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
Make your way to a Minnesota mountain bike trail with fall colors becoming more prevalent. In this photo, we found this rider heading out to Stahls Lake Park, a single-track trail near Hutchinson, MN.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can 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 we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging 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 in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
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. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
Have a great day with a safe and memorable summer!
As the mercury hovers below freezing this is the perfect time for bike maintenance to prepare your bicycle for sunnier days. There are many benefits to bringing your bike into the shop during the ‘down’ winter months rather than waiting for the spring season to come around.
Here in the photo above these bike maintenance shop mechanic’s at Penn Cycle are waiting for your bike. While waiting they are putting bicycles together for Free Bikes 4 Kidz,
1. Bike Maintenance at the Shop
Most shops operate on a “first in / first out” repair schedule. This means during the busy months there may be weeks of bicycles ahead of yours in line to be repaired. Bring your bicycle in during the winter to be repaired. The repair time will be the same, but the waiting list will be shorter.
2. Discounts, Deals, and More!
The fall and winter weather may discourage riders from going out, but bike shops still need to do business. In order to draw customers, bike shops sometimes offer special pricing on different services, bikes, or parts. Additionally, lots of shops offer free clinics, demos, and presentations as well!
3. Employees can Offer their Expertise and Undivided Attention
It’s no secret that winter in a bike shop is slow. What better time to talk with sales people and mechanics? Need to know what bike type might work best for you? Is a fat bike right for you? Is that biking glove really better than the one you already have? If it’s a question about the service or adjustments to your bike, they are likely to spend more time with you and not be rushed.
The spring and summer packs the mechanics’ schedules, and their focus needs to be on completing repairs. During the winter they have much more time to spend with customers, educating them on how their bike functions.
Spring and summer for the sales staff is similar. They tend to be busy trying to attend to every customer in the shop. But in the fall and winter less people come in, so they can focus on one thing – you.
Fall is a gorgeous time to get on that bike and pedal to the medal – or maybe just pedal. The crisp autumn air makes breathing easy and without a hot sun, heat stroke isn’t an issue. With the gorgeous hues of oranges, yellows, and browns that color the landscape, fall bike riding is arguably the best.
Rather than putting a bike in storage early due to the fluctuation in weather, here’s the answer you’re lookin for. To conquering this fall problem is by wearing layers. While this might seem obvious, the key lies in correctly layering appropriate clothing. If correctly done, it can optimize comfort for the rider. Not only that, it can also increase the ability of how each layer works to maximize moister and temperature regulation.
Base Layer
Your base layer should have great moisture and wicking ability to keep your body dry. Also opt for something that you’d wear if it were to get on the warmer side compared to the colder side for this layer. For example, put on the short sleeve jersey, undershirt, and arm warmers compared to a long-sleeved jersey or shirt. If it gets too warm, you can only do so much with long sleeves whereas you can always taken off the arm warmers if you become too toasty.
For fall bike riding, at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, knees should always be covered.
For your bottoms, keep up with this same principle. Realize that legs will warm up quickly while pedaling. Whether you keep them bare by wearing shorts or your usual spring/summer attire or go with wearing long knickers, it’s good to layer these items as well. Leg warmers are also a good thing to use if you have them. Also, they can easily come off and be put away when the temperature rises.
Remember, at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, knees should always be covered. Even if they warm up during the ride, with wind, it’s best to keep them protected from the cold.
Top Layers
The top layers are arguably the most important layers you need to choose. This is because these are the layers that you’ll remove to try to reach that ideal temperature. There are many different potential items that you can layer over the base layer, but the rule of layering for fall weather absolutely applies. The Rule: Layer smartly. Keep in mind that the last item you’re putting on should be the one you’d want to take off first.
Arm warmers are a great clothing items to wear for fall bike riding if you have them.
We like the idea of having a long-sleeved jersey or shirt that can help keep the arms warm, whether that ends up over or under arm warmers (if you decide to use them). A windbreaker can be exceptionally helpful. Even if there are no gales going through the area, biking moves you though the air and produces a ‘wind’ that can chill you. Over the long-sleeves, we’d recommend a jacket – heavy or lighter depending on you and the weather. Other layers can be added as well.
Other Important Areas – Head, Fingers, and Feet
Today, there are many different accessories and products that can help keep the other parts of your body warm and therefore keep you happy and riding longer. Scarves, earmuffs, full-fingered biking gloves, cycling caps, shoe covers to reduce cold air into the shoe – these are all things that you can consider adding to your list.
Depending on the out door tempurature full fingered gloves may be more desirable to wear for fall bike riding.
Neck Up
Scarves help ensure cold air doesn’t sneak into your jacket where you don’t want it – plus it keeps your neck and can keep part of your face warm!
Riding is hard when your ears are cold and aching. This is where earmuffs, or a hat with earflaps, are a welcome sight. It’s something you won’t regret once out biking, especially when it gets colder or the wind picks up!
Your head tends to be overlooked when going out to bike. While the helmet can feel warm while biking, when the temperature drops more, sometimes a little more is needed to keep your scalp warm. Today, many helmets allow some leeway in them for biking caps or headbands to help keep the rider’s head warm.
Hands and Fingers
Many bikers have fingerless cycling gloves, but when it comes to colder weather, full-fingered biking gloves are a must. When your fingers are frozen stiff and numb, you can lose your grip and find it difficult – if not near impossible – to shift gear. Since this is so dangerous for the rider, we would highly recommend getting a good pair of full-fingered biking gloves.
Feet and Toes
Shoe covers aren’t generally necessary until the temperature drops further – usually below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Socks made of wool have great breathability and warmth, but even so, your toes can get chilled when the wind picks up. Shoe covers can help keep the wind out from those breathable athletic shoes many wear in the summer.
Again, if you’re not exactly sure how to layer, just remember that the last article of clothing that you put on should be the first item that you’ll want to take off.
No mater what your choice in clothing items to wear for fall bike riding, get out and have fun.
It might take a few tries to get this right. With so many different material types, combinations, and different conditions to factor in, a lot of the time it takes a few trial and error runs to find the order that you should layer on clothing. However, once you figure it out, it’s easy sailing! Then, you can reach your perfect temperature and adjust whenever needed during your bike ride.
