Newbie needs help with singletrack!!!

Hi all ~

I'm a newcomer to mountain biking after being a roadie for many years. I have been riding fire roads, gravel roads, easy double track and easy singletrack (without sharp turns or steep climbs/descents) for the past couple of months. I've been getting stronger and more confident with each ride, going faster, and hadn't had a fall, so tonight I decided to "graduate" to a local park's singletrack that is rated intermediate.

Wow, it was much harder than I expected! I rode with two friends, one who is an intermediate rider who has been riding these trails regularly, and one who is definitely advanced - he'll ride anything, and very well. These trails were littered with roots and sharp switchbacks, some on rather steep climbs or descents. I realized the limits of my handling skills as I couldn't deal with sharp turns at all, particularly when they threw in some roots on said turns for good measure. The steep descents (also with roots) scared me, and I couldn't manage some of the climbs because of the roots, which tossed my front wheel around and threw me off my line when going slowly. Aerobically, I did fine, much better than on the road, as the terrain was rolling and there were no long climbs, which is normal weakness.

I had to stop numerous times to walk scary sections, and my rear tire felt like it was skidding all over the place (I was probably braking too much). I tried to shift my weight back on descents and forward on climbs but still felt terrified on the steeper descents and walked most of them. I kept feeling like I was going to endo, and just felt very out of control - something I am not used to from riding on the road.

I have a great bike I just bought and fixed up, a used Titus Racer X, so the bike was not to blame in any way, only my skills. I starting the ride confident, but as the difficulty level sunk in, I lost confidence more and more, and my fear level really started rising.

To make matters worse, I had my first (mtb) crash tonight. I have fallen part way many times but always managed to catch myself on a foot, and I fell lightly during a u-turn once at very slow speed, but this was more than that. Somehow I lost my line (probably hit a root) and careened right into a small tree. My handlebar clipped it on the right, and I fell HARD to to the left, immediately. It kinda happened in slow-mo: first my butt hit (hard - I am going to have a major bruise on my left cheek), then my arm/shoulder, and lastly, my head. THUD!! It hit very hard, and I felt my head hit against my helmet inside. My first thought was "I sure am glad I am wearing a helmet!!"

After dusting myself off (my left foot remained clipped in and took a bit of work to release, surprisingly), I realized that I was a bit sore but probably okay. No broken bones, no dizziness, no terrible headache, but I also realized I'd have to ride the trail quite a ways to get back to the car. There was no other option, no way anyone could come pick me up. So, I rode it, slowly, but I stopped a lot because I was quite shaken and didn't trust my skills at all at this point. We were able to duck off the trail early and go the last mile on the road.

So, I've thrown out my helmet (sigh...it looked fine but hit hard, so I don't want to take any chances), cleaned myself up, and it appears that I'm going to be bruised and sore but nothing worse, no skin was even broken.

But how do I dust off my spirit and get back on the horse and try again? Did I bite off more than I could chew? I guess I should drop back to my usual rides (easier) and keep practicing for awhile longer before trying these particular trails again. :confused:

I'd love any advice from mountain bikers who have been through the newbie stage and understand what it takes to improve. I need a pep talk, hints, tips, anything to help me feel that I can do this! It's just so much harder than road riding, where building strength and stamina was the main challenge, not how to deal with tough terrain and technical challenges.

I know there are training camps and such, but I've never seen any near here (central NC).

Any and all advice appreciated, and thanks for taking the time to read this looong post!

Thanks so much in advance!

Emily

P.S. I'm out of town tomorrow through Monday so won't see replies for a few days.

I tend to think falling is part of the game with mountain biking. It's a rare single track ride that I don't crash - that's part of what made my last trip so great - no crashes!

I still freeze up on downhill switchbacks, I get to the apex and have to step off my bike. It's frustrating. The uphill ones aren't so bad.

I wouldn't drop back to the easy rides though - now that you have been out on this trail, you have an idea of what it's like. Keep riding it, so you can see your improvement.

For downhill, sometimes I just kind of let the bike go. Sometimes I go slowly and pick my way. It all depends on what is coming up next. If I can see the trail ahead for a bit, I'm more likely to let the bike just go. For the uphill, I've started staying in my middle ring more. It seems to keep me from spinning out.

