My wife has convinced me to go mountain biking with her. (she just finished a class and loves it.) ...She says it will be good exercise and a good thing for us to do together. Is she just trying to get me killed? Is this a real sport like ping-pong or golf...or should I go ahead and take out a life insurance policy? (my definition of a real sport does not involve risking life and limb!):D

Anyone else into this? Any good recommendations for a beginner?

Greg,
My husband is director of the local Mountain Bike Patrol and I used to mountain bike with him, but haven't for a few years.

My suggestion is to start out on dirt roads rather than single-track trails. You have a lot more leeway for error on dirt roads - and they tend not to be as technical as single-track (unless they're 4WD roads, which can be pretty technical even for bikes in canyon country.)

When you feel comfortable on dirt roads, move on to the "easy" single track trails. By "easy", I mean those trails which are relatively flat, not too (loose) rocks and not too many tree roots. Beware: trails which have a deep furrow are intimidating when you're first learning because keeping your front wheel within the 12" or so that the trail gives you can be tough until you get used to it.

Visit a local bike shop and get some recommendations for beginner trails. Most bike shops have maps available and personnel who know all the trails in the area. They're a great resource.

Don't feel like you have to ride the entire trail!! GET OFF AND WALK through the tough sections that you don't feel ready for.

Not sure how much of a cyclist you are (if you cycle a lot, you probably already know this), but when you're going DOWNHILL, get your butt up off the seat and push it WAY back to move your center of gravity further back on the bike. The steeper the grade, the more you want to get your weight back. (I remember sometimes having the seat pushing into my stomach.) If you don't do this, you'll feel like you're going to go over the handle bars - and very likely will. Practice doing this even on easy downhills so that you get used to the feel of doing it.

Use your low gears when going up hill!! It's much easier on your knees to "spin" rather than pump the pedals really hard on the uphills. And as you get more technical, the only way to go up some of the steeper inclines is in "1-1" (smallest gear in the front and largest gear in the back.)

Be respectful of other trail users. Bikes are supposed to yield to BOTH hikers and equestrians. If you see a horse on the trail, stop, pull off and greet the riders verbally so that the horse will know you're a person. If the horse is not used to bikes, it might not recognize you as a human if you're straddling your bike and might spook.

Don't go faster than you can control the bike. This is especially important when going down switchbacks on trails shared by hikers. If you are coming up on a hiker from behind, slow down and let them know you're there - and which side you'll be passing them on. Give them time to react b/c you might startle them and even if you say "Passing left" - they might move to the left in a panic.

MOST IMPORTANT: WEAR A HELMET AT ALL TIMES!! Also, you'll want to have toe-clips on your pedals so that your feet don't slip off the pedals, esp. going downhill (when your only contact with the bike is your hands and feet, b/c your butt is off the seat and pushed back.)

Oh - and always bring a patch kit (or spare tube) and tire irons, and know how to change a flat tire. You don't want to be stuck out on the trail and have to walk all the way back home (or to your car) carrying your bike.

Be sure to bring plenty of water - esp. since you're in an arid climate. This is esp. important in the heat. I find that I stay more hydrated with a Camelbak (or similar) system because it's easier to drink while continuing to ride than having to reach down for a water bottle.

This might be more than you wanted to know, but should help some. You might want to take a beginner mountain bike class to learn some of the techniques of riding that will make the trail riding more enjoyable. But, if you start out on dirt roads, you'll still get a good workout without having to worry so much about the techinical details.

The other MOST IMPORTANT thing: HAVE FUN!! :)

Jeanie

P.S. I don't know if you have access to trails which essentially traverse sandstone and nothing else. (Like Slick Rock trail in Moab, UT.) If so, it's a blast. The rubber tires of the bike seem to just "stick" to the sandstone. You can traverse slopes which seem to defy the laws of physics.

OK - perhaps you should wait a little while before you try that. ;)

Jeanie

<Any good recommendations for a beginner?>

Greg after all that I would recommend you stick to the flower arranging!!! J whats the Mountain Bike Patrol? do they bring the bodies of 'failed' bikers home?

Cheers....

