Oh, I’m sure this has been said a few time by now but go tubeless for sure.
Another thing re tires, unlike road bikes it’s pretty common to run different tires front and rear on mountain bikes. You want more traction on the front than the rear. My current favorite combo in this regard is the Bontrager XR4 in 29x2.6†up front and the XR3 in 29x2.4 in the rear.
XC guys have been running 2-2.2†tires for a long time but recent testing indicates wider is faster with ~3†being the point of diminishing returns and 2.6 being the sweet spot IMO (as tires get larger it’s really hard to dial in PSI just right on the continuum of too hard/bouncy and too soft/floppy).
I recommend a skills course. I took a 2 day course by these folks and it was worth every penny.
https://sandiegomountainbikeskills.com/
Really helped with cornering and jumps.
Oh, I’m sure this has been said a few time by now but go tubeless for sure.
Another thing re tires, unlike road bikes it’s pretty common to run different tires front and rear on mountain bikes. You want more traction on the front than the rear. My current favorite combo in this regard is the Bontrager XR4 in 29x2.6†up front and the XR3 in 29x2.4 in the rear.
XC guys have been running 2-2.2†tires for a long time but recent testing indicates wider is faster with ~3†being the point of diminishing returns and 2.6 being the sweet spot IMO (as tires get larger it’s really hard to dial in PSI just right on the continuum of too hard/bouncy and too soft/floppy).
Not sure I buy that, can you share the source of that? Plus size tires are on the way out with 29X2.4-2.6 seeming to be the sweet spot. There are no racers running larger tires, and the most popular MTB tire brand (Maxxis) are some of the most slow rolling. It totally depends on what you are riding and also your rim width. Most MTB people quite honestly hate riding up hills and live for the downs, so they ride overly grippy and lugged out tread that sucks to push up hill but locks up on the down. Maxxis is winning the tire game because they make a tun of tread designs in every possible increment of diameter, but compared to Schwalbe Rocket Ron / Racing Ralphs or Vottoria Barzos, they are total dogs from a rolling resistance standpoint. I ride New England rocky / rooty singletrack as well as flow trails like Highland MTB Park, etc on 2.35s mounted on 26mm Internal width rims, to me they are the perfect balance between grip and speed.
I’ll dig up the links later this evening as I’m about to hop on a plane but it’s a very sensible thing if you think it through: on the road, only the tire deforms whereas the road does not so the only thing that drives crr is the tire. Off road both the tire and the surface you ride on deform therefore both are factors in crr. Since you can’t control the surface you ride on if your goal is to minimize crr you have to minimize how much you deform the surface therefore you need to increase surface area. A very simple thought experiment that takes this to an extreme is riding a fat bike on beach sand vs riding a 2" xc tire. Under a fat bike tire the ground won’t deform much and crr will be minimized. Under a 2" xc tire the ground will deform considerably and crr will be high. Of course in MTB there are considerations other than just crr and sometimes you actually want to deform the surface you are riding on for traction purposes.
I’ll dig up the links later this evening as I’m about to hop on a plane but it’s a very sensible thing if you think it through: on the road, only the tire deforms whereas the road does not so the only thing that drives crr is the tire. Off road both the tire and the surface you ride on deform therefore both are factors in crr. Since you can’t control the surface you ride on if your goal is to minimize crr you have to minimize how much you deform the surface therefore you need to increase surface area. A very simple thought experiment that takes this to an extreme is riding a fat bike on beach sand vs riding a 2" xc tire. Under a fat bike tire the ground won’t deform much and crr will be minimized. Under a 2" xc tire the ground will deform considerably and crr will be high. Of course in MTB there are considerations other than just crr and sometimes you actually want to deform the surface you are riding on for traction purposes.
I guess I would love to see what you are talking about but it does not square at all with what people are choosing to ride. Fat bikes and 27.5 plus tires are total dogs in the market (other than snow) because the tires are way too much to throw around. The CRR in the mountain bike does come from the casing stiffness, not just the width, which is just like road tires. I have 2 sets of 29er wheels, one with Maxxis Minion DHF /DHR (very popular enduro-bro combo) and one with Racing Ray / Racing Ralph combo. The Schwalbes are way faster over the same trails, the Maxxis are my go to for bike park riding. You are right that the dirt surface deforms, but the tire casing stiffness is still really important. No one rides stiff DH tires for trail riding because they are way over built and slow for general riding.
one data point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TMA2vI8bA
I’ve ridden both quite a bit an my results are similar to what this guy experienced. The plus tires are sweet on most everything except gravel climbs.
one data point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TMA2vI8bA
I’ve ridden both quite a bit an my results are similar to what this guy experienced. The plus tires are sweet on most everything except gravel climbs.
That’s a 3 year old video which is an eternity in mountain bike development. Since 2016 -2017 27.5 Plus size bikes have gone from 50% of bike manufacturers offerings to less than 20%. Everyone is moving back to 29ers, even DHers who were the holdouts on 26".
I also think it is regional, there are pockets where one wheel / tire size will prevail.
