From Road Riding to Mountain Biking: My First Season on a Mountain Bike

I’m a roadie. Well, actually I’m a cycle commuter and an occasional road biker. But last year my daughter wanted to sign up for the mountain bike team and, never one to give up the opportunity to spend time with my kid or buy a new bike, I decided to try it out.

I had an amazing first MTB season and both my daughter and I are definitely coming back for more this summer. If you’re new to mountain biking or just considering trying it out, here are a few lessons and pointers I took away from my first year as a mountain biker.

You just have to let go a little. Mountain biking is definitely an exercise in finding the boundary between letting go and being reckless. This is also true in road biking, but it’s way (way) more exaggerated in MTB. Your wheels need to be rolling in order to grip, which means if you’re grabbing the brake your tires actually aren’t performing their best. For me, the hardest part of beginning mountain biking has been trusting myself and my bike and letting go a little.

Mountain biking is really strenuous. Mile for mile, it’s way harder than road biking. As somebody who has done many (casual) century rides, I thought I was in reasonably not terrible cycling shape. I was wrong. Mountain biking is a whole different kind of hard from road riding. So if you’re shocked by how hard you’re breathing going uphill, you’re not doing anything wrong, you’re just adjusting. So, give yourself a little grace, shrug and smile if you end up hike-a-biking up a hill (or five), and just enjoy that you’re challenging your body in a whole new way. That or get an e-bike. An e-bike is definitely an awesome option for mountain bikers of all levels.

You’re allowed to wear your road kit on the trail. I was a little nervous about the wardrobe requirements of mountain biking. Although many mountain bikers will wear baggies, it’s perfectly acceptable to wear the clothes and even the helmet you have from road biking. Over time, you may choose to get MTB-specific gear, but you don’t have to spring for a whole new cycling wardrobe in the beginning

Do wear long pants and long sleeves in the beginning. Always wear gloves. Perhaps you’re more coordinated than I am. Perhaps you’ll fall less. But I wish somebody had told me to wear long pants and long sleeves in the beginning. I fell a lot – usually nothing spectacular, but I did fall. Long pants would have saved me a lot of mid-grade road rash.

Enroll in a clinic to accelerate your confidence. Professional help is not that expensive and will help you learn good base skills and confidence that will serve you well for many seasons. Most resorts offer group lessons, and you can also sign up for independent group clinics in your area.