5 best mountain bike towns?

[Banatean]

Hey "The Den" you asked about some Canucks,well ya there a few here,this MTB forum does have a lot of Australians,South Africans and about 2 Americans ,the rest are in Iraq and Afganistan trying to take a picture of Sadam Husein and Bin Laden riding their hardtails in the sand dunes ,i hope their chains are well lubed ...(just kidding).Well i'm from Edmonton and you perfectly right on about our mountains ,Rocky Mountains rule !!!!

 

[mikep]

Anyone seen the videos Kranked 3 & 4. That will give you some of the best spots all over the world. Well worth watching if you havent seen them. Some awsome down hill action.

 

[sh0rty]

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!!!

Can't have a list of "Best Mountain Biking Towns", and not include the "North Shore"...it has defigned "Freeriding" as the world knows it!

sh0rty

 

[dblack]

I would sell a nut to live in Asheville because it gives you access to Pisgah and Tsali....some of the best mountain biking in the country IMHO. Actaully, the "moab" town of North Carolina would probably be Brevard because you have the southern part of Pisgah and DuPont state forest...site of an IMBA epic. You also have access to road rides into the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are multiple rides which rise 2500+ ft. and the tread is very nice. Unlike some western states, there is lower ratio of riders to singletrack....so you rarely see other riders. When you do meet other, especially at Tsali (west of Asheville) they are typically from other parts of the country. This is definately a "destination" for mtb.

Originally posted by Guest
I read Bike magazine's 5 best mtb towns issue, and was a little surprised. Eugene, OR, Asheville, NC, Austin TX, Colorado Springs, CO, Ithaca NY. Besides Colorado Springs (Fruita, Loa) I'm not sure any of these towns are known for their trails. My brother-in law lives in Austin and says there is almost nowhere to ride, only on private land after paying a fee. I know that those of us who live close enough to moab to drive there on a whim turn our noses up at other places a lot, but how off base is bike magazine on this one?

 

[Dredd]

Originally posted by MOkokopelli
Crested Butte should definately be on the list. As should Fruita and Moab. My guess is that we all live somewhere where the the MTBing is good or we wouldn't be doing it enough to post in this forum. If you notice, these articles always mention different towns each year. It's like the tourism board is paying money for advertisement. Someone prove me wrong here...find a city in the top 5 two years in a row.

Good luck!

I thought the SF Bay area was one of the hottest spots for roadies and mtb'ers alike....

my vote: skeggs, purisima, russian ridge..lotsa places..this is mtb nirvana

 

[Sidi]

Santa Cruz, CA has my vote.
Has some of the steepest accents you have ever seen.
Check Alba Rd. Mountain Charly Rd.
Santa Cruz has a big public park with MTB trails called Nicene Marks.
I lived in Santa Cruz for 15 years and now want to get back there cause i don't like bike unfriendly New Hampshire.

 

[Hunter]

OK guys fr al the non Americans that wined about US only towns mentioned, well they rag that wtote the article is US based hence the listings. Also it was not only based on trails in the mentioned towns. It is an all encompassing rating. It ha to do with resturants, clubs, hotels, bike shops, etc. Now if you are describing "in the sticks" trails, with a very small "ghost" type town like I live in then it really does not fit the rating scale they used. Also I am sure there are opinions like the ones expressed her for trail quality, however see above for the reason not mentioned. Also trails did play a part but it has to do with a overall accessability to all skill levels. I have heard of some trails in Wistler BC that is not exactly for the beginner. Not that they are not good trails, but it does not fit the rating system used. I hope this clarifies this subject.

 

[Dirtrider71]

fruita is awesome!! when someone mentioned cresta butte, i think he means riding in taylor park. their are so many great trails in colorado , i just can't imagine living anywhere else.

 

[Faferoni]

I'll have to vote for Deer Valley, Utah- or just Utah in general.

 

[Dredd]

Originally posted by Sidi
Santa Cruz, CA has my vote.
Has some of the steepest accents you have ever seen.
Check Alba Rd. Mountain Charly Rd.
Santa Cruz has a big public park with MTB trails called Nicene Marks.
I lived in Santa Cruz for 15 years and now want to get back there cause i don't like bike unfriendly New Hampshire.

 

[floody]

Originally posted by tasdigi
Why don't we change this to a world wide thread?

