Welcome. We're your premier source for fun places to explore by bicycle or on foot. Offering guides, maps and articles on road and trail riding for the novice to seasoned cyclist - helping you find your #NextBikeAdventure
Giving back to the trails, paths, roads and events you enjoy is a great way to stockpile some good karma and it’s fun! There are countless ways to give back to your cycling community. For example, you can volunteer to support rides, clean up a trail system, build a trail, support a high school cycling program, or help repair bikes for new riders. Read on for some more details.
Giving back to your cycling community by trail building
There are thousands of trails throughout the U.S. and they all need help to stay ride-able. Specifically, repairing places where rain water creates ruts and removes soil. As a result, water damages trails even if riders, hikers, and horses aren’t using them. As a result of this damage, user groups meet to do regular trail work to combat the deterioration of local trails and paths. IMBA (The International Mountain Biking Association) has training programs that teach groups how to keep trails in pristine shape. However, If you are looking for something more immediate, track down a local group, pick up a shovel or rake, and help with the next trail day.
If you are looking for a few other great ways of giving back, IMBA has a concise list.
Volunteer to support others
There is always a need for volunteers at bicycle events. Because of that need, many events offer exceptional perks to anyone donating their time. Examples are; being able to earn free entrance into the Bike New York ride, getting preferential registration position to enter into Ironman races that quickly fill up and meeting professional cyclists at Gran Fondo events. Moreover, the largest perk in giving back is helping your fellow riders have a great time.
Volunteer to lead others
Join a local club and host a ride! Use your love of cycling to teach others a great new route, new trail, or where to stop for the world’s best doughnut. If you haven’t ever lead a group ride, learn the basics here.
Get kids into riding
There are amazing people out there who have dedicated limitless hours to getting new riders on bikes. Two groups that come to mind are Free Bikes 4 Kidz and Trips for Kids. Both have placed thousands of bicycles into the hands of underprivileged kids. Additionally, Trips for Kids also offers rides and training for young cyclists. Check out the overview of each below.
Free Bikes 4 Kidz is a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. The public donates gently used bikes and thousands of volunteers clean them, refurbish them, and then then give them away to kids in need. To date, over 32,000 bikes have been given away.
Trips for Kids Started out as a California dream with a handful of volunteers. Trips for Kids has grown into a national movement with over 75 independent chapters running the Trail Rides program.
Keep kids riding
The fastest growing sport in high school athletics is mountain biking. The organization spearheading this movement is The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA for short). The NICA Volunteer Program is your opportunity to be a part of the high school cycling movement! NICA is always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to help with a variety of tasks necessary to promote its programs. Tasks can include calling or mailing campaigns, research, data upkeep, event preparation and execution, and much more. Some volunteer opportunities can even be completed from home.
Happy New Years as you begin 2018, we hope its you best year yet! Start the year off right with a resolution to do more biking like this father/son duo, in the photo at last years Arctic Fever Fat Tire Race, in Excelsior, MN.
Join us there January 13th, then, see all the other places to explore in 2018 by downloading the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.
Thanks for viewing Today’s 2018 Fat Tire Race Pic
Now rolling into our 11th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more destinations you can have fun at we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy!
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger, to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the latest Bike Guide, mobile friendly as we enter into our 9th year of producing print and digital guides.
So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. Please share all our pic’s with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the next corner with a HFB camera ready to document your next move while you are riding and having fun. Capturing you in one of our next ‘Pic of the Day’ posts.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. You don’t fall off unless you plan to stop pedaling.” ~ Claude Pepper. No matter what you do in life, keep on pedaling. The destination is worth all the roadblocks and forks on the trail.
Thanks for viewing Today’s Pedaling Through Life Bike Pic
Now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun. While highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more place to have fun we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. As you scroll through the information and stories we have posted, enjoy.
Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each), of who is in the photo (if you know?) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we do use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.
As we continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing the guide.
So bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure. Please share all our picks with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the next corner with one of our camera’s ready to document your next move while you are riding and having fun. We may capture you in one of our next Pic of the Day posts.
