Recently I've been thinking of giving mountain biking a try. Basic models are pretty reasonable in price, and there's an organization in my area that leads day trips in various (non-mountainous, given my location) state and county parks. From what I've gathered, it sounds like a fun activity, and I particularly like being able to participate as part of a group. Has anyone had experience with mountain biking? Is it a difficult skill to learn, or can newcomers enjoy themselves too?

Mountain biking is a blast! It is relatively easy to learn if you already know how to ride a bike. The best thing about it is that you can always find people your skill level to learn with or people more skillful to learn from. Being on Long Island actually is a plus as there are many easy to moderate rides available. You are also in close proximity to many wonderful areas of all difficulties in the northeast.

A good way to make sure your experience is a good one is to get in with a good bike shop. Carl Hart bicycles in Middle Island has been selling MTBs since the late 70s or early 80s. They have a very knowledgable staff and can get you on the equipment you need and help you get started with group rides.
http://carlhart.com/site/intro.cfm

Try http://www.climbonline.org/ for info on MTBing on L.I.

Have fun! Good luck and welcome to MTBing!

Dl757Md

i am getting my guide certificate next year, if you need any help i think i can give u good advice on everything since mountainbiking is really one of the things i actually have a clue of ,)

since it is a bit of a complex issue(if approached correctly), you should contact me via email or post your icq aim/msn here since it is really too complex to discuss posting by posting.

also Dl757md, the store you posted there does seem to have a very limited choice at rather high prices. it is also interesting to note that there were no real mountain bikes until the late 80ies (about 85 was when the very first "all terrain bicycles" appeared including the stumpjumper from specialized) so that 70ies statement is a bit strange, maybe bad pr from them.

Zak

The shop I linked to has an excellent variety of brands and models. Many more in store than on the web. MTBs there start below $500. From a beginners standpoint such as PROSAs a knowledgable shop can mean the difference between a good or horrible experience. They may not be the cheapest but they are the best. I know I wrenched there in the summer of '85. Which brings me to another point. You might want to brush up on your MTB history. Carl Hart started carrying Fisher MTBs in 1981 and custom MTBs in the 70s. By 1985 they were carrying Specialized,Trek, DB, Fuji, Raleigh, Ritchey, and Bianchi MTBs. For a little history lesson tryhttp://www.fisherbikes.com/history/

Dl757md

Mount biking can be great fun. Lately though, I've been wanting more speed so I converted to a "roadie"  

What kind of mountain biking do you intend on doing? XC, aggressive XC, downhill, freeride, aggressive freeride, etc?


I'm personally getting into freeride biking and slight bits of downhill. Currently, my ride is a crappy Mongoose D40r which will be cannibalized soon and upgraded with quality parts. I plan on a Marzocchi Z1 Bomber Drop Off front fork, an El Jefe rear shock, forget which wheelset but one that's incredibly beefy, rapid fire shifters, hayes disc brakes with manual braking for cheapness, probably clipless pedals ironically, and I might see if I can fit an 8-gear sprocket on the rear. The yellow is cool on the frame and the frame is unbreakable, so it's nice for hammering. Hopefully my bike will be completed in a year or so.

Also, depending on what kind of MTBing you intend on doing, you'll have to consider whether you want front suspension or full suspension. Generally, XCers go with front suspension to save on weight while freeriders and downhillers go with full suspension for cushion (also, if you're doing dowhill, the porkier the bike the better). Also, don't spend less than $500 on a new bike if you're serious about biking. $1,000 is even more preferable if you have the cash. If you're competitive, your bike is probably going to cost more than a.net's most beloved Ford Excursion   . The other route is picking up a reliable used frame for cheap and using that as a platform for upgrades. Mongoose full suspension bikes are great for this purpose, but don't expect to get a halfway decent bike if you get it stock.

http://213.239.211.80/zak0r/bm1.jpg

my new bike

@ Dl757md

80ies: 1976-1985, not 1980-89


@prosa, if you are still looking for information, email me @ [email protected]

SSTJumbo:
What kind of mountain biking do you intend on doing? XC, aggressive XC, downhill, freeride, aggressive freeride, etc?

Just basic cross-country, nothing competitive.

Also, don't spend less than $500 on a new bike if you're serious about biking. $1,000 is even more preferable if you have the cash.

A chain sporting-goods store I recently visited had basic models on sale for less than $200. It sounded tempting, but I had a definite too-good-to-be-true impression. No point in buying junk.

Zak
@prosa, if you are still looking for information, email me @ [email protected]

I may be doing that in the next day or two. Thanks.

I used to be well into it a few years ago, then started doing other things now into it again - it's so addictive! My advice would be to but the best bike you can afford, there really is a big difference in quality out there. I bought a decent Marin 12 yrs ago and it has NEVER broken despite taking quite a bit of punishment.

Go out and buy magazines that have done test rides on bikes in your price range and use their experience. They won't be biased like some shops can be. Having said that for the most part bike shops give honest opinions as they want your business long term.

It's a great sport. Most people that do it are friendly, will help out/give advice and take you riding with them if you want. If you do this then be honest with them, it's no good saying that you can happily do 5ft drop offs as you'll hold them up if you wimp out.

Go for it, you won't regret it!

BF

PS And buy a decent, well fitting helmet, most important. I've had plenty of bad stacks where I've been seriously grateful for my helmet (ie it's saved serious injury).

"I bought a decent Marin 12 yrs ago and it has NEVER broken despite taking quite a bit of punishment."

i bought a marin team issue in 92, i loved it :/ when i got it stolen in 93 i quit biking for a few years over it.

@bristolflyer

while mags are ok to inform yourself about whats new, i have to recommend ignoring the reviews in them. just think about they overhype everything and try to water the readers mouth to buy the new stuff out. example would be suspensions: since it has been around, each and every year the magazines have been repeating the manufacturers promises on how the system that is brand new would be the perfect suspension system. first it was the 4 link suspension, then the whatever virtual pivoting i-drive no sag super flex mega cool system, last year it was spv and pro pedal, this year it is spv-evolve, next year there will be something else. they keep announcing ultimate solutions year after year since their interest is a) to keep the manufacturers healthy by boosting sales who then advertise more and b) to make people think that the egg of columbus is being reinvented each and every year so people will think that without a magazine keeping them up to date, they would fall behind technology wise.
while there have been significant improvements, most things are not as magazines will tell you and, apart from less weight and a better shock that has more adjustment options, a 4-link rear suspension from 5 years ago isnt different from the one today, apart from marginal improvements.
so when to buy a bike, i go by the rule: parts that wear and tear such as the chain and tires and pedals, buy cheap. parts that last such as the frame, get the best buy.
a good example would be click pedals by shimano: you can buy those XTR ones for 80 bux that are lightweight and have long lasting ball bearings or you can get the entry level deore style ones for 25 bux that are 10% heavier and have less craftsmanship in them. even taking out the fact that a pedal will every now and then hit a stone and be damaged no matter how good the finish and ball bearings are, you can take a bet that 3 pair of deore clickies last longer than a single pair of xtr while having saved 5 bux. the only downside is that you have a 280g pedal compared to a 240g or so one.