Intro to Mountain biking - REI outdoor school, Nov 1st

[divingbiker]

And, Xeney...I think DivingBiker's mtb-class was an REI one (locally, for you D.C./MD/VA ladies), and she had a similar experience - but I suspect she can fill you in on her experience better than I!

Actually, mine was put on by the Bike Lane, a shop in Burke, VA. It was good, and no sales pitch at all!

I'm up for the Veterans Day ride at Schaeffer. But how are we going to find our way out of the park, since we're directionally challenged???

[7rider]

I'm up for the Veterans Day ride at Schaeffer. But how are we going to find our way out of the park, since we're directionally challenged???

DH may be with me (us)....thus the comment on the cardio!
I'd love to get a group together...we have a friend who just bought a mtb, and to the best of my knowledge has not taken it in the woods yet. I might even see if I can get some of the newbie 'cross racers from the LBS to join us - a little off-road bike handling and obstacle jumping skills session for them. That should be entertaining!

[divingbiker]

My fellow bike commuter Kitty (she rode with us at Rosaryville one time) would like to join us also.

Although if the group is a bunch of hammerheads, I'm not so sure I'd be comfortable. I could hang off the back as long as people don't stop and wait for me all the time.

[7rider]

My fellow bike commuter Kitty (she rode with us at Rosaryville one time) would like to join us also.

Although if the group is a bunch of hammerheads, I'm not so sure I'd be comfortable. I could hang off the back as long as people don't stop and wait for me all the time.

No hammerheads. You know how DH rides...you've ridden with him before. You'd do fine on any ride that I'm on. These folks may be hammerheads on the road, but add dirt...well....let's just say, the playing field will be leveled.

And C - the trails are blazed - and loops. There are maps every so often at major intersections. The most important one, in my view, is the trail mark labelled "P" - which points the way back to the parking lot!

[HillSlugger]

I'd love to go. Anybody got a real mtb they could lend me? However, I've been having pain in my left wrist and after I see the doctor tomorrow I could be in a splint or cast with no riding for a while. Wait and see.

[divingbiker]

I'd love to go. Anybody got a real mtb they could lend me? However, I've been having pain in my left wrist and after I see the doctor tomorrow I could be in a splint or cast with no riding for a while. Wait and see.

Hope your wrist is ok!

And if it is, I'm storing my neighbor's early 90s MTB in my basement, and it's probably about your size. It's a Specialized Rockhopper I think, with a rigid front fork. I used it on my first MTB ride, and it worked fine, and got me hooked.

So if you can ride, I'd be happy to bring it.

[Cataboo]

MDhillslug,

If your wrist is okay, if I have my mtb bike finished by then (need to get it a high angle short stem, non oversized bar), and if I haven't sold my trek, and if you're short and fit a 14" frame, I have a front suspension bike you can use.

Anyone have a 90 or 100 mm stem with about a 16 degree rise that fits skinny bars they don't need or want to sell?

[Cataboo]

No hammerheads. You know how DH rides...you've ridden with him before. You'd do fine on any ride that I'm on. These folks may be hammerheads on the road, but add dirt...well....let's just say, the playing field will be leveled.

And C - the trails are blazed - and loops. There are maps every so often at major intersections. The most important one, in my view, is the trail mark labelled "P" - which points the way back to the parking lot!

You underestimate my abilities to be clueless or get lost.

But yes, I could probably manage that one.

[Cataboo]

Actually, mine was put on by the Bike Lane, a shop in Burke, VA. It was good, and no sales pitch at all!

I'm up for the Veterans Day ride at Schaeffer. But how are we going to find our way out of the park, since we're directionally challenged???

I'll bring a GPS and then we can be GPS and directionally challenged.

We can do what my bf did when we went backpacking Columbus day weekend - didn't put in a waypoint at the car, and the GPS coordinates he'd gotten off the internet were wrong - making the GPS marginally useful.

[stephanie1129]

I guess the fact that the outdoor school classes can be tailored to the needs of each specific class can be a good and bad thing. The motto is "no rider left behind" so sometime instructors have to make the choice not to take the class on the roads with traffic, or not to complete the trail for the mountain bike class.

It would be really surprising to me that the instructors would try to be sales people on the outing. Even on the sales floor the specialists are not pushed to up-sell or sell anything that the customer doesn't need. They don't get commission or have any incentive to sell Novara (REI brand) bikes. However, many students are interested in buying a bike of their own and ask what to look for, or want to know details about the equipment they are using in the class. I think most instructors give their honest opinion, rather than just over promoting REI products.