Dehydration, the Forgotten Enemy

If you were to list the greatest threats to your safety when mountain biking what do you think it would look like? Most people would probably put some form of bodily injury at the top. This makes perfect sense, one wipe out at the wrong time and you are going to have some injury. After the various forms of bodily injury, most people would probably state exhaustion, again makes a lot of sense, mountain biking is intense exercise and if you over do it you will notice it pretty quickly. Going along with this idea the next thing most people would point to would be heat stroke. However the single most important health risk when mountain biking is perhaps one of the easiest to avoid, dehydration.

It is easy to understand why dehydration is so overlooked. Dehydration masks itself under a variety of other symptoms, so often we tend to think that something else is at fault when the effects of dehydration begin to show. Also because the body can cope with dehydration on its own, we tend to ignore the minor signs until it is too late. Then suddenly people are having a hard time standing, their muscles ache from constant cramping, and eventually coma can set in. Don’t be fooled into thinking that it can’t happen in the space of a couple hours. Dehydration can reduce even the healthiest person down to unconsciousness in a very short time if the circumstances are right. So knowing that Dehydration is a problem is a start but what exactly is dehydration, how does someone recognize it, and most importantly, how can you treat it? Answering these questions is the purpose of this article.

What is dehydration?

In essence dehydration occurs when the body is loosing more water than it is replacing. As the body looses water it begins to take action to preserve both water and blood pressure. To do this it stops letting water flow to the bladder and through the intestines while taking water from the cells and putting it out into the bloodstream. While this is a good short term solution, if left unchecked it can lead to serious problems.

What are the effects of dehydration?

The earliest effects of dehydration are manifested as thirst. As dehydration continues the body will show symptoms such as dry mouth, the stopping of sweat, and other water conservation reactions. As the body continues to dehydrate physical symptoms such as muscle cramps and vomiting will begin. If by this point the body does not get the water it needs people will begin to experience light headedness, and eventually can fall in to coma, and in some cases die.

What leads to dehydration?

Several factors lead to dehydration, the key one being lack of water. However while lack of water is the biggest culprit many things can speed up the dehydration process. First the heat of the air will cause the body to sweat more, thus water loss will occur. Next is heat caused by exercise (such as in mountain biking), where again the body seeks to cool itself by sweating. Other causes are frequent urination, diarrhea, and vomiting. In fact if you are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting before riding it is highly suggested you do not go as you are at a very great risk.

How can I avoid dehydration?

The easiest way to avoid dehydration is to drink a lot of water. Depending on your climate you want to drink a minimum of 1 quart or more of water a day. Also if you are an active person increase your water intake accordingly to make sure the body stays well hydrated. Also there are several drinks and powders available such as Gatorade that help keep the body hydrated.

What do I do if I am experiencing the symptoms of dehydration?

Only a health care professional can tell you if you are truly dehydrated, but if you suspect you may be suffering from dehydration there are things you can do to counter act the symptoms. First stop any intensive activity. You want the body to cool down and thus need less water. Also a relaxed body maintains blood pressure better than an active one and the body can use the water in the blood for other functions. Next if possible find shade and rest there. Again you want to cool down the body and the cooler the better. Once resting and in the shade, drink some water. It is important to remember that drinking water to quickly can cause problems, but make sure to keep drinking until you don’t feel thirsty any more. If after drinking water and cooling down you are not feeling any better, go to the nearest hospital. While they will most likely just give you an IV liquid, it is always better safe than sorry.

So there you have it, some information about dehydration, and the ways to avoid it. It may seem that this is a fairly minor issue compared to a broken bone (or even worse a flat tire) but in all reality dehydration can kill very quickly if people do not take it seriously. In fact according to the latest estimates by the World health organization well over four million people die each year world wide from the effects of dehydration. Do yourself a favor and make your water bottle your best friend.

My Singlespeed Friend

Whoever made the statement that you can never go back to your childhood was wrong. While there is truth to the fact that once we age past those great years of endless child powered energy, we can still recapture pieces of our youth by simply doing the things we used to do. One of the greatest joys I have found recently is the ability to once again tear up the track and trails of my childhood with a single geared mountain bike. Sure the bike needs to be bigger and unfortunately they are a bit more expensive than saving my paper route money can afford, but single gear mountain bikes are a great way to not only remember your childhood, but bring it back as well.

