{"id":38814,"date":"2018-09-26T09:54:28","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T16:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=38814"},"modified":"2020-05-22T12:58:12","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T19:58:12","slug":"learning-how-to-mountain-bike-as-a-30-something-an-illustrated-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/learning-how-to-mountain-bike-as-a-30-something-an-illustrated-story","title":{"rendered":"Learning How to Mountain Bike As a 30-Something, An Illustrated Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a long climb, I watched my friends disappear, one by one, down the trail. My turn. I gripped the handlebar, stood up on my pedals and accelerated. My bike careened forward, awkwardly wobbling over rocks and roots. A steep rollover sent my fingers slamming against the breaks and my body nearly over the handlebars. <\/span><\/p>\n

I am learning how to ride a mountain bike in my mid-30s, and this was my first day on a ride. I had visions of myself tearing down the trail, flying around corners, sailing nimbly over rocks and roots. I borrowed a full-suspension bike, called up some friends and declared myself ready to ride.<\/span> But the <\/span>challenge of learning this new sport was becoming abundantly clear. The terrain was so difficult that I had to walk my bike halfway down the descent, with my tail between my legs.<\/span> My first day proved it wouldn\u2019t be that easy\u2014mountain biking was a skill I\u2019d have to learn.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Illustrations by Kate Hourihan.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After my first day, I was faced with a decision: accept my beginner status or walk away. I hadn\u2019t taken up a new outdoor activity in a while. Skiing I\u2019d learned at age 3 and spent my twenties devoted to excelling at. Now, in my thirties, my body and brain were incredibly afraid of falling, pain and injury. <\/span>Within the context of skiing, \u201cbeginner\u201d had always sounded like a dirty word. Now on a mountain bike, I was one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

If I was going to take this new sport seriously, I needed to invest in some of my own gear. I traded in my running shoes for a pair of stiff and sticky-soled bike shoes. Knee pads and gloves tempered my fear of crashing. And, carrying a spare tube and tire repair kit gave me the confidence to ride alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I found I learn best when I\u2019m challenged little by little. Too easy? I won\u2019t learn anything new. Too hard? I\u2019m in survival mode. Terrain with a mix of challenge and ease provided the perfect<\/span> foundation for learning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Once I figured out which terrain suited me, I practiced. <\/span>I rode over rocks, I cornered (rode around tight switchbacks in the trail), I dropped (launched by bike over small two- to three-foot drop-offs).<\/span> The more I rode a feature, the easier it became. I took a skills course and practiced the basics over and over.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As I practiced, I progressed. <\/span>Tricky corners grew friendlier. <\/span>Mellow rock garden? No problem. But, some days I was humbly reminded of my beginner status. Chasing my better-than-me friends down a steep, technical trail always offered that <\/span>experience<\/span>. I could corner, handle steeps and little drops separately. Put them together, I fell apart. But, as long as I pushed myself little by little, I progressed. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A year later, while practicing skills at a nearby bike park, I noticed an intro-level mountain bike class full of first-time riders wobbling their way through cones and around corners. Only then did I realize how much I had progressed.<\/span> I became a mountain biker, but not the way I\u2019d originally imagined.<\/span> Most days on a bike still come with a healthy dose of fear and doubt. But, they also come with the reward of beautiful views and adventure with friends. I\u2019ve learned that being a beginner isn\u2019t so bad, nor does it last long if you persevere. <\/span><\/p>\n

Learning a new sport at 30 is extra-challenging, but I wouldn\u2019t trade the struggle for a seat on the sidelines. As mountain biking becomes more natural, I\u2019m already looking forward to what I\u2019ll learn as a 40-something. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a long climb, I watched my friends disappear, one by one, down the trail. My turn. I gripped the handlebar, stood up on my pedals and accelerated. My bike careened forward, awkwardly wobbling over rocks and roots. A steep rollover sent my fingers slamming against the breaks and my body nearly over the handlebars. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":38821,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1127,727,110,654],"internal-tag":[1680],"class_list":["post-38814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle","tag-cycling","tag-latest-posts","tag-mountain-biking","tag-mountain-biking-tips","internal-tag-pre-redirect-cycling"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/learning-how-to-mountain-bike-as-a-30-something-an-illustrated-story","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Learning How to Mountain Bike As a 30-Something, An Illustrated Story","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/learning-how-to-mountain-bike-as-a-30-something-an-illustrated-story","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/learning-how-to-mountain-bike-as-a-30-something-an-illustrated-story"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/09\/REI_learningtobike_1.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/09\/REI_learningtobike_1.jpg?fit=3126%2C1814"},"articleSection":"Cycle","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["cycling","latest posts","mountain biking","mountain biking tips"],"dateCreated":"2018-09-26T16:54:28Z","datePublished":"2018-09-26T16:54:28Z","dateModified":"2020-05-22T19:58:12Z"},"rendered":"