CONSIDERATIONS IN BIRDING PTE. MOUILLEE BY BIKE Birding Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Monroe County, Michigan, can be tiring as the miles of dike roads separating impoundments must normally be covered on foot. Cars cannot be driven there without permits that are essentially impossible to get. But walking is not the only option. Some birders get around at Pte. Mouillee on bicycles, covering the ground much more quickly than walkers. Because the roads are often rocky or rutted, wide-tire bikes are needed. A mountain bike is the perfect solution. As I knew nothing about mountain bikes, I asked some biking birder friends for advice as to important features. Their helpful replies follow the summary below. For miscellaneous information about choosing a bike see http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/General_information/Cycling/ Bike_user_guide/Choosing_a_bike_and_helmet/Cycling_choosing_a_bike Bruce Bowman Ann Arbor, Michigan =========================================================================== Below is a summary of main points made by my experts. These points are specific to birding by bike on the dike roads at Pte. Mouillee State Game Area and similar places. Any mountain bike--or even an old style, one- speed, balloon-tired bike--will work, but you'll find there are many options to consider when it comes to buying a bike. Read the experts' full comments in addition to the summary below. Items in [square brackets] are mine or points made by readers, not my experts'. SUMMARY 1. The most important consideration is tire type. YOU NEED WIDE TIRES (2 to 2.5" width). They don't necessarily need to have "aggressive tread" with the large lugs (knobs) found on most mountain bike tires. (Buy a bicycle pump when you get the bike.) 2. The second most important feature may be UPRIGHT (not flat or drop) HANDLEBARS. These allow you to sit up straight. The more you have to lean over, the harder it is to look around for birds as you pedal. Also, sitting up straight prevents binoculars and cameras hanging from your neck from hitting against the handlebars or frame. You can buy upright handlebars that mount to the regular (flat) handlebars. 3. A "COMFORT" STYLE BIKE is a good alternative to a standard mountain bike. These bikes have a big padded seat, shock-absorbing front fork and seat post, upright handlebars, and wide tires. 3a. [Tom Shehan says a WELL-PADDED SEAT is important (sounds right to me) and that the standard mountain bike seat is uncomfortable.] 4. The bike should have STRONG WHEELS and a STRONG FRAME even though this makes the bike heavier. Weight is not a big factor. 4a. [A STANDARD MEN'S BIKE HAS 26" WHEELS. A smaller frame (24" wheels) will be suitable for some, and an oversized frame (28" wheels) will be suitable for others.] 5. NUMBER OF SPEEDS IS NOT IMPORTANT FOR BIRDING BY BIKE. You will be using only low gears. [However, most mountain bikes have at least 10 or 15 speeds]. 6. PLAIN FLAT PEDALS are best (i.e., without toe clips). 7. A FRONT SHOCK is nice to have but not necessary. 8. It's convenient to have a bike that will FIT IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR, but REAR FRAME RACKS are available for about $30. [In all likelihood you will not be able to close your trunk lid entirely. Use bungee cords to hold it down. You can get these at a Dollar Store or an automotive supply store.] 9. A QUICK-RELEASE FRONT WHEEL HUB and a quick-adjustable seat post are important to have if you will be carrying the bike inside your vehicle or in the trunk rather than on a rack. (If you can't quite get the bike fully into the trunk, bungee cords to hold down the trunk lid may be a solution for you.) 10. Having fenders is good if you will be riding through mud or water, but FENDERS MAY BE A HINDRANCE for loading and unloading your bike inside a vehicle. 11. [Because of ruts, loose gravel, and hidden muskrat holes, falls are not uncommon. Wearing a BICYCLE HELMET is a prudent thing to do.] 12. CYCLING GLOVES with padded palms and cutoff fingers are good to have in case of a fall. 13. Ribbed rubber grips can become uncomfortable on ungloved hands after even short rides. FOAM RUBBER OR SMOOTH RUBBER GRIPS are better. 14. You will be able to ride your bike while carrying your scope and tripod (fully extended) in a Tri-Pack, a backpack type device available from the ABA for $45.00. 15. [If you don't want to buy a bike, you can probably rent one--say, just for August/September shorebirding at Pte. Mouillee. In Ann Arbor rentals are available for $75 or less per month.] 16. [I checked bikes at Meijer's the other day. They had a sturdy, new mountain bike for $200.] 