Chris,

The Mountain Bike Patrol is like a Ski Patrol, but on mountain bikes in the summer instead of skis in winter. ;)

From their website (http://www.diamondpeakspatrol.org/):

The Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol (DPMBP) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, whose goal is to promote responsible mountain biking and provide a service to all trail users. The Patrol is a member of the International Bicycling Association (IMBA) and the National Mountain Bike Patrol. Our mission is to educate, rather than enforce, through the promotion of "Tread Lightly" practices, IMBA "Rules of the Trail", and general low-impact/shared-use ethics. Patrollers also do trail maintenance and provide emergency medical care, mechanical advice and information on backcountry preparedness and trail conditions.


Greg, when you're beginning, mountain biking is most dangerous when you are riding trails beyond your ability level. So, respect your own limits and you'll be fine. If you do that, it's really fun! :)

Jeanie

Greg I'm a long time road bicyclist. About 12 years to be exact.
My observations:
Mountain biking is good exercise. Your wife is right.

Be sure to start out on relatively flat (easy) courses so you'll have time to build up your legs. Depending on your level of fitness this could take as little as a week or in my case closer to a year. :)

Mountain bikers have to be better riders to be able to avoid the obstacles in the more technical rides.

Go to a good local bike shop for advice on trails and bicycles. They will know where the best beginner trails are.

Bottom line is don't do too much too soon.

Great advice! Thanks! Jeani...I printed your first post out for reference material. I am a complete novice at this! I'm not planning on taking on any steep hills...nice and easy to begin with. (parking lot easy!) I'm not sure what bike to get- lot's of brands have been recommended to me and I think I will go used. No sense in buying more bike than I need. Am I right to assume that a bike with just front suspension will be fine? ...full suspension and disk brakes are for the lunatics that fly down mountains at breakneck speeds? :D

Am I right to assume that a bike with just front suspension will be fine? ...full suspension and disk brakes are for the lunatics that fly down mountains at breakneck speeds?

I would certainly hope so! Just a few years ago full suspension was too expensive for the average mountain biker anyway - and there were plenty of "lunatics" flying down mountains. ;) If you find you're riding on a lot of dirt roads with "washboard", you might wish you had full suspension. But of course, if you've never had it, you won't know what you're missing. (FWIW, my husband only has front suspension and does fairly technical riding.)

As far as what kind of bike to get - the most important thing is how the bike feels when you ride it, not the brand! When I bought my bike, I spent hours going around to all of the bike shops, getting on bikes and riding them around the parking lot (or side streets), making sure to drop off of curbs and such to get a feeling for that. If you can find a hill on your test ride, go up for a while so you can get a feel for how comfortable the bike is in that situation. (You tend to lean forward when going up hills.) As you try out different bikes, you'll start to understand that different brands/models really do feel different. I would suggest that even if you are planning on getting a used bike, still ride some of the new bikes in the bike shops so that you have a larger selection to test ride. (If you don't want to plunk down the $$ for full suspension, then don't test ride those, since it might make you think you don't like anything without full suspension. I don't know this for sure since I've never ridden a full suspension bike, but I've been told the ride feels "cushier".)

I highly recommend front suspension though. It really reduces fatigue in your arms on long rides - even on simple dirt roads which are inherently bumpy.

A good bike shop should be able to help you size the bike to your build. Getting the seat height correct is important to save your knees when riding up hills. Also, the distance between the seat and handle bars is different for different bikes (and can often be adjusted) and can make a big difference in how comfortable the bike feels.

You'll probably want to get a pair of biking gloves. They don't need to be expensive ones, but they do provide a little extra padding on the palms of your hands and also helps to prevent your hands slipping on sweaty handle bars.

Oh, one other thing. Be sure to follow Gary's advice and don't overdo your first few rides. Your butt will need to get used to sitting in a bike seat. Of course, you can even choose to buy a different seat which would be more comfortable. I bought a "gel seat" for my bike because it was so much more comfortable when riding. You might want to look into that if you find your seat is uncomfortable when riding. Just realize that you'll probably be a little sore at first, but just like any other sport, your body gets used to it fairly quickly, especially if you ride on a regular basis.

