Mountain Biking - Mud

I ment to Kingman farm today to put in a few good miles. Everything was all nice and dandy, beautiful weather. Blue sky, not a cloud in there. Probably in the high 60's ot even 70. I was going and after a few miles in i came across a rather large pond which extended well beyond the width of the trail. So i figure its just water, I can survive being wet. So as soon as my fronmt tire enters this i sink down another 6 or 7 inches in MUD. I found i could not go through this mud on the bike so yes i had to get off and look for little stepping stones to cross it. It was probably for about 20 feet. I would hit a mud patch here and there after there for a little. Then it got to the point where it was 20 foot mud blob after 20 foot mud blob. After 3 of these i said screw it and turned back and stuck to the field.
So how do you deal with mud? Is plowing through mud past 4 inches a lost cause or what?

I've been in mud up to my hubs before and by that point, I just get off and walk it... usually carrying the bike. If the trails are really muddy all over the place, I generally choose to turn around and not ride it to avoid causing extensive erosion. I generally wait a few days after a big rain before I ride the trails to allow them to dry out first.

Throw it in an easy gear and pedal. Gets me through almost anything if it is like sand or mud.

Usuaully if I know it is there, I plow full speed into it with an easy gear and then pedal my way out.

Speaking of erosion, never pedal around the puddle, that the best way to create more erosion. If you are gonna ride it, go through it.

I put on a snorkel and goggels and pedal hard!! :D

well they were not muddy all over the place. It was just patches of mud, but as i went deeper into the woods they became much more abundant. If i had known i would not have even entered the woody area

You have to come here and try and ride in this mud. Evil, I tell you.

It sticks to your tire like glue, and before you know it, your tire is 5 inches wide and wont clear the frame or fork. You can go about 10 feet before you have to stop and pull the mud out. Then it's glued on to the bike if you dont wash it off while it's still wet...

Throw it in an easy gear and pedal. Gets me through almost anything if it is like sand or mud.

Usuaully if I know it is there, I plow full speed into it with an easy gear and then pedal my way out.

Speaking of erosion, never pedal around the puddle, that the best way to create more erosion. If you are gonna ride it, go through it.


That's how I do it. If it's really bad, I've noticed that bouncing a little on my FS seems to help get me through, too. Of course, after a ride like that I have to hose myself off before my wife will let me in the house.:(

Ive been in mud/splurge up to the top of my wheels, didnt think it waas very deep, maybe 5-6 inches, got to the middle and sunk, jumped off and lost my shoe in it.. I wasnt very Happy

The mud where I live is a sort of clay. It feels like mud, it looks like mud, but it doesn't free itself from the fork arch, brakes, tires, etc. If I do go through it and its deep enough, I have to dismount and pull off chunks to be able to make any forward progress.

Another thing is it is very slippery. I was riding yesterday and had to be extremely careful because the patches of mud are hard to see 3-4 days after a rain. Careful means riding straight, because it your front wheel is turned at all when you're going 25mph and hit a patch of this stuff, you hit the ground sliding. Bad times.

Long story short, if its deeper than the tires, I walk it.

The mud where I live is a sort of clay. It feels like mud, it looks like mud, but it doesn't free itself from the fork arch, brakes, tires, etc. If I do go through it and its deep enough, I have to dismount and pull off chunks to be able to make any forward progress.

Another thing is it is very slippery. I was riding yesterday and had to be extremely careful because the patches of mud are hard to see 3-4 days after a rain. Careful means riding straight, because it your front wheel is turned at all when you're going 25mph and hit a patch of this stuff, you hit the ground sliding. Bad times.

Long story short, if its deeper than the tires, I walk it.


Yeah, we've got a lot of stuff like that. Barely adjust your steering and you're fighting to stay upright. Good times if you keep from goin' down.

Throw it in an easy gear and pedal. Gets me through almost anything if it is like sand or mud.

Usuaully if I know it is there, I plow full speed into it with an easy gear and then pedal my way out.

Speaking of erosion, never pedal around the puddle, that the best way to create more erosion. If you are gonna ride it, go through it.


On my favorite personal trails there is a 1/4 mile that is terminally wet......about 3" of water just rests on the same amount of sandy mud. Putting it in a gear that might be one too low seems to work well for me because the lower ones spin and makes my shorty P2 (great mud bike! NOT!! ) unstable and more hard to manage. But yeah...I have found what you say works for me, if you see a little one hitiing it hard and letting momentum help out is good....keeping my weight rearward and sort of keeping the front tire unweighted instead of digging in helps too.....I found that I get real tense when the bike starts slipping around and that if I loosen up and just do a little fandango with it its even easier .
I like mudd :D I enjoy splashing in it and spraying it everywhere !! Now if I could only get creek crossings down...... :eek: :eek:

We all encounter mud at some point, but being from New England, you should check this link (http://www.nemba.org/Articles/SoftRiding.html) to learn a little about mud. Not trying to be a di*k, just offering some advice.

I dont think some people understand this. I did not expect mud, i dont go looking for mud. Most of the trail was not muddy. It was 70 degrees and my lawn and the trails which i saw had no mud on them, just dry. I dont go looking for mud

I hate mud. Give me dust anyday...

Mud Rocks! Then again, dont really have a choice over here, the only dust we get is when we dust our shelves!

Wouldn't be used to this then would you
http://www.digitalsalvo.com/e107_plugins/coppermine_menu/albums/userpics/2004_10_31_foxcreek/20041031_140621.jpg

Hehehe, defintely not, i wouldnt know what to do in dust, totally different conditions.

Next trail ride I go on ill find a nice mud patch and post it to you anthonaut, see if you ride in my conditions :)

Deal :beer:

Mud Rocks! Then again, dont really have a choice over here, the only dust we get is when we dust our shelves!

Mud only rocks until your on the crew who tries to keep the trails up in running in useable condition.

THEN ... mud is VERY bad.

Seriously folks, if your local trail is THAT bad all year long, you need to form some organization and get to work hardening flood prone areas.

It amazes me that some people will spend countless hours and thousands of dollars on their bike, but they won't drop a single red cent or an ounce of energy working the trails that they rid upon.