Trail Bikers Blog

someone asked:


do you need to wear helmets? any videos or pictures will help.

David Faulkner asked:


One of the greatest appeals of mountain biking is that it is a unisex sport. Mountain biking does not discriminate on the basis of gender. Nor does it eliminate participants due to their ages or ethnicities; in its early years it was largely the domain of men and boys, but now women and girl mountain bikers are joining the fun in record numbers.

Girls mountain biking has begun to achieve prominence in the sport, thanks to the teams of girls mountain bikers fielded by many US high schools. High school mountain biking programs allow female students to master the techniques necessary to succeed in girls mountain biking competitions, and many of them are the equal of the male bikers in their schools.

NorCal

The NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, founded in 2001, opened up the world of girls mountain biking to Elena Spittler, who was the league’s girls mountain biking champion in 2005. She joined the Berkeley High School Mountain Biking Team as its single female member, simply to prove that girls could succeed in the sport. She struggled to keep up with the boys during her first year on the team, but by the time she was a senior, Elena was trouncing some of her younger male teammates.

Two years after she struck a blow for girls mountain biking at her high school, there are now seven girls on the team, and the total number of participants in girls mountain biking for the entire NorCal High School Mountain Bike League has doubled.

The league now has a summer girls mountain biking camp and intends to host a girls mountain biking mini-camp in the first part of the high school racing season to help the girls competing improver their techniques and build their confidence. The league has made a commitment to these girl-specific activities, and is also training its team coaches in methods of recruiting and working with girls mountain biking candidates.

These girls mountain biking clinics and camps cover a variety of topics. The girls are required to maneuver their bikes over natural obstacles and down steep descents, learning the balance, dexterity, and bike control necessary for competing in cross country, endurance, and short course racing events. They are also schooled in bike maintenance and repair. For more info see http://www.mountainbikingreviews.com/Mountain_Biking_Dirt_Jumps on Mountain Biking Dirt Jumps

Girls Mountain Biking Clinics

The clinics stress the importance of preserving mountain biking trails, finding team sponsorship, educating the public in the positive benefits of girls mountain biking, and improving one’s biking skills. They encourage their students to develop self-reliance and challenge them in the same way that their male counterparts are challenged.

Thanks to the efforts of groups like the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, both girls and girls mountain biking have “caught up” with the boys!

The Maestro asked:


What are some good sites online to shop for mountain biking shoes? Both of the local bike stores near my house have an extremely limited selection of shoes (like three pair each). Performance and Nashbar seem to have a good selection, but never the right sizes. What I’m looking for is a shoe (SPD) that you can get off the bike and walk around easily. I’m not looking for the type of shoe that looks like a road shoe with a little tread. Any help would be appreciated.

DCM asked:


Anybody know of a good one in the bay area? If possible please include some information (directions) as to where it is located. Thanks.

Petrolheadsteve asked:


Hi, got about £120 to spend on a new pair on forks, used for cross country and road use, so if it has lockout will be ideal. Should be light but still quite strong as i do sometimes use my bike for light dirt jumping.
any ideas of what to get, i would like 100mm travel

thanks in advance

OG asked:


Looking for something lightweight and comfortable. Good for riding trails and bike paths.

Robert Sheehan asked:


Mountain bikes are specially meant for rough and rugged terrains. These extra traction and shock absorbing mountain bicycles are provided with fat knobby tires.

However, a full front and rear suspension is becoming quite a common factor nowadays with bikes meant for mountain rides. Some bikes of this particular variety are fitted with bar ends on the handlebars, but with recent trends the use of handlebars and extensions are becoming less and less popular.

Mountain bicycles have both 26 and 29 inches wheels. The larger wheels of this bike type have better rolling capacities over rocks and boulders. Moreover, wheels, which are larger in diameter, also bring about an enhancement in rotational weight giving way to stable acceleration.

