Niners across the South By Donn O

Florida:

You got to be kidding right?  Mountain biking in the flattest state no way – yes, way cool! Thanks to a club called SWAMP and man made terrain left over from strip-mining. SWAMP has built a series of very technical trails in various parks built on reclaimed land.  These trails are built on hard white soil plied up from phosphate mining around the edge of flooded pits loaded with local wildlife – alligators / armadillos’ / wild pigs (very destructive) & lush tropical vegetation draped with Spanish moss.  These trails are all about abrupt transitions / super steep drops / tight single track / and innovated armoring and bridging – very tight and sketchy expert sections.

My favorite trails – Carter Road – Lakeland FL – the Fingers are 5 narrow steep piles of dirt jutting well out into an old flooded quarry – very steep technical single track with gators waiting for you to fall in.

Jamin in Florida.

Alafia State park – Great trail system with some very cool expert sections – probably the most popular local trail – it’s located east of I75 not far from Tampa and Balm Boyette a little closer in – they have some cool new stuff under construction.

Enough about the trails now what about Niners – don’t tell the locals I need all the advantages I can get - but niners kick butt in Florida.  I made a direct comparison between a Garry Fisher Sugar 429 and an Iron Horse 26er full suspension back in June – talk about hot and humid – come in the winter its much nicer.  Besides the hard phosphate rock there is plenty of soft sand and the niners have a huge advantage on the soft stuff - significantly lower pedal effort is required to power the bike – I found this out the hard way after a fast several mile run down a sandy road fighting the drag from the sixer nearly blew me up before I even got to the trail.  While riding back out on the niner this same road was a piece of cake.

With all the short steep stuff on these trails the niner’s big momentum advantage will carry you back up the other side of the big drops.  The niners also give you more traction for climbing the vertical stuff.  And lastly the trails here snake thru all these Palmetto bushes which cover the trails with big roots that the bigger tires just roll over.  I am planning a return trip this fall with my new Niner RIP – I can’t wait.

Alabama:

I stayed in the Montgomery area – not many trails but I did find one – The Swayback Bridge trail – I ran into a local and guess what he was riding a hard tail Niner and even better he had been to our web site to read reviews – amazing! The trail was pretty wet and somewhat a maze – It started down a sandy dirt road full of puddles and flat as flat, I was thinking what a bore. After awhile the trail started to follow some ditches which turned into ravines which converged onto a neat trail along the edge of a picturesque lake Jordan.  This trail ended up with a surprising amount of climbing including one super steep wet clay climb.  There is a lot of land here I believe that they could induce more flow into this trail but the climbs do give you a good workout – heck I might have been riding it in the wrong direction.  The big thing I noticed while riding this trail is how well my Niner handled the wet roots & rocks with hardly any sliding or spinning.  The big tires offer way more traction under slick conditions another big niner plus.

Georgia:

I found out that Georgia is a hot bed of mountain biking with a large number of cool trails.  I did not get to check out the mountainous part of the state but I did check out two trails one north and one east of Atlanta.

From Donn's trip to Geogia. If you can't read the sign it is the sign for the Olympic race course in Conyers GA

Chicopee Woods to the north was sweet – a hilly trail situated next to a golf course.  This SORBA trail is heavily used – all the bikes have packed the Georgia red clay down to a hard & fast surface.  My Niner just screamed on a section called Flying Squirrel (good name) – this fast high flow section is just what my Niner craves what a blast.  This swoopy go fast trail is the prefect combination for niners high momentum and traction advantages.  You got to check it out a really fun trail.

The Olympic trail in Conyers GA – east of Atlanta.  You can tell this trail was built for Olympic competition because they designed in plenty of steep kick butt climbs.  Unfortunately this trail got hit hard from all the recent flooding – a lot of it was washed but still very ride able.  The thing I really liked about this trail was the huge granite section across the road from the parking area – I love riding on granite it has such great traction except for the wet slime areas.  The big Niner tires are at home on the undulating granite surface smoothing it out and gripping it.  I played on the granite surface for quite some time playing on the many the ledges and drops what great fun.  I was also glad I was on a Niner while negotiating some of the rough and washed sections of the main trail where the bigger tires give you more control and confidence.  It was hot and this trail wore me out with all the climbing – not a great trail for flow but this trail is all about the Olympic experience and pushing the riders physical limits.

