Any mountain biker, at some point – on the trail, in the car on the way to the trail, while twirling wrenches, over a post-ride beer – will say to themselves, “Jeez, I wish I’d known that!”
“Connecting the dots” is a part of getting better at anything, but sometimes wisdom is a long time coming. As I look back at over 33 years of mountain biking, I can see myself holding to stupid theories, illogical setups, or clinging to equipment that was long past its expiration date. Like a lot of my knobby-addled brethren, I got too concerned with confirming my biases, rather than overcoming them.
As that life of the party, Søren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
If only I could get inside my head as a 32-year-old, with the knowledge I’ve gained over a generation-span of mountain biking.
Here are eight (sometimes contradictory) gems that I would have shouted, persuaded, cajoled or otherwise imparted to that brash beginner:
1. Set a Goal
A race, an epic ride, a faster lap time, miles per week, a longer duration, just outriding your buddy… any of these will suffice. The operative thought here is to set up a way to measure your rides, so that you can compare your performance over time. Use your mileage, your max speed, total calories burned, race finish position – something that will let you track your progress toward a goal. I used racing as a goal, but didn’t start that until I was over 50. My best season was when I finished second in my class state-wide. Think of what I might have done had I started tracking toward a goal in my thirties.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
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2. Mix it Up
Get out of the rut of riding the same trail in the same direction, or riding with the same riders, or even riding the same bike. The broader your riding experience, the better rider you’ll become. A trail ridden on an FS trail bike becomes a totally different experience on a fat bike. You have to adapt – different lines, capturing momentum, adjusting your pace. Your skill set will blossom if you take the opportunity to do something different from time to time.
Caveat: the key concept here is “from time to time.” If you change it up with every ride, your rate of variation will exceed your rate of improvement.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “Learn from every new encounter, and make sure you have new encounters.”
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3. Upgrade as You Can
As your skills improve, make sure your equipment continues to challenge you. I’m not talking about a new bike, necessarily. New tires, grips, handlebars, a new seat, hydration pack, shorts, jerseys, helmets – the list is almost inexhaustible. Use upgrades to improve your comfort, your stamina, or your speed. If you have the opportunity and budget for a new bike, buy one that is conceptually 180° away from your current ride. If you’re riding a XC hardtail, buy a long travel trail bike. If you’re already on an FS bike, go full rigid. You get the idea. This will expand your primary skills that you can then apply to new, more challenging situations.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “Don’t let inertia limit your improvement; if it ain’t broke, break it.”
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4. Race More
I waited 14 years before I entered my first race. All that time, I was a fledgling rider who struggled with “flow.” I crashed a lot. I struggled with clipless pedals. I focused on the people I was riding with rather than my own experience, the trail, or my bike handling. “Racing improves the breed” is a tried-and-true aphorism.
When I started racing, I still crashed a lot. However, over time my bike handling skills began to supersede my fitness level, which had always been my competitive advantage. Now, at 65, my bike handling skills are what keep me riding safely – again, think of what I might have accomplished earlier had some Bell V1-helmeted sage had taken me aside and dispensed this insight.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “If you want to excel in the woods, get thee to the starting line.”
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5. Slow Down
There’s a lot to be said for speed on the trail. There’s also a lot to be said for The Mellow Ride. For starters, going slow allows you to absorb the scenery better; part of not riding on the road is enjoying the trees, fresh air, desert vistas or just being away. Secondly, by going slow you can focus on what your bike’s doing. How are the tires hooking up at this psi? Does the rebound in the fork work well in this terrain? Does the shock need more preload? By monitoring how your bike responds at lower speeds, you can tweak your setup to be the optimum when you start to hammer.
The scenery is just a bonus.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “Find the Tao in your ride, but remember that your bike has a Tao of its own.”
6. Train on the Road
While the trail is preferred, playing “roadie” has distinct advantages. For me, access is as close as the end of my driveway; in contrast, my nearest challenging trail is a 45-minute drive away. Riding on the road develops a foundation of fitness that provides an extra margin of oomph when on singletrack. When I was racing consistently, I did 90% of my training on the road. Hills, intervals, long slow rides, sprints – on the road, you are in control of your training. Off the road, the singletrack you’re riding will itself define the level and duration of your cardio work. Relying on trail riding for all of your training will build your high-intensity/short duration ability, but you won’t get that reliable “base” needed to finish strong.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “To excel in the woods, skinny tires are your friend.”
