New to mountain biking- any tips for building confidence?

[mtbgirlfriend]

I'm new to mountain biking. My boyfriend is an avid mountain biker. If there isn't snow on the ground, he's out mountain biking 7 days a week. I'm getting involved for a few reasons- it seems super fun and challenging, it is an interesting way to exercise, a way to spend more time with the boyfriend, and I really like road biking, so I thought it might be a good fit for me.
I went out a few times last year and a few times the year before. I have a pretty basic front suspension bike that I like. I ride with clipless pedals, as I'm used to it from road biking.

This year, I've been out twice. I feel like my endurance is better this year and I'm meeting the climbs with more efficiency. I'm having issues with confidence- feeling like I can't quite finish a touch climb, especially when there's obstacles like roots, tight turns, or rocks in the trail. I think my legs and lungs will hold out, but I get very worried about crashing if I hit an obstacle. It doesn't help that I do crash sometimes, which makes me more nervous. I don't crash going downhill, as I think my pace and momentum helps me balance better. I feel really comfortable going downhill.

Any tips on how to build confidence? Tips or tricks that work for you? Mountain biking is such second nature for my boyfriend and he is stumped on how to help me build confidence and get through those big climbs.

[Irulan]

1. find a gals ride, most areas have at least one
2. ditch the clips for now
3. take a skills clinic

Climbs - big as in Long? Steep? Technical? They all have a different skill set. Sometimes it can be as simple as making sure your saddle is at the proper height and that you are forward ( ie, nose of saddle poking you in the crotch) on the saddle for proper body position.

I don't know if you learn by reading, but there have been some good threads on basic skills here in the past.

Cheers and have fun

I.

[Aggie_Ama]

My husband got me interested but couldn't teach me well. I found a women's group and learned a ton from them. A lot of us the got into mountain biking because of a boyfriend/husband have found the see, feel and communicate the sport differently and riding with women was our biggest confidence booster.

Climbs, it depends on what is happening. My climbing position is as far up on the nose of the saddle like Irulan described. One of the women I took classes with called it "very intimate". It isn't exactly comfortable. The other thing I learned is "boobs to the tube". It sounds funny so you remember it. Basically is bending at the waist, rolling your hips so your chest is lowered towards the top tube. This changes the center of gravity to give you a firmer feel under you. These work for rooty, loose uphills for me. Still working on ledges.

Finally crashing is part of mountain biking especially when you are new. Some women I ride with find knee pads and elbow pads give them a little extra comfort if they might crash. Good luck, my learning curve was steep but I love mountain biking and I came from a long distance road riding background but the dirty side is my passion now. :D

[Artista]

Everything Aggie said. The boobs-to-the-tube trick has help me control my bike way better on steep climbs. My front wheel used to dance all over until I started lowering my upper body. I haven't tried getting intimate with the nose of my saddle (on purpose) yet - just read about that twice within the last few days here in TE. I'll try it on my next ride.

I, too, got into technical mountain biking because of my husband. Actually, he has taught me a lot but there are some things that he does that he just can't teach or describe. I'm going to join a women's group for the female camaraderie & to learn new skills. Riding with hubby is still my greatest joy, though.

I see a big difference between crashing & falling. I fall sometimes & never end up with more than a few bruises & scratches. Crashing to me means risking more serious injury - stitches, broken bones, etc. I'll usually come off the bike before I'll do something that I know has a high potential for crashing, but falling - not so much.

You've come to the right place to ask questions. These ladies (and a few men) are a wealth of knowledge. I've learned more about cycling in the last few months than I learned in the many years of cycling before that.

[Aggie_Ama]

True Lori on crash vs fall. I have been mountain biking almost 3 years, although only seriously about a year and have had many falls or tumbles but my true crashes are very few. I bruise easily so it isn't often I don't have a bruise after a ride even if I never fall.

[Artista]

I forgot to mention that I try to stay light on the handlebars when I've got boobs to the tube. I tend to over correct my steering when I muscle the bars. I've never seen this mentioned anywhere so I'm not sure that I'm right. I'll invite the more experienced riders chime in on this one.