clipped by a fire truck mirror while road riding in socal. Drivers are fking morons. my twin brother is a roadie, and all the idiots he has to avoid definitely worries me. drive to the trails. no shame in that.
  • 1 0
 I always drive to my trails because it's just not worth the risk riding on the roads. Since the lockdown I've been riding on the road to get to a cycle path network for a casual ride. The basic's that live in this country literally want cyclist dead. The amount of people who eyeball you and purposely decide to not indicate and gave a smirk on their face is beyond me. The other day someone pulled out on me at a junction a little too late, it was an honest mistake and I had anticipated it, not a problem, but the driver behind looked directly into my eyes and decided to pull out as well!
  • 1 0
 IVe made my own trailcenter during the lockdow. Have to ride 5 meters from home to hit the road. Im sad to read all your life threatening stories on road. We have small roads and few cars here in the middle of nowhere. Its really pleasant to ride on and off road.
  • 1 0
 I don't have a driving license and have never taken a driving test. My transport everywhere is by bike, so fashion bike trends never fit into my needs as a whole. I'm fortunate to be able to live in a part of the Scottish Highlands that is not congested by vehicle access, Yet!
  • 1 0
 The US has a tremendous amount of abandoned railways. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandoned_railway Some of the more forward thinking areas within our country, like areas within Missouri, have been converted to railway trails. It's a shame this hasn't caught on in more of the country. They may be flat but you are less likely to have a motor vehicle collision while riding these.
  • 1 0
 Takes me about 11 minutes to ride to my local trail system all uphill. Would take about the same amount of time to drive up to the trail head and these days the trails are so busy the parking is getting to be a hassle. From where we exit the trail system I can get home faster than others can back to the parking area on the road. I prefer to ride door to door. I can go North Shore to another riding area but that's about an hour drive and I only make it up there once or twice a month.
  • 1 0
 Trails are only a few miles from my house. So i try to ride there if i can.

I live in a particularly hilly area though, so it does mean you're hitting climbs before you even get to the trail centre (climbing starts literally from the house). That said, i do find the climbs on the trails a little easier having got the legs warmed up first.

However, since i'm usually meeting my friends at the trail centre (they drive there as they live further away and aren't keen on starting the cycle from my house), i usually crumble and ask for a lift home - the idea of more climbs after you've finished the trails is rather unappealing.
  • 1 0
 You live at one of those houses that's uphill both ways? I wonder if that's the house my parents grew up in.
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: My house is part way up a big hill and the trail centre is on a different big hill (mountain?). But i live on the opposite side of the hill from the direction i need to go to get to the trails.

So i have to go up and over the hill i live on. Then up the mountain where the trails are.

Then i have to go back up and over the first hill to get home.

It's do-able, but the hill back home kinda the last thing you want to do when you've reached the bottom of the trails and feel like you've finished. Kills the buzz a little bit when you're dragging yourself and bike back home.

But i live in south wales so i guess hills are a standard feature. And rain.

By coincidence, you're parents did live in my house previously. We rented out a room to them for six months. Good people but one of them kept picking things up and hiding them behind the sofa. It was weird and we never found out which one it was.
  • 1 0
 Los Alamos, New Mexico is heaven on Earth if you're a mountain biker. Town is spread out across several mesas with canyons in between and single track all over the place. You can get most places without spending more than a mile (if that) on pavement.
  • 1 0
 There is a long-distance shared-use trail that runs close to my house but it doesn't have any MTB-specific features and there could always be a bushwalker (or horse!) around the next bend, so you can't let loose.