Good luck!

V.

You can do it Emily! This ride was just what you needed. Someday you will ride this same trail and be amazed that it scared you once! Don't let the classification set you back, any trail is a beginner trail if you are willing to walk parts of it.

You might want to take the trail in sections. Stop and look and pick your line. Sometimes speed helps you over the stuff, and sometimes you need to go more slowly and pick your way through it. Switchbacks are hard, I still walk some of them. I also will unclip one foot if I am not confident. And I have my clips as loose as they can go.

A skill you can work on at home and your easy trails is track standing, slow stopping and starting and changing directions, back-pedaling to position your cranks so you can avoid roots and rocks, all without touching the ground.

I rode a trail today that I rode a few months ago when I was starting out. It terrified me. No ride through the woods, this single track has a lot of technical rock sections, and exposure (basically riding on the side of a cliff, not straight down, but close. Today I cleared a lot of the rocks, walked some, but wasn't even concerned about falling down a mountain. See, it can be done. You can do it!

Y

As V said, falling is pretty much a given in mountain biking. It's a matter of when, not if. For me, it's a two steps forward, one step back thing. I build my confidence, I fall, I lose a portion of my confidence, I ride, I build up the confidence, I fall...in an endless cycle. My falls usually teach me about something I need to learn or remember and I try not to make that mistake again. Your first fall! Welcome to the sisterhood! I'm glad you were able to get back up and ride back. There is a huge mental component to mountain biking. Doing exactly what you did--toughing it out and doing what you had to do--will make it easier to try again the next time. The old phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is so very true on the mtb.

Keep doing some easier rides as they will help to maintain and boost your confidence, but also ride that singletrack again and again. When you reach a section you are not ready for, walk. Some of the most important things someone taught me as a newbie were that it is okay to walk anything you are not comfortable with. Push yourself a bit, but listen to your gut and know when it's time to try something new or more difficult and when you just need to get off the bike and walk it. Respecting your limits helps you from getting hurt. As you ride the more difficult trails over and over, they will become more familiar and you'll gradually find yourself ready to try more and more. Remember, the bike is designed to go over all that stuff. Trust it in and you will be amazed at what it will do for you. I remember the first time I rode a narrow, rocky, exposed trail. I repeated over and over to myself: The bike will go over the rocks. Momentum is my friend.

Same thing is true for roots. Try to hit the roots with your tire perpendicular to them especially if they are wet. A little bit of mementum will help you. Just give yourself some time to acquire the skills you need, and you'll be amazed at how you'll be riding something that once seemed impossible. Ride with and watch as many different riders as possible and don't be afraid to ask for advice from them.

I usually say to myself that I will ride as well as I possibly can for that day. Some days I surprise myself. Other days I'd rather forget. But if you try your best each time that is all you can ask of yourself. The thrills come when you're riding along one day and you just finished a section of trail and think to yourself, "Where's the hard part?" It does gradually become easier and as your confidence builds so does your enjoyment. Think positively. Embrace the mental challenge. Give yourself time. Ride, ride, ride. Most importantly, have fun!

Welcome to the Newbie crashing club Emily.:D :D
I havent been lying in my past posts when I said I seemed to spend more time off my mountain bike than on it. Keep riding and watch your experienced mountain biking friends ride any parts you find difficult. I did this when I went mountain biking with SadieKate and it was amazing I didnt fall off once. It really helped having someone more experienced give tips. Riding sections of the trail over and over can help nail the harder parts.

Sending staying upright wishes your way.

Trek - Vertically Challenged mountain biker - hawk

PS I think mountain biking is a combination of terror and exhilaration.:eek:

Emily, I hearby welcome you to Club Dirt. I sometimes feel I didn't try hard enough if I didn't crash!

I know the feeling well because I still consider myself a newbie. Learning to relax on new terrain is tough because Trekhawk is right - it's a combination of terror and exhiloration. Try not to keep a death grip on your bike. Let yourself become "one" with the bike and don't fight it (kind of like I always thought riding a horse would feel like). If there's a bike club that does rides that's a great way to find some extra expertise on the trails.

You don't have to bite it all off at once. Practise certain skills each time. Logs and rocks one night, steep descents another. Remember to breath and have fun!

