Post by anshwa on Feb 27, 2008 1:52:48 GMT 8
Freeriding isn’t focused on how fast you could go up or down a trail. It’s focused on having fun & bringing out your own style into the ride. You could roll down that steep section or you could pre-jump or you could huck off of it. You could hit that turn fast & drift it or you could hit it just right with both wheels just barely keeping traction. You could roll up & over that boulder along the trail or you could use it as a kicker to launch off 4 feet out. It all depends on your style.
Freeriding doesn’t even have to be on the trails. It could be riding the streets in your neighborhood. You zigzag through a maze of urban structures, hopping up curbs, dropping off ledges or rolling down a set of steps. It’s trying to balance on that sidewalk “molding” trying to outdo the last time you rode 3 feet on it.
Freeriding isn’t about the bike. You don’t need 10 inches of rear travel to freeride. A hardtail would do. An old Diamondback you got from Duty Free 15 years ago would do.
Freeriding isn’t about the clothing, because if it were, then anyone who doesn’t wear girl pants isn’t a freerider anymore by today’s dirtjumpers’ standards – hehe. Your gloves don’t have to be fully padded & full fingered – even half digit gloves are good. Clipless, platforms, it doesn’t matter. Steve Peat rides clipless & Hans Rey rides platforms most of the time. I’ve read about old timers on hardtails riding clipless in the North Shore.
Freeriding is pretty much mountain biking but without the need to do “n” miles in “n” time. It is about riding your bike, having fun & giving your own interpretation of a line or of the whole trail. It involves hitting jumps & doing tricks or stunts – how big these jumps, tricks or stunts should be doesn’t really matter. A rider dropping off a sidewalk for the first time feels the same excitement as a rider dropping off a 6-footer for the first time. Believe me it does.
I guess I’m posting this to encourage everyone to go out there & freeride. Think you’re not a freerider? Think you’re just a trying hard freerider? Or maybe you've accepted you're just AM or XC? Think again. You grinned from ear to ear when you rode down those stairs the other day, didn’t you? How about when you finally rode down that very steep section of the trail with your saddle under your chest already? How many pedals could you do now popping a wheelie? 2? 3? 5? You know you keep track.
The next time you watch a mountain bike video or the next time you see your local riders on TV or the next time you see a bunch of awesome riders doing stunts off of anything, don’t ever think you don’t have the stuff to be just like them – or even better. All you need to do is get on your bike & see where it takes you. Ride on & give your own interpretation of the terrain.
Peace!
Freeriding doesn’t even have to be on the trails. It could be riding the streets in your neighborhood. You zigzag through a maze of urban structures, hopping up curbs, dropping off ledges or rolling down a set of steps. It’s trying to balance on that sidewalk “molding” trying to outdo the last time you rode 3 feet on it.
Freeriding isn’t about the bike. You don’t need 10 inches of rear travel to freeride. A hardtail would do. An old Diamondback you got from Duty Free 15 years ago would do.
Freeriding isn’t about the clothing, because if it were, then anyone who doesn’t wear girl pants isn’t a freerider anymore by today’s dirtjumpers’ standards – hehe. Your gloves don’t have to be fully padded & full fingered – even half digit gloves are good. Clipless, platforms, it doesn’t matter. Steve Peat rides clipless & Hans Rey rides platforms most of the time. I’ve read about old timers on hardtails riding clipless in the North Shore.
Freeriding is pretty much mountain biking but without the need to do “n” miles in “n” time. It is about riding your bike, having fun & giving your own interpretation of a line or of the whole trail. It involves hitting jumps & doing tricks or stunts – how big these jumps, tricks or stunts should be doesn’t really matter. A rider dropping off a sidewalk for the first time feels the same excitement as a rider dropping off a 6-footer for the first time. Believe me it does.
I guess I’m posting this to encourage everyone to go out there & freeride. Think you’re not a freerider? Think you’re just a trying hard freerider? Or maybe you've accepted you're just AM or XC? Think again. You grinned from ear to ear when you rode down those stairs the other day, didn’t you? How about when you finally rode down that very steep section of the trail with your saddle under your chest already? How many pedals could you do now popping a wheelie? 2? 3? 5? You know you keep track.
The next time you watch a mountain bike video or the next time you see your local riders on TV or the next time you see a bunch of awesome riders doing stunts off of anything, don’t ever think you don’t have the stuff to be just like them – or even better. All you need to do is get on your bike & see where it takes you. Ride on & give your own interpretation of the terrain.
Peace!