• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

Tenderfoot Mtn. Bike Question

W8N2SKI

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'll start by saying that I know nothing about mountain bikes. I wouldn't even know what I'd want to try out if I were to go into a bike shop. I don't know styles and I don't know brands.

This is a gross generalization that may turn out to be completely fallacious, but I'm assuming that most bike shop guys/gals are going to see an overweight (but shrinking) 50-something walk into the shop and want to sell me a granny bike. So I want to be somewhat armed when I go in. I can/will look around online for info, but I value younze's input more.

I've ridden road bikes for years (triathlon, centuries, multi-days), but arthritis in my neck makes long distance riding too painful and I've had to sell my beloved Felt :frown:. Luckily, the more upright position on a mountain bike is manageable. I don't know what to look for however. Are some MB styles more upright than others? Do I want to look at sport, trail, recreation? I don't know the lingo.

The type of riding I'd like to do would involve a lot of dirt and gravel roads, wooded trails w/the usual rocks and roots. I was always a good climber on the road bike, but I don't see myself doing any aggressive downhill riding. I'll be a rank beginner on a MB, so any advice re starting out would be much appreciated.

Right now I'm riding one of the folders we use on the boat.:eek:
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Some MTB styles are more upright than others. Right now the general movement is toward "slacker" geometry, meaning all bikes are becoming a little better suited to downhill and technical riding.

The number one thing you need to decide is your budget, because you can spend everything from $600 to $8000 on a mountain bike. More with the right custom wheels. And that budget will inform your choices.

The number two thing you need to know is that mountain biking is always abbreviated MTB, not MB ;-)

Most likely you will want a bike designated XC ("cross country"), not freeride or trail. Buuuuut maybe trail. Trail bikes will have more suspension and be a bit heavier than XC, but it sounds like you really like the climbing part. You could go light to enhance the part you're good at, or you could go heavy because you know you can muscle through the climbing part with more weight.

Unfortunately you are probably right that as with most ski shops, it can be hard to be any combo of a woman, overweight, or of a certain age and still get taken seriously. If you can take pictures of trails you want to be able to ride, you might be able to bring some to give examples? Just a thought.

Also - where is there to climb on a mountain bike in DC? Serious question! I didn't mountain bike when I lived in the area.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
If you were here, I could tell you specifically which shops to go to...

I'd agree - I could throw some recommendations out to you, but the budget variation is crazy, so that would be the start point. For me, I have a bike that I love that was around $4200 and is good enough for me these days. DH's bikes are closer to the $10,000 range... But in your area you may do fine on a hardtail... and that saves a lot of money.

I would say for a "true" mountain bike, key words would be like "trail" or "all-mountain", etc. "XC" or "Enduro" refer to types of racing - an XC bike is geared to perform on the climbs, BUT it's going to be less upright and closer to road bike body position, so you probably want to avoid that. Trail/Enduro/All-mountain are all going to be more of a do-it-all style where they could be good for climbing and descending and have a somewhat more upright body position.

"Recreational" or "Lifestyle" or "Hybrid" or things like that are geared towards something you can ride on a dirt path but are not trail-worthy for serious mountain biking.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
an XC bike is geared to perform on the climbs, BUT it's going to be less upright and closer to road bike body position, so you probably want to avoid that.

Please explain to DH that because I have a Truth, I *need* a trail bike ... I mean the old model Truth really is an XC bike ...
 

W8N2SKI

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanx @bounceswoosh. Apropos of this, I just found a women's MTB :wink: clinic series through one of our local bike shops (below). It helps that the shop co-owner is a woman!

Re places to ride, I don't know yet about MTB trails, but there are some good hills in Loudoun and Fauquier Counties (about an hour from DC but much closer for suburban me) where I trained road. There are some challenging hills in western Maryland as well (near Whitetail ski resort). Massanutten (my home ski mountain) and near environs have serious road climbs that many cyclists training for Ride the Rockies actually use. The ride from the Shenandoah Valley floor to the Blue Ridge Parkway and along parts of the Parkway is pretty tough. There's no altitude training, obviously, but there are some long steep sections that hurt me to even think about now.

