Hi there,

I'm pretty new to this forum. I've been doing casual road riding and triathlons for 2 years.

Went on a mountain bike ride 3 weeks ago, got HOOKED, and now I own a used, hardtail Specialized Hardrock that has been immaculately maintained!

So. What advice might you have for a road biker who is still pretty clueless about mountain biking?

Here are some initial questions.

Carrying water. I notice some mountain bikers don't bother with water cages - they use camelbaks. Never having used a camelbak, even for trail running, I'm not sure what is the advantage of it? Is it because your bottle could get dirty in the bottle cage on a muddy trail? Or...? I am skeptical because I don't like the feeling of a sweaty backpack on my back. But trying to be open minded.

Night illumination. I'd like to try night riding. But most of those bright lights seem to cost like $300. Whereas my little Cateye does not illuminate - it just blinks for other riders/drivers to see. Is there a happy (affordable) medium?

Maintenance. Is there anything I need to know about mountain bike maintenance that I don't (I mean should) know about road bike maintenance? If the bike gets muddy and I need to hose it down, are there parts I should try not to hose?

How often do innertubes blow out (compared to road biking) - how many do you usually carry with you?

Fit. What I heard is that the saddle should be SLIGHTLY lower than for a road bike, so that I can maneuver more easily (stick my butt back, etc.).

Bay Area folks. Are there cycling groups in the Bay Area that do newbie friendly mountain bike rides? It looks like Velo Girls has some rides.

Anything else you would like to share with a total newbie?

Thanks!
Mariposa