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How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides?

November 13, 2018 by NTX Trails 1 Comment

Before you make some assumptions based on the title of this post, no, we’re not talking about how to carry a concealed weapon to protect yourself that way. We’re referring to protective gear such as helmets and knee pads. Like many physical sporting activities, there’s a certain minimal amount of protective gear you should wear in order to adequately protect yourself. But how much do you really need? What’s the absolute minimum you can get away with wearing and what are some good items to consider adding to your stash?

We’re going to break down all the kit you should consider for protecting yourself on the trail, literally from head to toe.

Head and Face Protection

It should go without saying that should always wear a helmet while riding your bike—especially on an off-road trail. Seriously, if you’re not smart enough to know this and understand the risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury that could occur during even a small crash, then you might as well not read the rest of this post. In fact, do yourself a favor and sell your bike if you refuse to wear a helmet. Otherwise, we go in depth on helmets in our post How Do I Choose a Good Mountain Bike Helmet?

After your helmet, eye protection could be considered the second most important piece of protective gear to wear while off-road cycling. Take a moment and think about how easy your eye is to damage and then consider how fast you’re moving down a trail lined with tree branches sticking out all different directions. There’s no need to buy a pair of downhill goggles for any trail in North Texas, but a quality pair of protective lenses will save your eyes from everything from bugs and small face-slappers to large branches and rocks kicked up by someone shredding in front of you. For the budget conscious, start out with a pair of protective glasses from Lowe’s or Home Depot. You can get a pair of polarized lenses for under $20.

Torso, Arms, and Hands

When it comes to your torso you can purchase full upper body armor, but there’s really no need for it on any North Texas trails. Having said that—if you can put up with the extra heat in the summer and don’t mind the extra weight and restrictive nature of body armor—we can see why a newbie might want to buy some to gain some extra confidence on the trail while skill building. If you know you’re less likely to get hurt you’ll probably be willing to push yourself a little further. Having said that, don’t push yourself too far. Have patience, the skills will come with saddle time.

For your arms, you’ve got a lot of options. A good first step is a pair of simple arm sleeves or a long-sleeved jersey that will protect you from branches slapping at your arms as you ride the trail, and even lessen the severity of bark tattoos when you get too close to those trees. The next step would be to purchase a pair of elbow pads to protect a joint that seems prone to injury in some riders. When looking for a good pair of elbow pads, be prepared to pay a decent chunk of money to find a pair that not only offers adequate protection, but also breathes well, stays in place, and doesn’t restrict your arm movement too much.

To protect your hands, you obviously need a good pair of gloves. Whether you choose to go fingerless or full finger is up to you. We go in depth on gloves in our post Why Do I Need Mountain Bike Gloves?

Hips, Upper Legs, Knees, and Private Areas

Similar to upper body armor, protective undershorts are available which place extra protective padding and reinforcement around the waist, hips, and upper thighs. As with upper body armor, there’s typically no need for so much extra protect here in North Texas, but newbies or riders in need of extra support may benefit from the confidence the added protection brings.

As for your…ahem…sensitive area down there, check out our post What’s Up with Cycling Chamois?

When it comes to your knees there are a lot of factors to consider. Are you looking for simple abrasion protection? If so, then a thin base layer will do the job just as arm sleeves will for your arms. Do you want protection from impacts while riding or crashing? The same rules apply as with elbow pads: a quality pair of knee pads that offer adequate protection, don’t restrict movement, breathe well, stay in place, and don’t contribute to chafing are going to cost you upwards of $100 or more. Beyond that, if you’re looking for knee support due to a knee injury or otherwise bad knees, we suggest getting the advice of a professional.

Shins, Ankles, and Feet

As with the upper legs, a simple base layer is going to protect your legs from most non-crash abrasions. For increased protection, especially if you like to ride hard and fast through the gnarliest rock gardens North Texas has to offer, you might want to consider a pair of shin pads or shin guards. Something else to consider is, if you’re already rocking knee pads, you can purchase combination knee pads and shin guards. Again, you’re going to pay for quality, but we’ve heard that these types of combination guards actually stay in place better than knee pads alone.

Most riders don’t need protection per se around the ankles, though you can buy braces specifically designed for mountain bikers. What most riders really need are simply long socks. How long is up to you, but we suggest at least mid calf or higher. The higher your socks, the more abrasion protection you get between your ankles and knees.

