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EXCERPT FROM BIKE TRAILS MAGAZINE

While mountain biking,
please remember that
you are part of a large
community of trail users
who must work together
to preserve our open
spaces. In the Minnesota
Area, we are very lucky to
have so many trails open
to mountain cyclists. We
can only maintain and
improve on this level of
access through continued
work with the land owners,
other trail users, and in
educating all off-road
cyclists on the appropriate
etiquette required of them.
Etiquette and Safety
Etiquette and Safety
Etiquette and safety rules are
important for the well-being and
enjoyment of all trail users, but
there is another reason you should
obey them: If we dont follow these
simple guidelines, all cyclists will
lose access to our trails. Remember
that cyclists share the trails with
other users. Impolite, unsafe riding is
not only rude and dangerous, it gives
mountain biking a bad image and
causes us to lose access to trails.
The International Mountain
Biking Association (IMBA), the
international mountain biking
organization that ROMP is affliated
with, has set the following rules of
the trail (in bold). We have added
descriptions of the rules to make
sure they are clear and help explain
why they should be followed.
IMBA Rules of the Trail
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Ride on open trails only
Respect trail and road
closures (ask if not sure), avoid
possible trespass on private land,
obtain permits and authorizations as
may be required. Federal and state
wilderness areas, along with many
regional open space lands, are closed
to cycling.
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Leave no trace Be sensitive
to the trail beneath you.
Studies have shown that mountain
cycles, when ridden appropriately,
cause no more wear to a trail than
other trail users. Two of the times
that cyclist can cause signifcant trail
damage are when they skid their
tires and when the trails are muddy.
Skidding your tires is not the fastest
or safest way to stop, and does cause
signifcant damage. Riding in muddy
trails leaves grooves which enhance
erosion and dry to form permanent
marks. These marks show how bad
bikes can be to the environment
when ridden foolishly.
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Control your bicycle!
Inattention for even a second
can cause problems. Obey all speed
laws. Remember that what seems a
reasonable speed to you may seem
like out of control to a hiker or
equestrian. Slow down or stop when
approaching other trail users, even if
there is plenty of room. If another
trail user moves out of the trail in
fear, they may believe they were
run off the trail.
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Always yield the trail
Make known you approach
well in advance. A friendly greeting
(or a bell) is considerate and works
well; dont startle others. Show
your respect when passing others by
slowing to a walk or even stopping.
Anticipate that other trail users may
be around corners or in blind spots.
When approaching equestrians,
yield means stop and get off! Yield
to Uphill Bike Traffc - Your fellow
cyclists traveling uphill on a narrow
trail have the right of way! Stop and
let them go by if you are traveling
downhill. You can get going again
easily, they cant!See also the
Guide to Passing for in-depth tips on
Beginners Mountain Bike Guide
Table of Contents
Etiquette and Safety ...... 1
Technique ....................... 2
Required Equipment ..... 3
Recommended
Equipment ...................... 3
Basic Repair ................... 4
Maintenance ................... 4
Reading/Reference
Materials ......................... 4
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EXCERPT FROM BIKE TRAILS MAGAZINE
passing hikers and horses on trails.
5
Never spook animals All
animals are startled by an
unannounced approach, a sudden
movement, or a loud noise. This can
be dangerous for you, for others, and
for the animals. Give animals extra
room and time to adjust to you. In
passing, use special care and follow
the directions of horseback riders
(ask if uncertain). Running cattle and
disturbing wild animals is a serious
offense. Leave gates as you found
them, or as marked.
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Plan ahead Know your
equipment, your ability,
and the area in which you are
riding and prepare accordingly. Be
self-suffcient at all times. Wear a
helmet, keep your machine in good
condition, and carry necessary
supplies for changes in weather or
other conditions. A well-executed
trip is a satisfaction to you and not a
burden or offense to others.
Technique
The following is a brief description
of some basic riding techniques. To
learn more, try ROMPs Mountain
Bike Basic clinic, or read a book
on technique for beginners. Always
remember to ride within your level.
It is better to get off and walk an
area that you arent comfortable with
than to risk injury.
Balance Balance is crucial in
mountain biking, not just left-right
balance, but front to back balance.
