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May/June, 2005
Maine Mountain Biking:
An Introduction
By Corin Meehan
In spite of the seemingly endless winter, it's almost time for Maine's mountain bikers to think about hitting the trails. Maine has some of the finest fat tire riding in New England. With trails offering a wide range of terrain and skill level, it's no wonder that Maine is home to some very rabid mountain bikers. From York to Fort Kent, there are hundreds of trails available for riding. We have our own homegrown race series which has been a springboard for many active racers. Maine even has both a top professional rider and a world champion to call its own. Corinth's Adam Craig, riding for Team Giant, is one of the country's top pro racers. Carla Carver of Edgecomb is the 2004 UCI Women's Masters World Champion. Carla rides for Team Bikeman.com , the state's top amateur team, sponsored by Bath Cycle and Ski. On any given day, you can join with one of the many group rides around the state. These rides are fun and a great way to improve your riding skills. They're also a fantastic opportunity to meet fun and interesting people.
On the competitive side of things, the Maine Mountain Bike Association's race series is in its twelfth season. The series consists of races in such locations as Camden, Sugarloaf, Bangor, and Georgetown. These races are made possible by the generous support of many local organizations and companies. Volunteers represent the backbone of race organization and they've done a great job of keeping these races running smoothly. Racing in these events is fun, challenging and low pressure. New racers will be surprised to find that mountain bike racers are some of the friendliest, welcoming and courteous athletes out there. There are plenty of good spectator opportunities for the non-racer, as well. In past years, the race series was sanctioned by the National Off-road Bicycling Association, the mountain biking arm of the U.S. Cycling Federation. This year, the Eastern Fat Tire Association has assumed this role. The MMBA's partnership with EFTA presents a golden opportunity. EFTA is a grassroots organization, based in New England, that seeks to promote and advocate the sport of mountain biking. In addition to sanctioning races, EFTA works to maintain trails and protect access for mountain bikers and other users. The New England Mountain Bike Association also has a chapter in Maine and performs a mission similar to EFTA. For more information on the MMBA race series, visit www.mainemountainbike.com.
If you're new to the sport or would like to learn more, here are some recommendations. The best way to learn is to ride with others. Many local bike shops host group rides on various days of the week. Many of these are listed on the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's website at www.bikemaine.org. There are also some informal clubs that organize rides around the state. Head to www.ragemtb.com/mainiacs to learn more. These rides are open to all skill levels, and are very welcoming to newcomers. Your local bike shop is also an excellent source of information on trails, equipment, and riding. I also recommend the excellent book Mountain Bike Maine! by Sarah Hale and David Gibbs, part of the America by Mountain Bike series from Menasha Ridge Press.
With the near record amount of snowfall this winter and rainfall this spring, some important points regarding trails should be made. Mud is a fact of life in Maine's spring. As tempting as it is to get out and ride as soon as the snow has melted, trails require a bit of discretion to be kept healthy. As a rule, you should wait until the deep mud has subsided and that the base layers of mineral soil are dry. Mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking on trails that are not dry can lead to erosion, root exposure, and other nasty stuff. Generally, most trails are safe to ride by May. Shallow mud is a normal finding in many places on trails and does not represent a trail damage concern. Consider volunteering a day at one of the trail maintenance events held around the state each spring. Many of our trails are maintained solely by volunteer organizations and riders. Contributing some time is a great way to help preserve quality riding for all.
If you're looking for a great new way to enjoy bicycling, physical challenges, thrills and spills, look no further than mountain biking in Maine. Thanks for reading and see you on the trails!
Corin Meehan lives in Portland and rides for Team Bikeman.com.
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