Killer B

one word, Momentium.... Keep it up & you'll get over/thru stuff that would otherwise be impossible.

Raiyn

You could still get a new bike if you're itching to ride the trails. It will allow you to upgrade parts as your skills progress.

scrublover

yep. agree with KB. speed is your friend.

it's sometimes counterintuitive; you want to slow down, but you'll get through some stuff carrying speed through far better than going too slowly.

a2psyklnut

Here are a couple useful tips I've learned over the years:

1. RIDE what you got until it breaks or until you are committed to the sport to spend close to $750.00. At the $750 range you enter into the "entry level Race bikes". Components below that level aren't much better than what you've already got. I learned how to ride on a '92 GT Karakoram without ANY suspension and your '95 is a better bike than that. You don't need a new bike until you WANT a new bike.

2. Use your arms and legs as suspension. Stay FLEXED always. You should NEVER have any joint locked (elbows, knees). Stay loose on your bike. Stay relaxed and you'll get into more of a FLOW. You shouldn't be fighting your bike, you should be "guiding" it.

3. Use about 70% front brake:30% rear brake. This takes some getting used to. Start at 50/50 with even pressure front and rear and over time develop braking habits to increase the front. You learn to shift your weight back to avoid going "over the bars". SKIDDING IS BAD! If you are skidding, you are out of control. A skidding tire is not gripping, it's sliding on the surface. Plus, it does a lot more damage to the trail.

4. This should be #1 Tip. BE POLITE AND FRIENDLY to other riders and especially to other trail users. Observe proper "right of way" bikes yield to pedestrians AND equestrians. Downhill riders YIELD to uphill riders.

5. Keep your bodyweight shifted uphill when descending or climbing. E.G.: when climbing, stay seated, move toward the tip of your saddle, bend forward at your hips and drop your shoulders to your handlebars. (leaning uphill). When descending, move you butt off the saddle and behind it. Arms straightened, but not locked (still flexed), using more front brake for control.

6. Bring your own tools and know how to use them. Spare tube, patch kit, mini-pump, mini-tool, chain tool are bare minimums. I don't know how many times I've had to stop my riding to help out people who broke down or got a flat and didn't have the tools/parts to get themselves back to the trailhead. Learn the basics of bike repair. Changing tires, adjusting brake/shifter cable tension, basic wheel truing...etc.

7. Pack it in, Pack it out, leave no trace. Pick up other people's garbage. Volunteer to do "trail maintenance" work days. The trails you ride don't magically apear. People spend a lot of hours building and maintaining those trails. BE ONE OF THEM!

8. Don't overinflate your tires. Newbies always use too much tire pressure when riding off-road. Start at 45 p.s.i. and drop a couple of "blasts" from your valve when you stop for a breather. You'll find a point where you are FLYing and in total control. For me, that's about 39 psi, but I'm a BIG boy!

9. Buy a Camelback (Hydration pack), full fingered gloves, padded shorts, and a moisture wicking jersey or T-Shirt. I also highly recommend clear or yellow tinted glasses. I didn't mention a HELMET, but that's pretty obvious.

10. Steer with your hips. A lot of people do this without thinking, but as you increase speed, you need to use your body weight to negotiate turns. As you enter a turn, drop your outside leg (left if turning right) and put pressure on the outside pedal. This will help give your tires traction. Move your body weight to the center or slightly forward. This will give your front tire more 'bite'. As you enter the turn, drop your inside hip back a little. You kinda rotate your lower torsoe to "face" the turn more. This automatically shifts your weight and will help you keep your momentum through the turns.

11. Be a good Steward of the sport. Once you get into to it, get someone else into it. When you buy a new bike, keep the old one for a buddy to use.

12. RACE ONCE! It's an experience everyone should have. If you don't like it, it's only one day.

13. Spend a WHOLE weekend riding. Do an overnight camping trip with some other riding friends and ride until you pass out.

14. Buy/borrow a set of lights and do a night ride! Your 'same old trail' at night is a totally new experience.

15. Convert your old bike into a Single Speed. It'll make you a better rider.

mariano

Great tips !!

1. I really like my GT Zaskar... I'm tempted with a Specialized now, but will hold the money until I get more experience and knowledge. Don't know yet what I can do on the trails and what is that I'll need in the future.

3. I'm used to the 70/30%. I had a motorcycle since I was 15 (now 28) and I learned the hard way to regulate front/rear brakes. Still have some big scars...

6. Geez, I weighted the tools and they are up to 2lb !! I was thinking of three posibilities:

Lightest:
-mini pump
-patch kit
-tire levers

Medium:
- Add a spare tube

Heavy:
-Add a set of metric allen keys
-... a screwdriver with multiple tips
-... an adjustable wrench

Where do you carry them?

