Progressing to harder stuff

themonkeydidit

Hi all.

I'm new to mountain biking and have been going out on good footpaths in the country, through woods, done some easy hills with a few small steepish descents....no overly technical or kamikazee stuff. It's all fun but I'm now looking for more of a buzz and want to try some more difficult and challenging terrain. I've found some small but good looking trails near where I live but they are very steep in places and there appears to be no way around the steepest sections. My concern is that I might injure myself trying these out and since I ride alone I'll be up a creek without a paddle. I was wondering how other people progressed to riding scarier stuff? Is it just a matter of praying you'll survive then chucking yourself off the side of the hill, hopefully gaining useful experience along the way or is there more to it? I've read articles on tackling steep decents etc but they're not much help. I've always found the best way to learn is to try things but it seems there is slightly more to risk in this case.

Bikerbaboon

Depends on your way of looking at things you can go and have a go hope you dont come off or if you do hit something soft ( comeing off sideways or backwards is normaly better then overthe bars).

or get some training form a MTB course

or the way im doing it is to ride often.Practice the skills that you need to get down the more techincal bits in a safe place like wheely drops. manuals, bunny hops over the realy rought ground, brake control. and then build your self up to the harder stuff.

I have been riding for 6 months and can now handle red routes.

the most important thing is to never ride in to a section thinking " ohh i may fall off", or " this looks nasty" or anything negative as if you do you will fall.

RichMTB

Most of us reach points in our riding where we get stuck and don't seem to progress, sometimes its jumps or dropsor a single obstacle that always see, to defeat us.

Try to ride with someone who is a bit more experienced than yourself.

Try to build up to the more difficult obstacles gradually. the basics of tackling a 1 foot drop are the same as tackling a 6 foot drop.

But the main thing is continue to enjoy your riding, stay positive and the progress will come

craker

Tricky isn't it? Don't do what I did and think 'I'll try that' (that's the big jump in the freeride section at Cwmcarn)

Deffo give a XC route a go though, you can go as slowly as you feel comfortable. It's just the silly DH stuff where a lack of speed / technique / confidence will do you in. Even then you can ride around the harder obstacles.

beefy123

hi im new too and the more you ride the more you want to push yourself . its hard on your own to go that step further as there is no encouragement from behind you , but take it slow a step at a time it all works out. i tackled a sheep track which looked more than possible and ended up under the bike staring at the sky . dust off and have another go see where you went wong and try not to do it again . i can now get down it but just fall off in other places.al the best.