Mountain Biking Gurus?

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mr3thirty5
mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking to start mountain biking soon. Will probably look for easy trails to start, nothing too technical. Will work up to the adrenaline pumping rides like downhill in the near future. Any tips & advice for a newb (safety gear, apparel, biking etiquette, what to pack, meet ups, etc...)? Any help is greatly appreciated!

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  • patrickblo13
    patrickblo13 Posts: 831 Member
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    Definitely invest in a helmet if you don't have one yet. For apparel I highly suggest padded bike shorts for any kind of distance riding. As far as etiquette, hikers have the right away (that's crazy IMO but according to IMBA that's the rule), let faster rider's by, uphill guy has the right away and don't ride when the trails are muddy. Other than that carry a spare tube and have a blast!!!
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    Thanks! Currently looking for a good beginner's bike along with some gear. I appreciate the advice. Can't wait to hit the trails!
  • patrickblo13
    patrickblo13 Posts: 831 Member
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    What bikes are you looking at?
  • DannehBoyy
    DannehBoyy Posts: 546 Member
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    I used to be crazy about downhill biking! You should make an account on Pinkbike.com, It's great for finding trails near to where you live. You can also buy and sell on there. It's awesome! :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Gear: Bike and helmet.

    Etiquette: Yield to everyone whenever possible. Respect the environment/trails.

    Check with your local bike shops about shop or club rides for beginners. They can show you the local trails, help support/teach, etc. Don't worry too much about what to pack at this point - a water bottle and some basic tools (and the ability to use them... i.e. change a tire).

    Ride, have fun, repeat.
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    To be honest, i don't know which bike to pick. I am looking at a hard tail ($300-$500 range) to start with.
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    DannehBoyy wrote: »
    I used to be crazy about downhill biking! You should make an account on Pinkbike.com, It's great for finding trails near to where you live. You can also buy and sell on there. It's awesome! :)

    Does this site have meetups too? It would be awesome to find a group of bikers I can learn from.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    As long as it's well put together, that should be fine. Check craigslist, too.
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    Craigslist was the first place I looked. Not too many good condition bikes in my area. Gonna keep searching before I buy a brand new bike though.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Yep... be patient. I'm sure they are out there.
  • DETarch
    DETarch Posts: 2 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Go explore the beginner's section on MTBR:

    http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/

    Great group of folks there, and well-organized info for beginners. Be sure to read the stickied info before you ask questions.

    Otherwise, I would say wait for a good used deal on a bike. A new bike at the $300-500 price point won't be great quality, and if you get into more difficult trails, it'll be prone to breaking. Lots of good info on MTBR about what to look for in a used bike as well. And get a helmet immediately!

    They also have a section about trails (with ratings, review, descriptions, etc.) so you can find somewhere to ride near where you live.

    Most of all, enjoy it! It's an awesome hobby and a cool community. Just don't tell your significant other how much you spend on bike parts, lol.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Where do you live?
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Having cracked a couple helmets (instead of my skull), +1 on the helmet. If you're going to be venturing away from the trailhead very far, in addition to the spare tube, carry a small pump and something to get your tire off with (a couple of small plastic levers, or, my go-to, the Quik Stik). And a under-seat carrier for those goodies. For water, I generally prefer a camelbak -- water bottles have a tendency to pop out of their cages at inconvenient times.
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    DETarch wrote: »
    Go explore the beginner's section on MTBR:

    http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/

    Great group of folks there, and well-organized info for beginners. Be sure to read the stickied info before you ask questions.

    Otherwise, I would say wait for a good used deal on a bike. A new bike at the $300-500 price point won't be great quality, and if you get into more difficult trails, it'll be prone to breaking. Lots of good info on MTBR about what to look for in a used bike as well. And get a helmet immediately!

    They also have a section about trails (with ratings, review, descriptions, etc.) so you can find somewhere to ride near where you live.

    Most of all, enjoy it! It's an awesome hobby and a cool community. Just don't tell your significant other how much you spend on bike parts, lol.

    Thanks so much for the advice! Trying to soak in all the helpful info from my fellow MFP members. Looks like I'll have to do some creative budgeting to keep the wife off my trail.
  • mr3thirty5
    mr3thirty5 Posts: 38 Member
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    I'm in San Diego. Too many nice trails not to take advantage of.

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