Hope this helps,
Jeanie

I ride as often as I can. I have mountain bikes, road bikes and a recumbent. Usually in a year I'll log about 3000 miles (this is both road and trail). The advice Jeanie has given you is very accurate. The only other suggestions I'd give you is to possibly consider one of the newer seat designs. These seats have a hole cut into the sitting area. The purpose of this is to prevent numbing in a "specific" area.
There have been studies made on the subject and it has been found that an improperly adjusted seat angle or incorrect seat height can be one of the leading causes of male impotence (I know . . . too much information). :(
Also, when you are in your sitting position, the seat should not be angled with the nose pointing down any more than just a few degrees. Too much angle causes arm fatigue as you resist the tendency to slide forward. It will also cause hand numbness. Having it angled too far up will cause numbness in that area previously mentioned. I would also avoid the "wide" soft seats, your posterior (sit bones) will eventually adjust to your seat.
Saddle height is also important. You don't want the seat so low where you cannot have a full power stroke, plus too low is hard on the knees. If you have it too high, your hips will move from side to side and you'll be overextending your leg. A slight bend at the knee is cool. If you were on a bike stand and someone was watching you from the rear, your hips should not move from side to side. And your knee should have a slight bend at the full stroke of the pedal.
Before you decide to go up or down a mountain slope, I'd suggest some flat trails to get into shape.
After you get yourself adjusted to your bike, you may want to refrain from powering a tall gear. Spinning is a good plan when you first start riding. Several weeks of riding where you are mainly spinning is a good way to get your legs in shape.

If you haven't purchased a bike yet, I'd also suggest that the bicycle dealer "fit" you to a bike, so the bike size is correct for your specific body measurements.

enjoy :)

Originally posted by LQQKER
The only other suggestions I'd give you is to possibly consider one of the newer seat designs. These seats have a hole cut into the sitting area. The purpose of this is to prevent numbing in a "specific" area.
There have been studies made on the subject and it has been found that an improperly adjusted seat angle or incorrect seat height can be one of the leading causes of male impotence (I know . . . too much information). :(


Yikes! That's good info to know...my wife might not be as excited about me biking when she hears this! :D

This is starting to sound dangerous! :cool:

:D And we haven't even discussed the possibility of getting radiation burns from your computer monitor. :D

My bike shop will let me "borrow" a bike for the weekend to try it out. They've sold a lot of bikes this way.

Biking shorts are another option along with gloves and helmet. Generally my minimum bike ride is two hours. Those padded shorts help out a lot.

Bike brands are like automobiles. Everyone has a favorite. My two bikes are made by Trek based in Wisconsin.

doesn't have to be expensive... wal-mart sells a nice aluminum frame mongoose with front and rear shocks for under $200 now.... ... 10 years ago it would have cost me $250 just for the front shock.. an inexpensive way to see if you'd actually enjoy it... Must say I miss the bike trails of so. fla... ( ok.. so there were no mountains )
RonDon

Rondon, I would caution against taking a Walmart bike on anything too technical. They're fine for dirt roads that a regular car can drive on or on fairly flat trails. However, I've heard horror stories from bike mechanics of cheaper bikes literally breaking in two pieces on the trail because they're not really made to take a lot of abuse. (They may look the same as more expensive bikes, but they're not made the same.)

In any case, you're right that it doesn't have to be expensive. There are some shops that sell used bikes (traded in by someone buying a new bike). If you're planning to doing distance riding though, it really pays to be properly fitted for a bike by a trained bike mechanic. That doesn't mean it has to be a new bike - just that a bike is adjusted to fit your proportions. Trust me, your body (esp. your knees and back) will thank you!

Jeanie

I've little experience of mountain bikes but have several bespoke road/touring bikes mainly in 531 or Columbus tubing. The thing that amazes me over here is the number of people I see using mountain bikes for road touring. I see a lot of people doing our end to end trip (southermost tip of England to the northermost point in Scotland) using mountain bikes, it must be absolute torture.

well I dunno jeanie ... I mentioned it was a mongoose.... not top of the line but not the worst either...

I bought one years ago at a bike shop in west palm beach... still going strong over 10 years later... It was $300 then with no shocks, steel frame .

bikeshops have huge mark ups... might be worth it to anyone who expects to need service .. although that can be expensive...

variety is a good reason for the shops though..

but for anyone who ventures out to browse .... check the prices on even the low end aluminum bikes with front and rear shocks...

under $200 might be a good way for those not sure how long their interest will remain.

cheap enough to give away later... either way

as I approach 60 those old style "beach cruisers" start looking good... sitting upright.. fat tires ... not for speed but then... the race was over years ago... those can have a few gears too for the hills..