I, like a lot of riders, still freshly remember tearing around a dirt track. Taking on jumps and bumps, sliding around a turn with one leg out to help keep myself upright, all of this and more. I remember how from the moment I got home until the sun set I was gone somewhere on my bike. The best part about being an adult is I don’t have to worry about my mother calling me home too soon. Yet the bad part about being an adult is that after a couple hours of riding like a crazed maniac I am exhausted. However it is a sweet price to pay for the feeling of once again being a kid.

Sure there are some issues with single gear mountain bikes. First off those hills that are hard with gear selection become true monsters with only one gear. Also only having one gear means that no matter how hard I pedal I am not going to get a better speed ratio from my bike. Yet I am more than willing to give these things up and not just because I get to regain some of my childhood. As a matter of fact I can think of a lot of benefits to a single gear mountain bike.

First is the obvious fact I don’t have to worry near as much about derailing issues. Since the bike only has one gear, there is no chance that the chain will derail as it switches gears. Also because everything is simpler, I have a lot less maintenance I have to worry about. Instead of making sure my gear rail is in good shape, then testing to make sure the gear cables are in working order, I can just check to make sure my tires are good, my handlebars straight and off I go. All of this is even before I consider the different challenges a single gear bike offers.

While I can’t speak for every biker on a trail, I can vouch that at least some of us enjoy the pure challenge of the sport. Now imagine that already monster hill without the benefit of gearing down to help you get to the top. Yep, you have one gear and the only way you are going to make it up that hill is to put everything you got on the line. Yet once you are up there, you know you earned it. Another challenge aspect of single geared bikes is the fact that back woods trails become even more technical. Now instead of being able to gear up or down for the demands of the trial you only have one gear and that gear is forward.

So okay maybe these kind of bikes are not for everyone. After all if we all converted to single gear bikes, engineers would be joining the unemployment lines in droves. However for those of us looking to recapture some of our childhood, or those of us looking for a different kind of challenge, the single geared mountain bike is a great answer.

The Best Tools For the Trail

No matter how much we wish things were different, bikes break down. They just don’t break down, they often break down at the worst possible time. In fact it seems the bike just knows not only the worse time to break down, but the worst way to break down. Sure everyone packs a patch kit, and everyone has a keychain spoke wrench. But what happens when it’s a sidewall? Or worse your crank bends? Not only does this mean your ride is over, but if you don’t have something to fix it with your looking at having to push or carry your bike the entire way back, and that is something no one really wants to do.

So we know the problem but how do we fix it? Well I could throw a list of tools at you that you should carry but what if your bike does not have a need for that tool? What if your bike uses a different size? Well then there is a problem and if you followed my advice I would be the poor guy you grumble about and blame when the tool you have does not work for your bike. So what is the best thing to do when you want to make sure you have every tool you could need? Honestly the best thing for any biker to do is get to know their bike.

While this will take some time, I would actually take as much of the bike apart that I can. As you take it apart you will know what tools it took. Then after you have it apart, start to put it back together again. As you put it back together, make sure to separate the tools you use away from the tools you don’t use. Once the bike is back together you can either keep the tools you used, or find replacements for them at the local bike shop. I would actually suggest the bike shop as they will have some multi tools that should have every tool you need on it. However this is only part of what you will be doing.

Tires present a unique problem. A patch kit (or buying some flat proof tires) is great for the occasional flat, but what happens when a rock shreds your side wall? There are special types of patches for when this happens, however duct tape can also make a great emergency repair well enough to get you home. In fact duct tape works for a lot of problem so I would suggest you carry a small roll of this wonderful stuff with you as well as the other tools you have.

Along the same lines as the above is carrying a spare inter tube. I can’t count the times that having an extra tube has allowed myself or a friend to continue on a trial instead of having to walk the bike along. While it may take up space, you will be happy to have it when the need arises.

