trail riding

Things I wished I had known earlier…

It occured to me as I was talking to a few friends of mine that over the last few years of riding bikes and also getting into racing, I’ve learned quite a lot about bikes, riding them properly, exercise, racing and otherwise having a blast on 2 wheels. There are quite a few things that I would have been better off if I had known about them when I got started, or at least before I stared getting “more serious” about biking. They would have saved some rides, prevented injuries, and saved me some money, so I figured I should share them (in no particular order) and hopefully provide some advice to others. As always, I’m open to comments or additions, or arguments, so if you have any please feel free to share below.

1) If you are ANY sort of mechanically inclined, learn how to work on your own bicycle. You don’t have to do the things that require very special tools, but spend $250 on basic bike specific tools, a cheap repair stand, open youtube and get cracking. If you have to get your headset pressed in, destroyed one of your shifters, or need a wheel dished, absolutely take your bike into the LBS, support them, and get some work done, but for things such as cleaning/lubing, derailleur adjustments, simple wheel/rotor truing, re-cabling, part swapping/upgrading and basic fork/shock maintenance, you’ll be able to get by a youtube video. Not only will you save money in the long term, but almost more importantly, you’ll know what to do when you are 20 miles away from the car and you can’t get your bike to stop ghost shifting.

2) When you go on “epic” rides, carry  spares and a basic first aid kit. I know that inside we are all weight weenies and we want the lightest setup possible, but if you are going out for a big day on the bike, especially if you are riding with a group, it’s going to pay off to have some very simple spares. Things you wouldn’t normally think about carrying, but they can absolutely save you or your buddies day. I’m not talking about the basics like a tube and pump, but here some of the items I now take with me and boy have they helped:

• - Extra derailleur hanger
• - Derailleur cable (it weighs almost nothing and can save you or a friend’s day)
• - 2 SRAM quick links (carry one extra, they weigh nothing)
• - One extra bolt of each kind (3,4,5mm, cleat bolt, stem bolt, seat post bolt, etc)
• - Leatherman Freestyle (pliers + knife)
• - Electrical tape, Duct tape, White Athletic Tape (2-3 ft of each wrapped around my pump)
• - Along with your regular tire pump, carry a shock pump, especially if you ride a full suspension bike

3) Get a basic bike fit and cross train. Especially when you up your mileage and start riding more than a couple of times a week, make sure that you aren’t going to cause yourself any injuries. If you have the money and desire, a Professional Fit like 55 Nine Performance is absolutely awesome, but if you don’t, at least spend a few minutes measuring yourself and make sure your seat and bars are close to being in the correct spot. Competitive Cyclist has a great free fit calculator that is easy to use. Also, don’t just bike. Make sure you prepare your body for mountain biking, especially for longer rides. There are great exercises you can do to make sure that you are using all of your leg muscles (I’ve detailed them in the past here) and also, core work is very important. Again, you can spend some money and do structured programs that are intended for people that at more serious, but you can just hit some squats, lunges, push ups, planks, and pull ups on a regular basis and you’ll be much better off than not doing anything.

4) Ride TO the trail. I know that this will really depend on how far away you live from the trail and how much riding you want to get in, but this has been a big eye opener for me in the last few months. I’ve been struggling to get enough ride time in for training purposes and was crying the blues about spending time in the car to go mountain biking. Then I realized that I’ve got trails 15 miles from my door. Add into that 10-12 miles or riding on the trail itself, and I just rocked out a great 40-45 mile 3-4 hour day and I was able to leave from my front door. No wasted time! Just grab a blinkie to throw on the back of your bike, and enjoy not only getting more exercise, but also doing some “rambling” while you are out and about. Hit a few pieces of dirt, go down that stair case, jump off some of those curbs on the way. It’s way more awesome than sitting on traffic on the way to the trail.

5) I really struggle with this one, as I have a BAD case of “shiny new thing” syndrome, but be happy with the bike that you have and ride the hell out of it. When stuff breaks, upgrade. The bike companies are in the business of making you want that new part. But don’t waste your time and money upgrading that 1×10 setup to 1×11. Sure it’s going to be nice and shiny, but as much as you think you will, you won’t get that much money out of your used part on the open market. And that 1×10 works awesome, and it’s going to continue being awesome. Just wait until it’s time to replace those worn out parts and then, yup, then go blow your hard earned money on that shiny new smelling 1×11, oh I want it!!!!

Would you ride this trail?

Over the weekend, we came across an image on Facebook that was simply amazing. Of course…we had to post it to the Facebook fanpage to see if you guys would actually ride this trail or not. The responses were great.

Would I ride this trail?

Hell yes. I would update my life insurance policy first, but I would be all over this. The trail looks wide enough to be safe and I would just take it slow – stopping to take pictures along the way.

