Very very new to this!

Vixen17

Hi all, new girl just dropping in to say hi and wondered if any of you could help please?!

I recently bought myself a very pretty pink bike (GT Avalanche) and have literally just learned to ride in a straight line again. The last time I was on a bike I was about 9 years old (am now hitting 35!). I'd love to eventually get to the point where I can go and ride hills and jumps and squidge through big puddles of mud but my question is how do I get to that point?

Do I just rock up to any old park or forest and just ride? Is there etiquette or essential rules I need to learn?

Please bear in mind that I am blonde and I am in Essex (Basildon!) so relatively simple answers please! I have just peeked through the FAQ's and have yet to learn the language of the cyclist so it might as well have been in French for all I understood...

Thanks in advance for any help - much appreciated!

V

Anonymous

if it's your very first time at a trail centre, then I'd suggest going with someone else, just in case you have an accident of some sort. Other than that, just get out and ride.
The only "rule" as such is that we're not allowed to ride on "footpaths".
now (if anyone asks, I didn't tell you this though) generally speaking, if you ride on footpaths, and are polite and apologetic if anyone does pull you up for it, then you'll probably be ok - even more so considering you're a girl. I'm sure you must know the knack of making a cute, sorry looking face

Anonymous

welcome aboard, is perfectly natural to feel out of your depth when first starting but take comfort in the fact there are some folk still out of their depth after a few years of riding (although that might just be me)

best way to advance is to get out and ride, sounds obvious but it is the only way. it'll all come flooding back in no time im sure but dont forget, when folk learn as kids, they are indestructable and infinately more brave so try and adopt some of that confience.

also, people who are good at riding are good because they have alot of experience, it didnt come overnight for anyone so dont be put off if you have a bad day or whatever.

as for ettiquette, the only thing to concern yourself with is getting out of folks way, i dont mean whilst you are riding ( you have as much right to the track as anyone else and if they want to be in front of you they should have got up earlier) but if you stop for a condor moment or a breather, make sure you get off the track, so folk can get past easily.

pte1643

As said... Just make a day to a local trail centre and ride.
If you're not too confident off road start with a Blue Route.

Or even canal paths etc.

Your in Essex... Can you get to Thetford easy?

Not a Million Miles away, and an excellent place to "Play" as a learner.

CycloRos

To begin with just get out there and enjoy your new bike Don't tackle anything too treacherous at first, build up your confidence gradually and learn the limits of yourself and your bike.

Then get riding with folks that are better/more experienced and push your boundaries, it's amazing how quick other folk can help you progress.

mac_man

You could also consider taking a few lessons... I'd say it's a lot more complicated than learning to drive if you want to ride through trails and stuff (without falling off that is ). There's loads of techniques and tips to learn to get you over the rough stuff safely.

Your local bike shop may well have details of local guides/trainers that give lessons. I've booked myself onto a days course with a local guy up in West Yorks. Hopefully it'll be £60 well spent

pte1643

mac man wrote:

You could also consider taking a few lessons... I'd say it's a lot more complicated than learning to drive if you want to ride through trails and stuff (without falling off that is ). There's loads of techniques and tips to learn to get you over the rough stuff safely.

Your local bike shop may well have details of local guides/trainers that give lessons. I've booked myself onto a days course with a local guy up in West Yorks. Hopefully it'll be £60 well spent

Just to add to this...

A lot of trail centres run "Women Only" lessons too. I'm not sure if that's a concern in this case.

miss notax

Vixen17 wrote:

Hi all, new girl just dropping in to say hi and wondered if any of you could help please?!

I recently bought myself a very pretty pink bike (GT Avalanche) and have literally just learned to ride in a straight line again. The last time I was on a bike I was about 9 years old (am now hitting 35!). I'd love to eventually get to the point where I can go and ride hills and jumps and squidge through big puddles of mud but my question is how do I get to that point?

Do I just rock up to any old park or forest and just ride? Is there etiquette or essential rules I need to learn?

Please bear in mind that I am blonde and I am in Essex (Basildon!) so relatively simple answers please! I have just peeked through the FAQ's and have yet to learn the language of the cyclist so it might as well have been in French for all I understood...

Thanks in advance for any help - much appreciated!

V

You sound like me when I started riding about 2 years ago (and i'm the same age as you :? )!

I literally had not even sat on a bike for about 25 years, and there I was suddenly with a gorgeous mountain bike and not a clue what I was doing. Fortunately - or not, depending on your view point - my partner rides but does not subscribe to the 'softly softly' approach, so it started off pretty damn tricky and got worse! Not a route I would suggest....

