mack_turtle

helmets, just like anything else you wear, need to fit your body. I can wear some helmets but others just don't fit the shape of my head no matter what size I buy. I owned a Bell helmet that I wore for a long time before I realized that I was getting headaches during rides because the helmet smooshed my head in the front/back. the same goes for shoes, glasses, jeans, etc. if you buy a helmet online, make sure it fits your head before yo spend time riding in or or you'll regret it. otherwise, try a few on in a store to find out what works for your melon.

Words to live by. What's the point of doing anything if there are no snacks?

just thought I'd check, anyone have a mtb shoe for 2-bolt cleats in the size 43.5-44 range? My Giros are on borrowed time and I think my feet have gotten fatter because they don't really fit now. (insert arthritis joke here)

I must have a high metabolism, because I have a keep a lot of calories in me starting with a hearty pre-ride snack, I bonk hard. however, I don't recommend eating something difficult to digest like leafy greens. everyone is different, so find out what works for you. if you happen to be Pop-Eye, then start with a can of spinach, but that does not work for most people. don't let anyone dictate to you want kind of equipment will be best for you, but keep and open mind to trying new things. how the bike fits, what width tires you like, suspension or lack thereof, dropper seatposts, type of pedals, etc. try everything you can. I have been on group rides with riders on rigid singlespeed bikes and FS carbon wunderbikes on the same route and terrain and everyone was having fun riding the bike of their choice. example: I started riding clipped in with Shimano SPD pedals very early on and it ruined a lot of fun for me. I was not very good at controlling the bike already, so being clipped in lead to a lot of crashes. I tried pushing a gear that was too hard for my legs to keep up and my body suffered. there's no obligation to be "hardcore" about anything because your peers are doing it. another noob mistake: spending your money on vanity bike "upgrades." if you're going to spend your heard-earned cash on the bike and you don't have an unlimited budget, buy stuff that will improve your experience, not make your bike look cool. I see bikes on the trail sometimes that are in terrible shape mechanically and obviously fight the rider for control, but I can also tell the rider when to a lot of trouble to color-match everything. function over form.

I still have not ridden Thumper but I get the impression that it's extremely difficult. you will probably get injured or just really frustrated. Walnut is a great place to start. if you get bored with that, ask around for the relatively easy routes in Brushy Creek, and come down south to ride SATN (stuff south of Ben White, much of which is along Slaughter Creek.)

This is gold. I was thinking the same thing. When I observe new riders, a lot of the hangups occurr when they keep their butts planted in situations where more body English was needed. That takes time and some degree of conscious effort, as well as getting stronger. Some excerise off the bike would help here, especially if you spend most days sitting at a desk. Core, glutes, hamstrings, etc.

Tunnels under MOPAC are reason enough to bring lights on every ride.

I really enjoy solo rides were I "session" a challenging spot. Hardtail Party on YouTube has a lot of videos where he does this. go on a normal ride and when you find a spot where you don't ride it clean or have to walk, go back and ride that "feature" again and again until you clear it cleanly or are too exhausted to do it again. sometimes this works when riding in a group if the other riders are down for charging at the same spot again and again for a while, but usually the group wants to move on. set up a ride with one or two other riders who want to try this and go into the ride knowing that your mileage is going to be shorter than a typical ride because you're going to repeat some segments. if you ride with others, you can swap techniques and critique one another's approaches. the feeling of cleaning something difficult is amazing, even more so when you have witnesses to cheer you on.

I think a lot of it starts with bike setup. if your bike puts your hands, feet, butt, or fingers are in a sub-optimal position, the bike will fight you for control. if your tires are too hard or to soft, or your suspension is not tuned right for your body, it will be hard to ride. I see a lot of new riders out on the trails with setups that are clearly not right, but until someone asks for help, I don't want to give unsolicited advice. so I'm glad you asked. on my first mountain bike ride, after many years of riding BMX with 20" tires at 90+ psi, I pumped my 26x2.3" tires to 65 and worried that would be too low. I got jackhammered for the first half mile until someone pointed out that my tires were absurdly over-filled. fortunately, I learned that right away. if you watch videos of mtb crashes on jumps, most of them are from riders leaning back and putting too much weight over the rear tire as they take off. the result is that the front end drops and the rear gets tossed up and forward, sending the riding into a nosedive.

The demand for such knowledge and services is already here. for people who have a mastery of electronics, there's a service they can provide for $$.

serious question: have you been inside a Wawa? while it lacks the volume and scale of a Buc-ees, it's an impressive gas station to get your morning coffee and donuts. I'll bet the paninis are fantastic. ON that note, Quik Trip is pretty slick too. you get a sugar buzz from just breathing the air inside.

did we learn nothing from the Great Toilet Paper Panic of 2020? rumor of a shortage induces panic-buying. panic-buying causes an actual shortage. the cycle spirals until people come to their senses. people are dumb.

is that supposed to be in New Jersey? Remember this?

I left a comment under that video and the video created assured me that this is perfectly legit, gave other readers specific directions to find the trail entrance.

is this what I think it is? [edit: removed video of sketchy Austin trail that's on private property]