So we got a good idea of what we need to fix a bike, but something that needs to be discussed is what we need when it comes to fixing yourself. It is understandable that we often to look at ourselves as a repair problem, but after a wipe out the biggest hindrance to the performance of the bike can be the rider themselves. Because we are human, we are fallible, because we are fallible, we can wreck a mountain bike, because we can wreck a bike means we can get hurt. This is when a first aid kit comes in handy. However unless you buy one of the super duper first aid kits that enables you to practically perform surgery, you will find most kits a bit short. So make sure you have the following as part of your rider repair kit.

1. Band aids
2. Antiseptic or alcohol wipes to clean up the wound
3. Gauze bandages for really nasty scrapes and cuts.
4. Ace bandages for sprains and muscle tears.
5. Slings for broken bones.
6. Tylenol or some other over the counter pain reliever
7. Clean water

While this list is very basic, it’s a good start. Remember if you think of something else to bring with you by all means add it. The important thing to remember is you want to be prepared as possible.

Going along with the preparedness thing, have you ever given thought to the idea of being stranded in the middle of no where? The fact is most people don’t, and this can lead to some problems along longer trails that are not close to civilization. Because of this it is wise to pack some items that will help you survive should you wind up in a situation where due to mechanical failure, injury or some other circumstance you need to have an impromptu camping night.

First always make sure to bring enough water. Most people bring a water bottle, but having a second one in your back pack makes sense for a variety of reasons. Second always bring along some kind of snack mix or granola bar. It won’t keep you from going hungry, but it will give you enough energy to survive that much longer if you need too. Pack a flare, these handy little devices will get attention if anyone is close by. Finally pack a warm blanket and a water proof pancho, both of these will keep you warm should the weather take a sudden and nasty bend.

Again remember that every trail is more than the bike and rider. It is an adventure and a wise rider does everything possible to make sure that they are as prepared as they can be for when those adventures take unexpected turns. With the above advice and talking to other biking enthusiasts you can learn a lot without having to go through it all first. The trail calls, but remember you decide if you ever come back.

Recover from a Crumpled Collarbone Quicker

Get back on the bike in less time, with less trauma to your body and mind.

The Hard Truth (and ground)
Crashes happen. For some riders they are little more than an annoyance in an otherwise enjoyable ride. These riders brush themselves off, check the bike for damage, then go rolling along down the trail. But for others, those of us who hit the ground the way a two-year-old’s hand smashes ribbon candy, crashes can affect more than a ride. They can break our bodies.

In a little over four years of riding I’ve crashed hard about ten times. Please realize before you exclaim “only ten?!”, that these crashes were not ‘gently clip out, hurdle the bars, slide into the dirt’ crashes. They were lose total control, flip in the air like a jet boat on choppy water, nose-wheelie skids that flung me into trees, off trails, and over large portions of the earth. Twenty percent of these crashes broke a bone. More specifically, my collarbone. The same one. Twice.

Treatment for a collarbone break is bizarre. Doctors will cast a broken arm, put pins in a shattered ankle, and hand you a bag of ice for a broken collarbone. Because of its location in the upper chest, the clavicle cannot be cast without immobilizing the whole chest area, and operating is seldom done unless the shattered bone fragments are endangering nerves or arteries. So when you break your collarbone, after a painful examination, you will most likely leave the hospital with a few painkillers and a sling to hold your arm in place. The rest is up to you. Since I’ve been through the process twice, I have learned some lessons that should help if you end up in the same situation. These lessons are: get mentally well; get physically well; then merge the two.

Get Physical
Face it. A broken bone won’t knit overnight, proper mending takes time. Make the most of this time by staying fit and healing correctly.

The first step is to listen to both your doctor and your body. In the first couple of weeks you should try not to move your arm. Each movement, even a shrug of the shoulders, will cause blinding pain and a childish whimper. Sleeping is an adventure best accomplished by setting yourself up like a king or queen. Use plenty of pillows to support your arm and keep you from rolling over. My technique was to place a husband at the headboard then stack two pillows in front of it and place one pillow under my arm. This setup helped me get some much needed sleep and started my journey to recovery.

