There’s a big race coming up.  You’ve spent weeks, or even months, preparing yourself, riding as much as possible, watching what you eat, and even ditching friends and family so you could train.  You are ready… or, at least as ready as you will be!  The last thing you want is a mechanical to put you out of the race, wasting all the hard work you’ve put into preparing for the race.  Here are some tips to make sure your bike is as ready to race as you are.

If you have to travel to race, be sure to take everything you need.  Make a list, check it twice.

“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.”

While I’m not sure if Confucious really said that, I am sure it’s good advice.  Getting the bike ready starts long before the race, two or three weeks out actually.  You wouldn’t wait to do all of your training until the day before, would you?  So why wait to check the bike until the day before?  The night before a race is NOT the time to be doing major work on your bike!  Starting early will give you time to replace any worn parts (which you probably don’t have laying around and will have to order) and get them broken in before the race.  Here’s what you should look into:

Tires:  Check your tires for wear and damage.  Inspect the sidewalls and the tread, look for cuts, bulges, embedded debris, anything that could cause a failure.  If you’re not confident in a tire, replace it.

Brake Pads:  How much life is left in your brake pads?  Is it enough to get you through that 50 mile race if it rains?  Having an extra set to carry with you just in case isn’t a bad idea.  Brake pads are like toilet paper – there are nasty consequences for running out.

A tire failure can ruin your day in a bad way.  Make sure they’re up to the task.

Stans:  How long since you last topped off the sealant in your tubeless tires?  If you shake the wheel and don’t hear Stans splashing around inside, you need to add some more.

Drivetrain:  If your ride is shifting smooth, then great, move on.  If it’s not good, figure out why and get it fixed.  Take it to your favorite LBS and let them tune it up, replace what’s worn out (chain, cassette, cables, etc).  If you had to replace the cables, be glad you’re smart and got it done early.  Now you have time to break them in and get the initial “stretching” over with and get the system re-tuned so it’s running like a sewing machine on race day.

Hidden Dangers:  When was the last time you checked your chainring and cleat bolts?  Probably never, right?  Most of us never think about them.  Well now is the time to check – I’ve read too many race reports where someone lost one of these critical bolts and were not able to finish the race.  You don’t want to be That Guy.  (example:  3 days before the 50 mile Fools Gold my buddy Ross discovered that 2 of his chainring bolts were missing and another was loose!)

A well tuned and clean drivetrain goes a long way towards having a good day on the bike.

Final Prep

On the night before the race you need to get all of your stuff taken care of.  That way, the morning of the race you don’t have anything to do except get dressed and get to the start line.  Get your clothes laid out, food prepared and ready, pack your hydration pack with whatever tools you’re taking.  Here’s a good checklist for prepping your bike the night before:

Tire Pressure:  Get your tires aired up to whatever pressure you plan on using.

Drivetrain:  Wipe away as much dirt and grime as possible and re-lube your chain.  A smooth, quiet drivetrain goes a long way toward making you feel good on race day.

Hidden Dangers:  Check those chainring and cleat bolts one more time.

Check your cleat bolts!

Go Get Some

Alright, you’re ready – get some sleep, you’ll need it!  In the morning all you have to do is eat, fill up your bottles/hydration pack, get to the venue and put on your riding clothes.  Oh, and don’t forget to take that all important pre-race potty break!

I’m not sure if you know this, but Crested Butte is a long way from the Front Range of Colorado. It took us hours of driving (with a few stops thrown in) to make it to Crested Butte and we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening running various errands in town, finding a campsite, and setting up camp. We weren’t able to hit singletrack again until the next morning.

The Goblin at the campsite, just itching to get out and shred!

The next morning, the ladies were interested in hitting the singletrack too, so I picked out a nice, easy ride that would hopefully still be fun for all: The Lower Loop. This would be my sister-in-law’s first mountain bike ride ever, and my wife only rides once in a great while, so I wasn’t really sure how things would go. This ride did have several convenient bailout options in case they weren’t up to the challenge.

According to the map, the trails started on the opposite side of the Slate River from the access road. It was a pretty serious mountain river, so I was a little worried that our posse would get deterred from our singletrack goal before we ever actually saw it. Fortunately, when we reached the trailhead we saw a sturdy wooden bridge spanning the river that would keep us well above the snowmelt.

Getting ready to ride!

According to the guidebook I was using, this route would be 9.9 miles long with only 475 feet of climbing. That’s flat – most rides in Georgia have more climbing than that! We decided to get most of the elevation out of the way early with a quick climb up the Gunsight Pass Road to the Upper Lower Loop trail. Despite the confusing names, we ended up on the right piece of singletrack.

Andrew on the Upper Lower Loop trail.

Finally, we were riding singletrack! Our camp was set up, we had 4 full days ahead of us with no more serious driving to do, and it was time to enjoy the trails that we had driven over 1,500 miles to ride! And these trails were so worth the effort, too. The dirt was perfectly tacky and the singletrack undulated along the side of the mountain like a gently flowing stream. It wasn’t gentle enough to completely turn the brain off, though: rocky sections would crop up unexpectedly, ensuring that we paid sufficient attention to where we were going. But of course, they just served to make things more interesting! I rocketed along this true singletrack roller coaster with utter reckless abandon!

Despite the great trail, I was a little distracted. I’m used to riding singletrack in the deep forests of North Georgia where scenic views are a rarity. My entire local trail system has maybe 2 or 3 spots that are worth a pause. Riding in Crested Butte was entirely different! Save for the occasional stand of aspen trees, the trail ran through lush, green mountain meadows. The entire valley around the sinuous blue strand of the Slate River was colored in various shades of green and ringing it in were gray rocky peaks towering majestically over us small creatures and our wheels. The scene was truly phenomenal!

I stopped for a minute to take in the grandeur and shoot a couple photos when I realized that I had dropped everyone long ago. But in a minute, Andrew came pedaling up.

Sometimes I think that as advanced mountain bikers we sometimes take our skills for granted. I know I forget how challenging even relatively smooth singletrack can be to a beginner. As I waited for everyone else to catch up, I reminded myself to dial it back a little bit and just enjoy the trail and the company!

Mount Crested Butte in the distance.

As we approached the junction with the Lower Lower Loop trail, I spotted an option with a berm running into a little jump.

Despite the fact that I was riding a hardtail 29er, I had to at least give it a shot:

I couldn’t get the kind of pop I wanted off of such a small lip with such big wheels, but it was fun to try!

When we reached the big junction near the Lower Lower Loop trail, we realized that we had a number of different options. We found a wide, graveled doubletrack leading to town as well as a narrower, rockier section of singletrack. Naturally, I chose the singletrack.

After another mile or so of riding, we reached Peanut Lake Road, which would have taken us straight into town, but again we spotted another singletrack option off to the right. After a little more pedaling we had almost reached the town of Crested Butte, and trails began to branch off in all directions!

