I did a little over 10 miles on the Upper SART from Hidden Valley Wildlife. It was pretty decent ride but it kicked my ass as I am out of shape and not sure of techniques on the terrain. It is fairly flat with a couple of decent ups and downs.

One of the things that was really hurting me (besides that I'm out of shape) was that on most of the really good descents I got panicked because there was dirt on the road at the lowest spot (and in the middle of turns) right before the climb began so I would slow down and kill my momentum. Then I would have to shift into the lower gears and tired myself out for each climb. By the time I came to the end of the road on my return there is a long steady climb and I thought I would die...lol. So I guess I need to know how "panicked" I should be about going through dirt on the trail? I'm riding a Rockhopper with 1.95 slick/commuter tires. They feel good on the pavement but they are not so steady in the dirt. And I'm not sure what to expect when the tires go from asphalt to dirt at a high speed on turns. Maybe everything would be fine, but I also didn't want to fall in that situation either.

I also need to figure out the appropriate amount of water/supplies to bring with me, as I was carrying a big backpack that easily added 10 pounds. I noticed most people had very little on the trail.

The bike is still needing to be looked at too. I noticed the rear hub appears to have play and you can see it move when the brake is applied...even at a stop. Also, the front brake was dragging a bit, something I hadn't had issues with before this ride.

The good news: I am wanting to ride again and get in better shape. Also, the ESI Chunky Grips I just purchased were extremely comfortable. I was worried about my hands getting sore, but they were fine. My butt on the otherhand....lol

Regarding the dirt at the bottom of the hills, you did right to slow down since you did not know how soft/loose the dirt is. It's just something you have to learn to judge, and of course it will change after every rain. As you get in better shape coming back up the other side will be no big deal even if you do slow down. If you go thru the dirt carefully on your outbound leg and find the dirt is not deep and it is very firm, then you can go faster on your return leg. The more you ride the more confident you will become in judging the road condition and in handling the bike should you misjudge. FYI I've ridden SART and other trails with dirt in places on my road bike with 25mm tires and have not encountered anything that made me feel like I would fall.

If your bike has a bottle cage, one full bottle should be enough to last a 10 mile about 1 hour ride. If riding longer another bottle or knowing where you can refill will do the job. Carry a spare tube, tire levers, a frame pump. I also have a bit of gaffer's tape and a few scraps of material to boot a tire if it gets damaged. All this can fit is a small saddle bag. I hate carrying a backpack, especially 10 pounds worth.

You should get the bike to the shop or do the repairs yourself asap. If your rear hub has a lot of play the bearings could be shot or very dry, continuing to ride it could further damage the cones and bearing races, making the eventual repair more difficult and costly. If parts aren't damaged yet, cleaning, repacking and adjusting the hub is cheap and easy. The brake drag doesn't help when you ride, and your brake effectiveness may be reduced.

Good luck.

I do Upper Sart (from Hidden Valley) on a regular basis. The total distance, round trip is 40 miles. Basically it's slightly uphill all the way to Waterman Ave, but thankfully slightly downhill all the way back. And since it's out and back; you an always turn around when starting to drag and feeling tired.

Some good news... you are never far from "civilization" and if need be you can get off the SART, in places to find food and water. There are several parks along the way to fill up water bottles or rest. I don't usually ride SART in the summer (too hot for me); I wait for fall, winter and spring, so generally don't have any problems carrying water. I use a camelback and I will generally ride with at least 50 oz to start. As to snacks, I make sure I have a good breakfast (usually PB toast and a nutrishake) and then I carry beans or Shokbloc and maybe an energy bar.

I know the "climb" you mentioned... a long time ago a good friend gave me the best advice ever... "rest" riding up hills. I used to think I had to attack every hill and I would run out of energy before I got to the top. Now, knowing my limitations, I just put the gearing down low, and start spinning, trying to find a even, steady cadence and keep my breathing down low. You will be surprised what you can climb when you "rest" up hills!

Almost all of the issues you had concerns about are things you will gain experience with over time. Do the USart a few times and you will know the whoop-de-dos and hills, sandy spots etc and you can plan accordingly.

I have ridden the USart on both by road bike (with 25cm tires) and my mountain bike. I am more comfortable on the MTBike because of the uneven road surface but have had no problems on the road bike doing any part of it including riding through dirt. Road bikes do fine going through some dirt and sand, just remember you need some speed to power through the obstacles.

Have fun, one of my favorite places to ride, especially now through the fall and winter!

Yeah, I need to forget the backpack. My problem is I sweat profusely, so I need a lot of water and I just bring more than enough. I will look into just finding the stops to refill the water bottle.

I've got the wheel apart. The bearings were a bit scratched as was one cone, so I ordered some and look forward to getting it back on the road.

Thanks for the response and the tips.

Thank you for all the tips. I will look into the camelback as that will definitely help out. I get so thirsty while out and especially when I'm panting going up the hills. I thought I would feel more ridiculous being passed by everyone out there but I tried to remind myself this was my first real "long" ride on the bike. The good part was that I really enjoyed the ride and most of the scenery (sewage plant an exception) and I look forward to doing it again. I definitely prefer riding the bike paths as opposed to on the street.

Nice thing about USart is - there are all sorts of riders. Yes, club riders are out there but really I see alot of families and what I consider to be "newbies" on the trail. I've taken out new riders myself since I think its a great training ride. I enjoy all the scenery out there including the sewage plant and the homeless encampments... it's a diverse ride, lots of interesting things to keep one going...