Why mountain bikes have suspension

[Kalidurga]

I came back from vacation and forgot to post some photos from my aborted mtb adventure. While I was out in western MD, I headed down to Herrington Manor/Swallow Falls state parks in Garrett County. There's a 5.5 mile trail that connects the two that's rated "beginner" (HA!), so I thought I'd check it out.

A guy working in the park office also confirmed that there was "one short rocky section", but that the rest was pretty easy. That "one short rocky section" that he pointed out on the map apparently grew significantly before I hit the trail. It was rocky from the freaking get-go, and I'm talking rocks ranging in size from dinner rolls to full loaves of bread. I bucked and bounced on my rigid cyclocross bike for two miles before deciding I was risking busting either my fork or my head, then turned around and hike-a-biked it through the worst sections on the way back. But I wasn't ready to give up just yet, so I loaded the bike back on top of the car and headed to the other end of the trail at Swallow Falls to see if perhaps that was the easy part.

It started out being fairly lovely, much smoother, swooping through hardwood forest and then descending quickly into hemlock groves. But then, more rocks. And not only rocks. Big, freaking, tangled hemlock roots. This ride was nothing if not a lesson in why bicycle suspension was invented. If I'd had a bike properly designed for this type of trail, with full-on double suspension, I could have had a major blast. As it was, when I saw the C&O ladies that evening, I told them I thought my cervical and thoracic vertebrae had ended up fused into one great big hunk of bone, the thoravical.







The trail heads to the left of the tree, up the hill through the roots:


This was one of the prettiest sections, with the trail to the left and the stream to the right:


After another roughly two miles of torture I gave it up for good, again walking the bike through the most stone-choked sections. It was frustrating to quit with so few miles under my wheels, but I have to admit I'm fairly proud that I handled the bike so well on the portions I did ride. I was able to remain relaxed enough to let the wheels bounce over the rocks without bucking me off, and I picked up some decent speed on the smooth sections. Certainly a worthwhile experience, despite the discomfort. By the time I head out there next year, we'll see if I've talked myself into getting an actual mtb

Here are some more photos from my vacation, including a few along the C&O.

[Zen]

That last one reminds me of the area around Cunningham Falls and the others look like the Shed.

Dang. If you get a mtn.bike then I'll be wanting one (like i'm not already)

[Kalidurga]

I'm sure you've noticed that pretty much all of Md from Fredneck County over looks similar. It just gets taller as you go farther west. But it's all gorgeous.

Ummm... How many bikes do you own already?

[Zen]

ummm....six but I'm donating the Haro next opportunity

[Cataboo]

I've been looking for some "baby" trails to practice with my mountain bike (to perfect my technique of either stopping, dismounting, carrying my bike over log, getting back on or of attempting to get over log, falling, getting hurt and dirty).

It's not full suspension, but it is titanium with a suspension fork...

Do you think this could be a baby trail? Mostly I seem to just go too slow with tight windy single track or going downhills and then I never really get the momentum up to clear obstacles. Which of course is a mental thing or a complete lack of bike handling skills...

But something relatively flat (hill wise) and wide that I could practice and gain confidence with higher speeds & obstacles would be great. If you wouldn't recommend this, is there something that you do recommend?

I live near Gambrills... but I'm fairly certain I'd kill myself there currently

[Zen]

There might be some areas in Gambrill (aka "The Shed") you could do.
are you at all familiar with the trails there?

Check out this park guide or the website for Bicycle Escape
Look at the "Where To Ride" page.

You must live near me

[7rider]

I live near Gambrills... but I'm fairly certain I'd kill myself there currently

Good grief. I don't even like riding a road bike around there. STEEP!

Check out the "Where to Ride" forum on the MORE site: http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=25

For you, perhaps Little Bennett Regional Park or Black Hills or Seneca Greenway. Maybe Greenbriar. I'm only going from the descriptions on the MORE site. I myself have ridden only at Little Bennett, and thought it was fine.

[Cataboo]

There might be some areas in Gambrill (aka "The Shed") you could do.
are you at all familiar with the trails there?

Check out this park guide or the website for Bicycle Escape
Look at the "Where To Ride" page.

You must live near me

Oooh. If I live near you, getting spin bikes from you would be easier. Do you think they'd fit in a station wagon at all? I've got a subaru outback, the bf's got a vw passat wagon. I live by Fort Detrick.

I've only been here since December, and only really biking since the spring. So while I've driven up Gambrills and walked around... It's still a goal for biking, road or mountain.

[Cataboo]

Good grief. I don't even like riding a road bike around there. STEEP!

Check out the "Where to Ride" forum on the MORE site: http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=25

For you, perhaps Little Bennett Regional Park or Black Hills or Seneca Greenway. Maybe Greenbriar. I'm only going from the descriptions on the MORE site. I myself have ridden only at Little Bennett, and thought it was fine.

Thanks for the suggestions.