Crested Butte has its own little singletrack trail system attached directly to the west side of town with most every branch of trail dumping out on a different street. We dropped right off of the singletrack into a neat little neighborhood. I turned around and asked my wife, “Can we please buy that house?” as I pointed to a home that was literally 5 feet away from the beginning of the trail. How awesome would it be to have singletrack literally out your front door? Well, many of these houses do, and even if you live on the other side of town, you’re still less than 5 minutes of pedaling from the beginning of a trail. How cool is that?

Since we had pedaled all the way there, we decided to take a couple of minutes to cruise through downtown and check out some of the sights. I don’t want to go into it in too much detail in this post, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen as many bicycles in one town as I saw in Crested Butte.

A couple of the more interesting bikes we found.

After cruising around for a little while, we decided to hit the trail back to the truck so we could get some lunch. The first section on the way back was a repeat of what we had just ridden, and the ladies decided to stick to the smoother, easier trail while we men busted down the singletrack.

As we reached the junction with the split off onto the Lower Lower Loop trail which we hadn’t ridden yet, I thought we would have to continue on doubletrack for a ways until I spotted a singletrack splitting off to the left. Andrew followed me and we rode down it for a ways, until I heard some yelling behind me. I turned around to see my wife yelling that we had gone the wrong way, despite the fact that I was pretty sure we were riding in the right direction. However, they revolted, and continued on down the doubletrack while Andrew and I headed up into the woods on the singletrack. Since we were all heading the same direction, I was pretty sure we could meet up quickly.

This amazing section of trail must not have been the a part of the main loop, as it was much narrower and a little more technical than anything we had ridden so far. The singletrack dove into a tight aspen grove, threading through narrow gaps in the trees. The dirt was wonderfully dark and tacky. Yes, dark is an understatement: this was absolutely gorgeous black dirt. Georgia has nothing approaching the blissful tackiness of the black dirt hidden amongst Colorado’s gray aspen trees!

After a little bit of climbing through the aspens, the trail popped out into an open field and turned back down towards the doubletrack, losing what elevation we’d gained in a wonderful rush of wildflowers and bermed turns. All too suddenly, it was over.

In a couple of minutes we were reunited with our wonderfully strong-headed women and we picked up the last section of singletrack. The remainder of the Lower Lower Loop trail was just as swoopy as the Upper Lower Loop, if not even more so, with fewer rocks to navigate. It was also much closer to the Slate River, offering up even more breathtaking scenery that kept our eyes off the trail where they should have been.

We were almost done with our ride when I led us the wrong direction up an unwanted detour on the “Boy Scout Trail,” which climbed steeply along the side of a waterfall. After having already ridden 10 miles at 9,000 feet , my sister in law had put in a respectable effort for her first mountain bike ride ever, and she was very ready to be done! When the trail got seriously steep I was pretty sure that this climb wasn’t a part of the plan, and with the help of the map and my GPS I guided us back down the mountain and out to our truck… the right way this time.

Our first ride in Crested Butte had been quite an adventure, and it was just the first of many!

Do you remember the first time you saw someone riding a singlespeed (SS) mountain bike?  I bet your first thought was “what do they think they’re doing out here without any gears?  Don’t they know they have to ride up hills?”  I also bet you were immensely confused when they rode away from you on a climb – I know I was!  After my first SS encounter I walked away with the conclusion that you must have to be a beast to ride a SS MTB – I mean, it’s gotta be really hard, right?  I’m going to let you in on a secret:  singlespeeding isn’t nearly as difficult as you think.  Heck, I rode almost exclusively on a SS for over a year, and trust me – I’m not that strong.

I wanted to do a post that might convince some of you to give singlespeeding a try for yourselves.  There are already tons of blog and forum posts on the interweb about the benefits of SSing (light, simple, quiet, builds strength, etc.) so I decided to do something a little different.  I lent my 29er singlespeed to five non-singlespeed riding buddies to get their thoughts.  These guys and gal are normal riders, they’re not slow, but not that fast either.  They might do a race or two every year for fun, but they primarily ride because they enjoy it.  That’s what it’s all about after all!

My bike, a Vassago Jabberwocky.  25.16lbs of steel-framed, one-geared, big-wheeled goodness.  And yeah, it’s got a bell. 

Rider #1 – BrianW

STATS Age: 40 | Years Riding: 19 | My Bike:  Giant Yukon (hardtail, 26″ wheels, aluminum frame)

Thoughts on the singlespeed:

Within the first 2 minutes on the Keg Creek trail I was reaching for phantom shifters. The one thing that I noticed and could get used to was how quiet a singlespeed is. Just the tires on the dirt. Never knew how noisy the derailleurs were. Also seemed like as soon as I pushed down on the pedal there was power, no delay at all.

I was worried about two climbs: the first one, going up Boulder Creek, was a lot easier than I expected. On the steep rooty climb just after the “Bed Rock” crossing I managed to go up half way before losing momentum and walking the last portion. To be honest though, I struggle up this one even with a geared bike. Long ascents were not as bad – I got off the saddle a bit more than I normally would. Overall the climbs were not as bad as I thought they would be. I am also certain that given a few weeks on a singlespeed that the climbs would be a non-issue. It did seem that you needed to go a certain speed or cadence or else you might be walking.

The downside that I noticed was on long downhills – I wanted to put it into a higher gear to get more speed. Eventually I overcame this by picking up the cadence.  I also rode a section of paved road from Keg to Bartram (in Wildwood) to see how I would like it. Again I was reaching for phantom shifters. And again I had to overcome by picking up the cadence. I believe over time these problems would be non-issues.

Overall I did not miss the gears and the quietness of a singlespeed trumped the few times I really wished I had them.

Less (complexity, noise, weight, parts, maintenance) is more (fun).

Rider #2:  David K.

STATS – Age:  43 | Years Riding:  3.5 | My Bike:  ’09 Cannondale Rize Carbon 1 (carbon/aluminum framed 5″ travel full suspension bike, carbon Lefty fork, 26″ wheels)

The ride: Rode at FATS – Skinny (ccw) -> Brown Wave (ccw) -> Great Wall (cw)
20.2 miles. 1:58 riding time (surprisingly, not slower than on my geared FS bike)
Met Paul F. in parking lot and we decided to ride together. He rode behind. I always ride faster/push a little harder with someone behind me. I rode every hill without stopping; even the 2-mile climb out of Great Wall (cw).

