A national event to promote off-road cycling for youths and as a family activity

An IMBA world-wide event

Locally Organized by SF Urban Riders

EVENT INFO:

Date: Sunday October 3^rd, 2010

Event Time: 9am – Noon

Location: McLaren Park

Eastern Parking Lot at intersection of Mansell St and Visitacion Ave.

MAP LINK

EVENT TIMELINE:

7:00 am – 8:30am            Set Up

8:30am – 9:30am                   Registration and Bike Inspection

8:30 am                              Bike Mechanic Area opens

9:00 am                                Skills Area Opens

9:30 am                             Short Loop Opens

10  am – 12 noon                   Long Loop Park Tour

12:15                                     Specialized Raffle

ACTIVITIES:

Skills Area – Several simple skills challenges for warming up. Including a balance beam, short drop downs, and a teeter totter. All easily grasped by new riders, and with several instructors on site for guidance and support.

Short Loop – An off-road ¼ mile circuit. This loop was a BMX course through the 70s and is extremely popular with youth of all ages due to its rolling topography and incredible views.  The course features some climbing each lap, and has a few basic technical mountain biking features.

Long Loop – A guided group ride that follows a 4 mile route around McLaren Park to explore the trails and visit some of the more interesting attractions like Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, Yosemite Marsh, The PUC Water Tower lookout, and other cool spots.   TIME OF DEPARTURE: 10am

Bike Maintenance – A complimentary bike service station sponsored by Specialized Bicycles will be onsite all day to safety check all participants bicycles and fix minor mechanicals where possible.

Bike Helmet Fitting Service – A complimentary helmet service station sponsored by Specialized Bicycles will be on site all day to adjust participants helmets and educate about fit and proper use.

Outreach Booth – SF Urban Riders will host a booth with maps and information about the McLaren Bike Park and the new SFRPD Youth Mountain Bike program. SFUR will collect information and feedback.

Bike Raffle –  After the riding Specialized Bicycles will host a Mountain Bike Raffle and one lucky winner with roll home with a new bike or other cool schwag! The raffle is FREE to all youth participants under 16 years of age.

PARTNERS:

SF Rec & Park – McLaren Park

YMCA – Instructors, Equipment

Clif Bar – Granola Bar Snacks

Specialized Bicycles – Mechanics, Instructors, Raffle Prizes

The next generation of cyclist enjoy McLaren Park - July 2010.

]]> http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/news/take-the-kids-mountain-biking-day-sf-style/feed/ 0 http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/blog/trail-work-recap/ http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/blog/trail-work-recap/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:01:12 +0000 Peter_D http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/?p=1999 A big thanks to everyone who helped improve the Fairy Gates trail this weekend. The trail is now more bombproof and it’s looking like a walkway you’d see in a botanical garden. Enjoy the the wider switchbacks, the carpet-like trail quality, and be sure to come up and help the Sutro Stewards the first Saturday of every month.

Conquering Mount Sutro by Mountain Bike.

The SFUR Summer Mountain Bike Camp  in partnership with the Presidio YMCA, was once again an overwhelming success.  Over 45 youth participants between the ages of 10-14 years old attended the week long camps. Schools from all over the city were represented, such as Brandeis, Claremont, Marina, Presidio, Everett, Aptos, Star of the Sea, Claire Lilienthal, Live Oak and more.

After a day of safety instruction and primary skill building challenges, the action moved to some of the best local riding spots.The smooth and gentle trails of Golden Gate Park, the rolling hills of McLaren Park, the switchbacks of Mount Sutro, and the awesomeness of China Camp Sate Park as a finale. Some of the more adventurous rides started at the top of San Bruno Mountain and wound all the way down via pavement and dirt trail to McLaren Park, while another ride started at  Mount Sutro and rode all the way through Golden Gate Park and back to the Presidio YMCA.

The advanced group rolling San Bruno Mountain towards McLaren Park.

Each days location offered a progressive learning step to the next in order to build strength and confidence along the way. Each location also offered its own unique outdoor experience. The group learned about micro climates like the fogginess of Mount Sutro vs the Sunniness of the Presidio on  the same day. The locations also offered numerous wildlife experiences like Hawks, Deer, Turkey, Snake, Lizard, Birds, Bugs, Gophers, and numerous native and non-native plants.