17. [I bought a used 15-speed Huffy mountain bike, in good condition, for $50 at a Salvation Army store. I also looked at Kiwanis, which had more bikes but only bikes in poor condition on the days that I looked.] =========================================================================== EMAILS From: Bruce M. Bowman To: Lyle Hamilton, Jerry Jourdan, Todd Palgut, Will Weber Subject: bike for Pte. Mouillee Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:35:49 -0400 Lyle, Jerry, Todd, Will- You're all guys I know to ride a bike at Pte. Mouillee. I want to get a bike for that purpose myself, but I know absolutely nothing about bikes. Should I be looking for a "mountain bike"? What are these things called? Are there certain features I should look for? Does the front wheel come off for easier transport? Can I expect a bike to fit in the trunk of my full-sized car? What do you suppose a used bike would cost? Bruce =========================================================================== To: bbowman99 * comcast.net Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee From: lyle.hamilton * gm.com Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 14:05:56 -0400 Bruce, You want a Mountain Bike! The front wheel pops off of most of them with very little effort. Best bet is to try the bike that you are going to buy to make sure that it is relatively easy. My bike does not have a front or rear shock and it is more than adequate for Mouillee. A front shock would improve the ride but adds weight. I haven't shopped in a while, but you could probably pick up a good used bike for a few hundred dollars. A low end new bike may run around the same (Meijers, Target ....). You get what you pay for in terms of weight and durability. Since you will not be carrying the bike over dead trees and not racing, I would not be to concerned over weight. As long as you can lift the bike into the trunk of your car, it should be light enough!. I have fit my bike in the back seat of my Saturn Aura when I take the front wheel off. I don't think that it would fit in the trunk. In terms of features, weight, removable front tire are key as you have stated. Additionally, you should look for a bike that has at least 10 speeds so that you have the ability to control your pace (most have 18 to 21 speeds). A 2 to 2 1/2 inch wide tire would be good for ride. Lyle =========================================================================== From: Will Weber To: bbowman99 * comcast.net Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 14:19:15 -0400 Hey Bruce, I read your email as I am nursing scrapes and bruises from a nasty fall from my bike at Mouillee yesterday. Here are some recommendations based on past and recent "hard knocks". 1. You do want fat tires, like on a mountain bike, or at least a hybrid bike. In the spring the roads and trails are soft and skinny tires just won't work. Also, areas like the banana are quite coarse rock and a lightweight tires won't last long. When the roads are hard- dried, rutted mud as they are now in places on the middle dike, a fatter, low pressure tired will track over the ruts better. (I got a bit cocky and over-confident about my tires' ability to do this and got tossed yesterday.) 2. You want a bike with strong wheels. I have several times "dived" into muskrat holes hidden in the deep grass. Even if I was not thrown off the bike, it really gave the rims a shock and broke spokes. Don't get lightweight rims or some kind of reduced-number racing spoke set up. 3. I have appreciated a strong frame. Usually this actually makes the bike less expensive because lightness = high cost. 4. You want quick release hubs and quick adjustable seat post to allow packing. My bike fits easily in the back of my Subaru. I have a bike rack, but only use it when I am traveling with another biker. 5. For Mouillee, the number of speeds is not important because there are no real hills and you never get going very fast. A fat tire, coaster brake, push bike would work just fine. It would probably be pretty cheap, too. 6.I have a Giant brand bike with a very large frame. I bought it at the Great Lakes Cycle and Fitness Center on Stadium. I have been happy with the choice. I also have dealt with Ann Arbor Cyclery on Packard and they have been good. Both shops seem to have bikes in all price ranges. 7. If you are thinking of using the bike for commuting, as I do, you will probably appreciate more speeds and some of the "lightness" features of a more expensive set up. 8. Buy a bicycle pump when you get the bike. 9. Toe clips are optional. For all the start and stop biking of birding, I think I prefer just plain flat pedals. 10. My bike does not have fenders. I have to avoid going too fast through mud or water, or I get a bath, but fenders take a beating when you load and unload your bike inside a vehicle. 