Mountain biking for mortals

June 29, 6:22 AMMinneapolis Outdoor Recreation ExaminerMarie Malinowski

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Monarch Crest Trail, Salida, Colorado

Mountain biking can be dangerous but it’s largely dependent on the choices made by the rider, e.g. you. While many riders like to push their limits, there is a fine line between pushing the limits safely and pushing them recklessly.

I have a few friends who are interested in mountain biking, yet they've heard the carnage stories and seen the YouTube videos and have opted to stay on the paved trails. If this is you, listen up.

Mountain biking doesn’t have to involve stunts like this to be classified as "mountain biking":

Or even this:

It is possible to ride singletrack without ending up a casualty on YouTube. Just follow a few of the suggestions below:

1. Know your limits. If a trail gives you the following options: A) Probable injury B) Certain injury or C) Probable death, get off your bike and walk. If you think your friends will laugh at you, they’ll laugh harder when you crash. If you think what you're doing is not the smartest, or above your ability, you're probably right. Trust your instincts.

2. Slow down on the downhill. There’s no greater feeling than soaring through the air like a bird. But it alters the playing field dramatically when your body is suddenly reduced to bouncing off tree trunks, rolling down rocky slopes, and crashing into a thicket of poison Sumac. Keep your speed at a level that will allow you to adjust for any change in trail conditions.

3. Look ahead twenty feet. When riding singletrack through trees, you’re going to encounter blind corners. It’s just the way it is. By looking at the trail twenty feet in front of you--and not at the tree you're about to hit--you can see blind curves, bumps, logs, and other trail obstacles. You'll notice that your turns are smoother and more controlled when you do this.

4. Let the faster riders pass. This is both trail etiquette and common sense.

5. Use the appropriate bike. This is a bit of a no-brainer but still worth mentioning. I do a lot of riding at Lebanon Hills and occasionally, I see people riding hybrid bikes or even BMX bikes. If you want to take up mountain biking, purchase a mountain bike. Save the BMX for the freeride parks and the hybrid for paved trails.

6. Get to know the trail. If you’re riding a new trail, take it slow and learn the trail’s features first before you attempt to set speed records. Always look at the consequences of crashing in a particular section. Sometimes a section can look easy to ride but the consequences for screwing up can end in a few chipped teeth or broken bones. 

7. Ride with someone of your ability. If you’re riding with a friend who isn’t afraid to barrel around corners, catch air off jumps, bomb down hills, and blast through rock gardens, you might find yourself trying to keep up with him/her. This doesn’t help your confidence level and could put you at risk for injury. Also, don't be shy about asking a more experienced riders for tips. 

8. Start out on an easy trail. Salem Hills, in Inver Grove Heights, has a great section in the woods where you can work on your basic technical skills (e.g. riding among trees without smacking into them). There are no ledge drops, rock gardens, skinny bridges, or fast downhill. The open-prairie section of the trail has enough hills to challenge you aerobically (kind of) while still offering opportunities aplenty to hone your skills in a relatively reduced-risk environment.

9. Stay off the skinnies. This? Is not mountain biking. It’s a freak show on two wheels:
 

10. Subscribe to a mountain biking magazine. Magazines like Mountain Bike Action provide tips on improving skills and techniques. Also, it doesn’t hurt to buy a few crash and carnage DVDs just for the laughs.

Mountain biking doesn’t have be about tricks and stunts and jumps and riding skinnies and ladders and bombing down fire roads at speeds that would earn most cars speeding tickets. It’s about riding off-road trails through deep woods, over desert landscapes, and high into mountains with views of pristine, alpine lakes. It’s about getting yourself outside, on a bike, having fun, and riding in a manner that ensures you live to ride another day.

Oh, and by the way, THIS is mountain biking: