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 »

Guided Mountain Bike Tour

DIY Ride or Guided Mountain Bike Tour?

By Franklin Seal | February 16, 2018

The Pros and Cons Guided tour on Amasa Back’s Captain Ahab Trail near Moab, Utah Whether you are visiting Moab for your very first time, or are getting a refresh on your Moab fix, mountain biking should be top of your must-do adventure list. The real question is, should you venture out on the trails… Read More »

Winter riding in Moab

Tips for Mountain Biking in Winter Moab

By Franklin Seal | December 19, 2017

Moab is not known for its winter season but it can be a great time for outdoor recreation and cycling — if conditions permit and you make necessary preparations. Most Moab winters see fairly cold overnight temperatures, but mid-day highs can often climb into the 40’s or higher. The biggest factor that can impede winter… Read More »

How to Keep Singletracks Single

By Franklin Seal | November 17, 2017

Make it your goal to ride without leaving a trace Most visitors to Moab hail from climates where moderate / high humidity and/or more frequent rain showers create soils that have the ability to be somewhat self-healing when it comes to footprints, tire tracks and the wear and tear caused by human recreation. Higher humidity… Read More »

A couple traverses a slickrock fin on a guided tour of the classic Slickrock Trail at Moab UT

Tips for Mountain Biking in Moab

By Franklin Seal | October 3, 2017

  A Uniquely Moab List Moab has been at the epicenter of mountain biking since the very earliest days of the sport. Part of the reason is the sheer uniqueness of the landscape. Another part has to do with the vast amount of public lands easily accessed yet still wild and primitive. Plus, the town… Read More »

bike shop with mountain bikes

World’s Best List of Moab Mountain Bike Shops and Services

By Franklin Seal | September 19, 2017

Mountain Bike Outfitters Based in Moab Magpie Cycling Adventures / Solfun Tours 800-546-4245 info@magpieadventures.com PO Box 1496 Moab, Utah 84532 Moab Cyclery 800-559-1978 info@moabcyclery.com 391 S Main St Moab, UT 84532 Rim Tours Mountain Bike Adventures 435-259-5223 tours@rimtours.com 1233 S Hwy 191 Moab, UT 84532 Western Spirit Cycling 435-259-8732 478 S Mill Creek Dr Moab,… Read More »

Courthouse Morning Cliffs Introduction to Moab Mountain Biking

Introduction to Mountain Biking in Moab

By Franklin Seal | September 12, 2017

Especially for first-time beginners and those relatively new to the sport For those who have never ridden off-road on a mountain bike, visiting Moab presents the best opportunity to discover what mountain biking is all about. And for those who’ve done a bit of riding but are still relatively new to the sport, Moab offers… Read More »

Stay Hydrated on Desert Adventure

Survival of the Hydrated

By Day Tours | June 27, 2017

How to Stay Hydrated While on Your Desert Adventure When you call to book a summertime mountain bike tour, as an example, the person that makes your reservation is going to tell you (or should tell you) to “pre-hydrate.” Drinking extra water steadily throughout the day prior to hot weather activity, or pre-hydrating, sets your… Read More »

Road Cycle Moab

By Franklin Seal | June 19, 2017

All The “Skinny” on Moab — for Skinny Tire Folks Moab is an amazing destination for road cyclists. Though better known for mountain biking, whitewater, and a diverse menu of power sports, road cycling in Moab has become increasingly popular. With relatively low-traffic paved roads along rivers and creeks, across the shoulders of small “island”… Read More »

Trail Mix Crew working on Pipe Dream singletrack

Baby Steps Before Mega Steps

By Franklin Seal | May 19, 2017

How Moab Built 150 Miles of Singletrack in Just 10 Years Today, Moab singletrack is abundant — mountain bikers visiting Moab have so many singletrack trails to choose from, they could conceivably ride a different area each day for an entire week without repeating a thing. But that was not always the case. Prior to… Read More »

Mountain Bike Bryce Zion National Parks

Mountain Bike Between Bryce and Zion National Parks

By Franklin Seal | May 12, 2017

Five Tips for Riding Southern Utah’s Best Kept Secret Southern Utah is well known in mountain biking circles, largely due to the fame of Moab and the surrounding slickrock-studded canyon country in the southeastern corner of the state. But just bunny hop over to the southwestern corner of the state and you’ll find an amazing… Read More »

White Rim Golden Sunset 1k

Utah’s National Parks: Travel Costs – 1 wk Parks Loop Tour

By Franklin Seal | May 3, 2017

Red Rock Loop Itinerary for Utah’s National Parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Bears Ears, Glen Canyon, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Capitol Reef Utah’s National Parks are famous for their unique red rock sandstone features and sweeping vistas. What is perhaps less well known is their sheer density on… Read More »

Adventure Holiday on a Motorcycle tour

Adventure Holiday Primer

By Franklin Seal | April 12, 2017

Looking for adventure holiday ideas this year but keep coming up with the same old things? Here’s our Primer for Hassle-Free Adventure Holiday Ideas: five perfect adventure-sport vacations in the western United States (minus all the hassle of DIY planning, logistics, etc.) Road Trip Alaska in a Converted Yellow School Bus 12 days, from $1690… Read More »