??‍♂️ biking tips with an outdoor enthusiast -





explore minnesota | minnesota outdoors | spokes, streets & scenic beats | man in grey helmet smiles at camera as he rests on this bike's handlebars [ [link removed] ]





interview with kevin frias

Kevin started biking after his father made major life changes to counteract high blood pressure and cholesterol. His father tried a variety of exercises and nothing stuck until he hopped on a little bike they had in the garage. Looking up to his father — who had begun to go on longer rides in New Jersey with friends — Kev saved up his money to get a bike and spend time with his dad. College brought him to Iowa, where his roommate introduced the intensity of mountain biking, but what really struck a chord was Kevin’s discovery of the gravel riding community. It was a perfect mix of adventure, travel and working out, and he immediately fell in love.

 

That love has only grown after moving to Minnesota for work. He not only explores Minneapolis and St. Paul regularly, but also plans bike trips with his family and friends around the state. You may have even ridden with Kev, who often drops ride invites on Instagram. His favorite being the “*Donut Ride [ [link removed] ]*,” where 20-some people — mostly strangers — joined him to check out and rate Minneapolis donut shops. The biking community is a rare crew that’s not only willing to accept new people but also willing to go out of its way to share experiences. 






Kevin smiling with a grey bike helmet on, the waterfall at Minnehaha is in the background [ [link removed] ]





what makes biking in minnesota special compared to other places?

The part that highlights it most for me is Minneapolis’ infrastructure. The fact that even in downtown, you have separated and protected bike lanes is huge — especially if you're someone newish to biking.

 

Plus, when you visit some other places, there's not even a sidewalk to walk on, let alone biking infrastructure, to feel like you’re allowed to bike. Even if there's not a separate bike lane in Minnesota, you still feel welcome on the road.

 

Anytime you see construction, it's cool because, after the construction is done, there's usually some sort of bicycle infrastructure added. It’s usually a protected bike lane, which, my God, that's so cool to see.  

 

It's helpful because not everyone can afford a car or not everyone wants to. You can actually get around anywhere on a bike between bike lanes, safe streets, and protected lanes. You can do anything you want within a good radius around Minneapolis and St. Paul, which you can't do in many other places.






Video still. POV of biking on the Grand Rounds, a car-free bike path, of the city at night. [ [link removed] ]





*DISCOVER THE BEST BIKE TRAILS IN THE TWIN CITIES* [ [link removed] ]






what's your favorite short-distance bike trail?

The *Grand R**ounds* [ [link removed] ] in Minneapolis. You see a bit of everything. You explore some of downtown, some of the lakes, some of north, some near St. Paul, a bit on the west side. If someone has only one day to bike anywhere in the state, I tell them Grand Rounds.

 

The West River Parkway is part of the Grand Rounds and I use that often for training rides. The trail is off the road, but if you're going fast, you can be on the road with low traffic. You can ride to Minnehaha Falls and to Stone Arch Bridge, both are beautiful destinations in the Twin Cities. 






POV looking at a mint green bike's black handle bars while flying down a paved bike trail. Tall green trees are on both sides of the path. [ [link removed] ]





what's your favorite long-distance trail?

The *Luce Line State Trail [ [link removed] ]* because it’s one you can get to really easily from downtown Minneapolis. It’s also a mix of paved, crushed limestone, and, then if you get really far out, it's this grassy madness out there, which is fun. The trail itself is easy, sheltered off the road, and even the gravel is not super chunky, so you can take a road bike on it.

 

The paved part of the trail is also good for families, seeing as it’s just woods on both sides. There's this little farm you can see with goats and other animals. My wife and I like to stop there, eat a little picnic, and then ride back. 

 

 

what's your go-to snack when you’re on a long bike ride? 

Dried mangos. I love them. Not a lot of packing space for dried fruit and you basically just need sugar to fuel your muscles on a long ride.






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when new people come to the city, i point them to angry catfish for group rides.

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do you have any favorite bike shops in minnesota?

Please, I’m not trying to piss anyone off, but, accessibility-wise, REI has a *bike shop* [ [link removed] ]. Although it's tied to a major company, it’s a local bike shop. I’ve been there often with bikes that I have broke down.