I can use it to get to my nearest trail park entirely offroad, but that's 45 minutes each way and just as physical as the trail park itself, without most of the fun.
  • 1 0
 For all you self righteous d-bags that can't fathom driving to ride a bike, where do you work and do you drive? If you don't need to drive to work or trails you are very fortunate or have a lot of money. Please realize people have to work and work is not always in the same exact place as trails, and in many places public transport sucks. Often living in towns with real mt bike trails is expensive or far from work. I believe driving to access work or recreation isn't ideal but welcome to planet mother@#%er!
  • 1 0
 I'm a victim of convenience. I have local trails I pedal to, but I've gotten so bored of them because loading up my car with bike and gear is such a chore now, so I don't drive to other trails. First world problems, eh?
  • 1 0
 Get a van, fit 10 bikes with no BS
  • 3 0
 I have a truck and milk crate. I keep all my gear in the crate. Throw the bike in the truck, the crate on the front seat, and I’m off.
  • 1 0
 I have several nice trails like 10 minutes from my house that I drive to a few times a week. Have to get on the interstate or cross a few major roads or I'd just ride my bike to them.
  • 4 2
 Would take only 15-20 minutes to ride to some (of the best!) trails, but I can't take the dog along if I rode their, so driving it is.
  • 6 0
 *rode there* dammit
  • 1 0
 Accidentally downvoted. I will ride to the trails occasionally in spite of the scary 50 mph highway interchange section... But no way I'm taking my dog on two miles of asphalt with semi truck traffic.
  • 4 0
 NW arkansas = Never drive.
  • 1 0
 I have trails I can ride from my house but I find it limits my growth and fun on the bike if that's all I ride so I drive half the time to go other places as well. Variety is the spice of life!
  • 1 0
 Exactly! That is the option I was looking for. If you ever end up having trails within 2-3 minutes from your door you’ll find after a few years you want to get in your car to switch things up.
  • 2 2
 Mountain bike trails are still pretty niche in the grand scheme of the world... and even if you live in an area where mountain biking is very popular (Vancouver), most people don't live within biking distance of the trails unless they've specifically chosen to live in that area due to proximity to the trails.

And even if you do chose to live right by the trails, then you are probably commuting further to work each day. So no net carbon reduction overall.
  • 2 0
 I ride to work too.
  • 1 0
 @hllclmbr: Same here. Commute to work every single day 6 km both ways and 2km to the trails every ride.
  • 1 0
 when i was a renter i lived riding distance to some trails but in order to buy a house in the greater vancouver area i had to head out a little farther away. being on the road is too scary anyways
  • 1 0
 It's about a 10 minute ride from my place to my local trails, and I'll always ride if going on my own. If my main riding buddy is coming along he'll swing past and pick me up and we go grab a burger afterwards.
  • 1 0
 There is nothing good within 70 mins of my house. So to go for a ride I need 140min travelling, 30 mins packing and unpacking the bike, changing etc. That is 170 mins! That is before I've done any riding!
  • 2 0
 Yeah I feel your pain, with packing, loading and driving to trail and then back to unpack and unload my actual ride time time vs travel time is like 30 minutes vs 180. Did this for years, in retrospect it seems so inefficient.
  • 1 0
 Van is the way to go, don't have to wash my bike after ride either. Just throw it in the back and go home. For me that's the only option as I haven't got any local trails or bike parks.
  • 2 0
 I ride 15km of multi use paths and back roads to get to the trails. every time. 30 years old and have still avoided getting a drivers.
  • 2 0
 If you drive to avoid 30 minutes or less of road riding, could do you tell me where you live so I can move there and never drive again?
  • 1 0
 I think if one had to get in the car to ride his bike every time, then it would only be responsible to live closer to the trails. Or pick up a shovel and dig your own close to home.
  • 2 0
 Austin, TX has well over 100 miles of trails in the city limits, so I almost never drive.
  • 3 0
 And then theirs me who always bikes 30+ minutes to the trails... RIP
  • 2 1
 Always, it would take less than 30 mins of road riding to get there. 10mins by car, and I'd rather spend the time I save on trails than tar.
  • 1 0
 At least 25 minute drive to ride trails. Hope to move closer so I can skip the drive. Waste a lot of time getting to and from the trails.
  • 1 0
 Quick rips: never. 2 mi pedal.