As the winter winds begin to shift and blow into our office, here in Minnesota, thoughts turn toward the snow covered trails. We are lucky here to enjoy a massive amount of trails that are designed for winter riding. But if you are like me and new to the whole fatbiking thing, how do you get into it and what should you expect?
The fatbike
Fatbikes are more like normal mountain bikes than you may think. As an example, the only parts unique to most fat tired bikes are the crank, tires and wheels. Other than those things, all the other parts are interchangeable with you normal mountain bike. That being said, the parts that make a fat tired bike different are responsible for their namesake. The large wheels and tires give these fatbikes their flotation on soft surfaces like snow and sand. There are now several brands available at most price points so getting into the sport has never been easier. Plus many bike shops offer rental programs.
The Surface Boar is as versatile as it is cool fatbike
The fatbike ride
The best part about a fatbike is that it extends your season with an all new cycling experience. For the most part, when snow was falling, people were kept from riding. Now, with so many fat tired bike options, a thick layer of the white stuff simply means more riding for all! With 4”-5” wide tires and pressures as low as 4psi, a fatbike can easily navigate deep snow. The only issue you will run into is ice. An icy surface doesn’t really care how wide the tire is, it’s still slippery. Once a trail gets slick it’s best to either change your tires to studded versions, or install studs in your existing tires. With studs below you, the game is back on.
Studded (left) and standard (right) fatbike tires
The Gear
I find the hardest part of fatbiking is dressing properly. I am no stranger to winter riding, but most of that has been commuting. Once I got off road, I found that I was chronically overdressed. Off road riding is slower than commuting, so there is less wind chill to contend with. Additionally, I find it is a higher effort (more calories spent) to fatbike than to commute. When winter riding make sure your feet and hands are warm with good gloves and winter shoes. I also find you should wear warm cycling clothes that will wick the moisture away and resist the urge to wear too much clothing.
While we cant stop the cold from hitting soon, get out and discover how fun it is to fatbike.
Having Fun
The most fun part of riding a fatbike is experiencing an existing trail you may have used before, in a new way. With a fresh coat of snow on the ground, features that may normally be difficult get smoothed out and sections that are typically easy, can become difficult. That change in perspective gives all new life to trails that may have become old and commonplace to you. So get out there and try fatbiking this winter.
While strolling the isles of Interbike, there were many brands offering headwear to keep you comfortable, but none as interesting as Headsweats. Beyond the great construction and performance, there are also conservational reasons to choose a brand like this.
Headsweats the product
What sets Headsweats apart from other caps is their primary material, Eventure fabric. Eventure can be manipulated to make a textile that can be warm in one configuration or cool in another. Additionally, they can have the material feel very soft on your skin or be incredibly durable. So thanks to that fabric, Headsweats can make all sorts of caps.
Headsweats’ offers a wide range of caps
The fit
Fit for their caps is easy. They have versions that tie, flex fit versions and Velcro style closures. Once on, you will notice the sweatband (included on all caps) is soft and comfortable against your skin. Once you start sweating, these caps show why they are so popular. Within the band there is a sweat absorption ring that pulls sweat away from your eyes, then allows that sweat to evaporate three-times faster than cotton.
A Headsweat cause
Headsweats started a National Parks program in order to give back to the national parks we all enjoy. 20% of the sale of every national park hat gets donated to the parks. This season they have Katmai, Golden Gate, Rockies, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier national parks. Additionally, at Interbike they were showing an International Mountain Bike Association cap and donated proceeds to IMBA.
Glacier, Golden Gate, and Grand Canyon Hats
Why should you buy one?
With about a million different styles, there is no situation Headsweats doesn’t have covered. On top of the expansive line, they also have all sorts of colors and patterns available to match your personal style. Even if none of their designs tickle your fancy, Headsweats can produce custom caps for you and your team.
If you look between the isles of Interbike (figuratively) you can see the future. I’m excited to say, when it comes to bicycles, children’s bikes are the future. Interbike had loads of unique and exciting bikes, accessories and programs for all the little riders out there.