After a few weeks of lying around you’ll quickly realize that setting limits is important. When the bone has begun to set, at about 21 days, you’ll want to increase your activity back to ‘normal’ levels. Sure, you used to go out for drinks or a movie after a full day of work, but now you’ll see this as insanity. I found that I could spend about half my usual time at parties and other events before I needed a nap. After a crash even simple tasks sap your strength, so plan accordingly.

Also understand that regular activities are more difficult. Getting dressed requires another pair of hands or a change in wardrobe. Start wearing slip-on shoes, button down shirts and sweat pants if you can get away with it. Driving a car can be impossible with only one arm and decreased mobility. Use this as an excuse to walk more. By walking you’ll keep your lungs, legs, and heart in shape and that means less time playing catch up when you get back on your wheels. And most important, take the time to do your therapy. Pulling rubber bands may seem infantile, but if you shortchange your body by skipping workouts you’ll heal incorrectly and take longer to heal the next time you break.

My regiment was a combination of prescribed physical therapy, short walks, leg and abdomen exercises, and reading back issues of Dirt Rag. Choose your own avenue for recovery, but try to remain active. Bed sores are harder to explain than saddle sores.

Mentality Matters
Confidence in yourself and your equipment often leads to better rides and enhanced skills. If you believe your Huffy can climb anything, it will. Conversely, if the sight of wet roots makes you pee your pants, you’ll avoid roots entirely or other riders will make fun of the way you smell.

Try to take the crash and injury in stride. It will help you have more confidence when you mount up again. After my fall I began to visualize the crash. I came to realize why it happened. It was the result of too much speed, the wrong angle, and bad technique. If the negative memory remained intact (like the football/broken nose incident on the Brady Bunch) I’d become more tentative on the trails. Bad thoughts would become self perpetuating and in the worst case I would come to hate riding and myself. I didn’t let this happen.

I replayed the event mentally and changed the outcome. No longer had I launched myself sideways, the bike was in line and level in the air. The second change was the landing. This time the front tire remained on the rim and the bike didn’t slap me to the earth like a badminton birdie. Finally, in my mind I ended the ride with a smile and a cold drink as opposed to a mile-long walk in clipless shoes. By changing the effect the crash had on me mentally, I could look forward to getting back on the bike.

Some studies have indicated that healing time is decreased in patients who have a good attitude. This may be a crock, but I kept a positive outlook and my bone was healed in 12 days. A bonus to being pleasant and positive is that people will continue to visit you during your recovery. If you’re an ogre people will shun you and then who will you ride with when you’re totally healed?

Merge Ahead
The final step is to get back on the horse, or bike as it were. Once ready to ride the bike, make your first time out fairly short. I rode for about 45 minutes on easy trails when I got the OK from my doctor. By limiting trail time and difficulty I gained some confidence and didn’t risk further injury by fatiguing myself.

But shorter rides still mean time off the bike. Make use of this time to continue a workout program and to work on your bike. Learn to true the wheel you taco’d in the crash. Or take a moment to clear the shrubbery from your cogs. You can even take a break from bikes altogether and read a book or watch a movie. The pause offered by your injury will often fuel your desire to get back on the bike. I know it did for me. Now I’m riding as much as the weather permits and I’m more focused on the trail.

The best advice I can offer anyone sidelined from this, or any injury, is to remain positive. A broken bone will heal eventually. Don’t let it destroy your spirit.

If you wish to make an accident claim then contact Irwin Mitchell for more details.

Interview with Mountain Bike Artist Chris Bourke

Here at MTO Bikes we scour the internet for all the best information and toys for all the bikers out there. It just so happened that we had the luck of running across the work of a fantastic artist named Chris Bourke who did some work for Mountain Cycle on a bike and needless to say we were impressed.  We wanted to make sure other people had an opportunity to learn about the great work this man does and give you a quick interview. Hope you enjoy.

MTO Bikes: First off we want to say thank you for this interview. So how long have you been doing art?

Chris: Hey no problem. I have been doing art since I was a kid. I have been serious about it for the last 20 years and am 39 now.

MTO Bikes: Can you describe your style?

Chris: Not really, can you? If I had to have a stab at it I would say its heavily influenced by tattoo imagery (i still tattoo now and again!) and religion and music, these days I work mostly in lino cuts, because this seems to be where I am happiest at the moment, having said that the mountaincycle graphics were done in pen and ink.