The experience:

• Several new variables with this bike: single speed, 29er, hard tail.
• Frame might be too big, stem too long, and seat too far back. Overall though, it wasn’t a bad fit.
• Never stood and pedaled so much out of the saddle (i.e., climbing). On geared bike, I just sit and spin most/all hills.
• Quiet. Although, not due to lack of gears but the lack of chain slap (I could hear the chain slapping on Paul’s bike).
• Going up hills was not nearly as punishing as I feared (I was very surprised). However, not sure if it was the SS, 29er wheels, or the knowledge that if I didn’t get enough speed or pound hard enough I would get stuck? Knowing that there isn’t an easier gear available is a great motivator for hills.
• I’m not that fast downhill so needing/wanting a higher gear wasn’t an issue for me.
• It’s hard to qualify but, once rolling, there seemed to be more power to the wheels (lack of RD?) and more momentum when coasting (29er tires?).
• Actually, I think some climbs might have been easier than on my geared FS bike.
• I tried to shift with the dingle bell a few times (subconscious thumb movement).
• Riding a single speed/hard tail probably makes you a better/stronger rider: standing and pedaling out of saddle, focusing on technique during turns or watching the trail ahead to maintain speed/momentum.
• Here is a shocker: If I had extra money, I would think about getting a SS 29er. Mostly as a “penance” bike for the day after a bad ride or when I bag a ride due to laziness. No cheating hills with a single speed.
• Won’t give up my geared FS bike, but I can see where a SS might be nice to have for more variety (i.e., switching up trails and bikes) or for training.
• A few times (long, slight uphill grade, seated) getting the bike rolling faster felt like moving a ton of bricks (might be that my legs were getting tired).
• Most of the time though, once the bike was rolling, it kept rolling.
• Really impressed at how (relatively) painless it was to stand and pedal those hills. I wouldn’t have guessed.
• My casual observations have been that most folks start off with a hard tail, move to a full suspension and, if they’ve caught the fever, eventually get a singlespeed.  Never thought of myself progressing to the third stage but this ride has me thinking.

No shifters makes for a simple, clean, uncluttered cockpit.

Rider #3:  Tom Z.

STATS – Age:  44 | Years Riding:  10 | My Bike:  2001 Gary Fisher Tassajara  (hardtail, 26″ wheels, steel frame)

I don’t know why I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed my trial singlespeed ride.  After all, I spent the first 13 – 14 years of my life riding a singlespeed bike.  And we rode everywhere then – through woods, fields, in the clay pit behind my house.  Gears were something your mom had on her bike – a 3-speed cruiser.  You were a sissy if you had a 10-speed (which the rest of us were secretly envious of).

So I chose the Turkey Creek Trail to ride as it is representative of 75 – 80% of the riding I do.  It really didn’t take long to get accustomed to not having shifters.  Maybe because I have been struggling with rear derailleur issues for so long, but it felt very liberating to ride without gears.  The ride was definitely quieter.  Yes, I had to come out of the saddle a few times more that I normally would have.  I didn’t realize how dependent I had become on a geared bike – down shifting out of habit in the face of an obstacle rather than powering over or up it.  The trail was very trashy from recent storms – a lot of trees and limbs down to climb over and around.  Despite that, I thought my ride time was pretty good – 55 minutes in (7 miles) and about 5 minutes less out.  On this trail, I found myself wanting a higher gear more often than a lower one.  If I was slower than normal, I think it was on the flat and downhill sections when I normally would have pushed into a higher gear.

The bottom line is, now that I have a new geared bike (3 x 10), I convinced myself to convert my old bike to SS.  I’m looking forward to riding it on some more challenging trails.  Maybe my opinions will change when I have to do more climbing.  Hopefully I will get stronger.

Trent rode the SS with platform pedals.  Photo:  Trent S.

Rider #4:  Trent S.

STATS – Age: 34 | Years Riding: 10+ | My Bike:  2011 Specialized Camber Elite 29er (full suspension 29er)

First impressions @ Skinny – like most of the trails at FATS, Skinny starts with a long section of downhill and very, very quickly (within 50 yards of the parking lot) I ran out of spinning speed.  I love going fast, so not being able to do so under my own pedal-power was frustrating at first.  I caught myself trying to pedal a few times where I clearly couldn’t match my rolling speed.  After I accepted the fact that gravity and a light touch on the brakes would dictate my top speed, I got into it.

The first thing I noticed was that instead of barreling down the trail like I do on my 29er FS and grabbing handfuls of brakes moments before potential disasters at big hits or sharper-than-expected turns, I was rolling at a more leisurely speed and found myself enjoying setting up jumps and smoothly carving through corners.  Sure the overall pace of the ride was slower, but it ended up being more enjoyable.  Later in the ride, I also seemed to have more energy than normal.  It could be attributable to knowing I needed to beat the rain back to the Jeep, but I like to think that it was due to the single speed.  Normally I like rolling along in the big ring, pushing hard gears.  With the single speed, I had no choice but to enjoy the ride at a more leisurely pace and it saved my legs for the uphill battle back to the parking lot.  Normally at that point, my quads are starting to feel it and there are a few hills I dread.  Now, even though I was climbing in a tougher gear than I’d normally try to attempt, I had some reserves that pushed me through the steep spots.

I was riding platform pedals again.  If the Jabberwockey’s geometry were a little different, it’d be a lot like riding my old BMX through the woods.

@ Canal trail – Again, a single speed is best in the woods.  It felt really slow riding through the neighborhood on the way to the trail.  Reminds me of when I was a kid riding a BMX.  The easiest thing to do is stand up, pedal as fast as you can for a few moments, then cruuuuise….and repeat.  Once on the canal trail…well, I was concentrating more on getting back to the house in time for Stacey to pick me up for our trip to Beaufort to really notice many differences…except a whole new respect for single speed riders who fly through the woods.  Don’t know how they do it.  There are so many spots on the trail where you could really pick up some speed, but I didn’t manage to do that.  Maybe I’ll try again with clipless pedals.

Bottom line – I’d love to have one.  As a second bike.

Rider #5:  Stacey W.

STATS: Age:  30 | Years Riding:  2.5 | My Bike:  Giant XTC2 (hardtail, 26″ wheels, aluminum frame)

The advantage of riding the single speed on a trail that I’m familiar with allowed me to anticipate and better prepare for the climbs.  For instance, when a tight turn came just before a climb (knowing I couldn’t drop it down a gear to make the climb easier), I didn’t wimp out by squeezing the brakes.  I kept all the momentum I could, went wider and leaned harder into the turns, which is what I should be doing anyway!  It’s good “basic training” and brought me back to the fundamentals of riding (momentum, shifting weight etc).

The workout was more intense and I enjoyed the exertion I felt afterwards. I’d love to have a single speed for a second bike!

Stacey enjoying the ride to the trail.  Photo:  Trent S.

Told You So!

As you can see, everyone enjoyed riding the singlespeed, even if they didn’t think they would.  The proof is in the pudding they say, so here’s my proof:  BrianW, David, Tom, and maybe even Trent are all converting their old bikes to singlespeeds.

Keep an eye on the Singletracks blog – soon I’ll have a Tech How-To post showing you how to convert your own bike to a singlespeed!  It’s a cheap way to try SSing without buying a whole new bike, it’s easy, and it is a great way to get your old bike out of the garage and back on the trails again.

Thanks to Brian, David, Tom, Trent, and Stacey for trying the bike and taking the time to write up their thoughts on it.

What do YOU think about SS MTBing?  Ever tried it?  Tell us what you think in the comments section.

