Wanna be a Mountain Biker?

So you wanna join the mountain bike crowd? follow some of these steps and maybe you can be a real rider.

Step1. Buy a bike. Many people own one bike, but if you want to do it all, you'll have to buy at least 5, sell your car if you have to.

Step 2. Spend all your money on bike parts, it doesn't matter if you owe a friend 10 bucks, spend all your money on bikes. You may show up to a birthday with no gifts, but hey, at least your bike looks cool.

Step 3. Get to know things riders talk about, get a Pinkbike account and when you aren't riding, you can watch people ride on your computer.

Step 4. Learn the lingo. Wanna sound pro? Just use terms like "yo" "bro" "dropping" " and you'll be sure to get respected.

Step 5. If you are slower then a friend, at the bottom of the trail just say you crashed, and no one will know that you're just slow.

Step 6. Post way to many photos of you riding on your facebook and instagram accounts. If you cant ride very well at all, just post a picture of fancy bike and people will think you ride fast.

Step 7. If you are worried about crashing on the trail, don't worry, just be sure to record it, because crashes get lots of views on the internet.

Step 8. If you wanna look like you have style, buy a black BMX bike, get a tattoo, get gauges, and wear skinny jeans. Also don't wear a helmet, wear a black beanie

Step 9. If a girlfriend tells you "it's me or the bike" go with the bike, your bike won't get mad if you ride someone else's.

Step 10. You will probably never get sponsored by an energy drink company, but if you put a big redbull sticker on your helmet, maybe some people will be fooled.

Follow these steps and learn the rest from your biker friends. See you on the trails "BRO"

Bike Parks

Just like skiing, mountain bikers have resorts for riding as well. In fact, a lot of the ski resorts in NorCal such as Northstar, Squaw, and Mammoth all offer riding in the summer.

What is a Bike Park?

A bike park is a collection of trails, usually anywhere from 20-60, that have lift access just like ski resorts. Like skiing, most of these trails are downhill, and some are more technical then others. Riders can buy a season pass or a day pass, depending on how much they plan to ride there. Day  passes are from 40-100 dollars depending on the park.

Bikes.

Most people ride bikes at bike parks that are heavy duty downhill bikes. These bikes offer strength, lots of suspension, and geometry made for going down the hill fast. Most park bike have anywhere from 7-8 inches of suspension to soak up the big hits and rough terrain the bike park has to offer. A lot of parks offer rental bikes for those riding for the first time at bike parks who don't have a sufficient bike.

The Trails

The trails at bike parks range from beginner to advanced, the trail builders build trails for everyone's skill levels, including the people who want to push themselves. whether your are a beginner looking for a new experience, or a pro racer, bike parks offer everything. Jumps, wood features, rocks, and concrete blocks are integrated into the trails for maximum fun.

Gear

Because the trails in bike parks can be pretty gnarly, proper gear is needed. 95 percent of riders at bike parks wear full face helmets to be safer. Some riders opt to wear full body guards, knee and arm pads and gloves. Goggles are worn because the trails are always dusty because of the hot summer weather.

No matter your skill level, riding bike parks is a great time! I recommend it.

Flats Suck

We've all had them, flat tires, whether it was rolling over a nail, glass, a rock, or something else, flat tires have ruined thousands of rides across the world. Flat tires occur when something sharp such as a thorn, a piece of glass, or a rock punctures through the bicycle tire and into the inner tube. The inner tube is what hold all the air, so when they are punctured, all air is lost from the tube, making your bike virtually impossible to ride without damaging your wheel. Sharp things aren't the only thing that can cause havoc in your wheel. Pinch flats, (also known as snake bites or punchers) is when the inner tube folds over itself and causes two small slits in the tube.

Fixing flat tires. There are a few options that can save your ride from being ruined if a flat occurs. The most common, and simple way of fixing the problem is to replace the inner tube. Starting fresh is always a good thing. You can also buy a patch kit, which includes the tools to patch the whole causing the  flat with glue and a rubber patch. Patching takes longer and isn't as easy as just buying a new tube, but it can do just as good of a job if done correctly.