Children’s bikes are the future
Most bicycle companies make kids bikes as part of their overall line, but very few make only kids bikes. Frog Bicycles exclusively produces children’s bicycles and was born out of a doctoral thesis on proper fit for kids bikes in England. Through exhaustive testing, it was found that children need a more unique bike fit than what the standard bike offers. Frog used that exhaustive research to develop their first bicycles and has been flying down the road ever since. Through clever frame design they are able to build bikes that fit kids with almost no proprietary parts. This leaves no concerns about replacing any hard to find bits if little Timmy breaks anything. Additionally, all the Frog Bikes are tested to adult standards rather than the less demanding children’s standards. Hopefully that can give you some peace of mind as your child’s body and abilities grow.
Frog Bicycles are making children’s bikes more comfortable through smart design.
Parts for kid’s bikes
While most of us aren’t going to start pulling our kid’s bikes apart to upgrade them with fancy components, there are plenty of high performance products available. One of the great things about your bike shop attending Interbike is, if they look closely, they can see things that aren’t readily available now, but will show up on production bikes the following year.
This lightweight suspension fork is made by Kay Xin Technologies for 20″ wheeled kid’s bikes
As I combed the Isles of manufacturers, it was impossible to miss suspension forks designed to meet the specific needs of smaller riders, brakes that allow children to easily control their bicycles and cranks and pedals made for smaller feet and legs.
Teaching them young
Project Bike Tech is a new program designed to getting school aged kids in front of a bicycle with a wrench in their hands. By working with local schools, they develop programs that tach kids engineering, and mechanical skills through bicycle maintenance. Although this program is in very few schools, it has been in existence for over ten years, and has introduced over 3000 students to the cycling industry.
A student of the Project Bike Tech learning to adjust a hub bearing
Sharing the experience
On top of all the products for kids, there were also ample ways to carry your kids along for the ride. Tern Bicycles showed their GSD, a new folding E-bike built with the capability of carrying your kids on the back. Additionally, Burley trailers had their line of children’s trailers on display.
In the western part of Bloomington Minnesota over 1,000 acres of parkland act as the Twin Cities best destination for active families, recreational riders, and beach goers. The Hyland Park Reserve encompasses over 8 miles of paved bike path, A family friendly beach, breathtaking prairies, a Ski resort, seven miles of cross country ski trails, a spectacular playground, and countless other attractions. Read on to learn about what possibilities you could explore.
Biking Hyland Park
While not a loop, the trail system in Hyland Park is well laid out to get you to every corner of the park. However, there are small loops within the trail system. The trails in the southernmost part of the park loops around through dense forest and winds along the Hyland Lake. As you move further north, the trails navigate through the most developed portion of the park, passing the Shoots and Ladders Playground and the visitor center. While traveling north, Hyland park reveals it’s true beauty while sending you through vast prairies. In the northernmost part of the park, the trails pass under the shadow of the Hyland Ski and Snowboard area. Even though the trails pass through very different topography, they all are well maintained, relatively flat, and wide enough to offer comfortable riding for all ability levels.
Attractions
Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area
The Hyland Ski area is a downhill ski area with two terrain parks, Ski jumps and a park featuring an 18-hole disc golf course. Through the winter, it is a popular place for lessons and cold weather sports for metro area residents. In the summer, the park periodically operates it’s lifts for mountaintop concerts, bonfires and general outdoor merriment.
Shoots and Ladders Playground
Tucked into the middle of Hyland Park is the most amazing playground you could imagine. It’s tallest 3 story tall tower soars over scores of other structures amassed to put your kids in a state of playground frenzy. Most surfaces are covered in soft rubber, woodchips, or sand offering safe areas for kids of all ages. The park is open to all two-legged creatures, but please leave your four legged friends at home. Additionally, when the mercury rises Shoots and Ladders has a water misting play area for the kids and enormous umbrellas over the picnic areas for he parents.