Keep us posted on your progress - look at how much progress you've made already!

Keep heading out there! So much of it is mental. I'm willing to bet if you head out again, prepared for the chellenging trail but really motivated to ride it, you'll ride a ton better. I can ride a trail one day and have an awful ride where I'm riding all skittish and scared, then the next day get my head together and just plow through everything. I find it good to start off slow, warm up the legs, get into the mental zone of focusing about 10 feet ahead and then just flowing with the bike. It's important to not look at the root you want to avoid. Trust me, the more you look at the scary stuff, the harder it is to go over or avoid. I still catch myself occasionally looking at the things I want to avoid (especially on new trails) and it always leads to a rough ride.

Look ahead, pick a good line, and keep looking ahead. Your bike can definitely handle everything, you just need to build confidence in it.

For the uphills, try to pick a line around the roots if possible. Also, if you see an uphill coming, get some speed going into it, shift and try to maintain it. I find it helps sometimes to get out of the saddle and just mash the pedals over the roots on a quick, steep, rooty climb.

For the downhills, I recently found that thinking to get my weight back isn't enough, I need to remind myself to bend the elbows and get my torso down. Previously, I would just push my butt back and go down, and feel like I would go over. Now, I think butt back, elbows bent and my torso low and it's much more stable on the downhills. Give it a try! It definitely helped me a lot!

Good luck!

all i want to tell you emily is don't give up. the girls are right about try, and try again. you can do it. just remember that.

what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Thanks, Emily, for saying what i feel when i try more advanced trails. My problem is that i don't mtb enough to get good at it! I'm a cautious road rider to begin with, but road riding feels pretty effortless to me at this point. I think one of the problems is that besides being scared to death half the time I am on a trail (:eek) ,it just takes so much concentration (look this way, get back on the saddle, hold your line, etc) that I end up sticking to the same easier trails where I enjoy being out in the woods and i don't feel so stressed. But secretly, i want to conquer this. It's mostly fear, but I am not really great with balance or technical skills in anything, so it takes me a long time to "get it." I would love to go to a camp next summer. There is one in Vermont; all the rest seem to be out west. I don't mind falling or getting dirty, but I have a lot of trouble with steep climbs, with curves, that are sandy. I am a good climber on the road, so strength isn't a problem. Well, I guess I will keep trying. I tend to mtb more in the fall, so I am looking forward to that.

Who doesn't have problems with steep climbs, with curves, that are sandy?:D

I took Trekhawk's advice and got the DVD from Ned Overend "Performance Mtn Biking". It reinforces many of the techniques and advice I learned from my Boot Camp. It would be a good adjunct to practice and having a good rider give advice.

Quill

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Originally Posted by Quillfred

I took Trekhawk's advice and got the DVD from Ned Overend "Performance Mtn Biking". It reinforces many of the techniques and advice I learned from my Boot Camp. It would be a good adjunct to practice and having a good rider give advice.

Quill

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Hey Quill - glad you like it. LOL - SadieKate was the one that put me onto Ned's DVD - got to pass the good advice on.:D

After the first few (of many,many, many) falls my sweet hubby commented "Well, at least you know HOW to fall!!!"

I seemed to have spent the first 6 months of riding with bruises on one or both my upper/outer thighs...and most of it was because of a root! Nasty little buggers!!! Soon with experience/confidence you will be rolling over them with little thought (OK...you need a little thought...especially if they are wet) With added experience/confidence you will pick up speed which helps that fancy little bike of yours do its job...ROLL!!!

I spent all of my learning right behind another experienced rider...following the line. Soon I dropped back a little bit at a time paying more attention to the line...why that route was chosen...then picking my own line...learning what works best for me. Turns out I tend to pick a smoother line now than my mentor (sweet hubby) ever did, but it is said "that is because I am a girl" ...and girls tend to pick smoother lines :p

Anyway, these girls have said what I would have said...so I will leave you with:

WAY TO GO!!!! Bruises are cute!!!! and NO shame in walking!!!!

just wanted to say I've been there. I bet we all have. I'm totally a beginner but am already riding stuff that I thought I'd NEVER attempt. To say I'm a conservative rider would be an understatement. I only go slightly outside my comfort zone. But with constant riding, I'm watching that zone expand and I'm trying all kinds of stuff and learning to let the bike roll. It's HARD sometimes to just relax and be....but in those times when I can do it....wow!! That's why my fiance is so bike crazy........I get it now :) (then I usually hit a tree...like I said - total beginner!

