I wanted to do a race this weekend, and the X-Terra race in Jacksonville, Fla., is close to home. So I decided to go for it. I have a mountain bike, but it’s a decade old Schwinn that isn’t very nice. I’ve also never ridden it on trails (we don’t have many options for mountain biking in my area). However, the ride is only 13 miles, and I’m fairly sure that my old Schwinn can make it. Is there anything I should know about riding the trails heading into the race?
RP
get life insurance? 
As for the ride being 13 miles, that can be a LONG 13 miles…
I’d say go out there, try to enjoy yourself, and for the first 4 or 5 miles, go more slowly on the donwhills than you think you should. Look ahead for trail conditions (loose rock/gravel in turns especially), and use your rear brake more than you would on a road bike in this case.
Also, by all means have the Schwinn checked out before - tires, tubes, fork, frame, etc. Don’t want anything falling off or disintegrating. Good luck!
I had your exact thoughts going into the XTERRA race I did down here (Texas). I not sure what kind of trails you have, but I would suggest borrowing a better bike if you can (I was glad I did). The bike course was rocky and technical. But I had a great time and if you keep a “fun” mindset I’m sure you will too.
good luck!
c
Oh yeah…bring extra tubes and a way to inflate them all. It’s better than walking.
c
I have fallen in love with mtb … I was a road tri geek until last season.
Here are a few things about mtbs on trails that were not intuitive to me … I took a weekend seminar and it was invaluable, here are some highlights:
When going uphill, remember to bring your chest to the bar and remain seated. “boobs to the bar” (hey, I took a women’s only clinic)
If your front tire is popping up going uphill your gear is too easy.
Descending lean to the back of the seat and squeeze the seat with your thighs.
Your bike will go where you are looking … look where you want to go, not at the object you are sure you are going to hit.
I hope that helps. Have frun, I LOVE off road !
Tri Hard !
Guys this is Florida he’s talking about. They don’t have hills.
I mtb and mbx raced as a kid for many years. I still train on my mtb in the winter. 13 miles on a mtb in a race can be a LONG way. Do you have clip on shoes? is it a loght mtb? Many of the same principles apply. Don’t overdress, start off too fast, and above all have fun. Running after a mtb race can be painful if you haven’t trained that muscle group.
Mind your tire pressure. Lots of sand in FL no? Less pressure=more float. Don’t run them so soft you pinch the tubes. Running the proper tire pressure for the course can be a make or break for the day. As for the other stuff, if you’ve not ridden much off road you’re probably not going to be able to remember all the “this gear, that gear/up on the saddle, back on the saddle stuff”
Have fun
I can tell you this, the first 10-15 times I was out on my Mtb. Bike I crashed more than in 20 years of being on the road. Like was said early, LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO!! Mtbing is great fun, but it takes a while to get used to…Oh yeah, wear gloves. I never do on the road but always on the trails. Have fun, good luck.
Wow, that’s huge… good luck
I have also raced mtb bikes it is super fun! If you have time ride the course, if you can’t then talk to someone who has. Find out what you need to know about. CO and FL are different obviously but things I would want to know are, is there an steep sections up or down but probably not an issue for you. Is there a water crossing? Sand? Are there any points that are very narrow singletrack? Is any on road?
It is good to know the course in advance so you can plan your efforts and your passing. Here in CO sometimes passing can be difficult because the trail is narrow so it helps to know when it may widen. If you are in a group heading to the single track try to not get stuck in the back so you have to wait to pass and if you can take advantage of the uphill, if you are strong you can pass many people then.
Good luck - Xterra races are awesome! Just do your fellow racers a favor and make sure you stay to the right on the trail to let the faster mountain bikers pass you on your left. Have fun!
Don’t be afraid to walk (hike-a-bike in popular terminology); it is often faster and less stressful on steep uphills and a lot safer on technical ground, and you can waste a lot of time and energy getting sorted out after a crash. Basically stay within your comfort zone and aim to have fun.
Run your tire pressures low. I imagine the bike is a full-rigid or maybe a hardtail. Run your tires a soft 26-30 psi. Run them harder and you risk a puncture flat, poor handling, and/or a very sore back at the end of the ride. Your handling will also be better with less air as the tires will absorb the bumps rather than bounce. If you are running a front suspension rig, run the psi a little higher in the front to compensate for the suspension by about 2-4psi.
Duck. Should there be branches overhead you may underestimate the distance to your melon. I have had two helmets break and one concussion as a resuly of not heeding this advice.
Stay in your seat on the uphills/stand up on the bumps. You need all your weight on the back wheel. The dirt/sand/gravel will slip out from under you and you could lose traction and fall if you are out of the saddle. Standing over the bumps is pretty easy to figgure out unless you are into pain or want to be a tenor.
On downhills, extend your legs and get your weight back. Your rear wheel will follow wherever your front goes. Make the front light and you will minimize the chance of an endo. This bit of handling also works with deep sand. If your weight is back you will stand a better chance of gliding through. If your weight is forward, you stand a good chance of you front wheel wanderingor sticking and then you are OTB (over the bars).
If you don’t think you can clear an obstacle, walk it. Billy, don’t be a hero.
Leep your eyes on where you are headed, not the root in front of you. The bike will do its job.
Don’t be afraid to fall. Dirt does not hurt as bad as pavement and is a whole lot more forgiving. That, and your speeds will be relatively slow.
Smile and have a good time.
I think I’ll get out my mountain bike tonight…
They have some hills up near JVille. Down south it is just varying degrees of flat.
I have procured a loaner from my LBS. It’s a Gary Fisher Tassajara – nothing special, but quite a bit better than my Schwinn. I don’t have any illusions of grandeur about the race. I’ve never done anything like this, and I think it’ll be fun. I just want to go slow and have fun. I know how easy it is to endo, so I’ll be paying extra attention to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll let y’all know how it goes.
And thanks to each of you for your advice. I’m taking note of everything, and keep it coming.
RP