At your local bike shop, Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, our mission is to build deep connections with our customers and inspire them to take more adventures! To inspire you to explore the local Sierra National Forest on your bike, we’re stoked to let you know we have just published mountain biking trail content on our website.
We currently have information on 29 different trails and locations where you will find fantastic riding. We have trail recommendations for every rider, from black diamond single-track trails like Octopussy near Bass Lake, California, to mellow dirt roads suitable for young children at Tesoro Viejo just north of Clovis, California, off of Highway 41. We also have included information on riding in Yosemite National Park. We plan to include road biking routes. If you have some favorite routes, please email us or DM us on social media to add to our website.
The mountain bike trail content we currently have provided is only just the start. Over time, we will be adding more trails, such as the trail network in Jerseydale, California, near Mariposa. Additionally, we will include videos of each trail, so you will see how the trail looks before your go for your first ride. Eventually, we plan to have more detailed videos reviewing the different lines you can ride and descriptions of what you can expect during your ride.
After you check out our trail content, swing by the shop for some in-person advice on riding locations. We’ll give you recommendations based on your skill and fitness level. We also hold “Shop Rides” regularly. Our “Shop Rides” are purely social, and all skill levels are welcome. It’s a fantastic way to meet other riders and join others when riding a trail for the first time. Click here to check out our ”Shop Ride“ calendar. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get notified of our next ride, the latest news on products we carry, and our efforts to support the riding community of all ages.
We hope you find this information helpful so you can get out there and Pedal Forward!
At Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, we strive to be more than just a bike shop. Giving back to the community and inspiring our customers to have more adventure are two of our core values. Beyond selling bikes, gear, apparel, and repairing bicycles, we also advise customers where to ride and hike. Having talked to hundreds of customers since opening, it has become woefully evident our wonderful town needs more places for families and new mountain bikers to develop their single-track riding skills. The popular riding trails require long and often steep climbs followed by single-track descents that are challenging for children and new riders. We currently suggest that these riders drive all the way to Tenaya Lodge and ride Jackson Road or head south to Tesoro Viejo. Unfortunately, both options do not offer single-track riding.
Our search to find the perfect location close to Oakhurst lead us to explore options at the 400 acre Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park located at 43469 Highway 49, in Ahwahnee, California. We are collaborating with The Friends of Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Fern Facchino, the Chairman, has graciously invited us to present our plan for family mountain biking in the park. We’ve attended two board meetings and are pleading our case to obtain approval to develop a sustainable single-track mountain bike trail specifically designed for families and new riders. Read on to see our proposal.
Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park
Proposal: Access for bicycle use within Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park
This proposal is presented by Jorge Negrete and Michael Broderick owners of Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure located in Oakhurst, California on behalf of local families. Jorge is a board member of Yosemite South Gate Trails Cooperative, a mountain bike enthusiast, and former Environmental Manager at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Michael is also a mountain bike enthusiast, tourism expert, and former Director of Sales & Marketing at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite.
Reference:
Families living in our mountain communities need access to safe family-friendly bicycle trail riding, especially for beginners learning to ride on trails. Currently, there are no designated and conveniently located areas that are safe for families to ride bicycles. Due to the steep and challenging terrain of the mountain area, families cannot ride together in safe, “easy”, “green level” trails. Most of the existing bike trails access points are difficult to locate and entail long drives from Oakhurst/Ahwahnee area. Biking is an excellent outdoor activity that enables children to stay healthy, enjoy the outdoors, and develop a passion for an active lifestyle. Currently, there are non-profits in the area that use mountain biking to keep children involved in athletics providing alternatives to video games, social media, and other potentially negative activities. The addition of a convenient, safe, and fun trail within the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park will positively benefit the community and promote the park as a place where a family can spend the day together. Families visiting the area will have another family-friendly recreational activity that will positively impact our local businesses that rely on tourism.
The increased demand for outdoor activities that the community of Oakhurst/Ahwahnee are looking for will benefit families and visitors that are looking for a retreat in the mountains.
Details of Proposal:
1. Kids and families will benefit from the riding areas while keeping the bikes off equestrian trails with signs clearly noting: “No bikes allowed.” Signage will educate visitors on proper trail etiquette required between riders, hikers, and horseback riders to share access on the Orange trails that are already designated within the park.
2. Extend the existing hiking trail, keeping it separated from equestrian trails. This will benefit hikers that can enjoy the trail as well.
3. This trail expansion will have the appropriate signage for the specific trail for mountain bikers. The future possibility to build trail features will provide a safe and fun family training ground for riders interested in developing their skills in order to ride the more challenging biking trails in the Bass Lake/Oakhurst area. This trail development could become a small scale version of the Woodward Park trails near Clovis, California.
