Time To Get Out And Mountain Bike

Summer is creeping into the state of Oregon. While I still don’t trust June and its tendency to wildly shift seasons, it’s still safe to say that skiing season is over. My skis have been put away in the basement since April. The good news is that mountain biking season is here.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not an adrenaline-seeking-multi-sport-outdoor-enthusiast that is going to enlighten you with expert knowledge on how to mountain bike. I’m more here for the casual sports enthusiast. The sports enthusiast that shifts sports with the seasons, isn’t always in the best shape for said sport, and isn’t afraid to take a break for a snack. I do these sports to hang out with my friends and enjoy the seasons of Oregon. My ski poles are not bent from all the dangerous terrain that I’ve had to navigate; in fact, they are very straight and proper. I avoid crashing at all costs and I make sure to follow ski etiquette. When I decided to try mountain bike I took the same approach as I do with skiing: Have fun, avoid serious injury.

Here are my top 4 mountain biking tips for the casual mountain biker (yes…4 tips. Experts tend to only need 3 tips, but the extra tip for the mediocre biker will do wonders).

• Invest in some padded cycling shorts. You can thank me later. This was the best advice I got the first time I mountain biked. Your day will be cut short whether you’re a women or a man if you opt to not wear padded shorts. Yes, you’ll look like you’re wearing a diaper but so is everyone else on the trail. Pick some up at Bike N Hike or REI.
• Rent a bike your first few times out. Even a generous friend letting you borrow their bike for the day won’t compare to renting a top of the line mountain bike that retails at $2,000 for around $40 a day. Pedaling up mountains and picking up a bike to carry it seems like a breeze with a serious mountain bike. Check out the trails in Hood River and rent a bike from Mountain View Cycles or rent in Portland from one of Bike Gallery’s six locations.
• Give them the right of way. If a biker coming from behind or in front is wearing a spandex onesie with a zipper down the front, just get out of their way. Yes, you may have more control than this person but any way you look at it the person wearing a spandex onesie on a mountain biking trail means business. And you’re just there to have a good time, right? Avoid the collision or even the mild side swipe.
• Stop for a snack. If it’s the end of the day, you haven’t had a break for a while, you’re tired and almost to the end. It’s time for a snack break. Many injuries take place on the way down the mountain, the last run of the day. I’ve seen it happen; a slight slip and his head went over the handle bars into the river on the trail down to the car because of fatigue. Bring some trail mix, enjoy the scenery and refuel.

Enjoy your day out there on the trails. Got any other tips for the casual mountain biker?