BTW - you're not far from me - what trail were you riding? if you don't mind the drive, Craptree and Harris Lake, both around Raleigh, would be great trails to ride for a weekend 1/2 day trip. It would be about 45 minutes for you and both trails are wonderful for beginners and getting you use to all kinds of trail conditions. There are drops, log crossings and steep hills but most things have trails around them too (not the steep hills...we have to do those).

Lots of good advice on this thread for another beginner with a great bike (same Titus Racer X), hoping to become a better rider. I went to a mtb camp this weekend at Coyote Hill in Vermont. Learned lots and got to practice some skills in a series of practice drills and then out onto some varied single track. Had LOTS of falls. Some were because I was pushing my limits and some were because I just couldn't seem to get my *^&% left foot off the pedal to catch myself! I experienced a lot of frustration...a few tears, but took away some more experience and things to work on.

One of the most important things I need to work on is the slow-speed balance stuff. Most of my falls happen on up hill technical stuff (except for the failed log-clearing crash). It was pointed out to me that if I could improve my slow-speed balance I would have more time to pick my line on the technical stuff, and could probably choose when to unclip and save myself from a fall, if necessary. I tend to get so focused on getting thorugh a section that I'm not prepared to bail when I need to.

I also need to work on climbing out of the saddle in a higher gear. I sometimes get into too low a gear and then end up losing momentum.

We did some practice of shifting our weight on the bike, not just forward and back, but also side to side, which really helped me with downhill cornering.

The falling-down stuff can be really confidence-depleting, and I came home with lots of bruises and probably a cracked rib :( But I still love it!! And I am looking forward to working on the dance some more.

Thanks to everyone for all your advice and encouragement to us newbies!

Linda

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Originally Posted by littlegrasshopp

BTW - you're not far from me - what trail were you riding? if you don't mind the drive, Craptree and Harris Lake, both around Raleigh, would be great trails to ride for a weekend 1/2 day trip. It would be about 45 minutes for you and both trails are wonderful for beginners and getting you use to all kinds of trail conditions. There are drops, log crossings and steep hills but most things have trails around them too (not the steep hills...we have to do those).

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It was Crabtree. I'd read online that there are beginner and intermediate trails there, and markers for "more difficult" and "less difficult" where they cross. With my two friends, we went on all the trails there; I never knew when we were on one of the less or more difficult ones, because they all seemed to have easy parts that I rolled over just fine, and more difficult parts with rooty switchbacks and/or steep descents/climbs with roots. Without the roots, I would have been fine!

We had been riding at Umstead (primarily Turkey Run) prior to this, and I also have trails on my own property which have a few rocks and roots but are quite a bit easier than Crabtree - no switchbacks and nothing too steep. I'd gotten pretty fast and comfortable on all this terrain so thought I was "ready" for Crabtree. I have heard that Harris is easier than Crabtree, but it's a long drive for me, so I've never made it there (I work in RTP and ride with friends one day a week after work - then at home on weekends).

Thanks for all the GREAT advice everyone has offered! I've still got some ugly bruises from last week's fall (and my neck was really sore for several days due to the head snap), but I feel fine. (I've been out of state over the weekend and did two road rides but no mountain biking.) I guess I just have to get back on the horse and try again. I do think that not staring at those roots I'm about to go over is a great tip and may well keep me upright. I had a hard time keeping up with my friends, so they got a bit ahead of me. As a result, I often couldn't see their line to know how best to pick my way over the tough parts. Hopefully the next time will be better!

Thanks all!!!
Emily

Linda, I hope your rib is OK. I was interested in the advice you got. I think I also approach some hills in too low a gear because i always just spin up hills on the road and i can do that quite well and not so slowly! I find it hard to stand when I climb, it kills my knees. I always bail at the same point on a hill with obstacles; i just feel like I am going to fall over. I usually unclip one foot before i start, just in case. The thought of having that heavy bike on top of me doesn't thrill me. Plus, all this stuff about picking a line... at first I didn't know what the **** people were talking about. I get it now, but it seems like I tend to change my mind about where to go as I go, or my bike is changing its direction because I'm a sucky rider! At least I am getting used to staying clipped in except on the really scary stuff.
Hope you feel better.