Going up to the state park: Unless I want to do one lap and pedal 30 mi RT getting there, always drive.
  • 2 0
 When I go riding alone or with other adults, I ride to the local trails. When I bring the kids, I drive.
  • 1 0
 Always unfortunately. Any decent trail system is far enough from Calgary that even an ebike battery would run out before hitting a trailhead.
  • 4 2
 What I am gathering from this pole, is the vast majority of PB users have their priorities messed up.
  • 1 1
 I'm finding myself driving quite a bit. on the xc bike, its a 20-30 ish minute ride to Cumberland, which is a bit of a pain, but on the enduro bike, there's no way I'm riding up there. I could, but I'm not going to.
  • 1 2
 I will never in a million years buy a suction cup roof rack products but, I do drive to my local trails --- I ain't F -in up my off road tires on pavement -- it's about 5 miles (one way to the local-est trail I like to frequent).
  • 2 1
 pavement will wear out dirt tires in a jiffy, otherwise, I ride to the local trails more often..

next best trail system for me is 25/30min away, doing +/-70mph -soooo, do the math on that.
  • 6 2
 @BikesNBites: It really doesn’t. I’ve done over 1000 miles of road commuting on my current knobbly tyres on my main MTB and they still have tons of tread. It’s skidding on tarmac or hard ground that wears them out, if you’re rolling they go on and on.
  • 3 0
 @threehats: one of those misconceptions that’ll probably never fully go away. I mean like how can they somehow design the rubber to hold up getting shredded/braking over rocks, roots, sand, grit, mud, and clay and yet as soon as it hits smoothish man-made tarmac they’re gonna just grind down to nothing?
  • 1 0
 @BamaBiscuits: Unless you inflate your tires rock hard (which is an option of course) the tire deforms as it touches the ground. And as it does, the edges of the knobs and the sipings slide a little over the ground and round off a little. And it is these sharp edges that give you the grip. That said, it is mostly the center thread so the bit you use for straight line climbing and braking. It shouldn't hurt the side knobs you use for cornering.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: Seriously, I’ve been doing a 7 mile round trip mostly road commute (sometimes I extend it via some trails) for 6 years, on my MTBs. I don’t get through loads of tyres, in fact I seem to change them for other reasons before they’re worn out. Nowadays I run a cut spike style front tyre (Hillbilly on the Levo, Magic Mary on my hardtail) and an intermediate rear (Eliminator & DHR2) all year round.

What wears out MTB tyres fast is riding on the ragged edge in the dry. When it’s wet or muddy they wear very slowly. If you’re not pulling G-forces cornering or braking they last ages.

Obviously, I’m not talking about super soft compound tyres but who wants to pedal them uphill?
  • 1 0
 @threehats: it depends on the type of dirt vs pavement, type of tire, PSI, etc--- trails here have lots of just dirt.

here's a quick example -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=TokurHcIL68

another trail I ride is nothing but rock and it eats up tires, and side walls with all the gnar..

