The hook
A Fairfax museum on the exact ground where mountain biking was invented, home to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.
01Why it's worth it
Mountain biking was born on the slopes of Mount Tam in the 1970s, when a crew of Marin riders bombed a fire road they called "Repack", for how often the coaster-brake hubs smoked and had to be repacked, on modified old cruisers, then started building bikes to do it better. This small museum in Fairfax, ground zero for that scene, tells the story with a deep collection of historic bikes going back to the 1800s and houses the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. For anyone who rides, it's a genuine pilgrimage to the sport's birthplace, with the Mt Tam fire roads, including Repack itself, right there to go ride. Even if you don't, the "a global sport started with these guys on this hill" tale is a good one.
02How to experience it
It's on Broadway in downtown Fairfax, small, paid, limited hours, so check first. Then go ride: the Mount Tam fire roads and the legendary Repack descent are minutes away. Pair it with a Tam ride or the hike up to the Tourist Club.