Have you been watching the Tour de France? Are you seeing what those spandex-clad fellas are getting themselves into? Dozens of hungry looking guys with really bad tan lines tossing themselves onto the asphalt at 50 mph with naught but some stretchy fabric and garishly-colored styrofoam beanies to keep their insides inside. They accept the risks of pursuing their passion as we do. The main difference is that when we hit the trails (and sometimes when we hit the trails) we’re on our own. No support car, no camera crew, no guy dressed up like a devil capering on the sidelines.

So there you are: out on the dirt with a ration of hurt. It could be you or your bike, but as we all know when things heat up and the trails get rough, all sorts of carnage can occur. An errant stick kicks up into your spokes and you’ve suddenly got a very expensive single speed. You went into that turn a little too hot, lost grip on the front wheel, and performed a spontaneous verification of gravitational consistency (you fell your ass down). All the myriad things that can happen when you’re way out in the wilderness should get you thinking about a plan for getting yourself back out with a minimum of drama. So like the Boy Scouts say: “Be Prepared.”

PART 1: Fix the bike

Much of the following depends on  your specific bike, so the more you know about how to work on your rig and the various parts, the better. I’ll simply list the tools, spares, and doodads I carry when I’m out on my 26″ hardtail.

A. 2 spare 26″ inner tubes (I never hesitate to carry this extra weight, since I’ve had more than one ride where I got two flats). If you’ve got tubeless I’d still recommend carrying a tube since, you know, sharp things are everywhere.

B. Patch kit. In addition to the two tubes I always carry a patch kit. The old school kind with glue, sandpaper and patches. Remember: if you don’t know how to use the patches they’re pretty useless on the side of the trail. Ask Sheldon Brown about it, you’ll get more info than you ever knew existed about tires, tubes, and wacky beards. If you’ve never heard of Sheldon Brown, well, shame on you.

C. Multi-tool. My latest favorite is a Topeak Hexus for a few reasons: it has a Torx head for disc rotor bolts, it has a chain breaker, since getting rad sometimes gets chains busted, and it also has a little curve of wire attached to the chain tool that blew my mind. The wire holds the two ends of a broken chain together so you can use the chain tool to rejoin the ends. Huzzah!

D. Tire levers. The Topeak Hexus is doubly sweet since it incorporates tire levers into the body of the tool.

E. Zip ties. Or if you’re from north of the border, Zap straps. That one always cracks me up, eh?

F. Master link. Chainpocalypse? No problemo, just use your chain tool to pop out the bad link and click it back together with this handy little fella. Remember to get the corresponding speed correct; 9 speed link for a 9 speed chain, 10 speed link if you’re one of those fancy rich dudes.

G. 2 hex bolts for clipless pedal cleats if you ride them. Seriously, you’ll never need these until you don’t have them. And they’re so small, just throw them in a dime bag tiny zip lock baggy for a rainy day.

H. Tire pump. There are tons on the market, find one you like and always have it. But remember this: no mini pump was designed for heavy use so don’t use it as your primary pump every time you’re heading out for a ride. I think it was BikeSnob who said that owning a quality floor pump is one of the things that separates actual cyclists from people who occasionally ride bikes. I concur.

The author’s best side. Photo credit to Brian McKinney

Part 2: Fix your broke ass

A. Bring plenty of water. A simple rinsing of the affected area is a great start to the healing process. Plus you’ll be hydrated and ready to get to the trailhead (or landing zone for the Medivac).

B. A clear head. One of the most valuable things I learned in survival training (yes, I actually did this) was “If you need to panic, get it out of the way, then get down to business.” Take stock of the situation and make the right decisions, don’t just spaz out because you’ve got a little boo boo.

C. Ride with a buddy. The probability of you and your bro breaking yourselves at the same time is menudo. He or she will be the one to ride out for help if your ride goes seriously pear shaped. Reward them with beer once you get out of the ICU. And not Bud either, the good stuff.

D. You’ll notice I’m not recommending you ride prepared with gauze, band-aids, antibacterial ointment and an air cast. Let’s face it; grams are important to those who want to tear it up. More important than a first aid kit in your Camelback, all you really need is common sense. Don’t get in over your head – let someone know where you’re riding and for how long, bring a friend, and don’t get (too) stupid.

None of these silly points of advice replace a sound mind and good judgement. It’s simply a mildly entertaining blog post with a few goofy internet pictures and some half baked ideas from a guy who barely avoids getting run down in traffic. Good luck out there and remember: chicks dig scars but you’ve got to stay alive to reap the benefits of their attention.

Mountain biking the Bookcliffs area near Fruita, CO.

“I’m just glad to be out here instead of sitting at home on the couch eating ice cream and watching TV.”  This is what a 60+ year old told me on the Left Loop at the Tsali bike trail in Western North Carolina.  Made sense to me.  So we all have a choice as we age. Work to stay active and in good health or develop an inactive lifestyle that leads to poor health.  What if you could find an activity that is more fun than a video game on steroids, smell the fresh air, see nature in all its natural beauty while getting the best cardio exercise any gym could ever offer? At age 65 I discovered mountain biking and immediately became hooked.

Slickrock trailhead in Moab.

My wife, Bonnie and I were driving back from an extended snow ski vacation out west and the thought occurred to me that I really needed to find a new exercise activity since I had given up jogging due to knee cartilage problems. A friend who had started mountain biking some years earlier had previously recommended it as a great sport. So my wife and I discussed the pros and cons and decided to buy entry level bikes and give it a try.

I had ridden bikes as a kid – living in a rural area, the bike was my main mode of transportation to a friend’s house or to the ball field. So in my mind bikes were for kids and besides, those guys I saw on the side of the street on bicycles in sissy tight pants, Chinese fireworks shirts, and Star Wars helmets definitely did not seem to fit my style. But we got the bikes and helmets anyway – that’s all I could stomach in the beginning.

We rode the paved trail at the Flatwoods Park in Tampa, FL as a starter. Bonnie wanted to stay with the paved and hardpacked surface trails, but I wanted to try the singletrack trails to see what it was like.  As it turned out my first experience on a true mountain bike trail was at Panther Town Valley near Cashiers, North Carolina. We were visiting the  area with some friends and I had brought our bikes along for the trip. So a friend and I bought a trail map at the local outdoor store, drove to the trailhead and headed out like any pro biker would.  I remember going downhill leaving the trailhead, going faster and faster, the adrenaline rushing and thinking “man oh man this is really a lot of fun!”  We proceeded to get totally lost on the trail (no markings), ended up going in a big circle and amazingly found ourselves back at the trailhead start. But the big story was – I was totally hooked on mountain biking after this.

Lock 4 trail in Tennessee.

So 2 years later and lots of bike trail rides I can recommend to any senior looking for a great sport – give mountain biking a try. You can choose your own pace and trail difficulty and advance at your own leisure.

