(Not sure if this should go here or in Health & Fitness, sorry if this is the wrong area) Anyone else ride a mountain bike? A few years ago the mountain bike that I'd had since high school got stolen. Of course that made me angry and sad, but it kind of turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because I hadn't really been riding much. Last summer, I went out and bought a brand new bike. Having the new bike got me excited about riding, so I've been doing so pretty regularly & really enjoying it. By nature of living in Chicago, I end up using it mostly for road and paved trail riding, which is a bit disappointing, but there's an area in the southwest suburbs that has a whole bunch of mountain biking trails. I'll be able to get out there a week from Saturday & I'm pretty excited about it.
Yep I race cross country and do social rides most weekends. I love my bike(s) and life wouldn't be the same without them!
I grew up in a city with terrible transit and great hills. No one ever took their bike out of top gear so we all had huge legs and amazing cardio which was great for BJJ. Sadly now I live in Toronto with terrible hills, better transit, and no bike
I started cycling about a year ago to commute back and forth to work, was a struggle at first but i ride 80 miles a week and have excellt cardio as a result. Problem for me though doing TKD is it wrecks your flexability. Extra stretches and all that required. But yeah love my cycling but need to swap out my fat MTB tyres for some hybrids. Baza
I got back into cycling again the other week after buying a Cube Attention SL 29'er. I've got plans on hitting the trails at Hamsterley, Dalby, Chopwell and Kielder but first I need to work on my fitness (which was the point of getting the bike...) - I'm knackered after even the slightest of hills these days and the old legs aren't as strong as they used to be.
Don't get to do it as much as I used to but can say my legs were never in better shape. Also a big fan of the stationary bike.
Anth / Baza, if you are ever around the Peak District, Cannock Chase area or N Wales give me a shout. Always keen to meet new folk and get out for a ride.
My current bike is a Trek 4300 with 26" wheels. Last Summer, I got to take one ride on a Novarra 29er & it was fun.
Made it out to the trails I mentioned in the OP this past weekend. Good times were had. I went with a group from the local outdoor equipment store. When the group ride was over, I wanted to stay and ride some more on my own, but I was supposed to meet a friend later to go to a music festival. While I was driving home from the trails, my friend sent me a text cancelling! (which I did not look at until I had gotten home & parked the car. I never touch my phone while driving). Argh! Wish he'd sent me that text an hour earlier, so I could've gotten more riding in.
I haven't much in the last couple of years but I used to hit the Minnesota and Wisconsin trails regularly. It's a fantastic cardio workout. Last time I went was last fall in Utah. I about died while my - regularly competing - riding partner did circles around me. Trail vs real mountain biking is very different. The former is about short bursts, the latter is a much longer and sustained effort.
I'm enjoying the canal route between Tipton and Birmingham at the mo. From my house and back covers about 18 miles. It's a nice smooth ride.
I had a canny ride along the Tyne the other day. Around 14 miles of cycle path and quiet roads, nice weather and just enough to help the legs ache but not kill me. Might have to do that route again next time I'm up the Toon, or possibly go to the next bridge and back along the north side of the river again.