From the many smiles along the way, we are certain our curriculum was enjoyed by the participants. The first day of the program was spent entirely on black top and structured around teaching the basics of balance, breaking, and shifting followed by a progressive series of skills challenges like a balance beam, small teeter totter, ramp ups, drop offs, tight corners and usually by popular demand some basic wheelie instruction. Learning these  skills in a controlled environment, with appropriate spotters made the transition to the trails much easier. When the action moved to the trails, instructors were able to emphasize lessons as they pertained to upcoming sections of trail, and set up safety spotters on more challenging sections. Individual instruction was targeted where necessary.  The program offered plenty of challenge, and participants were able to learn at their own comfort level.

Enjoying a post ride beach experience at China Camp.

Speaking of our training curriculum. Many thanks need to be given to the Norcal High School Mountain Bike League, whose brilliant approach to teaching basic bike fundamentals was heavily borrowed from. The Norcal League has a coach’s manual, and even offers a coaching clinic every October which SFUR considers mandatory for any youth instructor.

A big shout out to the Instructor Crew of Matt , Mark, Tanya , Lilly, Ted ,  and Dan, with major help from our Volunteers Christy McCain from SFUR, and Zach Brown from the Norcal League.

SF Urban Riders has several awesome Youth Mountain Biking Events coming up in the Fall of 2010. Keep in touch for more details!

Switchback training on Mount Sutro.

Jeremy masters the rocky section of Bayview Trail at China Camp.

The old BMX trail in McLaren Park was a fan favorite.

]]> http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/lead-story/summer-mountain-bike-camp-a-huge-success/feed/ 0 http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/blog/the-double-bonus-of-trail-work/ http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/blog/the-double-bonus-of-trail-work/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:54:35 +0000 dan http://sfurbanriders.org/wordpress/?p=1936

Participating in trail work events at your favorite riding areas is always a good idea. It not only helps with the trail maintenance, but also continues to emphasize to land managers and other user groups that cyclists are a valuable part of maintaining open space. The best benefit of all is a chance to continue to learn the fine art of trail building. Good riding starts with good trails. When you think of it that way, it puts the power right into your very hand… or trail tool.

The Next Trail work days are:

Saturday August 7th  Starting at 9am on Mount Sutro.

Saturday September 4th  Starting at 9am on Mount Sutro.

Visit The SF Urban Riders Volunteer Page for m ore details.

Here is SF Urban Riders pick for Summer / Fall 2010.

FOREST CITY, CA   Located just a few miles from the legendary singletrack mecca of  Downieville, just over the ridge directly South of town, lies Forest City. It was founded during the Gold Rush and at its peak hosted a population of over 2500 people. Being an old mining town it is rich in  pikes, flumes, and ditches which are currently being restored into recreational trails. There is approximately 30 miles of singletrack around Forest City, and plans to connect up directly to the Downieville system via the Mexican Mine trail near Goodyears Bar. If it sounds amazing, it’s because it is. Its a genuine overnight success, that started in 1998 when a group of like minded cycling enthusiasts purchased  a large part of the town.

Zach Anderson of the Forest Trails Alliance was recently recognized as the Volunteer of the Month by the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship. Zach has also brought his crew to assist SFUR on Mount Sutro during the IMBA Trail Weekend on April 4th, 2009.

The trails around Forest City are far different than that of its famous neighbor. They are less steep, are less travelled (for now), and have a unique flavor to their design and trail feature construction. The best example of this is the 30′ Stone Arch Bridge that crosses the Oregon Creek drainage.

View the short documentary here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC_Lp0ePY5M

View Forest City Trail Features in Action Here:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJi1lcgGjDs&feature=related

More information visit or join the Forest Trails Alliance website: http://www.foresttrailsalliance.org/

Maybe we saw you on Saturday at Ales & Trails?  We were already pretty buzzed from a week of teaching kids to ride trails, and then we had a blast mixing it up with mountain bikers from all over the region, and beers from all over the bay.  We are feeling the love for IMBA, our national partner that helps us build and ride trails all over,  from the City of New York to our fair burg of San Francisco.  Without them, well, we can’t imagine what trail riding would be like without IMBA.  And without trail riding, where would we be?

Fortunately, we are feeling like SF Urban Riders is getting some respect that moves us toward better trail riding in SF.  Our big short term objective has been and still is establishing a Bike Park in McLaren.  We have proven the cycling community and the local community both want and support it (thanks to the 443 people who have signed our petition), and SF Rec and Park are working with our bike park proposal while they draft an overall plan for McLaren Park.  At the moment, that is all we know, but we will keep you posted.

