The Skyline Mountain Bike Team, both Women’s and Men’s, started in March to get ready for their season that starts this August.
During the off-season, bikers have to find ways to stay in shape and keep exercising. A lot of bikers have joined other sports teams to keep exercising so they can be in shape for when the season starts.
Freshman Mia Baker said, “In the winter, some people ride on trainers inside or, if it is warmer, like this winter, we could bundle up and ride outside. [We also] cross train, like, doing a different sport during [the off season], like skiing or track.”
Now that it has warmed up and the preseason has started, the team has been split into biking groups to go riding. There are also many riding groups outside of school that bikers have joined.
Baker said, “[for the Skyline Mountain Bike Team] there’s a time trial to divide people into groups […] then you ride with your group on Tuesdays and Thursdays at different trailheads.”
Freshman Elliott Jeppsen added, “The [Skyline] team also goes on Saturday sometimes but then you can go whenever you want.”
Because anyone can join Skyline’s Mountain Bike Team, there are lots of students on the team. They are organized into groups based on their age and/or their time during the time trial.
According to Jeppsen, “There’s just a lot of groups [which are split into] groups by colors like lime and pink. Last year, [my color] was purple, and then I got moved up to lime, but I’m probably gonna be lime or pink this year. It’s just ’cause they have to split up the team because it’s too big.”
The random snowfall that has affected Utah has been annoying for lots of bikers who want to start biking again and can’t when it snows. On the other hand, rain is favored by mountain bikers because it helps make their rides safer.
“If it keeps snowing randomly, that’s not gonna be good,” said Jeppsen. “But also, the rain is good, because if it doesn’t rain a lot, then the trails are gonna get really dusty, and then that makes you flip out really easily. The rain packs down the trails so they’re easier to ride on.”
With the Skyline Mountain Bike Team preseason starting, bikers are ready to improve before races start on the first week of the 2026-2027 school year, ready to be better than last year.
In Jeppsen’s words, “[I love] racing, like the feeling of being accomplished and riding with my friends all the time. […] I think [this season is] gonna be hard. I want to work really hard, and I want to lock in and win races.”
