[greentrees]

Hello! I am hoping for some insight from fellow sistas and thought this forum would be the best way to get some advice. Hope you don't mind my noob questions and hope it is okay to ask here!
Any other moms out there? I am a mom of 4 little ones. With my oldest just 8 and my youngest 2, my time has been focused on the family. I need do some self care and get into a new sport...one that I haven't ever tried but want to! How do I find the beginner type trails or do I just go for the parks for now and work my way to trails? Can anyone help me decide on an entry level bike? I will def be trying out what is recommended although that will be difficult bec I am 5' 1" and many shops don't seem to have this size to try out on the floor. I am on a budget ($450) also. I have tried out a 13" GT Transeo at Performance Bike but since it is the only one that was in my size, it is the one the guy showed me. Reading in here, I have read that I should go for hardtail, with disk brakes, small or better yet xsmall?
Any thoughts to help me out are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[supersedona]

For sizing, and for that matter the overall feel check a couple places. Like buying a car, you want to try a few to see what feels better. Agreed on the hardtail with discs, that class has served me well for many years from the beginning to xc racing.

To get to doing trails, which is very fun and rewarding, I would first recommend building a little on rail-trails or paths to get used to riding in general. Once that is comfortable and you feel familiar with basic handling which is unique to each bike, then ease into some fire roads or other such trails. Too much too quick can lead to possible sprain issues or unfamiliar balance.
If you have the chance, find a bike shop that offers or hosts beginner group rides. My shop group in college we would meet on Wednesday evenings and go to a multi-use park. If there were intense riders we would split into an easy no-drop group and have fun while they would go flying away in racer style. Sometimes that was fun too, but the social learning of the beginner group is very helpful to get practice.

 

[formica]

Hi Greentrees.... I second what supersedona says about looking for a women's ride to join. Some clubs do them, some shops. It is a great way to meet other gals, too. We used to have a ride that would meet up in that 2.5 hour window while kindergarten is in session. We had to finish up before the bus dropped off the kids! Boy did we have fun, though.

If you post your general location, maybe someone can recommend shops/trails/clubs. As for fit for small gals, you really don't want to sacrifice on fit as a too-big bike is really no fun to ride.

 

[Rae6503]

I have 3 kids, 7, 5, and 3.

Where do you live? I agree look around for women's clubs and/or clinics. Get a good guide book that rates the trails for you. Do you have any patient friends who would be willing to give you some pointers?

 

[greentrees]

My shop group in college we would meet on Wednesday evenings and go to a multi-use park.

We used to have a ride that would meet up in that 2.5 hour window while kindergarten is in session. We had to finish up before the bus dropped off the kids!

If you post your general location, maybe someone can recommend shops/trails/clubs.

That is a great idea! I didn't know they existed! Wow that sounds like so much fun! Goes to show how new I am to all of this. But of course, there would be beginner groups out there. Now to find some. I just moved here, Raleigh, NC and am not that familiar with what is available. Off to google that.

I have 3 kids, 7, 5, and 3.

Where do you live? I agree look around for women's clubs and/or clinics. Get a good guide book that rates the trails for you.

Yay, thanks for sharing their ages too! That inspires me to go out and do this! Where would I pick up a guide book? LBS?

 

[formica]

You might try the regional forum for NC here on MTBR. Isn't mtb pretty big in that neck of the woods?

 

[supersedona]

My sis lives in that area and if I recall from when I was down there shops/groups abound. Not sure on what trail availability is, though there are a lot of pave trails(which would be nice to have up here). Happy hunting

 

[mtbxplorer]

Good for you, Greentrees! I hope you like it. At first you may need to build up some fitness, some technique, and some... um. saddle toughness. Keep at it and they will all come together. Fitness and the butt part can be worked on anywhere, you don't necessarily need trails, so if you only have time for a ride around the neighborhood on some days, that will still be worthwhile toward mountain bike skills.

 

[greentrees]

I looked up the SORBA/IMBA! We went up by a lake near here and saw quite a few riders out in the woods. The nice weather is bringing them out!
Now, I need to get a bike. I am hoping to find one this week. Anyone want to point me in the right direction? Will $450 be doable?

 

[mtbxplorer]

You can definitely get riding on trails for $450, but honestly it will be lower end, so it will be heavier, not as plush on the bumps, and not as smooth in the brake/shift department. That is OK, you can ride the heck out of it and get something else later if you like mountainbiking. The brands are pretty competitive, so I would see what they have locally in your price range. A real bike shop will be best on quality, mechanical know-how, and service, as opposed to a sporting goods or discount store.

Alternatively, you may be able to get more bang for the buck at a bike swap, if you have any locally. Usually at a bike shop or club, people bring in their old bikes for resale, and many are not seeking top dollar, they just want some cash and someone else to enjoy the bike. You do, however, need to know how to pick a right-sized bike, and some bikeknowledge helps enormously. Often the best deals are bikes that were bought with good intentions but never saw many miles for one reason or another, as worn-out drivetrains (gears, etc) and suspensions on well-used bikes can get pricey to replace.