Biking or cycling is an easy, fun way to get outdoors, and one of the most scenic areas to enjoy this sport is in the Allegheny National Forest Region, located in northwestern Pennsylvania. Most of us know how to cycle and once you have learned you don’t forget. Beneficial for the body and the mind, cycling builds strength, muscle tone, stamina, improves cardio-vascular fitness and is a good way to eat up calories. Cycling burns approximately 300 calories per hour, if you cycle 30 minutes every day you would burn 11 pounds of fat in one year. According to the British Medical Association, biking just 20 miles a week can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%.

Biking in the Forest puts you in touch with nature. The fresh air and beauty of the scenery can reduce stress and relax and rejuvenate your soul. Biking is permitted on all Pennsylvania State Forest roads and old logging roads, with mountain bikes recommended for biking on dirt roads. All the state parks have many opportunities for biking. Route 3011, the Kinzua Scenic Byway, connecting Route 59 to Route 6, is an official shared-use highway for biking and vehicle traffic. The low traffic count and stunning woodland scenery along this corridor make a perfect day excursion for cycling. A point of interest mid-way along Route 3011 is the Kinzua Bridge State Park, home of the National Historic Landmark-the Kinzua Sky Walk. A day use park-there is no admission fee to the park.
 

A more adventurous cycling route is the Longhouse National Scenic Byway, a 27-mile loop that circles the Kinzua arm of the Allegheny Reservoir. Diverse topography, large elevation changes and a variety of interesting overlooks along the roadway make this a scenic challenge. The road is shared use. Two developed overlooks-Rimrock Overlook and Jake’s Rocks provide stunning vistas for the water and forest. Vehicle parking can be along Route 59 at the Bradford Ranger Station. This starting point also has public restrooms and maps available for additional cycling and or mountain biking trails within the Forest.
 

Local biking enthusiast, Pete Dzirkalis, owner of Just Riding Along, a full-service bicycle shop located in Bradford, Pennsylvania offers advice on outfitting for local rides and suggested riding areas. Pete loves cycling and his passion shows in his shop. He has been servicing bikes for 22 years, and experience goes a long way in getting things fixed quickly and efficiently, he can tune and repair all brands of bikes, anything from fixing flat tires to precision frame machining.  His shop specializes in personalized customer service for both beginners and experienced bikers.
 

 If you are ready to be outfitted with a new bike and gear, stop by and have Pete work with you to find the perfect fit. “It is important to be sized for a bike” explains Pete “for example the TREK 820 is an excellent entry level model, it lets you get out and ride anywhere-trails, pavement, or a dirt road and it comes in six different sizes. We fit the bike according to your height; with this model we can fit someone 5 ft. tall up to 6 ft. 6 inches.” 
 

During the summer you will find over 100 bikes on the shop floor, from child-size bikes with training wheels, to hybrid bikes like the TREK FX Series that is a jack of all trades, taking you from dirt roads to pavement. For experienced riders, the TREK Madone is a lightweight road racing bike that enables you to cover long distances quickly. The TREK X-Caliber is a popular 24” wheel which is nice for riding on rougher terrains. Most bikes now have a wide range of gears, with 21-30 speeds. As Pete explains, “When riding a lot of hills, which is what we ride in the Allegany State Park and the Allegheny National Forest Region, gearing makes a big difference, gears help you pedal with a nice steady stroke.”
 

Single speed cruiser type bikes are still available for those who want an older style bike for casual biking. Cruisers are what many of us had years ago as children-no gears. For biking enthusiasts, they sometimes go “retro” preferring a single speed as this type of bike provides an extra physical challenge in taking on hills.
 

Common accessories that you will want are a water bottle with a cage, a quality helmet and gloves. Gloves will keep your hands from scraping if you take a tumble, and a $45.00 bike helmet is cheap insurance to protect your head.  Riding gear including padded shorts and jerseys with a wicking material will add to the comfort of a long ride.
 

A smart phone holder might be the perfect new accessory for your bike. Many riders are using their smartphones as speedometers, and using phone APPS to map their rides and distance. The smart phone holders can easily be mounted on your handlebars.
 

If you are traveling in the region, and want to learn some of the best riding areas, the Just Riding Along Weekly Bike Rides are a great way to learn the local trails. Shop owner, Pete, has been leading group bike rides for 11 seasons. All rides start in front of Pete’s shop on Tuesday and Thursday nights a 6 pm. Tuesday nights are for the road bike riders. Two groups-the beginners will ride 15 miles, with the advanced riders covering 30-40 miles. All riders must wear a helmet. It is suggested that you have some riding experience before joining the riding group and that you bring water, a snack, and a spare tube for the bike. It is pretty much rain or shine-except if it is lighting or very extreme weather. Thursday nights are trail rides, better for experienced riders on mountain bikes with big tires as you will be riding on rocks, dirt and crossing creeks, covering 15-20 miles of riding. Social time is usually held after the Thursday night ride.
 

Beginning in April, the shop hours at Just Riding Along, 48 Mechanic Street, Bradford, PA, are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday 9 am to 1 pm. Phone 814-363-9101 or visit them on Facebook for the latest riding and biking information.

Gear Up and Ride

The following trails are recommended for cycling by experience level.
 

Beginners. Beginners will enjoy the Roscoe Cross Country Ski Trails at Allegany State Park. You will be riding in the woods; the trail is not really aggressive or rough.
 

Intermediate. Willow Creek ATV/Bike Trail located along Route 346. A suggested ride would be to start at the Willows Restaurant (approximately 12 miles west of Bradford), biking to the trailhead along FR 137 from the restaurant parking area. This is an approximate 10-11 mile loop. You will be riding along the ridge top. The trail has booth smooth and rough sections.
 

Experienced. Morrison Trail is located within the Allegheny National Forest. This 10.8 mile loop trail is pretty rough, featuring rocks, creek crossings, hardwood forests and is a challenging ride. McCarty Hill, New York, is a great single track riding area for advanced bicyclists. Trail descriptions are available at: www.trails.mtbr.com.

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