Massanutten did just open some new MTB trails and downhill access last month but I haven't been over to take a look yet. https://www.massresort.com/play/bike-park/

WOMEN'S MOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS RIDES
Our Sept classes SOLD OUT

The first series of 4 week classes SOLD OUT quickly and we would like to gauge interest in possibly holding a second set of classes. Please sign up if you may be interested in a full 4 week series of classes after the August series is over. We will email each interested rider with details for registration if/when the classes are scheduled for future dates. Sign Up



886d5223-1c4c-4248-b7c4-59b2dc43c039.jpg


LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MOUNTAIN BIKING WITH ONE ON ONE INSTRUCTION
We have heard from a number of you asking for one on one mountain bike instruction. Anne Mader, co-owner of The Bike Lane is a certified IMBA Level 1 Mountain Bike Instructor she has been riding and racing mountain bikes for over 15 years. If you are interested in one on one lessons email Anne at [email protected] to schedule your personalized class. Basic Mountain Bike Instruction: $100 for 2 hours of one on one instruction.
 

geargrrl

Angel Diva
There are geometry differences in some models; in others it is a shrink-n-pink situation. You'll get the most actually performance differences at a higher price point. For some women the geometry differences can make a real difference in fit, but men's bikes work great too for the majority of folks.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
Yeah, many women's bikes come with things like narrower handlebars and smaller grips. I end up putting wider bars on unisex bikes so the idea of extra narrow handlebars is crazy to me. I'm not a small framed person though so I can see where it might make sense for some though.
 

W8N2SKI

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
There are geometry differences in some models; in others it is a shrink-n-pink situation. You'll get the most actually performance differences at a higher price point. For some women the geometry differences can make a real difference in fit, but men's bikes work great too for the majority of folks.

This is good to know b/c I have one of those silly prejudices - I can't stand the look of the "curvy" top and down tubes on some of the women's models.

Having the smaller geometry was useful to me on my last road bike (my first women's model) largely because of the handle bar length. On earlier unisex bikes I had to switch out to a narrower width to more comfortably accommodate my not-broad-manly-man-shoulders. It may be the same on a MTB but it isn't a huge issue.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is good to know b/c I have one of those silly prejudices - I can't stand the look of the "curvy" top and down tubes on some of the women's models.

What sort? My size small bike frame has a low, curved top tube. It gives me standover height, which I really appreciate.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
This is good to know b/c I have one of those silly prejudices - I can't stand the look of the "curvy" top and down tubes on some of the women's models.

Having the smaller geometry was useful to me on my last road bike (my first women's model) largely because of the handle bar length. On earlier unisex bikes I had to switch out to a narrower width to more comfortably accommodate my not-broad-manly-man-shoulders. It may be the same on a MTB but it isn't a huge issue.

Road bike bar width and MTB bar width are totally different things. On a road bike it's like a mathematical thing. Your shoulders are this wide, so you need bars exactly this width. On a mountain bike it's not really an ergonomic thing. Wider bars give you more stability, and that's why you see the extra wide bars on DH bikes. Some people fear hitting them on trees and prefer narrower bars, but narrower bars will feel more twitchy. So ultimately it boils down to personal preference more than body size. You will see broad shouldered guys who won't give up on their narrow bars and smaller women who like wide DH bars on everything and everything in between. My general recommendation if you're buying a set is to go with wide ones and try it. They can always be cut down, but not the other way around.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Some people fear hitting them on trees and prefer narrower bars,

For the record, I *did* hit my wide bars on a tree when I first got the Dare. The hit clenched my fist, I grabbed brake, bike came to a sudden stop, and I endo'd pretty painfully.

... A few months later, I upgraded my Truth to the same width, because I'd come to love it.

My objection isn't rational. I just don't like the way it "looks." Its like rejecting a bike b/c its the wrong color.

Honestly, I agree, but standover height is way more important - and aren't you short?
 

Albertan ski girl

Angel Diva
I just got into mtb about 3 or so years ago with our kids, and I really love it. Like others have said, look for xc or trail bikes. Since you aren't that interested in downhill, a hardtail will probably do - full suspension will probably be overkill and too heavy.

I also agree with budget being of primary importance - I found here in Alberta that you can get a more than decent mtb for $700 - $1000, especially for starting out, getting a feel for what you like etc. As a newb, one of the most valuable things that I did was try out multiple bikes at multiple shops (not all shops carry all brands). All of the shops I tried my bikes out at both let you ride the bike around the streets near the store, and they had little 'courses' set up in the back with some bumps, crates and ramps etc. This was really great for me because I got to see that bikes can feel really really different. I was really surprised how I could tell the difference between the feel of a bike (even as a newbie). I could especially tell which bike 'geometry' fit me, and which didn't.

None of the sales people at any of the bike stores emphasized the difference between women's and men's bikes (one even told me that he had sold a number of women's bikes to men because the style/geometry just really clicked with some). So I tried a number of bikes, both men's and women's from a variety of brands. Both men's and women's were fine, some I liked more, some less. But I had a really strong feeling about bike geometry - for example, I hated every Trek bike I tried. I ended up loving 3 bike types: men's Kona, men's Norco and men's Scott bikes.