Weight over the rear wheel is what
gives you traction: if your back tire
is slipping, try moving back on the
seat, or if you are standing, transfer
more of your weight to the rear of
the bike. If your front wheel comes
off the ground, then you need to
transfer more weight to it.
Climbing Most riders will do at
least some of their hardest climbs
out of the saddle. It is necessary
to rock the bike gently with each
pedal stroke in order to keep the
bike in a straight line. As your
right pedal goes down, rock to the
right, as your left pedal goes down,
rock to the left, and so on. If you
are climbing in the saddle, make
sure and use a low enough gear
that you are spinning. Too high
a gear is ineffcient, and can cause
pain or injury.
Descending Stay back on the
bike. On steep descents, you may
have to be behind your seat. Use
your brakes before corners, not in
them (see braking). Dont descend
anything you are not sure of; walk
if in doubt.
Cornering Learn the technique
of counter steering. Brake before
corners, not in them. Look where
you want to go, not at what you
dont want to hit. Bikes have a
way of going wherever you look.
Slow down to a safe speed, then
accelerate out of corners. Dont
skid, it looks fast, but it isnt. Lean
into turns; you can lead with
your inside knee to help with this.
Braking Most of your braking
force is in the front brake. Use
both brakes simultaneously, and
brake before corners, not in them.
Do not lock your back brake to
skid! It is destructive to the trail,
and not as effective at slowing you
down.
Shifting You should always
pick a gear that allows you to
spin your pedals at between 60
and 90 rpm. (note: racers may
spin more). Try counting your
revolutions for 10 seconds, then
multiply by 6, or get a cyclometer
with a cadence (RPM) function.
Different shifters work differently,
so get the salesperson who sold
you your bike to show you how to
select gears on your bike. Lower
gears are easier to spin on hills,
while higher gears are harder.
The smallest chain ring (on the
crankset, where the pedals are) is
your lowest gear range, while the
largest chainring is your highest
gear range. The largest cog on the
freewheel (on the back wheel)
is your lowest gear, while the
smallest cog is your highest gear.
It is the combination of your chain
ring (gear range) and cog (gear)
that gives you the overall gear ratio
you are in. Try shifting to a lower
gear before you are in the middle
of a steep hill.
Singletrack On these narrow
trails, dont look off the trail,
instead focus on the trail ahead.
Slow down around blind curves;
other riders, hikers or equestrians
may be around the corner.
Mud Do not ride in mud! It
leaves deep groves which water
follows, causing erosion. If you
hit a small patch of mud on an
otherwise dry trail, pull up lightly
on the bars, and either maintain
speed or pedal through. If the mud
is deep, walk your bike around it.
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EXCERPT FROM BIKE TRAILS MAGAZINE
Do not try to ride around this
causes the trails to get widened
beyond what they were originally
intended.
Sand Similar to mud, but try
a slightly higher gear than you
would normally ride in.
Rocks, holes, and bumps When
going over rocks, holes, or bumps
that may trap your front wheel, you
need to move your weight back
so that the wheel can foat over
the obstacle. Sometimes you will
need to pick up the front wheel
(called lofting) to get it over
the obstacle. Your rear wheel will
often just roll through the obstacle.
Water and water crossings Avoid
riding through streams where
possible; a tires passage causes
sedimentation of the stream. If you
must cross, maintain momentum in
a low gear, and use a light touch on
the handlebars. Let rocks defect
your tire gently.
Required Equipment
The following equipment is
required for safety. Dont ride
without them!
Bicycle For off-road riding,
it is recommended that you
buy a true mountain bike, not a
hybrid (one way to tell is that
true mountain bikes should come
with fat, knobby tires). Usually,
an appropriately sized mountain
bike will have at least 2 to 4
inches of room between the top
of the frame and your crotch
when you stand above the bike.
You should be able to reach the
handlebars such that you can bend
over at a 45 degree angle without
feeling cramped. The height of
the stem should be adjusted to
put the handlebars slightly below
the saddle, allowing some of
your weight to shift to the front
of the bike for a more balanced
position. The saddle should be set
at a height so that your legs reach
almost full extension when you
place your heel on a pedal in its
lowest position. Bikes with front
or front and rear suspension are
becoming more popular and more
affordable. Suspension smoothes
the bumps in the trail, increasing
comfort and decreasing fatigue.
