Part 1 of 3 United States Department of Agriculture MountainMountain BikeBike Forest Service Technology & Development AccessoriesAccessories forfor Program 2300 Recreation April 1998 TTrailrail WWorkork 9823-2812-MTDC Brian Vachowski, Project Leader 7E72A47–Accessories for Transporting Trail Maintenance Tools 1 Part 1 of 3 Contents Acknowledgments Part 1of 3 any people throughout the country who are not listed Introduction ___________________________ 3 here helped on this project with their comments and MM suggestions. I am especially grateful to the following The Situation at Seward _________________ 4 for their indepth contributions: Benefits of Bicycles ____________________ 5 Suzanne Hanlon, Adventure Cycling Association Not for Everyone _______________________ 6 Stephen Hmurciak, Seward Ranger District Panniers ______________________________ 7 Irene Lindquist, Seward Ranger District Chain Saw Carrier ______________________ 8 Kurt Loheit, International Mountain Bicycling Assn. Part 2 of 3 John Morris, Burley Design Cooperative Trailers ______________________________ 10 Sylvia Russell, Recreational Equipment, Inc. B.O.B. Yak Trailer _________________________ 10 B.O.B. Coz Trailer _________________________ 11 Wheele Pac Dog Trailer _____________________ 11 Keith Wolferman, Missoula Aerial Fire Depot Burley Design Cooperative’s Prototype _________ 11 Part 3 of 3 MTDC Staff: Bob Beckley, Windy Hayden, Bob Hensler, Product Sources and Organizations ______ 14 Gary Hoshide, Bert Lindler, and Sara Lustgraaf. About the Author______________________ 14 Appendix A—Job Hazard Analyses for Riding Mountain Bicycles and for Trailers _____________ 15 Appendix B—Kurt Loheit’s Tool Holder (Fits B.O.B. Yak Trailer) _______________________ 17 The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies, and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader, and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice or TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250, or call 1-800-245- 6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer. 2 Part 1 of 3 Introduction ountain bikes. You find them on nonwilderness trails everywhere. MMContinual improvements in bicycle suspensions, brakes, structural materials, and other key components allow mountain bikers to travel faster, farther, and with greater ease and dependability than ever before. It should come as no surprise that mountain bike enthusiasts who also maintain trails have seen the benefits of using mountain bikes for trail work. This case study shows how the Sew- ard Ranger District on the Chugach National Forest uses mountain bikes. In addition, it describes how the Mis- soula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) worked with the District trail crew to develop a bicycle-mounted chain saw carrier and evaluate several single-wheeled bicycle cargo trailers. 3 Part 1 of 3 The Situation at Seward et in the beautiful and mountain- has been spreading for the past several and have noted an incredible savings of ous Kenai Peninsula south of years. Each year, more dead trees are time by 50% over backpacking. We have SSAnchorage, Alaska, the Seward falling across the trails. Removing 2,000 found mountain bike travel to be fast and Ranger District has a short summer trees with diameters averaging 15 to 24 easier on the body and mind than hiking season, high visitation, and a shrink- inches is beginning to be the norm. with the gear and equipment in the ing trail maintenance budget. proper situation. For the trails and circum- We are not located in a wilderness and stances where mountain bike travel is In her project proposal to MTDC, the preferred method for trail employees appropriate, we believe a good system District Trails Coordinator Irene to remove fallen trees is with a chain with specially designed equipment is Lindquist (Figure 1) provided some saw, adding to the weight of standard worth investigating. details about the trail program: camping equipment. Heavy backpack loads combined with continuous mount- Currently we mount a chain saw in a ❝The Seward Ranger District has a ing and unmounting of the pack and scabbard on the rear rack. Our front spruce bark beetle infestation which walking several miles cutting trees is rack holds a set of panniers. A second physically and mentally traveler on mountain bike usually has exhausting. panniers on front and back for the gas/ oil and ax. We are trying new and more We have been experiment- advanced designs of mountain bikes for ing with mountain bike travel the 1995 season. We have not come up for early season tree removal with any new designs for carrying a chain saw, gas/oil, and ax. We would like to design a bike and accessories capable of holding a chain saw (size similar to a Stihl 036 with a 20-inch bar) and 1.5 gallons gas, 2 quarts oil, wedges, ax, safety and first aid equip- ment, and personal gear for the day.