Anyway, if I were you I would find some buddies to ride with and just get out on the bike. Lessons are probably a good idea as that's essentially what my OH did. However I have never ridden a blue route - I started off with the reds and just walked bits that I couldn't ride - and I think there's a lot to be said for just going for it. If you don't try stuff, how do you know you can't do it? I'm not suggesting for one moment that you ride the nearest black route tomorrow, just that once you have the basics sorted out sometimes it doesn't hurt to think big 8)

I seem to be rambling here so i'll shut up :oops: Nice to have another girlie on board

shieldsy94

what i found out is that if you ride with people that are better than you then you improve a lot in a short amount of time, also its about trust in the bike and what it is capable of doing.

Vixen17

Thanks tonnes ladies and gents, I shall see about getting out and about as much as possible!

I'm not sure I have an issue with trusting the bike, it's trusting the rider!

Thanks again.

V

afcbian

shieldsy94 wrote:

what i found out is that if you ride with people that are better than you then you improve a lot in a short amount of time, also its about trust in the bike and what it is capable of doing.

I'll second that.
When I go out with the "fit whippets" in our group I feel like I am struggling to keep up but in the long run I ride longer, faster and harder and get more and more proficient as time goes by.

Belv

Just ride regularly and the skills, confidence and fitness will come.

This thread was started for rides from Langdon Hills (just UP the road from Basildon):
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12570060

hefalomp

hi there,

go on a course the best thing i done, they will walk u through the techniques, and wont move on til u get it right, seeing it done practically is easier than reading it out of a book,
look up macs adventures they run courses down at glentress.
and as the guys say get out and ride! j

joshtp

Hi, welcome to the wonderful world of mtb, id recomend a few things so as to get "better" as alredy mentioned, nothing improves you like riding with someone better than yourself, id also recomend watching a few mtb "skils" dvd's, they can be very helpful if you get the right ones, (i find the MBUK ones to be good, as is "Fundamentals") but MOST IMPORTANT, just get out and ride, find some local trails and bomb around them like a mad terrier, work on your skills as you ride, and if you find something hard get off and sesion it, untill you get it nailed. i used to fing berms (banked corners) hard, but a few sesions of just hammering around a few diferet berms got it sorted.
HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!

KonaKurt

There's some really excellent advice here for beginners to our sport I only wish back in the 80's somebody had told me all this back then, rather than driving me out into a ploughed field and saying 'do your best, and don't strain yourself'..!

Ride little and often (daily ideally), and do some simple warm up limb exercises first to limber up. Aim to improve speeds, distances and terrain little by little, and don't be afraid to take your time - nobody is born an athlete! Don't be afraid to ride with others but embaress yourself in front of them - it's from our mistakes that we learn to evolve and improve. Also as you learn the 'feel' of your bike and it's geometry, simple skills will quickly become second nature.

Always have fun, even if it's in bad weather

KK.

KonaKurt

I forgot to add, always wear proper protection. Helmet, and maybe knee pads too. Personally, I think the whole "chicks dig scars" arguement is pathetic and that nothing is worth risking injury for.

Look cool in those pads


KK.

Anonymous

KonaKurt wrote:

nothing is worth risking injury for.

Well, this is mountain biking, you have to take the lows with the highs.

KonaKurt

Sorry, I meant to say 'taking unnecessary/stupid risks for'.

Obviously there will be the occassional bit of bump n grind.

I was refering to deliberatly getting scars for the purpose of impressing chicks. And girls!

KK.

Anonymous

Well, in my opinions, chicks hate scars. But ducklings, they love em. And what use is that, really?

paulfitz

How come when ladies join they get, like, pages and pages of replies??? 8)

jweston

Taking a skills training course can always be a good way progress your skills? When you go skiing for the first time you usually get some training, there's no reason why mountain biking shouldn't be the same. It can save you from developing bad habits in your riding, and give you a really strong start.

These guys are really good: www.astoundingadventures.co.uk

I can vouch for the quality and patience of their coaches since I'm one of them

a17vts

As said I am no expert but just getting out there is the best thing I do. I really notice it when I haven't been out for a while.

PLus try and meet up with other people, I also find this really helpful. I went out with a few old friend the other day who show me so many new things.

Radiorat

Some good good advice given. I agree with the course, it will really boost your riding and give yuo a sense of what to expect. Also, protect the noggin, protect the body as you will fall, get decent equipment.

Good Luck

robertpb

paulfitz wrote:

How come when ladies join they get, like, pages and pages of replies??? 8)

Probably the same reason when a lady has a puncture on the trail she gets surrounded by hairy men willing to fix it.