What I Learned Mountain Biking This Season

[limewave]

Using the all the Rings
This may seem strange . . . But last week I did my first mountain bike ride in the middle ring! After four years of riding strictly in Granny Gear. And I never would have tried riding in a harder gear if I had known, it was a complete accident.

What riding in Granny Gear has done for me:
I can really spin. I have a high cadence of about 100 rpms on the mountain bike. I might not be the fastest up a climb, but I can sure spin up it. This has even translated over onto the road bike.

What riding in Middle Ring has done for me:
POWER! I was flying through the flats. And obstacles that I had struggled with before, I could power through like nobody's business. And as long as I was able to stay on top of my spin, I could do the climbs much faster than I was before.

It was a very empowering experience to discover I could ride in the middle ring.

Learning to go downhill. I had some guys following me at one of the races, they could have easily passed me on the flats, but they were so impressed with my downhill skills that they wanted to follow me (that, or I have a nice rear). I have much faster times just because I have learned to descend and use my brakes minimally--if at all.

Riding through the sandpits
This was one of my biggest obstacles. Sometimes I would come to a complete stop before a sandpit. And there are a ton of sandpits in Michigan. I finally figured out how to ride through them--weight on the rear wheel and power through. I don't even notice them anymore.

I'd love to hear what other people have learned or what goals they achieved this year . . .

[fastdogs]

I loved your post.
I have only been mountain biking a couple of months, and I am just now learning to use my granny gear. For some reason I thought I should do it all in the middle chainring. Now, as soon as I hit the trail I go down to the small chainring. It means I don't fall over sideways as much on hills.
I'm trying to use my brakes less going downhill; I don't like the feeling of fishtailing.
I haven't mastered sand. For now I just hit it going as fast as I can and try to power through it, but as soon as my rear wheel slides too far sideways my foot goes down.
Big diagonal roots. Once again, if they throw my rear wheel sideways I put my foot down. Big diagonal roots on a steep uphill pretty much insure I'll be walking from that point.
I can actually go up on a curb or over a small log now! Not very gracefully, and not every time, but we bump over it. Nothing even resembling jumping.
vickie

[limewave]

I can actually go up on a curb or over a small log now! Not very gracefully, and not every time, but we bump over it. Nothing even resembling jumping.
vickie

My goal for next season is to learn to jump. I'm really good at pedaling over stuff, but I need to learn to jump. I think that's going to be a hard one.

[Aggie_Ama]

We thankfully don't have seasons in Texas. We only have about 60 rainy days a year, so cycling and mountain biking are usually in season! I just started so I am still on the very steep learning curve and definitely need to remember to use that granny so I stop falling over going up hill!

1. Descending is fun and not as scary as it looks! I have even learned to descend slow, I normally just went down all blind luck. This has really boosted my confidence.
2. I bruise easily so jeans are in for me these days! But I did learn you won't break something on you just because you fell and that keeps me going back out to the trail, purple legs and all.
3. I can overcome my lack of depth perception and the tight and twisty is fun if you just follow the bike. Not that I am fast yet and I do still miss the trail some but no panic attacks as of late! It was all about trying and trying slow if you needed. Cross training if you have to and then trying again.
4. You use different muscles on a mountain bike than on a road ride. And you will be sore in different ways. Owwwie. And that is not including the low speed crashes and bruises (two and counting).

[sundial]

I've learned that momentum is my friend.
Falling doesn't hurt--unless it's on asphalt.
My hardtail taught me many skills. I miss it.
A good set of rims is worth it's weight in gold.
Tubeless is the way to go if you ride over small thorns.
Capris protect my knees.
Riding solo most of the time won't necessarily improve skills and time.
It's all about strength, balance and timing.

[lovelylibrarian]

Great post. I've been mountain biking for 4 months now and I'm learning that I can do a lot more than I thought. I just try my best and when I can't make it up long hills, I walk. I'm improving my cardio and my skills on the bike.

As for going downhill, how do you get over the fear? That's my biggest issue. I'm going to get some protection for my legs and arms to help my confidence but I get so frightened on steep downhills instead of just letting go and letting my bike do the work. How do you do it?

Learning to go downhill. I had some guys following me at one of the races, they could have easily passed me on the flats, but they were so impressed with my downhill skills that they wanted to follow me (that, or I have a nice rear). I have much faster times just because I have learned to descend and use my brakes minimally--if at all.

[Aggie_Ama]

As for going downhill, how do you get over the fear? That's my biggest issue. I'm going to get some protection for my legs and arms to help my confidence but I get so frightened on steep downhills instead of just letting go and letting my bike do the work. How do you do it?

I went down one by accident, kind of a blind turn and didn't realize it was there. It was one labeled as a "most difficult" feature and I survived. Probably not the safest way to learn but I am much more confident. Butt back, level pedals, don't over think it. And I am not one to be giving advice seeing as how I am mainly a weenie but I am relatively confident on the beginner to intermediate descents.