Another objective of SFUR is to improve off-road riding in SF Rec & Park lands, with the development of a favorable department policy towards this type of use.  Recognition of our sport is key, and we have had 2 very favorable events this week.  At the annual Neighborhood Parks Council meeting with the Mayor and SFRPD, Phil Ginsburg, General Manager of Rec & Park,  stated that he believes that mountain biking – if done properly -will be good for our parks.  He even joked about taking an “illegal” off-road ride with our Dan Schneider, that of course was legal upon further review. We take this as a positive response to our community, and evidence that we all have shown ourselves to be responsible, active members of the community, we have legitimized ourselves and our sport.  Go ahead, pat yourself on the back.

Phil  has also voiced his support for a 1 day kids’ mountain-bike course, as part of Sunday Streets in August.  SFUR, along with the Presidio Y plans to set up a small off-road course in Golden Gate Park on the main Sunday Streets route.  While this may not seem that big a deal, it is.  Park managers have been reluctant to approve off-road cycling events in GGP, with the annual Pilarcitos cyclocross race being the only exception, and even that has been challenged recently.  This will also be our first event with Sunday Streets.  Finally, the location is a maze of little trails that the kids are going to love!

Off-road cycling , although currently not prohibited in most areas, remains an issue in Golden Gate Park. Some SFRPD land managers are concerned that bicycles will hasten degradation of the trails, increasing the maintenance required.  We share this concern and  want to protect the park, so don’t ride in areas where signs prohibit cycling.  SFUR would like to bring a  trail enhancement program to GGP which would  create better a trail  way finding  system for recreational users, and resurface more of the trails for sustainability.

In the meantime, SF Urban Riders wants you to ride on, and ride sustainably.  Remember the rules of the trail.  Remember you are part of a greater community, and you can be a bike ambassador every time you interact with someone on the trail.  Remember you can join us on Mount Sutro the first Saturday of every month to build and maintain  sustainable multi use trails.  Remember that none of us are perfect, we learn and grow at individual paces, and  we all slide out in a corner sometimes and need to put a foot down.  However, if we keep practicing it the right way over and over again, we all eventually ride the whole trail and leave nothing but  a positive  trace behind.

If you took that intro sentence, and substituted ‘hiker’ or ‘equestrian’ for ‘biker’ – I believe the paragraph would describe the joy that those user groups find and look for in our treasured parks and open spaces.  When it comes down to it, we’re all humans pursuing the same joys.  Escape from our urban confines and routines.  Connectedness to the sacred spaces of nature.  The feeling of the wind in our hair and sun on our faces.

Yet there continues to be such conflict between these groups that share so many common goals and interests.  And it’s not just limited to those who choose to recreate on trails.

The problem is everywhere.  In the ocean, the shortboard surfer disdains the longboarder, the longboarder disdains the boogieboarder.  On the slopes, Snowboarders are disdained by skiers, and vis a vis.  In the skatepark, skateboarders mock the rollerbladers, rollerbladers who glare at the bmx riders who dare encroach on their sweeping canvas of undulating concrete.   So it is with us trail users, hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians all, where one group resents the others, when each one is simply pursuing the same goals by different means.

This is not to say that there is no reason for conflict.  Different modes have different styles.  A pair of skis creates different patterns, different routes and grooves in a slope than a single board.   And lets not ignore the fact that mountain bikers tend to have a penchant for velocity.  Whereas 60 year old hiking and plant observing enthusiasts perhaps do not share the same. I’ll admit that there is a type of riding that is best suited to mountain bike specific trail networks.  Jumping 10 foot gaps and collecting butterflys are not uses that are exactly, well, compatible.

What should be said, however, is that the conflict perpetuates itself on the sense that different uses are wholly incompatible and wholly different.  The conflict insists that one group should have all access rights over another, that because of one form of use, skateboarding over bmxing, shortboarding over boogieboarding, or horseriding over mountain biking, is ‘better’ or ‘more desireable’ than the other.

In any of these situations, groups need to look not at what divides them from one another – those distinctions have already been exposed and bloated until they have become impossible to ignore.  Instead, we should turn our focus to what we share.  The joy of the outdoors experience.  The feeling of exploration and freedom and sacred sense of being surrounded not by man’s creation, but Earth’s and God’s.   Though building downhill racetracks and a place for people to quietly walk and reflect on the shape of things are likely non-compatible uses for a hillside, more moderate voices in both camps will recognize the ability to build earthen trails to provide use, joy, and benefit to both parties.

Without a doubt, changes need to be made.  In all camps.

Mountain Bikers encountering hikers and equestrians should slow down not to a moderate speed, but a speed slow enough to make eye contact with the hikers or horses, and say hello, and greet them.  Not as an other.  As a you, an us – another person enjoying the same world, just in a different way.

