GMC Guest Blogger
I was a guest blogger for a GMC/Fuji Bikes cross-promotion. (Note: Site is no longer live.)
GM and Fuji Team Up for the Perfect Spring Biking Trip
By: northeast
May 14, 2011 1:20 pm ET
Guest blogger Chris Mesigian, marketing manager for Fuji Bikes, tells you everything you need to know about biking one of his favorite trails in Philadelphia:
Punxsutawney Phil may have said it would be an early spring, but the warm weather took quite a while to get to us in Philadelphia this year. Now that spring is finally here, we can start grilling, jogging along Kelly Drive and, my personal favorite, biking. Biking is not only great exercise, it’s a fun way to get out of the city and explore.
There are many fun, challenging bike trails in our area, but one of my favorite places to ride is Wissahickon Valley Park, part of Philadelphia’s 9,200-acre Fairmount Park, one of the largest city parks in the world. The “Wiss,” as it’s locally known, hosts the Forbidden Drive, which extends seven miles along the creek valley from Chestnut Hill to Manayunk, and is closed to automobile traffic.
To prepare for a park like this one, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the right bike and the right vehicle to get you there. At Fuji Bikes, we offer a full line of premium bicycles including everything from road to mountain, hybrids to commuters, urban/lifestyle to cruisers. Now, as far as getting around is concerned, there are several GM vehicles that work great, but let’s look at three in particular; very different styles, but each with easy transportation options:
2011 GMC Acadia Denali
With a Denali, I recommend going with a rear hitch mounted rack for the convenience and ease of accessing your bikes. These racks typically tilt out of the way, so you can still access the inside of the vehicle. Given its rugged nature and added bonus of its interior capacity, I’d say you’re choosing the Denali to hit the “Wiss’s” 50-mile+ off-road, wooded trail system. Fuji’s aluminum hardtail mountain bike, the Tahoe 29er, is the perfect match for these technical single track trails.
2011 Buick Regal
The Regal works well with one of our “trail hybrid” bikes that are tailor made for sticking to the gravel-covered Forbidden Drive. The Sunfire, which comes in both men’s and women’s models, pairs comfortable upright positioning with treaded tires and a suspension fork for handling diverse surfaces. I recommend a trunk mounted rack for carrying Sunfires on the Regal. It straps right onto your truck and allows for easy access to the bikes, on and off. If you are leaning more towards a roof rack, try a full bike tray. This tray is nice as you don’t need to remove the bike’s front wheel.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Finally, for the Cruze, I recommend a bike such as the Nevada. The Nevada is a great option for the slightly more adventurous types who may want to combine a casual ride along Forbidden Drive with some time in the woods on lower-lying off-road trails. For a roof-mounted rack here, I would go with a bike tray where the front wheel does come off. This tray allows for a quick, more stable hold, and best of all, makes the car look that much sportier.
Once you get going in Wissahickon Park, our friends at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia want to remind you share the trails and be considerate of all users; they recommend the following:
- Keep right, except to pass
- Ring a bell or politely call out when passing on left
- Give ample room when passing
- Keep your speed down and enjoy the view!
- Stay single file during busy times
- Yield right-of-way to other trail users
- When stopped, step off the trail
- Keep headphones at a reasonable level
For more information about the Bicycle Coalition and regional biking activities, visit their website.
I hope everyone will take advantage of the nice weather and do some biking! Feel free to post any questions you might have about Fuji bikes or the local trails in the comments section below – I’m happy to help!”
Chris Mesigian 