Quote Originally Posted by Irulan View Post
Re, not skidding/sliding on well used trails but saving it for farther out.... unless I knew an area was slated for destruction ( ie, clear cutting, ORV, dirtbike use) I would never, ever do this.
Yeah, I did sound pretty short-sighted. I should have been thinking in general terms rather than specifically about ‘my’ remote trails. And even here (an hour out, in lush persistent vegetation, lightly trafficked, unmarked, unmapped, unnamed, unofficial trails on logging land) I don’t skid, I’m just not as vocal with riding partners who do. I’d like to think that I don’t skid because I’m too good for that, but that’s probably only partly true. I should get out on the gravel roads and practice. But back to the point … no skidding/sliding is always a good rule.

The the dishing (brake bumps, washboards) aren't a big problem on most of the trails I ride, but there are a couple of areas where they're really unpleasant. I never went fast enough on the old bike to do much sliding, but my braking skills improved significantly when I got disc brakes. I think they're a huge advantage to beginners.