There are other ways to prevent flats before they even happen. Extra thick inner tubes and tire liners can be bought to decrease the chances of objects piercing the tube. "Slime" can also be used, this product lines the inside of the tube with sealant, which stops small leaks in the tube. 

The best way to prevent flats is to set up your bike tubeless. Tubeless allows your tire to be on the wheel without an inner tube. This system works the best because it uses a very powerful sealant that stops most every puncture within the tire. I personally run my bike tubeless and I love it. Because there is no tube inside, this allows you to have less air in your tire, which can increase traction in corners and while climbing. 

I've had probably over 100 flat tires in the past 3 years of riding. I use tubeless now so I have less to worry about. Don't let a flat ruin a good time!

Trail building

Trail building is one of my favorite things to do when I am not riding. Spending time out in the woods moving fresh earth is unlike most activities. I have been a creative person all my life, and being able to shape dirt into pretty much any trail you want is pretty special. It's nice to get out there and be one with nature among the trees and wildlife. It's kind of an escape from everyday life that is nice during a stressful week at school.
Many trails start out as an idea, drawing imaginary lines in your head where the trail would be, then after raking out the general area, its time to grab the shovel. Then using the shovel and more burly rakes, dirt is moved to the desired position. Shaping is next, to build the most fun trails, berms, jumps, and drops. Creating these takes time and practice, and in some cases, something bigger then a shovel. Bobcats are used for trail building often, to get work done faster and more efficiently.

I like to get the dirt really packed down and smooth. The smoother the trail the more fun it can be. It's hard to get the right dirt though, and you can only build during certain times of the year. For instance, building in the middle of the summer when the dirt is mostly dry and powdery is a bad idea. It's hard to shape powder, but its also hard to shape dirt that is so wet it will stick to your shovel, so spring is the best time to build.

Encorporating natural things such as roots, logs, and rocks can make your trail more creative and more fun as well. Using logs can save you time and add stability at the same time. Building your trails and then riding something you have created yourself is a very rewarding feeling. Its very similar to living in a house you built yourself in a way. Building with friends is not only a good thing when it comes to having another helping hand, but its a good to have other peoples opinions on how the trail is going. Having "fresh eyes" is never a bad thing, and a lot of times changes the trail for the better. Another thing that can get complicated is angles, whether or not a corner is too sharp, a jump to steep, a landing too far way or too close. Calculating all of these can be very tricky and a lot of times one has to ride it first before knowing if its the right angle.

Slopestyle

One of the many styles of mountain biking includes Slope-style. This is similar to Slope-style skiing and snowboarding. The riders track includes large gaps, drops, jumps, and wall rides. Again the track is similar to a ski track, but made of dirt and wood instead of snow. Slope competitions aren't about the fastest time, they are about the tricks they do off the features on the track. Its very rare to see a clean run without somebody crashing, as this style is very technical and it leaves no room for mistakes. Some of the tricks involved include backflips, front flips, 360's, Tail whips, and more.


Competition is scored by judges and points are given for trick complexity, big air, and smoothness. There has been a lot of controversy on how accurate the judges are. Some of the athletes have been "robbed" of a higher score. The bikes used for Slope-style are small, light bikes made for giving the riders as much maneuverability as possible. The bikes have around 4 inches of suspension travel, which doesn't seem like much, but its better then nothing when landing off of 30 foot drops.

 

The bikes are also simple, usually with one brake, one speed, smooth tires, and simple components. pricing is from around $800-$3000.


The largest Slope competition is the Kokanee Crankworx in Whistler, Canada. Thousands of riders and spectators come to watch the best of the best riders lay down their crazy tricks on the slope track. To win this completion leaves you with serious bragging rights. It takes not only the guts to go big, but the technical ability to do some of the tricks as well. Many crash and break bones trying to get the run they want. Some riders wear pads and full-face helmets, while others where open-face helmets and skinny jeans with a T-shirt.

 

 

Crashes can get gnarly, as most of the landings are really hard packed or loose dirt. and flying from 20 feet in the air down onto concrete hard dirt isn't very forgiving on the body.