What does this line mean other than a wreck is about to happen in front of a camera? That your riding buddies are some of your best sources for help while riding. As much as I would like to think that my site is the absolute best source for riding tips and information…that just isn’t true. Sites like mine can be a valuable resource, but the following resource is your best source of riding information as it pertains to you and your riding style.
Riders that are better than you are…that you ride with…are your best source of information.
Why are they your best source?
- They see you ride.
- They ride the same trails you do.
- They know your riding probably better than you do!
The advice you get from more experienced riders is priceless. Most of the time, you never know what you are really doing wrong without some outside input. Often it is difficult to tell what you are exactly doing on the bike to begin with. If you already knew you were doing it incorrectly, you would have already fixed it.
Use the advise from those riders that you see riding the way you want to. For this to work, you have to ask for help. Most mountain bikers enjoy helping other riders get better at the sport, so don’t be afraid to ask. We are all out there with the same purpose…a great ride.
- How did you take that turn so fast?
- I feel like I am getting bounced around too much. What would you recommend?
- Can you ride behind me to see what I can do to ride smoother and faster?
- How did you get over that obstacle?
Be specific and you will get specific answers…answers that will help you achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.
What if I don’t ride in groups?
For beginning riders, it can be very difficult to find groups to ride with that are at your riding level and higher. Mountain biking is a very social sport. We enjoy sharing the experience with others and watching riders grow. In our group, there have been several riders that were just recently “new” or “not at that level yet”. Now they are monsters and we are struggling to keep up. Watching that progression is part of the appeal of mountain biking as you get to watch beginners become experts.
Find a group that you get along with and enjoy the same kind of riding style/trail. Your preferences may change over time (xc, am, fr, dh, etc.) but the friendships you build will last a long time because of that common bond.
Where do I find these groups?
Forum Sites
Local forum sites are the best place to start. While sites like MTBR.com, RideMonkey.com and PinkBike.com are great forums, it is better to be involved in one of your local boards to meet up with other riders in your area.
In the southeast United States, we have the Southern Off Road Biking Association (SORBA) which is now merged with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). The SORBA website has an open forum where we discuss parts, organize rides and share riding pictures.
If you find yourself not going on a ride because you do not know very many people there…just remember…everyone is there for the same purpose…enjoy the ride with people they already know or don’t know already. You will be welcomed in. It just might be that ride where you meet your group, but you will never know if you don’t try.
This is also a great thing to do if you have recently moved to a new area. I have always found instant friends in the mountain biking community.
Local forum sites are also great for finding new trails or the best trails in the area. If you are traveling soon and you want to know where the best spots are…ask these people.
Social Media Sites
As many of you already know, social media sites have become a large part of many people’s online world…including mountain bikers. Blogging is just as much about building a community as other web 2.0, social media outlets.
Sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter have brought people with similar interests together from all over the world. While you may never ride with some of the friends that you make over these networks, it is still great to talk to other riders.
Stumbleupon and Digg are two social media services that track the popularity of websites and articles. They are great ways to discover new sites that you may have never seen before.
These sites/services combined with forums are a great way to get in touch with other people that share your same interests.
Where Is MTB By 198 Across The Web?
To make things easy, click on the logo’s below to go to MTB by 198’s pages. Add us as a friend and lets start sharing our riding experiences.
So get to adding your sites in the comments so we can start growing a community!