MTO Bikes: What are some of the challenges to putting your art on a bike frame?

Chris: Just deciding what the hell I was gonna put on there, it was a hard brief because it was so open, I was pulled in loads of different directions and then you take into account the shape of the frame and the nightmare begins! You seriously would not believe how many sketches I did for that bike.

In the end i realized that putting too much on would look a mess, and the birds were taking shape nicely so that kinda decided things, I am stoked on how it looks!

MTO Bikes: I find it interesting you went with pen and ink for the mountain bike art. Was that because of the surface you were dealing with or was that more of a direction you felt pulled in?

Chris: I think the choice to use pen and ink for the bike frame was not so much to do with the surface I was working on but the way that it suited the job.

MTO Bikes: So are you considering doing more mountain bike pieces? If so for whom, and can people get private quotes?

Chris: At the present time I am thinking of doing anything that will provide me with food!  Half-joking aside I’m pretty picky about what work I take on, because if I’m not into it, it becomes a nightmare, however I’m open to offers!

MTO Bikes: You say that you do some tattooing on occasion, have you considered maybe tattooing a mountain bike. You know like work with some etching into the frame or something?

Chris: Well as far as I know my tattoo machines only work on skin, but what’s interesting about your question is that I actually trained as a silversmith and one of the disciplines we covered was engraving, man! That’s an art in itself and I am definitely not up to engraving a bike frame.

So there you have it. A great artist and a great guy, you can see some more of Chris’s work at his website.

Big Wheel Revolution: The 29er

In all reality the sport of Mountain Biking is still fairly young. After all the first bikes called mountain bikes were not out until around 20 years ago, and in the wide world of sports that makes this sport a bit of an upstart. However, this is actually a very good thing for mountain bikers. The reason is that because Mountain Biking is still such a young sport that people are still more than willing to experiment with different ideas in efforts to improve or change the sport. A great case in point is the emergence of the 29 inch wheel.

Up until recently almost everyone rode on the traditional 26 inch wheel. This makes a lot of sense when one takes a look at the geometry and physics behind bikes and riding. However people don’t use mountain bikes for just a ride down the road, mountain bikes are used by a large number of us for rough and tumble back country trials. This means that smaller wheels can slow a rider down and have more difficulty going over the large obstacles that are so often a part of the trails we enthusiasts ride.

Given the idea that we spend a lot of time on rough surfaces some people have brought around the idea of the 29 inch wheel. This process of changing out 26 inch wheels for 29 inch wheels is seriously gaining momentum and it is not beyond conception that not to long from now the 29 inch wheel actually becomes more commonly used than the traditional 26 incher. While it is unlikely that the 26 inch wheel will go away entirely, the 29er or big wheel as some call it, is quickly becoming a staple to trails across the world.

Many people who first see the big 29er often ask the question of why? The nice thing about the big wheel revolution is that why is pretty easy to understand. Bigger wheels mean two things, increased speed and an easier time rolling over obstacles. This makes the bigger wheel ideal for both cross country and endurance riding where these factors are a huge consideration for most riders. However one problem does occur when you change wheel sizes.

Because the traditional size of the mountain bike wheel was 26 inches, most companies have designed their frames and forks for wheels of that size. This means that the geometry and physics of the bike are optimal when mounted on this size wheel. This governs things such as controlling the bike during turns, impact on the frame, and other things. When you mount a new size wheel on the frame you essentially change the physical basis the bike is designed on. This means that you have the potential of lack of control and frame damage among other things. Also some concern needs to be given to the rider themselves. While riding a bike that has only added three inches to the wheels may not seem a big deal, that is a large three inches.

In the end the big wheel revolution is happening as we speak, there is not really a lot that can stop it, nor should there be. While there are some tweaks that will need to be made over time for the 29er to officially become the wheel of choice, those tweaks are few and soon frames and other special items designed for 29 inch riders will start flooding the market place as this revolution continues to happen.

