Spring is here and now’s a great time to cycle Oregon and enjoy our great state’s natural beauty. But where can you find the best Oregon bike trails? And how can you stay active on two wheels without experience foot pain or injuries? In this post, our podiatrists in Medford Oregon share their top biking safety tips, along with recommendations for their favorite trails to explore this spring!
The Safest Way to Cycle Oregon ![bike riders]()
If you want to hit the Oregon bike trails without foot pain or injury, you have to carefully select and set up your bicycle and gear. When it comes to foot gear for cycling, make sure to select shoes that snugly fit your feet. Otherwise, they can slide around as you pedal, resulting in trauma to your toenails as they hit the edge of the shoe, thereby increasing your risk for an ingrown toenail.
You also need to carefully adjust your bike seat settings to reduce your risk for sports injuries. Ideally, the seat should be positioned at the lowest comfortable setting. That can take pressure off your calf muscles when you pedal, reducing your risk for both heel pain and Achilles tendon pain.
Finally, if you’ve ever experienced cycling hot foot (that burning ball of foot pain that shows up during a ride), we’ll have to pay closer attention to your bike riding shoes. While a proper fit reduces your risk for this concern, you may need to get fitted for custom orthotics to wear with your cycling shoes. They can optimize your foot function and positioning, reducing your risk for hot foot and other painful injuries.
Stretching on Oregon Bike Trails
While proper gear can help prevent injuries, stretching before and after a bike ride is also important. So you may want to incorporate some of these moves adapted from routines recommended by Cyclist and BikeRadar.
Before you mount your bike, you want to give your calf muscles a good stretch. Place your hands against a flat surface, at shoulder height, and move one leg behind you. Now, place that rear foot flat on the ground and slowly lean forward, bending your front leg while keeping the back one straight, with the heel of that foot on the ground. Keep going until you feel a gentle stretch in your calf muscles. Then, after you dismount, repeat this stretch again, adding stretches for your hamstrings and quads as well. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and stop stretching right away if you feel anything more than mild discomfort during these warm-ups and cool-downs. After all, stretching is supposed to help your body feel better—if it causes you pain, that’s a sign to stop cycling Oregon and to make an appointment with our podiatrists in Southern Oregon. But, if you’ve followed all these safety tips and you feel comfortable and ready to go after your stretches, we invite you to enjoy and explore some of our favorite Oregon biking trails.
Top 3 Oregon Biking Trails to Explore This Spring
From trails in our own backyard to paths a little farther from home, here are our top recommendations for cycling Oregon in style.
- Prescott Park
Located right here in Medford, this beautiful park is lined with more than 1740 acres of trails, many with stunning panoramic views. From paved trails that take you up the mountain to unpaved pathways all throughout the park, each path is well marked for distance and difficulty level, making it possible for cyclists of all skill levels to enjoy navigating the park on two wheels. - Bear Park Greenway
Looking for a ride that will really take you places? Ride all (or parts of) this 20-mile paved trail, connecting Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Medford and Central Point. Or, for a less intense journey, you can pick up the trail in downtown’s Hawthorne Park and enjoy a leisurely, scenic, 3-mile ride to Lithia and Driveway Sports Park. - Crater Lake National Park
If you’re willing to venture to Oregon bike trails a bit farther from home, you can head to our state’s only national park, where you will find the 33-mile long Rim Drive. But keep in mind the fact that this trail is both long and challenging, with steep inclines and high altitudes. So, while this pathway may not be for everyone, the lake views alone will make the effort worthwhile for those who do make the journey.
Keep Cycling Oregon with Support from Your Medford Podiatrists
Do you want to explore the Oregon bike trails, but you suffer from cycling hot foot, Achilles tendon pain or other biking-related injuries? Have you been ignoring foot, heel or ankle pain all winter long, and now you hurt too much to get out on your bike? We’re here to help you explore our state on wheels—and without the discomfort that’s been holding you back for too long. So don’t waste another minute couch surfing when you could be hitting the beautiful trails in our great state. Call the office at 541-776-3338 or follow this link to make an appointment. When you come see Dr. Chase Christensen, Dr. Devin Dimond or Dr. Evan Merrill, we can diagnose and treat the cause of your discomfort. That way we can get you back on your bike, allowing you to explore Southern Oregon, Northern California and beyond, without the fear of pain or injury!