Finally, a high-quality pair of shoes is a no-brainer when shredding your favorite trail. It doesn’t matter whether you ride flats or clipped in, you can find a great pair of mountain bike-specific shoes in a wide variety of price ranges. Brands such as Giro, FiveTen and others make shoes in both flat and clipless versions, so it’s hard to go wrong in this department. Keep in mind that we don’t suggest just riding in any old pair of tennis shoes or sneakers if you ride flats. Trust us, it’s either not going to go well for you in the long run or you’ll eventually get frustrated that your cheap shoes are actually holding you back from taking your skills to the next level.

Additional Gear

All of the above gear is great for helping prevent physical hard on your ride, but there are additional items we think you should consider carrying when you launch from the trail head:

Cell Phone—Don’t ever head out without your phone, even if you’re not sure you’re going to have a signal wherever you end up. If you do have a signal, you can call 911 or a friend if you get into trouble. Pay attention to trail markers and signs so you can tell emergency responders your approximate trail location. In addition, it’s always a good idea to let someone know to come look for you if you don’t show up after a certain amount of time, or can’t be reached via phone.
RoadID—We love RoadID and recommend never going on a ride without wearing one. They’re inexpensive, comfortable, and alert emergency responders to your identity and preexisting medical conditions you might have in case you’re unresponsive after a crash.
RoadID app or Strava Beacon—When riding alone, or in a remote enough area where getting separated from riding buddies is a real possibility, these apps can alert others if you get into trouble. We personally use RoadID and have it set to send out an alert to friends and family if we stop moving for more than five minutes. The app uses GPS to track us during the ride—so your chosen contacts can view your ride and location in progress—and sends out your last known location if you stop moving for too long. That way, friends and family can alert emergency responders with your location and/or come looking for you themselves.
First Aid Kit—You should always ride with at least a simple first aid kit. Grab yourself a Ziplock baggie and throw in some band aids, antiseptics wipes, and maybe some anti itch cream. We’ve even known a few riders here in snake-infested North Texas that ride with a snakebite kit during the warmer months. It’s rare, but riders can get struck by an angry or startled venomous snake out on the trail.
A Riding Buddy—The best protective gear is not gear at all, it’s a trusted friend that you enjoy hanging out with. Not only is riding with friends fun, but you’ll push each other’s skills and attempt harder technical trail features when you know your buddy is there to scrape you up off the ground. Seriously, when you get into trouble, the best protection is someone present to help you if necessary.

What have we missed that should be on this list of protective gear? Let us know in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

What’s Up with Tubeless Tires?

November 6, 2018 by NTX Trails Leave a Comment

When you first starting riding mountain bike trails, it’s highly likely you started hearing all sorts of specialized words and terms that made no sense to you. It’s also likely that one of the phrases you’ve heard often has something to do with “tubeless tires.” What in the world are tubeless tires, and what are the advantages to running them on your mountain bike?

Tubeless Mountain Bike Tires Explained

The concept of tubeless tires is actually quite simple, though the execution may not be. Simply put, running tubeless tires on your mountain bike is exactly what it sounds like—there’s no tube in your tire. So how do you air the tires up? How do the tires stay inflated?

The first thing you need to know is that to use tubeless tires on your bike, you need to have tubeless-ready wheel rims as well as tubeless-ready tires. Yes, the truth is that you may be able to do a ghetto tubeless conversion on your existing rims using Gorilla tape, but there’s no guarantee the setup will work. Feel free to learn how to do a ghetto conversion on your wheels—especially if you’re the handy type—but prepare for frustration and failure. It’s literally a hope for the best but expect the worst situation.

The better—and yes, more expensive—option is to either purchase a bike that comes with tubeless-ready rims and tires (many new mountain bikes do nowadays), or purchase new rim and tires that are made for the challenge. Here at NTX Trails, the first thing we do when we get a new or used bike that’s not already setup tubeless is drop it off at our favorite local bike shop and have the mechanics perform the conversion. Most shops will do it for $25-50, and we believe it’s worth every penny.

So, how is it done? In short, special tape is applied to the inside of the wheel to cover the spoke holes and create an air-tight barrier. Then, as the tire is mounted, a special sealant such as Stan’s NoTubes, Slime, or Orange Seal is poured into the tire. Once mounted, the tire is inflated, the bead set, and the wheel spun around in various directions to coat the inside of the tire and rim with sealant. Used properly, the sealant does exactly what it sounds like it should do—it protects against flats by sealing holes and punctures.