❞ At MTDC’s sug- Figure 1—Irene Lindquist and Stephen Hmurciak (right) gestion, the Sew- were principal evaluators for this project. ard trail crew also agreed to evaluate single-wheeled cargo trailers. 4 Part 1 of 3 Benefits of Bicycles e don’t want to turn trail mainte- nance, it allows the recreating public to The Seward trail crew is experienced. nance into another Extreme experience a less frustrating hike, bike, Crews use loaded mountain bikes on WWSport. Picture it. Barely-in-con- or horseback ride on our trails.❞ single-track trails considered moderate trol cyclists careening down mountain to difficult for ordinary mountain biking. trails, chain saws in tow, grinning Mountain bikes improve dramatically Their use as described in this report fiendishly as hikers scatter like terrified every year. In 1997, the District had represents difficult conditions and sheep at their approach. six bikes: heavy wear. The scabbard and trailers described in this report make more To the contrary, we want to show you • Two Novara Arribas without shocks, sense and would be safer on easier how members of one trail crew found purchased in 1990 trails. that using mountain bikes for logging • Two Trek 970’s with front shocks, out some pretty tough trails allowed purchased in 1994 On the Seward Ranger District, moun- them to double their production without • Two Specialized Rock Hoppers tain bikes work best for logging out taking extraordinary risks. with front shocks, purchased in trails early in the summer. A two- 1995. person crew typically can log out 8 The Seward trail crew has used moun- miles (12.8 km) in a 12-hour day. tain bikes since about 1989, but has Front shocks are a prerequisite for Crews have logged out as much as increased the use of bikes markedly any new bicycles purchased. 11 miles (17.6 km) of trail in a single during the past 4 years. Currently, the day. This is about twice as much trail District fields three, two-person bike The Seward District’s mountain bikes as a hiking crew can log out in a day. teams to log out trails at the beginning are used hard and require constant Being able to return to the trailhead of the summer season. maintenance and repair. Brake pads, in fairly quickly often eliminates the need particular, need to be replaced weekly, for camping out. That means crews Irene Lindquist reports: ❝Our number or even more often when bike trailers don’t have to carry camping gear and one savings utilizing mountain bike are used. The District expects to spend food in addition to their equipment. travel has been time. Running a close about $150 in parts for each bike per second is a lack of wear and tear on year, not counting the labor to install Mountain bikes have also proven the employees’ backs, knees, and feet. the parts. invaluable for trail contract inspection. Irene Lindquist rode 20 miles (32 km) The savings of time not only benefits the to check a contractor, then rode out, Forest Service by allowing time saved all in a single day. Hiking 40 miles (64 to be used on bridge and tread mainte- km) would have taken her 3 days. 5 Part 1 of 3 Not for Everyone iding a mountain bicycle on any Look at your own situation carefully In Appendix A, we’ve enclosed two job trail takes considerable skill. The before committing to a bike-mounted hazard analyses prepared by the Sew- RRrider needs to be in good physical trail crew. This is not an easy decision. ard Ranger District, one for using the condition. Controlling a heavily loaded The easier the trail, the more mountain mountain bikes and the other for using bike on rough mountain trails requires bikes make sense. Mountain bikes mountain bike trailers. Tailor your much more—exceptional skill, endur- and other mechanical devices are not analyses to the local conditions and ance, strength, and experience. Make permitted in designated wilderness. hazards—you might have cactus to sure your crew has plenty of experi- contend with instead of bears. ence riding mountain bikes before loading one up with a chain saw or attaching a trailer.