i just won an '06 specialized hardrock sport from an after graduation party. looks like im gunna be getting into biking now
took it out today for a spin and really liked it. anyone got any beginner tips? hope to learn more from this site.

dang, thats a pretty sweet after-grad prize!! you have a pretty nice bike to start with. Pick yourself up a helmet if you dont already have one, and try some trails, then come back with all the questions you have. You will learn a lot of stuff on these forums.

Enjoy!

First and foremost, don't ride alone!

Secondly, get a helmet, some gloves, a mini-tool, some tube patches, a mini-pump and learn some basic repair techniques. This could save you a long walk back to the trailhead.

Keep your elbows and knees flexed. Don't ever lock out these joints. Use them as additional suspension.

Don't look where you don't want to go, you WILL go there. Instead, focus on the best "line" and concentrate on it. You will find that by focusing your eyes where you want to go, your body (and bike) will follow.

Going too slow will cause you to fall over more. Sometimes more speed is what is needed. Not having enough forward momentum causes you to steer eratically, and flop from side to side.

Learn how to use your body weight to make the bike do different things. When climbing, stay seated toward the tip of the saddle, bend at the waist, drop your shoulders, tuck your elbows and pull down on the bars.

When descending, get your butt off the saddle and slightly behind it. The steeper the incline, the further back off the saddle.

That's all for now!

thanks a lot
what about a camelbak?

Ireland's ninja huh? we'll see about that!!

camelbacks are only good if you go on really long rides.. just pick up a water bottle cage/bottle for now, then see if you need a camelback.

I use them, I think they're great. Probably one of the the Top 10 inventions that have led to better biking.

I have two. A slimer model for shorter trips and a bigger bag with lots more junk for the longer trips.

Let me add that I live in Florida. It's hot and humid ALL the time. So, even a short trip means you're constantly drinking.

yeah, i was just going to add that!

being in lousianna, i'd imagine its pretty toasty and humid down there too..

indeed. before i got to the end of my driveway today i was sweating. im just north of new orleans across the lake... so im pretty far down there.

The ninja population is growing around here.

I almost got that bike it was my first choice when I got into the whole MTB scene.

I guess my recomendation would be, be consious of your foot position the pedal goes on the ball of your foot not the instep... I just learned this and if you develop a bad habbit it will be harder to correct down the road.

LOL. I second that. A buddy backed out on me one day, and decided I would head out on my own....What could go wrong, right? It would same that the rain that we had over the previous few weeks exposed a tree root that normally wasn't there. I was flying down the decent, came over a bump, and next thing I know I was over the bars and falling head first down the ravine. Rolled and tumbled to the bottom. I was just scratched and beat up a little, the bike was fine. Thank god for my helmet!

Congratulations. It's a great bike.

I always rode alone. Had too or I didn't ride often enough. You can carry a cell phone or tell some one where you'll be and what time you'll contact them when you return. It's of course better to have some one with you if you can.

IMO the best thing you can do is get Ned Overend's book Mountain Bike Like a Champion and the second, get Brian Lopes book Mastering Mountain Bike Skills.

I put Overends book first as it emphasizes those things that will keep you safe up front. Most serious injuries apparently occur at low speed and he deals with that. Lopes book is full of excellent photos demonstrating the stuff in both books. Overend's book can probably be bought used form Amazon for a few bucks as it's been out a long time.

The reason for the books is to accelerate the learning process. You can start off right away using good technique and don't have to unlearn bad habits later. Another reason is you'll get faster quicker and speed makes riding much more fun. That really helps the motivation to ride and to continue improving.

Al

Nice ride

Wow, what a nice looking bike. Mountain biking, your going to love it. For a starter, pick easy trials, and don't get flustered over how easy they make it look on TV, compared to just how physically demanding the sport can be. It's one of the best ways to stay in shape and have fun at the same time. Don't underestimate riding style, weight distribution, and just plain experience in negotiating differing terrain features. I'm getting better and going up and into areas that gave me a fit a couple of months ago.

Have fun, and for petes sake, don't let that bike ever just sit in a corner somewhere. That would be such a shame.

Yup its a great bike and you got it for free, ok I still remember when I first get into MTB. I firstly get the feel of my bike, how it turns, brakes and etc. After a few months of cycling uphill tarred road, i decided to join a cycling group, the first ride was hard but after that it starts to get easier, now im top 3 fastests in my team. Anyway about hydration pack, nowadays there are other brands that perform as good as CamelBak, eg: Deuter. Im not kidding, originally im planning to get a LOBO but since camelbak malaysia have import problems after 4months of waiting i gave up. I went to a cycling shop and there I saw it a red coloured Deuter Hydro Lite 3.0. Ok its 1liter more then lobo but its compartment is only 1 litre. Just what I needed a light hydration pack with high water capacity- same price as LOBO also. Anyway its design is very cool, it makes your pack doesnt look BIG when loaded with 3litre of water and its AirPanel works, the bag feels light and you doesnt feel it. And it DOESNT DRIP, wooo hoooo. Just like I wan a hydration pack should be, no drip. Anyway sorry for the long story about buying my hydration pack, im just sooo excited ^^

Another thing to keep in mind is that you will probably, at one point or another, fall down or crash. DON'T put your hands out to stop your fall. Roll with the bike, or just roll yourself. Trying to stop or break your fall with your hands will result in broken bones!

just ride, bro.

yea about falling... i been riding dirtbikes for a lil while now and im used to that aspect
it starts getting fun after a lil while. thank all of you who gave input

camelbacks are a must, not only do they keep you with a ample suppy of water they also help break your fall if you should fall onto your back.

It's rather humid here in summer so it's necessitated.

first and foremost, HAVE FUN!

all i won from my after grad party was a million candlepower spotlight, and some craftsmen pliers.

i was hoping to win the xbox360 or the kayak.. but im happy with what i got... i think i will really enjoy it.

Nice couch.


Oh yeah, and the bike's sweet too

Adjust tire pressure to trail surface, particularly for the rear tire since you don't have rear suspension. Smooth trail, high pressure. Rocky rough trail, low pressure. This can make a surprising difference in handling and control.

On downhills, stretch out and back. The steeper, the farther back off the seat your butt should be.

Get comfortable with speed in technical sections. It will carry you through much more smoothly and effortlessly than slow pedaling.

Get a camelback, drink tons of water.

Go down to a local bike shop and ask them what you need. But if it ends up costing more than id say. $200, then put down some stuff you don't think you will need. Mostly ask for directions to the local trails or mountain.

awesome! got a job lined up? going to college? you can take the bike with you!!

i learned everything i know, specifically about bicycles, from the kind people at this place!

you can get a cheap bladder and back pack set up from walmart if you don't want to spend the money on a camel back

Here's a tip: Find some friends to ride with! Build skills together and learn from one another. My friend got into biking a year before us, and he says he's learned more from riding with us than he has the year he's been riding alone.

Oh, and get a helmet. They really work.