Richardson Nature Center
Hidden in the dense foliage of Hyland Park is the Richarson Nature Center, a stunning natural gateway for visitors young and old. After parking in their ample lot, stroll a few feet down the path up to the nature center. The center is a two story home to Raptors (upstairs) and amphibians (downstairs). They have classrooms and events in the center throughout the year for anyone looking to learn more about the ecosystem. One of the best parts of the Richardson Nature Center is the kids park they have cleared just down the path. In an open area of forest, kids can build forts and structures with deadfall collected from around the park.
Bush Lake Beach
While not technically in Hyland Park, Bush Lake Beach sits adjacent to Hyland. It is a man-made sand beach on the east shore of Bush Lake. The entrance to the beach just off East Bush Lake Road and just south of the Richardson Nature Center. Through the summer season, you can purchase a one day or season pass for parking. The Aquatic Center at Bush Lake Beach has a snack area and great bathroom amenities.
Year-Round Fun
What is best about Hyland Park is the number of events it has. Throughout the year Hyland Park schedules outdoor and indoor fun for every kind of nature lover. I’ve enjoyed the “Movie Nights on the Hill” a few times and the 4h of July celebration is spectacular. I strongly recommend making the Hyland Park your first stop, when planning an outdoor excursion.
Find more information about this park and the many other fun activities Bloomington has to offer, here.
It goes by many names, the rear derailleur. It is also known as the “s,” the “hangdown,” or the mech. Here in the U.S. we refer to it as the rear derailleur. The device that moves your bike’s chain from gear to gear letting you traverse hills with ease. Even though derailleurs are sturdy and relatively maintenance free, they do require attention occasionally. Look below for the step by step instructions on how to adjust your bike’s rear derailleur.
Rear Derailleur Terminology
Twist shifter – A shifting device that rotates around the handlebar like the throttle of a motorcycle.
Trigger shifter – A Shifter that activates by pushing or pulling a set of paddles with your thumb and index finger.
STI shifters – Technical this stands for Shimano Total Integration and speaks directly about one brands type of road bike shifter, but it has become the generic term for any drop bar shifter/brake lever combo.
Thumb shifter – A shifter that can be mounted in many places like; the stem, bar end, brake lever, or top of the bar. These shifters are the most rudimentary type of shifter, and operate by simply actuating a lever with your thumb.
Derailleur parts
(A) Jockey Wheels- two small wheels on the derailleur on which the chain run. They are mounted onto the derailleur cage
Limit screws- The limit screws control the area of motion a derailleur has. On most derailleurs there are three limit screws: the upper limit, Lower limit, and B-limit. The upper limit screw sets the maximum distance the derailleur can shift in high gears. The lower limit screw sets the maximum distance the derailleur can shift in the lower gears. The B-limit screw sets the distance the upper jockey wheel sits from the cogs.
(B) Barrell adjuster – This is an adjustment device on the back of most derailleurs. It is the area where the derailleur cable enters the derailleur and can increase or decrease the cable tension by threading it in and out.
(C) Pinch bolt – The pinch bolt is where the derailleur cable gest secured.
(F) Derailleur hanger – The portion of the bike frame where the rear derailleur is mounted.
Not defined above is the Upper Knuckle (E), and lower knuckle (D)
Is everything straight?
The cogs your rear derailleur shifts across can have as little as 2.14 millemeters of spacing between them. Considering the spacing is so narrow, look to see that everything is aligned properly before you start adjusting your rear derailleur in vain. Look first at the derailleur itself from behind. You should be able to see if the derailleur itself is aligned properly. A tell-tale sign of damage is when the two Jockey wheels don’t line up with the cogs or each other (see picture).
Next assure that the derailleur hanger is aligned properly. This is easily seen when the derailleur appears straight, but not in line with the cogs. Consequently, if either the derailleur or derailleur hanger are bent, it’s best to take it into your local shop for a remedy.