This image (we don’t know who took it and wish we did so we could give credit where it is due) really starts to show where bicycling has come over the years. Who would have imagined that we would be riding landscapes that look like this on two wheels? Hell, most people still wouldn’t ride this terrain. This is a whole new kind of pucker factor outside of big drops and gaps. It is a true mind over matter ride…especially for those with height issues.

Day of the Dog: Tribute to Dogs by the Crew at Projekt Roam

We got a second email this week from Projekt Roam about another video. This one takes a very different angle on mountain biking than the previous videos in their series as it starts off with a quote…

“This short film is dedicated to our furry, four legged friends…DOGS…the only animals on Earth that love you more than themselves…”

Most mountain bikers can agree that dogs play a pivotal role in our lives and sometimes our biking. As an owner of two Boxers, trail riding with my dogs isn’t really an option, but over the years…I have grown to know many dogs that itch at the chance to get out and ride. Even without at aspect of dog ownership, this short sequence does a great job of capturing the relationship between dog and owner.

It is a great tribute to our best friends. Enjoy.

PROJEKT ROAM: Day of the Dog from projekt roam on Vimeo.

What style of mountain biking do you call home?

As mentioned last week on a post about the competitive spirit, one of the best things about mountain biking is the diversity it has created over time. We now have everything from XC riding all the way to huge stunts in freeride. It is sometimes hard to believe, but less than 15 years ago…most of this didn’t exist. There was just bikes and dirt.

We want to know what area/style of mountain biking you call home. While a lot of us dive into different styles on a regular basis, there is always one area of the sport that we really consider to be our own at the end of the day. When you have the choice…where do you head?

Vote below and then discuss here.

Riding Green – 10 Tips for Riding Responsibly

by Kovas Lapsys
Originally Posted on MTOBikes.com

As mountain bikers, we often pride ourselves as being ‘green’ outdoors-folks; individuals who would rather spend a day outside sweating and grunting up a mountain, than sitting inside and watching the PGA Tour. We tend to be more of the trash-recycling, organic Whole-Foods eating, micro-brew drinking, free-trade coffee sipping and earth-loving crowd. Yet do we practice our progressive “green” habits on the trail as well? As we mount our aluminum, carbon fiber and titanium beasts of speed, we often forget that the trails we ride on are actually fragile living beings. They’re comprised of roots that grow, layers of rock and mud that constantly shift, and living plants and organisms that anchor their sides. A trail left unridden will actually grow-over and disappear given enough time. But abusing a trail will actually destroy its somewhat fragile structure and ‘kill’ it even faster.

So with that being said, when you’re out ripping-it-up on your favorite trail, please keep these ‘green’ riding tips in mind.

1 – Stay On The Trail

Sure, that tree stump or natural rock ramp a couple feet off the trail might be all too tempting for a quick jump or bunny-hop, but the fact is that it is not part of your trail. Where one goes, others are sure to follow… As your tread marks are much more visible on the softer off-trail, other riders are going to follow your fresh path to that ‘hidden’ jump… Before you know it, your ‘little secret’ is now everyone’s favorite hop-spot and the once narrow groomed trail is now a sprawling free-for-all playground.

2 – Ride Through Puddles, Not Around Them!

Riding around a puddle only compacts the ground surrounding the puddle, leveling it lower and allowing the puddle to grow. I’m sure we’ve all seen it, trails that pinch and bloat where wet-sections are prominent. Seems like nobody wants to ride their $2000 mountain bike through a little mud… c’mon folks, it’s a knobby bike, not a road bike! Trust me – your bike’s bearings and seals can take much more grit than a few calm puddles can dish out.

Fact is, the center of the puddle has the most compacted base. That is why the puddle is not being absorbed by the trail. By riding around the circumference, you are actually compressing the softer, more fragile edge of the puddle, which will inevitably either compact, allowing the puddle to grow and the trail to bloat, or it will contribute to overall trail erosion. The best thing you can do for the trail is ride right smack-dab through the center. Eventually the puddle will dry up, but the damage to trails from poor puddle-riding is irreversible.

So when you see that puddle up ahead, get some speed, coast through the center and don’t forget to keep your mouth shut. Or if you simply don’t want to get a little dirty… God forbid… dismount your bike and walk across.

3 – Stay In-Line, No Shortcuts

Shortcutting causes erosion. Trails are built and designed to take a beating – either by foot, hoof or tire. Everything else should be considered fragile ecosystem. 2 feet off the trail is still off-the-trail. If a log, tree, boulder or other obstacle blocks your trail, your only options should be to bunny-hop over or pause your ride, dismount your bike, and carry your bike over the obstacle before continuing. Just like puddles, a trail will grow and bloat when riders take short cuts.

