Mountain biking is a grass-roots sport that is only about one bake sale above your local group ride in terms of publicity and prestige, but it is an exciting sport that requires intense fitness, training, and dedication. At SFist, we understand the sport and the culture around it. We also understand what makes a good mountain bike race. To that end, we've reviewed the 2007 MTB racing season in order to provide our readers with a summary of this year's most interesting Northern California events.

So grab your bike, sharpen your elbows, and strap on a number plate for some challenging dirt action, or pack up the camp chairs, the cooler, and the kids, and head out to the races for a cheap day of fun and entertainment. Even if you aren't interested in competing, check out some of these events. You will see amazing feats of cycling prowess, discover the latest in space-age materials and designs, and probably pick up an armful of free posters, stickers, and other industry schwag.

At SFist, we're about all things Bay Area, including the glorious sport of mountain biking, which, as locals like to tell you, got its start right here. It may be January, but if you're a mountain biker in the Bay Area, it's never too early to start planning out your riding season. Especially if you have any interest in racing. Conventional wisdom might have you believing that you can start your serious riding and training in the spring and be ready for the summer racing season, but CW, she is a minx. In fact, past experience has shown us that if you want to race mountain bikes in the Bay Area, you better start training now because a majority of the big races are in the spring. Also, because a comprehensive, integrated, updated calendar of mountain bike events in Northern California does not exist, we've compiled the following list for your reading and racing pleasure. Be sure to bookmark this page....

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