 

*Behind Bars Bicycle Shop [ [link removed] ]* is one that's small, local and they put on rides, which is cool. *Angry Catfish [ [link removed] ]* also does a great job of making community for people. They have multiple regular weekly rides almost all year round, so when new people come to the city, I point them to Angry Catfish for group rides.

 

Between those three and *Erik**’s* [ [link removed] ], you won't need to buy anything online.






Kevin, in a black and grey outfit, rests on his mountain bike on reddish-orange dirt, while looking out at a gorgeous lake view. [ [link removed] ]





do you have a favorite season for biking?

I enjoy end of summer to early fall. I recently realized I like to ride in the mornings — wake up and be out the door by 6:00-ish and go ride. In the summer, you can ride later as well, just because the sun is out longer. It’s not too hot and the intense bugs are usually done and dusted by then.

 

Fall is a fun time when mountain biking picks up. It's a lot less wet and the dirt is more firm, so you can mountain bike more places. Gravel riding is less muddy, so fall is perfect for that, too. It's a good mix of temperatures, sunlight and not too much water. 






Kevin looks back while under a bridge. He's in black and pink gear, has several bags strapped to his bike, a pair of shoes dangle over a pack. [ [link removed] ]





what kind of gear or prep is especially useful for biking in minnesota’s variable weather and elements? 

If you're biking in summer and going up north, horse flies and mosquitoes are horrible. Wear long sleeves and keep moving (if you can) to evade them.

 

If you're commuting to work, I would invest in a nice packable rain jacket. If you're just out on a ride, my philosophy is you're going to sweat and get wet, anyway, so just embrace it.

 

In fall and winter, layers are your best friend. Skip the giant parka, so you can shed layers as you start to build up heat. If that heat is trapped in a giant parka, you only have two modes — super hot or super cold. In the winter, I’ve found that ski goggles help a lot. I see many people wearing balaclavas, but there’s something about covering your eyes fully that helps add so much warmth when you're biking and moving faster.

 

I get asked if people should buy a special bike, and although bikes do make a little bit of a difference, the biggest difference is the person themselves. It's helpful to have shocks for mountain biking, but whatever bike you have (or can get) will work on the gravel around the Twin Cities.

 






A video still of Kevin biking into a cute, small town with a pink ice cream shop and a light brown building with a turquoise awning [ [link removed] ]





*TOP PLACES TO BIKE IN GREATER MN* [ [link removed] ]






what is one bike route that more people should know about?

*Lanesboro [ [link removed] ]*, especially if you like gravel riding. It's a cute little town with a lot of gravel around it, beautiful scenery and many ups and downs. There’s a lot of elevation change, making it more exciting. You're riding near bluffs, you're riding by a river, you're riding through a cute little town that you can stop in afterwards. It’s a fun ride, only a few hours from Minneapolis.






a group of smiling, helmeted bikers pose with peace signs and waves as they bike down a rural paved road [ [link removed] ]





what are some ways to make biking feel less intimidating to those new to it?

Go with someone who's more experienced than you are. They’ll know where to get food, water, and sleep if you're doing a longer trip. But I always suggest people new to biking work up to a multi-day trip. If you can get a ride in daily, you’ll build up your confidence and feel more comfortable on your bike.

 

Minnesota DNR has a ton of great info on what trails are available, where they start and stop, and what's available on the trails or nearby in towns.

 

People on social can take the worry out of biking. I didn't think I was really a source of information and inspiration for people to ride, but people have sent me messages that my videos have helped them feel less intimidated because they just see me doing it. I didn't think that would happen, but I’m happy people can watch my videos and decide where to go. Every once in a while, I’ll throw out a group ride invite on *Instagram [ [link removed] ]*, and that’s this easy way for people to experience biking in a group of people who know what they're doing. 






*GET ALL THE DIRT ON BIKING IN MN* [ [link removed] ]






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related content

OTHER BIKING FUN

 

?? *Discover more places to bike in Minneapolis-St. Paul >> [ [link removed] ]*

 

?? *Bike 70,000 miles of public gravel roads >> [ [link removed] ]*

 

?? *Find which abandoned railroads make the best paved bike trails >> [ [link removed] ]*

 

?? *Follow Kev for more biking content >> [ [link removed] ]*

 

?? *Explore the top Twin Cities mountain bike trails >> [ [link removed] ]*






"All photos provided by Kevin Frias"

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""This interview has been edited for length and clarity."""






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