First serious attempt at mountainBIKING

[Mikefule]

I've ridden bikes on the road and on gentle cross country for as long as I can remember.

This weekend I was at a "stag weekend" with a bunch of a dozen or so mountainbikers, some of whom are pretty hardcore. My first attempt at "proper mountain biking" and I was in at the steep end.

So there was me on a borrowed "Raleigh the-all-steel-bicycle" with "designed to be sold cheaply to the gullible" simulated front and rear suspension, cable operated disc brakes, and in need of a major overhaul, and there were the others on Oranges and Marins and other machines worth as much as my car.

The weekend was in Wales. On Friday we rode some prepared trails around Coed y Brenin, and today (Sunday) we did the Penmarcho Trail near Betwys y Coed.

This was serious stuff: climbs that lasted for a mile or more, and descents on rock, mud, shale, and sometimes timber boardwalk.

The front suspension was quikly revealed to have no significant travel, and the rear was only good for soaking up the effort of my pedalling. The rear brake was either on or off, with no option for fine control, and the front brake was either off or not on, with no option for decelerating the bike.

I had picked up the bike at 10:00 the night before when a generous friend spontaneously offered to lend it to me to save me having to hire one. I had no chance to adjust anything except the seat height, and I soon discovered that to engage the "granny ring" I had to dismount and transfer the chain by hand. The smallest and largest rear sprockets were simply unavailable.

Friday's ride was an unmitigated slog, with heart-bursting ascents up featureless fire roads, and arm-pumping descents over rough stone slabs and almost-but-not-quite-jumps. I lved in constant fear of the front wheel digging in and catapulting me over the bars.

Today's ride was more varied, with a long climb at the start, followed by a wide variety of surfaces, with lots of very narrow swooping sinlge track more or less folling the contour, and a few steep drops.

And you know what? By the end of the ride, two of the more experienced riders on modern machines had waved me past because I was "pushing" them. One kept falling off or dismounting on sections that I was then able to ride. I think I can confidently say that the plucky Raleigh exceeded its design brief.

I did a lovely comedy faceplant though. On a narrow section of UPHILL singletrack, the front wheel strayed over the downhill edge of the track. I tried to correct and the wheel dug in, turning 90 degrees and stopping the bike dead. Over I went, one foot trapped between pedal and frame, hands on the floor, and bike sort of supported by one of my legs and my bum. And me laughing like a drain.

I can't justify buying one, but I admit it was fun.

[critter]

I rode a lot in the 90s. I even entered couple races. My best event was the downhill.(I looked like this). I rarely came home without an injury.

I did rent a bike at Moab muni fest in '08. I wanted to ride Slickrock Trail. The curves and dips were fun as the bike glided along.

Lately I just started riding a bike again(but on a paved road). I forgot how fast you can go. I was scared and had to wear a helmet.

I'm ready to go full circle and take a bike back out on my muni trails.

Glad to hear you had that experience. Even with a crappy bike. My bike always needed repair. This help me appreciate the simplicity of unicycles.

[maestro8]

Originally Posted by critter

I did rent a bike at Moab muni fest in '08. I wanted to ride Slickrock Trail. The curves and dips were fun as the bike glided along.

Stop it already! You're tempting some of us to join the dark side...

Even with a crappy bike. My bike always needed repair. This help me appreciate the simplicity of unicycles.

I borrowed a friend's full suspension bike for a ride once. Somehow I managed to put the rear derailleur through the spokes of the back wheel... that was an expensive ride.

Unicycles are wonderfully simplistic in comparison. That is, until Florian Schlumpf came along...

[phlegm]

Until earlier this summer I had forgotten how fun tight single track is to ride with a bike. And, my sense of balance is so much better than it used to be, so swooping along trails on a bike is even more fun! You know you want it!

[kerosian]

I bike and uni interchangebly. They are both entirely different and entirely the same. I feel I get better each time I ride the other style, so biking is good crosstraining for unicycling. I recently purchased a singlespeed 29er and it has been a hell of a speedy ride. (geared 32t-22t)

[rob.northcott]

Nice one Mike. I rode the Penmachno trail on a muni a couple of years ago with a few people (Joe Marshall, Phil and Liam Ape I think). Absolutely superb route - I keep meaning to go back and do some more of the Welsh trails.

I used to be fairly reasonable on a mountain bike but lost interest after I got into muni. I haven't ridden a bike off-road for a few years now (haven't even got a mountain bike any more) so I'd probably not be much good now. I've never tried a full-sus bike - I was just thinking about investing in one when I became obsessed with unicycles. Now I'm mostly a bicyclist on the road and a unicyclist off-road.

Rob

[munirocks]

So you guys can ride two unicycles simultaneously? Sounds scary... And why the extra wheel? Must be really hard to balance.

But seriously, I think I might get myself a good fully some time. I keep researching them... But maybe not. They're so ridiculously expensive.

[critter]

Originally Posted by maestro8

Stop it already! You're tempting some of us to join the dark side...

Blackeyed Peas say:

One Tri...
One Tri...
One Tribe, one wheel
one time, one planet, one race

Its all one blood, don't care about your face

One Tribe, one time, one planet, one race, one wheel

Its all one blood,
Don't care about 
the color of your eye or the tone of your skin
One love, one blood, one people

One heart, one beat, one wheel
we equal
Connected like the internet
We are one, we're all just unicyclist.
One world,one wheel, one love, one passion

One tribe, one understanding

Cause you and me can become one.

Originally Posted by phlegm

Until earlier this summer I had forgotten how fun tight single track is to ride with a bike. And, my sense of balance is so much better than it used to be, so swooping along trails on a bike is even more fun! You know you want it!

Variety still is the spice of life.

Originally Posted by munirocks

But seriously, I think I might get myself a good fully some time. I keep researching them... But maybe not. They're so ridiculously expensive.

A good mountain bike in half the price of a schlumpf setup.

Originally Posted by rob.northcott

Nice one Mike. I rode the Penmachno trail on a muni a couple of years ago with a few people (Joe Marshall, Phil and Liam Ape I think). Absolutely superb route - I keep meaning to go back and do some more of the Welsh trails.
Rob

Can I come? I'll bring my unicycle.

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by critter

Can I come? I'll bring my unicycle.

I'm sure if you make it all the way over from Hawaii for a ride then you'd be very welcome.

Rob