Marin is a great place for biking, whether youre into BMX, Mountain or Road styles. Paved bike pathways, established biking trails, and the terrain popular with BMXers are all found throughout the County. As it happens, Marin County was the birthplace of Mountain biking in the 1970s. But, Road bicycling is perhaps the most popular form of biking nowadays.
Beginning with some history, its interesting to know that well-known BMX biker Billy Savage lived and biked in Marin from 1976 to 1983, but BMX, as a category, isnt as common in Marin as the other types of biking.
BMX bicycles were designed for stunts, tricks, and racing on hilly dirt tracks. They have a single gear ratio with a freewheel and are built with smaller frames and wheels with wider, treaded tires. They take a beating during some extreme sporting events so they have to be extremely sturdy machines!
It was clear that BMX had finally arrived when BMX events were part of the Summer Olympics in China in 2008 in four different venues, which was a first for the sport. U.S. cyclists took half of the first six medals in BMX racing ever awarded in the history of the Olympics.
Mountain biking is rough and tough going and a good day isnt complete without getting at least some mud in your teeth. The Web site www.klunkerz.com provides complete information about each of the individuals who participated in mountain biking in Marin during the 1970s to make it the world-class sport that it is today.
Mountain biking pioneers did a lot of their biking on downhill trails they carved out around Mount Tamalpais in the 1970s. This was when Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher and others converted cruisers and balloon-tire bicycles into machines that could weather any type of road conditions.
Billy Savage recently directed a film about the early days of mountain biking in Marin called Klunkerz. In the process of making his film, what he found fascinating is that all the pioneers are very committed to the bicycle as transportation, and to the ecological and physical benefits of cycling to this day. They gave those old Klunkerz a new life, rescuing them out of trashcans and junkyards. They were reducing, reusing, and recycling long before it was hip to be green. They all continue to live this way in all aspects of their lives.
Road bicycling has become very popular in recent years as the county establishes more bike paths where serious road cyclists can do some serious biking. The Marin County Bicycling Coalition (www.marinbike.org) promotes safe bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation. Marin County is one of only four counties nationwide that are engaged in a federal Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program that promotes road bicycling, particularly commuting. The goal of The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is for 20% of trips in Marin County to be made by walking or bicycling.
This and other initiatives underway under the umbrella of this ambitious organization are all addressed by the MCBC Web site. One of their Web pages has links to an exciting array of informative pages, including the following:
* (More than) 50 Good Reasons to Bicycle
* The Essentials of Basic Bicycling
* Bike Riding for Fun
* The Etiquette of Cycling
* Commuting By Bike
* The Bicycle Map of Marin (available free when joining the Marin County Bicycling Coalition)
* Riding directions via the North-South Greenway from San Francisco to Petaluma
* Riding directions via Highway 1 to the Golden Gate Bridge
Beginning with some history, its interesting to know that well-known BMX biker Billy Savage lived and biked in Marin from 1976 to 1983, but BMX, as a category, isnt as common in Marin as the other types of biking.
BMX bicycles were designed for stunts, tricks, and racing on hilly dirt tracks. They have a single gear ratio with a freewheel and are built with smaller frames and wheels with wider, treaded tires. They take a beating during some extreme sporting events so they have to be extremely sturdy machines!
It was clear that BMX had finally arrived when BMX events were part of the Summer Olympics in China in 2008 in four different venues, which was a first for the sport. U.S. cyclists took half of the first six medals in BMX racing ever awarded in the history of the Olympics.
Mountain biking is rough and tough going and a good day isnt complete without getting at least some mud in your teeth. The Web site www.klunkerz.com provides complete information about each of the individuals who participated in mountain biking in Marin during the 1970s to make it the world-class sport that it is today.
Mountain biking pioneers did a lot of their biking on downhill trails they carved out around Mount Tamalpais in the 1970s. This was when Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher and others converted cruisers and balloon-tire bicycles into machines that could weather any type of road conditions.
Billy Savage recently directed a film about the early days of mountain biking in Marin called Klunkerz. In the process of making his film, what he found fascinating is that all the pioneers are very committed to the bicycle as transportation, and to the ecological and physical benefits of cycling to this day. They gave those old Klunkerz a new life, rescuing them out of trashcans and junkyards. They were reducing, reusing, and recycling long before it was hip to be green. They all continue to live this way in all aspects of their lives.
Road bicycling has become very popular in recent years as the county establishes more bike paths where serious road cyclists can do some serious biking. The Marin County Bicycling Coalition (www.marinbike.org) promotes safe bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation. Marin County is one of only four counties nationwide that are engaged in a federal Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program that promotes road bicycling, particularly commuting. The goal of The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is for 20% of trips in Marin County to be made by walking or bicycling.
This and other initiatives underway under the umbrella of this ambitious organization are all addressed by the MCBC Web site. One of their Web pages has links to an exciting array of informative pages, including the following:
* (More than) 50 Good Reasons to Bicycle
* The Essentials of Basic Bicycling
* Bike Riding for Fun
* The Etiquette of Cycling
* Commuting By Bike
* The Bicycle Map of Marin (available free when joining the Marin County Bicycling Coalition)
* Riding directions via the North-South Greenway from San Francisco to Petaluma
* Riding directions via Highway 1 to the Golden Gate Bridge
About the Author:
Author David DuPont is an avid cyclist and principal with The DuPont Group, a residential real estate firm in Marin County, California. David has particular expertise in assisting individuals and families with buying and selling Marin homes and in particular with real estate in Mill Valley, CA where some of Marin County's best mountain biking can be found.
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