Welcome. We're your premier source for fun places to explore by bicycle or on foot. Offering guides, maps and articles on road and trail riding for the novice to seasoned cyclist - helping you find your #NextBikeAdventure
A frosty fun bike pic to remember, so take a chance! If life were a fat bike trail and Wheelie Wednesday helped smooth out your day-to-day ride or aided you in dropping into your sweet spot, why not review the following tips to make your week an adrenaline high?
Here we found Frosty excited to about wheelie Wednesday and to hear that more snow is on the way to clean up his leaf covered coat.
Get into the zone and plan your next bike outing with family and friends at one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking Destinations. View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the new HaveFunBiking Guide.
Thanks for viewing our ‘Frosty Fun’ pic of the day!
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
So smooth out your day-to-day ride with Wheelie Wednesday, and:
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
Fond memories for this young mountain biker on the Jail Trail in St. Cloud last summer, competing on the St, Cloud High School Composites team of the Minnesota High School Cycling League.
What better way to reflect on your 2017 riding season and plan your 2018 #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.
Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Jail Trail’ Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
A bike pic to Remember, take a chance! If life were a fat bike trail and Wheelie Wednesday helped smooth out your day-to-day ride or aided you in dropping into your sweet spot, why not review the following tips to make your week an adrenaline high?
Get into the zone and plan your next bike outing with family and friends at one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking Destinations. View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the new HaveFunBiking Guide.
Thanks for viewing our ‘Wheelie Sweet Spot’ pic of the day!
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
So smooth out your day-to-day ride with Wheelie Wednesday, and:
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
Fond memories, we found this picture taken this last year of these two bikers enjoying warm weather riding on Summit Avenue, in St. Paul, MN.
View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the new HaveFunBiking Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends at one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.
Thanks for viewing our ‘Fond Memories’ Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
It’s Saturday and time to ride off on another adventure or visit your favorite bike shop for those last minute stocking stuffers. Here in the photo we caught this biker dude posing with the worlds largest muskie, in Nevis, MN, on the Heartland Trail. It is approximate 16 on the trail from Nevis to Walker.
What better way to continue your 2017 biking fun and to plan your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the latest Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends at one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.
Thanks for viewing our ‘Heartland Trail’ Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
From all of us at HaveFunBiking.com (HFB), We are elateded to introduce you to our inaugural issue of the Have Fun Biking Guide. We began with the HFB website in 2006 and have been publishing bicycle guides ever since.
What you will see in the Have Fun Biking National Guide
Like the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and our website, our goal is to help cyclists easily access the latest information on bicycling, including the best places to ride a
bike, plus helpful tips on gear, maintenance and safety for the next bike adventure. That
vision and process still holds true today as you page through the following feature
stories, tips and reviews in this new digital publication.
This new national bicycle guide offers bicyclists of all levels easily access the latest information on places to ride a bike, helpful tips and more.
Many of the articles and tips you see in the guide are also on our blog at HFB. So if you are looking for more updated details, along with additional descriptive photos and links, we have you covered.
A sneak peek at in future bi-monthly issues
Furthermore, if you want a sneak peek at what might be in our next issue of this guide or further details when on the go, please sign up for our weekly eNewsletter on the next page. I promise your email address will not be sold to, or shared with, a third party. Also, if you would like to view our daily photo ‘Pic of the Day’ please like – our Facebook or Instagram page.
Whether you are new to bicycling or a seasoned cyclist, we hope you enjoy and bookmark this handy guide to your favorite electronic device. Our goal is to continue publishing biking information to help you stay active and healthy.
Be an HFB partner, share you stories, pictures and ideas
To make future issues available, please check out all the links our sponsors have provided and let me know what you would like to see in our upcoming bi-monthly issues. This publication is a partnership between HaveFunBiking, our sponsors and you, our readers. We need your input
to be successful, so please feel free to share your opinions, ideas, photos and stories on bicycle related topics with us. Just send an email to: [email protected] and we will get back to you.
Fond memories for this young mountain biker on the Jail Trail in St. Cloud last summer, competing on the Mankato High School team of the Minnesota High School Cycling League.
What better way to reflect on your 2017 riding season and plan your 2018 #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.
Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Jail Trail’ Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.
Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
It almost feels like Christmas here at HaveFunBiking.com. Why such a great day?…..Because we have a new bike to review! The Frog 62, our review bike, is special because for the first time this writer won’t be the one reviewing it (more about that in a bit). Frog Bicycles is at the spear tip of a new movement in children’s bikes. They develop bicycles exclusively for children that fit better and weigh less than anything else. Considering I am not a child, I won’t be riding this bike. Instead, that duty of reviewing the Frog 62 is being passed along to my nine year old son.