The vast majority of mountain biking videos shot with point-of-view cameras really aren’t worth the time it takes to watch them. Despite the access to excellent equipment, there are 2 main reasons for this poor video quality:

1) Unimaginative camera angles.

2) Poor editing.

Hopefully in my last post I was able to provide you with enough camera mounting ideas to get your creative juices flowing, helping you leave behind the same old overused camera mounts.

In this post, I will address the second point, “poor editing,” and will hopefully help you add a little zest to your trail videos.

Software

Whenever I mention to people that I just uploaded a new video or I’m in the process of making a new video, the first question is always: “What program did you use to edit it?” The thing of it is, I just use Windows Movie Maker to edit my videos, and it comes standard on most Windows computers. Even with this basic program I am able to produce decent mountain bike videos that I think are actually enjoyable to watch.  iMovie works even better.

Sure, a fancy video editing package has more options and might be able to do a slightly better job. But as Jeremy Hazard, pro-level photographer and accomplished videographer, commented on the last post: “I think some people miss the point a bit – POV cams are for just that – they’re not intended to capture high quality footage for use in major motion pictures  ” This is all about having fun and creating entertaining videos, and that can definitely be done with an inexpensive editing program.

Purpose

As with any production that borders on the artistic, you must first identify your purpose before you begin. Are you trying to showcase the trail? Are you trying to showcase the rider’s abilities? Or are you just attempting to create an entertaining bike video that’s sort of original? Your purpose will determine how you cut the video.

In my opinion, the major editing error that most helmet cam vids  make is the absolute lack of editing. Those long, continuous 10 minute shots bore me to death! The only time one really long shot for the entire length of the video works is if your sole purpose is to showcase the trail. Even then, if the trail is boring and has some climbs in it, that might still be a bad idea!

Here is a video where I used one long clip, and my purpose was to just show how sweet this entire downhill is:

Cut the Climbing

As a general rule of thumb, when I’m editing, I begin by cutting out all of the climbing. People only want to watch the really interesting parts of your ride, and if you’re grinding uphill for 10 minutes (or even 15 seconds), they are going to get bored. Clip out the climbing.

Since the whole shot (above) is downhill and it’s pretty fast-paced and only a couple of minutes long, I think it still works pretty well. However, bear in mind that if you create a video showcasing a single section of a trail like this, the number of people that will want to watch the video is probably less than if you created a vid featuring cool riding and shooting, unless the trail is truly outstanding.

Camera Angles

Yes, I know that I’ve already spent about a thousand words talking about camera angles. Now’s the time to take what you’ve learned, and apply it. Take all of those different camera angles and incorporate at least 2 or 3 different ones into your next video. And don’t just use one, switch to the second, and then switch to the third at the end. Try varying them throughout the video, utilizing multiple short clips instead of just a few long ones.

Check out this video for a little idea of what the finished product could look like:

Transitions

One thing that annoys the heck out of me when I am watching a mountain bike vid is a large number of cheesy, overdone transitions. A few key transition effects can really make a video pop, but when someone tries to incorporate every single feature that their software package has into one 3 minute video…. it looks cheesy, and distracts from the riding.

Personally, I generally stick with fade in/fade out transitions (black and white), and a simple dissolve. Sometimes, I even incorporate hard cuts from one clip to another. Break the thinking that you need a different transition whenever there’s a new video clip, and you will be well on your way to editing success.

Music

Nothing spells “boring” like a music-less sports video. Music should almost be considered mandatory, unless you’re just posting a raw 30-60 second clip. Music keeps the viewer entertained and engaged, and can add real life to your movie!

When selecting the song that you want to use, trying to choose music that you think your target audience will enjoy may help boost the popularity of your video. However, in my personal experience, there is no way that you can ever satisfy everyone. So instead, I suggest that you choose something that you enjoy. As long as you like your video and are proud of your work, that’s mission accomplished in my book!

Your Turn:

What editing tactics do you think really make a mountain bike video come to life?

I did my first ever cross country (XC) mountain bike race recently.  I’ve done a bunch of longer distance endurance races (6hr, 50 mile, 100k’s, etc) and a few short time trials, but this was my first mass-start, short distance, high intensity race.  It was crazy!  It was both frustrating and fun at the same time, and I can see how people get addicted to it.  I learned a lot that day, so read on to hear how my race went and to see if XC racing is something you might enjoy yourself.

The SS class seemed to be the most eager to start.  432 even false started!

The Race and Course

The race was put on by Gone Riding and was a dual-series race for the South East Regional Championship and the Georgia State Championship.  The course was a flatish rooty and rocky 10.5 mile loop at Dauset Nature Trails in Jackson, GA.  There was only about 900ft of climbing per lap, but there were tons of roots and way more rocks than you would expect to find in middle Georgia.  It was a rough course, but the conditions were hard packed and fast.  There were 3 classes:  Base (XC3) Sport (XC2) and Expert/Pro (XC1).  Base did one lap, Sport did 2, and Expert did 3.  Everything I read suggested first timers race in the Base class, so that’s exactly what I did, in the 19-29 age category.

I knew the pace would be fast the whole time, so for about 15 minutes before we started I rode up and down a long mellow gravel road climb.  I pedaled an easy high cadence at first, then did some sprinting to send my heart rate up to redline a few times.  I arrived at the start line, heart rate up and already sweating, just minutes before we went off.  There were 8 of us in my class, and no one looked slow.

On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!!

No really – GO!!!  As soon as they said “go” it was a full out 100% effort sprint.  We had about a quarter of a mile on a gravel road before we entered the singletrack.  Almost immediately two guys somehow got tangled up and crashed hard at what had to be close to 20mph.  I entered the singletrack at the back of the now 6 person pack.  The pace never slowed down – it was fast, aggressive riding the entire race.  Balls to the wall, hard as you can go.  If you don’t feel like you might puke, you’re not trying hard enough.  After a mile or so I made a pass and moved up to 5th, and kept pushing myself.

Me booking it through the woods.  Be mindful of the trees!  Photo: Mark D.

Around the 4 mile mark I had almost reeled in the two riders ahead of me – I was close enough they weren’t getting out of sight anymore.  Then on a rough climb I downshifted without easing up on the pedals.  This is when I learned my upper limit screw on the rear derailleur was out of adjustment – the chain jumped past the big cog and got jammed between the spokes and cassette.  I had to stop.  The guys in front of me quickly disappeared, and the 3 behind me flew past.  Before I could get the chain free some of the racers in the wave that started after my class had also caught and passed me, including my friend Chris.

One of the Pro classes tearing out of the start line.

Once I got the chain free I took off in earnest, trying as hard as I could to catch back up.  At a switchback there was another crash and I caught my friend Chris and a few other guys.  Chris isn’t slow, so I tried to stay on his wheel.  A short while later I passed Chris when he was in the wrong gear on a rocky climb.  He caught back up to me pretty quickly, but didn’t try to pass.  Knowing he was behind me made me push even harder.  Around 7.5 miles into the lap we catch a group of four racers, then my chain gets stuck between the cassette and spokes again.