First Ride On My Fully Rigid Singular Swift SS Mountain Bike

Homeboy’s skiing blog provides you skiing tips & tricks, road-trip stories, movie and book reviews, technical information, competition watch, resort reviews, news and photo sessions. Our main focus is to provide you how-to-information, such as how to ski in different conditions, how to fix your equipment and how to organize your ski trip. In the summer time our main sport is mountain biking and you will find quite a lot of mountain biking related content on the blog at the moment.

I recently wrote a short article about converting my 29er hardtail to fully rigid single-speed. Carl from Made-to-Order Bikes found my text and asked me to feature here on this site with a post about my Singular. Well, I found this a good opportunity to promote our blog a bit. I was also just about to write a first ride report with the new set-up, so the timing suited me very well.

My Singular

I guess the Singular brand is not the most well known in the USA. So, I start with a brief introduction of the manufacturer:

Singular is a small frame manufacturer from UK specializing in 29er bikes. A quote from their website tells the following:

”Singular Cycles brings you bikes for the type of riding you do. A blend of modern concepts with proven design and materials makes for beautiful bikes, which ride like a dream.

We’ve become disillusioned with ever more fragile bikes and components which offer no real benefit to the everyday rider who wants a bike which rides sweetly, looks lovely, and doesn’t need replacing every year.

Singular Cycles - singularly distinctive bicycles.”

The company also has a nice blog – check it out for more detail about e.g. product development, race results and customer’s bikes.

I have ridden the 29er now for a bit over two seasons. Before my current bike I rode (the original) Gary Fisher Rig for about one and a half season. I bought the Singular last November and didn’t ride it much during the winter months. I was pretty happy with the original hard tail set-up in e.g. this endurance event. However, having enjoyed the excellent rolling features the 29ers offer, I started to think that maybe it is the rolling and the geometry that weight more when defining the good riding characters of a bike than the suspension per se (Especially when thinking about cross-country/trail bikes).

With that said I was still a bit nervous about this project. After all, I pretty much learned to ride a mountain bike on a full suspension rig, as I already wrote in my original blog post about this issue. This feeling got stronger as the day for the test ride came – as the first notion on the morning was “damn, it has rained the whole night before…” (This means slippery with capital s on our trails…)

We rode some five miles to the trailhead and paused to let some air pressure out of the tires. I pumped the tires (Panaracer Rampage 2.35”) to about 3 bar (around 42psi) for the road and tried now to adjust them to about 2.5 bar (around 36psi).

The trail started with some series of technical short climbs. Which were not easy for me – I should have probably let even more air out of the tires as the rear wheel kept slipping. (I’ve read somewhere that Rampages are not the best wet-conditions tires anyway?) Also the bigger factor after riding gears for couple of months was sprinting for some square-edged “steps” on the climbs: I think I just got used to the seated/geared climbing again, and now the single-speed riding style just wasn’t immediately there. The 38-18 gearing felt a tad heavy; previously I’ve had 32-19, which suits maybe even better to our rooty/quite technical trails. (I think I keep it like it is though, because now the transition to trail head was bearable. With any lighter gearing the roads would start to feel total PITA in my humble opinion.)

However, the flatter sections of the trail were ok and the 29er wheel rolled nice and easily just like it should. With the rigid fork your hands are going to feel more impacts for sure but on the other hand lifting the front wheel and/or making small corrections were very easy and accurate – a pretty cool and new feeling to me.

Then we got to some nice steep rollers. Whoa, I never believed an old-school rider friend that blasted how rigid fork is actually very good on steeps as the geometry never change during the descent. Check the pictures, I really dug to ride these slick rock sections, and was surprised how well it all went.

After that the trail got easier and I found the rigid bike very fun on some mellower, faster sections. After all, weight savings over a suspension fork must feel somewhere. Rigid bike, mellow up-hill and single speed – you don’t need any “pro pedal” set-ups, right?

Typical Southern Finland Singletrack

It was only when we hit one particular slippery part of the trail with big, wet roots when I got in trouble again. I wasn’t attacking the obstacles aggressive enough and kept slipping around – frustrating for sure but next time I know I should just pedal on and not hesitate…(funny how easy it always sound at the desk!)

