Bike trails are constructed on a variety of surfaces. The varied surfaces help bike riders develop effective control skills and gain experience for competitive bike riding. If you are just starting out in this sport, here are the bike trail surfaces you may encounter, and some tips on how to navigate each safely.
Mud Trail
Mud is a tricky bike surface. If the mud is practically liquid, you can roll right through it just as you would with a rain puddle. If it is partially dried out, sticky, tacky, and has just enough "squish" left in it, you are going to want to keep your wheels as straight as possible. Coming at this thicker, stickier mud at an angle may cause your tire to slip toward one side or other and throw you from the bike. Slow, controlled, and straight on is the way to make it through.
Gravel Trail or Path
If you bike too quickly through gravel, it will spin up and nick you in the legs, feet, and even your lower torso. If you hit pea gravel really fast, it will cause your front tire to spin out and throw you off. Take gravel at a slow to medium pace if you want to avoid injury and stay on your bike.
Asphalt
Asphalt, for the most part, is smooth sailing as far as riding a bike is concerned. You just have to be aware of potholes and potential dangers coming up. You also cannot ride anywhere else except in the bike lane or on the shoulder of the road to avoid being hit by cars. There are also birds and the occasional deer that might jump out at you, so just keep looking ahead when riding on asphalt.
Dry Dirt/Sandy Path
If you take your bike for a ride into rocky hillside country, your bike trails are going to be primarily dry dirt and/or sand. Sand can make the trail a little treacherous, but it can also help you stay on the trail if you are riding over it at a leisurely pace. Dry dirt is relatively safe to take at any speed.
Wooden Plank Path
This final trail material is more common if you are biking through national parks or nature trails. Most of the time, the hard wood planks are as safe as asphalt. The rest of the time you will need to make sure the planks are not covered in moss, are really wet, and/or broken with a hole in them. Again, it is important to keep looking ahead.