Step 2, A man has got to know his limitations
Before attempting to adjust the derailleur properly, set its usable range. First, loosen the pinch bolt and let the derailleur run on the smallest cog. Next, pedal forward while visually and audibly inspecting how the chain runs on the smallest cog. The chain should run smoothly without any clicking, or skipping noises. If it runs smoothly, don’t worry about the upper limit. when you do experience skipping or noise, look closely at how the chain runs on the cog (looking from behind is easiest). If the chain isn’t coming directly off the upper jockey wheel and going straight onto the small cog you need to adjust the upper limit. By threading the limit in or out you can adjust where the derailleur sits in relation to that smallest cog (note: the limit screws don’t need to get “tightened” down, they simply act as a stop for the derailleur).
Once the upper limit is set, pedal forward and push on the derailleur lower knuckle until it moves the chain into the largest cog. If the chain has issue getting into the largest cog, or jumps over that cog into the wheel spokes, you need to adjust the lower limit screw in a similar fashion to the upper limit screw.
Rear Derailleur Tension
With the limits set, you can now move on to tightening the cable and trying to shift. Make sure the shifter is in its lowest gear by shifting down while gently pulling on the shift cable. With the shifter in its lowest position, ensure all housing ends are settled into the frame properly then pull the cable taught through the derailleur. With the cable taught, tighten the derailleur pinch bolt onto the cable. Trim any excess cable so that only about one inch of cable extends beyond the pinch bolt and crimp it off as not to fray.
While pedaling, shift one gear up. Ideally, the chain will easily move from the smallest cog up to the next cog. It should stay on the second cog and run quietly and smoothly. If it hesitates to get to the second cog, increase cable tension by rotating the barrel adjuster out. If you cannot increase tension enough with 3 or 4 turns of the barrel adjuster, thread it back in, loosen the cable pinch bolt, pull the cable taught, and tighten the pinch bolt again. Once you have the chain shifting up the cogs easily, check to see if it will smoothly move back down the cog stack by shifting from the largest cog down and inspecting. The only difference is in the adjustment. If the chain hesitates to move down the gears, turn the barrel adjuster in (relieving cable tension).
Rear Derailleur Trouble shooting
What happens if you can get the chain to move up the cogset well, but can’t get it to move back down the cogset easily. In some cases, the cable and housing can be corroded and causing drag. This drag won’t affect the shifting moving up the gear set, but it will stop the derailleur from returning. In tis case, you can clean and lube the cables and housing, or just replace the cable and housing all together.
Additionally, there may be a grinding/banging noise in only the largest cog. That noise is caused by the upper jockey wheel running on the largest cog. To remedy this, tighten the b-limit screw until the noise subsides.
Finally, a common problem is if you get skipping while pedaling up steep grades or under load. If your derailleur is adjusted properly, and you’re getting skipping, it may be related to a worn out drivetrain. As your chain ages, it stretches slightly. As the chain stretches, the front face of the gears will wear in unison with the chain stretching. Once the chain stretches beyond the point where it will mesh with the gears, you will experience skipping under load.
Working on your own bike is fun. Also, your appreciation for the technology and engineering that goes into what is considered a simple machine will grow with each turn of the wrench. Periodically, you will run into a problem you cannot solve. If that is the case, bring your bike to your local shop, talk honestly with the mechanic about what you tried and what you are trying to accomplish. As a result, you will find that most mechanics will be happy to teach you what you need to know.
What goes up must come down. Descending on your road bike can be fun and safe if you learn some basic skills.
Weight down
If you have ever watched a motorcycle race, you will have seen those riders get off the side of the bike and touch the ground during turns. The purpose of that position is to get their center of gravity as low as possible. I don’t recommend matching that position on your road bike, but we can take some lessons from them. First thing, the lower your weight, the more stable you will be. Try lowering one foot to the bottom of the pedal stroke while descending in a straight line. When turning, drop your outside foot to the bottom of the pedal stroke and lean your hips toward the inside of the turn.
Hands in drops
Most riders use their drops about 10% of the time. It should be a position you can be in comfortably, if not, be sure to have your fit checked. Being in the drops while descending does two very important things. First, it lowers your upper body weight. Second, it gives you a greater mechanical advantage on your brake levers. Be careful with this new found braking power. Get comfortable with the different brake feel on gradual grades before tackling steep roads with speed.
