[How27spd]

I Had A Riding Experience With Another Couple This Weekend. We Are All In Our Early 40's And They Are New To Mountain Biking. I've Been Riding And Racing For The Last 10 Years. When I Ride With My Wife Or Anybody Else That Is New To The Trail Or Even In Races, I Have Always Let Them Know What Hazards Are Ahead. This Couple Was Aggravated With Me And Told Me To Be Quiet That They Would Rather Be Suprised As To What Hazards Were Ahead (large Rocks, Roots, Logs, Switch Backs).
When I Told Them What Was Ahead They Said They Would Focus On It And That Would Mess Them Up. They Have No Respect For How Dangerous The Trails Can Be And How Easy It Is To Get Injured. They Would Have Messed Up No Matter What I Said. The Wife Tried A 4 Foot Teeter Totter And Face Planted Scaring The Hell Out Of All Of Us. She Was Also Going Down Steep Gulleys Sitting Straight Up Like Mary Poppins. When I Would Tell Her To Get Her Butt Behind The Back Of Her Seat She Would Freak On Me. I Have Never Been Told To Shut Up On A Fun Ride Or A Race. I'll Be Quiet From Now On With This Couple, But I Will Be Afraid To Take Them Anywhere But Easy Double Track Trails. Any Thoughts On My Trail Etiquette?

 

[Pawndream]

When taking new riders out, or riders who have never been on that particular trail, it is always a good idea to let them know before major obstacles appear. I appreciate it when I am riding a new trail, especially if it is a technically hairy section, or if I need to know that a big climb waits ahead.

You did the right thing.

Your friends getting pissy with you shows that were probably not very comfortable with the trail you chose, and hearing you warn them all the time probably exarcebated those fears. The same thing happens when I ride with my wife. I try to warn her of obstacles, and then she focuses on them... boom... and she gets hurt as she runs right into them.

I have taken the approach that I no longer take my wife on technical rides. This sounds like the approach you should take with your friends. They clearly are not ready for the sort of riding you took them to, and you guys will probably all have a better time riding nice doubletrack or rails to trails type stuff.

If they express interest in the tricky stuff later, fine, but start out slow with them at first. Mountain Biking is an overwhelming sport at first, and I think you just got too overzealous in trying to break them in.

Also talk to them away from the bicycles and let them know you only had their safety in mind. You were not trying to be an ass with them. I am sure they will see where you were coming from once they are not on their bike, tense as can be, grabbing their handlegrips tightly, clenching their teeth etc.

Yep, sounds to me like you brought too much trail to them.

Pawn

 

[extensive]

I don't have a comment on your etiquette but Why Do You Type Like This?

 

[Pawndream]

It was kind of distracting, but I worked through it. There are bigger things in life to question I suppose.

It is kind of interesting though... heh. Weird how something as little as capitalization of every word can throw your brain for a loop. Madness!

Pawn

 

[SuperNewb]

I usually dont say whats up ahead when I'm out riding with my friends. The only time I'll say something is if I consider it dangerous or such.

On a new trail I never rode I like surprises myself and if someone was calling everything out I would ask them to stop and only call it out if it poses a problem but that would be if it was just me and the other person. If there was more newbies riding with us then I wouldnt mind.

I've ridden down steep gulleys just sitting on my seat but I do admit its only because I'm on FS and I know what I can handle but to see someone new to mountian biking do that I would tell them how they should ride down it like you did.

I just started bringing my niece out on some rides but only on the easier ones with not too much climbing or too rough decents that a beginner should be able to handle. She didnt like her first crash ( turn was too overgrown with bushes) and she ended up going down into the grass but it wasnt too bad and she did enjoy the trail.

 

[frank n. beans]

I Had A Riding Experience With Another Couple This Weekend. We Are All In Our Early 40's And They Are New To Mountain Biking. I've Been Riding And Racing For The Last 10 Years. When I Ride With My Wife Or Anybody Else That Is New To The Trail Or Even In Races, I Have Always Let Them Know What Hazards Are Ahead. This Couple Was Aggravated With Me And Told Me To Be Quiet That They Would Rather Be Suprised As To What Hazards Were Ahead (large Rocks, Roots, Logs, Switch Backs).
When I Told Them What Was Ahead They Said They Would Focus On It And That Would Mess Them Up. They Have No Respect For How Dangerous The Trails Can Be And How Easy It Is To Get Injured. They Would Have Messed Up No Matter What I Said. The Wife Tried A 4 Foot Teeter Totter And Face Planted Scaring The Hell Out Of All Of Us. She Was Also Going Down Steep Gulleys Sitting Straight Up Like Mary Poppins. When I Would Tell Her To Get Her Butt Behind The Back Of Her Seat She Would Freak On Me. I Have Never Been Told To Shut Up On A Fun Ride Or A Race. I'll Be Quiet From Now On With This Couple, But I Will Be Afraid To Take Them Anywhere But Easy Double Track Trails. Any Thoughts On My Trail Etiquette?

Your trail etiquette is ok, but your typing.... you've got to stop capitalizing every word. It is very difficult to read.

I wouldn't recommend taking newbies on rides with skinnies, exposed ledges, gnarly descents, etc, until they can handle it. Personally, I wouldn't take someone on a ride where I expected them to get hurt. If they get hurt out in the woods, they become your responsibility. If someone needs help I will give them help, but I prefer to ride with people who I can trust to not get into a stupid situation.