I have heard from many shin and elbow guards really help their confidence.

[Irulan]

down hill tips.

First learn to trust your brakes.
-one or two fingers only
-front brake is most powerful.

Try this. Find a steep, straight section of trail. Go down it using only your rear brake. Then, just your front. Then, both.
What you will find it that you can't descend with only your rear brake: it grabs and skids and pull you sideways. You will find that you CAN descend using just your front if you modulate: use gentle pressure. Using both brakes your goal is to go as slow as possible without skidding. The microsecond you start to feel your (rear) wheel lock up, just let off the brake a bit.

Now that you have more faith in your brakes, don't use them so much. Remember to look where you want to go, your body position, and that momentum is your friend. Also, if your butt is too far back you lose control of the front of the bike.

If you have the opportunity to do lift served biking DO IT. It's not just for downhillers. It's a great way to get comfortable with speed on easy trails.

[Aggie_Ama]

If you have the opportunity to do lift served biking DO IT. It's not just for downhillers. It's a great way to get comfortable with speed on easy trails.

Great tips! Is the lift served biking not super dangerous? What type of lifts are you talking about? My husband and I shied away from taking our bikes up the lift in Red River because we thought it would be too dangerous for a novice like myself. I am wondering if we should have and definitely should for next time we go? There was some really steep parts we hiked down on the "easiest way down" trail.

[Irulan]

Great tips! Is the lift served biking not super dangerous? What type of lifts are you talking about? My husband and I shied away from taking our bikes up the lift in Red River because we thought it would be too dangerous for a novice like myself. I am wondering if we should have and definitely should for next time we go? There was some really steep parts we hiked down on the "easiest way down" trail.

weelllll...

Sure, blasting down a mountain on a bike at highs speed can be dangerous!!! Why do you think those guys wear body armor?

I am talking lift served: taking the lift up at a ski area in the summer, and then going down.

It really depends on where you go. Some places have a really great selections of trails, with lots of green circle trails for regular folks. This is what I am thinking of, not NORBA race courses.

For example, Brundage Mt in McCall Idaho has a really neato trail called the Elk Trail. It's practically buff, and just winds its way back and forth down the mountain, 7 miles to be exact. People take thier kids on trail a bikes on it. You can bomb it too ( boy is that fun) but really its a great trail to just ride, get the flow, get comfortable, and just keep doing it over and over, maybe getting a little faster each time as you get comfortable with it.

But we have another area nearby, that all their greens are service roads and not singletrack, they are the absolute pits to ride.

Lift serve riding for all kinds of riders, not just downhillers is becoming big business in the summer time. I think it's fun, a great way to develop skills.

[Aggie_Ama]

I will have to keep that in mind for the next trip up to Red River, NM. You could go with your bike and there was some doubletrack on the top of the mountain, it was pretty flat area for teaching the kiddos to ski. It was the coming down that looked hairy but it wasn't a straight shot, just the normal beginner ski trail. The "easier" ski trail is really wide, like a jeep trail. By next trip (in a few years) I won't be a total beginner anyway but I kind of wish I had tried it out in July. Too bad we have no mountains in central Texas.

[ikkin]

great thread. i've been having a-ha! moments about cornering this season.

1. its easier to just blast through twisty turns than slow down for them
2. leaning really helps! both the body and the bike
3. just like driving a stick shift, pedal out of the turns
4. riding a bike that actually fits me is really fun!

now i'm hoping to get more confident descending rocky scary steep stuff before the snow starts flying.

[Irulan]

I will have to keep that in mind for the next trip up to Red River, NM. You could go with your bike and there was some doubletrack on the top of the mountain, it was pretty flat area for teaching the kiddos to ski. It was the coming down that looked hairy but it wasn't a straight shot, just the normal beginner ski trail. The "easier" ski trail is really wide, like a jeep trail. By next trip (in a few years) I won't be a total beginner anyway but I kind of wish I had tried it out in July. Too bad we have no mountains in central Texas.

do you homework, a lot of those jeep roads and service roads are not fun to ride. They tend to be filled with broken rock, which is tough for newbies, tough for anyone. Find out if they have any green SINGLETRACK.

[Aggie_Ama]

Irulan- As always great advice. Maybe we should have a "Ask Irulan" thread in mountain biking. lol.

It will be a while before I am back in Red River, might have to try the cross country ski area, it is a mountain bike spot in the summer. They call it the Enchanted Forest, that sounds interesting enough to want to look into it. Of course it is right up the hill from where I saw the bear road riding, so maybe not.

The mountain trail from the ski lift in Red River was how you described the one to avoid. My husband thinks Angel Fire has some lift supported trails, definitely need to do homework before our next trip to the area.

[Aggie_Ama]

Limewave, how long are you going to keep mountain biking? I saw your post down in the WL Challenge.