RonDon

I'm waiting for a bicycle report back from Greg. :)
Good? Bad? You've gotta be crazy to do this.:D

Have not had the chance to get the bike yet...too cold to ride anyway! I'm looking at a used Trek. My wife has a very basic Giant - Boulder SE that seems to be decent quality for the price...might go with one of those as well. I'm not going to be leaping off cliffs anytime soon, so no need to spend thousands on a Titanium bike or dual suspension... :D

Rondon - Anything with front and back suspension for under $200 has to be of suspect quality. I doubt it would last long even on an easy track!

Chris - No riding on the road for me! I'm more afraid of cars than I am of rocks and trees!

This sounds like a "I'm waiting till spring" excuse.:D Nice thing about the Dallas area is that I can bike year round.

A couple of years ago I was in Iowa for a week to take care of an aunt of mine. She'd just gotten out of the hospital and needed a little help. Anyway one morning I was driving over to her house and it was -10 degrees with about a foot of snow on the ground. I see some guy all bundled up riding his mountain bike. Now that's too COLD.

well jeaniesa .. yours was the 3rd little bit of snobbery I've
run across here... and call it my weakness if you will, but with little I can do about it ... I vote with my feet...

in truth my little mongoose wasn't a mountain bike it was a hybred... mt/racing bike... in the few short months I traversed the rocky slopes of west palm with it .... few passed it... and no one stayed ahead of it..

but in earlier years I fashioned (but alas didn't patent) a truely superior mt. bike... attached you'll find a photo of me just prior to my decent of mt. awakening..

RonDon

Rondon,

I apologize if my post came across as snobbery. I respect your experience with your bike and did not refute it. I was only passing along information that I'd received from experienced bike mechanics (in social, not sales, situations) in the hopes that it might save someone else the headaches that had been told to me. I'm sorry if that came across as snobbish. It was not intended.

Jeanie

Hey Greg,

I'm getting into this discussion when it's probably over. But I am trying out biking also. I wanted something new. I got a Trek 4100 which is a hybrid bike for Christmas and am having a blast with it. There are some trails a couple of miles from home that I ride to. I have fallen a few times but it is mostly from inertia when going uphill. I look like Arte Johnson, just ride halfway uphill, lose momentum and fall over.

But it is fun. I did what Jeanie suggested...went to a bike shop. The salesman tried to sell me a comfort bike and cautioned me about mountain biking, but he did a great job of fitting the bike to me and didn't try to oversell me. My bike cost $320 on sale (reg. $425). It rides like a dream.

If you do it at your own speed it doesn't feel dangerous. I'm thinking of joining one of the DFW bike clubs so I'll have someone to ride with. None of my friends here are into it.

Sharon

Congrats Sharon! Sounds like you're having fun. :)

It's a good idea to look into bike clubs. See if there are any that are for women only - or at least have a significant number of women. In my area there is "Team BOB" (Babes on Bikes :D ). They have members at all skil levels and sometimes have "skills" days where you can practice certain skills that make riding easier. Nothing against riding with guys, but when you're first starting out, it can be a little intimidating. ;)

Also, check to see if any local bike shops or city recreation departments offer classes for beginning mountain biking. I took one through my city Parks & Rec department and it improved my confidence (and skill) on my bike immensely! They will explain the most efficient body mechanics to climb hills, how to "bunny hop", how to position yourself on your bike for downhills (to prevent you from going over the handle bars if you hit a bump!), etc. These are all things that can make your rides more enjoyable - not just for someone interested in "racing".

Most of all (as Danny says ;) ): HAVE FUN!! :D

Jeanie

Jeanie,

I think that's good advice about the women's club. I should be able to find something here. I also like the class idea. I never would have thought of that.

It's a fun sport.

Do you have any recommendations on gloves?

Thanks,

Sharon

Originally posted by Sharon Brunson
I have fallen a few times but it is mostly from inertia when going uphill. I look like Arte Johnson, just ride halfway uphill, lose momentum and fall over.

hehehe...that's what my wife said happened to her on her first time out! But, she also said she felt a great sense of accomplishment when she finally conquered those hills!