It sounds like they are lacking the both skills and respect (for themselves and for you) to ride a technical trail with a reasonable level of safety. Keep them on the bike path. We have enough irresponsible people out on the trails already.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

New Riders in a Purple Rage

I work with a fair number of "beginner" or "conversational" riders. I rarely take them off road unless I know their history. You have to be careful with new riders. You never know how well their bikes are cared for or how well they know how to ride them. People get seriously hurt riding off road. Take nothing for granted.
Sounds like you had a couple of yutzes. I wouldn't take them out again. You were lucky.
As for the etiquette: you did well to manage a bad situation. Forwarned is forearmed.

 

[axisofevelknievel]

I don't have a comment on your etiquette but Why Do You Type Like This?

How can you type like that? It would take me sooo much longer to type a single sentence, let alone a few paragraphs. Any chance your coworkers hate getting emails from you?

 

[Lighty_]

The weird typing is probably from trying to type with Caps Lock on. If the contents of a post is all caps, the forum automatically changes everything except the first letter of each word to small font.

 

[Nat]

The weird typing is probably from trying to type with Caps Lock on. If the contents of a post is all caps, the forum automatically changes everything except the first letter of each word to small font.

TESTING THE AUTOMATIC CAPS LOCK CORRECTION THINGY. NOPE, DIDN'T WORK.

 

[mbrmegan]

Easy does it!

too tough of a trail too soon.

I have been riding with a new mountain bike rider for several weeks.

Well last Saturday he says he is ready to move off the fireroads to an EASY trail - I am inwardly thrilled.

All of my neglected favorite trails race to mind - then I reign myself in and we ride 10 miles on the rails to trails path.

This proves transition enough as opposed to road work and hubby is happy with his progress.

When he is ready for the next step - the EASIEST trail in my repertoire

I Had A Riding Experience With Another Couple This Weekend. We Are All In Our Early 40's And They Are New To Mountain Biking. I've Been Riding And Racing For The Last 10 Years. When I Ride With My Wife Or Anybody Else That Is New To The Trail Or Even In Races, I Have Always Let Them Know What Hazards Are Ahead. This Couple Was Aggravated With Me And Told Me To Be Quiet That They Would Rather Be Suprised As To What Hazards Were Ahead (large Rocks, Roots, Logs, Switch Backs).
When I Told Them What Was Ahead They Said They Would Focus On It And That Would Mess Them Up. They Have No Respect For How Dangerous The Trails Can Be And How Easy It Is To Get Injured. They Would Have Messed Up No Matter What I Said. The Wife Tried A 4 Foot Teeter Totter And Face Planted Scaring The Hell Out Of All Of Us. She Was Also Going Down Steep Gulleys Sitting Straight Up Like Mary Poppins. When I Would Tell Her To Get Her Butt Behind The Back Of Her Seat She Would Freak On Me. I Have Never Been Told To Shut Up On A Fun Ride Or A Race. I'll Be Quiet From Now On With This Couple, But I Will Be Afraid To Take Them Anywhere But Easy Double Track Trails. Any Thoughts On My Trail Etiquette?

 

[broncoboy]

Right of way

How do you feel about right of way. I ride in steep mountains and believe that if you are climbing the hill on your bike you should have the right of way. If you are going downhill you should get out of the way of the climber because if you have to stop sometimes you can't get peddling fast enough to get started again.

 

[mbrmegan]

agreed

It is much harder to stop and start again on an uphill than a downhill

How do you feel about right of way. I ride in steep mountains and believe that if you are climbing the hill on your bike you should have the right of way. If you are going downhill you should get out of the way of the climber because if you have to stop sometimes you can't get peddling fast enough to get started again.

 

[Finch Platte]

I felt like...

How can you type like that? It would take me sooo much longer to type a single sentence, let alone a few paragraphs. Any chance your coworkers hate getting emails from you?

...I Was In Barnes And Nobles Reading Many Novel Titles.

Fp

 

[pacman]

bad couple

Another factor is fatigue. When riders are unused to being tired they lose theur sense of humor and get angry at anything. With your experience you probably set a fast pace just getting to the tech sections. The best thing to do is be quiet, nothing will please a newbie who wishes he never left home.

 

[huddled_mass]

yES, dEFINATELY wORK oN yOUR tYPING!

 

[mbrmegan]

better yet

yES, dEFINATELY wORK oN yOUR tYPING!

have your secretary type your posts for you - they're good at that sort of a thing

 

[debaucherous]

My $0.02

Sounds like you took your guests on a trail that was beyond their abilities. And it sounds like it was certainly more than "fun ride" for 40ish couples.

First rule of guiding (in any sport) is never overestimate your guests or their abilities. To make it fun for people, it's far better for your guests to feel they kicked booty. Then they'll want to come back, and they will suggest a harder trail when they are ready. Never make them work too hard and have a bad time (and possibly injure themselves or worse).

As far as etiquette: warning experienced riders on a new trail is good form. Taking new riders on a trail they have no buisness being on is bad form. Also, in my experience, when you call out many hazards to new riders they feel like you are pointing out their inexperience, not helping them see a hazard.

But, then again, I could be wrong. But, I've made teh mistake of taking inexperience folks places where they don't belong way more times than I care to admit.

 

[upNdown]

How many hazards did you tell them about?

This Couple Was Aggravated With Me And Told Me To Be Quiet That They Would Rather Be Suprised As To What Hazards Were Ahead (large Rocks, Roots, Logs, Switch Backs).

Were you announcing every rock, root, and stump in the forrest? Cause that could get annoying.

 

[MVRIDER]

I don't have a comment on your etiquette but Why Do You Type Like This?

Maybe It's Not Exactly Yelling, Just Talking Really Loud???