Robyn (who also has no slow speed or any other speed balance)

I know what you mean about not being sure what level trail you are riding on at Crabtree! It can be a confusing trail system! I finally rode the entire trail system without bailing on anything. I celebrated A LOT!!! for that victory (buying a better fork!). You'll be amazed at how fast your progress at Crabtree! In about two weeks I was riding things that I didn't think I EVER would try.

I haven't ridden Turkey Creek but I hear the climbs will whip you into shape :) Good luck!! There are beginner rides that do crabtree and Umstead on Mondays or Wednesdays too if you every wanted to hop onto those. I haven't ever joined one....just found out about it.

Hi Emily! Good to see you back on the bike. I remember you from Trish Albert's email group, don't I?

All good advice from the other women. The only thing I'd add is make sure your tires aren't over-inflated. One of the biggest mistakes that roadies-turned-dirt-divas make is to put too much air in their tires. It's taken me three seasons of mtn biking to finally "get it." Once I started putting less air in my tires, my technical skills went way up. No more bouncing around on the trails. Just for kicks, try a ride with the minimum tire pressure and see how stable you feel. It's a good thing.

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Originally Posted by velogirl

Hi Emily! Good to see you back on the bike. I remember you from Trish Albert's email group, don't I?

All good advice from the other women. The only thing I'd add is make sure your tires aren't over-inflated. One of the biggest mistakes that roadies-turned-dirt-divas make is to put too much air in their tires. It's taken me three seasons of mtn biking to finally "get it." Once I started putting less air in my tires, my technical skills went way up. No more bouncing around on the trails. Just for kicks, try a ride with the minimum tire pressure and see how stable you feel. It's a good thing.

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Hi VG, yep, that's me!

I'm pretty sure my tires were already at minimum pressure. I had read that it was wise to do that for the trails and also because I am a lightweight. I will check them before I go out there again, just in case, but I do think I had just 40 pounds in them. Too bad I can't blame that for all my mistakes!

Thanks,
Emily

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

(I've been out of state over the weekend and did two road rides but no mountain biking.)

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Emily-

No mtb experience or advice to offer - I'm too chicken:D :D

Glad to hear you're continuing on getting back out on the road, though.....:) :) Let me know if you get the inclination to ride any evening/weekend. Depending on the storm track, we may be headed out of town for the weekend, but otherwise we're usually around...

We're still counting down to the bike friday delivery date - think we caught them at one of their longer delivery periods as had we decided 1 week earlier, we could have had bikes 1 month earlier....ah well:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

I'm pretty sure my tires were already at minimum pressure. I had read that it was wise to do that for the trails and also because I am a lightweight. I will check them before I go out there again, just in case, but I do think I had just 40 pounds in them. Too bad I can't blame that for all my mistakes!

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That's not even close to minimum! Especially because you weigh, what, 105? I don't go out higher than 32, and lower is even better except that you may get a pinch flat. I just started running tubeless and am trying even lower than that.

It's funny you girls talking about roots because most of where I ride there is nary a tree in sight. Have a few canyon trails through the oaks and sycamores and I might hit a root crossing creekbeds, but for the most part "technical" where I live is rocks- lots of them! Rock gardens, steep descents through sandstone, all in the hot So Cal sunshine. I'll take some pictures (and of my new bike) when my #@%* camera gets back from repair.

http://mountainbike.about.com/od/tip...e_pressure.htm

I agree on the tire pressure thing. I run mine at 32 also. Teensy bit higher if the trails are smooth and gummy. Experiment - If you bounce off stuff or feel like the tires are skittering around, lower the pressure. Once they pinch flat, increase the pressure a tad (1-2 lbs) and you've probably found the ideal pressure for those conditions.

Yeah, some ride at 28#. Tubeless though.

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Originally Posted by fatbottomedgurl

That's not even close to minimum! Especially because you weigh, what, 105? I don't go out higher than 32, and lower is even better except that you may get a pinch flat. I just started running tubeless and am trying even lower than that.