The class idea is a great one. My wife took a class at the local university and it really helped her gain valuable skills and gave her confidence.

Re: gloves. I don't really have any recommendations other than they are good to have - for two reasons that I can think of:
1. The padding can soften some of the jarring that your hands take when going downhill. I prefer gloves with a lot of padding in the palm for that reason. But realize that it can make your grip a little smaller if you have a lot of padding, so your brake levers might need to be adjusted. (Not a big concern, just something to be aware of.)
2. If your hands are sweaty, they can slip off the handle bar grips when going downhill. (That's never good. ;) ) The gloves prevent that.

A tip for going up hills - always be in first gear (smallest gear in front, largest gear in back). For the least wear and tear on your body (esp. your knees), it's best to "spin" the pedals. You won't be spinning going uphill, but first gear gives your legs the most leverage for the least amount of work. Also, be sure to shift into first before you need it! It almost never works to try shifting down just before you're about to fall over. ;)

Jeanie

Totally OT:
nice to see you back Sharon!

Thank you, Al

I appreciate that.

I had an unnerving biking experience this afternoon. Some teenagers in a passing car threw water balloons at me. Fortunately, they were horrible shots.

Sharon

Sharon that happened to me last summer when I was riding with a group here in Texas. It was so hot no one really complained.:D A little cool water felt pretty good.

I have had people throw glass bottles and other missiles at me. Fortunately they all missed.:)

Edit: Sharon I just noticed you're from Texas too so you know what the summers are like.:)

Sharon, I think just about anyone who cycles can tell you stories of jerks on the road. Don't let it scare you off! (I agree, it is unnerving though!) Water balloons must be a TX thing - I've never heard that one before. ;)

Jeanie

Well....I finally got a bike! (a bonus at work helped things out a bit. :) ) I took the advice given here and went to a good bike shop and got sized up for a bike. I went with a Trek 4300...a good beginner bike for basic trails and single track.

The sales guy was excellent. He asked plenty of questions and found out what I needed and did not try to sell me more bike than I needed. I looked at a Specialized as well but the Trek just felt a little more solid. The key for me was that I can upgrade the individual parts down the road (pardon the pun!)...so if I feel the need for a better seat, brakes, etc... it's an easy upgrade. I would recommend buying a bike from a good shop. You might pay a bit more but the info and service is top notch...plus they are going to be there when you have problems or need some advice.

I think more people buy these bikes for the road rather than trail...at least the factory setting seem set up for that. The handle bars are up pretty high, tires are inflated to the highest recommended pressure and I can tell the pedals will be pretty useless on a muddy downhill. Anyone got advice for getting a bike "trail ready"...I know I need to let a little air out of the tires and lower the handle bars a bit.

I will only be riding on the road for the first few months until I can get in shape and learn some technique. I'm looking for a group to ride with and do some volunteer work...I figure if I am going to ride the trails I can spare a few weekends to help maintain them!

I've had 4 different Trek bikes since I started cycling. I've liked them all...:)

Sounds like you went to a good bike shop..

Greg,

I was just looking over this thread. It looks like you found out one of the golden rules of biking, that being find a good dealer to help you out with the decisions.

I love mtn biking, unfortunately all my cohorts have either moved, had their bike stolen, or become lazy homebodies (like myself). I haven't been out for a serious ride in a while. I've had my Giant now for about 8 years, and it's still great. Plus it's nice to blow away riders who have bikes that cost up to $1000 more than mine :)

Two things I wanted to mention.....

1) I haven't seen this mentioned, but get some bicycyle shorts (the ones with the huge pad in the butt). They are a big help.

2) if you go on vacation to anywhere with nice trails nearby, I bet you can rent bikes at local shops. My wife and I went to Crested Butte a few years ago during the summer. We rented full-suspension Raleighs. The ski lifts are set to hold two mtn bikes on the back of them, so the lift took us up the mountain and then we rode back down. It was the first time my wife had ridden on dirt (I don't really suggest testing yourself on a mountain to start with). She had a good time, but crashed right in front of the rental place in the parking lot (but didn't crash on the mountain, go figure??). The rental shop guy was a little worried about her...