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7. Pamper Yourself
Life chafes enough, and there’s no need to add to the suffering. Think chamois butter. Use sunscreen. Chamois butter will make your post-ride beer that much more refreshing, if only because it will enable you to sit down. Sunscreen will help you avoid having pieces of your face removed by CO2-wielding dermatologists when you are on Medicare. You’ve indulged yourself with the best kit and equipment… don’t skimp on doing things that will extend your riding lifespan.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “Slather up before you suit up.”
8. Take a Weekend Off
Deeply enjoying being on a mountain bike relies on recognizing what it means to be off a mountain bike. In areas of the country where the riding season is short, this might be all too obvious. Locations where riding year-round is a given require a more Zen-like approach to the sport.
Once a month, take a hike, jump in a kayak, hit the gym, or even belly up to the bar. Perform some much-needed maintenance on your bike – check tires, chain, chainrings, brakes, cassettes, bearings. Wash your bike. Skipping a ride keeps you fresh, engaged, and passionate.
What I would tell my 32-year-old self: “Breathe. If you want to keep mountain biking in your life, don’t make your life about mountain biking.”
Everyone’s experiences are different; these eight observations come from years of riding woods, deserts, bike trails, Western vistas, rooty New England singletrack, and Swedish lake footpaths. Pick just one or incorporate all eight into your own deal – I guarantee more smiles and better rides.
10 Comments
Aug 31, 2019
I would totally agree with the need for goals but I dislike the idea of races. I come into mtb through a long history of mountain climbing, rock climbing and snowboarding. Activities that are better without hordes of people around. My goals are more like just get up some trails in our local mountains, free of the hordes. We make our own goals. Thanks for article.
Sep 3, 2019
Not sure what happened to #2 and #3 in this post: #2 was “Mix it up,” as in ride different trails and in opposite directions as trail rule permit. #3 was “Upgrade as you can” to keep your bike tech equal to your burgeoning skill set.
Goals are indeed personal; racing worked to keep me motivated, but solace is certainly a sweet motivator as well. Whatever keeps one on the bike!
Thanks for the comment!
Chris
Sep 3, 2019
Your story is inspirational! Go get ‘em! All the best in your pursuits!
Chris
May 19, 2017
http://www.themountainbikelife.com/2014/09/frugal-mountain-biker-variety-spice-life.html
Now-a-days I have added even more variety to my riding season. Weight lifting, treadmill, hiking, long street rides on my mountain bike with suspension locked out, travelling to and riding to different distant trails that I have never been to before, and any other kind of physical activities that adds fun to my routine.
I used to think that "I mountain bike so that I can more enjoy getting into shape". I found that the riding season is often too short and too weather dependent so most of the times I do not get to ride enough. I then re-adjusted my thinking to "I get into shape so that I can enjoy mountain biking more".
May 19, 2017
You've hit it right on the head: “I get into shape so that I can enjoy mountain biking more." Looking at the big picture, I think, gets me to a better space when on the bike.
May 16, 2017
I don't think I will ever race, but I have found that goal setting is really pushing me to be on the bike more.
I think of all your advice, I do "slow down" the best. Ha!!!!!!! I do slow really well. =) You gotta smell the roses while you're out there. I'm afraid that I am destined to never become a hammer head.
May 16, 2017
Good on ya for just being out there. There are many ways to get into shape other than road rides. That's what's worked best for me. Having said that, weight training is a great way to cross-train for mountain biking. Prior to riding four days on the Kokopelli Trail, I spent two months integrating upper body work and squats into my exercise routine. It paid tremendous dividends on the trail.
At 54, I hit a plateau at which I needed a lot more time to recover. Factor this into your riding schedule as well. I've found the need for recovery time only increases as I've aged. Riding six or even five days a week isn't sustainable. But with one day on and two days off, I can still hit max performance levels and feel good. Using a HR monitor helps -- when you see that you're not able to get to 90% of your HR, take a day or two off. That will allow your body the recovery time it needs.
Enjoy your ride!!
Sep 3, 2019
I think a race might be in my future!
May 18, 2017
May 19, 2017
It IS amazing how a day off (or even two) will benefit your legs and stamina. For me, it's the difference between being knackered at the end of a ride and having just enough left in the tank to enjoy simply being there.
Ride safe!