It's funny you girls talking about roots because most of where I ride there is nary a tree in sight. Have a few canyon trails through the oaks and sycamores and I might hit a root crossing creekbeds, but for the most part "technical" where I live is rocks- lots of them! Rock gardens, steep descents through sandstone, all in the hot So Cal sunshine. I'll take some pictures (and of my new bike) when my #@%* camera gets back from repair.

http://mountainbike.about.com/od/tip...e_pressure.htm

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Thanks so much for this information! I just figured that since my tires say "40-60 PSI" on the sidewalls, 40 was the bare minimum even at my weight. That said, I didn't pump them right before last week's wicked ride, so I have no idea how much I actually had in them - whether 30 lbs. or 40, but I am very sure it was no more than 40.

I'll try going even lower for my next try at Crabtree. I don't relish risking a pinch flat on the trail, but it's worth it if I get better control. I decided to drop back to the easier trail at Umstead for tomorrow's ride til I'm all healed from my last week's accident - I don't want to get bruises on top of my bruises! I figure I can gain confidence on this ride and then try Crabtree again next week. With low tire pressure!

On roots....how I wish I didn't have to deal with them! I'm not minimizing your difficult rocks at ALL, but Crabtree is roots everywhere. I'll keep working at it!

Thanks again for all the wonderful tips, all!

Emily

You should see trails like Rocky Road (rock gardens and root EVERYWHERE!) and Beaverdamn - LOTS and LOTS of roots. I won't go near Rocky road. It's just not fun - you bounce from root to root for the entire trail!!

I swapped my tires out for bigger ones and run at about 33. It made the ride so much easier!!! DF keeps trying to sneak pressure into the tires but I can tell when he does!

I wish I could tell you the way to ride the beginner stuff at Craptree...I can ride it but I can't give directions worth crap! Don't give up on it! It will all get easier with time!!!

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Originally Posted by littlegrasshopp

You should see trails like Rocky Road (rock gardens and root EVERYWHERE!) and Beaverdamn - LOTS and LOTS of roots. I won't go near Rocky road. It's just not fun - you bounce from root to root for the entire trail!!

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A guy at work told me that Rocky Road is no big deal and that whenever I wanted to try it, he'd go with me. Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eek:

Needless to say, I'd heard about it and told him that it surely wouldn't be this year - if EVER!

Emily

P.S. I felt like I bounced from root to root at Crabtree so can't imagine anything being worse!

My tires are rated 35-80 (Specialized dual-material supposedly wsd tires) and I ride them at ~30ish on really technical stuff, because I'm only around 120 with all my gear on. I've never pinchflatted, but then again, I'm a sissy and don't do big drops and probably won't until I know I have available funds for an emergency room visit or to true wheels (one of those is more important, but I'm sure my priorities lie with the bike...)

Kitsune06 - I keep an aflac policy just for bike riding. ha! I'm pretty graceless so I'm sure it's there for the rest of life too...but riding seems to be the mostly likely investment for insurance!! I understand completely!!

Emily - my fiance took me to new light for my first ride. Some parts are advanced - some are insane!! He took me to the really insane stuff. He remembered it being easy. As I lay there on the ground with my head hanging off one ledge - looking at water below and my bike hanging off the other one....I cried and cried! He felt horrible!! So the next time he took me to beaver damn. I cussed the entire time!! I don't know how he EVER got me back on a bike!!!! I still haven't been back to New light - but I try that trail at BD every now and then and I still don't like it. Too many roots!! All over the place!!

Oh and the fiance won't even ride Rocky Road and he's not afraid of anything on a bike. Says it's just too rocky and rooty to enjoy. Plus it's really crowded!.

I agree - lots of great advice here!

I ride where there are roots, roots on roots, roots with roots....and have learned one really great lesson: You want to ride in one of two places - either close to the tree, or in off-camber sections, ride as far down the root as you can. That way, if you slide, you basically slide back onto the trail.

This is year 2 of mountain biking, after many years of saying "ARE THEY NUTS??" Now, I LOVE singletrack and it doesn't hurt that I have access to some of the best singletrack anywhere, right out of my back door. Just keep plugging along - as hubby says, you never know how fast you can go or how technical you can do till you fall down.....

