jill-martindale

About Jill Martindale

Grand Rapids, MI

Eternally optimistic, I find myself unable to pick my favorite type of riding. I love being able to mix up terrain between bike paths, alley-ways, singletrack, and the occasional (okay, more often than occasional) bushwhack or water crossing. I enjoy running errands or commuting by bike when I can, squeezing in a ride whenever I can, and sharing snacks at bike events. I love living in Michigan where we get a variety of seasons and weather, so I can ride gravel, dirt, groomed winter trails, and bikepack all year round. If you're my friend, I'm most likely trying to drag you on some sort of adventure or encouraging you to sign up for a race.

Memorable Ride

The Fargo Sub-48 is one of my favorite events each year because it's a great big slumber party on bikes! The event organizers and volunteers figure out all the logistics for you, so all you have to do is bring yourself and your rolling suitcase (aka your bike + gear). It's perfect for any type of rider and I love the laid-back atmosphere of the weekend! My husband, Dan, and I have been to most of the Fargo Sub-48s and have hilarious memories of getting lost or going on night rides throughout the years. One year we constructed a trailer and brought our 65lb lab mix, Oso! I hadn't realized pulling a dog that hated riding in a trailer would be so hard up the hills, but it was exhausting! By the time we finally made it to camp, a food truck was slinging pizzas and Oso ate his weight in pie. I wouldn't do that again but I'm so glad we have that memory!

Favorite Tire

It really depends on which bike I am riding, but the Ehline is one of my favorites when it comes to mountain biking and bikepacking! The fast-rolling tread also grips and helps me to remain confident in all sorts of conditions. I've run this tire on a single-speed Timberjack, the Spearfish in a 200-mile mountain bike race, and on my Cutthroat loaded with gear, and it's performed great on all of them.