11. You do want handle bars which allow you to sit up straight. The more you have to lean over, the harder it is to look around for birds as you pedal. Hope this helps. Let's go bike birding as soon as you get your wheels! Will Will Weber JOURNEYS International, Inc. Intimate Access to Other Worlds / http://www.journeys.travel 107 Aprill Drive, #3, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103 USA 800-255-8735 / 734-665-4407 / Fax 734-665-2945 =========================================================================== Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 14:39:19 -0400 From: "Jerry Jourdan" To: "Will Weber" Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee Cc: bbowman99 * comcast.net, lyle.hamilton * gm.com, t_palgut * wideopenwest.com Great summary, Will! I agree w/ all the assessments. Bruce, I have a Giant Sedona mountain Bike and like it as well. The typical, horizontal handlebars are horrid for Mouillee, especially when you have binoculars and camera around your neck - they tend to smash into the handlebars or frame too easily. So I bought a pair of upright handlebars that mount to the regular handlebars - this allows me to sit upright while biking - I need to swap mine so that they curve outward as it makes steering a bit more difficult when hands are closer together toward the middle of the frame. I'd like to get the brakes moved to them, as well, so I have better control. Big tires are a must for the gravel/cobble/boulder-strewn trails. Low gear is all that is needed, as well. And let's plan to hook up w/ Will one of these days down there! Even if we don't see any birds we can intimidate any walking birders! :) Jerry =========================================================================== From: "todd" To: "'Jerry Jourdan'" , "'Will Weber'" Cc: , Subject: RE: bike for Pte. Mouillee Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 19:43:26 -0400 Well funny you should ask. I just bought a new Schwinn Sierra GS on Saturday and took it out to Pt. Mouillee on Sunday where I met up with Jerry. The Sierra is what vendors call a 'comfort' style bike. Typically, big padded seat, shock absorbing seat post and front fork, upright handle bars, wide tires. The local bike store here in Plymouth carries Giant brand which looked good. But for no particular reason I wanted the Schwinn. I got it at Al Petri's in Lincoln Park for $320. After one time out I would say that it was a much more comfortable ride than the mountain bike I had before. I also agree with Will's comments and will add a few of my own: Tires - Mtn bikes have an aggressive tread with large lugs. The comfort bikes have a less aggressive smooth tread. A compromise for on and off road. The salesman told me the Sierra would 'go anywhere a car would go' and that I would get 'a little slippage in mud'. I think they will fine but if there is a problem I would replace the tires with a more aggressive tread. Quick Release hubs are needed. After putting the seats down, I was able to fit the bike in the trunk of my Pontiac G6. It was a bit awkward and couldn't have done it without the Quick hubs. I am considering a trunk carrier just for convenience. Brakes - Some of the bikes now have disc brakes. These looked interesting but would have jumped the price up. I ended up with the typical side-pull brakes. I added a rear frame rack ($30) that I thought would help in lugging equipment around but haven't made use of it yet. I will also add a handle bar bag for books and tools and such. The salesman told me to bring the bike back after 30 days and they would adjust everything. This would help the bike last longer and run better. So far so good. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Todd =========================================================================== From: Bruce M. Bowman To: Lyle Hamilton, Jerry Jourdan, Todd Palgut, Will Weber Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:02:51 -0400 Lyle, Jerry, Todd, Will- Wow! Great stuff! Thanks, all of you, for your detailed replies. I read your material between the second and third OTs of the Red Wings- Penguins game. Unfortunately, it's going back to Pittsburgh for game 6. A question I forgot to ask: Have you used a Tri-Pak for carrying a scope while riding your bike? Does that work out okay? Would any of you object if I put up a compilation of your (credited) material at my web site? Bruce =========================================================================== Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 07:10:29 -0400 From: "Jerry Jourdan" To: bbowman99 * comcast.net Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee Cc: lyle.hamilton * gm.com, t_palgut * wideopenwest.com, will * journeys- intl.com Not at all, I have my scope mounted to a rucksack. The top loop of the sack (or any LL Bean-style backpack) goes over the center post of the tripod, and two of the legs are secured to the side of the sack (helps to have loops in the side of the rucksack) for stability. Fully extended you can just step out of the pack w/ it still attached to the scope and scope away. Make sure that the tripod head has a secondary locking device to prevent the scope from falling off if it becomes loosened, but most of the time the scope is secure and your body will absorb most of the shock from riding - ie. unless you go over the handlebars as Will will attest. Will has a scope pak that he puts his fully-extended tripod/scope in