1. As always... WEAR A HELMET (or brain bucket if you prefer) Trees and boulders are not soft!
2. When you approach another rider while on single track, whoever is on the Uphill side of the trail has the right-of-way. If I'm on a flatter single track trail and I happen to approach another rider, I normally ride to the side of the trail if I can or stop and move over if I see the other person first.
3. Don't test your limits when riding solo. It's no fun getting stuck deep into a trail after crashing hard with no one around to help you out.
4. Always bring these essentials with you: Adequate water, snacks if you're going on a long ride, some sort of identification, a spare tube, tire levers and a couple of CO2 canisters.
5. Invest in a few nice apparel items. Bike shorts are a must, as well as a nice pair of full-finger padded gloves (I wear FOX gloves) and shoes with good grip (Five Ten's work great, but if you're not made of money, Vans will also do the trick).
6. Check your bike before you hit the trails. Make sure brake pads aren't ground down. If you have hydraulic disc brakes, make sure they aren't seizing up (if they are, you may have a bubble in the fluid line). Also, make sure rotors aren't bent or rusty. Make sure your tires have enough air, and make sure all front and rear shocks are fully functioning.
7. When riding downhill (especially on a trail with a lot of roots, dips, drops, boulders, etc.) try to hover over the seat. The steeper the hill, the further back you should position your behind above the seat. Sometimes a trail will be so steep that my butt is hovering over the real wheel. This helps keep my center of gravity balanced and keeps me from flying over the handlebars.
8. Challenge yourself! If you've mastered the green route, move up to the intermediate routes. You will be surprised at what you are capable of
9. Never second-guess yourself. If you are going over a stunt or jump, leave your hesitations in the car. If you start to second-guess yourself halfway through a trick, you are more likely to mess it up and injure your self. Commit 100%!
10. Grab a friend and a GoPro and have some fun! Try to catch your gnarly ride on the downhill course or your friend's sick flare over a jump.
carpe diem
Monday, September 30, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Tips for the Road
1. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!!! You never know when some crazy driver is going to shove you off the road or when you're going to have to slam on your breaks and end up flying over the handlebars.
2. Learn your hand signals... and use them!
3. Always carry adequate supplies. This includes: plenty of water, snacks if you're on a long ride, a spare tube, CO2 canisters, tire levers and some sort of identification. I normally bring cash or my debit card with me just in case I desperately need something along the way.
4. Try not to hog the road. There is nothing that motorists hate more than when a biker takes up a whole lane. Don't ride so close to the shoulder that you're in the gravel, but also don't ride down the middle of a lane. Give cars enough space to safely go around you
5. When riding on a trail or on the road with a group, always signal to someone when you are going to pass them by saying, "Passing on your left". Avoid passing to the right because it is a person's first instinct to move to the right when they hear you coming at full-speed behind them.
6. When riding at night ALWAYS use a light!! It is against the law to ride without one after dusk. It is also a good idea to have a red blinking or flashing light on the back of your bike so that motorists and other pedestrians can see you from behind
7. Switch positions. If you are riding a bike with drop bars and brake hoods, try to switch your hand position between the top bars, drop bars and brake hoods. This will save your neck, shoulders and back from becoming fatigued.
8. Invest in good clothing! I would recommend having at least one good pair of padded biking shorts as well as some padded gloves. They will save these two main pressure spots from achiness and numbness after a long ride.
9. Do a thorough inspection of your bike before every ride. Check to make sure tires are filled to the recommended PSI, make sure brakes are working correctly, make sure gears shift smoothly and make sure there is nothing loose looking or sounding.
10. Keep your eyes wide open and have fun! You will be amazed at the cool/crazy/funny/wacky things you will come across on the road. And watch out for dogs!
2. Learn your hand signals... and use them!
3. Always carry adequate supplies. This includes: plenty of water, snacks if you're on a long ride, a spare tube, CO2 canisters, tire levers and some sort of identification. I normally bring cash or my debit card with me just in case I desperately need something along the way.
4. Try not to hog the road. There is nothing that motorists hate more than when a biker takes up a whole lane. Don't ride so close to the shoulder that you're in the gravel, but also don't ride down the middle of a lane. Give cars enough space to safely go around you
5. When riding on a trail or on the road with a group, always signal to someone when you are going to pass them by saying, "Passing on your left". Avoid passing to the right because it is a person's first instinct to move to the right when they hear you coming at full-speed behind them.
6. When riding at night ALWAYS use a light!! It is against the law to ride without one after dusk. It is also a good idea to have a red blinking or flashing light on the back of your bike so that motorists and other pedestrians can see you from behind
7. Switch positions. If you are riding a bike with drop bars and brake hoods, try to switch your hand position between the top bars, drop bars and brake hoods. This will save your neck, shoulders and back from becoming fatigued.
8. Invest in good clothing! I would recommend having at least one good pair of padded biking shorts as well as some padded gloves. They will save these two main pressure spots from achiness and numbness after a long ride.
9. Do a thorough inspection of your bike before every ride. Check to make sure tires are filled to the recommended PSI, make sure brakes are working correctly, make sure gears shift smoothly and make sure there is nothing loose looking or sounding.
10. Keep your eyes wide open and have fun! You will be amazed at the cool/crazy/funny/wacky things you will come across on the road. And watch out for dogs!
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