Featured article
Transportation policy should be judged by safety, mobility, and results. This new feature argues that bike lanes are not a culture-war symbol, but a practical tool for separating road users and making streets work better for everyone.
The latest federal funding decision raises a bigger question: are we talking honestly about how people travel, or just repeating labels that ignore the engineering?
Featured in Men's Health
Men's Health featured my weight-loss transformation, the cycling routine that helped me keep building momentum, and the daily discipline behind the miles. I am an advocate for sustainable health and sober living through cycling, and this site brings that story together with Muskegon ride notes, FTP training ideas, sober-living articles, and my book, Riding Strong.
Flat tire repair
A flat does not have to end the ride. Carry a tube, tire levers, a pump or CO2, and a way to find the puncture before you leave home.
Step by step
If the cut is in the tire casing or the rim tape is damaged, replace those before trusting the wheel again.
Komoot tours
These Komoot routes cover out-and-back options between Muskegon and Ravenna, Carlton Creek, Connor Bayou Grand Haven Township with Spoonville Detour - Round Trip, Grand Haven waterfront, and Hart.
Muskegon area trails
Muskegon is a strong cycling base because paved trails, lake views, rail-trail miles, and low-stress endurance routes can all fit into the same training week.
The City of Muskegon lists the Lakeshore Trail at about 12 miles along Muskegon Lake, with access to Pere Marquette Park, Heritage Landing, parks, dining, the channel, dunes, and lighthouse views.
The DNR describes the Musketawa as a 26-mile paved trail from southeast Muskegon toward Walker. It is useful for longer aerobic rides, but current closure notes matter for 2026 planning.
The Hart-Montague Trail State Park gives riders 22 miles of paved rail-trail through forests, farms, orchards, small towns, and rolling West Michigan scenery north of Muskegon.
Current planning note: Michigan DNR lists a 12-mile Musketawa Trail segment closed through most of 2026 for reconstruction. Check the official page before counting on a full through-ride.
Featured video
Nathan Smith-Manley addressed the Muskegon City Commission regarding the Muskegon Pub Pedal and asked the City to review and deny future approvals unless stronger safety measures are implemented.
Cycling news
Mads Pedersen surged to victory in a blistering stage‑4 sprint at the Tour de France, with teammate Quinn Simmons close behind and Torstein Træen seizing the yellow jersey after a successful breakaway.
A tragic incident at Seattle’s newly renovated I‑5 Colonnade mountain bike park resulted in the death of a young rider in the past 24 hours, prompting renewed attention on trail safety and facility design.
A major wildfire in southern France has prompted organizers to bar spectators from the final segment of Stage 3 of the Tour de France, raising questions about safety and visibility during the race.
Petr Vakoc and Nele Johanna Laing claimed elite wins at the UCI Hegau Gravel Festival, marking a dramatic turn in the Gravel World Series season.
Keegan Swenson and Sofía Gómez Villafañe secured dominant wins at SBT GRVL’s one-day gravel showdown in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Featured story and book
The Men's Health feature covers the health turning point, bariatric surgery, the shift to consistent cycling, and the habits that helped me move from 281 pounds to under 200. Riding Strong expands on that same practical mindset for riders building lasting fitness.
Men's Health
Men's Health profiled my move from health concerns and low energy to a cycling routine built around consistency, endurance, and long-term maintenance.
Riding Strong
My book is available in paperback and Kindle for cyclists who want strength, balance, and sustainable health one ride at a time.
Biking videos
Watch Nathan M. Smith-Manley's latest YouTube uploads from Muskegon, Montague, Hart, and the surrounding West Michigan routes.
FTP improvement
FTP, or functional threshold power, improves when hard work is controlled, easy days are truly easy, and the weekly plan is repeatable. The goal is not to suffer at random. The goal is to create a clear signal that your body can adapt to.
Use the Lakeshore Trail or calm neighborhood loops for conversational endurance rides. These miles support recovery, improve aerobic durability, and make the harder FTP sessions work better.
Start with repeatable work such as 3 x 8 minutes near threshold, then grow toward 2 x 20 minutes. Keep the last interval controlled. If form falls apart, the target is too high for that day.
Every third or fourth week, reduce volume and intensity. Fitness grows when the work is absorbed, not when fatigue keeps piling up.
Sober living
I am an advocate for sustainable health and sober living through cycling. These articles focus on routine, accountability, and the daily habits that help the bike support the rest of life.
How regular rides can replace old routines with structure, movement, and steadier choices.
How a predictable cycling routine can support recovery, accountability, and clearer mornings.
Using regular rides to support clearer thinking, steadier emotions, and a life built on repetition.
Cycling and fitness articles
A practical case for bike lanes as safety infrastructure, not a culture-war slogan, and why transportation policy should be judged on outcomes.
A steady approach to building cycling volume while keeping recovery, work, and family life intact.
How calm aerobic rides can support weight management without turning every workout into a punishment.
A simple strength framework for better posture, stronger climbing, and fewer overuse problems.
Practical ride fueling habits that support endurance without reigniting an all-or-nothing diet mindset.
Small recovery habits that help cycling fitness become durable instead of fragile.
How regular rides can replace old routines with structure, movement, and steadier choices.
How a predictable cycling routine can support recovery, accountability, and clearer mornings.
Using regular rides to support clearer thinking, steadier emotions, and a life built on repetition.
Threshold training for riders who need progress without making the whole week revolve around suffering.
How to use shoreline wind as training resistance without letting it ruin pacing or confidence.
Practical fit checks that help riders stay comfortable before small problems become big ones.
A repeatable weekly structure for riders who want cycling to support health, strength, and consistency.
How solo rides can build patience, focus, and confidence without becoming lonely or reckless.
How Muskegon Lakeshore Trail turned waterfront access, parks, maritime history, and daily riding into one useful city route.
A look at the Musketawa Trail railroad corridor, volunteer development, reconstruction, and its role in the Muskegon-to-Grand Rapids network.
Why the Hart-Montague Trail became one of west Michigan cycling's defining paved routes and a model for later trail development.
How the Berry Junction Trail uses an abandoned rail line to connect Muskegon riders toward Whitehall, Montague, and Hart.
Why the Laketon Trail matters as a practical connector between the Lakeshore Trail, city riding, and Musketawa rail-trail miles.
How the White Lake area links lakeshore towns, local riding, and the north end of Muskegon County trail travel.
A practical look at North Muskegon trail riding, lake crossings, neighborhood access, and the connector miles that support bigger routes.
Why Ravenna is the historical and practical midpoint riders remember on the Musketawa Trail.
How Lakeshore, McMillan, Berry Junction, White Lake, and Hart-Montague segments combine into one of west Michigan's best long trail rides.
What Muskegon trail development needs next: safer crossings, connected neighborhoods, maintained rail-trails, and practical everyday routes.
Book
My book, Riding Strong, is for riders who want cycling to become part of a stronger life, not just another scoreboard. It fits with the same mindset behind my Men's Health transformation story: useful miles, practical habits, and steady improvement that can last.
