Mountain biking

[Coors]

Anyone else ride?  I just picked up my first bike yesterday since like my high school days.  It's so much nicer than what I had back then.  Especially the weight.  This one feels so freaking light compared to what ever cheap bike I had.

 

Rode it today on a trail for the first time.  It was a bit more advanced then what I was ready for (rocky and lots of high speed sections) so I took the first exit back down the mountain I came across which I think was the halfway point.  Then this evening I rode on a paved path right near my house.  MapMyRide said it was 3.69 miles in 15:20 mins.  Should be able to improve that once I strengthen my leg muscles a bit.  I run at least 3 times a week (1.5/2 miles, 5ks, etc) but riding just exercises muscles that running doesn't.  I was definitely feeling the burn on the uphill parts lol.

 

What kinds of trails do you ride?  What kinds of bikes?  Post pics!

 

 

[Coors]

Also those pedals the bike shop threw in for free have got to go.  I don't like having to be strapped into them.  Ordered a pair of regular flat pedals already.

[Stonerboy779]

I love mountain biking and try to regularly go to Lysterfield Lake which is near my house. It was the home of the 2010 Commonwealth Games mountain biking events and the comm games track really only made up the smallest part of the park that caters for all levels of difficulty. Its now 100% open again which is nice because around the start of the year large sections of and even whole tracks were closed for maintenance due to damage caused by flooding. There were sections where other was a good foot of mud to contend with.

 

I usually end up on a lot of tech tracks but do so enjoy the fast tracks hurtling back down the hills to the lake.

[Prunes]

We have close to no places to do these things unfortunately. Denmark has no rocky underground, just sand and dirt. Also the tallest place near me is 30 meters tall, so not much to play with. I did it in Czech Republic ones and a few times in the states, and I love it, so it's a shame that I can't really do it to the same extent here in Denmark.

 

For the pedals, there's both good and bad of being strapped to the pedals. It's better for the fast tracks, since you can transfer more energy to the bike, because you also pull the pedals upwards, but it can cause lots of problems, if you need to be able to set your foot down.

[Disparaitre]

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Edited September 20, 2014 by WARDOZERX

[SpeedCrazy]

Saw your bike over in the recently bought thread coors. I have its younger brother, the Trek Fuel 90 large frame. Upgraded discs all around, sid air or whatever its called front shock. Very happy with it, i have had it for a number of years now.

Clip-less pedals..... what a can of worms... I recently upgraded to them, and love them. But, i have been riding for a number of years and have the experience to take advantage of and appreciate the different advantages they give you. For someone just getting into it, or back into it, i definetly recommend flat tops. Though for just starting you picked an awesome bike   

Take it easy, start on the easier less technical trails, get your fill of unadulterated speed, then move on the technical trails once you are confident you are in control of your bike. Best advice i ever got on technical trails is this: FORGET the back tire, ignore it, so long as your front tire is going where you want it to go you should be good.

That and fight the urge to slow down in rough spots. If you have ever watched a child's spinning top you will know that you can bump it and it will right it self, think of your tires like that, if they are spinning fast enough they will keep your bike upright enough for you to keep going. Plus if you float the first root or rock at speed you will go over the next few, but if your going slow you have to float each one.

Most importantly find some good riding buddies and have fun.

 

Oh and wardozer aint lying, find some good gloves, or you will bust your knuckles all to pieces when you wreck, and you will end up with lots of blisters inside your thumb. And forget open finger gloves, not worth it.

Feel free to ask about anything i love this sport, and wardozer above as well(though he appears to be doing street riding), and its great fun to help someone else get hooked.

 

Oh and a note on street vs mtb riding, if your going to ride a mtb on the road increase the pressure in your tires, same idea as wheelin softer tires have more grip off-road but wear out quicker on road, oh and lock your back shock out if you can otherwise it will be absorbing half your effort.

[Coors]

Gloves and pedals were ordered last night.  I went with half gloves though.  Why don't you recommend them?  I've never been a fan of full finger gloves.

 

I still need to get a helmet but will probably buy one locally.  Or do the adjustable one size helmets usually fit pretty well?  Probably need a few other things too...air pump, spare tubes, etc.

[F13Bubba]

I don't ride nearly as much as I used to, but it is 115 outside. I have a SPecialized Hardrock 29er I got a little over a year ago. If I could afford a nicer ride, I'd have it.

[SpeedCrazy]

Gah. quote wont work.

Coors: I don't like half gloves because when you have been riding hours and are all sweaty an dusty the openings chafe(and let dirt in if you wreck -> more chafing), and i have a tendency to ride through overhanging branches and i tend to get my fingers cut up, just overall protection really. Afraid i can't rally help you on the helmet, i bought mine quite a while ago.

 

Bubba: I feel you on the heat, we have the opposite problem right now, it won't stop raining, all the trails are soup. Thats not a bad bike, the key is just to ride, you can have lots of fun on a walmart bike, though a walmart bike will brake sooner rather than later.

[IVIYTH0S]

I really wanna get into this sport!! I onyl have a touring/racing bike with little tires but once I get some kinda mountain biking, I'm gonna really start looking into it.

[Stonerboy779]

My preferance is full gloves especially when mountain biking. The extra protection is great if you stack and its much nicer when your hands bash through branches. I've just got a pair of soft leather Fox gloves.

 

Also I would say skip the pump and inner tubes and go with solid tubes may cost a bit more straight up but they're a god send and beat the hell out of carrying gear to change a tube not to mention the annoyance and difficulty of changing an inner in the mud

 

One other thing to get is a good LED head torch, nighttime mountain biking is a fantastically fun thing to do just bring spare batteries with you, you dont want to be caught halfway out without light haha.

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Coors, that's a nice Superfly. I bought the first 4300 Trek came out with (Front suspension only). Back in 2002 and it is still a solid bike so I fully trust Treks bikes. I actually have been looking at the Superfly or Remedy as my next bike but i haven't pulled the trigger yet as the canyon in my area tends to eat full suspension bike riders for lunch as its all xcountry and uphill trails. I have the half gloves and i love them but the chafing is a problem after a wreck. So the best advise i got from one of my riding buddies was, of course, "Don't fall" I agree 100% with WARDOZERX and SpeedCrazy on everything they say especially about riding on the street with your trail tires. give them about 5-8 more PSI and you will save yourself from wearing your tires out too quickly (experience speaking).