Father Knows Best
(Mountain biking edition)
A few tips I've learned from my mentor; my dad- Mike Huss, who has inspired me to ride from a young age:
1) Dress for the part
- Sunscreen ( I like a sport kind that is sweat-resistant)
- Bike shorts ( I like my pair of Canari Venice Pro’s with a pair of athletic shorts over them)
- Helmet (whatever floats your boat, really)
- Shoes (I don’t have clip shoes because I’m a poor college student so I wear tennis shoes but clips have the advantage of push AND pull)
2) Get to know your bike
Since my favorite bike, a purple trek that was just my size, was stolen, I have a weird hybrid bike that looks like a mountain bike without shocks. I use it for some of my street rides. I once used it for an unusually sore mountain bike ride, so now when I mountain bike I borrow bikes from generous friends. I like to spend a few minutes before each ride, introducing myself to a new bike, playing with the gears, making adjustments, and asking it to play nice.
3) Push the easy button
One of the most key ingredients to a good ride is shifting your gears. Know which gear to push going uphill- it be an easier gear- and which to pull going downhill- it should be harder). This will allow you to manage your power without wasting it on hills.
4) Keep your head up
On rocky and twisting rides, it’s tempting to focus down on the jagged rocks and sharp turns as you pass them however it is better to constantly look forward a few hundred feet. Doing so helps you prepare for what is ahead of you and eliminates the issue of dealing with surprises as you are riding through them. It keeps you from overcorrecting on turns and focusing on each giant boulder you have to steer around.
5) Choose a good trail
My dad has always been good about asking around for trails that work with my skill level. I’ll never forget the time I tried to ride Devil’s Backbone with my friend, without helmets, and was almost hurled off the jagged trail, down the mountain slope to my death. His response when I told him I did the trail was “Oh, well yeah. I can’t believe you tried that.” There are some good websites you can google about trails in Colorado and they have maps that typically indicate a skill level for each trail.