upside down. This works well, also, but his 8' frame and 8' tripod makes it difficult for low-flying airplanes to keep from clipping the tripod feet. Oh, and don't ride w/ him in lightning storm, either! :) Jerry =========================================================================== To: bbowman99 * comcast.net Cc: jourdaj * gmail.com, t_palgut * wideopenwest.com, will * journeys-intl.com Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee From: lyle.hamilton * gm.com Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 08:26:09 -0400 Bruce, No problem with the summary. I should have sent my reply to all as I have picked up additional comments from others. In terms of the Tri-Pak, I wouldn't leave home without it! I have been using mine for about 4 years now and it is still as good as new. I carry my scope almost everywhere as I use it for digiscoping. I find the Tri-Pak to be relatively comfortable while either hiking or biking. There is a zippered pouch that has enough room for my digital camera, a bird book and a water bottle. There is no extra set up time associated with this devise. When you get to where you want to set up the scope, just slip it off your back, put down the legs of the tripod and you're ready to go. On another note, has anyone ever run over a muskrat while at Mouillee? Last June I was biking the dikes and out of the corner of my eye I saw a muskrat come dashing out of the cattails. I couldn't stop and expected the muskrat to either stop or veer off but it did not. I ran right over the top of the poor guy! I figured that it was just a fluke. Then about 3 weeks later, in a different section of Mouillee, the same thing happened! Just curious if it is just my luck. Both muskrats continued on there way with me hoping that they didn't have any internal injuries. Lyle =========================================================================== From: Will Weber To: bbowman99 * comcast.net Subject: Re: bike for Pte. Mouillee Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 09:39:49 -0400 Bruce, Too bad about that triple OT playing out unfavorably. I have a scope pack which is a canvas barrel back pack. I like it on my bike because it rides higher than the tripack and keeps the scope well protected during my frequent falls! I can leave the scope legs extended and sticking out. Jerry's amusing characterization of my special disabilities and the risks thereby entailed probably don't apply to others. I have been caught on on the dikes in a thunderstorm and the lightning issue crossed my mind. As to wildlife crossings, yes, I have nicked a muskrat, been attacked by Mama Canada Goose and barely avoided several snakes. Right now the biggest natural living adversity for bikers seems to be the dense thistle thickets growing up on some of the lesser-traveled dikes. Wear thick pants and leather shoes! One last suggestion: Cycling gloves with padded palms and cutoff fingers are really good to have. They cushion the vibration from the rough gravel and protect your hands if you do fall. Of course, you can use any of these suggestions. Thanks to my fellow birding bikers for their tips. Will =========================================================================== From: "todd" To: "'Will Weber'" , Cc: "'Jerry Jourdan'" , Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 21:57:37 -0400 Hi Bruce, Handle bar grips is another thing to think about. My old mtn bike came with ribbed rubber grips which hurt my hands after even short trips. I replaced them with some foam rubber grips from Kmart, which were much more comfortable. My new bike has smooth rubber grips which seemed fine last weekend. I've never tried them, but as Will mentioned gloves would probably help if the grips became irritating. I have a backpack that can hold my scope and my smaller tripod inside. It's nice for riding but less convenient when you stop and have to setup. Last weekend I rigged my pack like Jerry had his and liked it better. I have a 2 liter Platypus that I picked up for hiking a few years back. I throw it in the backpack and it has a tube that I rig in one of the straps. This way I can drink water while riding. Feel free to use any info that you think would be helpful. Thanks, Todd =========================================================================== From: Bruce M. Bowman To: Lyle Hamilton, Jerry Jourdan, Todd Palgut, Will Weber Subject: mountain bike Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:06:46 -0400 Lyle, Jerry, Todd, Will- It occurred to me that renting a mountain bike might be the way to go for my first exposure to the beasties. I can get one from Campus Student Bikes in Ann Arbor for a month for $75. Maybe July 28 to August 27. I'm sure they don't offer anything good for rental, but that will get me started. I can pick from among all their rental bikes, so I'll go in with a checklist in hand, derived from your lists of features. Bruce ===========================================================================