marin headlands offroad trail bike rides

900ss

900ss

Well-known member
Recommendations for Marin Headlands offroad trail bike rides?

My wife insists on not buying an e-mtb for riding offroad. She has a Specialized Turbo Vado SL, and I must say she does a fantastic job riding it offroad. I picked up a Turbo Levo SL, which of course is a full-blown full suspension e-mtb. We rode in The Forest of Nisene Marks a couple of weeks ago, 9 miles one way in and back, with 1700+ plus feet elevation gain.

She does extremely well with her bike, though it obviously beats her up, being essentially a rigid bike (the Future Shock doesn't really do much in the way of smoothing the bumps on these trails).

She is 68 years of age, with a hip replacement and arthritis in her spine, and was an excellent technical rider when we did serious offroad riding many years ago. This was before our son was born, who's is now 30. Yikes.

Anyway, today we drove into the Marin headlands, and she wants to ride bikes in there. Any recommendations for trail loops with her riding skills and current bicycle? Fire roads would be preferable, and hopefully not too rutted. The Tennessee Valley loop looks cool.

She does not get cowed by any terrain, but I want to keep it sensible for her. I will ride my e-gravel bike (Turbo Levo SL) in order to share the suffering. It's the right thing to do!
 
B

BURNROPE

Well-known member
I hike a lot in Marin. Mountain bikes are welcome on fire roads,of which there are quite a few and they vary in difficulty and surface conditions. There's a map published by the The Olmsted & Bros. Map Co. called "Trails of Mt. Tamalpias and the Marin Headlands" It shows all the trails and fire roads and lists where bicycles can go. There are prolly Mtn bike specific maps available. China Camp has more mountain bikers than hikers sharing the trails.
There's a lot of signage at intersections at both locations.
 
900ss

900ss

Well-known member
BURNROPE said:
I hike a lot in Marin. Mountain bikes are welcome on fire roads,of which there are quite a few and they vary in difficulty and surface conditions. There's a map published by the The Olmsted & Bros. Map Co. called "Trails of Mt. Tamalpias and the Marin Headlands" It shows all the trails and fire roads and lists where bicycles can go. There are prolly Mtn bike specific maps available. China Camp has more mountain bikers than hikers sharing the trails.
There's a lot of signage at intersections at both locations.
Click to expand...

Thank you, it's appreciated! :thumbup
 
Killroy1999

Killroy1999

Well-known member
I'm not sure how I feel about it, but eBikes are prohibited from more and more off-road areas. Something to be aware of.
 
mbsv

mbsv

Well-known member
e-bikes are allowed on most, but not all, trails in the headlands where bikes are allowed. some (the more technical ones) are 'downhill only'.

the information is a bit hard to find, but go here:
https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm
then click on "2020 compendium exhibits".
then go to page 24 of that pdf.

the policies page also links all of the other details, same info in a text form, regulations, etc.

generally... well, e-bikes are similar to but not the same as bicycles. class 1 bikes are pretty close, which i think yours are, and are likley to be permitted on many mtb trails.

(class 2? that's a small motorcycle, and should be regulated as such.)
 
M

Matty D

Well-known member
There are miles and miles of fireroads out there in the headlands, hard to go wrong and yes, Tennessee Valley is a good place to start.

If you like paper maps, the one mentioned by Burnrope is great. Another option is to download the Trailforks app, which should have a ton of different ideas for you. You can also try Strava but I find Trailforks easier to use as a navigation tool.

All of that said, unless it's a money thing I don't really understand your wife's position. You may already know this but a proper full suspension bike with real mtb tires will be so much more comfortable for her, particularly given her hip, back, etc. She'd also have more control and therefore be safer. To each their own and she'll probably be fine on fire roads but really, she's sort of self-handicapping by taking her current bike into the dirt.
 
mbsv

mbsv

Well-known member
And yes, a common loop is Rodeo Valley to Tennessee valley. E.g. from Rodeo Valley, up Miwok, down Old Springs, to Tennessee Valley (walk through the stables), then up Marincello, down Bobcat back to Rodeo Valley.
 
900ss

900ss

Well-known member
Matty D said:
There are miles and miles of fireroads out there in the headlands, hard to go wrong and yes, Tennessee Valley is a good place to start.

If you like paper maps, the one mentioned by Burnrope is great. Another option is to download the Trailforks app, which should have a ton of different ideas for you. You can also try Strava but I find Trailforks easier to use as a navigation tool.

All of that said, unless it's a money thing I don't really understand your wife's position. You may already know this but a proper full suspension bike with real mtb tires will be so much more comfortable for her, particularly given her hip, back, etc. She'd also have more control and therefore be safer. To each their own and she'll probably be fine on fire roads but really, she's sort of self-handicapping by taking her current bike into the dirt.
Click to expand...

