As promised some information about Austin.
Austin biking is extensive and varied. I’ve ridden road and mountain bikes here with two road groups and a mountain bike club. As for MTB There’s lots of stuff within city limits from known trails to unsanctioned stuff. Getting around by bike is pretty easy as there are lots of cycle lanes and within the city drivers seem to accept bikes on the road.
Within close range of the city centre, I suppose the best bits probably are Walnut creek (site of the ridge riders Sunday ride) and SATN (South Austin Trail Network). If you go to Walnut Creek, warm up on Point 6, then work your way to inner log loop, outer log loop. Lots of stuff in-between. Finish up on Windy and BMX.
There’s some cool stuff in SATN including “Boneyard” and “stroller roller” jammed between the east and westbound carriageways of I45. Some stuff closer to the city centre like Barton Creek, but I never managed to get a good loop out of that. To the north there is Brushy Creek including “Bob Ross” and 1/4 notch and Suburban Ninja. Probably a bit far to ride if you don’t have transport. Peddlars Bike shop has a branch nearby and a weekly ride.
If you have wheels, there are several state parks worth a look, about 1 to 2 hours drive away. There’s even an uplift on a ex ski resort chair at Spider Mountain ( ex ski resort as in its come from a ski resort, there ain’t much skiing around Austin ?)
Some looney steep tech stuff at Cat Mountain within city limits but I think you need be membership to ride there ( I never did go despite it being less than a mile from where I was living)
Not far from the city is Emma Long City Park which you can ride but is more MX based so not my preferred location. The ride out there is good and lunch at Ski Shores is great place to stop.
Less trail based there is a great pump track on the edge of the old Mueller Airport site that is being redeveloped and closer to down town, off Shoal Creek is a bike skate park and a dirt jump site.
For resource I’d check out:
Austin Ridge Riders mountain bike club for rides and trail conditions.
Trailforks website for trail location and tech ratings.
Mellow Johnnys (bike shop rides for road and gravel)
Violet Crown Cycling club (road and gravel)
The Bagel Ride (a road ride – I had my legs torn off !!)
Bike Austin (more leisurely road rides, some in and around the city)
On rental bikes, I’m not that knowledgeable, once I realised I was going to be here for a bit I splashed out on a Rocky Mountain Instinct.
Just remember they don’t ride in the wet. Two reasons for that, one is that the topsoil layer is fairly thin and you trash the trails quite quickly. The other is that it’s not long till it’s dry and sunny again so there really is no need to ride when it’s moist. I’ve brought my bike back to the UK, after 3 years of dust it’s in for a shock when it gets muddy!!
Hope that offers some insight and inspiration. I was there through rather difficult times and the riding and the people I met helped me through it.
Macgyver