South Carolina:

The FATS trail system is located just over the state line from Augusta Georgia in South Carolinas Sumter National Forest.  I read a lot about this IMBA trail – the state of SC paid big bucks to have this trail system designed and built so I wanted to check it out.  Boy I’m glad I did and luckily I hooked up with a fast local rider that took me on a guided tour of this trail system.  This trail system has the most flow of any trail I ever ridden – I’m sure this is based on direction of travel but my local guide hooked me up on that.  My Niner RIP 9 had a big ring crank fest here.  The first trail we hit was called the Skinny – we averaged 14 mph on this screaming fast trail.  The Niners big Racing Ralf’s did a good job gripping thru the corners though I did experience some drifting on some of the corners that had a slight bit of sand on them – the big niner tires allow you to do that and maintain control.  Besides the cornering this trail becomes pretty technical when ridden at high speed – then the many bumps and ditches turn into jumps and G out’s that either want to fling you into the air or crush you.  The second trail we rode was called the Great Wall, this trail was more of the same it started with an extended down hill run that really pushed the limits - it had more climbing than the Skinny but I never shifted out of the big ring in fact that’s the secret of this trails system design, there is a lot of hill here but the trail builder follow the terrains contour line with extended low angle down hills & climbs – all fast big ring stuff – what fun!  The Niner really put me in the zone on this section which is where I passed my guide and cruised on at my own speed. I only got to ride about half of the trail here and I can’t wait to make a return trip to check out the rest.

F.A.T.S. Great Wall Loop from Donn Otte on Vimeo.

North Carolina:

Home base for 29eronline.com – we are located near the middle of the State.  North Carolina has plenty of great trails of all types from the mountains to the coast.  North Carolina is mainly known for the mountain trails – Nantahala / Pisgah / DuPont State Forest - all of these places are great but a long haul for us – NC is a big state.  Because mountain biking here has its roots in the metro areas where the riders live a number of sweet trails have been built near population centers.

My favorite mountain trail is DuPont State Forest – awesome waterfall views Bridal Veil Falls for one and some sweet single track - airport area with a big slick rock granite section – Cedar Rock & Big Rock - break out the granny gear.

Favorite Piedmont trails:  I had a lot to say about the FATS trail in SC – well we have one that tops that – Over the Mountain Victory Trail & Warriors Creek – right on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Wilkesboro NC.  These super high flow trails were cut with a mini Ditch Witch bulldozer and designed and built by the local Brushy Mountain bike club on Corp of Engineers land surrounding Kerr Scott Lake – what makes these two trails so good, try imagining a bobsled run thru the mountains – huge banked turns and wall rides make this trail a blast to ride – Warriors Creek is the best but OTMVT is a close second. I love this trail – it’s so fun and fast and all of those great downhills have matching climbs!  I will say there is a learning curve to figure out how to ride the banking but my Niner RIP 9 nails it perfectly.  This is the ultimate niner trail the big momentum really kicks in here carrying speed way past where the sixers run out of steam.  My ultra stiff Fox fork with the QR15 axel threads the banked turns like a crotch rocket handling a curvy mountain road.

The National White Water Center trail – located not far from the airport in Charlotte NC, This is the ultimate multi million dollar adult playground.  Two man made rivers and one natural one supports kayaking and rafting / multiple climbing walls / a ropes course / a 1000’ zip line / restaurant & store. On top of that is the sweet 13 mile bike trail – this one gets heavily used because Charlotte is so big.  The red clay soil becomes brick like – hard and fast my Niner eats it up – tight and turny thru the Pine trees.  My favorite is the North trails along with the carpet loop and the toilet bowl loop.  An excellent trail so close to a major metro area – it cost $5 to park.

Other metro trails and eastern trails

Hobby Park – Winston Salem

Owls Roost & Wild Turkey – Greensboro

Harris Lake – Apex

Blue Clay – Wilmington

Bicycle Post trail – Greenville

Check Trianglemtb.com for Raleigh area trails

Uwharie near Troy

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention two Sanford area trails that I designed and built.

Governors Creek – a fast 6.5 course mile built for racing fun! Ride it both ways to get a good ride in.

San Lee Park – Jonesboro Fault Trail – unique geology brings mountain riding to the center of the state.  This trail is why I ride a full suspension 29er.  Nothing smooth here so don’t whine to me that it is to rough to ride - I ride a Niner RIP 9 so rough is good.  There are two technical black diamond sections the Gauntlet - single black diamond & Free Fall our 29er double black diamond torture track – Free Fall is a ¾ mile boulder garden for your pleasure.  Ride Free Fall at your own risk, - its not free ride stuff just throw you over the handlebars onto pointy rocks stuff for experienced cross country riders looking to hone there technical skills - body armor is not a bad idea.  Trail is a mix of white quartz rock & granite boulders.  29er tires smooth out the roots & rocks and there added traction eat up the loose quartz gravel climbs.

San Lee Park

Park has limited hours – get there 1.5 hours before closing – park is closed for some winter holidays – call first - 919-776-6221

Leave a comment, and if you'd like your own picture to show up next to your comments, go get a gravatar!