Mountain Biking - Beginner ride in the Bay Area

Hi all

My friend just purchased her first bike and wants to come out riding with us. The easiest place I know of to ride around here for a beginner is the Redwood park, but I'm afraid that might be a *little* too much climbing for her beginner legs.

Other than that, there's Shell Ridge, but I think that might be a tad boring for a beginner. Plus there's the cows over there that nearly traumatized me last time.

Any ideas?

but I'm afraid that might be a *little* too much climbing for her beginner legs.

we need pics of these legs to come to a proper understanding of the situation


Any ideas?
shoot pheard or sbw a PM, im sure they'll help you out

Honestly, I don't know alot of the trails here.

I know skegg's point/el corte de madera open space preserve has some smooth fire road trails, but there is some climbing. I know china camp aswell as some smooth flowy singletrack.

Check out this link, it has all kinds of bay area trails. Gives you descriptions and elevation loss/gain.

http://bayinsider.ktvu.com/recreation/guides/biking/

If you want alot of responses, there are tons of people in the norcal MTBR board.

Hmm... no leg pics, but I humbly submit this pic of her shotgunning a beer.

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7545/img1579smallth4.jpg

Awesome link Pheard, thanks!

shes a big girl.... she can climb.... My first trip had a somewhat experienced climb in it and i was 280lbs at the time!!! she can do it... or take her to the boring place... you may think its boring because you are more used to a challenge, she may enjoy it because she is outside and having fun..... i would do the boring place first, just so she can get a feel for trail riding, braking, and shifting.... Then next time take her to the climby place.

PS: I walked some of the climb and was the last one back to the truck. And now Im 250lbs and DH,FR,DS and 4X me no likey climby!!!

She's pounding that beer like a woman who's not afraid of hills - or of cows, for that matter. :p

Crono, where are you? That would help us better. If this is her first bike, you want to go easy. Don't want to scare her off with something that will leave her tired or frustrated.

Don't want to scare her off with something that will leave her tired or frustrated.

Take note, fellas. This is advice we can all use.

Yep. And if you let us lead that would be even better. Go at our pace in the beginning. Just to get used to it.

This forum has taught me so much more than I ever imagined.

Don't be like fiddy and ask why girls suck at climbing, that will lead to alot of people calling you sexist :lol:

Hey I am the one that sucks. That is why I won't do Montara with you.

Seriously though. At first make sure you let her stop when she wants so she won't get worn out so fast. And make sure she drinks her fluids often. My friend practically passed out because of that.

I'm assuming you're in the east bay. I wouldn't take a beginner to Redwood, that hill is pretty intense (from the bottom parking lot). I'd take a beginner to Joaquin Miller, just don't go down Cinderella- the rest is pretty easy. Other than that, Tilden has some good beginner stuff...Wildcat Canyon, Curran, et al.

Hey I am the one that sucks. That is why I won't do Montara with you.

Seriously though. At first make sure you let her stop when she wants so she won't get worn out so fast. And make sure she drinks her fluids often. My friend practically passed out because of that.
I know, that's fine. I hope someday you'll do montara with me, because it is so worth it.

and your right, no matter who I ride with male or female, I'd let them set the pace ahead of me. It's just a nice thing to do.

China Camp is great for beginners. The single track climb up to the road is a nice low angle climb. When you get to the road you you can ride (or walk, the road is actually fairly steep) to the top where there are awesome views of the Bay from the old abandoned missile silo. That's where I would take beginners.

After reading through this thread, I feel the need to take a shower.

I was going to reply to post 12 .........but I better leave that alone.

After reading through this thread, I feel the need to take a shower.

I was going to reply to post 12 .........but I better leave that alone.


For those of us who are not knowing...........

WTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?????????????????????????????????????????????

I was going to reply to post 12 .........but I better leave that alone.

This particular piece of performance art wasn't limited to a single post but should be considered as an entire body of work. It's sort of like saying a single song on Dark Side of the Moon makes the album.

For those of us who are not knowing...........

WTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?????????????????????????????????????????????

Nothing in particular. Just appreciating the subtle, possibly subconscious, conversation taking place in this thread.

This particular piece of performance art wasn't limited to a single post but should be considered as an entire body of work. It's sort of like saying a single song on Dark Side of the Moon makes the album.

You have a very good point.

redwood is a perfect place for a beginner. the climb out of the canyon kinda sucks, but there are only a few really steep sections. i crashed on my 'cross bike coming down east ridge right after the big bermed turn. went over the bars and got tossed off the side of the trail and sprained my back. but then again, i was going way too fast on a bike that was a little under-equipped.

briones/shell ridge can also be pretty fun. last time i was there on my rigid bike with a buddy on a hardtail and we both had a blast. the fire roads are super fun to bomb down and present the opportunity to teach a beginner how to descend very fast while maintaining control.

joaquin miller was the first place my buddy took me when i decided to get into mountain biking. big trees/rabbit hole trail is ridiculously fun and flowy. from the bottom of big trees, you can go down the upper part of palos colorados and connect to sunset? and then sinawik, then loop back around on lower palos colorados to the upper part of sunset then head up two dollar hill to sequoia/bayview and make your way to cinderella. cinderella isn't all that bad my first few runs down were a little sketchy, but as long as you keep it under control and look where you're going, it's cool. you can roll all the jumps and the steep water bars at the bottom all have go-arounds carrying speed through the rocks and roots right at the bottom is key, but all in all, it's a super fun trail that isn't nearly as difficult as most people make it out to be. i do it rigid on days when i'm feeling a bit masochistic. chaparral, on the other hand is definitely not a first-timer trail.

skeggs, china camp, and tamarancho are all super fun places as well. i would take her to redwood/JMP first and then china camp and then tamarancho.