Mountain biking, which originated on the trails of Marin County, continues to thrive, fueled by a new generation of riders. Local teams, like the Archie Williams mountain bike team, work to maintain the sport’s legacy while navigating modern obstacles, including challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These teams explore Marin’s diverse trails, bringing a competitive edge to what began as a common pastime.

The sport’s roots trace back to the 1970s, when a group of cyclists began to venture into the trails of Mount Tamalpais that, at first, weren’t designed for mountain bikes. These riders, including Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, and Otis Guy, laid the groundwork for what would later become an international activity. Guy remains a key figure in the mountain biking community and recalls some of his first adventures.

“You’d see pictures of us wearing Levi’s, hiking boots, and long-sleeve shirts because the trails were barely handlebar width. And we would… discover trails all over Mount Tam and also all over Point Reyes National Seashore,” Guy said.

As mountain biking grew in popularity, the competitive aspect soon followed. The first competitive race, Repack, took place on Mt. Tamalpais in 1976. Years later, in 1990, the Union Cycliste Internationale sanctioned the first Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, Colorado. Six years later, the sport was first introduced in the Olympics at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, offering cross-country events for men and women and solidifying mountain biking’s place as a world-class sport. 

Eventually, the sport found its way into high school athletics, including at Archie Williams, where the team provides an opportunity for riders to reach new heights. For Archie Williams senior Dylan Donner, the team transformed mountain biking from a hobby to something more. 

“[The team] brought a [sense of] competitiveness to mountain biking. Instead of being a hobby or a way to pass time, it became something to train for and to set a goal for,” Dylan said.

Other riders’ appeal to the team was much more spontaneous, as it was for sophomore Vesper Klausner.

“When I was in my freshman year, I was at club day, and they had the kind of cookies that I really liked. So I signed up for the cookies, but I thought it was going to be a really good way for me to get in shape or track season since I was between cross country and track, and I wanted to try something new. But it turned out I was pretty good at it, so I [stuck with it],” Vesper said.

Dylan attributes the COVID-19 pandemic as a major booster to mountain biking’s popularity. Without as many responsibilities and with more time on their hands, many people, including Dylan, began taking mountain biking more seriously.

“Once COVID hit, [what was once a] little hobby evolved into something to pass the time instead of staying cooped up inside, and [so] I started biking about three days a week,” Dylan said.

The pandemic had a significant impact on competitive mountain biking, as its restrictions prevented riders from participating in events and training. Archie Williams mountain biking coach Laura Childress recalls the impact it had on the team’s operations.

“The bike industry had a boom during COVID, but for the team and for the NorCal League, it was hard to run races when kids couldn’t be [together],” Childress said.

Mountain bikers have faced increasing challenges due to growing restrictions on trail access. In Marin, opportunities to ride on single-track trails, which offer a more enjoyable experience than the more common fire roads, are becoming increasingly scarce. This growing scarcity has become frustrating for riders like Archie Williams coach Bill Engelhardt.

“Everywhere else I ride, everyone just gets along. And [of course] you’d rather have the trail to yourself, but for whatever reason, Marin [hikers] seem to think that they’re special, and they don’t want to share them [with bikers],” Engelhardt said.

Mountain bikers, in collaboration with the Marin Municipal Water District, planned a pilot program that would open 6.5 miles of trails to mountain bikers and some for e-bikers in October 2024 throughout the Mount Tamalpais Watershed. However, the day before the scheduled public opening, three organizations—the California Native Plant Society, the Marin Audubon Society, and the Marin Conservation League—filed a lawsuit against the water district to halt the project, primarily based on  environmental concerns. Joel Schrock, the executive director of Bay Area Mountain Biking, emphasizes the impact that this has on riders.

“Right now, the fastest growing youth sport in America is mountain biking. [And kids are] being shut out of this beautiful resource that’s in their backyard because people are saying that they want to protect the plants, and ultimately, they’re doing more harm than good,” Schrock said.

Despite growing challenges with accessing trails, the sport continues to thrive, particularly at the high school level. At Archie Williams, the mountain biking season begins in January, and the five major races the team competes in begin in February and culminate in the championship race later in the season. The team is volunteer-based and has 25 volunteer parents who coach as well as many others who take on various roles at races. Coach Ross Blanchard highlights the diverse roles that volunteers play.

“We have somebody who’s in charge of what we call the pit zone, which is where we have all the bikes and all the food… We have mechanics fixing bikes, we have a warm-up area, [and] we’ve got 15-20 trainers,” Blanchard said. 

However, the mountain biking team does not receive funding that other teams do, such as baseball teams or football teams, as it’s offered as a club rather than a sport overseen by the athletic department. As a result, it falls short in funding and relies much more on funding from other sources. The team requires parents of riders to pay dues to join and receives money from fundraisers and sponsors. It has also received over 11,000 dollars from the Falcon Foundation over the last two years for rider scholarships and loaner bikes.

While the team’s club status requires them to find monetary solutions, it allows riders to pursue other sports during the mountain biking season. Dylan is a part of the tennis team at the same time, and while he can attend all the races on the weekends, he struggles to attend the practices during the week.

“It is difficult because there are mountain biking rides on Tuesday and Thursday, and then some spin cycle practices on Wednesday. And so I am, by default, missing out on those crucial practices, but I’ve kind of found the time on the weekends to make up for it,” Dylan said.

The team is also one of the few co-ed teams at the school; however, the share of female riders is much lower than male riders. Childress recognizes the challenge that girls can face because of this.

“When [a small percentage] of your team is female and the rest are guys, it takes a special girl that will be okay with that. Not one of the [current girls on the team] have joined the team with a friend, and not just girls, but most kids like to join a team where they have at least a friend on the team to ride with,” Childress said.

Vesper feels that the share of female bikers has recently increased, indicating that the team may be moving toward a more balanced distribution of riders.

“It’s a growing thing. I think more girls are getting interested in it, and that’s beautiful… All these girls around the world are starting to pick it up, which is nice. I think in the last decade, it’s grown, but locally, it’s something that needs to grow more,” Vesper said.

Mountain biking in Marin County has grown from a local pastime to a popular sport, with teams in the community competing while adapting to modern challenges. Despite issues like limited trail access and financial issues, the sport continues to thrive, especially at a high school level. As many more get involved, mountain biking’s future continues to develop.