On a road bike - I haven't tried to ride up Gambrill's yet, I just kind of skirt around it road biking along the base, so I get some of the hill climbs or I head over to the area with the covered bridges since it's flatter. I definitely have not done Hamburg or Coxey Brown.

On the mountain bike, I've just done a bunch of trails behind my bf's house, which he claims are baby trails - but they still have lots of logs, hills, and creek crossings.

[Cataboo]

Check out this park guide or the website for Bicycle Escape
Look at the "Where To Ride" page.

You must live near me

Now I can pick your mind!

What's the best bike shop in the area? The guys at Bike Doctor don't seem to be terribly knowledgeable - I went in once to buy a spoke wrench to fit my shimano wh-550 wheels & hubs, since none of my spoke wrenches fit... They couldn't tell me, but guessed and told me to get a certain one.

I came home, it didn't fit, and a quick google search showed that there was a specific larger shimano spoke wrench... Which I sort of assume that a competent bike shop guy should be able to tell me when I'm telling them the specific model of wheels I have, and I had 2-3 guys helping me pick a spoke wrench that day.

The Bicycle Escape seems friendly and don't seem like they're hard sells...

[Zen]

The Bike Doctor is my shop but if you go back try to deal with Brian (1st choice) or James (2nd choice)
There are some lame brains there in the evening and on Sunday.

[Kalidurga]

Catriona: Herrington Manor/Swallow Falls is waaaaay over in the south-western corner of MD. I think the trail I rode definitely classifies as beginner if you have at least front suspension. I didn't come even close to crashing, but got bounced around a lot. And there were two small hills that I didn't even attempt to ride, just because one was a gully full of rocks and the other was covered in tree roots. Otherwise, easy-peasy if you like bouncing around.

As for bike shops, my favorites are The Bicycle Escape (Tom is great, he's been working with bikes since he was a kid and is very easy to talk to) and Bike Dr (I'd second the suggestion to talk to Brian). The place in downtown Fredneck (Wheel Base, I think?) is ok, but they haven't been terribly helpful when I've had questions.

I myself have ridden only at Little Bennett, and thought it was fine.

Hey! When did you ride at Little Bennett? And why didn't you tell me? What's it like? Could I handle it on the 'cross bike? Is it more like Rosaryville, or more like Schaeffer (which I still want to try one of these days, with a good leader to follow *hint *)?

I also still want to try and get down to Cedarville to check that out. The description sounds as if it's even easier than Rosaryville, and I remember from hiking there that it's very pretty. If only this crappy cold weather would go away

[7rider]

Hey! When did you ride at Little Bennett? And why didn't you tell me? What's it like? Could I handle it on the 'cross bike? Is it more like Rosaryville, or more like Schaeffer (which I still want to try one of these days, with a good leader to follow *hint *)?

I rode LB last fall, I think. I did a Ride Like a Girl ride with the great folks of MORE. (n.b., they are not posting rides to the website calendar so much now, as sending out an e-newsletter, so if you'r interested, send them an email.) I tend to look for the "advanced beginner or intermediate" rides. I think the area is a little like Schaeffer, but perhaps a bit hillier (if I recall correctly)? I'd stick to Rosey or Schaeffer on a 'cross bike. I was supposed to ride Schaeffer tomorrow with RLAG, but it looks like it'll be rained out.

Oh...and don't look this way if you're looking for a good ride leader in Schaeffer. You know I can't find my way out of a paper bag! The only reason I didn't get lost on the C&O is that it only goes in one direction! And I had to make sure I didn't back-track when we got off trail, at that!

[Kalidurga]

Oh...and don't look this way if you're looking for a good ride leader in Schaeffer. You know I can't find my way out of a paper bag! The only reason I didn't get lost on the C&O is that it only goes in one direction! And I had to make sure I didn't back-track when we got off trail, at that!

Aw, c'mon, you've led us so well around Rosey! There seem to be nothing but "advanced beginner/intermediate" to "intermediate/advanced" rides being led anywhere in the area. I'm still at the "nowhere-near-advanced-beginner/probably-shouldn't-even-think-about-intermediate" point, and I'm happier being able to see how someone in front of me reacts to the trail.

Somebody up here in MD needs to do some beginner-level women's mtb classes like the one Janice took down in VA last year. Maybe then I'd be more comfortable hitting places like Schaeffer alone.

[7rider]

Aw, c'mon, you've led us so well around Rosey! There seem to be nothing but "advanced beginner/intermediate" to "intermediate/advanced" rides being led anywhere in the area. I'm still at the "nowhere-near-advanced-beginner/probably-shouldn't-even-think-about-intermediate" point, and I'm happier being able to see how someone in front of me reacts to the trail.

Bah! The "avanced beginner/intermediate" rides at a place like Schaeffer (or even Rosaryville) ride the exact same trails as the beginner rides. The only difference there is the pace and how often, perhaps, they stop. Most obstacles have work-arounds or...you get off the bike and hike it over.
Look for "no drop" and "re-group at intersections" - as they always have someone riding sweep. Idiot-proof. That's why I like them!