Mountain Biking general thread

[DaveE]

They are great. Particularly for people who don't have whole days to devote to riding. You can literally cram whole days of fun into a few hours - recovering on the way back up the trails, then you get back to the top ready to hammer it down again...

.....jjjooooooiiiiinnnnnnnn uuuuuuuusssssssssssss.......

[dinny_g]

Don't - we have the high ground!!!

[Rich B]

They are great. Particularly for people who don't have whole days to devote to riding. You can literally cram whole days of fun into a few hours - recovering on the way back up the trails, then you get back to the top ready to hammer it down again...

.....jjjooooooiiiiinnnnnnnn uuuuuuuusssssssssssss.......

just to illustrate this one, we went out to swinley on Thursday night and in an hour and a half rode from the cars in bagshot out to check out a new trail being built the other side, then came back did 3 runs of Red 15 (reservoir run), 9 runs top to bottom of babymaker, 2 deer stalker and 2 on the old axle run and back to bagshot . That's pretty much what we used to do on a typical 3-4 hour weekend ride. I was still knackered, but did so many more runs with the ebike.

[Ascender]

I passed a couple on a downhill section last night and didn't realise they were on ebikes until I got to the next climb with a load of switchbacks when they caught me up and then flew up the hill barely pedaling. I genuinely didn't realise just how fast these things could climb up the really steep stuff, I think because I've only been passed on fire roads before.

[Barry]

Just had a quick ten miles on mine, mostly hard packed dirt trails, then some nadgery stuff. Using ECO or TRAIL on the tighter stuff, I was quite impressed with how much fun it is, you can maintain pace so much easier with the assistance. Then on the last climb back up the hill to my house, I put it in BOOST.. fk me the thing took off..very impressive considering mines on 2/3 the usual torque output the bigger bikes provide

[Ascender]

Just had a quick ten miles on mine, mostly hard packed dirt trails, then some nadgery stuff. Using ECO or TRAIL on the tighter stuff, I was quite impressed with how much fun it is, you can maintain pace so much easier with the assistance. Then on the last climb back up the hill to my house, I put it in BOOST.. fk me the thing took off..very impressive considering mines on 2/3 the usual torque output the bigger bikes provide

I didn't even think that might be another advantage when you have those bits in the trail where you naturally lose a bit of momentum/speed for whatever reason - misjudge something or just crappy technique.

[Jobbo]

Idly wondering where to cycle today, I remembered Harry’s Farm has a bridleway through it. So I had a very scenic ride round the Cotswolds today, the location for many Evo meets and my cycling at university.

Here’s the bridge which Harry replaced a year or two ago where the bridleway crosses what would in winter be a stream. And what he says about the camera not showing how steep the hills are is absolutely true; I tried taking a photo but it just didn’t show it as I hoped.

[Jobbo]

I feel like asking about pedals on here yet again is probably not going to go well, but in for a penny…

The flat pedals (HT ANS-10s) which I have are good in almost every way. I was pretty careful not to smack my legs with them last year. This year I’ve become more relaxed and have a fair few holes in my shins and calves now. I don’t think there is any way to have grippy pedals which are safe to smack into your legs but I wonder if there may be some which are less like instruments of torture. I considered taking a few of the screws out of mine but I’d inevitably smack myself with the ones left in, and I’d compromise grip.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Rich B]

Shin pads.

[ZedLeg]

What shoes do you ride in Jobbo?

If you’re using flats then flat soled skate shoes or like five ten ones that are specifically designed for mtb are best. I’ve used Vans for years and rarely come off the pedals.

[dinny_g]

I have DMR Vaults and wear whatever version of the Adidas Pace trainer Sports Direct are selling cheap.

Never twatted my shins once but you see, I’ll batter myself next time out because I’ve said that.

Five Ten’s are supposed to be the best though

[Rich B]

I wear tld pads like these. https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/cloth ... gJ9cPD_BwE
They obviously protect the upper shin and knee completely, the only shin bites I get/got were from pushing the bike up hills and kicking the pedal which was the exact right height to get the lower shin.

Obviously not I ride an ebike, that issue has gone away except for places like uplift queues/etc...

[Jobbo]

What shoes do you ride in Jobbo?

If you’re using flats then flat soled skate shoes or like five ten ones that are specifically designed for mtb are best. I’ve used Vans for years and rarely come off the pedals.

It isn’t from coming off the pedals, just from moving the bike around, pushing it through stupid small gates on bridleways that you can’t ride through, that sort of thing.

Rich is correct; shin pads. Even just wearing long trousers not shorts would probably solve it. It’s just scratching my skin rather than twatting myself in the leg - I tend not to notice until I realise there’s blood pouring down to my ankle

[Rich B]

What shoes do you ride in Jobbo?

If you’re using flats then flat soled skate shoes or like five ten ones that are specifically designed for mtb are best. I’ve used Vans for years and rarely come off the pedals.

It isn’t from coming off the pedals, just from moving the bike around, pushing it through stupid small gates on bridleways that you can’t ride through, that sort of thing.

Rich is correct; shin pads. Even just wearing long trousers not shorts would probably solve it. It’s just scratching my skin rather than twatting myself in the leg - I tend not to notice until I realise there’s blood pouring down to my ankle

it is amazing how the smallest brush against pedal pins can leave you looking like you've been mauled by a wild animal. One of my riding mates wears old school football shin pads too because the skin on his shins is 90% scar tissue from pedal hits that bleeds if you look at it wrong.

Fucked up shins are part of mountain biking.

[dinny_g]

I used to have Bear Traps on my BMX as a kid. Now there was a pedal that would fuck up your shins!!

Sounds like some pads is the way to go for you Jobbo

[Jobbo]

I like riding in shorts so shin pads probably aren’t the actual solution for me. I’ve spotted DMR do the V6 which are nylon pedals with nylon moulded pins. Since I’m not into jumping or hardcore stuff, I suspect I wouldn’t find them too bad. I do wonder if they’d be any less prone to lacerating me but they’re £20 so worth a try.

[Rich B]

I only ride in shorts, knee pads work best with shorts.

[Jobbo]

I must wear shorter socks than you in that case.

[Rich B]

I must wear shorter socks than you in that case.

not sure how socks come into it? Mountain biking shin/knee pads don't tuck into your socks like cheap football ones.

They are self supporting and come in a variety of lengths for more or less shin protection. I use fairly short ones that don't come that far down the shin because I found the proper strikes that make you sit and moan like Peter Griffin happen higher up.

[dinny_g]

sit and moan like Peter Griffin