Mountain Biking
 

I have looked thru all the clubs and did not see any mountain biking. My wife and I are moving to the villages this summer and was wondering if any mountain bikers want to get together and ride

Just wondering...in a place like Florida, what’s a typical mountain bike ride look like?

:welcome: To the OP...... and I want to say " I've seen Villagers make a mountain out of a molehill " :icon_wink:

OP, try one of the regular biking groups, very few to no mountains in FL, some hills, welcome to TV!

Even Space Mountain is closed right now :duck:

Biking groups don't make good roll models. They tend to ignore rules of the road making the cycling sport unsafe

:shrug: I think they make great roll models..... I have yet to see a group stop at a stop sign in over 15 years here. However they do not make good role models. :ho:

Actually Florida has some of the best mountain bike trails in the world. In Ocala Santo's is in the top 10. Mountain biking is trail riding. I have no desire to ride on the roads

With me it looks like an old man riding thru the woods with a big smile on his face

This thread makes me sad, I used to be an avid mountain biker. Done some crazy things on my old Mongoose Mountain Bike, but the knees say no more. Ride on while you can, and enjoy and try not to tumble over the handlebars : ) Ride on my friend.

Try a power assist. I was about to the point of no more riding and got one and it is the fountain of youth to me. Hard to explain what it is like but I am riding like I did 30 years ago just a little slower and not taking stumped chances.

There are just regular bike groups that meet every morning you can try them. TV ecosystem encourages sitting and riding a golf cart, as opposed to walking or riding a bike. One of the main reasons that the vast majority of TV residents are overweight

maybe because we don't have any mountains!!!

Lots of mountains in the Villages they start as mole hills first

to my knowledge, only fl mt is the w/m landfill 15min s of delray bch,,, & i hate taking stumped chances too :-)

Santos - one of the closest and best places to get off of the pavement. Really good trails for a mountain bike. Road bike wont make it.

There may not be a mountain bike club in TV, But there are great off-road trails at the Cross Florida Greenway. It’s only about 40 minutes north on route 441 to get to the Santos trail head. You can ride off road or on a paved trail for miles across Florida. The Land Bridge trail head near I 75 at the Belleview exit is pretty close as well.

You forget about Mount Dora? ;o)

Santos, I think you should get all the excersize you're looking for and most of the trails are shaded so summer riding is doable.

Suggestion
 

Not a club person, but I have a tip for you. Check out Santos, about 15 miles north of the northern Villages (just north of Belleview on 27). Santos contains a 16 mile long fabulous paved trail, but also extensive mountain bike trails that are considered excellent. The trails range from easy to very challenging.

There are several biking clubs in TV. No mountain biking probably because no mountains in Fl.

Ocala Mountain Bike Association - OMBA
AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping, and Running | AllTrails
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, a Florida State Preserve located near Gainesville, Hawthorne and Newberry

Ride 4-6 times a month. Not mountains but off road here in FL.

Look up Marjorie Carr Cross Florida Greenway, that's the Santos trailhead people are suggesting.

They do have off road clubs. Belleview Santos (30 minutes north The Villages) has some really good off and paved trails. The Villages itself does not have off road trails that I know of but the small townsaround them do.

There is a parking lot, also restrooms at the Santos Trail which is about 20 minutes by car from Mulberry Grove in TV. In addition to the mountain bike trails, there are paved trails for walking or biking or jogging and the cross florida hiking trail has a trailhead there as well. We did 3 miles on the hiking trail out and 3 back in January. No bugs to annoy us. The trail was flat and unexciting.

“Roll models” I like it, very punny

I rode Santos when we were there in February and it was amazing. Not looking for a club but someone to ride with. I figured if a club I could meet someone. We purchased a home in the village of Sanibel.

what she said:bigbow:

Sumter Landing Bike Club has people who lead out-of-area rides including some of the trails mentioned.

No Mountains here!

Santos near belleview has a mountain bike Park