New to mtn biking- some advice please

[Luci]

I'm just getting back into mountain biking after a year of not riding at all and several years of not doing much of it. Last night on my ride I had a chance to be reminded about just how much I love flying down the steep stuff.

Bumpy steeps are a matter of balance and I guess that's what I enjoy about it. I ride a hard tail and I like the floating feeling of the bike on downhills, but you have to trust your equipment so you can let go and rely on your balance points. The bike will then float under you as you negotiate rocks, ruts, roots etc. You have to balance the bike with your legs that are taking the shocks, hands (no death grips keep a light feel), and the balance point of using your weight -a little more to the back for a hop over rocks on a down etc. all together.

I can't imagine trying to climb without having the advantage of pulling up with a clip or cage. If you can pick up an inexpensive cage it will make your life much easier. Same on down, to not have your foot secure will make it harder.

I get up speed and gear way down when I hit sand so that I am already peddling fast when I enter it. It's hard not to laugh at your friend though! (Hehe and even more so at your DH )

Good luck and have fun!

[griffsmom]

I started mt. biking about 10 years ago, although I too have been out of the saddle--almost 5 years for me following the birth of my son. I vowed to get back into it this year and have been really enjoying myself rediscovering how much I absolutely love being out on the trails!!

Regarding your pedal question: I would go straight for the clipless pedals. You're a roadie, so I'm assuming you're already familiar and comfortable with clipless. You'll reap the same efficiency benefits mt. biking with clipless that you do on the road. I'd skip cages completely. They're not as efficient as clipless and if you miss getting your foot in a cage at a crucial (i.e., technical) moment, the cage can spin around so that it is now dragging on the ground and could scrape and catch on something and send you off balance and down onto the ground--something I personally learned the hard way when I was first starting out oh so many years ago!

[bcipam]

Look for a pedal with a platform - Crank Bros makes the "Mallet". I use Time "Z Control". SPD's also have one. So much better for mountain biking.

[psycholist]

HI to all
Wow, it always amazes me how I can come on here and find the answers to my questions. I am new to biking but have learned so much from all y'all. The info I just got off this thread was exactly what I was getting ready to ask. Thanks to all.

I did laugh when I read about the rock thing - cuz that is EXACTLY what I do! Tomorrow I will NOT look at that stupid rocdk ~ HA!

Thanks again ~Janice