From Miami Landfill to MTB Park - Virginia Key
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- This is Miami, hardly the place you would expect to find mountain bike trials. Miami is more of a testament to urban development than anything else, but a little island off Key Biscane is a product of exactly that.
Frenchy is arguably the most important man in all of Miami, as far as we’re concerned anyway. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, he’s converted a landfill into beautiful switchback mountain bike trails. It’s hard to believe this whole island didn’t even exist before the Port of Miami was dredged. Nature has certainly taken it over quickly.
In 2011, the newly formed Virginia Key Bicycle club got the thumbs up to start building trails here. The city had nothing to lose and everything to gain. According to Frenchy, there have been more volunteer hours logged here in the last 5 years than any other trail in South Florida. At the beginning of the project, Frenchy’s primary goal was to make the park accessible to as many people as possible. He wanted the community to love the park, and they did. The volunteers up on this stage have logged the most time of anyone, with some of them spending over 800 hours of their own time working on the trails.
With the remaining acreage, Frenchy has plans for more difficult trails. The very people who got into mountain biking here are now growing and improving their skills, thirsty for new challenges. Today is the park’s 5 year anniversary, and there’s a brand new black diamond section opening in a few minutes. Frenchy is kicking things off by popping a bottle of champagne with a machete. I’m not sure if it’s for the anniversary or the new section, but it’s some handy machete-work nonetheless. There’s reason to celebrate too, as this park has had an enormous effect on the local cycling economy. Whenever there’s an event here, shops, bike companies, and riders come out in droves, eager to see the continued success of the park. There are enough demo bikes here for everyone.
Now that the champagne hacking is through, we’re riding a huge train through the adaptive trails, ending with the opening of the new black diamond run. I saw some stuff there yesterday which had me itching to come back today. Here goes… The new section has a little something for everyone. From what Frenchy tells me there will be more to come, including a continuation of this trail. I plan on spending a lot more time here at Virginia Key, even if I need to fight Miami’s traffic to do so.
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By the way, for all of you telling me to get a full suspension, that last clip is a win for you.
+Seth's Bike Hacks Judging by the amount of time you rode your last bikes, you probably aren't planning on getting a new bike any time soon. But when you do, treat yourself to a nice fully trail bike. You won't be disappointed!
great.
That's what happens when you go tubeless, which is so overrated.
+Seth's Bike Hacks should of gotten a ns slope with gears or a p slope with gears. would suit u perfectly
+v10moped and you think tubes wouldn't have pinch flatted? Please.._
It's so cool to see the trails from 4 years ago! It's like travelling through time!
BAM! Two video Monday. I know I slacked last week...
this is a nice treat on Mondays, great to see two for one
+Seth's Bike Hacks Nice way to end a Monday. Props!
+Seth's Bike Hacks its okay sometimes we need to Slack..
Is Seth gonna respond after 5 years
It's been 3 years I haven't been at Virginia key. and its change alot. I'm a better rider because of Virginia Key Thank you to all volunteers who have made this place such a great way to learn about MTB
" I'm hoping it seals up!!"
classic.
Dude I love these vids. Seth, you're great.
crazy to see how virginia key looked back then,
Frenchie!, shout out from Miami fl, your a hero keep on creating art work of mountain bike trails
Yo Seth. I'm a 16 year old cyclist and Ive been road biking for three years but just recently got into mtb. just wanted to say that I think your videos are awesome and I see you getting big on UA-cam soon. keep up the great work.
Here I am living in Wisconsin and my February is full of snow and not being able to ride, while you are here uploading videos all year. l'm jealous, and can't wait to get back into my bike!
I have a natural reaction to auto hit the like button on every one of Seth's videos.
great meeting you yesturday seth. big fan of your videos....i really enjoy how you make miami look. im born and raised here. i love miami...
lol damn how's you rim? That place looks amazing, very smart of the city to green light that project. I wish my city would do that with the 2 dumps it's accumulated. One trail already moves through the north end of one of them and it's a great trail! Hope you are enjoying your new steed!
thanks and surprisingly my rim is perfectly fine. DB makes a solid wheel. Maybe you could be the Frenchy of your city and put those landfills to use...
that was Interesting thanks for Shearing this story. Frenchy seams to be an awesome Guy..
Wow what a brilliant way to get new riders riding and for locals who are more experienced having fun! Also i bet it gets alto of outsiders to because it would be a awesome place to go on a family holiday! Great work! Keep it up!
Very, very fantastic trail, not only for beginners, that has defined made a lot of fun, thank you and THUMB´s UP! Regards Markus
You will find no one else on youtube willing to take the risk of messing up a bike like that , awesome vid man
I really like the trails there fast and flowy with the really nice views of the bay.
Awesome place, awesome dude the frenchie, awesome video and awesome snake bite on your tube
Bummer! I hit VK today to check out the new trail but it's closed for maintenance. I guess Frenchie & his crew are making it even better. Oh well, still a good day.
