Thing I have learned this weekend

Ransaka

If you take 2 spare inner tubes fate will give you 3 punctures.

If the sign says public bridleway but looks like it's heading into a field without a bridleway expect a barbed wire fence at the bottom rather than a gate. Pray the herd of cows don't have young ones with them. Oh, they do. Oh they look angry. Oh look, I can get myself and my bike over a barbed wire fence quite quickly. :evil:

Chalky, muddy singletrack is not fun to try and ride up.

Eat more than a bacon sandwich before giong on a 20 mile xc jaunt.

False summits on hills are the suck.

If the great bit of muddy downhill that you've been really looking forward to, and the thought of which has kept you going through those hilly climbs, is at the end of your route see the first point and expect the last puncture that you're too tired and too muddy to fix by the side of the road to occur within sight of said bit of muddy downhill fun that you then have to walk down with your bike.

Mountain biking is epic fun despite all these things

Regieuk

The terms my more experienced riders use and what they mean!
'Technical' = f*!%ing difficult!
'A bit slippy' = Something a hippo would enjoy wallowing in and the same grip as the local ice rink!
'slight incline' = straight up / down

Other things I have learnt in my brief experience of MB'ing so far;
When progressing down hill at a great rate it is advisable to keep ones eyes open and not wail like a banshee!
Shin guards are strongly advised!
My bike collects more mud than I physically thought possible, it is the Tardis of bikes!
I cannot fly (very far)
Landing in nettles hurts - lots!
Mud (& fat) make for a softer landing than rocks / tree stumps!
I squeal like a girl when showering after above experience
Bruises come in many many interesting colours
My wife knows many many bad words that are demonstrated when she finds my muddy kit in the washing machine and a trail of said mud from the front door to my current location!
MOUNTAIN BIKING IS AWESOME FUN AND I CANT STOP GRINNING FOR HOURS!!!

eyko

Making me jealous, the most important thing I've learned so far is more padding is required (knee and elbow in particular)

Not for the XC bit, but the ride home since falling off on concrete hurts and puts you out of action for a few weeks

I just want to ride again

BigJimmyB

OP, you may be interested in these:

http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey ... shorter/40

That clay/chalk mix actually stopped my back wheel turning when doing a South Downs Way loop!

Ransaka

It was in fact one of the Kraken's trails I was following (with a minor, cow filled detour).

Am enjoying riding the Downs, they're fun but I really do need to get more stamina and lose some flab to help make climbing that little bit easier. Belting through the woods on the way down to Patcham was great fun

The Downs mud sticks to everything though!

Gingersaurus

Pfft MTFU, that's all just part of riding XC

skellator3

i learned that i enjoy the red route at mabie a lot
but i also learned not to try and play on the jump park
and linking to the above point gravel rash is sore in the shower
and pedals and shin bones dont go well together

but hey no pain no gain
look to learn something new each day you breath and you will go a long way

FSR_XC

It is possible to use as much effort going down a hill as getting up there in the first place when it has been raining so fookin' hard that that downhill is a foot of mud all the way.

You can fall off laughing after watching your mate slide into a branch and land in said mud.

Mud isn't always soil & rain water . . . . .

MTB rules!!!!!

Petty Vagrant

That leaving my pump attached to the bike at all times means it fills up with mud and doesn't work when I most need it leaving me with a long walk home. :x

MTB is a lot more expensive that I first thought as I always NEED (not want?) new stuff.

Linked to the above point - I'm learning new ways to justify new purchases to my wife!

leon69

some more from me in the last year ....

Rottweiler Dogs Dont Move for MTB'ers and are mutch like hitting a short wall ..
Rottweiler owners will allways blame the bike rider as it could not be there fault they just hold the dog lead
Old poeple Will step out in front of you even if they have seen you
Young poeple Will step out in front of you even if they have seen you
Small dogs will think your wheels are made of sausages and chace you till the bitter end
If a sigh says no motor bikes expect 2 chav's on a scooter sooner or later
Never look down when rideing you will get a tree branch in the face
Never look up when riding you will hit a root and go over the bars
Expect to go home with dog sh!t sprayed up your back and front off your tyre's
Expect to be kicked by passing horse's
Expect that big puddle to realy be a pond
Expect a flaty when the farmer is cutting the hege
Expect fly,s in the eye,s even when its raining
Expect your release cleats not to release when you realy realy need them to ,crash slide skid over the bar's etc
Expect your release cleats not to release when you realy realy need them to coming to a stop, poeple there you fall over still cleated to your bike
Never tell a teenager you can do a 1/4 pipe in a BMX park on your MTB this will be both expensive and painfull ::)
Dont expect the wife to show any interest in your ride out no matter what hapnd
Never ever tell the wife how mutch it Realy cost 8)
Allways buy a new bike in the same color as your old one and when asked if it is a new bike say no ;D
Never ever tell the wife how mutch it Realy cost said it twice coz its realy importent ;D

mrwebbie

I Learned that my bike is to small for me and my brakes dont work to well :oops:

xstrathyx

i learnt recently tree's do not make great shock absorbers :shock:

roswell

Dont expect the wife to show any interest in your ride out no matter what hapnd

So true!

I also learnt that going over your handlebars is less funny when it happens to you :roll:

Also aches and pains take a lot longer to subside the older you get

Cheshley

xSTRATHYx wrote:

i learnt recently tree's do not make great shock absorbers :shock:

I found this out too, cost me a new front wheel :shock:

eyko

1.) Not riding for a month seriously screws up fitness and skill
2.) My new Kyle Strait 661s are suprisingly comfortalbe to ride in
3.) Lots of mud on route stops you moving
4.) Lots of ice on route stops you stopping
5.) Finding new places to ride is rewarding
6.) Seeing deer is nice
7.) Seeing a dead cow is not so nice
8.) I can't wait ot get back out again

krazykayaker

Dont eat & drink like a pig for two days on the trot


Its makes you sick :oops:

Dan Dare

That it is easier to cycle on ice in the afternoon than it is to walk home from the pub on it at 4am.

eyko

That I've had the front suss on my bike locked out since I've had it, meaning today was my first ride with "working" suss :oops:

BigColUK

I learned today that you can't assume that waterproof socks are dry on the inside just because they are dry on the outside.

I also learned that ice is slippy :oops:

xendistar

To keep your mouth shut when going down hill on a wet or muddy trail

To realise that that shallow puddle will hide a dirty great hole that will shallow your front wheel and teach you how to fly over the handle bars.

That frozen rutted tracks are just as hard to ride as there previously squelching incarnation

I never have enough money for all the bits I need :?

No doubt more to learn as I progress

Tim

TheNorthernTrain

i learnt that if you think you have reached the bottom of a steep slope and pull up to roll over a lip onto the flat ground that there will be a great big bloody rock underneath that your front wheel lands on and rolls off causing it to stick into the mud below and me go over the handlebars. Brilliant. Nice soft snowy landing though.

Im sure that makes no sense, i tried to draw a picture on paint but my skills are crap so i gave up.