On a beautiful day, one can typically find Biker Bob at his bike shop located along trails of Hueston Woods outfitting visitors with bikes, helmets and trail maps for safe biking excursions.
Bob "Biker Bob" Feldman, owner of Julie's Mountain Bikes, has been operating the bike shop and acting as steward of the park's trails since 1997.
Julie's Mountain Bikes was started by a Miami University alum and her husband. Luckily for Feldman, he said no name change was necessary because his wife is named Julie as well.
Feldman said although Hueston Woods is only four miles away from the university's campus, the state park remains relatively unknown to most Miami students.
This is why Miami Mountain Biking Club President, senior Stefan Linder, said the role of his student organization is two-fold.
While part of the club's intention is to merely bring together students who share a passion for mountain biking, it also serves to pique the interest of non-bikers.
"(We want to) encourage non-mountain bikers, people who might be curious, to get involved in it (and) learn the ins and outs of it," Linder said.
Although students may not be overly involved at Hueston Woods, Feldman said he has worked closely with a variety of Miami's academic departments. Currently, Feldman said he is in discussion with Miami's kinesiology and health department regarding the possibility of adding mountain biking as an elective course offering for next year.
Feldman also said he worked with Miami's architecture department to build Julie's Mountain Bikes solar-powered building. Feldman said he decided to go solar not only to save money but also to educate people about alternative energy methods.
"It's a nice thing for people who haven't seen solar-powered installation," he said.
Feldman said visitors to Hueston Woods currently have about 16 miles of trails to enjoy, a number that continues to grow each year. Since the trails first began being developed in 1995, volunteers have assisted with trail construction.
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There are currently three levels of trails with varying difficulty, Feldman said. There are the easy (green), intermediate (blue) and hard courses, known as "the blood red trails," the last of which gets its name from difficulty of the paths.
"(The red trails) can draw blood," Feldman said. "It takes a little bit of experience before you want to ride on them."
Less adventurous riders also have the option of taking a self-guided bike tour on pavement to 11 different locations in the state park.
Linder said the Mountain Biking Club visits Hueston Woods whenever weather permits. Since he has been at Miami, Linder said he has enjoyed being able to meet riders (such as "Biker Bob and the usual gang") at the trails of Hueston Woods.
Feldman said he hopes Miami students continue to become more involved with what Hueston Woods has to offer. He said he hopes to one day even have a research center in the park to help achieve this ambition.
For a map of the trails or for more information, visit http://www.bikerbob.com. Feldman also sells his high-end bikes and bike parts to people all over the world. Feldman can also be reached at info@bikerbob.com.
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