BIKING : Riders Fear Loss of Park Fire Roads
Flanked by two rows of fat-tired mountain bikes in his Van Nuys bicycle shop, Dennis Davis issued a plea to all newcomers to the fast-growing sport.
“The real issue is to be kind to the hikers and people up in the mountains,” Davis said. “If not, we are going to lose those trails.”
Davis needs the fire roads in the Santa Monica Mountains, one of the most popular areas for mountain biking, for him and his customers. Because the sport has boomed over the past two years, the owner of Europa Bikes is worried about losing good riding areas. In many area, hikers have been protesting the activities of riders.
“It takes just a few bad riders to spoil it for everyone,” said Dennis Shields, manager of Davis’ store, which specializes in mountain bikes.
Shields and Davis conduct rides twice weekly for beginning and advanced mountain bikers. Novice riders get together Thursdays at 7:30 a.m., while the more advanced, “crash and burn” riders convene Sundays at 8 a.m. Both groups meet behind Europa Bikes at 6409 Van Nuys Blvd.
“The guys who come here on Sunday are some of the top riders,” Davis said. “They are not real good at baby-sitting slow people.”
Davis rents mountain bikes for $20 a day to new riders who aren’t sure they want to put out between $300 and $2,500 for a bike. Of his customers who invest in their own bike, the majority don’t even make it to the mountains.
“There is a big push in mountain bikes right now, but 90% of our sales never even get into the dirt,” he said. “The bike is comfortable, the fat tires control that. With the upright handlebars, you don’t have to bend over a skinny little bike.”
Shields estimates that about 48% of the bicycling industry is devoted to mountain biking, including 70% of sales at Europa. The bike’s design, a wide, stout frame with thick, knobbed tires and T-shaped handlebars, is geared for comfort. Its low center of gravity, with the rider’s weight over the back tire, improves its traction in the dirt.
Several of the popular local riding areas, including Topanga State Park and Malibu Creek State Park, allow riding on fire roads only. Unless there is a sign for mountain bikers, single-track trails are off-limits.
There is no bicycle riding allowed on fire roads at Griffith Park. The National Park Service does not have a policy on off-road bicycles, but can be reached at 818-888-3770.
Information: 818-989-2453.