Somewhat rough but fun slickrock trail for intermediate riders. Easy access to the beginning of Red Hot trail. From Sidestep the trail descends 100+ ft (9% grade) to a valley floor, then climbs 80 ft to the head of a mini-canyon, then descends 80ft to intersect with Baby Steps . The reverse climb up is doable even with the steep grades. This loop is slightly more challenging than the Agate Loop, but still for beginning singletrack riders.
There are tough spots that may, for many, require walking bikes. The trail is located on a heavily eroded sandstone plateau between Moab Valley and the Colorado River in the Sand Flats Recreation Area. To reach the trailhead from Moab, drive 2.3 miles east on Sand Flats Road from the intersection of Mill Creek Drive and the Sand Flats Road. The Slickrock Trail is normally used from March through November although the spring and fall months are the most popular. Snow usually covers the trail from late December through February.
– A durable Formula freehub and SunRace 8-speed cassette keep you rolling smoothly without putting up a fuss. All barn-burner and no benchwarmer, the Rockhopper Sport throws out the playbook when it comes to putting performance points on the board while giant mountain playing some serious defense on behalf of your wallet. – Reign in speed and dial up your confidence with powerful braking from Tektro’s M275 hydraulic disc brakes. – 2x Shimano Altus shifting handles drivetrain duties while you focus on the ride.
The main difference between the disciplines are weight, durability, and cost. Gravel cycling started in the USA where they have a huge amount of space with a lot of long fire roads. Gravel cycling evolved from riders riding these long stretches of gravel and fire roads. The sport bridges the gap between giant mountain road and mountain biking where riding at the speeds and efficiency of road cycling meets the ability and freedom to ride on rough and loose terrain. Often single-speeds are fully rigid, steel-framed bikes. These are typically ridden by very fit individuals on mild to moderate cross country terrain.
Surface is a mixture of steep slickrock and deep sand. Surface has been thoroughly churned up by motorized vehicles so can be quite rough and powdery in places. 1.2 miles of singletrack and 2.3 miles of 4×4 road to the rim. (typically ridden as an up and back on the singletrack since continuing on Mag 7 involves negotiating difficult 4×4 roads. Intermediate with a few advanced twists. The west trail is more prickly and longer than the east trail, but both are fun.
In between riders will find rides that cater to all abilities and tastes, from smooth and buffed trails to rocky technically challenging routes. The updated and redesigned Beargrease is a stable, dependable snow-riding machine that comes with rack, pannier, and bag mounts for bikepacking and long-haul racing. The Beargrease is equipped with 4-inch tires but can handle 4.6-, 4.8-, and 5-inch models depending on which fork you choose.