Hello Mountain Biking
About six months ago, I finally took the plunge and got myself a bike. At first I was totally lost, did I want road riding?, mountain biking? or something more downhill and gnarly? The options overwhelmed me, all the bike specs and different types left me confused. After endless research, YouTube binges and reading I landed on a hardtail as a good gateway bike into the world of cycling. Why? Two big reasons. First it was affordable. Second it bridged everything road, trails and downhill(enduro too) perfectly.
Key must haves for me, were a solid front fork and brakes to handle trails safely. The hunt then began by going to a number of bike shops but it came down to the salespeople. I had a lot of questions and I needed someone patient enough to explain everything in detail. I also wanted my bike shop to be close to home so I can always pop by for questions or fixes when needed. Fortunately for me, the shop right nearby had that person. I ended up settling for a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 ticking every box of my must haves.
One research gem that I would like to share, upgrade body contact points if you buy an entry level bike. Handlebar grips, pedals, shoes and seat saddle. In addition, take the time to have a proper bike fit and bike setup done. This is why having a bike shop you can always go to is as important as having a good bike. After my first initial setup everything felt good. But when I went for a few rides a couple of things felt odd and I went back to have more adjustments made. Then everything felt perfect (at least for the riding I was doing at the time). My bike was now dialled in for me.
Then came my first ever mountain bike trail. Truth bomb, in MTB you either fall or you are going to fall, guaranteed!!! I didn’t fully fall but my pedal shinned me hard and instantly swelled up. Lesson learned, invest in proper shoes and pedals. I swapped to cleats and I could clip in securely on descents and not worry about shinning. There is a whole debate in the MTB world about clipless and clipping. I would say for safety and efficiency it is best to clip in. In addition, unclipping should also be relatively easy in case you need to bail from a jump or anything on a trail.
I did a lot of practice on the road and a bike park. Even in my drive way as I learnt to clip and unclip. Six months in post Two Oceans Marathon I hit my first blue graded trails at Bloemendal bike park. These have become my favourite trails so far. Those trails are pure gold. All that I had been practicing on the road and in the bike park clicked perfectly and I felt so good. It really is a testimony of how practice makes perfect. When you also set your mind and goals onto something you want to achieve it will happen. It will not happen overnight but it will happen.
This is my MTB journey so far. It is only starting and I am loving it! My only tip? Research hard. Understand your needs and goals. It’s a pretty pricey sport and time consuming but if you get it right and it’s a super fun rewarding one. It will give you one of the best feelings of fulfillment especially when you finish a downhill run. I am absolutely loving it!
A small text that explains the craze of MTB in particular downhill mountain biking.
When you point the bike down a steep trail, your body treats the run like a challenge that matters, so adrenaline sharpens attention, reaction time, and physical readiness. Once you clean the section or survive the scary bit, that drop in tension feels rewarding, and that contrast is a big part of why the experience sticks. In plain terms, the brain learns: fear, focus, success, reward. These happen so quickly that you don’t even realise it.