Biking great in fall
As fall colors emerge, many outdoor enthusiasts are pedaling their way to a perfect fall.
Bike trails and back roads are among places to explore during upcoming, crisp October days.
"Pennsylvania has so many incredible trails all over the state," said Jean Adams, president of the Butler Outdoor Club, who has ridden her bike on many of them.
Adams said trails within easy access of town include the newly widened and surfaced trail in Moraine State Park, which runs seven miles along Lake Arthur.
For longer rides close to home, she points out the 20-mile Butler Freeport Community Trail, which follows a former rail bed between the two towns. Under construction as a recreational trail since 1992, the trail is complete except for the four miles between Butler and Herman.
Like many cyclists, Adams ventures off the trails, often riding on local back roads. As well as offering interesting terrain and scenery, Adams said the back roads provide a safe alternative for those using bikes for transportation.
"They have wide berms. They're well maintained. You can ride for a long time without (encountering) a truck or cars," Adams said.
"Literally, this is one of the greatest places to ride road bikes," agreed Steve Roberts, director of the Outdoor Adventure Program at Slippery Rock University. "You don't really ever need to ride on a main road."
With so many places to ride, cyclists must first decide what to ride.With wide tires for stability, mountain bikes are designed for single-track trails and rough terrain. Speedier road bikes built with narrower frames and tires maneuver more quickly on pavement. Hybrid bikes combine features of both."My first question is generally, 'What do you want to use this bike for?' said Jeff Rapp, co-owner of Rapp's Bicycle Center in Butler Township, when asked how consumers should choose a bike."For example, if somebody was wanting to ride on the road, they wouldn't want to buy a mountain bike — no matter what the cost. You want to get the proper bike for the proper usage."But features vary within those categories, Rapp warned. For example, some mountain bikes are made for recreation; others are made for comfort. Hybrids offer the same range of options."It's really hard to simplify it," Rapp said."If you're just going to do rail trails, then a hybrid bike would be a good thing to have," Roberts advised, adding that a mountain bike is the best choice for riding on unpaved trails. "If you're not doing either of these things, then a road bike (is best).""If you have to choose one bike to do all three of those, you can always put road tires on a mountain bike. They make mountain bike tires that are thinner and bald and are good for riding on a road. They have much higher pressure."Though prices vary widely, Rapp said a good quality recreational bike can often be had for $200 to $400.
Once cyclists select a bike, a few safety and etiquette tips will help ensure a successful ride.According to the state Department of Transportation's bicycle driver's manual, helmets top the list of safety equipment, reducing risk of serious head injuries by 85 percent. Children under 12 are required to wear them.According to Rapp, "The sky's the limit" on what a helmet can cost, but a good helmet can be bought for $30 to $50."The better helmet is a better fit. It doesn't move around on your head. It's going to protect you better for that reason," Rapp said.Helmets that use tightening mechanisms instead of relying only on padding to achieve a proper fit are more effective, he added."The concept of helmets is simple," agreed T.J. Platt, manager of Trek of Pittsburgh, a cycling store in Cranberry Township."They all have to protect the rider's head just the same," he explained. "There are high-end, super ventilated, carbon fiber spined helmets that can cost up to $200 dollars. However, it doesn't mean they are any more comfortable. Everyone's head is shaped different."In addition to wearing a properly fitted helmet and biking gloves (hands can get numb from pressure and will often be used to break a fall), shoes and shorts also affect comfort."Cycling shoes have a stiffer sole in them to provide a better power transfer," Platt explained. "Padded cycling shorts or padded cycle liners also help in making saddles more comfortable for new riders."Adams suggests adding a bell to the list of biking accessories."You ride on the right, and if you come up to a walker or a runner, you pass them on the left," Adams said."I have a little bell, so that people can hear me when I'm coming up, so I don't startle them. It's always important for people to know that you're behind them."Adams says another consideration, especially in the fall, is that many areas around bike trails are also open to hunters."People need to be wearing orange now," she said. "It's just wise to be as bright as you can be."An added benefit of wearing orange is that cyclists would be easy to spot if injured or stranded on a trail."I always want someone to be able to find me easily," she added. "So I look like a bright pumpkin 12 months out of the year."For those riding in traffic, rear-view mirrors are also advised. A whistle can be used in the same manner as a car horn, and lights are necessary for riding at night.Those riding on the roads also should ride on the right with traffic, avoiding riding on sidewalks. The same hand signals and traffic laws that apply to cars apply to bikes.Cyclists should also keep as much space as possible between themselves and parked cars to avoid being injured by opening doors.When traveling in any environment, cyclists should carry a patch kit and small tire pump or CO2 cartridge for inflating tires, although experts say the cartridges are sometimes tricky to use and could require some practice.
Although cyclists still have time to ride outdoors, their pastime can continue in winter months.In addition to spinning classes at the Butler County Family YMCA and at other fitness facilities, Slippery Rock University offers several programs in which participants can pedal their own bikes indoors on trainers.A cycle aerobics program, which includes a workout video, is open to the public on weekdays Oct. 22 through March 5.As part of a Friday night ride series, cyclists also pedal their own bikes indoors as cycling videos are projected on the wall with surround-sound music playing.Those events, scheduled for one Friday a month November through February, each conclude with a potluck dinner."You bring your bike in and ride whatever distance you want," Roberts said. "It's a social event, really — with some fitness built in."Twice over the course of the winter, SRU also hosts an indoor race series in which time trials are hosted in men's and women's divisions in road and mountain bike classes."It's social and fun," Roberts said about the program, in its sixth or seventh year. "It's not so much geared toward actual competition."The classes and events typically cost $5 or less for nonmembers of SRU's Aebersold Student Recreation Center, where the events are held.At various times throughout the year, common hour bike tuneups and bicycle maintenance classes are also offered on campus.Off campus, organized rides — both on and off-road, are hosted throughout the region."There is so much stuff going on, it is kind of head boggling," Roberts said.
