question about getting started

[Erics0076]

hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any instructors or
camps to attend in the NC area?

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (EricS0076) wrote:

> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any instructors or
> camps to attend in the NC area?

You know, last year I did my first serious mountain bike riding ever. The progression went
like this:

first ride: pre-ride with friend around fairly mean-spirited XC trail.

second ride: have derriere handed to me by riding same in local beer-league race.

launder, rinse, repeat.

If you don't have a beer-league race series (kudos to the North Shore Mountain Bike Association's
Twoonie Races, and it looks like I will be riding the ominous black Marin again this year, so all
you Vancouverites can come out and watch me desperately try to keep up with the cadet* riders), then
just go out and ride a lot. You might be interested in checking out your local library, which if it
is like mine, has Bicycling Magazine's Guide to Learning Interesting Mountain Bike Buzzwords (does
someone know the exact title?), which gave me some good advice about clearing small obstacles such
as 2x4s. But you know, set up on their short edge, so that's almost a 4" obstacle.

Probably not the advice you're looking for. The Trailpeak website is excellent for the local trails,
I have no idea what the coverage is like for North Carolina. It's quite likely you can get the best
advice about local trails (and maybe even an offer to join a weekend ride) by hanging around the
local bike shop, preferably one with lots of mountain bikes around.

*Yes, that's right. I got beat by teenagers. Well, I beat one, plus a very cautious female rider on
a full-DH bike wearing full-DH armor. I was going to trash-talk them, but my heart wasn't in it. But
you can bet I talked big after taking third prize in the Poker Run. You don't just do something like
that through luck, baby.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

 

[Bomba]

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

> first ride: pre-ride with friend around fairly mean-spirited XC trail.
>
> second ride: have derriere handed to me by riding same in local beer-league race.

Was it your own derriere? Had it fallen off half way round the course?

Of course, if it was someone else offering you their derriere, I'd be keen to avoid future races in
that series...

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

bomba <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>
> > first ride: pre-ride with friend around fairly mean-spirited XC trail.
> >
> > second ride: have derriere handed to me by riding same in local beer-league race.
>
> Was it your own derriere? Had it fallen off half way round the course?
>
> Of course, if it was someone else offering you their derriere, I'd be keen to avoid future races
> in that series...

Unless she was _really_ cute!

Shaun aRe

 

[Penny S.]

EricS0076 wrote:
> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any instructors or
> camps to attend in the NC area?

trails: www.mtbr.com books: Mountain Bike like a champ by Ned Overend. There's a video too.

find a club, or pals that are better than you. They should be willing to show you some technique and
not just take you out and trash you.

Penny s

 

[Cinder Girl]

"EricS0076" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get
started
> riding the trails. Are there any instructors or camps to attend in the NC area?

I picked up a great little map at my local REI. Shows me all the trails in the local parks marked
for the all important steepness factor. Also included a very short description of each trail and
some suggested loops for each park. Its not super detailed but it was enough to point me in the
right direction so I can explore on my own.

 

[Paladin]

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> EricS0076 wrote:
> > hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good
> > books, videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any
> > instructors or camps to attend in the NC area?
>
> trails: www.mtbr.com books: Mountain Bike like a champ by Ned Overend. There's a video too.
>
> find a club, or pals that are better than you. They should be willing to show you some technique
> and not just take you out and trash you.
>
> Penny s

Now wait one minute, Penny! That advice was waaaay too sensible.

Paladin

 

[Bruce Edge]

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003 05:30:20 +0000, EricS0076 wrote:

> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any instructors or
> camps to attend in the NC area?

I think what we all tend to forget is the base level of fitness required for mountain biking. If
you're not in pretty good shape already, spend some time on the road, of if you have them, gentle
fire roads. Most riders will be glad to help you out on technique, but if you're just plain out of
shape, you can't expect everyone to wait for you.

Better yet, find someone else whose just starting out, or at least has the same base fitness.

-Bruce.

 

[Michael Dart]

"EricS0076" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get
started
> riding the trails. Are there any instructors or camps to attend in the NC area?

Additional Books -

Mountain Bike! by William Nealy The Mountain Bike Way of Knowledge (a smaller version also by
William Nealy)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0897321146/qid=1045276586/sr=1
-7/ref=sr_1_7/103-4186727-8662216?v=glance&s=books

Mike

 

[Mark B]

Eric,

If your NC stands for North Carolina then you're in luck. There are great clubs that will help you
out in NC.

If you're close to Charlotte you can join us for some group rides. We also take trips to Pisgah,
Uwharrie, DuPont, Etc. We like helping people get into this great sport.

If you're in Charlotte there are a bunch of great clubs. They also have links to other clubs in the
Carolinas.

My Carolina Adventure Team website is... www.carolinaat.com My buddy Chuck's mountain biking website
(check the forums)... www.smallbrowndog.com The ladies club... www.dirtdivas.net The fellas....
www.tarheeltrailblazers.com

Mark

 

[Jd]

[email protected] (EricS0076) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> hi all! I just bought a mountain bike this past week. I was wondering if there are any good books,
> videos, or websites that might help me get started riding the trails. Are there any instructors or
> camps to attend in the NC area?

http://www.imba.com

Start with the Rules Of The Trail.

JD