I got into MTB riding because I was burned out on Ironman and road riding and wanted a new challenge. I then became the Beginner Bike Ride Coordinator for Colorado Mountain Bike Association, so I think I know a few things about making the transition from roadie to dirt.
Don’t feel like you HAVE to ride clipless. I feel more confident on flats. My feet don’t come off my flat pedals (with Chester Race Face pedals + 510 grippy shoes) and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on efficiency or power. When I was starting out, I would find that I was more inclined to actually TRY harder features knowing I could just put a foot down. If I was clipped in I’d just go “hell no” and walk it. Most of the women in an intermediate-advanced women’s MTB group I rode with rode flats. So the “better riders clip in” argument is total BS. Do what feels right for you.Stick to trails that are appropriate to your level. That means easy to intermediate trails. Use https://www.mtbproject.com/ to scout out trails before you ride. Ride with people. For safety (in case you get hurt) and so you can follow people into features. It’s way easier to roll through tricky stuff if you’re following a wheel. Walk tricky features first, then ride it. Session features until you nail it. (or if you’re getting frustrated/nervous/worked up, skip it and save it for another day)While fitness is helpful, you need to get technique. Finesse >>>> muscle for mountain biking. Take a class. Learn MTB body positions (totally different from road riding). Learn how to do wheel lifts (and not the brute force wheelie, the subtle wheelie from power pedaling). Learn cornering and switchbacks. Skills are KEY.Unlike roadies (“nothing but stem”), looking UP is key. Never look straight down at your front wheel, never look at the scary rock immediately in front of you. Look up and ahead. Your bike will go where you’re looking. And if you are getting the wobbles, looking up will straighten you out immediately.
Have fun and be patient. As adults, we don’t get to learn totally new skills very often. Be prepared to be frustrated but also enjoy the process.
I’m less than 2 years into mountain biking after a long history of Ironman racing and I love it. I even raced one Xterra which was a blast. A few things from my point of view as a new mountain biker from an Ironman background.
- I tried riding flat and never got a feel for it and I have the 510’s and pedals to match. It just didn’t work for me. I went back to clipless and now feel very confident clipless. My shins got beat to sh#t with flat pedals too which wasn’t all that fun.
- It’s worth taking periodic private lessons with a good mountain bike coach who is current on techniques with dropper posts and newer bike technology. Example, in the private lessons I’ve had as well as the camps I’ve attended we are not encouraged to get our butts way back when descending. They also want want us on our front brakes to control speed not rear. This is the exact opposite of what I was told by people who have been mnt biking for years! (Don’t shoot the messenger! I’ve had lessons from 3 different coaches and attended 2 weekend camps. The message was the same from all. My last lesson he took my seat off, and had me descend using my front brake only. I was scared out of my mind, but did it largely because the coach thought I could.)
- Also, I think it’s smart to find a trail you enjoy that is manageable but also has a few “problem” spots. Ride that trail again and again. Familiarity builds confidence, and the day you clear a “problem” spot for the first time your confidence explodes! Of course you might miss it the next 3 times, but you’ll get it back again. Keep riding what you know for a while as you develop your skills.
- Ride with people who aren’t out for a “workout” but like to session spots. As you get better, you can train. As you’re learning though, fitness is a bonus factor to time on the bike, and skills are your top priority. It’s a bit like swimming in that way. A new swimmer can’t go to the pool and hammer out lap after lap for fitness. They have to first learn to breath, then balance etc. Mountain biking is the same.
- Keep your early rides fairly short. Stay fresh physically and mentally so you can tackle what’s in front of you.
I enjoy riding my mountain bike so much now I struggle to get on my tri bike! I can’t think of many things that have challenged me or been as rewarding as learning to ride dirt as an adult! Stick with it and you will likely fall in love with it too.
I started in mountain bikes and then switched to riding the road. The best piece of advice I can give is to just keep pedaling. I don’t mean that in a warm fuzzy way. I mean that literally. Here in VA we have lots of roots and mud and rocky sections. There is no such thing as a “smooth” trail. I don’t know how it is there but if it’s anything like here just remember if you get stopped or slowed by something on the trail just pedal harder. Chances are you will get through it.
Every bike I have has clipless pedals. On the road I can’t stand floating cleats, but on my MTB I like them. I have SPD pedals with the extra platform around them. They are a little heavier, but they are great for when you clip out and then need to get moving again and you don’t get your foot just right on the pedal. There is enough material there that you can get going and then clip in in a couple more pedal strokes.
Obviously we all know to look where you want to go, and not to look at what you are trying to avoid when riding. But you need to keep in mind your back wheel too. It matters a lot more than on the road.
I enjoy riding my mountain bike so much now I struggle to get on my tri bike! I can’t think of many things that have challenged me or been as rewarding as learning to ride dirt as an adult! Stick with it and you will likely fall in love with it too.
Me too. I am so blessed to have a very big and extremely generous local landowner open 22,000 acres to mountain biking, and is adding 30 miles of single track to an already existing 50 mile XC ski trail network. Unlike road and TTing, opportunity for MTBing requires local trails, it is hard to do depending on where you live and trail access.
Get Shimano dual pedals and be done with it. One side clips in and the other is flat. EH500
Best of both worlds