I love rock n roll

[Adventure Girl]

YEEEEHAAAAAA FGGirl!!......never tried MTB'ng but ya'll sure are getting the curiosity hackles standing up!!!

You should try it! Maybe your LBS or some bike buddies have a loaner bike you could take out! You don't have to do 12 foot drop-ins on your first ride. Just go out there and get dirty! You'd have a blast!

[CorsairMac]

right now - ya'll are all the biking buddies I got! (gosh don't I sound pitiful)....not a clue what it is with this town but everything seems to take place on Suns and I can't participate due to other obligations. So I ride alone - for now. There are places I could rent a MTB but having never done it before, I'm not sure what a "bad" trail vs a "good" trail would be. I have seriously considered just buying a Wal-Mart cheapie (ya I know) just to give some of the easier shared trails a try and see if I like it (which I'm afraid I would - Very Much!). Who Knows? my ex-husband (if a good husband is a DH is a bad husband an FH?) {ok...I'm prolly in trouble now with the admin } said I was the most well-thought-out implusive person he ever met!

[mtnbikenmama]

be. I have seriously considered just buying a Wal-Mart cheapie (ya I know) just to give some of the easier shared trails a try and see if I like it

Try to borrow a good one, or come out to California and you can ride one of mine. 2 reasons:

1. Cheap bikes are cheap cause they are as heavy and handle like you know what! Which leads to #2

2. Your first experience will leave the lasting impression and if its too hard, uncomfortable and or scarey you'll never experience the joy us mtb'ers feel.

and one more they can be dangerous.

[LBTC]

thanks, mtnbikemama - you said it! Corsair, come up to BC. how tall are you again? around 5'2"? I've got a spare bike you'll love! and by summer time, the trails here are every type of mountain biking. and 12' drops are for silly kids who don't need to make mortgage payments and who don't know how a broken bone today means years of maintenance or years of pain. heehee give me hours of winding, treed, hilly single track, rocks, roots, steeps (up and down) interspersed at random. yup, that's where I live!

and fixedgeargirl your post was most inspiring! I can't wait to see what silliness comes out my brain through my fingers on the keyboard after my first wicked ride on the dirt. it could be in a week if the weather is better than predicted.

keep smiling, gang! you're the best group of riding partners I've met ever!! (though I'm trying to cultivate a few right here in person...)

Namaste,
~T~

[Barb]

Corsair- Don't you ride a Sedona? I used mine the first time I went on a singletrack. It was fine. If you have slicks on, you will want to swap out some tires. You'll get a good idea if you like it. I rode an easy trail with ups and downs and fields to cross. I love it and finally bought a real MTN bike just this week. Your LBS may have a loaner if you let them know you are thinking of buying a MTN bike and are just not sure.

[CorsairMac]

Corsair- Don't you ride a Sedona? I used mine the first time I went on a singletrack. Your LBS may have a loaner if you let them know you are thinking of buying a MTN bike and are just not sure.

No I ride a Trek 26" comfort bike re: commuter. It has hybrid tires. The problem here is I am a below Rank Novice - the trails here are all rated "intermediate or expert" for hikers and they are the same trails the MTB ppl are riding so I have not a clue if my hybrid tires would work on them or not. Part of my hestitation is I would be more comfortable if I could ride with someone whos ridden at least a MTB but preferably these trails so they can let me know which are the safest for new riders and how to ride some of the them.

???? might need to call my LBS...don't they make books about this? something like MTB'ng for Dummies?? that would be specific for my area?

[Irulan]

No I ride a Trek 26" comfort bike re: commuter. It has hybrid tires. The problem here is I am a below Rank Novice - the trails here are all rated "intermediate or expert" for hikers and they are the same trails the MTB ppl are riding so I have not a clue if my hybrid tires would work on them or not. Part of my hestitation is I would be more comfortable if I could ride with someone whos ridden at least a MTB but preferably these trails so they can let me know which are the safest for new riders and how to ride some of the them.

???? might need to call my LBS...don't they make books about this? something like MTB'ng for Dummies?? that would be specific for my area?

Most shops know of groups that lead rides, or lead them themselves. Or, ask about beginner trails. Or ask about a local club or guide book. My bike stuff link has lots of beginner tips. A good book is Ned Overend's Mountain Bike like a Champion,

here's a list of Albeuquerqe trails, surely there must be some easy ones:
http://content.mtbr.com/united-state...65_918crx.aspx

irulan

[Irulan]

You should try it! Maybe your LBS or some bike buddies have a loaner bike you could take out! You don't have to do 12 foot drop-ins on your first ride. Just go out there and get dirty! You'd have a blast!

LOL, I've been mountain biking for years and I still don't do 12' drops! OK, I'll roll a 6' one.....