The Mountainbike

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TREAD LIGHTLY

Riding a mountainbike on trails is an exhilarating experience, one that's not unlike piloting a trail motorcycle. And, to its credit, the bicycle is quiet and—being light and without great horsepower—doesn't erode or compress earth to the extent that a motorcycle does. Nonetheless, there are places where mountainbikes should, and shouldn't, be ridden. To date, rules about bicycle riding on public lands are fuzzy, so we'd like to suggest a few guidelines. Hiking and mechanized travel don't mix, so bicyclists should avoid trails where they're likely to encounter people walking. Furthermore, wet lowlands should be avoided, since the tires of bicycles can penetrate soggy ground. (Besides, riding a mountainbike in mud is less than rewarding!) On the whole, places where horses are ridden should, from an environmental standpoint, be able to withstand bicycle travel, though participants in the two forms of transport should be considerate of the difficulties each poses to the other. And, of course, any trails open to motorized vehicles aren't likely to suffer from bicycle travel . . . though they might prove dangerous to the pedal-powered traveler.
It's pleasant to be able to report that mountainbike manufacturers are showing concern for the problems that this rapidly growing sport could create, as evidenced by a letter accompanying the Mantis Bicycle Company brochure: "The wilderness experience is a shared activity. The future of off-road cycling will be assured if all of us can display an attitude of cooperation toward the noncyclists we encounter on the trail, and develop an awareness of the laws governing the areas in which we ride."

TRANSPORT OR SPORT?

You could buy a mountainbike to solve your transportation needs. The high-tech klunkers are ideally suited to short commutes over dirt roads or rough pavement . . . and even allow you the luxury of taking to the ditch on heavily traveled highways, jumping curbs in the suburban landscape, or cutting across fields and vacant lots when necessary. The slightly increased tire friction and sometimes significant aerodynamic drag will, however, keep most people from using mountainbikes as long-distance highway-touring mounts.
Frankly, though, we're hard-pressed to imagine anyone buying one of these somewhat expensive (even at the low end of the price range) cycles for purely utilitarian purposes. But as dual-purpose machines—say, for commuting on weekdays and for outdoor recreation on weekends—we think they're a really great buy . . . we've never had so much fun staying healthy!

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