Your Guide to North Texas Mountain Bike Trails
Ebikes are somewhat controversial, and we here at NTX Trails have no official stance on the matter beyond believing individual land managers and trail stewards should make the rules for each individual trail, and that riders should abide by those rules whether they agree with the rules or not.
Having said that, is there a place for ebikes on the trails? We present this video without comment, but welcome your comments below. We want to know what you think!
If you’ve started mountain biking in North Texas, you’ve probably learned there are many fantastic options available either within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, or within a few hour’s drive or less. There are trails available at every skill level from super-easy to extremely dangerous. Determining which one you should ride can be difficult.
Almost all trails in the greater North Texas area use the standard IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System to let riders know what they might expect to find on any given trail. As your confidence and abilities grow you can push yourself to try out the next level of trails.
A quick explanation of IMBA’s rating system is as follows:
Easiest (white circle)
Easy—Beginner (green circle)
More Difficult—Intermediate (blue square)
Very Difficult—Advanced (black diamond)
Extremely Difficult—Expert (double-black diamond)Not sure where to start? Check out the NTX Trails Progression Guide to learn which trails in North Texas are best-suited to your skills and experience.
Greenways—also possibly known as greenbelts—are a perfect first step for newbie mountain bikers, especially for newbies who can’t find a riding buddy but still want to put down some miles.
Greenways are sometimes designated by signs bearing a white circle as shown in the chart above.
A greenway can be either a paved or non-paved surface that is mostly flat and very wide—think wide enough to drive a car on or wider. Greenways are typically home to two-way traffic that consists of both walkers and cyclists.
While a greenway may sound like little more than a sidewalk, they’re really much more than that in most instances. A greenway is typically purpose-built for multiple uses such as walkers and cyclists, and tends to be a long, contiguous surface that has minimal interruptions by cross streets or other motorized traffic.
A greenway is also often constructed near or through natural green spaces and preserves, whereas sidewalks are built close to neighborhoods and businesses for the purpose of aiding pedestrian traffic. In some municipalities bicycles are prohibited from using sidewalks, but rarely prohibited from utilizing greenways. If you can safely pedal a bike down the sidewalk or a street, you can pedal down a greenway.
Another reason greenways are a great first step is because it can be a new MTBer’s first exposure to riding a soft surface trail—which in the case of a greenway means hardened dirt or possibly gravel. Bicycle handling on dirt or gravel is somewhat different than riding on pavement, and if you’re using an actual mountain bike that bike’s handling will be better on a soft surface trail. Knobby tires actually don’t perform well on paved surfaces, and slick road tires don’t fare all that well on dirt or gravel.
Not sure what some of the words in this article mean? Be sure to check out our Glossary of MTB Terms and Slang.
New riders are often surprised how much stamina is needed to pedal their bike for several miles, so greenways are a smart choice to put in some saddle time and start building up endurance—both leg and rear end endurance.
Greenbelts also offer the lowest-risk type of trail riding possible. A rider on a greenway is extremely unlikely to encounter technical trail obstacles that might throw them from their bike. A greenway is almost impossible to get lost on as well. Most greenways are either mostly straight lengths of trail where the rider can bike to the end then turn around to come back, or a closed loop that begins and ends at the same place. Greenways usually have great signage as well, especially in the middle of the city.
When riding a greenway, always remember that walkers have the right of way. Be courteous and don’t go faster than you can handle, and slow down as traffic increases. It’s a good idea to get a bike bell and ring it as you approach walkers and other riders from behind. When you get close enough, announce yourself and your intention to pass by saying something like, “On your left!” This phrase is fairly universally understood, and simple enough for most English speakers to parse your meaning even when hearing it for the first time. Pass walkers and riders on their left shoulder and give them as wide a berth as possible—an abundance of caution and politeness will give you a great reputation with local users. Finally, don’t try to pass until the left side of the path is free of oncoming traffic. Remember, greenways are almost always home to two-way traffic.
Most new mountain bikers cut their teeth on beginner-level trails. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a green circle as shown in the chart above.
Typically, green trails are safe for beginners to try out on their own, though we still recommend that new riders do their first trail rides with a friend or in a group. Trail riding on a mountain bike is somewhat different than riding a street bike or cruiser on pavement.