Also, after about two hour of riding, I really started to feel the impacts on the arms, especially when the speeds got higher in the downhills. Today’s loop wasn’t much longer than that thought. I’ve yet to see if I can take some four-five hours ride with the rigid fork – at least you get some decent arm pump if nothing else…

At the end I also have to praise the Singular on some well thought design. Their rigid fork that is designed to go with the frame offers very good handling. The fork is quite long for a rigid one (485mm A-C) and has a rake/off-set of 48mm (that’s a good amount of it folks!). But this combinations just works – riding this bike will keep you smiling. Check this review from MTBR for further proof. It seems like riders way better than me liked the bike too.

And at last, I’d like to thank Carl for an opportunity to write on this excellent site. Happy trails and just keep pedaling! I hope you enjoyed my review.

Janne/ Homeboyski Team

Just another shot from today’s ride

Five Things About Mountain Biking I Learned the Hard Way

I began my mountain biking career over 15 years ago, and to use the old cliché I wish to god I knew the things then that I know now. Had I know some of the basic secrets to mountain biking I would of saved myself bodily injury, time spent healing and several doctors bills (I am sure that I could buy a new car with that money if I had it). Yet I did not know these secrets, and even if someone had tried to give them too me I am not sure I would have listened. However it is my hope that the following secrets will benefit you so you can maybe buy that new car when you are in your thirties.

1.  Just because all your friends jumped off the bridge does not mean you have too!So okay, we have all heard numerous times the above statement. The truth is that just because we have a tendency to confuse complete stupidity with bravery, does not mean we need to follow our friends every where they go. Sure being a bit reluctant to go down a hill or trail that seems a little bit above your skill level may get you some teasing, but when it is one of your friends who you are limping down the trail instead of you, who gets the final laugh?

When you are just starting as a mountain bike rider, remember that the point is to enjoy the sport, not to make your doctor more money. At first take easy trails, then as you grow more confident, expand your horizons by taking more difficult trails. Also realize that if you are gripping your handle bars in fear its hard to enjoy the scenery.

2.  Food and water are your friend not the enemySometimes we forget that the human machine needs fuel. Sometimes as we get psyched about the next trail, or just in a hurry to get out the door, we forget to top off our water bottles and to pack an apple or a carrot for the trail. While this is not a big deal for quick trails, not having food or water during a long trail can mean some very bad things such as dizziness, muscle cramping and even in some cases, a visit to the local hospital. This is easy to prevent by remembering to have a full water bottle (two if you are either going on a real long ride, or in a very arid area) and by bringing along high water food such as apples and carrots. Also apples and carrots are full of vitamins and easy for the body to digest.

3.  It may make you look stupid but stretching is always a good idea

One of the hardest things for me to make myself do before biking used to be stretching. I didn’t want to take the time to do something that I felt provided little to know benefit. However after a few pulled muscles I thought better of this and now stretching is something I do every time I go for a ride.

For those new to the idea of stretching the trick is not to overdue it and cause yourself injury. Start with simple toe touches and neck rolls. This will limber up your legs and shoulders which are the areas that will take most of the beating on the trail. Also you might want to add a couple sets of push ups and sit ups to warm up the torso muscles. Believe me you will feel a lot better during the ride if you do these simple exercises.

4.  A spare parts kit is worth the weight

I think virtually every biker on the planet has had a time when they wish they had brought along an extra inner tube or chain. Let’s face it, the trails we tend to ride do not care one little bit about our bikes and their conditions. In fact sometimes it seems a trail is out to get you from the start. Over my time as a mountain bike rider I have developed what I call the essential repair kit and I have used it more times than I care to count. Admitted it means taking a pack with me, but when it comes to either fixing a flat, or hiking my bike out, the pack seems a pretty small price to pay. Below is a list of items I always carry.

• Patch kit (you can pick one of these up at any bike store or even Wal-Mart)
• Extra tube (sometimes I get a flat no patch in the world is going to fix, but having and extra tube gets me off the trail and back home.)
• A set of wrenches and bolts. (this can actually take some time to put together, however I have been very glad whenever I have had to make an emergency repair to my seat, handle bars or other parts of my bike. I also recommend getting small plastic tackle box to hold all of it in.)
• An extra chain (most of my friends just bring extra links, but for me I find the chain is quicker and the cost difference is not that great, but at the very least bring a few extra lengths)
• Air pump (what good does fixing your flat do if you can’t put air back in your tire?)

