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The organizers of Trailhead North are pleased to announce a significant outcome expected from the two day symposium on trails taking place in Thunder Bay, April 17, 18 2015.
A fat bike etiquette. Fat bikes are those larger tire all season all terrain human powered bicycles that are emerging as a winter riding option for road cyclists and mountain bikers in the winter.
The Ontario Trails Council, the provincial trails association and co-organizer of the symposium was approached by the cycling community to come up with guidelines on use of fat bikes on trails.
"Fatbikes are becoming more and more popular, there are many cross country and other types of trails that fatbikers can use, but that aren;t necessarily designed for their use - we want to work with the FB community to develop and etiquette for users so they can expect and respect other users on trails," states Patrick Connor Executive Director of Ontario Trails Council.
Co-organizer, Kirsten Spence of Quercwood Consulting, adds, "Multi-use trails often have complicated numbers of people using a variety of equipment to do their recreation. This means bicycles now with fatbikes, snowmobiles, cross-country, snowshoers, winter hikers etc. So having an etiquette will educate all users what to expect and how to interact safely on recreational trails."
Through the Trailhead North development process the event has secured support from various groups and organizations. These included the City of Thunder Bay, The Active transportation Committee in the City, The Kinghorn Rail Trail, Trans Canada Trail through Path of the Paddle, City of Marathon Economic development - all of these groups want groups like OTC and Trailhead North to produce outcomes from meetings.
The creation of a fatbike committee will be such an outcome and should produce a guideline before the summer is out in time for the next riding season.
With a membership of over 200 organizations that stretches all over Ontario, including Trans Canada Trail, Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, and over 80,000 km of trails the OTC will carry this northern fatbike etiquette to all other Ontario trail communities.
Trailhead North is taking place April 17, 18 at the Nor'wester Best Western. More information can be found at trailheadnorth.com
