It's awesome to see more and more mountain bikers out on the trails. But with increased trail traffic, it's important to brush up on good mountain bike etiquette. Here are 10 tips for sharing the trails.
1. Stay in Control
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's easy to get out of control on a mountain bike. Use your brakes and control your speed.
2. Pack it out
Pack out all of your trash including snack wrappers, water bottles, bike tubes if you get a flat, and anything else that doesn't belong on the trails.
3. Respect private property
Several years ago, Kingdom Trails in Vermont had to shut down a number of trails because of bad behavior on private property. If you're riding on private land, be respectful and always obey no trespassing signs.
4. Respect Trail signs & Closures
If a trail has a closed sign on it, don't ride it. Easy as that. It's closed for a reason.
5. Try not to skid
Ride it don't slide it! Skidding happens to the best of us, but it shouldn't be the goal. Over time, skidding causes damage and erosion to the trails. Instead, try coming into corners slower.
Cutting trails can cause damage and erosion to the environment.
7. Yield to other Trail Users
Mountain bikers should yield to other trail users including hikers, runners, and horseback riders.
8. Stop Off The Trail
If you're stopping for any reason, make sure you step off the trail and bring your bike off the trail with you. I've had close calls with riders stopped in the trail!
9. Announce your presence
If you're coming up behind another trail user, let them know you're coming so you don't give them a heat attack.
10. Be Prepared
Be sure to have everything you need to get yourself out of a situation like a flat tire or loose handlebars.