I do have friends who have found ways to mount entire tires on their bikes, but the above should cover most situations that don’t involve major types of repairs, and will get you home.

5.  Biking and drinking is almost as dumb as drinking and driving
Maybe I have just had some bad luck with idiots, but I swear nothing is worse on the trail than having to deal with a drunken rider. Not only are they a risk to themselves, they are a risk to everyone else. I realize it may not seem to be a big deal to drink a couple of beers before a ride, but really you are doing something that requires your total attention. IN fact some trails you wind up on have very little room for error. So if you feel like a drink, do it at the end of the road not the start.

Hawkes Creek Farm (Winterville, GA)

Overall Difficulty: Intermediate
Technical Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
Configuration: Loop
Length: 4.5 miles

For many, the passion for mountain biking is a unique bond built between earth’s selfless offerings of beautiful landscapes and the ensuing need to explore these tracts, ever progressing in strength, technique, and confidence. Regrettably, many of these natural playgrounds are left unexplored by anxious two-wheeled travelers, inaccessible as private property. Fortunately, there is hope. Some landowners share this same passion for mountain biking and have unselfishly made their land available for others to enjoy. Hawkes Creek Farm, located outside of Winterville GA, is privately owned but is open to the public for riders to explore expanses of sycamore and poplar forest, green, rolling pastures, and lush ravines on a well-maintained 8 km loop singletrack loop. A minimal amount of horse use exists, so visitors are preferred to ride on odd days to avoid horse-bike collisions.

The parking lot is easily located at the entrance of Hawkes Creek Farm just off of Hargrove Lake road. With the trailhead directly across from the parking lot, this loop trail is navigated with ease for local races are often held here and the trail is well-marked and maintained. Enter the hardwood canopy, following a quick singletrack, and enjoy this rural Georgia landscape. Do not loose too much focus on the trail because minor root and log obstacles do exist to punish any lackadaisical rider. Quickly thereafter, you emerge to a gravel road and head right. Watch for arrows to your left that will lead you on to a grassy doubletrack that traverses horse pastures, lined with barbed-wire fencing, and accented with a quintessential barn on the horizon.

Watch for on-looking white-tail deer as you make a quick descent into the next forested section followed by the first steep climb. Following suit to many trails in Georgia, the occasional set of exposed roots and downed trees add a certain cadence to your ride while the smooth, quick sections of singletrack add a chorus of wind whistling through your helmet as you are able to enjoy turns and straight-aways at speeds of enjoyable levels. The songs of singing tree frogs welcome you as the trail descends to a creek bottom. A few contours exist, followed by a tranquil ride alongside Hawkes Creek which abruptly ends after the 4 km marker.

A left turn peels you from the creek’s sweet embrace and ascends towards a short slickrock and rock garden section. Attack this section with rabid intentions, and if your balance, strength, and luck are perfectly aligned you will be granted success. Do not celebrate prematurely though, because the trail continues to climb for another 50 feet. Atop the hill, a small victory is warranted, and with a quick drag on the camelback you push on. Cross another gravel road at the 5 km marker and travel along more singletrack with familiar ups and downs. On one particular descent, a small launch is encountered for those interested in removing their wheels from the ground momentarily. Although a smooth landing does exist, a sharp left at the bottom demands a quick, sliding left turn; otherwise an elegant (or not so elegant) swan dive into the approaching foliage is rather likely.

The understory becomes thicker and oak and poplar trees dwarf any rider as the trail hugs the edges of a lush ravine. After squeezing through a few tight trees, the trail ascends from this bottomland to the top of a long climb. The trail rolls over the hill and you are shortly back to where you started from at the parking lot. Hawkes Creek Farm offers an excellent singletrack ride in a wonderful landscape, with hills and obstacles to transform this trail into a moderately difficult ride. With than being said, it is certainly manageable for beginners and laps can added for a more advanced ride. As this trail is privately owned, be respectful and maintain full biking etiquette to preserve continued access to awesome areas such as this.

Google Map of the Trailhead