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roswell
Joined: 16 Oct 2009
Posts: 3
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 Posted Sat Nov 7, 2009 7:46 pm |
Hi guys,
As a newbie just wanted to share a couple of tips/ comments from my ride today at Swinley which was my first “winter” ride and was fantastic. It was my first ride on my own and whilst I missed the usual banter and pointers I had a great time splashing through puddles, ploughing through the mud and attacking the fantastic trails  . The things I have learnt today are:
Tree roots are always bad but expecially so when wet and taken slowly! I have the bruises to prove it. I had barely made it out of the carpark - could have been very embarrassing if there were more people about! 
Mud is fun, though wet, cold socks are not.
Don’t eat too big a breakfast before going out as it can make you feel sick!
Invest in a pair of glasses to prevent mud, flies, cold air etc going into your eyes – even a cheap pair of safety glasses from a diy store for a couple of quid.
Long fingered gloves should be used for cold days so you can actually feel your hands.
I can now see the point of knee warmers – before today I thought they were for big girls!
What have you learnt today?
Cheers
R
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krazykayaker
Joined: 08 May 2009
Posts: 40
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Posted Sat Nov 7, 2009 9:36 pm |
I have learnt today to check your brake pads for wear BEFORE going out and take allen keys with you so you can make adjustments if needed
I did the last 2 miles of follow the dog at Cannock today with absolutely no brakes and crashed on probably the easiest section and am now in much pain!!!!
Giant Yukon Disc 2009 MTB
Giant FCR1 Road Bike |
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Wacky Racer
Joined: 26 Sep 2008
Posts: 223
Location: Worcestershire
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Posted Sat Nov 7, 2009 10:30 pm |
| Quote: | | Tree roots are always bad but expecially so when wet and taken slowly! |
LOL - This was the first thing I learned on my first trail. I managed to take a dive twice in a few minutes because I didn't attack with speed, it's usually the speed which carries you through, but of course I didn't know that until I'd injured my arm and my pride!!
I also once learned never to get disturbed when doing a job on the bike, because it was only when I pulled hard on my bar to mount a high kerb that I realised I had forgotten to fasten a QR front wheel (ouch!!!).
Bones Heal
Chicks Dig Scars
Pain is Temporary
Glory is Forever |
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Hercule Q
Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Posts: 1732
Location: On the floor by the bar
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Posted Sun Nov 8, 2009 2:16 am |
i've learnt i'm quite sensative to caffine
----------------------------------------pinkbike--------------------------------
One of Gods own prototypes, to weird to live, to rare to die |
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Adam Thompson
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 46
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bails87
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 652
Location: Solihull, United Kingdom
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Posted Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:05 pm |
| krazykayaker wrote: | I have learnt today to check your brake pads for wear BEFORE going out and take allen keys with you so you can make adjustments if needed
I did the last 2 miles of follow the dog at Cannock today with absolutely no brakes and crashed on probably the easiest section and am now in much pain!!!! |
My mate forgot to check his brakes at Cannock once, we were stood at the bottom of the Chainslapper waiting for him to come down, could hear this screeching, then caught sight of him moving really slowly.
When he eventually reached us, his front brake was nearly solidly locked on. His brake pads had worn out on the previous section, so when he tried to lose some speed on the downhill he was scraping metal on metal, the brakes either overheated, or the pistons came out too far and didn't retract.
Took some time to free his disc from the caliper so we could sort it out!
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krazykayaker
Joined: 08 May 2009
Posts: 40
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Posted Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:09 pm |
| bails87 wrote: | | krazykayaker wrote: | I have learnt today to check your brake pads for wear BEFORE going out and take allen keys with you so you can make adjustments if needed
I did the last 2 miles of follow the dog at Cannock today with absolutely no brakes and crashed on probably the easiest section and am now in much pain!!!! |
My mate forgot to check his brakes at Cannock once, we were stood at the bottom of the Chainslapper waiting for him to come down, could hear this screeching, then caught sight of him moving really slowly.
When he eventually reached us, his front brake was nearly solidly locked on. His brake pads had worn out on the previous section, so when he tried to lose some speed on the downhill he was scraping metal on metal, the brakes either overheated, or the pistons came out too far and didn't retract.
Took some time to free his disc from the caliper so we could sort it out! |
Well its defo taught me a lesson!!, the ironic thing is that it was the first ever time i have carried a first aid kit on a trip, i reckon i must have subconsiously known i was gonna crash!!
Giant Yukon Disc 2009 MTB
Giant FCR1 Road Bike |
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Ads4
Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Posts: 441
Location: Brown Candover, Hampshire.
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Posted Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:17 pm |
I learned not to watch helmet cam videos of the Mega-Avalanche on you-tube while hung over! God it made me feel sick.....
Adam. - '09 Hifi Pro
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity. |
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Where are my stabilisers?
Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 361
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Posted Sun Nov 8, 2009 9:22 pm |
I've learnt that it doesn't matter which direction I ride in, the wind will always make it difficult! 
