Rolling Hills

Mountain bikes seem to have a lot in common with oversized SUVs you see in every supermarket parking lot. Like SUVs, mountain bikes are built extra sturdy (heavy), and are far from fuel efficient (which can be especially critical when the power source is you). And, like most SUVs, most mountain bikes never leave the pavement.

That's too bad. Compared to a road bike or a good hybrid, a mountain bike on pavement is a clunker. That's why I resisted mountain bikes for years. Now, I can't imagine not having one...or two, or three.

The mountain bike bug bit me while I was watching the trail riders who meet at the ski area near my home. They'd joke and laugh in the parking lot, then jump onto mud-covered bikes and disappear into the woods on trails that I had only walked. 

So I did some asking around, found a mountain bike guru at a local shop -- S&W Sports in Concord, New Hampshire. Then I made the mistake of trying a bunch of different mountain bikes. My heart was stolen by a super-comfortable Rocky Mountain full suspension bike. That is until I looked at the price tag.

I switched to test-riding used bikes and ended up with a gently-used Trek 4900 aluminum frame with disc brakes and decent shifters and gear clusters. This came at a price I could sort of afford.

Here's a hint for any active outdoor sport: When you're just beginning, buy used equipment from a local shop you can trust. You can pick the brains of the experts and try the sport. Then you can decide what your interest level is, and what you really need to spend.

I immediately discovered that mountain bikes are simply wonderful on dirt roads. The wide, fat, soft, knobby tires give excellent traction and help cushion the ride. Adding even more comfort is the bike's suspension. My Trek is a "hard-tail" bike, meaning it has shock absorbers only on the front fork. Other bikes are "full suspension," with shock absorbers front and rear. I was told to learn technique on a hard-tail, (cheaper) then move up to a full suspension.

After a few sessions on the dirt roads, I tried some very easy trails. There's a definite learning curve to getting over uneven terrain safely on a bike. I'm in no hurry and, so far, the learning is fun. Anyone can do it. You just need to choose your battles.

A few days later, I was doing a ropes course at Bolton Valley in Vermont.  It happened the chairlift was running to take bike riders to the top. The folks coming down were covered with mud and grinning ear-to-ear. Naturally, I tried it.

I survived.

The other riders on the mountain zoomed by at warp speed. It was almost as if I was standing still (which, much of the time, I was).  They were seeing how fast they could go. I was seeing how slowly and safely I could do it. Thank heavens for disc brakes. But I did it. And I'll do it again. Soon.

If you've always scoffed at the idea of a mountain bike, or only ridden yours on the road, you're missing a whole lot of fun. Just take it slow and do it safe. But do it.

Riding opportunities

The New England Mountain Bike Association is a great resource for would-be and just-starting mountain bikers. They sponsor fun rides and other events through local chapters. Other Opportunities

Many ski areas rent mountain bikes, including:

Loon Mountain
Waterville Valley
Attitash Bear Peak

Loon offers a shuttle service up to Cannon Mountain that lets you take a leisurely 14-mile, mostly downhill ride back on paved trails and roads. It's great for beginning riders. Waterville offers lift-serviced mountain biking seven days a week through Labor Day. They have dirt roads down from the top for novice riders and some steeper trails for advanced riders. Attitash offers all the challenge anyone could ever want. If you're not an expert, expect to ride your brakes most of the way down.