Where to start for mountain bicycling beginners?

Question

I'm a college student that needed a bike for commuting to and from work over the summer. I bought myself a nice mountain bike off craigslist and have since developed a curiosity for actual mountain biking as well as bike mechanics. I don't know anyone who is into mountain biking, where should I start looking?

Answer 1

Check out mtbr.com and see if there are any good trails in your area. Also ask about group rides at your local bike shop. You're almost certain to meet other riders there. Then just go for it. You will find that mountain bike riding is more challenging and more fun than road riding. It's more fun dodging roots, rocks, and stumps than dealing with suvs and rude drivers on the road.

Answer 2

Where are you located? We might be able to point you to trails.

There are a lot of places to start. I'll just list them as I think of them.


Bike
Look at your tires. Make sure they have "knobs", which basically means they aren't a smooth surface like a 10-speed tire. The knobs don't have to be big. You just need something that will grip when going through dirt. Pump your tires to between 30 and 40 psi (so you can't push your thumb into it much, if any).

Tools to take with you
-HELMET
-Spare tube (look at the sidewall of your current tire for the correct size....should be 26 X ___ ...fill in blank)
-Patch kit (comes with sandpaper & little stickers)
-Tire levers ( To stick between your tire & rim to pry the tire off)
-$1 bill (in case you rip your tire you can put it between the tire & inner tube)
-Small Pump (make sure it is for presta & schrader valves)
-Water. You can start off with bottles, but eventually you'll probably want a CamelBak.


Mechanics
Learn to change a tire because you will get a flat. Practice beforehand by taking off the front tire & putting it back on.


Trails
There are a couple of sources. In the beginning you just want to get used to the feel of dirt. Horse trails work. Checking with local bike shops is a great place to start. I also recommend going to the local book store & buying a Mtn Bike trail book. The web is another place to look, but it is sometimes difficult to find trails & difficulty ratings. Someone mentioned mtbr.com, which is a good site. I personally would stick to the bike shop & a book. The book will have ratings of trails and give you all the details & directions.

The only other beginner advice is to remember to lube your chain. I ride 3X per week and have to oil it weekly, sometimes twice. The chain picks up a ton of dirt and a clean chain is the secret to a long lasting bike. Wipe the chain off with a rag, and use a wax-based lubricant. The bike store can point you to a good brand. White Lightning comes to mind. DO NOT USE WD40!!! Put a drop on every link of the chain and let it dry for 2 hours. Remember that you're lubing the rollers between the 2 sides of the chain.

There is a ton more to learn, but you don't need to know it right now; especially if you aren't sure you're getting into the sport. I've just listed off the basics that will get you out on a trail & keep you riding for a couple of months.

Answer 3

there are a couple of mountain bike magazines on the rack this will sorta give you a vague idea what the sport is about as well as some of the equipment. Ned Overend wrote a book on mtn.biking you may find it at Amazon this is a real good book. as for mechanics Zinns books are top shelf reading for the beginner. as for the ridding JUST DO IT!! ride it on dirt roads, across open fields the neighbors lawn anywhere there's no pavement as you get better and gain confidence try a little more challenging terrain it's best not to ride off road alone. these are just a few ideas off the top of my head I'm sure you will get a lot more answers as there are some experienced riders with good knowledge on this site. but remember have fun!!!

Answer 4

buy magazines- they offer a wealth of knowledge. another place is the bike shop. go in every once in a while to buy some parts and chat with the guys there, they may have some good suggestions.

if you just want to learn a little more about mechanics then you should check out www.utahmountainbiking.com. it has lots of info on how to perform simple things like changing a tire to bleeding hydraulic brake lines, very helpful stuff.
if you are more serious about then the Barnett Bicycle School in Colorado Springs, Colorado is the way to go. i am looking to attending there sometime in the future. ive heard alot of good about it and it is recommended by all of my local shops.

but to start off, get the mags. i have a subscription to "Bicycling" mag which focuses mainly on road stuff, but has a lot on fitness, health, riding techniques, and general helpful articles. i know bicycling also publishes "Mountain bike" mag and there is another called "mountain bike action" i havnet gotten a copy of that yet, but i fingered through an issue once and it looked packed with info for novice and expert off-roaders alike.

good luck

Answer 5

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Answer 6

try heading to the local bike shop/s in your area get to talking to the guys in there they should be able to tell you where the trals are and get ya hooked up with other rides for you to ride with

Answer 7

we recomend going to you local libary, they normally have free mountain biking maps there also try your local bike shop