"Support! National Park Service Rule Change 36 CFR 4.30"

[skynug]

Has anyone studied the impact of biking vs hiking when it comes to animal behavior? Wouldn't a bike startle an animal more? What about multi-user conflicts? I'd think the potential of a blind corner single track collision is pretty high...maybe even kill a small child. I like mountain biking but like ATV's, we have our designated use areas and should be happy with that. Greed is not good.

[AmericasLostTreasure]

I wouldn't suggest mountain biking at the Dry Tortugas ;) Kayaking... yes.

[localdecaf]

It is 7:15 AM, and I am waiting patiently for the sun to come up so that I can set out to maintain the trail I spent the entire summer building. After I brush the leaves aside, and fill in the ruts, and I will ride that trail before I go to work for the following 12 hours. I am dedicated to biking for life, and encourage everyone to try it. Mt. Bikers maintain trails with compasion and tact. Get your facts straight before you make misnomers about Mt. Bikers. We have heart, and pride!!!

[localdecaf]

People, people, people. Come on now. If it werent for the invention of the horse drawn wagon, our forefathers (and mothers, sisters, brothers) would never made it beyond ohio. Bicycles are one of the greatest invetions known to man, and I find the exclusion of them on NATIONAL forest land to be elitest and down right racist!. Mt. Bikers are rarely exclusive. Yes, we tend to have fun WHILE we enjoy the wonders of nature. Rather than share trails with these people, why not create our own. SHAME!!

[kevin12161995]

I have come in contact with hikers, trail runners, and equestrians and have never had even the slightest hint of annoyance from anyone. Most are happy to see another person out enjoying the same beautiful day. The only problem is breaking rules. There will always be those who are selfish. To say that a mountain biker by definition is more destructive or selfish than a hiker is of course ridiculous. How many have rounded a corner to see unleashed dogs barking at you? My dachshund rarely rides.

[nx01craig]

98% of all the trails I've hiked in a National Park are poorly designed and require a lot of maintenance. If the National Parks adopted the IMBA standards for sustainable trail building, everyone would benefit.

[mjvande]

Mountain bikers just don't listen, nor tell the truth. We aren't discussing "bad seeds". We are discussing banning BIKES from the trails. Mountain bikers rarely do trail maintenance, and when they do, they build trails so as to create thrills for mountain bikers, NOT trails that are appropriate for other trail users. Besides, trail building and trail maintenance are both destructive activities. they destroy wildlife habitat. BTW, horses were wiped out by humans. they have a right to return.

[boogarpig]

Hikers and bikers both haver their bad seeds. Saying all bikers are bad is ignorant. Where I live the mtn bikers have a huge role in trail maintainance (see ICORR and LAMBA organizations) and do a excellent job as stewards of the land.

[mjvande]

leedarch, thanks for demonstrating what mountain bikers are like: when they realize that there's no way that they can defend their selfish, destructive sport with facts and logic, they attack the messenger.

I don't support using animals as vehicles, however horses evolved in North America, and have a right to go wherever they like. Bicycles, on the other hand, are machines, and don't have rights. A federal court determined that there is no right to mountain bike.

[moonar11]

Horses went extinct in the Americas 15,000 years ago. They were re-introduced by the Spanish Conquistadors around 1493.

[mjvande]

vxe6vxe6, the ONLY equitable plan is to ban bikes from natural areas. Then everyone will be able to enjoy and share the trails. Permitting bikes on trails drives away all other trail users.

[mjvande]

What a bunch of milarky, leedarch. (1)VERY few mountain bikers do any trail maintenance. (2) Trail maintenance, like trail construction, destroys willdife habitat and drives wildlife away. (3) The trails that mountain bikers create are designed purely for thrills for mountain bikers (e.g. extra twists and bumps), making them inappropriate for other trail users. (4) Trail construction is habitat destruction, and nothing to be proud of!

[vxe6vxe6]

Here's how it should be -

Equal land set aside for hikers, horses, mountain bikes, dirt bikes and 4 wheelers.

It's PUBLIC land and as such it should be used in a manner that is fair and equitable for the public, not just a select few groups of users.

[bilguana11]

This propaganda is just more mendacity and BS from IMBA. I keep getting hit by mountain bikes, and tripping in the ruts and groves they cause in trails. MBS cause erosion, kill plants and small animals while having the audacity to state that they care about the environment. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. They are like zip-lines on wheels, but worse as they wreck the peaceful enjoyment of the parks by others.

[leedarch]

Mountain Bikers are the only ones that rebuild the trails season after season. I love how the hikers claim the land as theirs and theirs alone. Your statement is full of BS and half truths.

[bilguana11]

I know numerous hiker-personed trail crews that perform weekly, but the mountain bikers might come out once a year. And they are the ones damaging the trails.

[leedarch]

Bikes cause erosion just like foot traffic on a trail but they always repair and build back the trail. Why would we bike a trail to its destruction to never be able to ride it again? The mission behind IMBA is to open more trails and that benefits the hikers too. Hikers that think like you are why so many trails get shut down because of the narrow mindedness behind the "hiker only" cause. Again I will say it, IMBA creates more trails for everyone, not just us bikers!

[mjvande]

(5) The presence of bikes drives away all other trail users, due to the danger and unpleasantness of continually having to dodge bikes. In other words, mountain bikers are the selfish ones. They KNOW that no one else wants to be around bikes, and yet they INSIST on bringing their security blankets (bikes) with them, wherever they go. THAT is SELFISHNESS. Hikers, on the other hand, are willing to share the trails with all people, just not bikes (which, last time I looked, are not people).

[leedarch]

Gonna go out on a limb here....you're against the horses too? Dodging bikes?!? Really, what, do you hide out behind switchbacks and jump out when the "Bikes" come around the corner. Love your optimistic myopic point of view! Address the points I make when you respond to the points I make!!!!! Thank you arrogant hiker person.

[snidemcbride]

mjvande -

You say that you share the trail with everyone, but your other posts say that bikes don't belong. Trail construction is habitat construction, but don't you hike on the on these trails too? If you've had a bad experience with MTB's that stinks. Cyclists in general are concerned about the environment, participate in their communities, and encourage active life styles of all Americans. Try to open up and shake the misery. A whole new world will open up to you.

[Octopetalia]

Take your g-damn mountain bikes out of the National Parks. You guys are no different than the dirt bikers (motorized kind)

[fischerskidude]

we are a whole lot different

[Octopetalia]

Nature-deficit?

[ryanhanser]

Des Moines, Iowa at 1:20 mark!

Right on, Hilride and IMBA...