By Ariel Kent
In this day and age mountain bikes come in all shapes and sizes. There’s fatbikes, plus bikes, 650B, 29ers, and the good old 26-inch. One is definitely not better than the other, and up until 5-10 years ago there wasn’t such a variety of options. Everybody has their thing. Some love 29ers and Plus bikes others prefer the new industry standard of 650B. And though some will argue their choices in cycling to be the best possible option it isn’t always the case. It’s what works for them.
That being said, the variety of bikes at Killington this year has been across the full spectrum of wheel sizes and suspension set-ups —and it’s great to see such a variety out there thanks in part to the ever adapting technology. The best part is that every person is having fun on their bike and every weekend the traffic up the road seems to be growing and growing. Though Killington is doing all the right things to get people outside and enjoying our beautiful part of the state—that’s not to say others aren’t seeing this increase also. Burke, Okemo, and Thunder Mountain are all resorts in the area that are also seeing this growth. (All resorts that you should take a visit too, as well.)
It’s not about the latest and greatest technology when it comes to riding your bike. Mountain biking in particular is supposed to be fun, thrilling and exhilarating and regardless of what you’re riding, if you’re having fun that’s all that matters. Remember, it’s one pedal stroke after another, one gear click, and the moments of pure excitement that make the sport of mountain biking so much fun.
Only a month and a half left of lift-served mountain biking before we switch gears into winter. So get out there and take a run or two, the dirt is riding great!