This time it’s really stuck good, and I end up literally sitting on the ground next to the trail pulling and tugging on the chain trying to get it free.  A ton of people pass me.  There’s no way I can catch anyone in my class at this point: my race is over.  After what feels like an eternity a course volunteer/photographer comes down the hill and helps me get the chain free.  I finished the lap at a decent pace, but not nearly as hard as I was riding before.  No point in killing myself now.  A few minutes after I finish I hit the stop button on my heart rate monitor.  One hour and nine minutes on the clock, average heartrate of 181 bpm and a max of 206 bpm.  I told you it was full out!

Post-race watermelon really hits the spot on a 90 degree day.

Lessons Learned

The biggest lesson I took away from the race is that perfect bike set up is critical.  I had nearly 200 miles on that bike since building it up with no issues, but the race was the first time I rode it that hard – basically with reckless abandon.  Shifting while cranking as hard as possible on the pedals will show any imperfections in your set up!

Some other advice for those of you interested in trying an XC race:

• Warm up is crucial!  The pace is fast the entire ride so starting cold will suck.
• The ‘beginner’ class isn’t just for beginner riders – the leaders are very fast.  The winners in pretty much every class all averaged over 13mph (on a very rough course) - the sport and expert riders just did it for more laps.
• Have realistic expectations.  Your only goal for your first race should be to finish without getting hurt.  The chance of you winning is very small.
• Keep your head up.  Everything happens fast.  Crashes, people stalling, unexpected roots or rocks – you gotta see them in time to react.

The kids race was awesome!  Photo: Mark D.

All in All…

…it was a fun day, even though I was dead last in my class.  The atmosphere was much more laid back and relaxed than I expected.  Everyone was friendly and there to have fun.  I also thought the kids race was cool – get ‘em hooked young!  The only thing I didn’t like was the drive-time to race-time ratio – I spent about 5hrs in the car and only about 50minutes riding.  I probably wont do another one until I can combine it with a trip to visit friends or family.  I can’t wait to try another XC race though!

With the advent of the many affordable HD helmet camera options on the market (especially the GoPro), the number of point of view (POV) mountain bike videos on the internet has exploded! To be brutally honest, the vast majority of the POV videos uploaded every day aren’t worth the time that it takes to watch them.

There are 2 main reasons for this poor video quality, despite the access to excellent equipment:

1) The camera angle never changes, many shots are shaky, and/or the only perspective used is boring.

2) Poor editing.

In the first half of this two part series, I will analyze a number of popular camera mounting options for mountain biking. Hopefully this will help you add a little extra zest to your next trail video.

Helmet: Top, Facing Forward

Photo Credit: Contour.com

The default camera mounting option for most people seems to be on the top of the helmet, facing forward. This is expected, as these types of point of view cameras are commonly referred to collectively as “helmet cams.”

Unfortunately, this perspective can sometimes be the absolute worst choice for an interesting video. If you are riding solo, this shot tends to create a flag pole-type perspective with nothing in the frame to add depth to the picture. It’s almost impossible to tell how steep the trail actually is or how large the obstacles are as there is nothing else to compare them to. Also, the bike is not in the picture at all, so the viewer has no idea how exactly the rider is handling his bike.

However, if you are filming a chase scene with another rider in front of you, this angle does an excellent job of capturing what the other rider is doing on the trail. This is the only instance when I’d personally recommend this mount.

Helmet: Top, Facing Backward

Again, this angle is really only useful if you are shooting a chase scene. Obviously, it would capture the performance of the rider behind you.

Full Face Helmet:  Side Mount, Facing Forward

This is a pretty popular mount with gravity riders wearing full face helmets. The angle inevitably captures part of the helmet in the picture, and that little section of helmet is usually enough to lend a little bit of perspective to the image. Also, you can usually see the bike a little bit in the bottom of the frame, which is especially cool on jump lines.

Here’s an actual video to give you an idea of what this perspective looks like:

Handle Bars

Photo Credit: GoPro.com

After the forward helmet mount, this is probably the second most common mounting option… unfortunately. Because of the fact that the camera is mounted directly to the bars, it is constantly being jolted and shaken by the smallest bumps in the trail. When I watch videos shot from this perspective I can rarely make out what is going on, and most of the time my head starts hurting and I turn it off. It’s also impossible to see how the rider is working the bike.

The one thing that a bar mount does well is provide a good view of the trail surface, if it is relatively smooth.

Seat Post: Rear View

Photo Credit: GoPro.com

While at first glance you might think that the camera would suffer a lot of shaking mounted in this position, the truth is that this is actually a very stable mount, especially on a full suspension bike. This is a very unique perspective that I find is a lot of fun to watch. When you are riding a bike, you never get to see the trail disappearing behind your tires. But with your camera mounted like this, you can when you get home to your computer!

Also, the rear wheel provides a focal point for viewers to keep things interesting and to provide a little bit of depth to the picture. I also find it fun to watch how the suspension responds to changes in the terrain.

Chest Mount

When I’m riding solo, the chest mount is hands-down my favorite choice! Mounting the camera on your chest avoids the flag pole effect by providing close-up objects in the frame (arms and handlebars) that create perspective.

But the number one reason I enjoy this perspective so much is that the viewer can see exactly what the rider is doing, and how he manipulates the bike.  Everything from shifting to braking to steering is visible to the viewer, making for a much more interesting video, especially if there are no other riders present.

One word of caution: make sure that your camera is aimed high enough to catch the trail out in front, because we don’t want to be staring at the top tube of your bike the entire time!

Get Creative

From ground placements for ride-by shots to having a camera spin around your head, your creativity is really the only limit when it comes to creating a unique perspective for your next trail video!

Coming Up

In the next installment, I’ll cover a few tips to help you edit your videos so they don’t end up in the expansive vault of neglected YouTube videos.

Based on the videos that you’ve watched or created, what is your favorite video camera mounting option?

Cleaning your bike after a ride can feel like a buzz kill but it doesn’t have to take forever. Follow these tips and you’ll get the job done quickly without damaging your bike.

1. Get your mountain bike dirty

One of the reasons people end up doing more damage than good while washing their mountain bike is because they wash it too frequently. Just because there is a little speckling of dirt on the down tube does not mean you need to bust out the scrub brushes… it’s a mountain bike people. But if your bike is truly dirty, give it a bath.

2. Find a place to wash it

For many people who own homes, this is easy: just haul out the garden hose and get washing. But for those of us who live in an apartment or who live the nomadic mountain biking dream, finding a hose isn’t always so easy.

Nowadays, many of the popular purpose-built mountain biking trail systems have a bike wash stand right at the trailhead: this is perfect! If your favorite trail doesn’t have a wash stand I suggest heading on over to your local bike shop. Most shops are more than happy to let you wash your bike for free. (If they aren’t, it might be time to find a new LBS.)

