As I said in my first blog of season, I was going to try my hand at a little mountain biking and give the New Belgium Short Track series a try. All I have to say is wow, what a blast. First, I have to say I didn’t come in last. I also have give a shout out to my friend Jill Napiwocki for her first place finish in the women’s division and Hannah Garvey for being the first girl in the kids’ division. I know that Heath Garvey and Tyson Kaman had a great race as well. I hope I didn’t miss any other Lee’s/TrekLove racers, but I did want to say thanks for coming out and cheering us on.
I know some of you reading this probably think I am a sissy. But maybe you have a spouse, significant other, sister or maybe even an out of shape friend who you want to introduce to mountain biking. Let me give you some do’s and don’ts on how to introduce someone to mountain biking.
I’ll start with the don’t list
• Don’t take them someplace where it is very rocky. Rocks are very intimidating to newbie’s. Start them on smooth trails where they can get a feel for their bike.
• Don’t take any skill for granted. For you hopping a curve may seem instinctive, but for someone who hasn’t done it before it can be a bit intimidating. Find a small curve or other obstacle and build up to larger curbs and logs.
• Don’t just tell them momentum is their friend – show them. Progression is key here so that the rider can understand how the bike moves beneath them.
Do List
• Tell them to look where they want to the bike to go and not at the obstacle they want to avoid.
• Focus your weight on your feet and not on the seat. When going down something steep think “boobs to the tube” (top tube that is.)
• Use your whole body to propel the bike. Sometimes you will feel like you are throwing or pushing your handlebars over the top of a hill or obstacle.
• Use your gears and downshift before heading up a short steep hill, but don’t be afraid to stand up and power over the top.
I know that I’ve only scratched the surface with my tips. These are some of the ideas that have helped me. Please chime in with other tips in the comments below.