The other thing you also will want to try are different wheel sizes - in addition to the 26" bike wheels, there are now lots of 27.5" and 29" wheels. 29-ers are really popular, but I just didn't really like any of them. I found them hard to turn and maneuver. But my SO loves 29ers and has a Kona. I ended up loving the 27.5" wheel - found them to be faster and smoother than my old 26" bike wheels.

The only thing I would suggest for a newbie is to spend a little bit more money on components. Especially the rear derailleur (also front too)- I think there's a pretty big difference between the low-end components and something more middle of the line or better. I had Shimano Altus components on my first bike and thought there was something wrong with my shifting because it wasn't smooth, sometimes wouldn't shift etc...I just slightly upgraded to Alivio and Deore on my last bike and they are SO SO smooth. Having nice components that shift easily (and, of course, keeping things clean and greased!) was a HUGE difference for me. It made learning how to shift, how to ride uphill/downhill, over things much easier!

I would really recommend to try a bunch of bikes and see what you like - don't be taken in by men's or women's bikes - try them both!
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Here's a quick guide to some of the basic differences between mountain bikes:

https://www.icebike.org/the-5-types-of-mountain-bikes-you-need-to-know/

FWIW, I just started this year and have a 29er hardtail XC bike, because it's what I could afford. I like it a lot, and it's been a great bike on which to build skills and fitness. Even accounting for operator error, it's fast and rolls over small obstacles really well. But on tight turns, it's less capable and less fun. So I realized that the type of riding I enjoy most calls for a trail-oriented bike that's more downhill-capable, so now I'm researching and demo-ing full-suspension trail bikes with 27.5 (650b) wheels. And I've noticed that the slacker geometry of those bikes takes a lot of getting used to coming from a steep-angled XC bike.

Buying a MTB means entering a vast world of subtle differences, and unless you're in a rush to buy, I would suggest renting and demoing and trying to get a feel for what types of riding/trails you enjoy and what bike would suit that and fit you well.

I've ridden downhill at places very much like Massanutten and I LOVE it. Even if you're not super into dh riding, the sheer amount of practice you can get cornering berms for a few hours is invaluable at building good habits and muscle memory, and it's really improved my overall trail riding and confidence. Those places, though, will rent you a full downhill rig, and that sort of bike is really overkill for beginner-intermediate riding at places like that; DH bikes are heavy and very slack and can feel awkward on moderate trails. Any good-quality full-suspension trail bike would be more nimble and fun, in my experience, so if you can rent or demo from a local shop and bring the bike to the bike park, you might have more fun.

Oh, one more thing I've learned in my newbie-ness: I thought dropper posts for bike seats were a crazy luxury or something for cool-guy enduro riders. Nope: you will very quickly realize that you want a dropper post. It's something to factor into the cost if your bike doesn't come stock with one.

Good luck in your search!
 

W8N2SKI

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanx @Albertan ski girl. I hear you re components and different models. Since I've never bought at the top end (far from it), I've upgraded components on some of my bikes. I've owned a bunch of road bikes and you are correct - different brands and even different models can feel astoundingly different. I once had to borrow a friend's Orbea (expensive!!:eek:) and I hated it! Maybe part of it was being afraid to ride a ridiculously pricey bike that wasn't mine. Plus, it was set up for her and while we were close in conformation, we weren't identical. I've never been so cautious and so happy to get off a bike (but ya do gotta love wireless shifting).

I'm probably going to look in the $900 - $1200.00 range, give or take. At age 57 I want a well constructed, reliable bike but I'm also realistic - it is unlikely that I'll ever be more than an intermediate MTB'er (if that), and at this point I just want to have fun. I miss cycling and am looking forward to getting back out there. This will be a new (and exciting) experience.

Thanx for the wheel size input. That was another thing I was curious about. 29'ers seem all the rage, but I don't want to be sucked in w/o trying a variety.

Just saw your post @SallyCat. Thanx for the info! I'm trying to find a place that will rent but no luck yet - aside from the parks like Massanutten which, as you point out, have overkill bikes for the terrain I probably want to ride. With this dang neck issue I'll definitely be looking for a more upright style.
 
Last edited:

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Dropper post is about $400 - and you can always add it later. On a budget, it's not the most important.

Wheel size - I have loved my 26" bikes, but they may be phasing out, so be aware of that in terms of long term maintenance and parts.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,237
Messages
497,685
Members
8,503
Latest member
MermaidKelly
Top