How to hop a log or rock on your mountain bike

We started a wiki a while back to share mountain biking “how-to’s” on everything from mountain bike handling to maintenance and repair but since then we’ve realized the wiki format isn’t really doin’ it for us. Instead, we’ll use the blog to share these articles and ask that our readers add to the articles via …

Big Mountain MTB Training Camp

Over the next two months we’ll be talking about mountain bike training and getting in shape for the spring MTB season. Sure, getting in shape for mountain biking can seem boring, painful, and at times, anti-social but the Big Mountain Mountain Bike Training camp offers a nice alternative. This year’s training camp is being held …

New indoor mountain bike circuit opening in Boulder, CO

Ray’s Indoor MTB Park (photo courtesy RaysMTB.com) Boulder Indoor Cycling just opened the doors to its shiny new velodrome and is putting the finishing touches on an indoor mountain bike circuit inside the facility. Boulder Indoor Cycling will join Ray’s Indoor MTB Park in Cleveland, OH as only the second indoor mountain bike facility in …

Becoming a pro MTB guide

Admit it: you’ve thought about it at least once or twice. Many of us imagine giving up our commute-and-cubicle lifestyle and making a living out on the mountain bike trail, guiding out-of-state riders with money to spend through scenic and challenging terrain. But what does it actually take to become a professional mountain bike guide? …

MTB Safety & Broken Bones

Timothy Jones posted a good article on the Made to Order Bikes blog about mountain bike safety earlier this week that’s worth checking out. Beyond wearing a helmet, Jones reminds us of the importance of eye protection, gloves, and even MTB body armor for downhill / urban rides. It’s interesting to see how safety gear …

Learning how to land big mountain bike jumps

A few weeks back a friend and I were discussing big mountain bike jumps and how people learn to land them. I mean, we’ve all seen skills areas with progressively larger jumps but how do you go from a 4 foot jump to a 50 foot drop like the one at Santos? (pictured below) I …

Comparing mountain bike trails

With the ongoing intersection of technology and mountain biking there have been some recent efforts to quantify and compare mountain bike trails. While the idea may sounds strange, some interesting progress has been made. The International Bike Parameters Index (IBP Index) “is an index that values the difficulty of a mountain bike route or a …

Setting goals: Epic rides in 2008

Looking for a way to stick to your mountain bike resolutions in 2008? Here’s one way: Commit to riding in an epic mountain bike event this year. (Notice I didn’t say you should commit to racing an epic event – I’d be happy just to finish most of these.) Bicycle Frenzy has a quick list …

Mountain biking for fitness in 2008

Around this time of year many folks start considering their health and fitness goals for the new year so I thought I’d share some thoughts on mountain biking for fitness. If you’ve never tried mountain biking and you’re looking for a fun way to stay in shape, perhaps this post will inspire you to take …

Mountain bike skills training

A couple weeks back I wrote about public high schools offering mountain biking courses. Now it’s time to talk about what adults can do to learn about mountain biking or improve existing singletrack skills. Gene Hamilton is a mountain bike coach who runs a company dedicated to mountain bike instruction. His company, BetterRide, puts on …