Nominate in your opinion,the best MTB town,anywhere in the world.

I'll start the ball rolling with Hobart, the capital city for the island state of Tasmania, Australia.

Situated on the foot of a mountain,with a plethora of tracks and trails.

HELL YEAH!
I live in South Hobart, right under the mountain tasdigi speaks of. Its awesome! the rock itself is 1270m high, with a myriad of trails up, down and around the thing. Theres awesome trails across the river, and even a few areas where there is wicked singletrack hiding just behind the houses. PLus, this 1270m mountain has a paved tourist road all the way up, so when it is not snowing, I can get shuttled to the top with my bike and raz down. Theres a downhill run near me that encompasses 2 suburbs...
I am a bit Freeride/DH oriented, but there are good XC trails too.
It is of interest to note that the mountain (Mt wellington) is 1270m tall, yet it is actually only 4.5kms from the ocean! So there is some steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep terrain here!

I want to go to the North Shore and Whistler one day though (yeah yeah, stereotypical freerider , right?), they sound awesome. Also, a place called Castle Rock in NZ sounds wicked too. http:/www.castlerock.co.nz I think.

cheers,
floody

 

[bigkeith]

i live in Philadephia and my vote is for the wissahickon valley . i'm a beginner but to my suprise i've heard that those were pretty tough. i hope to make it back to camp Pendleton CA and ride some of the hills i used to hump on .

hump=hike

 

[Dredd]

Originally posted by bigkeith
i live in Philadephia and my vote is for the wissahickon valley . i'm a beginner but to my suprise i've heard that those were pretty tough. i hope to make it back to camp Pendleton CA and ride some of the hills i used to hump on .

hump=hike

Yeah a nice 5 mile hump always does the body good. Hoorah!

Semper Fi

 

[bigkeith]

Originally posted by Dredd
Yeah a nice 5 mile hump always does the body good. Hoorah!

Semper Fi

5mile u must of been with Marine Corps base or the band he he

semper fi

pain is weekness leaving the body

 

[Dredd]

Originally posted by bigkeith
5mile u must of been with Marine Corps base or the band he he

semper fi

pain is weekness leaving the body

hehe 5 miles is a fun little warmup..

i was an MP. got in some trouble...in the army now.

SEMPER FI FOR LIFE

 

[bigkeith]

Originally posted by Dredd
hehe 5 miles is a fun little warmup..

i was an MP. got in some trouble...in the army now.

SEMPER FI FOR LIFE

still wouldnt mind hitting those. i finally saw what moab looks like and damn i gotta get there

 

[Adski]

Originally posted by sinnicm
Canberra, surrounded by mountains and bush land... amazing quality downhill, singletrack and xc courses everywhere, especially Mt Majura. sionce i have moved here my riding has doubled...

Even with the recent fires taking out most of Mt Stromlo's trails, the town rocks. Bike paths and roads with wide shoulders for commuting. Every single hill in the town still has bushland on it, untouched by development and with bush or plantation pine forest.

The Ainslie/Majura combo ride can't be beat for an inner-city mtb, no shuttle required!

 

[snowboy]

Crested Butte should definately be on the list. As should Fruita and Moab. My guess is that we all live somewhere where the the MTBing is good or we wouldn't be doing it enough to post in this forum. If you notice, these articles always mention different towns each year. It's like the tourism board is paying money for advertisement. Someone prove me wrong here...find a city in the top 5 two years in a row.

Good luck!

I live in Colorado springs and it has some sweet trails. Some I ride 3 or 4 times a week. Ive lived here for 3 years now and still love riding here. Anyone else from the springs loking for people to ride with??????

 

[Banatean]

Why don't we change this to a world wide thread?

Nominate in your opinion,the best MTB town,anywhere in the world.

I'll start the ball rolling with Hobart, the capital city for the island state of Tasmania, Australia.

Situated on the foot of a mountain,with a plethora of tracks and trails.

The town of Jasper and Banff in the province of Alberta in Canada .
Dan

 

[WCcannondale]

I live in Colorado springs and it has some sweet trails. Some I ride 3 or 4 times a week. Ive lived here for 3 years now and still love riding here. Anyone else from the springs loking for people to ride with??????

Is the springs mostly singletrack? I live on the west slope and was wondering if the trails are as good there as here.