Green trails, while beginner-friendly, still offer increased grades for uphills and downhills, and may have both avoidable and unavoidable obstacles. As the chart above shows, the unavoidable obstacles should be 2-inches tall or shorter, which is small enough for mountain bike tires to simply roll over. Having said that, even tiny obstacles can throw an unprepared rider from their bike, so new riders should use caution and discretion as they learn new bike-handling skills.
In addition, and this cannot be stressed enough, a trail that is rated green for beginners will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out on the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.
On more caveat about green trails—and really any trail—is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment. This means that, in the instance of a green trail, the majority of the trail may be beginner-friendly but still contain short segments or individual features that are more difficult. Thankfully for most beginner trails, you’ll find bypasses for such technical trail features but there’s no guarantee.
Intermediate trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the beginner level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a blue square as shown on the chart above.
In general, blue trails are about one-third narrower than green trails at an average width of 24-inches. The trail surfaces remain mostly stable—meaning you won’t find a great deal of loose gravel, rock, or sand. Having said that, this doesn’t mean you won’t encounter some loose surfaces.
Intermediate trails will often also offer unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on green trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 8-inches tall. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections.
A trail rated blue for intermediate riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.
Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.
This means that, in the instance of a blue trail, the majority of the trail may be intermediate-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs, but there’s no guarantee.
Advanced trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the intermediate level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a black diamond as shown on the chart above.
In general, black trails are about half as wide as blue trails at an average width of 12-inches. The trail surfaces are variable—meaning you’ll find loose gravel, rock, and sand.
Advanced trails often feature unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on green or blue trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 15-inches tall. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be much greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections. Advanced trails may also feature increased exposure (drop offs on either side of the trail).
A trail rated black for advanced riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.
Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.
This means that, in the instance of a black trail, the majority of the trail may be advanced-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more (or less) difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs but there’s no guarantee, particularly on black trails.
Expert trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the advanced level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a double black diamond as shown on the chart above.
In general, double black trails are about half as wide as black trails at an average width of 6-inches. The trail surfaces are extremely variable and unpredictable—meaning you’ll find loose gravel, rock, sand, and other technically-difficult surfaces..
Expert trails feature unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on blue or black trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 20-inches tall or larger. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be much greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections. Expert trails may also feature increased exposure (drop offs on either side of the trail).
A trail rated double black for expert riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.
Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.
This means that, in the instance of a double black trail, the majority of the trail may be expert-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more (or less) difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs but there’s no guarantee, particularly on black trails.
Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!
One of the first frustrations newbie mountain bikers experience is figuring out how and when to shift gears on the trail. Since changing gears is an area of mountain biking that is better learned visually, we’ve decided to gather some of the best videos around on the subject rather than write a lengthy post. We’ll delve into how gears work in a later post, but for now, let’s focus on how to properly use them out on the trail.
Most of you are going to grab an entry-level bike when first starting to ride, which means you’ll likely end up with a 2x or 3x chainring setup—meaning your bike has either two or three gears up front at the pedals. Though a bit dated, this video featuring Pancho Herrera does a great job of explaining how to choose the right gear for the terrain, and how to keep shifting smoothly as the terrain changes beneath you.
Though the next video is a bit rapid-fire, the next video by one of our favorite MTB YouTubers, Chris Carter, goes more in-depth on how to choose the right gear to suit the terrain. FYI, not all 22 tips are available in the video.
This last video is more geared toward road cycling but gives a very clear explanation of why and how to avoid cross chaining.
What are your tips for managing gears out on the trail? Let us know in the comments.
Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!
Before you make some assumptions based on the title of this post, no, we’re not talking about how to carry a concealed weapon to protect yourself that way. We’re referring to protective gear such as helmets and knee pads. Like many physical sporting activities, there’s a certain minimal amount of protective gear you should wear in order to adequately protect yourself. But how much do you really need? What’s the absolute minimum you can get away with wearing and what are some good items to consider adding to your stash?
We’re going to break down all the kit you should consider for protecting yourself on the trail, literally from head to toe.
It should go without saying that should always wear a helmet while riding your bike—especially on an off-road trail. Seriously, if you’re not smart enough to know this and understand the risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury that could occur during even a small crash, then you might as well not read the rest of this post. In fact, do yourself a favor and sell your bike if you refuse to wear a helmet. Otherwise, we go in depth on helmets in our post How Do I Choose a Good Mountain Bike Helmet?