I will never forget flying down Mt. Crested Butte, with the only part of my body touching the bike being my hands.... the rest of me was flying behind :)

and I had no crashes (but some REALLY close calls). Remember, brakes are your friends...

Greg = I meant to get back to this thread before now. Sorry!

If you're worried about the handle bars being too high, I would bring the bike back to the shop and ask them to adjust them. Adjusting the bike to your needs should be part of the service they offer to new bike purchases. I'm kind of surprised they didn't do this to begin with.

What do you mean the pedals will be "pretty useless on a muddy downhill"? Is there any "teeth" on the pedals or are they flat? Do they have toe clips on them? If not, you will want to get toe clips for the downhills - it's the only thing that keeps your feet on the pedals! ;) The toe clips are also useful for the upstrokes on your pedal stroke.

As far as finding a bike club in your area, I did a little search for "Los Alamos bike patrol" on google and found The Tuff Riders Mountain Bike Club (http://tuffriders.losalamos.com/). It looks like they've been really active in trail work and have weekly rides. Perhaps you've already found them, but they look like a good place to start!

Have fun!

Jeanie

Regarding the toe clips....

there are two varieties of these. One where you are physically locked onto the pedals, and one where there is a harness your foot slides into so you can remove it quickly. I highly recommend the harness style, not the clip style.

the reason is because of all the times I watched my roadbike buddies fall over at stopsigns because they couldn't get detached from their pedals. Not a good thing for the ego...

plus you don't need special shoes for the harness style. I just used some good, stiff crosstrainers as my biking shoes. And the harnesses should work on just about any stock pedal, whereas with the clips you also need to buy new pedals as well as new shoes.

But the harness definitely helps going uphills, b/c you get the upstroke energy. One of my racing friends told me to imagine my feet are on eggs... keep the pressure on the egg constant throughout the pedal stroke. Listening to yourself pedal, you shouldn't hear any "Whiirrrr-whirrr" as you pedal harder during part of the motion. It should be a constant, even sound.

Here's a page with a pic of the harness style clip:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=301&Store=Bike

Blue-X,

I didn't mention the type where your shoe clips into the pedal because I've always known those as "clipless pedals" - meaning without the harness-strap-type "clip". ;) I almost mentioned them to say (the same as you) - don't get them when you're first starting out unless you like to fall over a lot! :D I have used them and actually like them (you can adjust how easy it is to slip in and out of them), but they are definitely not for someone who is just starting out!

Thanks for clarifying that.

Jeanie

Blues-X - I think the shorts are next on my list when I get some more "play" money! :D Not sure I am ready yet for harness or clipless pedals but once I start doing rougher downhill I can see the benefit. The pedals I have are fine unless it starts to get wet and then my shoes start to slip a bit. The clips and good hard sole shoes are also on my wish list.

Jeanie - The guy at the shop suggested I start out with the handlebars up a bit for comfort...after a couple of days I could see the benefit of dropping the bars and figured it would be best to learn with a slightly more aggressive style rather than trying to work my way into it later. The shop was more than happy to drop the bars and show me how to make many of my own adjustments. I also got some gloves to help with my growing blisters!

So far it's been a blast! I have only ridden on a few greenways and dirt roads but I am addicted. I throw the bike in the back of the car in the morning and hit the trail right after work...what a wonderful stress release!

By the way...I have actually moved back east recently (forgot to update my location). New Mexico was wonderful...but missed family and green trees! :) The irony is that I lived for years in the North Carolina mountains and then in the mountains of New Mexico and I finally got a mountain bike when I am living in Raleigh, NC! Luckily there is a small but very active group here...although many people in this area are more afraid of getting mud on their $2000 bikes than anything else...A sharp contrast from some of the crazy mountain bikers in New Mexico!

Greg, thought you might be interested in this related link.

Mountain biker (http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5994)

This post isn't for those who can easily afford the higher end bikes and the service they require.

Well i got one of Walmarts aluminum framed mongoose mountain bikes a couple of months ago... price was even lower than I thought: $98.oo with 21 speeds and
front and rear suspension.

now granted they are limited to 25" and 26" and I'd prefer a 27" but I went into it knowing that. I'm long legged for a 6 footer... other 6 footers and below would fit the bike better for sure.but it's not bad... the knee goes almost straight peddling as it is supposed to.

