Singletracks' Tips for Beginners and Friends of Beginners [Podcast #66]

Singletracks’ Tips for Beginners and Friends of Beginners [Podcast #66]

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast we talk about some of the barriers to getting started with mountain biking and share specific ideas for improving fitness and technical skills.

By Jeff Barber
September 5, 2016 Last Updated: January 27, 2022

4 comments

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On this Episode

In this episode of the Singletracks podcast we talk about some of the barriers to getting started with mountain biking and share specific ideas for improving fitness and technical skills. And if you’ve been riding for a long time, you won’t want to miss our tips for taking friends out for their first ride.

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4 Comments

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mongwolf Mongolia // 2011
Sep 7, 2016

Enjoyed the podcast. Having ridden for only four seasons now, I've been through most of what you all discussed and fairly recently ... all sooooo true. Some of my best lessons have been: (1) Best upgrades for performance have been in tires (as stated in the podcast) and wider handlebars. (2) Get a friend to help you not just with components but get a right-sized bike. Fit may be the single most important decision you make in purchasing a bike. (3) I have learned so much from Singletracks and the web in general. (4) Wow, so true about fitness. I was a distance/trail runner for many years. Getting on a mtb was like starting all over in my fitness. (5) In terms of technical riding stay within yourself and grow incrementally. (6) Walk through new technical areas first then give them a try. (7) Most riders really are cool if you are a slower rider. They can ride ahead and then wait for you. And mountain biking is great in that everyone can often ride the same trail at different speeds and taking different lines.

0 reply

I think my take away from the podcast is doing more sessioning. Good point Aaron. I love exploring, especially here in Mongolia. So I don't session and work on my technical skills like I should. Maybe that will be a major goal for next year.

Aaron Chamberlain Georgia // 2013
Sep 7, 2016

Thanks @mongwolf and @willkemp! This was a fun episode to do and was especially relevant for me since my girlfriend has been joining me on the trails. As Greg said, teaching is a skill in and of itself. Helping her has taught me how to be a better teacher.

And, I've really enjoyed sessioning things. Sometimes I'll try to find a new line on a section I already know well just to keep things interesting.

WillK 2016
Sep 7, 2016

Really helpful! Some great insights there, thanks guys!

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