MOUNTAIN BIKING ETIQUETTE BY SANDRA WALTER

 

 

 

MOUNTAIN BIKING ETIQUETTE By Sandra Walter

In her article on the etiquette of mountain biking Sandra Walter draws upon her twenty years of experience biking and competing all over the world. She learned that wherever she competed her fellow bikers followed the same rules of etiquette. She explains, “It’s kind of nice to know that no matter where you ride your bike on the planet, you already have a shared understanding with your fellow riders.”

Based upon this shared experience, the author discusses nine rules that bikers should follow:

Greet fellow trail users. Great your fellow bikers with a friendly greeting. Say hi or hello or offer a friendly wave.

Respect signage. Obey all trail signage on directional trails and find an alternative route when you come upon a trail that is closed. She suggests that you join your local trail advocacy group to add your voice to issues of trail access.

Get involved. Your local trails do not maintain themselves, so Participate in community efforts to maintain the trails that you enjoy

Respect the environment and the trail.

Follow the “leave no trace” code of conduct, do not cut your own trail, avoid sliding if you can and move debris on the trail if possible.

Ride in control. Anticipate that you will encounter other bikers and hikers just around the bend, so ride at a safe speed so that you can safely slow down or stop if necessary.

Right of way. On two-way trails remember that the uphill rider has the right of way as do all other types of non-motorized traffic.

Don’t block the trail. When you get to the end of the trail or for some reason must stop in the middle of it, be sure to move off the trail so others may pass.

Passing. When a rider going faster catches up to you, find a spot on the trail to let them pass. Conversely, when you ride up on someone, be patient and allow them to find a spot where you can pass. Be sure to thank them for their courtesy.

Be prepared. Plan your ride so you learn of specific issue you could encounter such as  trail closures, wildlife alerts and weather. Dress for the weather, pack your first aid kit and repair tools and bring plenty of food and water for your trip.

When you follow these rules you will be a terrific ambassador for mountain biking. Endeavor to educate others when the opportunity presents itself.

Now that you have all the tools you need to be a great ambassador for your sport, get out there and enjoy the trails! Don’t be afraid to educate your fellow trail users in a friendly and courteous way if it seems they’re unsure of the protocol.

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We at Wishing Well Outdoors trust that this article has served to enhance your knowledge biking rules of conduct and increased you enjoyment and appreciation of mountain biking. Further toward that end we hope you will browse our cycling section when you are shopping for equipment, apparel and accessories.