The wife and I are starting our journey on the mellow trails near us. What are some things you wish you knew when first starting out?
by A_true_gENTleman
The wife and I are starting our journey on the mellow trails near us. What are some things you wish you knew when first starting out?
by A_true_gENTleman
12 Comments
There is no shame in getting off to walk things you aren’t comfortable with.
Enough hydration for long rides especially in hot weather. For me some type of camelbak and gloves are a must have. Easier to keep a spare tube, Allan key set and granolas bars also. Plastic tire levers can be helpful to have and a small tire pump or some way to inflate if you get a flat.
Progress at a rate that brings you joy and don’t worry about catching up to someone else’s skill level. I’m a year in and have to remind myself of that still from time to time.
Brakes can be touchy. Get used to them on some soft grass first maybe?
Stand out of the saddle for down hill and drop your seat both earlier than you think you need to. This avoids sketchy decent
Safety gear is super important. A few hundred dollars for food gear is worth saving your noggin and rest of your body. Other than that, wear what you are comfy in, you don’t have to focus on all the expensive clothing if it’s not for you.
Have fun! It’s a great form of exercise and really rewarding! Now get out there and shred it 🤘
Just have fun. My wife and I started at 50 and were loving it. AfterShokz headsets are great if you want music and the ability to hear.
Use low gears going up hills and just focus on maintaining a pace to get over. I tend to push way too hard into hills and on too high of a gear leading me to feel nauseous, exhausted, and overall less thrilled with whatever comes after.
Everybody walks stuff, literally everyone of us good or bad. So just get over it and used to it, that way you don’t have to be all nervous trying a ‘harder’ trail or new trail. Just walk when you’re in over your head, it happens all the time.
For example say you make it out to destination MTB places and finally go see that famous trail you always look at… You start to notice everybody is walking half the damn trail lmao, then boasting about ‘whole enchilada’, Dr Park, etc. it’s wack, but my point is everybody does it. You still ‘rode the trail’ and got better.
Second, just ride. If you’re having fun with it and get into it… Just ride any chance you can. It only gets more fun as you get more fit, and the side part is you’ll just be a healthier person overall so life is easier and more fun lol. So my main tip is literally just ride your bike. It sounds ridiculous, but so many people have expensive this and that and talk the talk, but they barely even ride. Get after it
Not really cycling specific but if you don’t know what poison oak/ivy looks like, learn that.
It’s pretty common trailside in a lot of places.
Switch your pedals to something metal with teeth. You’ll be so thankful you have a little bit of grip when things get wet and your foot won’t slide off like when you’re going up hill and pushing
Dude hit the jackpot, wife that shares interest in biking. Enjoy eating your cake.
Dropper posts are worth every penny!
Relax your grip or at least be conscious of the grip pressure. The tendency early on is to hold on too tightly which leads to fatigue. Also line of sight should be a comfortable distance in front and not down at your wheel. Your brain is surprising good at accumulating data points including obstacles and rate of speed (just like driving a car). Review your route in advance. If possible find some nice places to stop for a snack or a beverage to round out the experience.
Have fun!
Don’t skimp out on quality PPE. Buy a good helmet based on reviews not price. If you can try them on at a bike shop first, even better. Be prepared to bang up the shins. Don’t be afraid to crash or you’ll end up overthinking it and indeed crash