How awesome is New Jersey????

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
For me the cold isn't the issue. It's the damn short daylight from Nov to March-ish that's the problem. I'll do a night ride once a week and get out during the day on weekends. Night rides are fun but I'd still prefer day light.
 

elzoller

El Guac-Oh
I'm from further south than Texas, so no excuses about being too cold to ride ;) All you need is the right gear.

I would even dare to say there is NO season, as I never stop mountain biking.
 

MEAN IRISH GUY

Horse-faced space dog
all year for me. id RATHER ride in the spring and summer but who wouldnt?? ya know. but get some gear and you can ride all year around. riding in the winter kinda humbles you. after learning to breath in the cold than riding on a warmer day my breathing was amazing. i say ride all year!!
 

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
For me the cold isn't the issue. It's the damn short daylight from Nov to March-ish that's the problem...Night rides are fun but I'd still prefer day light.
Exactly.

Clocks go ahead in early March again this year. Yay!
 

Sircrashalot

New Member
I think anybody who searches out the local MTB website, and posts a list of questions like what started this thread, before deciding what town to look for a house in, is pretty likely to be in the lot despite 8 degrees for a group ride...

I agree with the darkness thing, and also that its harder to find motivation when its cold...once out there its fine....
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
I would say you can ride all year long, but it gets to the 20's and 30's in the winter, so it depends on your tolerance with cold.

30's! That is like a heat wave compared to the last couple of weeks. Sure, there are better seasons that others, but the riding never stops, slows down, sure, stops, never.
 

idbrian

Crotch Rot
OK. Well i love mountain biking, but have pretty much given up on the winter riding. The driving an hour to trailheads on top of all the other pains of riding during the winter are just too much for me and the few people i ride with. All this after i invested a bunch of cash on winter riding gear.

I know i'm not the only person that doesn't see the winter as an off season.

Wherever i move next will either have a longer riding season (i.e. good weather) or have skiing to offset the lack of riding during the winter.
 

wonderturtle

Well-Known Member
ah yes "La Casa de Tortilla"

we call it "Chinese Burritos" - politically incorrect perhaps but to-the-point.

I am digesting it as I write this.
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
too much for me and the few people i ride with.

Hey Brian,
You got the gear, give the clan at Allaire a try. They don't have the snow and ice as much as the north and even though the ride down is 1 1/2 hrs for me(and my last ride there sent me to the ER) it's certainly worth it. Edit- worth the trip NOT the ER visit:eek:. Or jump in anytime with the northern faction for some good company.

If you get in with the right bunch of crazies, your whole perspective of what is normal and reasonable might change. In a good way:D.

JoeC - the middle of the state is a great place to be and the north is great too. Either way you're about 45 mins from Newark airport which means you're only 45 mins away from the rest of the world;).
 
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idbrian

Crotch Rot
Well my winter hasn't been all bad. I stepped up my cardio and workout routine so i could see some good results when i hop back on the bike when the weather cheers up.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Isn't summer the "off-season"?

Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather ride in the fall/winter than the summer. The heat bothers me way more than the cold, maybe it's just the jersey in me;)

-Jim.
 

MEAN IRISH GUY

Horse-faced space dog
i find it easier to breath in the summer humid air than the winter myself. in a perfect world though itd be 70 degrees and no humindity all the time and allire would be hard pack.
 

MEAN IRISH GUY

Horse-faced space dog
that was on the list of places i was close to moving to a few years back. sacramento, portland and las vegas. chose las vegas and was back here in under a week. f*ck that place. lol. im a north east fella through and through.
 
J

JoeC

Guest
Thanks for the additional feedback on the actual "season". To clarify, I was curious what the options were as well as limiting factors. Obviously, I ride year round in Texas, which means I own gear that will allow me to ride in temps down to 20 degrees, although that is very rare. The coldest temps I usually experience in DFW for riding are around 35-40 degrees, which is probably pretty mild for New Jersey in February. Weather is one thing, I also wanted to make sure that the trails were actually "open" during the cold weather. I can always puss out if I'm not in the mood to ride in the frigid temps, but I want that to be my choice. It's nice to know that the trails are generally rideable year round.

Down here, we don't ride muddy or wet trails, so even though we ride year round, if we get a good day of rain, we can't ride for at least a week.

The weather here is also somewhat freakish. For example, it was 75 degrees on Friday so my son and I rode. On Saturday, it was in the upper 30's and low 40's, which isn't all that bad, but given the choice between 75 and 35, I'll take 75. So friday was our ride day and I worked on my honey-do list over the weekend.

During our prime riding season, I will get in 5-6 rides. The "season" although easily year round- is also somewhat dictated by daylight savings time. From April through November I'm getting in an easy 5-6 rides per week. My winter average is 2-3 per week.
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
Down here, we don't ride muddy or wet trails, so even though we ride year round, if we get a good day of rain, we can't ride for at least a week.


Oh, you'll fit in just fine around here!:D
Most of us won't ride muddy trails or wet ones where it will cause damage.

We have been fortunate this winter to have a lot of consistently cold days so our trails, snow covered, icey or just plain dry are all frozen and not in danger of being harmed. We haven't had the typical freeze thaw cycles that do come along but we're sure to get them as spring gets closer. Then we'll all be grumbling and adjusting our previous statements on ride-ability.:rolleyes:

We're fortunate enough to have such a variety of rocky vs sandy vs rooty trails all within an hour or so from each other, that there's been someplace rideable most days. If we get hit with monsoon weather everything changes and all parks have their own timeline in drying out.

And then, with our stereotypical Jersey attitude in full force, we'll probably suggest other ways for you to entertain yourself!:rofl:
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Weather is one thing, I also wanted to make sure that the trails were actually "open" during the cold weather. It's nice to know that the trails are generally rideable year round.

It varys from winter to winter. This year we have had pretty consistent cold temps which have kept the trails frozen for the most part, and "open". Snow/rain/freeze&thaw have made some trails icey but if your willing to drive under an hour from the Manville area you can always find something ridable. Generally going south of Manville is less snow/ice and north of Manville is more snow/ice.
Even with snow on trails they are ridable and provide a refreshing experience from a trial you may have ridden on all summer.:)
 
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