In truth If I were going to get into some serious trail thrills I'd have had second thoughts. but this is perfect for these rough shell rock roads in my vacinity.
The shell rock passes for gravel in these parts and is very rough.. constant stress with the "weight on arms posture" of trail bikes. also any bear evading maneuvers are likely to drop folks into one of the numerous potholes which have sharp edges here.

all that is past.. the front and rear suspension smooth out the ride and the shocks are stiff enough for my 200 lbs.

so really I say again..

doesn't have to be expensive... wal-mart sells a nice aluminum frame mongoose with front and rear shocks for under $200___($98.oo) 10 years ago it would have cost me $250 just for the front shock.. an inexpensive way to see if you'd actually enjoy it...

maybe why some of those folks who use them as "tour" bikes...
anyone who's been distracted with odometer adjustments as they approached a curb.... level with the grass ...(only to discover suddenly the grass is 8 inches tall at that point ) can tell you that with one hand on the handlebar the other pushing buttons.... front shocks make non-flight possible.. my reason for seeking them years ago.

they are a safety feature.
it's for the casual rider who can make simple repairs (none yet) and would be willing to part with $100. to give it a try. It's good for you... it's arobic exercise if you ride below the winded stage... or as I once read it... able to carry on a conversation.

if thats all you're up to fine... but with a little time you'll find yourself out-racing the meanest of pitbulls with power to spare... strength comes back fairly quickly if you enjoy doing it.

I used to say motorcycles make you look tough while a bicycle makes you tough. of course I refrained from saying that in biker bars.. chances are I could of outrun'em anyhow.

Those specialty shops get high dollar's to maintain or fix bikes.... with the lowly Mongoose repairs top out at $98.oo .... think of the spare parts if you actually had to buy a 2nd :)

well Happy Trails
RonDon

Hey Ron! I totally agree that the bike does not have to be expensive...at least for the type of riding you mention. Any under $200 bike is usually more than adequate for greenways and occasional gravel road. Plus, it's an inexpensive way for people to get into the riding.

My problem with Walmart type bikes is that they are usually put together by someone who knows very little about bikes and parts are almost impossible to find if you break something. Bike shops do not sell "high end" only...that is a myth. In fact, most shops make their money selling less expensive bikes ($150 - $300 range). For only a bit more than a Walmart bike, you get something that was assembled by a pro, uses high quality parts and most shops will give a year or so of free tuneups.

My second problem with such bikes is that they are sold to unsuspecting consumers as mountain bikes...which they are not! I do a group ride with a local club every couple of months here in Raleigh and we usually get between 10-15 people who are out on their bike for the very first time. Inevitably, at least a few of them are on Walmart bikes and they learn very quickly that those bikes are not going to cut it on technical singletrack (and these are the easiest singletrack trails in the area!). I have literally seen rear derailleurs disintegrate in a matter of minutes...on brand new bikes!

The Trek 4300 I bought back in May was from a bike shop and was just at $300..which IMO is still pretty inexpensive for a decent mountain bike. There were several other bikes for $200 and less that would have been adequate as well. It was a good enough bike to where I could take it out on a trail and come back in one piece. It let me know that mountain biking was something I really enjoyed and have since upgraded to a much nicer ride...and I went right back to the same bike shop that had taken such good care of me! I now ride almost every chance I get, am planning on entering a few races in the spring, and am in the best shape I have been in years...Had I bought a Walmart bike and had it fall apart on me at the first real trail, I doubt I would have even attempted to continue in the sport.

My problem with Walmart type bikes is that they are usually put together by someone who knows very little about bikes

well... do you mean they use a different illegal to put them together every night ?

guess i was lucky, an ole fart... well my age... came out when another worker paged the put-together'r .

I think we could draw a line here..... anyone who wants to race down a mountain trail.... off to the bike shop

anyone who wants a smooth ride and an ocassional casual trip down a mountail trail follow me to uncle Wally's :)
RonDon

Who doesn't want to race down mountain trails at breakneck speads? ...even old folks! :grin:

I remember reading in a mountain bike mag. 10 years or more ago of an 80 year old woman who has rode up pikes peak a number of times... she says she has to use a lower gear now but doesn't mind as she can enjoy the views longer... what's happened to up ?
RonDon