4 – STOP Skidding

Nothing says, “I don’t know how to ride my bike,” than a 6-foot-long skid with dust and gravel shooting all over the place. Yes, we’ve all been genetically pre-programmed from our first coaster-brake BMX bikes to lock up that rear wheel and throw our bike into a mean skid. But we’re not in 4th grade anymore. Your bike now has two brakes, one in the front and one in the rear (Your front wheel actually provides more stopping power and will never skid). Skidding is by no means the best way to stop. It destroys the rubber on your tire, drastically reduces control of your bicycle, and worst of all – creates trail stutter bumps and gross amounts of erosion on the trail. Skids are more responsible for trail damage than nearly any other poor-riding habit.

Read your trail and anticipate your stops ahead of time. When you do have to make that emergency ‘oh-Sh#!’ stop, throw your bum far behind your seat, crouch low in the cockpit, and give both front and rear levers a squeeze. If you find yourself skidding constantly, you are simply going too fast. Slow down! Keep your trails like your shorts, skid-mark free.

5 – Let It Rain

If the forecast calls for rain, stay home and mow your lawn. Don’t ride a trail when it’s raining. If you’re on a trail and it starts to rain, make your way home. Save the ride for a dryer day. Riding in wet weather more than doubles your impact and ‘foot-print’ on the trail. The softer surface will cause your knobby tires to leave deeper tread marks and also carry more of the trail away with them. On single-track, your tires will actually push the trail (mud, dirt, gravel, etc) far to the sides, eventually gouging and deepening the already narrow trail, rendering it unrideable in the future. Riding in the wet is not safe for you either – No matter how sticky your tire rubber may be, its no match for slime-slick roots, wet stones and sloppy mud. Remember, a rainy day is a good thing for your trail. Rain helps smooth loose areas, compact accumulated dust and sand, and gives roots, plants and other live trail anchors some well-deserved refreshment.

6 – Switchbacks And Logs

Erosion, erosion, erosion. If you ride your switchbacks wide, you’re going to cause erosion. Ride them tight, and you’re going to cause erosion. Skid into a switchback, and … you’re going to cause erosion! When approaching a switchback. Always keep yourself centered. If the switchback has a retaining log, ride over the middle of it. The log is there to keep the switchback (and the trail) in place. By riding outside the log, you are actually slowly dislodging it. Think of the log as a technical-treat rather than a trail obstacle. Sure, going over the center of it may be more exhausting and straining than going around the outside or inside, but hey, you’re riding for some exercise, right? Too tired to ride the center – remember, the pga tour and your Lay-Z-Boy are still at home waiting for you.

7 – Obey All Trail Signs

If a trail is closed, don’t ride it. Most likely a closed trail either requires significant maintenance, is restricted to slower-traffic (hikers), or it was simply not designed to handle mountain bikes. You may get away with it once or twice, but eventually a ranger will ticket you. In some states, a law enforcement ranger can legally confiscate your bike as evidence! But even worse than any ticket or ride to the impound lot is that by disregarding trail postings, you give the rest of us mountain bikers a bad name.

Hikers, equestrians, birdwatchers, etc – all have more powerful lobbying groups than mountain bikers. Legally it is much more difficult to have a trail re-opened for mountain bike use, than it is to have one restricted. Anger one too many trail users, and you’ll see your trail closed. While on your bike you are most likely faster than any other trail user, and you are more likely to surprise, spook, and unknowingly anger others sharing your path. Always pull aside for hikers and step off the trail completely for horses. Announce yourself clearly as you pass, and avoid kicking up unnecessary dust (See Tip #4).

8 - Mix It Up

Don’t ride the same trail every weekend. Give your favorite trail a chance to revive. I’m sure you have a trail that you know like the back of your hand, we all do. With a trail that you know well, you’re more likely to pedal faster, brake harder, and accelerate stronger. All these factors lead to more strain and stress on the trail surface. Rather, ride a variety of trails throughout your season. By doing so, you not only spread your individual rider footprint, but you will also hone your trail skills as well.

9 – Join IMBA Or Your Local Trail Organization

Mountain biking is for the most part a free activity, yet the work that goes into maintaining and opening trails is anything but. If you can’t give up your own time to volunteer on trail work, why not push a few dollars over to those who can. Donate every year to your local trail organization, open-space park, or forest preserve. Join IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association), the sole organization that represents us in DC, lobbies for riders’ rights, works to open trails and to keep our sport free. It’s only a few dollars to join and you get some cool stickers and swag, as well as the piece of mind that you’re doing your part.

10 – Share The Knowledge – Be A Good Ambassador

If you see another rider ruining your trail, you have full right to speak your mind – after all, it’s your trail too. Be firm, you’re in the right. Be polite, but if that doesn’t work, a little passive comment might do the trick. If someone is riding their bike off the trail, you can always say, “Hey bud, you look lost, the trail is right over here…”

Riding ‘green’ is every rider’s responsibility. A few small changes to your riding style can do great things for the health of your favorite trails. Share these tips with your riding buddies, and lastly – always remember to practice what you preach.

Ride fast, ride hard, but always remember – keep the rubber side down!