riding road ((urban) with my MTB's I hardly ever do but, the few times I did, I noticed significant signs of wear, right away... sidewalks and such are mostly porous concrete vs asphalt is just road which, around here, I kinda stay away from -- too dangerous, no "bike lanes" to speak of.
  • 1 0
 @threehats: I've been riding to the trails with Magic Mary s front and rear. It's not tarmac that's killing them, it's the sharp rocks. Sideknobs go first, and there'sno chance that riding on the road kills sideknobs.Of course MM's on the road are slow and noisy, but they're excellent on steep, loose trails.
  • 1 0
 I've built a full trail network with some friends ok it's not enough for this setting but it more than any trail centre build in years
  • 1 0
 20 minutes to my local downhill trails by bike 45 minutes to Innerleithen and the golfie by car . Local midweek , tweed valley at the weekend/
  • 3 0
 If you have to drive those trails aren't local.
  • 1 1
 I can literally ride from my backyard to access ~ 12 miles of multi-use trail with illegal MX & ATV damage, but they are not the best riding singletrack, so I need to drive to access true MTB trails.
  • 1 2
 Or just get a dirt bike!
  • 1 0
 it depends on the trails i go to, if i'm off to do an XC loop then I leave from my front door, if want to do something like Enduro then it's a 30 minute drive
  • 1 0
 Local trail system is an easy 2 mile pavement pedal away and easy to connect to other trails. I still drive to ride elsewhere a few times a month, though.
  • 1 0
 I need the option I have trails close but I still chose to drive for other trail networks at least once a week. Call me spoiled Whatever.
  • 1 2
 I have a friend a mile away who has a private trail system of about 7 miles, so I just ride there mostly. But sometimes I will throw the bike on the back of the Maserati and drive to a public trail system. It makes no difference to me.
  • 1 0
 I am so lucky I live in wonderful Ossola and trails start exactly 200 m from my home!! Clearly I have Todo a lot of ascent but I also enjoy it!
  • 1 0
 How is it possible that 22% of poll respondents have trails that begin in their backyards?! What magical demographic is this? Do they also ride unicorns?
  • 1 0
 22% of poll respondents have their priorities aligned correctly is what it means.
  • 1 0
 @gnarnaimo: can't deny that!
  • 1 0
 I live 8 mins ride from house to getting on the chairlift at our local bikepark-yaaaay for unicorns!
  • 1 0
 Local trails are beside my acreage . and one parallels my land, one starts in my driveway. Probly more common in Canada than most areas
  • 1 0
 You guys are really living the life aren't you... Better than my 45 mins to decent trails :-(
  • 1 0
 @SoddenDeath: If you ever make it to Revelstoke BC Canada your welcome to camp in the forest. You can ride single track from my house, DH settles are 2 min. and lift access is 7min. We have beers and fires most evenings. If all goes well with permits in the next year or so there will be tree houses to rent also.
  • 1 0
 @dinosaurmonkey: haha sounds great... I grew up in Vancouver so I know how great the riding is up in Pemberton... I’m jealous!
  • 1 0
 I've got decent trails on the doorstep and some other great riding nearby but variety is the spice of life and some of local trails are just a little too far to cycle to.
  • 2 0
 The owner of that car would have a trust fork on their bike. The photo is true to life.
  • 1 0
 @mike kazimer how about a follow-up article about how dangerous writing on the road is? I think we could turn this into meaningful discussion around public safety.
  • 2 0
 None of the above - Trails are 40 minute uphill on pavement, and 15-20 back home. i always ride to the trails.
  • 2 0
 Always ride to home trails that are 60min far away. Don't be lazy.
  • 2 0
 Often. How else to have cold beer waiting at the end?
  • 1 0
 dang you guys are lucky. 25 min drive to the closest trails, 45–80+ min to the good stuff
  • 1 0
 It takes over 30 mins of highway driving to get to any of my "local" trails. Frown
  • 1 0
 I live in Whistler so this phrase applies to pedalling, bike park, dirt jumps, pump tracks......
  • 1 0
 I'll ride up to about 30 minutes to trails, but I gotta say I envy anyone who can ride public transit to trails
  • 2 1
 Haha this is killing me. I pedal my bike for half an hour to get the (shared) car.
  • 3 5
 This is just data harvesting as we move to a permanent lock down, pay-per-excursion and pay-per-use model to control the people in an endeavour to implement Agenda21. Admit nothing from now on. This is a small part of resistance to the gods of technology, collating the metrics to allow the overlords and shadow structure to control humans in this post everything epoch.
  • 1 0
 Haha what
  • 3 1
 Missing the "my dogs don't like to run on the road" option...
  • 3 1
 @mikelevy literally made this post so he could show off his car
  • 2 1
 But Kazimer made this post Wink
  • 3 2
 Lol....one of the ugly truths about L.A. life, you’re always an hour from anything!
  • 1 0
 Never drive to the local trails but non covid I make a trip to better trails 1-2x a week.
  • 1 1
 I drive half an hour to trails. They are 30 minutes away... all of them. Sometimes I drive to other states to ride with friends. WORTH IT!
  • 1 0
 Portland, stupidly, has a "no tires on turf" rule. That means trails are at least a 30 minute drive, often 1+ hrs.
  • 1 0
 I looked this up but couldn't find any explanation. What is a "not tires on turf" rule? That you can't ride on grass?
  • 1 0
 I drive when I’m getting bored of my home trail 6 min away from my house.
  • 2 0
 Riding soft compound tires on pavement sucks. And gets expensive.
  • 1 0
 I ride, because the environment and mostly because I don’t want to get a DUI
  • 1 2
 Do us all a favor and refrain from drinking anything that would put you in danger of receiving a DUI while riding or driving, period.
  • 1 0
 @Monster-G:

