OP
OP
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
I’ve bought a mountain bike!
- Thread starter Julia9054
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
How much does it weigh?
I weighed my old 853 MTB a few years back and I'm sure that it was something like 13 kg (29 lbs). Definitely a bit on the porky side.
OP
OP
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
Less than 10kg according to the bloke we bought it from. A quick lift of both his and mine and his feels a bit lighter.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Yeah, it's very conservative, but that's the idea - it's a good thing when you're first starting out. Build up slowly, crashing sucks.
The other best bit of advice that I found really helpful is:
Don't look at the scary obstacles (rock, tree whatever) - look at the gap where you want the bike to go. The bike has an uncanny tendency to go in the direction your eyes are focussed, don't ask me why.
On the topic, try not to focus right in front of the front wheel, lift your gaze further up along the trail to see what's coming up ahead. Look right around corners rather than straight ahead.
Mostly, just enjoy being outdoors in the countryside on a bikeI find a nice thermos of tea out in the woods almost as enjoyable as clattering down the descents
This ^^^
I'm also a MTB newbie, riding mostly gravel trails, bridleways and farm tracks. Am finding it really helps to already have picked a path some 25 to 30 meters ahead. The bike just then seems to follow that. Otherwise, it's easy to come a cropper in a rut or dip filled with broken bricks.
FWIW, I ride a rigid steel MTB that I bought on a whim last summer and rebuilt / upgraded.
10kgs is light, my CF S Works comes in about 10kgs
DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
It's also a good technique when on the road bike as well, I've heard it referred to as "chasing the rabbit" you look from about a meter in front of you, to about 30 meters in front of you scanning for the best line, it takes some getting used to but it helps find the best line, be it off road or on our increasingly crumbling road network
OP
OP
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
Just been out locally to try it out. I now have wheel size envy.
He was beating me up hills which never usually happens. Grrrr!
He was beating me up hills which never usually happens. Grrrr!
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
Known as 'target fixation'.
If you stare at that horrible rock you are far more likely to hit it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targe...s an attentional,of colliding with the object.
OP
OP
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
I recall an episode of Frasier where him and Niles learn to ride bikes and keep cycling into objects for that very reason
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
As the wiki link says, target fixation tends to be a bigger problem the faster you go.
RAF fast jet pilots are trained in ways to combat it, as are some road going motorcyclists.
Another way to put it is look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go.
RAF fast jet pilots are trained in ways to combat it, as are some road going motorcyclists.
Another way to put it is look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I didn't know this had a name.Every day is a school day on CC
Always pleased to assist.
Lots more online, particularly in relation to riding motorcycles.