As a board member of Yosemite South Gate Trails CO-OP, we have the expertise to build and maintain sustainable trails while educating users on the appropriate trail etiquette.
This proposed access is only for non-motorized bicycles. Attached is an environmental impact study about mountain biking. The study concludes that “the environmental effects of well-managed mountain biking are minimal.”
There will be scheduled maintenance of these trails by members of Yosemite South Gate Trail Cooperative, bike enthusiasts, and through community events.
The green trail on the map below illustrates the potential expansion and development of hiking/Mountain bike trails in Ahwahnee Regional Park. Note that a separate biking only trail could be designated. Additionally, a new bike only trail can be build next to the red (hiking) trail to eliminate any mixed use trails.
Before opening a bike shop, we were not familiar with older bikes that were once amazing in their time. You could buy a reliable and durable bike in a store for a reasonable price in the past. The bikes were well-made, with steel and aluminum parts. These bikes have welds that looked like battle scars compared to today’s bikes.
Since opening, we have received several of these old high-quality bikes. Some of these bikes had been in the yard, shed, or garage for many years. They arrived covered in dust, grease, mud, and other unidentifiable substances. One unfortunate bike was used to plug a hole in a fence. Another was home for a little rodent that stored corn and nuts in the frame. Several bicycles simply existed as a makeshift sculpture without volunteering for the gig. I’d say these bikes were sad and lonely, just sitting there unused and forgotten.
When a customer brings in a bike like this, we get excited. As bike mechanics, we are very honest with these customers and tell them if the bike is worth resorting to its original glory. In many cases, the bike has ‘good bones’ and reliable components like Shimano’s old fashion shifters, derailleurs, and cranks that, with a little love and a lot of care, come back to life. We always attempt to save as much of the original parts as possible during the restoration. Still, some have to be replaced for the bike to be safe. WD-40 is our best friend for rust or stubborn bolts.
We’ve purchased a sandblaster because our hands were so tired of using sandpaper. The sandblaster miraculously brings back the luster of old steel parts. The transformation is definitely satisfying. However, what is most satisfying is the look on our customer’s faces when they see the bike for the first time after being restored. Many customers told us that other shops only wanted to sell them a new bike and didn’t want to work on the bike. These customers wanted their bikes resorted for many reasons – sentimental value, a gift for someone in need, or because they were on a budget and didn’t want to spend more for a bike of similar quality. When our customers say, “Wow, it looks like a new bike!” it is the best compliment we can receive as mechanics and bike shop owners. When a customer is embarrassed about the condition of their old bike, we explain, “There is no such thing as an old bike; only a bike that hasn’t been given the TLC it needs.” Our motto is, “We can fix anything but a broken heart.”
As local business owners, we care deeply about our community and are committed to supporting those that live in the area. We continually look for ways to collaborate with those that align with our brand. When I learned that my son’s friend Orion Cicoletti designs stickers, I immediately knew I wanted to commission him to create a sticker for all of our mountain bike trails in our area. We are currently selling the stickers he designed for Goat Mountain, 007, Blind Squirrel, and two other unique designs, and he has completed designs for Octopussy and Willow Creek.
Read on to learn more about this talented young man, and be sure to stop by our shop and check out his work in person.
Orion Cicoletti is a local graphic designer, videographer, and outdoor enthusiast. He was raised in North Fork, California, and graduated from Yosemite High School in 2020. He is now attending Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo studying forestry/natural resources while minoring in graphic design. Orion spent much of his childhood exploring and recreating in the beautiful mountains surrounding him. He is an avid snowboarder, mountain biker, and climber with an extreme passion for backpacking and hiking. Orion’s sticker business was created through his love for the land surrounding him, and his art and design passion. “I started my sticker business as a way to generate a small amount of cash to pay for gas. As my business grew, I realized that sharing my Yosemite artwork inspires people to enjoy our magnificent mountains deepening their appreciation for nature.” Orion has also successfully partnered with many local businesses to create custom promotional videos, T-shirts, and sticker designs like the stickers for sale at Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure. He hopes to one day utilize his artistic gift and passion for art, design, and environmental studies to give back to the mountains he cherished while growing up in this community.
Our mission is to share our passion for cycling and the High Sierras with a concierge approach to helping our customers maximize their cycling experience. We want to inspire our customers to pursue more adventures in life and to always “pedal forward.” We strive to build a strong relationship with every customer and seek to understand them to provide the best service and products to enrich their lives. We don’t want only to be just the best local bike shop; we want to be the best bike shop in California! Follow our blog as we share our love for mountain living and all the adventures life has to offer.
We’re stoked to receive some good press about our story and our new bike shop located just outside the south entrance to Yosemite National Park in Oakhurst, CA. When you come to a “big climb” in life, just keep pedaling forward! Find work doing something you love and always seek gratitude while helping others to pursue their passion.
