Old schoolers and newbies unite at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park. Trails are rated just like ski runs (green circle to black diamond), and some are reached just like a ski run, too: A gondola will whisk you and your bike to 11,053 feet, where you'll find awesome scenery and the beginning of a grin-inducing descent. A favorite for first-timers, families, and even experts is the Uptown/Downtown Trail. This singletrack endeavor starts at the new Mammoth Village and weaves gently up through piney woods for 4 miles, all the way to the rustic Main Lodge. Take a break and fuel up on ski-cafeteria grub. Then it's time to switch gears, fasten your helmet, and push off. The ride down is rollicking, semi-speedy fun on a dirt trail filled with twists and turns. It's challenging but not treacherous—just don't try the "Look, Ma! No hands!" approach.

If you need some wheels, the Adventure Center at Mammoth Mountain's main lodge has bikes to fit every rider (and every rider's style). To access the trails in the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, pick up a Pedal Pass ($10, no chairlift or gondola access) or Park Pass ($39, chairlift and gondola included) at the Adventure Center at the Main Lodge. Look for the Uptown trailhead at the northwest corner of Minaret Rd. and Forest Trail.

TIP: Mammoth is on the rise. Positioning itself to be the destination ski resort in North America—something akin to Aspen or Whistler—Mammoth has condos popping up like rental prices in San Francisco. To be in the middle of the action, stay in the recently built Village at Mammoth (800-MAMMOTH), a hot-spot inspired by Swiss ski-resort architecture. The Village is bustling with restaurants, bars, a coffee shop, and a market. Or for a big selection of condos and cabins, contact the Mammoth Reservation Bureau (760-934-2528); they represent over 40 properties. In the summer months, the most direct (and prettiest) route to Mammoth from San Francisco is through Yosemite and over Tioga Pass.

Mike's Bikes, the Bay Area's premier bike retailer, wants to help you find the answer to this summertime question: what's your bike personality?
This week's bike personality: The All-Purpose Adventurer.

You want it all: Rocky trails, gravel paths, and coastal bikeways. You like comfort and flexibility when riding the rolling hills in China Camp and think fat tires are perfect for a Sunday afternoon spin around Golden Gate Park. The sights, the sounds, the feeling of being in the woods on a bicycle is your cure-all for stress. Yes. You want it all.

Sound like you? You're "The All-Purpose Adventurer." And the Mike's Bikes ride for you: the Cannondale F6. This jack-of-all-trails can take on whatever you feel like throwing at it. Reliable and strong, the Cannondale F6 is also lightweight, with a Rock Shox suspension fork that gives you confidence taking on the singletrack in Marin or the wide fire roads at Wilder Ranch. And you'll love the lockout, allowing you to turn off the suspension on your way to the trail. Dependability is the name of the game with the Cannondale. So go ahead: take on any terrain. Double-dare.

Mike's Bikes has six stores in Northern California: Sacramento (916-446-BIKE), San Rafael (415-454-3747), Sausalito (415-332-3200), Berkeley (510-549-8350), San Francisco (415-241-BIKE), and Palo Alto (650-858-7700).