Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

The First time I ever Rode a Mt Bike... I... (your story goes here)

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 82 Posts

NEPMTBA

· Premium Member
Joined
·
7,442 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
I was amazed what a great feeling I had...:):):)
...felt free, wind blowing on my hair, birds flying aroun....

WAIT... :eekster: who am I kidding, I was screaming in pain from the seat, and trying to find air to live...LOL

Funny how quick one learns to breath once you know your also lost!:eekster:
 
#2 ·
The first time I rode a mountain bike, I was commuting to work at "Drug Mart" on a borrowed Schwinn High Sierra, circa 1984.

The bike gave me the ability to ride through several fields with steepish hills that I'd never been able to ride before.

Almost 30 years later, I'm still hooked. Bikes are better though LOL!
 
#4 ·
The first time I rode a mountain bike, I was test riding it in the street after Dad put it together. It was like a BMX, but with bigger wheels, handlebar brakes, and gears that I didn't know how to use at 13yrs old.

Once comfortable on it, I went straight to the jump I used to take my BMX over - but decided against it as this bike was just a little too big for me. So I then went to a well-known gravelly section of The Bicentennial National Trail which was behind our house to do the only other thing I knew how to do well on a bicycle at that point in life: skids.

The tyres were worn out within a week.
 
#5 ·
The 1st time I rode a mountain bike I was pathetically out of shape. I was a pack a day smoker, and I was very happy to be able to ride up one big hill a year later. That was 1992. I didn't entirely get being healthy till 1995 or so. Good thing for my long term health that this stupid sport hooked me so bad.

Drew
 
#7 ·
My first time was in 1998 or 1999, can't remember. Rode my brand new silver colored Diamondback HT 26er through a local park that had mostly level, short trails running along behind it. I was hooked. I was a BMX rider in my youth so I was already familiar with riding offroad.

Now, the first time I took that "mountain bike" to a mountain for climbing, I suffered badly. That was on a 3 mile climb with about 500' per mile of elevation gain. That was tough. I made it almost half way up after numerous stops, all the while huffing and puffing, seeing stars, dehydrated, and with cramping muscles before I threw in the towel and headed back down.

But I knew I was hooked. I wanted so badly to get to the top of the hill. It took a total of 3 attempts, but I finally made it. And before long, I was making to the top non-stop.

About one year later, I upgraded to a Spesh Rockhopper Pro. HUGE improvement! I was climbing faster than ever and the ride down was much more smooth. I had my first bad crash on that bike, too. Road rash from head to toe and a dislocated thumb. :mad:

Sorry for rambling...:)
 
#9 ·
My first mtn bike ride was as a lad, on a Schwinn Stingray, bendix hub coaster brake, running 32 18 or 32-19 on 20" wheels. We rode everything... horse trails, single track, made jumps out of gullys, raced each other before there was even BMX, and raced oval around islands at abandoned gas stations with polished concrete and used motor oil on the corner. What we couldn't pedal up, we walked up. We had stair cases of orchards with avocado groves/orchards growing on them. I remember Steve McQueen coming up on his Husqvarna to ride up there, while we were 10 to 13 year old kids on our bicycles. A Honda CT Trail 70 or a Yamaha Mini Enduro 60 were what the rich kids were riding back then. The really rich older kids were riding Bultaco Sherpa S 125's, a few with Yamaha's 125's or 250 with GYT kits on them for more HP.

It was all fun.
 
#10 ·
it was on a late eighties fully rigid univega alpina uno, complete with thumbshifters, a SIX speed transmission and aftermarket farmer john's tires that my friend slapped on it. the ride itself was a mixture of exhilaration and "HELL no, i'm not doing THAT!!!".

this was in san francisco's golden gate park, the first place a would take an absolute newbie mountain biking.

how things have changed in those twenty-plus years...
 
#13 ·
John Kuhl said:
RandyBoy, your story sounds just like mine. Only I
had a Huffy Stingray because only the rich kids had
a Schwinn. Those were good times.
Click to expand...
My first bike I built myself... a Schwinn Stingray frame, cranks, chain, and seat post that I bought from the owner for $10. Owner, was a girl, she got it back after a bike theft leaving it parked at the elementary school over a weekend locked up. I had to buy a fork, a neck, bars, grips and some wheels with my allowance... Around winter of 1968. We rode without gloves, helmets, patch kits or bike pumps. The one tool always in my pocket was an adjustable crescent wrench.
 
#14 ·
I rode on the local snowmobile trail in the summer, because my husband thought it would be fun. It seemed so rough and rocky, and I had to get off and push up some steep hills (that now seem like small inclines). I saw the Singletrack trail entrances and thought to myself "I'll never do that".

Never say never.
 
#16 ·
I was a road cyclist. I had never ridden off road. until I accepted to go on a first date with a mountain biker. He lent me a hard tail and for our first date he and I explored his local trails. I was doing ok until I rode a "steep" section. My weight was not far enough back over the saddle and I flipped over the handlebars, landing hard on my hip. I covered up my embarassment by laughing, brushed myself off and got back on the bike. Plus I enjoyed this guy's company and I didn't want to be a baby.

We continued to ride, check out the rolling hills and gorgeous scenery, Later, when I got home I inspected my injured hip... I had a bruise the size of my hand. Over the next several days I watched that bruise change shapes and colours. and I vowed I would learn to ride

5 years later. I upgraded bikes and equipment, learned to ride more technical, learned to dh (got hooked joined the dark side), visited many beautiful and diverse trails, broken some bones, bruised and scrapped skin... and married the guy who introduced me to mountain biking :):thumbsup:
 
#17 ·
1988, had my first job out of college and saved up for a Diamond Back Ascent I bought from one of my customers(worked with bike shops in NJ). Rode the trails behind my apartment after work every day. Got into phenomenal shape. Then started riding cliff side technical trails in PA with friends. I always had great balance from my 15+ years of sailing and wind surfing so I kinda schooled my friends on those tech trails.
 
#19 ·
First ride was a solo excursion to the mountain bike trails at a local state park ("Really? They have trails just for mountain bikes??)

I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I didn't even bring a helmet. Took me over an hour to ride a section that takes me 20 minutes to ride now. But I had a great time, and came back (with a helmet) the next weekend.

This sport has put me in the best shape of my life - not that I'm an Ironman, but waaay better than before.

Steve Z
 
1 - 20 of 82 Posts
About this Discussion
81 Replies
68 Participants
Last post:
VTSession
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion