Adventure West

A Beginner’s Guide to Bike Touring for Women

March 13, 2020

Are you a woman planning her first bicycle tour? After traveling more than 10,000 miles (and counting) in the last five years and visiting more than 20 countries, I feel competent to give you a few tips on some crucial beginner’s do’s and don’ts. Here’s my simple and actionable guide that will get you from… Read More »

A Moab Mountain Biking “Big Ride”

December 5, 2019

Or What Mountain Bike Guides Do For Fun During The Off-season Moab mountain biking season wraps up pretty quick at the end of October, leaving guides on what has been called ‘Funemployment.’ Plenty of time to ride and good November weather make it a great time of year. I thought, let’s celebrate the end of… Read More »

Flats or Clips? Mountain Bike Pedal Options

October 24, 2019

Cycling is filled with all these ying and yang concepts. Road or Mountain? 27.5 or 29? Enduro or XC? Guided ride vs DIY? Clips or Flats? A million internet forum threads debate the pros and cons of each with passionate believers on each side. I’ll just have the time here to consider flat vs clipped-in… Read More »

Fall Mountain Biking in Moab and Southeast Utah

October 11, 2019

In Canyonlands, fall is high season for mountain biking (and for just about every other activity, as well.) The number of visitors in town on any day in September or October can rival the busiest days of April or May. There are many reasons for this, though the most obvious is that the triple digit… Read More »

Mountain Bike Singletracks in Arches and Canyonlands?

August 26, 2019

Where are they?! Short Answer: There are none. Long Answer: The National Park Service only allows bikes on paved or unpaved roads. No bikes are allowed on hiking trails. In Arches, you can bike the Willow Flats Road or the Salt Valley Road (but few people do it.) In Canyonlands, you can ride: The White… Read More »

Moab Mountain Biking Guide

July 18, 2019

For Beginner and Low-Intermediate Riders Beginner Trails Bar M Trail Head: Get ready for a wonderful introduction to Moab mountain biking. Moab Brands Trailhead 10.6 miles from town. Drive north on Hwy 191, turn right at sign for Moab Brands, follow gravel road to large parking lot with pit toilets. Distance: 8.8 miles in a… Read More »

How To Not Die In The Desert

June 20, 2019

(hint: drink water… lots and lots of water) While visiting Moab, especially during the hot summer months when temperatures commonly spike north of 100 degrees, the effort to keep your body adequately hydrated can be a real chore. It can also be the difference between a pleasant hike and a trip to the hospital. Some… Read More »

The Whole Enchilada in Bites

June 4, 2019

(with a side of The Big Burrito “coming soon”) The Whole Enchilada is famous. It is ranked the number one mountain bike trail in the world by Singletracks.com. And yet it isn’t actually a “trail” at all, but rather a route that involves linking together six distinct trails back-to-back. Writers have described it as “iconic,”… Read More »

Front Wheel Lifts or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Rocks

April 23, 2019

Mountain biking in Moab could be described in one word: rocky. Whether they are smooth or chunky, sloped or ledgy, our terrain is pretty much the rockiest stuff out there. Navigating all these rocks can be a challenge if you are new to it, but with a couple small tricks in your kit, you can… Read More »

Mountain Biking in Moab: Questions Frequently Asked

March 27, 2019

During your trip to Moab, if you’re considering a mountain bike ride — especially if it might be your first time on a mountain bike, or just your first time riding in Moab — you will probably have questions. Maybe you’ll have LOTS of them (people often do.) Here at Rim Tours 435.259.5223 (and also… Read More »

Rim Tours guide, Reid Bakken, tunes up a bike during an early spring guided mountain bike tour in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

Pre-season Tune-Up Tips

By Eric Bakken | January 23, 2019

Rim Tours guide, Reid Bakken, tunes up a bike during an early spring guided mountain bike tour in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. Spring is around the corner, so it’s time to get ready for a new season of riding! Whether you haven’t seen your bike since you stored it in the garage on Halloween, or you’ve… Read More »

Winter Training: Standing

Winter Training: 20 Minute Workout for Mountain Bikers

By Reid Bakken | December 19, 2018

Winter has set in for Moab, and that means off-season! While enjoying it being quiet in town, I love having more time to work on my fitness and mobility, off the bike.  However, I’m not much of a gym person so I sometimes struggle to follow a routine. Previously I have been a runner, gone… Read More »

Snow on Lazy, Moab Mountain Bike Trail

Winter Mountain Biking in Moab?

By Eric Bakken | November 20, 2018

Yes … but only when trail conditions permit If you search the internet for information about mountain biking in December, you’ll probably come across an article in the online magazine Singletracks: “The 9 Best Winter Mountain Biking Destinations in the Southwest.” It features the following map showing average snowfall across the US (for this article,… Read More »

Slickrock Trail | The Shimp Rocks

The Slickrock Trail

By Eric Bakken | October 19, 2018

Why it’s so attractive… and why it’s not for everyone Photos by Rim Tours guide Marla Bailey Deservedly, or not, The Slickrock Trail is, hands down, the most famous mountain bike trail in Moab (and perhaps the world.) The following photos taken by Rim Tours guide Marla Bailey during a recent tour she led, perfectly… Read More »

UPS Drop Orange Jacket Fall Light (800w)

Moab’s Most Popular Fall Mountain Bike Trips

By Eric Bakken | August 16, 2018

Fall has always been super popular for Moab visitors, especially for those who are mountain biking. So, we here at Rim Tours thought it would be interesting to see which mountain bike day tours are the most popular during the fall season. Seasonal Shifts While almost all of Moab’s 150 miles of singletrack mountain bike… Read More »

Bike Safety Is Serious Business

Five Quick Questions to Test Your Utah Biking Safety Knowledge

By Eric Bakken | August 14, 2018

A super quick quiz: do you know Utah biking safety laws? For more info on Utah Biking Safety Laws visit BikeLaw.com As responsible cyclists, we must do our part to stay safe and avoid collisions with motor vehicles. In order to accomplish that objective, it is our obligation and legal requirement to comply with Utah’s… Read More »

If You Think Bikepacking Sucks, Try A Guided Trip

By Leslie Kehmeier | August 8, 2018

Words and Photos by Leslie Kehmeier [Original article appeared on Dirtrag.com, August 8, 2018] “Time doesn’t really matter now – we just talk about lunch time, dinner time…” says Beth Roberts. Her tone is soothing. Beth is a guide for Rim Tours, a mountain bike outfitter based in Moab, Utah. She’s leading us on a… Read More »

Sun through bikes on rack

A Feast for the Eyes, Heart and Stomach: the Desert Sunrise Mtb Tour

By Eric Bakken | July 17, 2018

Visiting Moab in August and looking for an activity that won’t involve being out in the blazing sun at high noon? How about a beginner/moderate-level mountain bike tour that starts at 6:00 AM (6:30 beginning September 1) and includes a delicious, fresh and wholesome breakfast table spread, served by your guide, while you relax in… Read More »

Camel drinking

Surviving Moab’s Triple Threat Environment

By Eric Bakken | June 20, 2018

Dry Air, Bright Sun, and Intense Heat I love the desert. I love dry, crystal clear air, bright sun, and warm, warm, warm. It is the direct polar opposite from the mild climate I grew up with on the West Coast. That’s one of the many reasons I fell in love with canyon country. But… Read More »

Canyon Country , Paper Map

In Canyon Country, A Paper Map Can Save Your Life

By Eric Bakken | May 22, 2018

Heading out into the canyon country desert, for mountain biking, hiking, jeeping or canyoneering?  It can be tempting to rely solely on an electronic map for navigation, but take a paper map with you. You’ll never regret having it. And on the other hand, you very well might regret not having it. Batteries can run… Read More »

The White Rim Trail, Island-In-The-Sky District — A Truly Special Place

By Eric Bakken | April 19, 2018

The White Rim Trail, located in the Island-In-The-Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, is a true back country escape into desert wilderness. It features breathtaking views, massive red cliffs, sweeping arches, ancient Indian granaries and endless exploring opportunities. There are many ways to experience The White Rim. The easiest way is to view it from… Read More »

Stop and Smell the Flowers

By Eric Bakken | March 20, 2018

A Wildflower Guide for Moab Mountain Bikers Springtime in Utah’s high desert is about wild weather, wind, and wildflowers! When mountain biking, you can’t avoid confronting the wind and wild weather that arrive each spring, but it’s easy to completely miss the wildflowers as you fly down the trail. We here at Rim Tours, would… Read More »