Benefit #1: Fewer Flats

The primary benefit of running tubeless tires is the flat protection you’ll gain. Since there are no tubes to puncture, you don’t have to worry about flatting out as often along the trail. With a tubeless setup using sealant, you can pick up thorns, nails, and other potential ride-enders because the sealant will close up the puncture and keep you riding. Of course, there is a limit to how large a hole the sealant will close up, but for most punctures you’ll be able to keep rolling. For those few punctures that bring you to a stop, you’ll probably be able to keep yourself going with a good tubeless plug kit and a frame pump or CO₂ inflators.

In addition, running tubeless eliminates the dreaded pinch flat—also known as a snakebite puncture. This kind of flat happens during an impact on the trail where the inner tube gets pinched between the rim and the tire, causing catastrophic holes in the tube. Tubeless makes such punctures a thing of the past.

Just be sure to check your sealant fairly often. The nice thing is that the more you ride, the longer your sealant will last. If you go too long between rides then the sealant can pool up in your tires and harden into a goopy rock. Even in the off-season, it’s a good idea to manually spin your tires around or take your bike for a spin around the block once a week or so to keep the sealant distributed.

Tip: It’s a good idea to carry at least one tube in your saddle bag or taped to your frame when you head down the trail. Tubeless sealant can’t fix everything, and even a good patch kit won’t help if you’ve slashed your tire or gotten a large enough puncture. Having a spare tube may make the difference between walking and riding back to the trailhead.

Benefit #2: Better Traction

A tubeless setup allows you to use lower tire pressures in the absence of inner tubes. What’s the big deal? Lower pressures means a “softer” tire, and a softer tire means more contact with the ground—called a wider contact patch. The wider your tire’s contact patch, the better your traction and grip along the trail. Many riders find they not only have better all-around traction, but can suddenly corner faster with more control, and are able to float over roots and rocks at higher speeds.

The average rider can lower their tire pressure 15-20 PSI when running a tubeless setup. Not only that, but tubeless tires allow for much more variation in pressure. Many riders change their tire pressure based on the terrain and trail conditions they’ll be riding that day. One downside to larger contact patches is that you’ll experience more resistance which can lead to slower rotational velocity. This is where PSI experimentation comes in handy. Play with your pressure until you find that sweet spot that feels just right for you.

Benefit #3: Smoother Ride

In addition, a softer tire can “wrap” around objects along the trail and serves as a sort of added suspension—this is why some riders prefer plus size or fat tires—which translated into a smoother all-around experience. Related to the traction issue above, lower tire pressure allows your bike to absorb impacts, especially in those gnarly technical sections filled with roots and rocks. Your tire is also less likely to lose traction and spin out when attempting technical climbs where you’re applying a great deal of force to your bike.

Use caution and don’t go too low on the air pressure when riding a gnar-fest. Low pressures can lead to rim damage due to impacts to the wheel. In addition, the air pressure is part of what’s keeping your tire set to the rim—go too low and the tire’s bead will possibly get unseated from the rim under enough force. Again, adjust your tire pressure until you find the zone that allows for great traction without endangering yourself or your bike.

Benefit #4: Lower Rotational Weight

While we’re no fan of weight weenies around here, we have to admit that the Laws of Physics still apply to cycling. Why is that important? Because the fact is that the heavier your tires and wheels, the more effort it takes for you to get them rotating rapidly enough to propel you forward. So, while we’re not in favor of spending big bucks to shave a few grams off your bike, we are huge fans of spending the money it takes to go tubeless (because of all the other benefits listed here), which will probably end up shaving some rotational weight from your bike.

Think about it, the average mountain bike inner tube weighs about 0.45 pounds. If you’re running plus size or fat bike tires, then your tubes probably weigh between half a pound to a pound. So, it seems like a no-brainer to spend the money to get all of the benefits listed here AND shave almost a pound or more of rotational weight from your wheelset. However, keep in mind that as you refresh your sealant over time you’re adding more weight to your tires. It’s a good habit to completely scour the insides of your tires after every few sealant refreshes.

Benefit #5: Long-Term Cost Savings

It’s hard to say how much money you’ll end up saving going tubeless, but it’s pretty safe to say you’ll save something. Depending on how much you had to spend to purchase tubeless-ready wheels and rims, it may be a long time before you see any savings. But if you purchased a fairly new bike that came tubeless-ready from the factory, your initial $25-50 investment to get the tubeless conversion done will probably save you quite a bit in the first year.

