I'll be staying in Pittsburgh for one year and I want to know how many skateparks there are and where I can find them. It would be nice if you can tell me whether I have to pay an entrance fee or if it is obligatory to wear protection equipment? I am planning to build a new bike there and learn as many tricks as I can, because we don't have any skatepark here in my town of Timisoara and therefore no place to learn anything.
The second thing I would like to know is where bikeshops are located and how many there are. Do they offer bike servicing, like oil changing on forks and brakes? What companies do they have products from?
Well I do not know all shops in Pittsburgh but bicycle piitsburgh pro I know should be close and same with biketek Pittsburgh. There are a good bit of other shops in the area and you should easily find bmx and hardtail components and dood servicing for your bike. There is boyce park near monroeville which is good, there is a bike park in south hills, both are free. There are some good dirtjump spots but they are harder to find. There is an indoor /outdoor park near newkensington called pipes which bikes were allowed but you have to pay and not sure if allowed any more. Greensburg has peach plaza which is real good but like thirty minutes away and some good jumps near Saint Anne's nursing home in greensburg if you google map it. Monroevlle mall has best dirt jumps but are kind of local onlyish but are biggest in area. Seven Springs is the closest downhill freeride course. There are lots of places i did not name too. Good luck
Oh yeah, everywhere but seven springs helmets are not mandatory, and just to let you know if you do ride a hardtail, I am the only person I have seen in a skate park that did not have a bmx bike, which does not really matter but just letting you know. and most shops have a website so google them up to see there products.
Ok, so I found Boyce skatepark, but I didn't find the one in South Hills and the Peach Plaza and I did find Saint Anne"s nursing home bu t also no jumps...this is what I found for St. Anne's--> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=greensburg+Saint+Anne's+nursing+home&sll=37.579413,-95.712891&sspn=36.639922,56.601563&ie=UTF8&ll=40.30631,-79.528356&spn=0.002168,0.003455&t=h&z=18
I also didn't find the Monroeville dirt jumps which would be cool to know where they are, since they are the biggest in the area...what do you mean they are only local?
Yeah there are no public dirt jumps in Pennsylvania, so most are you have to dig to ride or know people. That Saint Annes nursing home is just a place to drive to my dirt jumps where you can ride and no one will care, I would have to tell how to get to the jumps. You definitely wont be able to go to monroeville with a hard tail, there are a few bikers on pink bike but most are downhill and cross country. There are smaller skate parks in Pittsburgh that I have not been to that you should be able to find once you talk to some people, and there are places where you have to pay like Mr. Smalls in Millvale. this is pretty much everywhere I know where you can take a hard tail within a thirty minute or so drive.
Make sure you check out Ray's indoor MTB park in Cleveland, Ohio if you can. They're open during the winter, and have lots of DJ stuff. As for bike shops, Gatto and Dirty Harry's are both pretty decent.
West Liberty Cycles. Google them from their website. Best store in the world. The people will do anything for you. I broke a fork and it was still under warranty but they couldn't get one from the supplier. So they just gave me one for free!!! Their head mechanic is also one of the best in the world!!!
I know of a few places around the burgh that I still haven't hit up. The jumps at Saint Anne's are very hard to find but I know where they're at and I build there all summer. We call them the Diocese's because they're on the Diocese's of greensburgs property. They posted the jumps last summer and put up no trespassing signs but we still snuck in lol...Me and a few buddies started building our own jumps on one of our buddy's farms last summer but we're rebuilding them this year because they had no flow to them whatsoever but your more than welcome to come hit them when they're done. Peach Park is only a 5 min drive from me..it isn't to bad. There is a small park in blairsville. Jumps in monroeville,somewhere around the mall. Theres a famous place called Catty Woods thats on pittsburgh airports property..they're sick! Theres private jumps at a guys house in pittsburgh somewhere, they have a HUGE Jam every year at his house...lots of pro's come out! Theres a skatepark and a track in Boyce park. Mr.Smalls is pretty nice from what I hear but I've never been there.Theres an indoor park called B-cubed thats in the same building as pittsburgh ice arena. Theres jumps everywhere around the burgh..its all about networking with people to find out where their at.. I belong to a few bmx forums and thats how I've found out about all of the places I know of. Come spring time, I'm going to be getting together with a few of the locals to help them build up their trails at whatnot to get my foot in the door. As for shops in the burgh try these:
Pro Bikes in Monroeville
Pro Bikes in the South Side
Round2BMX on East Carson Street...The owner Shane is the raddest guy ever! He has complete Dj's and can get you anything you want!! Look him up..his shop is amazing!
Biketek...idk where it is hahahah
Hope this helps ya out! We should get together sometime.. If you've already moved, I need to take you to Rays MTB Park in Cleveland Ohio...its a bikers playground! I've been they're twice so far this winter. Its about a 3 hour drive from the burgh...ttyl bro