Jim Bernstein - Mountain Biking Essentials

By Jim Bernstein

Copyright 2018 by Jim Bernstein. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

Bernstein, Jim

Mountain Biking Essentials

For more information on reproducing sections of this book or sales of this book, go to www.mtbcommunity.com

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Contents

Introduction

Over the last ten years or so mountain biking has seen a huge growth among many people of all ages, and is continuing to gain in popularity for people looking to get outside and have some fun while getting in a great workout. With this growth in popularity comes the building of new trails and bike parks as well as bike related festivals, races, and other events.

Also with this growth comes the increased number of mountain bike brands, models, and components, and it can be enough to make your head spin! But dont let all this cool new technology scare you away from getting into mountain biking. You dont need to be a mountain bike expert or have an oversize wallet to get into the sport. Its easy to get yourself started with the basic equipment and then work your way up to the higher end bikes and components once you decide if mountain biking is right for you.

The goal of this book is to get you acquainted with what it takes to get into mountain biking when it comes to bikes, components, and all the other gear that goes with it. I will also be discussing things like proper bike maintenance and upgrades, plus I will get into riding techniques to help you get dirty out on the trail without having to be an expert.

I have been mountain biking for over 20 years and am still looking for ways to improve my skills and tune my bikes so they perform at their best. I also run a mountain bike website ( mtbcommunity.com ) where we do trail reviews, product reviews, videos, and a regular blog. With all the latest and greatest technology that is coming out on a regular basis, it can be intimidating to keep up, but as long as you have the gear that you need and are having fun then thats all that matters. So, on that note, lets hit the trails!

Chapter 1 Why You Should Mountain Bike

There are many reasons why you should mountain bike, and once you get into it you will ask yourself how you ever lived without it. Many people will get addicted to it once they get out there and experience all the wonderful trails and nice people they will meet once they start riding. You might even get to the point where its a huge part of your life and all you want to do kind of like me! In this chapter, I will go over some of the many reasons you need to get yourself a mountain bike and hit the trails.

To Have Fun

The main reason you should ride mountain bikes is (obviously) for fun, and I hope you agree with me on this! If you are totally new to mountain biking or even bike riding in general, then sure there will be a period where you will need to get used to, it and there will probably some crashes coming your way, but thats just part of the fun!

Once you get comfortable on a mountain bike then thats when the fun really begins. If you are afraid you are going to crash, then guess what? You are most likely going to crash. There is a mental aspect to mountain biking that will affect how much fun you have and how much crashing you will do. When you see those guys doing huge jumps on TV or YouTube you might think that they have been training for years and you will never be able to do it. But, in reality, its just that they have the confidence and guts to take on those kinds of crazy things and actually enjoy doing them rather than thinking of what can happen if it all goes wrong. Once you take on a challenge like a jump or steep trail and successfully complete it, most of the time you realize that it was much easier than you thought it would be.

Once you get your skill level up you will find yourself on YouTube constantly looking for videos of new trails that you can try out. (By the way, trailforks.com is a great resource to find local trails in your area, and they also have videos, pictures, trail conditions, and maps.) Eventually, you will find yourself branching out to other areas to check out some new trails and even find yourself looking for more challenging trails.

So, even if you find that you are having difficulty riding or not having the fun you think you should be having right away, then give it some time, because just like with most things, the better you get at it, the more fun it becomes.

For Exercise

Another reason to mountain bike is for the great cardio workout you get from riding up hills and even going downhill. Plus, you also work things like your legs, arms, and core while riding. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You can get that knocked out in one decent mountain bike ride. So, if you need to shed a few pounds, then why not have some fun at the same time?

Many times you will find yourself out for an hour or even two or three while riding, and even though you might not be moving the entire time, you will still get plenty of exercise. You can use apps such as Strava to track your actual moving time, elevation gain, and even calories burned (estimated). Once you start enjoying your rides then you will never want to (or need to) do cardio in the gym again. Plus, when youre having fun, it doesnt even seem like exercise.

When you are finished with your ride you can reward yourself with a nice meal (since you earned it), and once you get that much needed shower you will feel great. Plus, mountain biking is a great stress reliever and can take your mind off all of your problems.

To Socialize

One of my favorite parts of mountain biking is how you get to meet so many new people and end up with many more friends than you had before you started riding. Someone always seems to know someone else who rides, and then before you know it, you are riding with them as well.

Mountain biking is also a great thing to do with your friends just as a way to hang out and have some fun. And after a good ride you can go out and have something to eat or maybe a beer and socialize even more. Plus it can make for great conversation while doing so, and if you are into bragging rights, then there is plenty of opportunity for that!

If you dont have any friends that like to ride then you can join a mountain biking group, where you should make some new friends rather quickly. These groups like to plan rides and often welcome other riders that want to tag along and ride new trails. If you like the people in the group, then all you need to do is join up and you have your riding friends after all. Many of these groups will hold social events outside of the usual rides as well.

Many bike shops also host group rides and welcome others to join them. If you like riding with a particular group of people on these rides, then you can become a regular as well. (If you are lucky, you can become friends with the owner and get yourself some discounts!) These groups usually have Facebook or Strava groups that you can join and be notified of the upcoming group rides. If you end up being a serious rider then you most likely will end up being a serious Strava user.

To Explore

With all the trails around the local mountains (assuming there are mountains where you live), its hard to go check them all out on foot, and for the most part you cant take any motorized vehicles on these trails. This is where a mountain bike can come in handy.