I fully agree with your assessment, and appreciate the input. Her not wanting another bike is due to the number we already have collectively, including our son's collection. It's not a money thing at all, and she has waffled back and forth.

Having ridden my Turbo Levo SL briefly on a rough patch coming out of Nisene Marks, she understands the comfort and level of control it offers over her Turbo Vado.

I think she will cave eventually and have me buy her one.

Wimmenz......:rolleyes
 
mercurial

mercurial

Well-known member
I just bought a Orbea FS e-mtb today. These things are total game changers in the mountain biking world, and open up all sorts of new riding options. I'm totally healthy, I just want to go twice as far, twice as fast.
 
900ss

900ss

Well-known member
mercurial said:
I just bought a Orbea FS e-mtb today. These things are total game changers in the mountain biking world, and open up all sorts of new riding options. I'm totally healthy, I just want to go twice as far, twice as fast.
Click to expand...

Very cool, and congrats! Which model did you get?
 
900ss

900ss

Well-known member
Daredevil

Daredevil

Modest Max
first of all.

just download trailforks on your phone. it has all the answers.


a great out and back that's a combo of double track and fire road is Bolinas Ridge Trail.


I have mixed feelings about E-mountain bikes. on one hand, it gets more people out there on trails and expands the riding community. it allows for easier access to new area's.
on the other hand, it tears trails apart and causes excess erosion. And i've noticed a lot of people get caught out farther and into harrier situations due to the ease of access.

I see a pretty large divide between E-bikers and Pedal bikers within the community. Like skiers vs snowbaorders from the 90's almost. A lot of pedal guys have the view of "they aren't earning their turns".

I will admit, when im huffing and puffing 25 miles deep into a ride and someone on an E-bike comes by easy peasy, practically sipping tea, the thought of "they don't know what this is actually like" comes across my mind.

but hey, they're on 2 wheels, out in nature, enjoying the same scenery i am.
 
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900ss

900ss

Well-known member
BURNROPE said:
I hike a lot in Marin. Mountain bikes are welcome on fire roads,of which there are quite a few and they vary in difficulty and surface conditions. There's a map published by the The Olmsted & Bros. Map Co. called "Trails of Mt. Tamalpias and the Marin Headlands" It shows all the trails and fire roads and lists where bicycles can go. There are prolly Mtn bike specific maps available. China Camp has more mountain bikers than hikers sharing the trails.
There's a lot of signage at intersections at both locations.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I ordered maps from SmallMaps. Does anyone know of a foldable laminate material? I would like to weatherproof them before use.
 
M

Matty D

Well-known member
I agree on mixed feelings and it is totally situational- and user-dependent. There are always good and bad examples with stuff like this.

I'll tell you though, you can get just as much if not more of a workout on an e-bike. I don't own one (yet) but have been able to borrow them several times and head out for rides with some of my usual riding buddies. Guess what? We still drill each other into the ground and spend a ton of time on the rivet, we just go faster and farther doing it. Plus, with the extra weight you get a better upper body workout. So to me it's really just another way to get kicks on two wheels, one that can be used responsibly or not.
 
mercurial

mercurial

Well-known member
These things fix the huge turn-off of conventional mountain biking; namely, that there are lots of trails that are just too steep and you end up walking the bike and staring at the ground. If that's my option, I will just hike, but that has it's own tradeoffs.

IMO e-mtbs are like modern day horses, without all the maintenance headache. The risk of irresponsible riders is very real, though. Maybe it is a good thing that they remain pretty expensive.
 
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Butch

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Good thread. We are cursed with such cool stuff. I ride a Marin Mt Vision, though not so much anymore since I have the Altas.

Speaking of paper maps, I have a huge collection of USGS topos. All the places I have hiked and biked. Most of the Sierra. Cascades, etc.

Anyone want them? They are pretty cool.
 
M

Matty D

Well-known member
mercurial said:
These things fix the huge turn-off of conventional mountain biking; namely, that there are lots of trails that are just too steep and you end up walking the bike and staring at the ground. If that's my option, I will just hike, but that has it's own tradeoffs.
Click to expand...

Personally, even if I need to walk a few sections I'd rather be on a bike than in boots pretty much any day. And the more you ride, the less you walk due to improved fitness and skills. :thumbup
 
900ss

900ss

Well-known member
Butch said:
Good thread. We are cursed with such cool stuff. I ride a Marin Mt Vision, though not so much anymore since I have the Altas.

Speaking of paper maps, I have a huge collection of USGS topos. All the places I have hiked and biked. Most of the Sierra. Cascades, etc.

Anyone want them? They are pretty cool.
Click to expand...

Your are still welcome to try mine when you are ready. I switched to some Vittoria Mezcal tires and went tubeless. If you do want to try it let me know if you would want the original tires mounted, which are Specialized; a Butcher on the front and Eliminator on the back. They would be much better if you play in the mud.
 
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