You may want to consider a bike
that comes with suspension, or one
that can have suspension added
at a future time. If you are unsure
about the way your bike fts you,
talk to the experts at your local
bike shop. They should be able to
help you properly adjust your bike.
When buying a bicycle, it is best
to try several different bikes before
settling on one. Colorado Cyclist,
a catalog retailer, has a good
article on bike ft at http://www.
coloradocyclist.com/bikeft.htm
which you may want to refer to.
HELMET Buy one that fts right
and wear it. Not only is a helmet
required in many local parks, but it
will save your life.
Water Carry two water bottles
and cages, or one of the alternative
water systems (such as a
CamelBak). You will lose a lot of
water as you ride. Drink water to
prevent dehydration.
Appropriate clothing Dress for
the weather and riding conditions.
The weather on the trail is often
much different than where you
live. Be prepared.
Recommended Equipment
It is recommended that you carry
the following equipment. The
clothing listed will signifcantly
improve the comfort and enjoyment
of your ride. The tools (along with
the knowledge of how to use them)
will let you keep riding should
something go wrong. If you always
ride in a group, only one set of the
tools would be needed for the whole
group, but it is still recommended
that each person carry their own tool
set.
Pump get one to ft your valve
type (Schraeder or Presta).
Compact pumps are light, popular,
and fairly effcient. Many adapt to
either style of valve.
Gloves these will keep you from
compressing nerves in your hand,
getting blisters, and in the event of
a fall, save your skin.
Padded bicycling shorts these
are not only more practical on a
bike than loose ftting shorts, the
chamois prevents (ouch!) chaffng.
Windbreaker or light jacket for
spring, fall or winter riding.
Mountain bike shoes you can
ride in tennis shoes, but the soles
are not stiff enough to provide
enough comfort (pedals dig into
soles) or power transfer. Try
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EXCERPT FROM BIKE TRAILS MAGAZINE
cycling shoes.
Spare tube(s) for when you get
a fat on the trail, its easier to
replace the tube, then patch the fat
one at home where its cool and
there arent any fies.
Patch kit carry this for when you
use your spare tube and later get
another fat!
Tire irons youll need these to
help take your tire off in order to
change your tube.
Small screwdriver for adjusting
derailleurs.
Small crescent wrench for
removing wheels without quick-
release.
Small metric wrenches 8, 10mm
For a number of uses.
Allen wrenches same as above.
Get a good selection, and check
them against the bolts on your
bike.
Rag for wiping the grease off
your hands.
Chain tool for fxing a broken
chain. If you dont have it and
you break your chain, youll be
walking.
Spoke Wrench for tightening
loose spokes, or removing broken
ones.
First aid kit to fx damage to
riders.
Sunglasses to protect your eyes
from both the sun and dust.
Seat bag, fanny pack, or backpack
to keep all this stuff in.
Basic Repair
What good is carrying all these
tools if you dont know how to use
them? Your bike will break down
at some point, and it is much more
convenient to fx it and ride out than
it is to have to walk out. You should
know how to perform basic repairs,
such as:
Fixing a fat tire
Derailed chain
Broken chain
Loose or broken spoke
Get a good book, or take a class
from a local bike shop.
Maintenance
You may prefer to have a shop do
all your major maintenance, but
there are certain maintenance tasks
that need to be done often. You
should learn how to do these.
Clean chain
Lubricate chain and wipe off
excess lubricant
Check and adjust tire pressure
Check headset for play
Adjust brakes
Tighten bolts
Check wheels for alignment
Clean bike
Lubricate cables and derailleurs
These are things that need to be
done often. Again, get a book or take
a class at a local bike shop.
Reading/Reference
Materials
There are many books, videos,
CD-ROMS, and web sites out about
mountain biking, from regional
ride descriptions to maintenance
guides to advanced technique.
And, as mountain biking becomes
more popular, the number of
reference materials will increase.
If you would like to fnd a good
book on a particular subject, it
is best to get recommendations
from other riders or bike shops.