Your channel has got me into mtb and it's what I'm getting for my birthday, and omg your voice is so nice
Hello seth,
Im a filipino working here in taiwan. I really love riding a mountain bike like you... Thats why i always watch ur.videos again and again. But unfortunately i havent had my bike i left it back at home in the philippines. I always wanted to try ur tricks but maybe next time. Thanks anyway continue making videos
yes 2 vids I love to watch your vids can't wait for them
How to burp a tubeless tire 101.
Bold move. Sweet trails though for sure.
+Dan Morgan haha... it actually pinch/punctured. I patched it from the inside so I could ride the following day, but I have a new one on order. (Do not patch tubeless tires!)
+Seth's Bike Hacks Why not? :D I once damaged my tire so much it didn't even seal anymore but after using common bike repair kit (on the outside, which may or may not be smart) everything works fine again! ^^
Great video! I love seeing grass roots community success stories like this!
Nube here with 5 total times at MTB. 3 @ Virginia Key and 2 @ Amelia Earhart. Virginia Key is my favorite. Hope to see ya there sometime. Great video as always.
When’s the last time you came down here? I just rode here today for the first and its was awesome! Better then any park down in south Florida, in my opinion... I saw frenchy too and thanked him for all the work he’s put into the park (I wouldn’t have known him if I never saw this video) haha!! Great videos tho bro everything from the creek to peak!! Keep it up 👍🏼
Hi seth. I just bumped on jour chanel few weeks ago. Nice vids. Hope you will make more of them. Greetings from Serbia
love your video's mate, lol you actually inspired me to get off my ass and get back into this class hobby/sport, so yeah thanks man! and keep the content coming!!! -from the uk!
Some of the best videos on UA-cam.
Thanks for the info. of this southern FL. trail. Looking forward to get down your way to she'd some trails.
Nice! I haven't been there in a few months, can't wait to try out the new trail
The end made me crack up. Hope your tires are okay. Honestly, I thought you weren't going to make that jump, but we all know it's Seth. He can do anything on any bike haha.
Your such a legend dude. I love your videos and it has inspired me to get more into MTB. Also no dislikes and I was the 420'th like.
TWO VIDEOS IN ONE DAY?!? IS IT MY BIRTHDAY AGAIN???
Hey Seth,
Great videos, keep up the great work!
I'm also a local SoFlo trail rider and was wondering if you could recommend tires for our trails here (for my 29er Cannondale hardtail with stans tubeless wheelset). A video on tires would be great too since they come in many different types and price range.
Waow i wish i wasn't living in France i would have travelled a lot to ride this wonderful place if i wasn't that far ^^
Awesome community recognition.
I ride those trails all the time.
Seth you should do a full build on a mountain or bmx bike, from bottom bracket to handle bars
your videos are awesome!
have you ever made it up to the Tampa area to ride? I live in Brandon and ride Alafia almost every weekend. Love the videos! Keep them coming! I;m still waiting for a time when I can get down to Markham Park.
Nice Jump at the end Seth, worth the snake bite flat....
You should come down to central Florida to ride Alafia River, Balm Boyette, and Santos!
A white anglo saxon complimenting a french speaking fellow with a latino background music. You're my newly appointed minister of multi culturalism.
I wish nyc had donut him like this just an island with mountain bike trails hell I help build it or do it myself someday
Sabering the champagne is a french tradition ^^
Cool vid. There's another demo there on April 16 and 17. Must have missed you by an hour lol
MY LOCAL TRAIL!
Sick vid, awesome bike park
SETH I LIVE IN KEY BISCAYNE I WENT TO THE TRAILS YESTERDAY THE NEW ONE WAS SICK! BTW YOU SHOULD COME BACK AND TRY THE DEMO BIKES IN VIRGINIA AND DO A REVIEW ON IT!
that's a sweet new trail
wat a pleace to ride. Good video¡
Tropico 5 music, pretty nice
Dam, I was just there on Monday. I didn't see the new trail. Gonna have to find it next time.
Definitely the nicest trail in Miami. I love oletta but VK rocks
If you ever come to Tasmania you should come to wilmot mountain bike trail
I rly love diferent aproach of you. Riding ht is showing you got skills to ride and its not bike who is ridig track then you.
Lots of family in miami but I wouldn't live there because it is too flat.. I am glad to see that you at least have something
yep, at least there's this...and Oleta... and Amelia... oh and Markham. And quietwaters... it's not so bad actually!
@Seth's bike Hacks hi seths i just like to say love your videos keep it up but i noticed how you been going to all this new bike trails and stuff i have seen the newest vid when you go to delray which was kinda funny for me cuz i was planing to take a trip there since its close to my local trails which i HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU GO RIDE THERE it has alot of drops, doubles,tabletops and surprisingly downhill its about 45mins from delray so probadly and hour for you but anyways the park is call Jonathan Dickinson State Park theres some videos on it but trust me the park has changed ALOT since them vids and i keep seeing more and more truck loads of dirt and wood keep coming and the trails just keep getting better and better so i really think you would like this place if you deside to go hit me up would be sick to ride with you or jump over lol ether one :)
beautiful trails and great video!
great video!
Keep up the awesome videos!
I need to go there.
