45 Mountain Bikers’ Bikes Confiscated for Riding Unauthorized Trail

Over the weekend authorities confiscated more than 45 mountain bikers’ bikes after the riders were found trespassing on Marine base property in California. The riders started out on trails in the Sycamore Canyon area and claim to have unknowingly followed trails into the off-limits area.

Military officials confiscated bikes and escorted the riders off the property, leading many to rely on friends to pick them up and get them back to their vehicles at the official trailhead. Riders will have a chance to get their bikes back once they appear in court and pay a $500 fine.

This isn’t the first time that riders have had bikes confiscated in the area, though this may be one of the largest single-weekend busts yet. The San Diego Mountain Biking Association is warning riders using the Sycamore Canyon trails to avoid the Santee Lakes and East Elliot areas in particular.

It’s fairly uncommon for mountain bikers to be ticketed or to have bikes confiscated, and in this case, it sounds like the Marines have just recently started enforcing boundaries that have been ignored for some time. For info about various trail fines and punishments for riding illegal trails, be sure to check in to this recent forum thread on the topic and share your experiences.

Update: Be sure to watch this response from the San Diego Mountain Biking Association, here.

Last updated at 4:16pm MST, 1/19/16.

Culture

With Closures, and Limited Build Days This Year, MTB Organizations See More Rogue Trails

Mountain Bikes and Gear

Test Ride Review: The New Diamondback Catch 27.5+

Mountain Bike Trails

Riding SoCal Trail Nobility with Xen MTB

Mountain Bikes and Gear

New Antidote Woodsprite Trail Bike, GPS Unit from Giant, and a Packable Torque Wrench [Gear Watch]