Is not owning a mountain bike keeping you from trying it? If so, then come out to MoMBA and borrow one of our bikes to ride, free, for a lap or two. Bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Toddler to adult sizes available.
Mountain Biking
Try Mountain Biking For Free
Is not owning a mountain bike keeping you from trying it? If so, then come out to MoMBA and borrow one of our bikes to ride, free, for a lap or two. Bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Toddler to adult sizes available.
Youth younger than 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. Helmets are mandatory and proivided with bike.
Dayton’s Airborne Bicycles Back in Business
If you live in the Dayton Region and ride bikes then the probability of you riding with someone on an Airborne is pretty high. When I moved to Dayton a few years ago I kept seeing these beautifully crafted, simplistic natured, high end bikes all over and I had never heard of the company. Of course while riding downhill and free-ride in the Pacific Northwest one wouldn’t necessarily come across one anyways, regardless I was intrigued. What intrigued me was that Dayton had a hometown bike shop – Airborne – an authentic, real deal, small manufacturer that makes the bike industry so interesting to me, making me proud to live in this city.
I will be the first to admit I am not very familiar with their history, roots, or owners but I loved the fact that they were made in Dayton. When the time came that I was considering purchasing an Airborne, I got word from the bike community (I think on a forum or blog!) that they were no longer in existence. How did I not know about this? Why did this happen? I recently felt very similar when I heard Gem City Records was closing it’s doors, you know what I mean. No, I didn’t loose faith in the greatest outdoor/bike town in the Midwest but that blog post really burst my bubble (at least it wasn’t from DDN).
So, for anyone who also might have been affected by Airborne closing up shop, I am happy to announce that they are back in business. They have some seriously slick rides and word is they will be launching a Cyclo-Cross line, which is blowing up in the Midwest.
Not much is up on their website yet but you can find them on facebook to get updates on the companies progress and newest additions to this awesome bike fleet. www.airbornebicycles.com
2010 product launch is April 15th. Don’t miss it.
Get you butt in the saddle!
Future of Mountain Biking in Dayton
What are the first things that come to mind when you think of mountain biking? Is it teenagers with their hair on fire, X Games extreme athletes in motocross protective padding, or another great way to exercise and enjoy the great outdoors?
Just five to ten years ago most people in the Dayton region would have said flaming haired, pot smoking teenagers and extreme athletes. The culture has changed, for the better IMHO, so much that recreational activities like mountain biking are being included in regional master planning efforts by organizations such as Five Rivers MetroParks and incorporated into the strategy of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan.
In September, 2007, Five Rivers MetroParks opened up MoMBA, which stands for MetroParks Mountain Biking Area. This facility was envisioned as a sustainably designed trail system to attract a new user base to MetroParks and provide another way to connect people to nature, which is part of MetroParks’ mission.
According to my first hand observations, the facility has been a success. Yes, there are a few teenagers on bmx bikes with no helmets occasionally taking to the trailhead but the typical rider at MoMBA by no means fits that stereotype. On any given day you will see numerous cars in the parking lot, middle age professionals, college students, grey hairs on hybrid bikes, and families out riding the sweet single track. One could speculate why this is, I would suggest the proximity to local neighborhoods, wide variety of difficulty levels and experiences, and mountain biking is just fun.
Last fall MetroParks held a series of meetings to discuss future plans to expand the core area and develop a more comprehensive masterplan that provides the necessary amenities and increased riding opportunities for all ages to truly create a destination level facility. The link below details the plan and lists what each stage of the plan will entail. Word on the street is that the purchase of an adjacent quarry property is in discussion as we speak. The expansion of the facility would truly put MoMBAon the map and provide opportunities for advanced riders that cannot be found anywhere in the Midwest. Check out the plans for yourself and keep an eye out for updates on the quarry. http://www.metroparks.org/documents/recreation/2009-12-16_MoMBA_master_plan.pdf
Click here for more information about MoMBA. MetroParks hosts numerous programs, events, demos, and group rides throughout the year so Get Out and Ride!
The Allegrippis Trail System
IMBA scores with Allegrippis Trail System at Raystown Lake, Pennsylvania
Location: Allegrippis Trail, Raystown Lake, Pennsylvania
Drive Time (from Dayton): Approx 7 hours
Recommended Activities: Mountain Biking (DUH), Hiking, Kayaking, Camping, Fishing
Low Down: Bottom-line, the Allegrippis Trial System is a must ride. These trails should be on any mountain bikers “Life List.” Ridng them will leave you with a grin ear to ear, mile after mile (not to mention that they are a great way to spend your birthday weekend!). Each trail, regardless of difficulty rating, is designed to provide all levels of riders with an epic adventure. The trails at Raystown Lake were down-right amazing, well built (for the most part…only a trained trail builder would notice flaws), and provided a variety of trails, terrain, scenery and much more.