That’s bigger than all the bike parks in my city combined
Every Video, Newest to Oldest
Seth I can bunny hop good but not far, I can't bunny hop far enough to get on to curbs so I always end up slamming my rear wheel into them. There are NO videos on how to bunny hop FAR so could you make one?
+Garrett Leonardson Go faster, and don't slam the rear down! You know I make another bunny hop video every few weeks, so I'll cover it next time.
+Seth's Bike Hacks thx
Bunny hop later. If you're bunny hopping correctly the front should come up before the rear. Wait till the front has cleared the curb before bringing the back wheel off the ground.
Garrett Leonardson speed
Looks awesome!
seth, i found a rather COOL place for mountain biking, and the terrain there is darn rough. with grass, not so smooth, very wide and open spaced.any tips? by the way, LOVE UR VIDEOS, BIG FAN!!!!
Looking at the Google maps. The park looks great!
Hey Seth, just wanted to drop some thanks for all of the tutorials and vids you've done. I usually ride lone wolf style so watching a few of your vids ahead of time has helped a lot.
That being said, I wanted to check out a race or event and found that the trail in this video is having one next month. I really want to sign up for it, but wanted to see what you thought of the trails first and if they were feasible for a decent rider? Thanks for all the hacks!
"I am going jump off of this on to that rock"...."Ok" Lol
The champagne and machete is the most Florida thing I have ever seen .
just picked up a mongoose nugget (rare in the uk lol) and i have to say im loving it so far,
i'd like to hear your opinions for a future build(upgrades etc), and your opinion of the bike itself:)
That place looks awesome, it reminds me of when we were younger we would spend as much time working on our dirt jump area as we did riding it.
Do you have to pay to ride there or is it just free admission?
yay two vids
Nice. Though I did expect to see you ride through the whole trail and not just cut to the most intense parts.
I didn't even use half the footage for this video :-) more to come
My bike park is the railyard in Nova Scotia and it also useted to be a landfill
you are the best youtjuber
When's your next Q&A? I need some more advice on manuals. I'm 6'4" and 235lbs and cannot get my front wheel off the ground for shit. I've even swapped out my stem for a shorter one but nothin.
that bike is sick
can't believe the case on that last jump how was it getting back hope you had a spare
Singapore is just like miami haha theres trails that are quite small and kinda artificial but whatevers left of nature ill take it to full use haha theres an island called pulau ubin its offshore singapore and you have to take a boat there its kind like this island here i really like it
Hey Seth, visit any of the palm Beach County trails? Great videos btw. Cheers.
Private message me! I need a tour guide for Palm Beach
+Seth's Bike Hacks pm'd on fb
Seth I are you going to do more footage on the new black diamond section?
That would be much appreciated.
That day the trails were jam packed... I plan on going back there early in the morning when the place is empty.
new rider here! bought myself a 2012 trek 4900 disc (I believe like yours, mine is white) need a new front tire. just wondering if I should go 26 x 2.2 or 2.4? 75% trail riding. also should I invest in tubless conversion or wait for my next bike to do so? love all your vids! thanks.
Tubeless is nice, but if you don't really get pinch flats I don't think it's as crucial as people say. It's messy to change tires, true wheels, replace spokes, etc. As for the tire, go fat!
+Seth's Bike Hacks great thanks for the help!
Dope dude
Cool
I live in Hialeah (it's a part of Miami for the people that don't know) if you are in Miami again and want to find some trails check out the Amelia Earhart Park they got some trails towards the back I don't know if they are any good since I'm not very skilled and I stay on the amateur trail but check it out if you haven't already
Kriss M he's made a few videos on Amelia I go there too. One of them is trail testing the mongoose walmart
You should put out an MTB part every year or so
I'm from Michigan. Going there in a couple days
louis siginski was it worth it??
MOTO REVOLUTION I live in Miami so feel free to ask about any other trail here. I would say it's definitely worth it, but keep in mind you cannot compare it to other trails with elevation change as there is little of it in South Florida.
I wish I could go trail riding, but the nearest trail is 76 km away :(
Hey Seth between your Diamondback release and mission witch one u prefer?
where is this? I am visiting Hollywood Florida soon for family and I don't want to miss out on biking for too long.
BANANA PIEMAN Take 95-S past downtown Miami and get off at the Rickenbacker Causeway. Take that towards the key. How do I know that? Google maps. Lol. I also been there once.
Is that a GT MTB you just rode? The hardtail, black?
tough Tom isn't so tough anymore
i only subscribed because i bike and lterally live in cutler bay
Did you pinch flat a tubeless?
Luis Ramos yes
+seth's can you please make a video with trial tricks with a mountain bike please
hey Seth. ..where is the new trail located at..next to or what trails merges into the new one..I can't find it on the Virginia key bike map...do u know the name of the trail that u took before getting into the new trail...thanks
You need to keep going to the right when you get to Warpig, and then go right again. Similarly, when you get into the trailhead you could go left and keep taking the road until it says "wrong way", and then keep going. Don't go that way, but maybe that will give you a sense of where it is.
rip seths back wheel
What's your opinion on the cannon dale trail 5 27.5?