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Steamboat Springs — Contrary to the word at local cycling shops, mountain bikers don't have to go as far as Vernal, Utah, to find dry trails.

The Little Snake Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management in Craig confirms there are dozens of miles of dry roads and select single track waiting for riders west of Maybell.

BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Gina Robison said some of the roads may be rutted and choppy, but they are dry.

"That warm wind just blows the water away," Robison said.

For sections of genuine single track, Cedar Mountain offers a 3.5-mile route that climbs from 6,950 feet to 7,924 feet in elevation.

The Vermillion Bluffs/Sevenmile Ridge Trail measures 67 miles one-way and offers intermediate to advanced riding on a dirt road.

Riders might do well to break the 100-mile Yampa Valley Trail into pieces. If they want, Robison said, they could ride it all the way to the summit of Duffy Mountain.

"We were up there over the weekend, and it was just beautiful," Robison said.

For detailed directions and trail descriptions, go to: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/lsfo/programs/recreation/mtn_biking.html.

For riders whose employment keeps them close to town, there are some hot new bike accessories in the shops.

Ski Haus: If your original wheel set has worn out, Corwin Gugel and James Koch recommend replacing it with a new set of hubs from Chris King of Portland, Ore.

They're a little pricey at $495 to $595 per set, but they'll allow riders to apply power much more efficiently when they really need it - like anytime they suddenly come upon a large rock or log.

"They deliver more power to the wheel faster," Gugel said. "They're better for more technical riding."

Koch said the secret is in the ring drive, which has 36 internal teeth - one spaced every 5 degrees.

Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare: Riders who are eager to post video of their epic descents to YouTube will want to check out the Helmet Hero by Go Pro Camera. Yeah, Bill Kipper said, they're helmet cams, but cyclists can attach them anywhere on their frame, on their seat posts or on their wrists. There's no reason why it wouldn't also attach to a skateboard, a hang glider or a kayak - they're waterproof to 100 feet.

The camera is tiny, costs just $169 and stores 56 minutes of Web quality video on a 2 GB SD memory card. It runs on two AAA batteries. The video files are Mac and Windows compatible.

"There are a hundred ways to attach it to things," Kipper said.

Orange Peel Bicycle Service: Essam Welch suggests the "world's loudest renewable air horn" for your cruiser bike. The horn is powered by a pump in what looks like a water bottle and lets out a 115-decibel blast that is certain to alert inner tubers lounging on the Yampa River Core Trail. You pump it up with your floor pump and it gives you 20 seconds of eardrum shattering noise. Best of all, it's carbon neutral.

If water bottles aren't the only beverages you haul on your bike, Orange Peel sells the CarTainer bolt-on can coozie for $10. For $15, you can get a cup holder designed for your tapered latte mug.

Wheels: Chris Johns said riders who want to shift rapidly and abruptly through a wide range of gears should check out the Shimano EXTR Rapidfire Plus shifters. Mountain bikers working over trails where they must suddenly make the transition from steep downhills to steep uphills will appreciate the way they can use thumb and index finger shifters to jump two gears with one quick stab.

A complete set, including cables and housings goes for $235.