I have been road biking for almost a year now, putting on a little more than 4,000 miles in that time and loving every mile of it Almost all my rides are in a group, I really enjoy the camaraderie and have met some great new friends. Many of my roadie friends also mountain bike, especially in the winter and they have been urging me to get a mtn bike and join them in the woods. I had been very reticent, concerned about injury and wether I had enough bike handling skills to survive on the trail.

Finally I got a demo bike, a Gary Fisher x-caliber 29er, and joined my friends Francis and Julie on a ride at Lake Norman State Park. First of all I had a blast!! Single track riding is scary and exhilarating all the same time, but what a rush!! It took me a few minutes to understand that the things I avoid on my road bike are the things you have to go over on a mtn bike!! My wake up call was a fall early on, on a tricky descent through a rutted and heavily rooted turn, I just didnt let the bike roll over the roots and got stopped by a big which caused me to do a slo mo endo Francis, who is a very experienced rider, told me what I did wrong and that I should trust the bike to get over these obstacles. Fortunately nothing hurt except my pride, lesson learned!

After that fall I tried to let the bike do what it was designed to do and whaddya know, things started to fall in place A few miles into the ride I was zinging along the trail, rolling over roots and rocks at an ever increasing pace and even managed to get airborne once!! We were just about to finish the first trail and head over to another one when I heard a pop and coild feel my rear wheel wobble. Sure enough I had broken a spoke so my trail riding was done for the day I slow pedaled back to the car with a grin on my face.

Mtn biking is so different from road biking, it requires better balance, more concentration, use of upper body and quick bike handling skills. I'm going to buy a mtn bike today and though road biking will be my main activity, I know that sprinkling some trail rides will be fun and will allow me to improve as a rider in general.

Try it yourselves, you might like it

pics?

Sounds like you had a blast!

The intensity of the climbing blows away anything on a road bike. I hit the dirt whenever I can.

I enjoy riding MTB ever so often. It really compliments the road riding skills. Not many of my partners are into MTB so I don't do a whole lot and if I ride alone, I only have myself to record on video.


A ride on somewhat more of a forest/single track/wilderness trail than what I usually ride. Lots of water crossings and moisture gunking up the chain. Nice ride but I myself prefer a clean fire road since my MTB rides are used more to complimenting my climbing fitness rather than looking to hop obstacles etc.





This one is on a fire road but more serious climbing... FTR, the dude walking up the mountain at 4:20 isn't part of our group.

Doesn't look real steep in the video but Eyemage has hit 40 mph on these descents.





This was tough climb up Sunset Ridge. If you mention this ride to a local MTB'er, they take it for granted that someone drive you to the top then you rode down the trail. When we tell them that we climb up, they're in awe! On the local MTB forums, the common practice is for a group of 20 riders to be shuttled up then ride down.


Not sure why but this video has over 1000 views, maybe the song. I wasn't planning to post this video onYT but it turned out to be my most viewed.


Ride profile form one of our rides

Beanz by gulpxtreme, on Flickr

Nifty vids Mr. Beanz, though I wouldn't call that trail singletrack, it was more like a doubletrack and very smooth too.

Thanks! As far as single track, double track, I don't know any of the MTB terms really, I just go where they point me and ride my bike.

Helluva climb to be proud of there. Loot like fun. I miss MTB -- one too many endos.

I am impressed with the videos. I know that the grades don't show well on video but it is obvious that that is some tough riding.

1855Cru, Have fun with the new mountain bike (pics!). If I could have only one bike, it'd be my mountain bike.

Brad

Thanks! Part of the reason I kept the clip of the guy walking up the climb. He didn't know we were coming up form behind. When he noticed us, he immediately hopped back on his bike ha ha!

MTB is fun and it improves your handling skills. Everyone should do it.

Here you go, brand spanking new, haven't even taken the reflectors off yet It's a standard 2011 Trek Gary Fisher X Caliber with the addition of some Ergon GA-1 grips

X-cal 004.jpg

nice ride!

Nice Bike!