3. Find some brushes and rinse

Purchasing a brush set is relatively inexpensive, and if you are already heading to the LBS to wash your bike, why not buy one while you’re there.

Use the hose to rinse the mud off of your bike as best you can. In order to avoid ruining your rig, don’t spray high pressure water into areas that have bearings. The water can work its way in and wash the grease out.

You will notice 2 things in the photo below:

a) I am standing back away from the bike so the pressure isn’t too great.

b) This is just a normal hose, not a high pressure system (as compared to say the coin-operated car wash).

As I move in closer toward the bike and focus on the components, I reduce the pressure even more to turn the spray into more of a mist.

4. Scrub

Bust out those brushes pictured above and scrub your bike down. I recommend the big brush for the frame, the medium-sized brush with hard bristles for hard-to-reach places, and the small brush for components, especially the chain and cassette.

You can choose to use soap if you would like, as it will definitely help with greasy, hard to clean areas. However, if I’m aiming for a quick wash in under 15 minutes, I’ll skip the soap and just scrub and use water. It still works pretty well.

Make sure to get all of the hard-to-reach areas.

5. Clean the chain

Having a clean frame is nice, but where it really counts is with your drivetrain and other moving parts. Take special care to clean the chain well.

6. Clean the cassette and other components

Be sure to get all of the grime out of the cassette, and clean the chain rings and derailleurs carefully as well.

7. Skip the tires

Part of our goal is to get the bike clean in the shortest amount of time possible. Toward that end, skip scrubbing the tires. I will usually spray them down with the hose to knock the muck off, but I won’t bother scrubbing and detailing them. Really, what would be the point? The tires are the first thing to get dirty again, and having a little red stain from the local clay is not going to affect performance at all.

Focus on more important parts like the drivetrain.

8. Dry

Take care to dry your mountain bike off. If I’m going quickly, I usually focus on the chain, components, and other moving parts, and I bump my bike side-to-side in an effort to knock the water out of the heads of the bolts so that they don’t rust.

9. Lube

Immediately after you think your bike is adequately dry, do a full lube-job. Make sure to lube the chain well, in addition to all of the other moving parts such as your derailleurs. Be sure to wipe away the excess lube after it has had a few minutes to soak in.

10. Get your mountain bike dirty

Mountain bikes aren’t meant to be looked at or ridden on the pavement–they are supposed to be lovingly abused on a dirty singletrack trail! Go ride, get dirty, and go back to step #2!

Following this method, washing my bike usually takes under 15 minutes, with the lube job taking an additional 5 or so. This is fast, simple, and crucial to keeping your bike in good operating condition.

How do you go about washing your bike?

We get a lot of questions about tubeless mountain bike tires here on Singletracks, so I thought it was time to put together a tubeless guide.  I’m not going to get into specific brands and components, but instead give you an overview of the various systems and point you in the right direction so you can choose what works best for your budget and riding style.

WHY TUBELESS?

This is the big question: why go tubeless?  There are several advantages to losing tubes.  I’ll cover the general theory here, but there is a lot more detailed information out there on the web if you search for it.

Lower tire pressure: Without a tube you can run lower tire pressures without worry of pinch flatting since there’s no tube to pinch.  The lower pressures will allow the tire to more easily conform to the ground, providing a more comfortable ride and more traction, as well as lower rolling resistance.

Less rolling resistance: This could be an entire post all by itself, so I’ll try to keep it quick and simple. Rolling resistance is caused by the interaction of the tire and the ground.  The first thing you need to get out of your head is the old school roadie theory of high tire pressure equaling lower rolling resistance.  We’re not using skinny smooth tires on a smooth hard surface.  We’re using fat knobby tires on an uneven, bumpy, sometimes soft and loose surface where the physics are different.  When you hit a bump the wheel either moves up and/or the tire deflects around/over the bump.  This deflection requires energy, and that energy is robbed from your forward momentum, slowing you down.  So the less energy it takes to deform the tire, and the less forward momentum becomes upward momentum, the less forward energy you lose.  Using lower tire pressure is the easiest way to allow the tire to deform over irregularities in the trail instead of forcing the wheel upward.

When using tubes there is also friction between the tube and tire, and this friction has to be overcome to allow the tire to deform.  By getting rid of the tube you get rid of that friction, and reduce the energy needed to deform the tire.   For more reading on the science of rolling resistance check out this page which provides a summary of an article in a German mountain bike magazine.

Fewer flat tires: Without a tube you no longer have to worry about pinch flats since there’s no tube to pinch.  In very rare cases you can pinch the tire – but I only know one person who has ever done this.  Also since you’ll be using a sealant, any punctures will get sealed up without you even knowing it ever happened.  If you do get a puncture the sealant can’t seal, simply install a tube like normal and continue the ride.

Improved ride feel: By getting rid of tubes you get a much better feel for what your tires are doing.  The ride gets smoother, faster, easier; you have to feel it yourself to really understand.  The tires even sound different!

Less weight: Weight loss is not the main advantage of tubeless, it’s just an extra perk.  You may not even lose any weight, depending on which tubeless system you use.

Disadvantages: Installing tires without tubes can be a pain, and sometimes requires an air compressor.  So if you like to change tires often, tubes are certainly easier.

Where the rubber meets the dirt.  Ditch the tubes, and improve the interaction.

HOW TO DO IT

There are three ways to go tubeless.  You can convert non-tubeless wheels, use a tubeless-ready system, or use a UST system.  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Conversion Kits: Stan Koziatek developed the first reliable and commercially available tubeless conversion kit back in 2000 when he formed NoTubes, and his kits are still the benchmark that all others are measured against.  The kit helps you convert nearly any rim and tire to tubeless and retails for around $60-$70, making this the cheapest way to try tubeless since you don’t need to buy new wheels or tires.

Downsides: Kits will not give you the lightest set-up and getting the tire bead seated and holding air usually cannot be done with a floor pump – for that you’ll need an air compressor.

Some rims convert more easily than others, as do some tires.  Research before you buy!  Some riders have experimented with “ghetto tubeless” set ups, where they fashion their own rim strip of out a 20″ tube.  Some have success with this method, but I can’t recommend it personally.

UST – Universal System for Tubeless: UST was developed by Mavic in the late 90′s.  It is a tubeless standard, meaning the rim and tire bead shapes are manufactured to very specific specs with tight tolerances and for any product to bear the UST label it must go through inspection and testing to be approved.  This means any UST rim is guaranteed to work with any UST tire, but tire selection isn’t great (especially for 29ers) and the tires are usually more expensive because of the approval process.  Non-UST tires do not generally play well with UST rims.

UST also has the tightest fitting beads, which makes installation a pain but allows for an extremely secure bead hook which is great for truly aggressive riding (think DH racing).  UST tires have an extra layer of air-tight rubber in the casing so they don’t require sealant like the other two systems, but this adds weight and makes the tires stiffer.  Most riders will use sealant anyways for puncture protection.  I have heard sometimes you can get the tires installed using a floor pump, but sometimes an air compressor is needed.  Pretty much every rim and tire manufacturer has UST products.