The Frog 62 Bike
The Frog 62 uses an aluminum frame and fork designed to accept 24” wheels, and is very light weight for a kid’s bike (sub 20lbs). On paper, the Frog 62 could look like almost any other kids bike, but looks can be deceiving as Frog has hidden a few amazing fit-features in plain sight. To start, the handlebar and stem combination on this bike is custom for Frog. It is shorter, lighter and perfectly sized for small riders. On that subject, Frog also produces a custom crank that has arms that are both shorter and narrower to accommodate children’s shorter legs and narrower stance. To accept a narrower crank, Frog needs to build their frames specifically to accept those custom cranks. Out of the box, the Frog 62 comes standard with two sets of tires (knobby and smooth) as well as a complete fender set.
Frog 62 in all its green splendor.
Durability
I know what you are going to say. “My little Billy destroys every bike we get him, why do I want to buy a bike with custom parts I can’t replace when Billy does what Billy does?” I knew what you were going to say and so did Frog, that’s why Frog designed their bike around that very issue. In my experience, kids find new ways to destroy bikes every year, but almost never break the crank or stem. So with the Frog 62, that is where they stop with proprietary parts. The rest of the bike is put together with readily available components. While most are readily available, Frog did use the best combination of parts to fit children better than ever before.
Frog’s custom crank in action.
The Fit
The biggest selling feature of a Frog bicycle is the fit. Many mid-sized children’s bikes are just scaled up, tiny, kid’s bikes. By this I mean there is little allotment for size, the bars are typically too high, top tubes are short and they are designed as if the child doesn’t know how to ride a bike. Frog bikes on the other hand uses ongoing scientific testing at Brunel University to drive their bicycle fit dimensions. Due to the results of their testing, the bikes are built to fit children better, handle more accurately, and weigh substantially less than the competition.
Next steps
With Minnesota locked in winter, my son and I won’t be heading out onto the bike paths any time soon. Instead, I plan to use this bike first as a teaching opportunity while the ground is covered with snow. Meaning, that my son and I will build the bike together. Then, I plan to complete a full bicycle fit for him. Paying careful attention to see just how well the engineers at Frog designed this bike for children’s proportions. Also. the knobby tires and fenders will be great for when the weather finally breaks. Stay tuned to learn how the bike fit and build go.
Thanksgiving is over and the panic of holiday gift buying is in full effect. Don’t get too concerned, HaveFunBiking.com has you covered with our picks for the very best holiday gift guide ideas.
A gift guide for lovers of bikes
A bike waiting for you under the tree will be a thrill at any age. Over my 25 years in the cycling industry, I have found that the excitement of a new bike only increases as you get older. Here are a few of our very favorite bikes.
Marin has packed a ton of value into these bicycles. Their aluminum frame is comprised of highly manipulated tubing and buttery smooth sealed bearing pivots. All together, it’s hard to find a better value. As a 120mm travel trail bike, it is at home on almost any trail. The 27.5” x 3” tires offer unparalleled confidence even when the trails get rough. With models starting at $2100 that sport fully tunable suspension, a 1×11 speed drivetrain and hydraulic Shimano disc brakes, there’s very little competition.
“Set Stuff Done” is right! The Tern GSD leaves almost nothing to be desired from a utility bike. It can be easily stored upright and out of the way when not in use, loaded to the gills with cargo, or equipped to carry a passenger. In fact, thanks to the Bosch motor and ability to run two batteries, the possibilities for this bike are nearly endless. Hop over to the Tern site and see what there is to offer.
Simply put, this is the best looking E-bike I have seen. It uses a smart component selection that compliments the Shimano XT Motor, making the Bold 2 a dream machine. Ample power will lift you up the hills and the bikes great geometry, Rockshox suspension, and hydraulic disc brakes will allow you to attack the descents with confidence. Buzz over to Focus and read up on this spectacular machine.
For the Commuter on your list there is no better or safer gift than the Lupine SL-A7. It’s amazing light output and surgically accurate beam pattern are unparalleled in realm of cycling lights. For more info, take a look at our Out of the box article.
Helmets typically do one thing and one thing only – keep your head safe. MagicShine has infused their expertise in lighting into the helmet to create the very best in safety and visibility. The Genie helmet has a surprisingly bright 350 lumen headlamp, a rear blinker, and remote controlled blinkers. Click here for more info.
I received one of these fenders as a giveaway and never actually though anything about it. That is until one day when I was getting ready to leave for work on my cross bike and it began to rain. Without time to install a complete fender set, I grabbed the “giveaway”, and clipped it to my saddle. While I never thought much about the Ass Saver, the designers sure did. This fender that weighs almost nothing, can be installed in seconds, and packed away easily was an absolute epiphany. As advertised it kept my rear dry and never moved from its place. Buy one for all your friends, there that good.