15. what do you mean by converting my bike into single speed **********

a2psyklnut

Specialized makes great bikes, but the bike won't make you a better rider. It will make a good rider a better rider, but the rider must be good to get better. (Say that 10 times fast)

Chics dig scars. Also, if you are used to motorcycles, a lot of MX riders switch their brake levers so their front is the right hand.

If you buy a hydration pack, get one with pockets. I carry a spare tube, a mini pump, a mini tool (allen heads), a Gerber Multi tool (knives, pliers, scissors, screwdrivers), a 4 sided spoke wrench (Wrench Tools brand), a mini chain tool (Park Tools Mini Brute), a spare derailleur hanger, a spare crank bolt, a bunch of zip ties, a patch kit (glueless), and some toilet paper (you never know when it hits).

I have a black seatpost and take some black duct tape and wrap the post several times with the duct tape. Duct tape has a TON of uses on a bike.

You find a gear ratio you like (usually about 2:1) and then you remove your derailleurs and your shifters. You might need to keep your rear derailleur as a chain tensioner or you buy one specific for the purpose. Then when you ride, you DON't shift. The bike is lighter and you learn to pedal through EVERYTHING. At first it's exhausting, eventually it's a blast.

VF_PA

The faq is a great tip. I wish I had it when I first started riding.

One of the things that worked best for me was to just start riding. I had a toy'r'us deathtrap in 1992 and rode that thing everywhere, street and trail. I eventually started getting to the point where I can go over 8" logs with it. Unfortunately, the first couple times I didn't quite make it and would endo. A good day was when I could (after breaking the plastic ring guard) kinda "chainsaw" my way over the log. Not that I'm recommending this to anybody but I'm making a point. You ride. You make some mistakes. You come home. You go out next time having learned something.

Instead of carrying tools in my backpack, I carried a bottle of rubbing alcohol and 3x1L bottles of water and some snack bars. I didn't know any better and STILL came home everyday with a big grin.

You can have a great time on pretty much anything. I had two big box store bikes and then made a third out of their cannibalized parts. They held me over for 12 years of helluva fun riding.

If it's a safety issue, fix it. Otherwise, don't worry about it too much.

One last thing I found really useful: ride trails close to home. I've always been a big fan of maximizing riding time vs. driving time. As long as the trail has some challenge, it'll be worthwhile.

Go out and ride! Be safe and you'll have an awesome time.

Drunken Chicken

Great tips!
How much would a pair of average yellow tinted glasses cost me? Oh and I've got some Fox Mesa short fingered gloves. Are full fingered ones much better?

a2psyklnut

You can find cheap clear or yellow lenses with some safety glasses whose style has come a long way. You can find these at Lowe's or Home Depot or other hardware stores. If you have a lawn supply or chainsaw supply store in your area, look there. I've seen them as cheap as $13.00.

As far as long/short fingered gloves. It's a matter of preference. I just like the added protection of the full fingered ones. On my road bike, half. Mountain bike, FULL. I tend to bash through bushes and will occasionally push off a tree or something. THe added pads on the fingers help protect my "delicate little fingers" (sarcasm implied).

The newer styles are so well ventilated, I wear mine all year long. I'm in Florida, so our summer's are HOT and HUMID and I still wear mine.

My preference for fit and style of Fox Racing products. If you go to their website, they usually have last year's models on sale.

My favorite all time gloves were some Cannondale gloves that they no longer make. They were the DH-10 model. Best fitting glove I ever wore.

mariano

What is the reason of the single speed? Is it to train for endurance?

I live in Virgina, close to the Appalachians. I use every gear I have to go through those damn hills fast. What's the purpose of trying in single speed?

Second, do you really need to remove the derailleur or just bond your fingers with duct tape so you cannot shift any gear?

a2psyklnut

Switching to SS is kinda a "cult" thing to do. One of those you really got to try it to appreciate it type thingy. Some love the simplicity, lighter weight and silence (geared bikes make a lot of noise). Others can't see the point.

When you "can't" shift, it forces you to hammer out the gear you've got. No thinking involved. No, "What gear to shift into" type thoughts. The answer is NONE, I can't shift.

If you look at some race results, you'll see a seperate class for SSers. Their laps times are on par with the top finishers. You will become a climbing animal when you ride SS.

You can try the "poor man's" single speed. Just shift into a gear you like, and then DON'T SHIFT the entire day. It's not the same, but close.

mariano

Oh God.... Single speed and going clipless... I forsee some nice bruising in my body...

I'll try it !! Thanks for the tips.