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'Fat Tire' (mountain) Bikes?


vt_bluyamaha54
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Hope I don't step on any toes as this may be a bit off-topic for Quebec Rider but would like to get some feedback from my Quebec friends on the topic of multiple uses of traditional snowmobile trails. It seems that you tend to separate users (CC skiers, ATVs, etc) and place them on their own trails rather than allow shared use. Vermont is considering allowing 'fat tire' mountain bikes on traditional snowmobile trails within areas where the trail passes through State and National park land. Most of us believe this is a terrible idea for many reasons but may lose due to the politics.

The attached article gives a good overview - even though it came from a mountain biker who obviously salivates when thinking about the 5000mi of groomed trails that could potentially be opened.

I welcome everyone's comments - and if the moderator believes this is not appropriate I apologize in advance -

https://singlespeedslog.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/a-vast-perspective/

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Hope I don't step on any toes as this may be a bit off-topic for Quebec Rider but would like to get some feedback from my Quebec friends on the topic of multiple uses of traditional snowmobile trails. It seems that you tend to separate users (CC skiers, ATVs, etc) and place them on their own trails rather than allow shared use. Vermont is considering allowing 'fat tire' mountain bikes on traditional snowmobile

trails within areas where the trail passes through State and National park land. Most of us believe this is a terrible idea for many reasons but may lose due to the politics.

The attached article gives a good overview - even though it came from a mountain biker who obviously salivates when thinking about the 5000mi of groomed trails that could potentially be opened.

I welcome everyone's comments - and if the moderator believes this is not appropriate I apologize in advance -

https://singlespeedslog.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/a-vast-perspective/

During the off season it's a good idea. But while sleds are running them wow. 1. That would suck just riding a bike fat tire or not. But the personal injuries and law suits will crush it quick

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Here from what I have seen most of the sled trails (at least near me) are only used for sleds in winter. Then of course the various roads we use as trails in winter are back to roads in the off season. The ATV/VTT trails are mostly the same all year but do vary a bit in winter, they are dedicated to ATV-VTT but many people mountain bike on them and ride horses too. There are tons of dedicated bike trails but they are all smooth and not adventurous like mountain biking but you can travel very far on these bike paths and there are many many routes, it is very popular here. Also I see many many dirtbikes on the ATV trails too certainly not legal but they use em.

Most sled trails are gone 3 seasons a year and grown in, just think of how many fields we ride thru. Those are off limits except in winter. So the only trails are really the ATV trails and the dedicated bike trails.

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In the U. P. this winter there were bicycles on the trail, a bit of a surprise to me, but they were all far right for some reason.

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In PA it is sometimes difficult to not be frustrated with "sharing the road" with bikers. I'm sure it is a small number of individuals but there are some who ride side by side or in the middle of the lane when you approach from behind. As a vehicle driver, as I understand it, you have to provide the biker 4' of clearence when passing. Having to do that on a trail would sometimes be difficult/impossible to say the least.

Scares me to think about all the types of unsage situations you could encounter if fat bikes and sleds are mixed on the same trails.

Plus, I would hate to see the rooms upstairs at the Hotel Central Parent booked full of fat tire bikers when we pull in at 8:30p. That would really honk me off!

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Personally I think we would be heading for disaster if the clubs even acknowledge the concept, too much liability would be the largest concern. Besides....the clubs have worked so hard through out the past years to cultivate the network that we have, so to start sharing our trails with cyclists is by all means unwarented.

Sure I would love to put on a set of skiis with wheels on and go for a rip up some bicycle path, let's say St.Agathe to Mt.Laurier but we all know where that idea is heading too EH!!!!

The idea to create their own trial network is what is needed but what cyclists know already is that this Fat Tire Trend is just that, a trend, and it will be all over and forgotten about in a few years, so to invest on building a trail network for this new sport is of course out of the question and that it would be more feasable to intercept on what already exists as the trend will not be here for long.

The clubs should tred lightly on this matter.

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Call me old school or call me square headed but I pay $300 to have a trail that doesn't have 4 Wheeler, or fat bike ruts on it. I will. pretty much gaurentee the bikers want to use the trails but will not pay the full permit price to help maintain them. I have heard the shared use story many times with many different users and none of them want to pay the real cost.

Just my $0.02 worth.

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Call me old school or call me square headed but I pay $300 to have a trail that doesn't have 4 Wheeler, or fat bike ruts on it. I will. pretty much gaurentee the bikers want to use the trails but will not pay the full permit price to help maintain them. I have heard the shared use story many times with many different users and none of them want to pay the real cost.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Well put...

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