After your helmet, eye protection could be considered the second most important piece of protective gear to wear while off-road cycling. Take a moment and think about how easy your eye is to damage and then consider how fast you’re moving down a trail lined with tree branches sticking out all different directions. There’s no need to buy a pair of downhill goggles for any trail in North Texas, but a quality pair of protective lenses will save your eyes from everything from bugs and small face-slappers to large branches and rocks kicked up by someone shredding in front of you. For the budget conscious, start out with a pair of protective glasses from Lowe’s or Home Depot. You can get a pair of polarized lenses for under $20.
When it comes to your torso you can purchase full upper body armor, but there’s really no need for it on any North Texas trails. Having said that—if you can put up with the extra heat in the summer and don’t mind the extra weight and restrictive nature of body armor—we can see why a newbie might want to buy some to gain some extra confidence on the trail while skill building. If you know you’re less likely to get hurt you’ll probably be willing to push yourself a little further. Having said that, don’t push yourself too far. Have patience, the skills will come with saddle time.
For your arms, you’ve got a lot of options. A good first step is a pair of simple arm sleeves or a long-sleeved jersey that will protect you from branches slapping at your arms as you ride the trail, and even lessen the severity of bark tattoos when you get too close to those trees. The next step would be to purchase a pair of elbow pads to protect a joint that seems prone to injury in some riders. When looking for a good pair of elbow pads, be prepared to pay a decent chunk of money to find a pair that not only offers adequate protection, but also breathes well, stays in place, and doesn’t restrict your arm movement too much.
To protect your hands, you obviously need a good pair of gloves. Whether you choose to go fingerless or full finger is up to you. We go in depth on gloves in our post Why Do I Need Mountain Bike Gloves?
Similar to upper body armor, protective undershorts are available which place extra protective padding and reinforcement around the waist, hips, and upper thighs. As with upper body armor, there’s typically no need for so much extra protect here in North Texas, but newbies or riders in need of extra support may benefit from the confidence the added protection brings.
As for your…ahem…sensitive area down there, check out our post What’s Up with Cycling Chamois?
When it comes to your knees there are a lot of factors to consider. Are you looking for simple abrasion protection? If so, then a thin base layer will do the job just as arm sleeves will for your arms. Do you want protection from impacts while riding or crashing? The same rules apply as with elbow pads: a quality pair of knee pads that offer adequate protection, don’t restrict movement, breathe well, stay in place, and don’t contribute to chafing are going to cost you upwards of $100 or more. Beyond that, if you’re looking for knee support due to a knee injury or otherwise bad knees, we suggest getting the advice of a professional.
As with the upper legs, a simple base layer is going to protect your legs from most non-crash abrasions. For increased protection, especially if you like to ride hard and fast through the gnarliest rock gardens North Texas has to offer, you might want to consider a pair of shin pads or shin guards. Something else to consider is, if you’re already rocking knee pads, you can purchase combination knee pads and shin guards. Again, you’re going to pay for quality, but we’ve heard that these types of combination guards actually stay in place better than knee pads alone.
Most riders don’t need protection per se around the ankles, though you can buy braces specifically designed for mountain bikers. What most riders really need are simply long socks. How long is up to you, but we suggest at least mid calf or higher. The higher your socks, the more abrasion protection you get between your ankles and knees.
Finally, a high-quality pair of shoes is a no-brainer when shredding your favorite trail. It doesn’t matter whether you ride flats or clipped in, you can find a great pair of mountain bike-specific shoes in a wide variety of price ranges. Brands such as Giro, FiveTen and others make shoes in both flat and clipless versions, so it’s hard to go wrong in this department. Keep in mind that we don’t suggest just riding in any old pair of tennis shoes or sneakers if you ride flats. Trust us, it’s either not going to go well for you in the long run or you’ll eventually get frustrated that your cheap shoes are actually holding you back from taking your skills to the next level.
All of the above gear is great for helping prevent physical hard on your ride, but there are additional items we think you should consider carrying when you launch from the trail head:
What have we missed that should be on this list of protective gear? Let us know in the comments.
Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!