Mountain Biking - where to start?

bogmanfan

So, I'm a road cyclist, but thinking of doing a spot of MTB just to mix it up. But I know nothing about the sport. Where in Dublin/Wicklow/Kildare would be a good place for a beginner to start? It seems Ticknock is graded 'severe' which might be a bit beyond me.
Also, any advice on a decent used bike for around €500. I'm 6'2" and ride a 58cm Trek road bike, so what size MTB should I look for? And anyone else in a similar situation want to arrange an outing for some Sunday morning?

Budawanny

bogmanfan wrote: »

So, I'm a road cyclist, but thinking of doing a spot of MTB just to mix it up. But I know nothing about the sport. Where in Dublin/Wicklow/Kildare would be a good place for a beginner to start? It seems Ticknock is graded 'severe' which might be a bit beyond me.
Also, any advice on a decent used bike for around €500. I'm 6'2" and ride a 58cm Trek road bike, so what size MTB should I look for? And anyone else in a similar situation want to arrange an outing for some Sunday morning?

Best thing to do is hit Ballinastoe mtb trails in wicklow , rent a mtb off biking.ie and head off. You could get a lesson off them too. They are excellent.

Then if you like the bike they sell off the ex rentals for 450 a pop.
the forks are not great for the long term but would do for a while and are fully upgradeable should you chose to do so.

The size you would need but be in the large end.. but would depend on model really.

Tenzor07

Give Paul @ trackandtrail.ie a call, they do bike hire and lessons.

you would be borderline L - XL in frame size

Budawanny

yup, you cant go wrong with Paul either.

Lawdie

For most makes, go L not XL.

CardinalJ

Im 6'3 but would rather a smaller frame as I find its easier to control.

As said, I'd head up to ballinastoe or ticknock and rent one to see what feels best. You'll also get some good advice.

Enjoy.

Popoutman

It's almost always better to have a slightly too small frame than a too large frame, as the smaller frame will get out of the way more easily when descending. If a frame is a little short from the saddle to the bars, there are many sizes of stem that could be tried for fitment, and there's plenty of adjustment in the saddle position.

If you are coming from the road side of things, the oddest things are the smaller frames compared to what you are used to on a road bike, as well as having to move the saddle up and down often when climbing and descending to get the best comfort for both. You'll move the mountain bike around a lot more than a road bike as you go down the trails.

fenris

As the lads said, hit Ballinastoe, rent a bike, and give it a lash. Leave Ticknock for the moment, the trails are not exactly beginner friendly due to some interesting design decisions (big rocks on the outside of bends etc. that could almost have been sponsored by your local physio or orthopedic surgeons retirement funds)

Don't get too hung up on saddle height position / fine tuning bike fit etc. you won't be spending long enough on the bike for it to matter and it doesn't have the same impact as on a road bike. If you are renting a bike the lads will give you one that is about right. Do bring gloves though, there is a lot more vibration and if you take a tumble without gloves it will be into a gorse bush with your hands outstretched, however if you have gloves then the gorse bushes just go away and bother someone else.

You will find that you are raising and dropping the saddle quite a bit, there is no real happy medium, lift it for climbing and drop it for technical bits, in the middle will be rubbish for both, having the saddle too high on the technical bits is not great for control or for a controlled exit.

Don't be afraid to just point the bike and go, those wheels and tyres will take far more than your Roadie instincts would have you believe, when in doubt just lash on a bit more power and let the bike bounce about under you and you will be through almost anything Ballinastoe has to offer. The worst thing to do is grab a fist full of brakes (much stronger than road bike brakes) when you are on a tricky bit, it usually results in running off the trail or a slow undignified topple onto pointy rocks with an audience that magically appears just in time to catch the end bit.

Occasional silly tumbles are part and parcel of learning, they are nowhere as severe as your average road tumble, in the early stages you think that you are going way faster than you are, get up off the saddle relax the body and let the bike move around a bit under you, the fear of falling off seems to cause more tumbles than anything else. Getting past the fear and those occasional moments when the laws of physics and probability seem to have been re-written in your favour are some of the great things about mountain biking.

FirstinLastout

Remember to look at where you want to go and the bike will obediently follow.
Look for the exit of a bend and that's where you'll go; but
focus on an object like a large rock on the side of the trail or drop-off and that's where you'll end up.
Helmet essential, off-road it WILL save your life/ability to walk/wipe you backside without assistance etc etc

gman2k

My advice is don't start MTB in the mountains, but simply start anywhere off road, just to get used to the different speed, control, and more acute awareness needed for obstacles.
The Phoenix park has lots of trails. Move on to forest trails and then hit the mountains.

chewed

I just did a beginner's lesson in Ballinastoe. Joe was the instructor and was fantastic. I highly recommend it if you're considering to start out mountain biking. He teaches you all the basics including bike maintenance. It was €50 for 3 hours. Worth every cent.

No.username

Hey folks sorry for jumping in on the thread. I've been interested in getting into off-road mountain biking for a while now, but like the OP, I didn't know where to start. Some good info on here and I didn't even realise there was places that gave lessons etc.

I think I will do what was said already - start in st.annes park or somewhere handy before heading for the hills.

I bought a bike about two years ago, it's a Felt Q520 (2011 model) the bike is a hardtail, will this be an issue when I decide to go up to Ballinistoe etc.? what exactly is the purpose of the rear shock? Is it for rider comfort or for structural reasons? Will most of the bikes I come across In Ballinistoe and the likes be full suspension?

Below is a link with my bikes specs, if anyone in 'the know' could spare 5 minutes to have a quick look at it and tell me if the bike is decent enough for a beginner to get into off-road biking, I'd really appreciate it. http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?year=2011&brand=Felt&model=Q520

Also, obviously a helmet is a no-brainer, is it a requirement to have a full face one? What other gear would a beginner need?

Any help, tips or advice really appreciated.

Cheers!

Mr. Grieves

That bike is perfect for starting with.

A full face helmet is not necessary. No other specific gear gear is absolutely needed for your first spin, fingerless gloves aren't a bad idea. Shorts & tshirt or jersey if you have one.

Bring a spare tube, mini pump and tyre levers, punctures are easier to get off-road. I'd put 30-40 psi air pressure in your tyres - more if you weigh more. It's a bit if a balancing act between lower pressure for grip/comfort, and higher pressure to avoid pinch punctures. You can put lower pressure in the front tyre. You can experiment with this once you get a feel for it.

Put your saddle a few inches lower that the traditional road position (leg slightly bent at lowest point in pedal rotation). Again, experiment.

No.username

Thanks very much for the reply Mr.Grieves ... All noted!