Mountain Bicycles Kings On Rugged Roads

Based on suspension, mountain bicycles are broadly graded into four different kinds:

Bikes with dual or full suspension, These bikes have front suspension fork and rear suspension with a rear shock and linkage that is ready to make the rear wheels move on pivots

Hardtail bikes, These bikes have frames with no rear suspension and they are often supplied with front suspension forks

Soft Tail Bikes, These bikes have frames with small amount of rear suspension. The bikes are activated by flex of the frame rather than the pivots

Fully rigid bikes, These bikes have a sub-type of hardtail along with rigid fork system

The Different Types Of Mountain Bicycles

The Cross-Country Mountain Bike

This bike variety has small amount of suspension on the front or on the rear. These bicycles are comparatively light because they are constructed with lightweight materials both in frame construction and in components.

Some XC bike varieties of this particular type are without any suspension. They make use of rigid front fork that helps in saving weight. Here, the skill of the rider to pass through rough terrains is more important.

Freeride Mountain Bike

These are very similar to enduro bikes and emphasize more on weight and enhanced suspension. These bikes have ample suspension and they are mostly constructed with heavier materials. Freeride bikes are absolutely versatile and they are fantastic for uphill travel. The frame angles of such bikes are usually steeper in comparison to downhill bikes. Most freeride bikes are 30 to 45 pounds in weight.

Trials Mountain Bike

These are trial specific bikes. Most of these bikes are without any suspension. The contemporary trial bikes come without seats as most of the time the rider is out of the saddle. This bike is particularly lighter than other mountain bicycles and it weighs between 15 to 25 pounds. The lightweight makes it easier for the biker to maneuver the bike.

Single-Speed Mountain Bike

This is a kind of mountain bike with one set gear ratio. The ratio of the gear depends on the kind of terrain the bike crosses, the skill and strength of the bike rider and the size of the bike too. A single-speed bike is completely rigid having tough steel frames. If you want to ride a single-speed bicycle on mild to moderate cross-country terrains you have to be strong and active.

North Shore Mountain Bike

North shore mountain bike is genuinely constructed for rough and rugged land surfaces. A rider of this particular bike type has to exhibit lots of skill and balance while riding the bike. This bike is a wonderful combination of freeride and downhill bikes.

The other mountain bike varieties include Enduro Mountain Bike, Downhill Mountain Bike and Dirt Jumping Bike.

Most modern bikes meant for mountains have lighter and stronger frames with innovative design and form. The geometry of these bikes encourages vigorous riding over several obstacles like logs, rocks, wooden bridges and manually fabricated ramps. In the front, the bikes have three gears and it has 7, 8, 9, or 10 gears at the rear wheel position.

Some notable companies who have introduced the latest models of mountain bicycles include Fox, Manitou and Rock Shox along with other significant bike manufacturers. It is quite likely for you to make mistakes while riding a mountain bike. The mishaps generally take place due to equipment failure or misjudgment on the part of the rider.

Thus, several companies have come forward with protective gears referred to as armors to provide full protection from injuries. Some essential upper body protectors for riders include spine protector, full-face helmets and backpack hydration system.

It is quite an established fact that mountain bicycles are aptly designed following the present trend and demand. They are in fact the dream of every spirited and efficient mountain biker.

… asked:


I’m 15 years old, (5′10, 120 pounds…if that helps). My mile time is usually 6 min or less. And I’ve been running 3 miles around the track every other day. I’m new to cross country so I don’t know what I should be doing everyday to start off. Here are some questions I have:
1. How many miles should I run each day? (different amounts?)
2. Where should I run if there aren’t any hills or mountains or anything? (just streets and a park)
3. How fast should I be running? (minutes/mile)
4. Are there any other things I can do do improve my time? (biking, swimming, other exercise, etc). If so, how much?
I’d really appreciate it if you could give some specifics for all of these things. Please answer only if you give me an answer that has produced results from you or others. Thank you.