Lolz
  • 1 0
 Every time. The closest trails are a 30 min drive but usually it's 2 hours (I mostly ride whistler or squamish)
  • 1 1
 Urban S. Floridian here so driving is how I get to a trail, also I'm not interested in wearing my tires and drivetrain while commuting.
  • 1 0
 All of the above. I have tails in my backyard, but when I want to ride further away, I drive.
  • 2 0
 Just getting a few blocks away can take 30 mins in my city LOL
  • 1 0
 Never, I bus, but now with covid I bike to the trails even if it takes 3hours or more ????
  • 1 0
 Hop in my lifted Duramax and roll coal for half hour to ride for an hour. Life is good
  • 1 0
 Nice bike setup on the photo. What is this a giant trance with trust fork?
  • 1 0
 Aha I found already the video on youtube.
  • 3 2
 What if you had an eBike? Would this change?
  • 4 5
 Yes, I would gain on weight. But seriously, I know a guy who rides insane amount of km on eBike and recently started doing road, because he cannot keep fitness only by riding ebike no matter how long/hard.
  • 4 1
 @lkubica: Could he not just ride with less assistance most of the time? for me it is being able to take out a bigger travel bike and still be able to pedal uphills.
  • 5 4
 @lkubica: BS. You can work just as hard on a ebike if you choose to. You just get more distance and/or speed covered from your output.
  • 1 1
 @gnarnaimo: I do agree to a certain extent, depending on if your bike handling skillz can keep up with the speeds. Otherwise its likely less effort to go your normal speed. You can however likely ride more miles so it could be somewhat equivalent. I don't think its ever 100% like-for-like but by no means is an e-bike all of a sudden zero exercise.
  • 1 1
 @yupstate: I think it can be 100% if you want it to be (and like you said have the skills to handle climbing at higher speeds). Lots of variables, but to say you cannot keep your fitness because you are riding an ebike is either ignorant or an excuse.
  • 3 1
 @lkubica: um... Then he should stop using an ebike...?
  • 3 0
 @lkubica: and to be clear, I have no issues with pedal assist ebikes on the trails personally. And if they'd rather roadbike then that's up to them.

