I have a can of bear spray that I almost always carry with me when I go foraging for mushroom in the woods. I had been pondering if I should also bring it with me when I am riding gravel on logging roads in areas populated by the American black bears because I had seen evidence of them - bear scats - in the past. Well, during my gravel ride yesterday, I had two separate encounters with four black bears - mama bear with two cubs and then a solo bear. The mama bear, followed by her cubs, was crossing the logging road, on my planned route. Knowing that mama bear with cubs can be protective and therefore aggressive, i decided to turn around and head back to where I started. Not long after, I encountered another black bear that appeared to be feasting on some blackberries by the side of my return route! I made enough noise to scare the bear into the woods.
I have a 2024 Santa Cruz Stigmata and the bike comes with bottle cage bosses on the underside of the down tube. If I bring my half frame bag, there is enough room in the bag for the 8oz can of bear spray. However, I am thinking of other solution that will let me mount it on the seat tube, utilizing the bottle cage bosses. My requirements:
The can of bear spray be protected from the elements (dust, sweat)
There should be very little risk for the can be accidentally punctured (so no mounting on the underside of the down tube)
It does not take me more than 30 seconds to get the bear spray can ready for deployment
I am thinking of a solution like Wolftooth B-Rad Teklite roll-top bag that will keep the can away from dust/sweat/rain but the two versions of the bag might be too short.
Another solution is Ghostrider Equipment’s dedicated bear spray holder that can either be strapped onto the frame or mounted directly onto the cage bosses. However, the bear spray can is rather exposed.
For you backcountry bikers in North America, how are you carrying your can of bear spray?
In the past I just used a Voille strap, but there are also 3D printed options available on the market that probably make it easier to get ahold of it in an emergency.
The Ghostrider seems like a nice clean solution. I used to live on Kodiak Island in the early 90’s and finding sign from a Kodiak was something found on most rides, and i rode with a couple of bells on the bike.
Carry the bear spray on your body. If you do get charged by a bear there’s a chance you’ll get separated from your bike.
Also, just my opinion, but bear spray in black bear territory is a little overkill. I’d be more worried about those Mountain Lions watching! Brown/Grizzly bears are a different beast, watch out for them.
I have been using a feed/bottle bag on the handlebar. Works great! Mountain biking in Canada, encounter many bears in trails, so easy and rapid deployment. I also sing & have something that makes noise attached to bike so the bears hear me coming.
Stupid question, but do you have a bear bell? I used to live in Japan and Canada, and have seen wild bears on several occasions.
My first line of defense was a bear bell, I have three different ones, small, medium and big. The easiest solution is to get a TimbarBell, which is a great investment. But I have also strapped a regular smaller bear bell to my handlebars.
Otherwise, I would put bear spray into one of the jersey pockets. If I had to imagine an encounter where you think of using it, I can easily see myself abandoning my bike right away if I can’t turn around and speed away. And then the bear spray is … on the bike?!?!
Moreover, it makes a difference what kind of bear you encounter and what the situation is. I still remember arriving in Banff where you have brown bears and grizzlies. We were told that with one type you need to make yourself big and imposing and with the other, small and submissive. I forgot right away which is which.
In Japan you have the Asian black bear, which is apparently very aggressive. I have always tried to avoid times when they are particularly active.
I’ve lived on Kodiak Island for several years and always bring bear spray on trail rides. I usually use canister holders on my mountain and winter fat bikes that are a sized-down version of classic metal water bottle cages. I make sure to keep the nozzle pointed towards the frame to minimize any potential clogging from mud or snow. https://billyflamingos.com/products/bear-spray-holder-cage-billy-flamingos-brand
The Bear Cozy is another option that enables you to carry bear spray in a standard bottle holder by securing the canister in a plastic holder sized like a typical plastic bottle. https://www.bearcozy.com/
I agree with the advice to carry bear spray on your person in case you were to get separated from your bike, but I generally prefer it on the bike during more technical riding as I dont want to fall onto the hard canister during a crash if it’s in a hip pack or small backpack and I sometimes have neither anyways. I can always grab the spray off the bike and stick it in my pocket if need be. If I need/prefer the bottle cage(s) for water, then I’ll pack the canister somewhere I can reach it very quickly, or use a special belt holster like the Scat if I’m not wearing a pack.
I’d also recommend using a bell like the Timber that rings continually on its own when it’s not locked out, especially if you’re riding faster and could sneak up on a bear quickly and not hear it moving.
I have no idea, as a person living in a bear free zone like Australia (Koalas are not bears and despite folklore do not drop out of the trees and attack). But I love this question so much!
Black bears are generally fairly timid and would greatly prefer to hunker down in the bush and hide from people. I’ve been 10m or less from a few black bears and generally they seem to hope you’ll evaporate rather than them having to deal wth you. Having said that, they are big wild animals that can certainly hurt you so caution is recommended…
Interesting fact, you are not allowed to carry firearms in Canadian national parks so if you’re in heavy brown or polar bear country you need to hire a local guide if you want firearm protection. Any proximity to polar bears and you absolutely need at minimum bear spray.
Have to agree with comments that Black Bears are rarely a nuisance. I see 30-40 a year in Appalachia, including sows with cubs, and have yet to have one even move towards me. Most time I see the rear moving away from me. Personally, I worry more about dogs.
Interesting fact about firearms in National Parks…in the US it was illegal until 2010. It was included as a rider on the Credit CARD Act of 2009. I was in the Yellowstone backcountry that summer, and the park rangers were very nervous and it was their first question when they encountered hikers.
I keep the canister in its holster and attach that to the stem using a velcro strap, much like a bottle holder would. This way it’s easy to reach but relatively out of the way otherwise.
I started carrying bear spray regularly after a run-in with a mountain lion. It didn’t do anything threatening, but it was very close and I felt very exposed. I’ve since seen black bears and another mountain lion, so the spray provides a little bit of comfort.
I remember working my way uphill in the fog and coming around a corner to find a steaming pile of blueberries with no crust, went downhill instead.
Do they still have the trail that goes from the South side of Kodiak that comes out close to the dump? The trail would be over 35 years old at this point. I remember it as a very rolling trail, but you never wanted to be leading and going as fast as possible due to possibility of finding a bear in one of the low spots. Rode it one time with friends and over the tire tracks was a dinner plate sized paw print. We did not hang around long.
It’s been a while since I have been in bear countries, but back then, National Parks staff from east to west would say: if the bear is brown, lie down. If the bear is black, fight back. (Then going on to explain that you should not look at the fur colour to distinguish the species..) The rationale behind it was: black bears may rarely attack, but if they do, it’s because they look at you as a prey. Playing dead won’t stop them but a risk of getting hurt by the prey would. Grizzlies on the other hand usually attack out of fear and laying down /pretending to be dead can stop the attack. While fighting back would only increase their fear and aggression. There were several accounts in newspapers at the time too, of people surviving grizzlie attacks by playing dead.
Of course this is an extreme emergency rule. But it illustrates that black bears probably should not be dismissed as harmless. I would always carry a can, regardles of the species present…
“When the wolf lunged again, Ward reached for his bear spray. He hit the trigger, but his first blast may have missed. Ward recalls feeling the effects of the spray himself. The wolf paced back and forth again. Then it lunged again.
“I got it that time.”
The spray sent the animal recoiling into the roadside ditch, pawing at its face. And thankfully an approaching RV arrived, pulled between Ward and the wolf and began blasting its horn.”
In the second photo of the article, the can of bear spray is in a bag that’s similar to Revelate Design’s Speedbag.
