What do I need to be concerned about for my first mountain biking experience?
By Mike on December 24, 2009, 2:09 amI’m not in great physical shape in any way; I’m 5’11" and 240 lbs. but I really want to try mountain biking, besides starting out slow what do I need to know?
The only thing you need to be concerned with is getting out and riding… Dont worry about starting slow or any of that. No matter how slow you start, you’ll still get hot and tired and wind up crashing eventually. That’s the beauty of mountain biking… you will crash, you will get tired, you will get hot… but, in the end, you’ll always come back for more just for the sheer joy of it all.
Dont worry about your weight, just get some water, a helmet and maybe some gloves and go ride. If you think something is beyond your skill level, it is… If you think something looks too dangerous, again it probably is. Your mind and body will tell you what to ride and what not to ride, you dont need to concern yourself with anything but enjoying yourself along the way. Once you get the bike handling skills and general riding down, you’ll know when it’s time to up your game… those things that looked like too much just starting out will start calling out to you as you ride… Just follow those instincts and you’ll be fine.
Don’t get to close to the edge.
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I don’t know that concern is the right attitude, it’s meant to be fun. Take it easy to begin with and don’t expect to do 30 miles on your first trip. Wear a helmet, take it easy and enjoy.
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Bring water. At least two bottles for on the trail itself, and have some ready in your car for refills. Helmets might look dumb, but trying to scrape your brain off of a rock or tree doesn’t seem very cool either. I have a few scrapes on the top of my lid where I misjudged the height of low hanging branches and probably missed a nice scalping.
I like to have a small backpack with some food bars and minor tools for field repairs and adjustments. As a beginner, you aren’t likely to notice many tuning issues while riding, so tools can be optional. You may want to lower your seat a bit to give you a bit more room to move around on the bike. Don’t forget to stretch a bit before hitting the trail, cramps like to sneak up and visit when they aren’t expected.
Downshift before climbing a hill so you don’t lose momentum and stall if your chain misses and derails. Riding down is fun, watch out for rocks, roots, logs and holes, though. For steep downs try to shift your weight a little more rearward. Don’t mash the brakes – a rolling tire has more control than a skidding tire.
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Just last year I was at the same dilemma and I can answer how I started my mountain biking which I would say personally has been successful.
First find a place to ride the bike that you feel comfortable riding it at. Not everyone is fine with jumping on their bike and riding up and down their road. It was this way for me and I found a local trail that is very forgiving and not boring. Also finding another person to ride with can help. Especially if they have experience and patience.
Second find a bike that you like. It may not be so important at first as you may want to try something cheap and see if you are going to like it. I started on a Mongoose from WalMart and then bought a new Bike from eBay. If you already have a bike then this is not an issue. Make sure that you have a bike that fits and you are comfortable riding. This is extremely important as no one will ride a bike that sucks. I remember when I first started riding I did not have my el cheapo properly adjusted and I would get winded and horrible leg cramps after the first 3 miles. After I adjusted the bike properly for my height I greatly improved my riding experience and made it alot more comfortable. I would also HIGHLY suggest you be sure to get a very comfortable seat. You have no idea how bad your tush can hurt from riding. You will get used to it eventually but the first couple times it is going to hurt. Also a pair of gloves is essential and some eye wear too keep the bugs out of them. I would go with some riding glasses that are made for motorcycles or the like. A trails dust can mess your eyes up pretty bad.
Third I would suggest to listen to some music while you ride. There is nothing more refreshing then my MP3 player and my mountain bike. It has greatly helped my mental well being as much as my physical. The reason is I can take all my days BS and hop my bike and take it out on it. It does not mind at all.
Fourth set realistic goals. As far as weight goes I started at around 195lbs (I am 6 feet tall) and I can tell you that riding a bike really cuts the weight off. I mostly ride flat trails and they all have about the same effect. I would suggest starting at flat trails and moving up from there. When I started I was riding 4 miles a day and now I can ride 20 miles or more if I wanted. I usually ride 14 miles in a hours time which is not bad for a full suspension bike. I would suggest not checking your weight for the first 4 serious weeks of riding. Set modest goals and stick to them. It is easy to burn yourself out. Alot of time people do not lose weight as quickly as they would like and give up on it to quickly. Most people do not realize when you have not worked out for along time and you start too that you are also building muscle mass while you are working out. Muscle weighs more then fat so it can be hard to see a difference on the scales when you start riding.
There are other small things to take note of. Like what type of bike to purchase and small things you will need. Getting started is the important part and this should help you out. Be patient and do not burn yourself out. If this gels for you I would buy some biking magazines or maybe join a bike club if that is available to you. To start off I would ride 2 miles and take a break. Then ride another 2 miles and call it a day. Slowly work yourself up from that point at the rate of 2 miles per week taking a brief break at your half way point for a drink. I would ride at least 3 times a week. I really would not push it much past this at first as you will just wear yourself out. After you ride the next morning can HURT bad and make it hard to do anything. Also if 4 miles feels like to much then start with riding a mile and then taking a brief break and riding another. It is important to take it slow and not over pace yourself. I started riding at around 7 miles per hour which was comfortable for me and at the same time did not wear me out. Don’t start out riding by wearing yourself out and then going home. You will find that this does not solve any problems and can make the situation worse. I also suggest riding in the evenings after work and while its cooler. If you want to push yourself then do it once a week after the work week has ended. You will want to push yourself eventually or how else will you be able to tell you have made any progress?
Sorry for the length of the post but I hope this helps you out. It is very important to pace yourself and to stay determined. Realize that you did not gain the weight in one day you will not lose it in 1 week or hell 1 month. I started at 195lbs and now I weigh around 158-160lbs. I am in alot better health and I have energy to do things. My relationship is better, I am happier, and I am not embarrassed of my weight or my physical appearance. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made and stuck too.
Best of luck and happy riding.
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The only thing you need to be concerned with is getting out and riding… Dont worry about starting slow or any of that. No matter how slow you start, you’ll still get hot and tired and wind up crashing eventually. That’s the beauty of mountain biking… you will crash, you will get tired, you will get hot… but, in the end, you’ll always come back for more just for the sheer joy of it all.
Dont worry about your weight, just get some water, a helmet and maybe some gloves and go ride. If you think something is beyond your skill level, it is… If you think something looks too dangerous, again it probably is. Your mind and body will tell you what to ride and what not to ride, you dont need to concern yourself with anything but enjoying yourself along the way. Once you get the bike handling skills and general riding down, you’ll know when it’s time to up your game… those things that looked like too much just starting out will start calling out to you as you ride… Just follow those instincts and you’ll be fine.
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Always carry two extra tubes and a multi tool,or at least an allen key set.
Try to keep pedaling,and never give up.
Soft low preasure tires make it harder to pedal.
Drink lots of water before you leave for the trail.
I add a dash of salt to mine as well bring a salt packet with me as dehydration on the trail is directly related to your water intake and your bodies abilty to hold it.You cannot hold water in your body without salt.
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