BUT if they "have to" roadbike cause they can't ride enough or get exercise out of the ebike while mountain biking then seems an odd issue... Sell the ebike and start pedaling for real!!!
  • 1 1
 @lkubica: I have one and that’s an odd problem. Drain a battery on a ride in the mountains and you’ll be worked if you’re riding aggressively like the Levo is meant to be ridden. I’m 30, athletic, and ride a lot on both types of bikes. Oh wait that’s impossible I must be 60, fat, and lazy
  • 2 1
 @lkubica: I find my Levo in turbo more tiring than my hardtail because it’s f*cking flat-out everywhere, up, along and down, and it’s so fast downhill that you have to work really hard to manhandle its greater weight and size. Since lockdown I’ve been riding the hardtail mostly because it’s slower and thus safer. Doesn’t seem to affect my fitness, I just get places quicker when the motor is on.
  • 3 1
 @lkubica: that's a lie. My buddy bought an ebike and his cardio has significantly improved. He keeps it on eco mode and he's able to ride 3 to 5 times longer compared to his regular bike. Longer days means more calories burned. He switched between his ebike and his enduro. I used to be able to leave him in the dust on the climbs. Now he leaves me behind on his Enduro.
  • 1 1
 Town trails are more fro gravel riding. For real MTB riding, gotta drive everytime.
  • 1 0
 Min of 30 mins to 4 hours to drive to trails I want to ride.
  • 2 0
 I live in the trails.
  • 1 0
 No option for me. I ride every time and the trails are an hour away.
  • 1 0
 Always. How would i get to my trails?
  • 1 1
 always - but i only have a dh rig - even if i had pedally trails nearby i would still do the same
  • 1 0
 I ride Ebikes. No need to drive anymore
  • 2 1
 I ride Ebikes so no need to drive to local trails anymore.
  • 1 2
 If you're driving to your local trails..there not very local are they..ride your bike ..don't drive, if you are ..you are part of the problem..or just a douchebag..hehe..
  • 2 1
 Have a dog, always drive to trails.
  • 2 0
 Have a dog. Tow him in a bike trailer to the trails.
  • 1 0
 @hllclmbr: Have a dog, he runs from the house.
  • 2 1
 Road riding is more dangerous than hookers in Thailand.
  • 1 0
 To hit the trails... hmmm
  • 1 0
 I just ride around in my living room.
  • 1 1
 So people that voted never always ride the same trails constantly? Sounds boring.
  • 1 1
 Tame side of trails in Northern VA: www.pinkbike.com/video/516398 made the video for a friend of mine with ALS
  • 1 0
 Question marks are a failed emoji
  • 1 1
 Never again,not allowed in UK now.
  • 1 1
 Always, trails are at least an hour away by car.
  • 2 2
 Never? BS.
  • 7 0
 I answered never because it was the closest option. I probably drive to trails 5% of the time as there is a glorious trailhead that is a 5-10 minute backroad pedal from my house.
  • 2 0
 @gnarnaimo: To your LOCAL trails is an easy never for me. I throw bikes on the rack to head to trails in neighboring communitys sometimes or on a rare shuttle day but unless I'm offering the vehicle usually ride to that also... but am lucky to live in a community with some fantastic biking minutes from my door in all directions. I mean... Rossland sucks... don't come here. Go to Squamish.
  • 2 0
 @snl1200: Squamish also sucks, the island is worse.. You know..just avoid B.C.
  • 1 0
 @snl1200: Damn. I consider anything within a 20 minute drive to be "local". It'd be nice to have some trails that I could pedal to right out of the garage. I'm jealous.
  • 5 0
 I have not driven my bike to the local trails in at least 10 years. I have a really good trail system that is about 1.5 miles of road riding or about 3 miles of dirt and gravel paths from my house. So I made a commitment to not drive, and now I am used to looking at those miles as an important part of my exercise
  • 2 0
 @showmethemountains: That is lucky. I have some trails 5 miles from my house (they aren't great) but my decision is based on time. If I don't have time I ride to the 5 mile trails. If I have more time then I drive to better trails further away.
  • 1 0
 @snl1200: Rossland you say- scribbles in notebook.
  • 1 0
 @roma258: Rossland is terrible, they only have one trail and its mostly up... even the downs are ups.
  • 2 3
 Always from the front door, sometimes on an ebike- go do the math!
  • 4 6
 Until they build a chairlift from my doorstep I will be driving.
  • 1 0
 This place doesn't like jokes hey?
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.069398
Mobile Version of Website