And I would hope that hikers and equestrians would be able to return the greeting in the same fashion.  I strongly hope that hikers and equestrians stop demonizing the mountain bike as some sort of earth-destroying monster machine – claims which I hear all to often in use conflict debates, claims which have no scientific validity, and are perpatuated by angry old men.

Most often, in all these types of conflicts, it’s user type A who becomes upset at user type B because B caused A to get off the trail/slow down/wait/go around them/get off their bike/shattered their sense of solitude etc.  I’ve seen some situations get pretty ugly due to those causes.  People getting upset over these things proves that the older we get, the more we remain not child like, but childish.  We need to remember that we’re all incredibly lucky to enjoy the outdoors as we do.  That everyone enjoys it in a different way, and if you didn’t go as fast as you would have liked due to so many people on the trail, or you didn’t get to escape into your Thoreau like mindstate because a mountain biker came up behind you with a creaky chain – that we are all still incredibly lucky.  That your day, so shattered by an ‘other’ on the trail, is still a beautiful day in a beautiful place.

We’re all able to take our lesiure time and explore pathways into the known and unknown of our pristine and beautiful lands.  Give thanks, and smile at the others as you see them.  Know they’re different, but find your similarities.

It’s such a simple concept, to focus on what we share, and not what makes us different.  I think I’ll try.  I hope you will too. But for now, I’ve got to step off this soapbox and go for a ride.

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Come to China Camp State Park in San Rafael, CA for guided rides and professional skills clinics, bike demos, beer tasting from seven (!!!) local breweries, live music and a gourmet bbq from the Culinary Institute of America. All proceeds go to IMBA California’s advocacy efforts!

2010 Event Highlights:

• Guided Rides/Skills Clinics – beginner, intermediate and advanced
• Bike Demos – Marin, Specialized, Ibis, Scott and Santa Cruz
• Free Bike tune-ups
• Skills Progression Zone
• Gourmet BBQ
• Beer and Root Beer Garden
• Live Music from the Greenstring Farm Band
• Silent Auction
• Dirt Rag Photo Contest
• Local Hero Awards
• Shimano Youth Series Race
• Marin Bikes Gold Sprints

For the last seven years, this has been one of the best mountain bike parties in the bay area, if not the best.  We’ll see you out there.

Visit www.alesandtrails.com for more details and to purchase discounted tickets!

Ride The Divide Movie Trailer from Ride The Divide on Vimeo.

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our estimable raffle operator

handsome product display

handsome tshirts, both new and old...

This man is happy he bought a raffle ticket.

hope to see you among this crowd next time

Ergon Grips.  Ergon Grips work.  I can’t exactly make any claims about the grips making me a faster or stronger rider.  I’m sure there are lighter grips out there.  But the feel of riding on those grips for any length of time, from a short commute within the city to an endurance race across a mountain range is superior to just about anything else I’ve tried.

The experience recently came when my body decided to raise a complaint against mountain biking.  The complaint came in the form of sore tendons running across my hand.  After a weekend of mountain biking, it hurt to grip drawer handles, use a pencil or pen, and a myriad of other minor daily tasks.  That was on traditional grips.

I’ve recently put Ergon’s on all my bikes, and haven’t had a day of pain since.

Now lets talk about more things that work.  Like bar ends.  My first mountain bike, back in ‘99 was an old schwinn homegrown with some generic bullhorn barends.  I loved those things.  Every time I tried to race my friends up a hill in Wilder Ranch, my hands would go straight to that vertical position, pumping away and allowing me to motor on up the hill.

Then I got riser bars, and my senior colleagues at Sprockets Bicycle Shop told me, ” Oh, dude, you can’t POSSIBLY run bar ends and riser bars.  That’s totally lame.” I didn’t know enough then to question, as I was still learning how to adjust a rear deraileur.  So off they came.  Only with Ergons have they come back, and since, I’ve sat waiting at the top of Miwok trail, waiting for my bar-end-less friends, wondering why I waited so long to put them back on.

Let function create the fashion. I challenge anyone who likes to ride a bike distances, and occasionally feels the need to beat their friend to the top of the hill to try out bar ends again.  Ergons are likely some of the best looking.  I think the old fellas already know what I’m talking about, but its us silly young bucks that have wandered astray.  Barends+Riser Bars – somebody might laugh at you – but just get rad, fly your ergons high, and laugh right back.  Here’s to antlers, or any other goofy arangement, just so long as it works for you.

Unless it gets you mentioned in a certain reputable blog.