Also if you feel comfortable giving your e-mail to me, that might help me out too.
One more question: Should I run every day or every other day?

Alastair Hamilton asked:


Moab, Utah is an excellent place to go mountain biking. This area offers you a great variety of trails for every level of mountain biker.

One of the most fun and challenging biking experiences that you can do is Moab Mountain biking. In Moab, there is a great variety of mountain biking trails that will allow any level of biker to have fun. You can find challenging rides or scenic rides, depending upon what you want to do. Moab mountain bike riding will give a ride of any experience level a way to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fun trails.

What is Moab mountain bike riding?

This kind of mountain biking is one that is very challenging and technical, which is why it is so popular. There are many trails that you can choose from that offer you a great ride and a great view. You will not be able to find another place like Moab to ride your bikes. If you are offered the chance to do some biking in Moab, then you need to try it, because it will offer you a great challenge and a lot of fun.

Preparation

You need to do a few things to prepare to make sure that your Moab mountain biking trip is as fun as possible. The first thing that you want to do is to make sure your bike is in tip-top condition. You also want to check out the trails to see which ones that you are interested in. Make sure that the trail that you choose is not too difficult for your experience level and that it offers what you want in your ride.

Essential Equipment and Accessories

You need to ensure that you have the right equipment before you go on your ride. A helmet is an essential piece of equipment because it keeps you safe. You may also want to consider getting some elbow or knee pads to protect those areas. Water and high-energy snacks can help to give your energy a boost. A map can be a lifesaver if you are driving on a new trail to help you to keep from getting lost.

Variety of Trails

You can choose from a big variety of trails in Moab. There are trails for every level of experience and each trail will offer you a different view and ride. You will want to look at the different trails so that you can determine the right one for you and your desires. You can start on the trails for beginner riders and then move up to more challenging trails if you want to make sure that the trail is not too difficult for you.

Group Riding

Riding with a group is one of the best ways to enjoy Moab. It can be a lot of fun to ride with your friends on the trails at Moab. You can laugh, ride, and take pictures together while enjoying the scenery and sights. You can even race is you so choose. Group riding is a fun way to go in Moab.

Fun Riding

Mountain bike riding offers the rider a great deal of fun and excitement. There is nothing else like enjoying being outside and having fun exercising. It will help you to enjoy the wilderness when you are taking a ride through the trails in Moab. You can also enjoy it with the entire family. What fun!

John Ugoshowa asked:


Cross country mountain biking is cross country at

its finest. Where free riders and downhill bikers

use four wheel bikes and ski lifts to get them to

their destination, cross country bikers get to

the top of the mountain by the ride. Though free

riding is very popular, the life vein of the sport

has always been cross country biking.

Just as cross country riders are a different breed,

the bikes they ride are as well. The cross country

bike is completely different in many ways from other

types of mountain riding bikes. The premise for

cross country riders is speed. Everything about

their bikes revolve with the idea of making the

bikes faster and faster.

Bikes used in cross country mountain biking can

be fully rigid frame, hardtails, or even full

suspension frames. Through the years, the cross

over to full suspension has become very popular.

The weight difference between free ride bikes and

cross country bikes are considerable. You’ll be

extremely hard pressed to find a bike that weighs

more than 24 pounds, and even that weight can be

heavy. Free ride bkes weigh close to 40 pounds,

which makes the difference in weight pretty close.

If you’ve never tried cross country mountain biking,

you’ll probably find it to be a break from the

ordinary. Even though this type of biking involves

trails, it’s normally the type of terrain that

beginners wouldn’t want to ride. Involving hills

and rough terrain, cross country biking offers

quite the rush.

For mountain bikers everywhere, cross country is

the way to go. It offers you a new assortment of

bikes, new areas to bike, and a new twist to

mountain biking as you know it. If you’ve been

looking for a mountain biking rush, cross country

mountain biking is what you need to be experiencing.