[BetterRide]

I started mountain biking because I grew riding BMX, then road (which was good exercise but wasn't much fun) and mountain bikes looked like an adult sized BMX bike (I am 6'3" and although there are much taller BMXers than me anyone over 6 foot looks pretty awkward on a BMX bike).

I figured it would be fun like a BMX bike, able to jump, wheelie and ride on dirt but some what practical like a road bike. The first year or two I had the bike I had no idea what "real" mountain bike rides were like I was in school at ODU in Norfolk, VA and the biggest hill I had to climb was about 40 feet. An old abandoned land fill, I still remember the first time I made it to the top with stopping to catch my breath.

So what sport, idea, reason got you to start mtbing?

 

[Enduramil]

Alpine ski racing... circa 1986

 

[Judd97]

For me, and probably a lot of folks, a bike was a means of escape when I was younger. I could hop on my bike (the first bike I remember taking on a trail was an old "Trailmaster" 20'' bike that my parents bought me at Hills Department store) and get away from the house/parents etc. I'd ride around the neighborhood with my buddies, go get food etc... eventually I found a small dirt trail that went down the hill to an old railroad grade which was now a rail-trail. I rode up and down the rail trail and that's when I got hooked. I eventually "upgraded" to a 26'' Huffy that had "shocks". As I got more and more into the sport, I started searching for new gear. I remember stumbling upon Rockshox forks at my LBS and so I saved up my money so I could put one on my Huffy. Once I finally had enough (I think I saved up like $150 for a RockShox Jett XC, this was probably around 1998 or so and I was about 13 years old), the tech at the LBS told me that there was no way I could fit that fork to my Huffy. So the $150 went towards a brand new bike. I eventually ended up spending $1k on a nice new hardtail and the rest is history.

 

[baker]

I got into mountain biking as a result of crushing my road bike with my car, as a mode of transportation for myself, and as a diversion from competitive running...

 

[annamagpie]

Rock Climbing: Used to travel all over to climb. Had a baby (now a senior in high school!) , traveling became difficult, needed something different to do, my brother was a mountain biker and so off I went. And the wonder! you can GO places instead of just up. You can go by yourself. You can go out your back door and don't need to drive to a crag.
Mountain biking is still my sport of choice!
The bike (besides my very first bike when I was a kid--a 10 speed that I rode all over the cow trails as well as roads) was a Trek Antelope --still have it. My daughter rides it.

 

[Hollis]

a chick asked if I wanted to go Mountain Biking.
How could I refuse?
I did regret that cup of yogurt I had before the ride.
SOMEBODYBUYMYBUICK!
I was on a steel Trek 2 sizes too big, but I was Hooked!
That was about 14 years ago.

 

[AZ]

The dawn of BMX and a movie called On Any Sunday , both about the same time .

 

[LilGasPasser]

Rowing/crew...

A bunch of teammates in college did it when they weren't rowing or drinking, so I joined in. That was 20 years ago...

 

[the_owl]

knobby tires on a 12speed Murray for $199 at Price Club 1987.
But BMX'ing Ive been doing and winning since 1978, So I guess that would be my first time in the dirt

 

[dollarbill2]

basketball-til my knees gave out. had to find something to keep fit and stave off the dreaded "middle-age spread". been almost twenty years now

 

[Sheepo5669]

shreddin on a skateboard. I have put shortboarding behind me but I still longboard to get back to my roots.

Skatin lead to BMX and then a couple years off the extreme then started mtn biking.

 

[mattchuck2]

Tele Skiing (Tree skiing, mostly) + Road Biking = Mountain Biking

I always found Road Biking to be a good workout, but boring. Road Biking is to Mountain Biking as Cross Country Skiing is to Downhill.

 

[bloodpuddle]

a chick asked if I wanted to go Mountain Biking.
How could I refuse?

+1

Had to buy a bike before we went.

Now she's my wife (12 years)!

 

[nachomc]

I was fat.

 

[PureMX]

Motocross of course! (hence "PureMX").


I still ride MX but mountain biking has the majority of my attention lately. I get much of the speed, jumping and adrenaline fixes MX also has but in a "simplier" way. It must have something to do with two wheels too.

 

[Jerzyxb]

I agree with "I was Fat" LOL. I got my first mountain bike a JAmis Durango 3.0 in 2008 at 290lbs now im on a 2010 Fuel EX8 at about 190lbs.

 

[dkbikes4life]

Started riding BMX almost 20 years ago. Rode BMX every day religously for almost 15 years. I also had started running about 10 years ago. I always wanted to try mountain bikes when I rode BMX, but of course all my friends made fun of me for saying that. I then bought a road bike about 4 years ago. Barely rode it at all. 100 miles in 1 year. I then realized I should get the mountain bike I had wanted before. So I sold the road bike and bought a Specialized FSR XC Comp. I dont regret it at all, even though I do want to get another road bike.

 

[gatorgrizz27]

Motocross for me as well. Broke my leg racing and was on crutches for 2 months. I figured mountain biking would be a good way to build my leg back up to strength and it has turned out to be a heck of a lot of fun! I am not sure it is any safer than motocross though!

 

[PureMX]

Motocross for me as well. Broke my leg racing and was on crutches for 2 months. I figured mountain biking would be a good way to build my leg back up to strength and it has turned out to be a heck of a lot of fun! I am not sure it is any safer than motocross though!

Yep. ACL surgery for me. Thigh muscles wasted away while knee was immobile.

You are right, safer....hardly. I've gone over the bars way too many times. At least they were not bone breaking incidents.

 

[onbelaydave]

I never needed a "gateway".

I've been riding ST since ~ '68/ '69.