The scenery is top notch, wrapping around Raystown Lake with scenic vistas, old growth forests and a fluctuation of terrain that will leave you feeling like you were teleported to Colorado. I will surely go back. On the downside, the drive from Dayton to Raystown Lake is a little more than 7 hours, hardly a weekend getaway.
Trails: With all the potential adjectives available to describe this eastern mountain biking Mecca, FUN is the one that sums it up best. The trails on the Allegrippis Trail System were built and constructed by Trail Solutions, the International Mountain Biking Association’s trail building wing, in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers (who manages the land), the Friends of Raystown Lake and other contracting firms. The loop trail system can also be enjoyed by hikers, runners, birders, cross-country skiers and snowshoers.
The multiple-route trails are in the Seven Points area of Raystown Lake, a 30-mile long lake and the largest inland lake in Pennsylvania. The trails are free to access and some have incredible lake views. Each of the 23 trails has been color-coded for it’s level of difficulty, including: green (easiest, family-friendly and closest to the parking lots), to blue (moderate) and black (most difficult). Four of the trails are rated easiest, fifteen are moderate and four are difficult. Riders on blue trails can expect the usual obstacles: roots, rocks and high speed whoops in the rhythm sections. Those on black trails will encounter much of the same, plus more drastic elevation changes covering longer distances. The “most difficult” rating is truly subjective depending on what you are used to riding. The differentiating factor between blue and black is basically more climbing and more rocks, or additional small rock gardens full of baby heads.
Camping/Lodging: One of the trailheads for the Allegrippis Trail is along Seven Points Road. Seven Points Campground has hundreds of sites with full service hookups. If you are a tent camper, make sure you get there in the daylight to best select your site. If you are visiting between Memorial and Labor Day make sure you book a tent only site. During this high season, the campgrounds are infected with motorboats and rolling aluminum ghettos (RV’s), plush with their chili pepper lights, generators and astroturf. The Outdoor Evangelist recommendation is Ridge or Valley for tent campers if you are there outside of the summer season.
Local Flavor: Be sure to head to Huntingdon and visit Rothrock Outfitters to get the skinny on trail direction and closures. The staff there was uber friendly. Ask for Evan and make sure you wander around the store. You can also rent bike, canoes and kayaks for a float trip .
While you’re in town, have a meal and one of many microbrews at Boxer’s Café, just a few doors down from Rothrock Outfitters. Boxer’s uses locally grown produce and meat and has a great selection of PA microbrews.
Closer to Home: Over the past few years the mountain biking community in the Miami Valley has grown substantially. In part because the local clubs and organizations are amazing, energetic and welcoming people who are dedicated to getting more people on bikes. Two bikes shops have opened up in the region to serve the growing interest and a new local trail system was opened in 2007, MoMBA, Five Rivers MetroParks Mountain Biking Area at Huffman Park. MoMBA continues to see new and more riders each month. Success of MoMBA is due to its excellent design, location, and maintenance. Trust me, when you get done with a ride and the sweat is burning the scrapes on your arms from raspberries and saw briar creeping in on the trail, you will surely appreciate how much time and effort MetroParks takes in manicuring MoMBA.
Some riders in Dayton may take the proximity of trail access in the Miami Valley for granted. MoMBA and the trails at John Bryan State Park may not be in the league of Brown County, IN, but they are still conveniently located and incredible assets for the region. IMHO, the local mountain biking scene needs to get off Brown County’s nuts. The two regional trails (MoMBA and JB) provide close, exciting and welcoming atmospheres to get more people out enjoying the great outdoors in an active and healthy way.
That said, riders in the south and west suburbs may find them a bit of a drive to ride regularly. Simple solution…why not build more trails, Miami Valley? Kettering, Centerville and Washington Township has a lot of public land that could be converted to additional trail systems that could add exciting amenities for residents and help strengthen our growing regional reputation as the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Midwest. To better serve this emerging and significant mountain biking community, additional park districts and municipalities need to get on board and provide more access to quality-designed, sustainably-constructed, contour trails.
Do the park districts in the area know there is a huge growing and dynamic mountain bike community in the region? Well, maybe if we actually had a real cycling advocacy organization they could put the issue on the table and provide a little pressure. So how about it Centerville-Washington Township Parks, MetroParks, City of Kettering? When are we breaking ground on new trails in Bill Yeck, Grant Park or Germantown MetroPark? I know some trail experts and an amazing mountain biking club ready to help make it happen.