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RockingDad
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Posts: 74
Location: Clacton on Sea
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bamba
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Derby
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Posted Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:24 pm |
being undecided about which way to tackle an obsticle in your path usually results in falling off, often with some pain,
eg shall i do the skinny board walk or not, yes , no,yes,go on then, doh !
make a desission an stick to it
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Northwind
Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 4531
Location: Edinburgh
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Posted Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:29 am |
When you see one of the other guys you're riding with sat at the side of the trail, rather than assuming they're taking photos and striking a heroic pose before charging past, consider the possibility that they've just fallen off, and that if you strike a heroic pose before charging past rather than slowing down, you might fall off on exactly the same thing they just fell off on, land on top of them.
We still do it because we're forever chasing what we've already found |
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kvs
Joined: 11 Nov 2009
Posts: 2
Location: Linlithgow
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Posted Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:11 pm |
Another noob here!
Today I learned there are some nice bike rides around my area which I'm going to tackle at the weekend. 
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jafkj
Joined: 15 Oct 2009
Posts: 4
Location: wivenhoe essex
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Posted Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:58 pm |
| RockingDad wrote: | It's great to meet up with fellow Bikeradar forum members and there are some awesome trails on your doorstep (well 20 minutes away.... Cheers JAFKJ) and that I really do need to get out there and explore a bit.
Also my fitness for uphills is rubbish but biking with others pushes you and continental speed kings can get scary when going downhill in wet mud.
And finally cleaning a white 09 Fury with half a field/forest/track takes a while
RockingDad |
did you get it clean
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RockingDad
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Posts: 74
Location: Clacton on Sea
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Posted Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:17 pm |
yeah pretty much. by the time I got back and was half way through cleaning it ws dark so i'll prob take the wheels out and ensure there isn't any crap in the push axle etc.
must fit the crud catchers, the half that wasn't on the bike was up my back I think
Cheers for showing me the trail, great ride, must do that again soon.
RockingDad
Carrera Fury 09 |
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stumpyjon
Joined: 20 Oct 2007
Posts: 2840
Location: East Lancs
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Posted Sun Nov 15, 2009 5:06 pm |
I relearnt how to ride my bike yesterday. Did a skills course. Main thing I learnt was to stand up, stand tall and stay centre on the bike. Like most people I've been edging off the back for most tricky stuff. Trouble is if you do this you don't get the weight onto the front wheel and then you can't steer properly, the bike decides where you're going, not you. Feels very weird but I must admit I did feel a lot more controlled on the berms and corners.
It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.
I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result |
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yeehaamcgee
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 6004
Location: Worth Nails
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Jonsquires
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 10
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Posted Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:18 am |
i have learned that powering through mud is more fun than and more efficent than being a wuss I have also learned that mud is the mortal enemy of white converse allstar!
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Alex
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
Posts: 1287
Location: Cannock Chase
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Posted Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:41 am |
| roswell wrote: | Hi guys,
Tree roots are always bad but expecially so when wet and taken slowly! I have the bruises to prove it. I had barely made it out of the carpark - could have been very embarrassing if there were more people about! |
Tree roots are best taken at a reasonable pace, off the brakes and square on. You will not slide unless you apply a loading to the tyres other than straight.
| Quote: | | Mud is fun, though wet, cold socks are not. |
Sealskinz are your friends. Invest!
| Quote: | | Don’t eat too big a breakfast before going out as it can make you feel sick! |
Eat a big breakfast, but make sure you give it at least an hour to settle, and when you do start riding, warm up properly, don't go hell for leather right at the start of your ride!
| Quote: | | Invest in a pair of glasses to prevent mud, flies, cold air etc going into your eyes – even a cheap pair of safety glasses from a diy store for a couple of quid. |
Wise.
| Quote: | | Long fingered gloves should be used for cold days so you can actually feel your hands. |
As a mountainbiker, you really ought to be wearing full finger gloves all year round. They give much more protection to your hands in the effect of a full or a scuff with a tree.
If you REALLY want to keep your hands warm don't go and buy the thickest pair of gloves you can find, they will make your hands colder once you start having to hold on to the bars extra tight through the thickness of the material.
Instead, get a cheap pair of normal full finger gloves one size too large and a pair of Sealskinz glove liners. This layering allows gives your hands room, keeps them warm and toasty and if you start losing sensation, you can remove the liners and just run the gloves. Layers are always better than one thick garment.
Chasetrails Trailbuilding Blog |
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Northwind
Joined: 06 Sep 2008
Posts: 4531
Location: Edinburgh
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Posted Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:24 pm |
| Alex wrote: | Tree roots are best taken at a reasonable pace, off the brakes and square on. You will not slide unless you apply a loading to the tyres other than straight.
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That's not right, on a decent sized root you can still find the tyre finds it easier to slide out to either side than to go over it, regardless of how straight you hit it.
We still do it because we're forever chasing what we've already found |
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