Bear-safe Mountain Biking.

I recently started mountain biking and love to explore Yukon's boreal forests, alpine and river valleys by bike. This means that I'm often travelling in bear country.

I have a healthy respect for the black and grizzly bears that live in the wild spaces around my community. Generally, I follow bear safe tactics and am able to avoid bear encounters. But, moving quickly on a bike means that there is more potential for startling a bear.

Having bear deterrent near to hand is one part of safe bear practice when mountain biking. This adaptation to bear spray helps to keep the deterrent close rather than locked away in a backpack when you may need it most.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

You will need:

• water bottle carrier attachment for your bike;
• old water bottle (I found one for free at a garage sale);
• Utility knife;
• Stuffing (I used a garbage bag);
• bear deterrent spray.

Step 2: Install a Water Bottle Carrier

You may already have this on your bike - in which case, don't worry about this step.

I bought a simple water bottle bike attachment at my local hardware store.

Using the bolts on the bike and my bike tool, I attached it to the frame of my bike.

Step 3: Adapt a Water Bottle

Cut your old water bottle in half using a utility knife - being sure to cut away from yourself!

Place the bear deterrent inside the bottom half of the water bottle. I used a garbage bag wrapped around the bear spray to fit it securely inside the bottle. You won't want any potential for this to fall out.

Step 4:

Now your bear deterrent fits on the frame of your bike inside your easily accessible water bottle attachment!

Happy bear-safe biking!

Comments

[Yonatan24]

Great idea, and congrats on winning!

Do you think that it's possible that you and your bike crash into something, fly off, and the pepper spray bottle could get punctured somehow? I hope not... :)

[Loblaw]

I've fallen already with this system and not had an issue - the water bottle fits pretty snugly into the carrier. One change that I did make is to duct tape the bear spray into the waterbottle holder - this puts an added benefit of cushion if it did happen to fly out when I fall like you say.

[Richardthesecond]

Great idea. I've always heard that when in Grizzly country it's always wise to carry pepper spray, and also wear little bells on your vest to warn the bears. You can tell if you are in black or grizzly bear country by examining the bear scat (poop). Black bear scat is full of berries, leaves and twigs. Grizzly scat smells like pepper and is full of little bells.

[Yonatan24]

When a bear chases you, you don't stop to sniff it's poop!

[seamster]

Gotta be prepared for bears! :)

Great little hack, and nicely presented.