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Originally Posted by littlegrasshopp

Kitsune06 - I keep an aflac policy just for bike riding. ha!

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I have a friend who makes money on Aflac every time she gets stitches (which seems to be often)! They pay her to get hurt;)

So far I haven't used the policy - but it's in the back of my mind when I try new stuff. :D

Embrace it. All of it, the falling, the fear, the skidding out, the walking down the really scary bits, or losing all your power and walking up the steep bits. Isn't that part of why we love to mountainbike in the first place? Finding your limits and pushing past them?

Just keep at it. And don't be so hard on yourself. Of course you can go back and ride that trail, and others. Maybe tomorrow it will still seem difficult and scary, but it wont stay that way.

And, one riding tip that helps me a lot ... keep your head up and ride through as much as you can. After all, we go where our eyes lead us. And if you can't and need to get off, regroup, walk it up or down, then have fun knowing that you are out on the trail. Soooooooooooooo beautiful!

I found that when I replaced my 115 mm stem for a shorter stem (100) my turning radius was tighter and more controlled. This helps with switchbacks, especially when climbing. Also, riser bars instead of flat bars will help you out on descents. Fine tune your fork for your weight and check your rebound and damping. Tire pressure...trail conditions and the type of trail tell me what to inflate to. But I never go over 40 pounds. Also, take a look at Kenda Nevegals, a wider more aggressive tire that will truly help you on descending and bite in good for climbing. I've ridden Pisgah, Bent Creek, Tsali, Dupont, and some trails around Ashville and its tough riding, very technical and I had smaller Continental Explorer tires that had great rolling ability, nice and light, but I wish I had my bad Nevegals back then. Keep your clips looser, but not too loose that you pop out of them when lifting up with your feet. Learn to get off your saddle and behind it and hold on to your handlebars. When you go over logs or roots, you hold on and you tell the bike where its going. I can't tell you how many times I've crashed because the bars got away from my grip. Learn to stick your opposite knee slightly out when going around tight turns to balance yourself. Take a section of trail at a time and clean it, then move on, when you ride try and do one new thing each time and be happy with that victory. Momentum is your friend, you will crash more going slowly then if you had the speed to roll over the obstacle. Going over logs and coming to a stop, if you can't balance or track stand you are going down, and remember if its a big log set, pedal over it! Don't think you can float over everything, sometimes you need to pedal and dig in. Speed and body english will get you over the logs or rocks, and there is nothing wrong with dabbing your foot down to push you over something. You will get better each time you ride. Whew....so much more, but I just wanted to get out the stuff I learned early on. And...it helps to ride with someone who is really good, so you can follow their lines.

I love my Kenda tyres, I ride Nevegal on the rear and Blue Groove on the front and they cope with most trail conditions I put them at: mud, lots and lots of rocks, roots...I find they give me confidence to throw the bike around on the full-suss and the big air volume of the 2.1s makes for a more comfortable ride on the hardtail. I'm so evangelical I'm convincing some of our riding group away from other tyres.

If you find that you have to have your clips really loose to be confident in getting out then keep in mind Crank Bros pedals. I used to set my SPDs loose so I could be confident of getting out when I wanted, unfortunately that meant that they were so loose that on the various very rocky descents round here my feet would pop out of the pedals involuntarily which is not a good thing. Since I changed to Crank Bros Candys I find I can get out really easily while my foot is held very securely into the pedal when riding. The trade off is that I find them a bit more faffy to clip in.

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Originally Posted by tattiefritter

If you find that you have to have your clips really loose to be confident in getting out then keep in mind Crank Bros pedals. I used to set my SPDs loose so I could be confident of getting out when I wanted, unfortunately that meant that they were so loose that on the various very rocky descents round here my feet would pop out of the pedals involuntarily which is not a good thing. Since I changed to Crank Bros Candys I find I can get out really easily while my foot is held very securely into the pedal when riding. The trade off is that I find them a bit more faffy to clip in.

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Yeah, I used Candies starting out and had a heck of a time clipping in with my second foot on bumpy trails. I switched to Speedplay Frogs and never looked back. Easy in, easy out. Perfect!

Emily