The average mountain bike inner tube runs up to $10-15 or more, so replacing just two tubes will pretty much justify the expense of paying a shop for the tubeless setup. Plus, the more aggressively you begin to ride your bike, the more likely you’re going to encounter conditions in which tubes would fail. It’s safe to say—based on our own experience—you would probably experience flat tires on about one-third of your rides or more. If you ride a lot, that adds up pretty quickly.

Tip: When you get your tires setup tubeless at the shop, make sure you ask for the tubes that they pull out of the tires. Why buy a new set of emergency tubes when you can simply reuse what you already own?

That’s it for our take on why you should go tubeless. You’ll get fewer flats, better traction, a smoother ride, and both weight and cost savings. What have we missed? Let us know in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

What Does it Mean to Trust My Bike?

November 1, 2018 by NTX Trails Leave a Comment

One of the first—and hardest—rules for beginner mountain bikers to learn is trust your bike. What does that even mean and how does it apply to riding off-road trails? Let’s take a look at a few meaningful issues.

The Right Tool for the Job

First up, let’s state for the record that none of the information below applies if you don’t have the correct bike for the type of riding you’re planning. Meaning, if you plan to ride off-road trails, you can’t use a road bike. Well, you can, but it’s going to go badly for you, especially as a newbie.

The same is true if you go cheap. Keep in mind that cheap doesn’t mean inexpensive. Cheap means cheaply made, as in something you’d pick up at a big box store. We go more in depth on how to choose your first mountain bike in our post I Want to Mountain Bike but Don’t Know Where to Start.

So, don’t even think about learning how to trust your bike while you ride trail unless you’ve got a bike made for riding trail beneath you. You’ll never gain confidence on your bike if you’re constantly second-guessing whether your bike can handle what you throw at it.

The Right Setup

Next up is making sure your bike is set up and ready to go. Just as with having the proper bike, you’ll never trust your bike is going to carry you through if you have doubts about your bike’s readiness. There’s two areas to think about when it comes to making sure you have the correct setup for hitting the trails: bike fit and mechanical soundness.

When it comes to bike fit, first make sure that you purchase a bike that’s not too big or too small. Once you’ve got that figured out, you may need to consider whether or not you need to pay for a bike fitting.

Second, take the time to ensure your bike is mechanically sound—check the brakes, the shifters, the suspension, the chain, the drivetrain—anything that might need some attention. If you’re not competent enough or comfortable doing this yourself, take your bike to your local bike shop and drop it off for a checkup.

Overcoming Overcompensation and Rider Error

Let’s now assume that you’ve got a proper bike for the job and it’s mechanically set up and ready to go. Your next step is to make sure you ride within your skill level. If you’re just starting out then you shouldn’t attempt an Intermediate trail or harder. Even on a Beginner trail, don’t try to ride faster than you know you can maintain control of your bike, or attempt an optional technical trail feature that makes you uncomfortable. Be patient. You’ll eventually shred like your riding buddies given enough trail time to progress.

The fact is that the vast majority of crashes are caused by rider error, and many rider errors come in the form of overcompensation. Overcompensation comes in many forms, such as oversteering, over-braking, over- (or under-) shifting, and simply overestimating the difficulty of a trail obstacle. Again, all of these errors can be overcome by more saddle time. You’ll never progress if you don’t ride.

Let Your Bike Work for You

Despite all the info above, we really haven’t addressed the elephant in the room, have we? What does it mean to “trust your bike?” Simply put, your bike was made to roll down the trail. It wants to move forward.

Think about it. We’re sure you’ve already noticed how hard it is to maintain your balance when moving slowly. Momentum is your friend when it comes to cycling, and off-roading is no different.

Those roots coming up ahead? Trust your bike can handle them and just roll on over them. Is there technique to learning how to properly address riding over roots? Yes, but you’ll only learn by doing. Trust us, your bike can handle roots, rocks, turns, berms, drops, climbs, and pretty much anything else you can throw at it. Don’t believe us? Just go watch Redbull Rampage and see what those dudes put their bikes through. We guarantee you’re not going to be doing anything that extreme anytime soon.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>Once you learn the basics of how to handle your bike, you’ll soon find that it can handle whatever you throw at it. Your tires were made to grip the trail surface. Your suspension was made to eat up those rooty sections of trail. Your frame was made to take a beating and keep on going. In fact, your bike will probably do a better job of staying on the trail without you. Don’t believe it? Take a look at the video to the right.