Tubeless Ready: Tubeless ready is the way of the future I think.  Tubeless ready rims basically allow you to use any tire – without tubes.  There are tubeless-ready tires as well, with tighter fitting and stronger beads.  Unlike UST, tubeless-ready set ups require sealant to make the tires air tight, and the bead shapes vary from one manufacturer to another – so some tires and rims work better together than others.  Tubeless-ready tires are often easier to set up than regular tires, usually with a floor pump.

Tubeless-ready systems are generally the lightest option since many do not require the thick rubber rim strip like conversion kits (some use a rubber strip, others use lightweight tape instead) and the tires do not have the extra air-tight layer of rubber like UST.  Without that extra air-tight layer in the casing, tubeless-ready tires are more supple than UST tires.  Specialized, Bontrager, Geax, Hutchinson, NoTubes, and WTB all make tubeless-ready mountain bike tires.  More and more manufacturers are introducing tubeless-ready tires, with Schwalbe being the latest, and Kenda promising some in the near future.  But again, most standard tires can be set up tubeless on tubeless ready rims, so there are tons of tire options to choose from.

YOUR EXPERIENCES

Tell us about your tubeless experiences in the comments below!  What systems have you tried, what worked well, what didn’t work well, etc.

Now that you know why you should switch to clipless pedals, all you need now are the right pedals and shoes plus a little bit of practice.

Clipless Pedals and Shoes

First, you need to buy the right gear: a pair of clipless pedals and a pair of shoes. As you can see from the photo above, the number of pedal options can be pretty intimidating. Two of the most popular types are Crankbrothers’ Eggbeater pedals and Shimano’s SPD pedals but be sure to check out the MTB pedal buyers’ guide to understand all your options.

Naturally, there seem to be even more mountain bike shoe options than there are pedal options! Whichever pair of shoes you buy, make sure they have a place to attach the “cleat” for your pedals. The cleat is the metal piece that actually clips in to your pedal, and a pair of those should come with whichever pedals you choose to buy.

I personally wear a pair of Specialized shoes on the trail. Some mountain bike shoes feature a flat bottom skate-style sole with a cleat option thrown in for good measure. Others sport a more relaxed, casual design that would look pretty normal off the trail.

While they may look geekier, I recommend going all-out and buying a pair of legitimate cross-country style mountain bike shoes. Going with a cross-country oriented shoe provides you with the benefits of a snug fit for power on the upstrokes and a hard sole for even force distribution on the downstroke.

In short, XC shoes ensure the best pedaling performance possible.

Skill #1: Clipping In and Out

If you have never ridden with clipless pedals before, the thought of being mechanically attached to your bicycle may seem scary… until you realize how easy it is to get in and out of the pedals. Here’s how to get comfortable with clipping in and out.

1. Find a big, grassy field to practice in. That way you won’t have to worry about navigating, and if you take a fall or two the consequences won’t be nearly as bad as on pavement or rocky trail.
2. Place the front of the metal cleat into the pedal. It may take a little while to get the feel of where exactly the cleat is at, but it should be positioned right under the ball of your foot.
3. Press down so that the back part of the cleat clicks into place. Your foot is now connected to the pedal.
4. To get out, simply press down with your big toe and turn your heel outwards, as if you are squashing a bug.
5. Make sure that you do not pull straight back when you try to disengage the pedal. One of the main goals of clipless pedals is to increase pedaling efficiency. They will not disengage unless you turn your heel outward.
6. Practice this motion over and over with both feet until the motion feels completely natural.

Over time, these steps will truly become second nature. You will undoubtedly fall a few times as a result of not being used to the new gear, but don’t worry – you’ll catch on quickly! The video below demonstrates the basic clip in/clip out motion. (Don’t worry – the third clip in the video is demonstrating pedal “float” – this is not the result of a stuck cleat.)

Skill #2: Pedaling in Circles

I will be the first person to admit that I’m not good at pedaling in circles. I tend to just mash the pedals and go. Personally, I need to get a road bike and spend about 6 months focusing on spinning efficiently. While I’m not the most efficient pedaler myself, I at least understand the basic concept.

As the subtitle says, it is important to think about pedaling in circles. As I mentioned previously, one benefit to clipless pedals is the increased speed and power generated by using the entire pedal stroke instead of just the downstroke.

While you’re pedaling, consciously consider these steps:

1. Push down like an average pedal stroke.
2. Pull your foot across the bottom of the stroke as if you are trying to wipe poop off of the bottom of your shoe.
3. Pull your foot up and thrust your knee hard toward your handlebar.
4. Push down… and repeat smoothly.

As with any other mountain biking skill, perfecting the art of the pedal stroke takes time and practice. As you begin to master the art, try unclipping one foot and pedaling with just the other. Doing this will help you realize how beneficial a smooth cadence can be.

Your Turn: Over the past two posts on this topic we have covered a lot of ground: the benefits of clipless pedals, when to switch, what gear to buy, and two crucial skills for using clipless pedals. What other questions do beginners have about making the big switch?

One of the coolest (and frankly cutest) things you can see is a two year old kid with an over-sized helmet and tiny knee and elbow pads pushing around his little pedal cart or plastic trike. I’ve been noticing a ton of kids at Joyride 150 this winter learning how to ride in the safety of the indoor bike park. I sat down last week with Mark and Scott from Joyride and we started talking about the fact that more and more kids are showing up these days – and I’m not talking about 8-14 year olds – I mean 3 and 4 year olds!

I saw one little kid on a plastic push trike making his way along Joyride’s IMBA training course. He even did a teeter-totter on his own (dad was spotting just in case) and pushed off like a pro. I was surprised to see a bunch of other kids, all under age 8, encouraging the even younger ones to make it around.  It’s truly amazing and inspiring to see kids at that age encouraging one another to achieve.

Speaking of rippers, there were a few kids on the pump tracks that could put most of the adults to shame. One guy in particular really stood out – he was riding a pro-level Redline BMX (purchased by his parents no doubt). This kid was nearly twice as fast as everyone else on the track, a blur around the course. He cleared the doubles like a seasoned pro and was perfectly parallel to the ground on the banked corners. No fear, just pure determination on his face. Maybe the next Johnny T, who knows…

It’s also interesting to note the number of kids’ parties at indoor bike parks like Joyride 150. Think about it – an enclosed location, medium supervision, a party room, and something every kid on the invite list will want to do. Plus, it’s a place where mom can sit and have a coffee – why weren’t places like this around when I was a kid!

So if you have a little ripper yourself and are planning on doing some kind of special family trip that includes riding, you may just want to check out what Joyride 150 or Ray’s have going on. And you don’t have to plan your trip for winter months either – riding indoors is a great way to beat the summer heat. Let’s face it, as great and wonderful as the outdoors are, sometimes it can be a bit too much for the little ones who are just starting out.