Quietly and persistently, Manitou has been making a name for themselves as a sturdy, efficient, tune-able and high-quality suspension brand. Many don’t consider adjusting their suspension an important feature, and that is because most suspension is not very tune-able. This is not the case with Manitou. In fact they offer more range of tuning adjustment than most brands as well as aftermarket kits to make your suspension fit your needs perfectly. They do this while maintaining one of the most precise steering chassis around.
A lifelong cycling and industry veteran, Chris Lintaman, started the shoe company bearing his name in his new home of Taichung Taiwan. I remember him starting out the brand as a guy with a bag of shoes at Eurobike. Fast forward to today where you can see his shoes under professional cyclists around the world. The reason so many professional riders buy Lintaman shoes is because they are wildly adjustable for fit, and massively efficient. If you are looking for the most comfortable shoes in the world, look no further than Lintaman.
Minnesota winters are tough to say the least. Happily, this winter has been made easier for me by Sealskinz. Starting with there waterproof socks, saving my toes in the fall, and moving into the Halo gloves remarkable warmth into the Icy low teens, Sealskinz has kept me warm time and time again. Check out a few of our reviews for more info, or click to their site to see the whole line.
Over the last 25 years, I’ve repeatedly been impressed with Vittoria tires. That same feeling carries into my most recent test of the Vittoria Bomboloni 27+ tires. For your mountain biking gift getter, these tires are awesome!
Anyone on your holiday list that rides needs electrolyte replacement at some point. The supplement I would recommend above all else is Tailwind Nutrition. The light flavor and lack of an aftertaste are reason enough to use Tailwind. Now when you couple those reasons with the fact that Tailwind will never leave your belly sour like so many other sports drinks, the choice is easy.
What do you get the rider who has everything? Something custom! Athlos is new to the custom clothing game, and are making some serious waves. Custom used to mean you needed to buy huge quantities, and settle for low quality. With Athlos, you can buy one jersey and the quality is on par with the best cycling brands who charge three times the cost. Additionally, Athlos has a team of designers waiting to convert your thoughts and concepts into a real-world design.
For students, commuters, or rides who just love to have their bicycles well secured, RockMounts locks are a great gift. Over the past few years, RockyMounts invested heavily into their lock designs and came up with some really cool product. I love their Carlito lock most of all because it is light, tough, and easy to use.
Why not stuff stocking with stockings? Darn tough is a sock company out of Vermont with a lifetime sock warranty. Yes, you read that correctly. Forget an everlasting gobstopper, you can buy someone socks that will last forever! When I met with the sales group at Darn Tough, and pressed them about their warranty, they couldn’t have been any clearer – Lifetime Waranty! “what if I have a air of 15 year old socks?” I asked, “Lifetime warranty” they replied. “What if I wear only one pair of socks through a six month Appalachian Trail hike” I asked, “Lifetime Warrant” they replied. After a few months of wearing the Darn Tough Socks, I must say they are super comfortable, and as tough as the namesake.
We all need to get our bike from point A to point B. What nobody thinks about is the inherent danger in traveling with your bike on the back of your car. Bikes can obscure the tail lights from other drivers and make it difficult to see when you are stopping. Enter AutoRack to the rescue. This light setup weighs almost nothing and mounts to the last bike on your rack by way of a few straps. This gift is perfect for any rider!
Now that I have had over a month of cold weather under my belt, I feel comfortable talking about the Sealskinz Halo Winter Glove. The onset of Minnesota’s winter is probably colder than most peoples harsh winter months, so I feel that this mid-term review is probably a great indicator for 90 percent of America ’s riding needs.
The pros of the Sealskinz winter glove so far
I think we all agree, the major selling feature for any winter glove is warmth and this glove has that in spades. I have ridden well into the mid-teens and never once wanted for more insulation. Considering these gloves are a full five finger glove and lightweight, the fact that they are warm is unparalleled. Overall the gloves breath well, fit well and have a great amount of flexibility. I like the large Velcro flap that acts as the wrist closure and the palm material’s tacky grip on the bar.
The cons to date
The lighting system is one of the selling features for these gloves, but sadly it didn’t perform as stated. While the lights are bright their position on the glove doesn’t lend to amazing visibility. However, they do offer a really cool look when signaling your turns. Sadly, for me, one of the blinkers didn’t start well and didn’t last long. The bracket that holds the battery was loose from the factory and led to intermittent function. I was able to readjust the bracket (read bent) and the light functioned well. Unfortunately, maybe due to my work the wires broke free from the switch.
The wiring broke free on my Halo light (red circle). Luckily the part is replaceable
More Sealskinz info coming
With the lighting system aside, these gloves have been amazing. Considering that the Sealskinz Glove is known for warmth and not electronics, this makes sense. I’m planning on riding these gloves right up until they can’t insulate anymore. So far they have done a better job than any of the dozen or so gloves I have sitting at home. I also hope to see how long the palm material stays grippy. That palm is starting to show some signs of wear, but overall, they are well intact.