In the end, riding your bike along the trail is more about your skill than the bike’s ability to get the job done. If you’ve purchased a good bike and have spent the time to set it up properly, it’s going to carry you through and do whatever you direct it to do.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

What’s Up with Cycling Chamois?

October 30, 2018 by NTX Trails Leave a Comment

If you’ve ridden your new mountain bike for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced some aching or irritation in the rear end. Often caused by chafing on longer rides, your butt hurts so much you wonder if you’re cut out for this cycling thing. Don’t despair, there’s a solution, and it’s called a chamois.

What is a Chamois?

Pronounced “shammy,” a chamois is a padded liner found in cycling shorts and cycling bids that is meant to perform three functions. First, the foam padding is designed to alleviate pressure on your sensitive parts and help prevent numbness and aches caused by extended saddle time. Second, the fabrics are often designed to fight against friction as you move atop your saddle to guard against chafing. And third, the fabrics should be moisture wicking to draw sweat away from your skin to further prevent chafing. You’ll also find some fabrics are treated with antimicrobial chemicals to guard against bacteria growth in that dark, damp environment. (Don’t think about that part too much…)

Since men and women are built differently (you knew that, right?) there is a difference in the size and shape of the padding in men’s and women’s-specific chamois. Women’s chamois are typically a bit wider in the sit-bone area and men’s chamois may have a channel down the middle.

How to Use a Chamois

If you’re wondering whether or not you should buy a chamois, the answer is “yes.” Trust us, you’ll be glad you did in the long run.

Now, depending on your budget and how dedicated you are to mountain biking, you may or may not want to invest in cycling shorts or bibs with a built-in chamois. A good first step is to purchase a separate chamois from your local bike shop or Amazon. That way you can spend less in the outset, and use the chamois with whatever shorts or pants you choose to wear.

You should never, under any circumstances wear underwear beneath your chamois. Why? Because you’d be pretty much defeating the whole point of wearing a chamois in the first place. That friction prevention mentioned above? Gone if you wear your undies. Moisture wicking and bacteria prevention? Cotton undies retain moisture and hold it against your skin, creating a soggy, chafe-inducing situation—not to mention becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Chafing causes tears in your skin, increasing your chances of infection.

Never wear your chamois more than once between washes. Follow the manufacturer’s laundry instructions, but in general you should put a chamois into the washer inside out and use a detergent that’s unscented and dye-free. Don’t use liquid fabric softener either since it can not only contribute to skin irritation in sensitive areas, but it also lessens or destroys the moisture wicking properties of the fabric. Lastly, make sure the chamois is completely dry before wearing again.

Saddle Sores and Chamois Cream

Despite your best efforts, don’t be surprised if you still suffer from occasional saddle sores—especially if you’re a new rider beginning to log more saddle time. The best thing you can do is take a day off and allow your skin time to heal. Keep the affected area clean and dry, and possibly use some aloe vera gel to help speed healing.

To help prevent future saddle sores, especially on longer rides, you can use chamois cream. Chamois cream is designed to fight friction in those areas where you come into the most pressure-prone contact with the saddle. Simply apply it directly to areas that chafe most often. Don’t use more than recommended or you’ll make matters worse.

Don’t attempt to use a petroleum-based jelly as a cheap alternative to chamois cream. Not only will it not wash out of your chamois very well—over time building up and making a slimy, goopy mess—but it can trap bacteria in your chamois. You’ll spend more replacing your chamois in the long run than any savings you might get from going cheap with the cream.

TIP: Add a few of tablespoons of white vinegar to your your laundry detergent to help deodorize your chamois and kit, as well as keep the colors from fading. You can also use white vinegar as an natural, gentle alternative to fabric softener.

That Fresh Minty Feeling

One final word to the wise. Be sure to read the labels when you purchase your first tube or tub of chamois cream. Most European-style chamois creams have added ingredients such as menthol or witch hazel, which creates the cooling effect you feel using muscle rubs. Others may even include peppermint oil for the same effect. Don’t panic as none of these products have enough of the extra ingredients to actually burn your skin, but you’ll get a bit of a surprise when you first rub it on your nether regions and get that sudden tingling sensation.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!