Mountain Biking - I know nothing about mountain biking.

Heyo MTBers.. I'm visiting from the Road forum (i'm a roadie) and I was just curious... I sometimes see images of people basically cycling down mountains, with gigantic drops, etc. I understand that you guys have some serious shocks but... how do you plan that? How do you know that the next drop won't just be too far?

I understand trail riding, all that but.. these guys with the mountains.. What is that all about? I assume the trails are preset? How far can you fall on a mountain bike with good shocks before you are going to die/break a bone?

PS: I am guilty of not doing any research on this subject before asking the question.

http://i2.pinkbike.com/photo/1515/pbpic1515774.jpg

No need for thunderous downhill banzai runs. Nice trails with small changes in elevation are great for M Bikers. Your local Mt. bike website can often steer you to great spots for beginners, intermediates and anything in between. Riding trails in the woods at a easy pace is the best form of Mt Biking for me. You just have to look around. The first place I took mu Mt bike to a 3 mile circular paved trail for roadies here in Tampa. I just progreessed to more "thrilling" trails such as woods, dirt and small hills. It grows on you.

http://i2.pinkbike.com/photo/1515/pbpic1515774.jpg


.......ah yes, Bender and Jaw Drop. He never landed it and wound up pretty busted up. It makes for some cool pics!

Heyo MTBers.. I'm visiting from the Road forum (i'm a roadie) and I was just curious... I sometimes see images of people basically cycling down mountains, with gigantic drops, etc. I understand that you guys have some serious shocks but... how do you plan that? How do you know that the next drop won't just be too far?

I understand trail riding, all that but.. these guys with the mountains.. What is that all about? I assume the trails are preset? How far can you fall on a mountain bike with good shocks before you are going to die/break a bone?

EXTREME FR.

I know nothing about mountain biking either,no mountains where I live.

hmmm.. some people break bones trying to jump a curb on thier road bike....

seriously, tho - mtber's are usually familiar with the trail they are on, having walked or ridden it before making epic jumps, or, alternatively, they are still lying at the bottom of a "too big" jump waiting to break the fall of the next guy......

It's an experience thing. No one is jumping that stuff without first starting out on 2 or 3 foot drops like the rest of us. Those guys you see jumping massive gaps at 60mph are an elite few. Those drops are well planned; they don't just show up at the cliff while riding down the side of a mountain and simply launch and hope for the best. It's just like judging a set of doubles, it's almost an instinct you get so good at it.

That being said, most DH stuff is in the 10 to 30 foot range. 30 feet will make your stomach tighten up pretty good but if you fall you may break something but it isn't nearly as likely to kill you, so you have more people willing to take that risk.

Your typical XC rider is only dropping a few feet, and some don't even do that. Personally I like jumps more than drops because you can get some air beneath you and the ground without break-neck speed, and the landings are much more cush, so you don't 200mm forks on your bike.

Personally I like jumps more than drops because you can get some air beneath you and the ground without break-neck speed, and the landings are much more cush, so you don't 200mm forks on your bike.

You don't need speed to do drops...depending on the type of drop, you can hit, or really, HAVE to hit a lot of them at slow pace. Hit them too fast and you'll overshoot the tranny and then you'll be in big trouble.

And with a good tranny, a drop can be butter smooth on a hardtail.

You don't need speed to do drops...depending on the type of drop, you can hit, or really, HAVE to hit a lot of them at slow pace. Hit them too fast and you'll overshoot the tranny and then you'll be in big trouble.

And with a good tranny, a drop can be butter smooth on a hardtail.

Man, this conversation would have an entirely different meaning here in San Francisco...:eek:

those guys you see ridin' the hills have probably ridden that path dozens of times, or at least scouted it out once or twice.

When i ride on the trails with my friends who are relatively inexperienced, they think i'm hot **** 'cause i know every turn, when to accelerate, and when to slow. They, however, never having been on the trails, are failing all over the place. I'm not that great of a biker. Only maybe a full year or "real" experience. Not much... but still to them i appear to be hot stuff. just gotta know what comes next!

hmmm.. some people break bones trying to jump a curb on thier road bike....


Actually, a really good trials rider died bunny-hoping a curb. It was well within his skill range, but something obviously went wrong. The trial riders, free riders and down hillers in his area all wore white ribbons on their handlebars to show support for someone who died doing something he loved: Biking.



And to get a pro-helmet thing in here, it was literally the first and last time he rode without a helmet.

How far can you fall on a mountain bike with good shocks before you are going to die/break a bone?

I would say that if you hit a tree going 20mph+ your MTB suspension isn't going to be a big safety factor. It might help you avoid the crash through bike handling, but the danger in MTB's isn't cars, it's immovable objects like trees, rocks and cliffs.

Enjoy!

And to get a pro-helmet thing in here, it was literally the first and last time he rode without a helmet.

I call BS. You don't honestly believe that someone with enough seat time to build "really good" trials skills had never taken a helmetless spin around the driveway before, do you?

That being said, most DH stuff is in the 10 to 30 foot range. 30 feet will make your stomach tighten up pretty good but if you fall you may break something but it isn't nearly as likely to kill you, so you have more people willing to take that risk.

.

What DH course has a 30 foot drop in it?

I saw something on the boob tube the other night and I think it was about that Bender dude and that exact drop. That dude got seriously busted up!!

I call BS. You don't honestly believe that someone with enough seat time to build "really good" trials skills had never taken a helmetless spin around the driveway before, do you?

Just regurgitating what I read.



To make it 100% surefire, I'll say this-


A helmet would have prevented his death. However, jumping the curb WAS in the middle of a session.

search you tube for any "new world disorder" or "roam" freeride or downhill stuff. all very impressive

this has some big jumps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSaQWTfVSPw

Thanks guys =) Answers a lot of my questions.

*just curious* though, trust me.. I'll take my chances with traffic before I'll start riding down mountains =p

Just regurgitating what I read.

I thought you said you weren't going to do that anymore.





To make it 100% surefire, I'll say this-


A helmet would have prevented his death.

How can you be sure?

Check out this forum and you will find out many other interesting things about mtb. I know this is what I'm going to do. I'm a fan, I've done a little amateur downhill biking, but I'm not an expert.

How far can you fall on a mountain bike with good shocks before you are going to die/break a bone?

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd223/justinm231/7BE9D8EEE5-7F53-4949-A2A9-DE8609409.jpg


Best way is to find out for yourself.