Brake power
As you descend you are putting more weight on your front tire than rear tire. Additionally, as you apply the brakes, even more weight gets distributed onto the front wheel. With your weight shifting forward, you will notice that a rear wheel is far more likely to skid and break free while going downhill than on flat ground. The best thing to do while braking downhill, is to use the front brake to stop and slow the bike and the rear brake to control speed. New riders get taught that the best way to stop is to use both brakes evenly and that if we use too much front brake we are prone to crash “over the bars”. While going “over the bars” is a real concern it can be combated with a little practice. Simply put, as you begin to stop, brace yourself with your arms and get your weight low.
Look ahead
The world comes at you fast when heading downhill. For this reason, focus farther down the road than you would on flat ground. Keep eyes peeled for cars, pedestrians, painted road surfaces, gravel, or anything else that you will want to avoid. Also, look for the best approach for upcoming turns. When preparing for a turn, be cognizant of the exit to the turn as well as the entry. By planning how to enter, navigate, and exit a turn safely and efficiently, you will stay in control.
Trust your tires
Tires are literally where the rubber hits the road. Even though your tires only make about 3 square inches of contact with the road, they can do a lot to keep you planted. You can do a simple test to build confidence in the traction your tires give you. Try to find a place where the road surface is banked and ride along it. Under highway overpasses often have banked concrete surfaces with a sidewalk separating them and the road. Ride along that bank slowly and see how well the tires hold. You will find that the tires continue to hold fast even when the pitch becomes very steep.
Warning signs and speed wobbles
There are some normal things you want to avoid while going downhill. The most concerning things like sand, gravel, leaves, or debris could rob you of traction. Beyond outside influences, speed wobbles are an uncommon but frightening situation that some cyclist encounter. Speed wobbles are exactly what they sound like. As you get up to a certain speed, your bike will begin to wobble. There are many causes for speed wobbles, but only two things you can do when you encounter them. You can go faster (not recommended) or slow down carefully. Slowing out of a speed wobble is a matter of riding straight, and slowing under control.
Ride within your abilities
More important than the skills to ride downhill is the mentality. Riding at speeds you are comfortable with will keep you mentally, and by extension, physically calm. Calm riders make better and safer decisions. Be sure to take unknown descents with caution and build up to speed after you try it a few times. Overall, remember that it becomes harder to control your bike at higher speeds, so take it slow to start.
One of the most intimidating situations in mountain biking is riding rocks. Places like the east coast have football field long gardens of granite that appear impossible to traverse by bike. Although they might appear impossible, just a few tips and some regular practice will have you zipping through rock gardens as if they were paved.
Look ahead
While picking your way through rock gardens, always look ahead. By “look ahead” I mean focus on points down the trail ahead rather than the rocks below your front wheel. By focusing ahead, you will naturally keep moving forward rather than getting hung up. Looking ahead also helps you prepare for what’s coming next.
Sections
Another great benefit from looking ahead, is that it allows you to plan how to attack the rocks in sections. By breaking difficult sections into manageable pieces, you can recognize a difficult rock 20 ft down the trail and choose a line that positions you for the best approach. The best way to plan a section out is to look at the approach, the obstacle, and the exit as a single section. In the approach, find the smoothest lead up to the difficult obstacle. Also, think about how to traverse the obstacle in advance and be aware of what the exit looks like. By planning the exit, you can maintain momentum after the obstacle and quickly attack the next section.
Keep it loose
As your bike bounces off and over rocks, it’s easy to lose your balance. The best way to maintain your position is to be as loose on the bike as possible. You do this by riding with your arms and knees bent and your rear off the saddle. This can feel very unnatural at first to pedal with bent knees, but it helps absorb the shock from rocks as you pass over them.
Over not under
It’s better to go over rocks than down in between them. The reason is, you can navigate down and off a rock with ease. By contrast, navigating up and out of between rocks takes a lot more effort and force. Speed also helps you stay on top of the rocks. With a little speed, your tires will ski across the tops of rocks rather than dip down into them.
Gearing and pedal strike
Life through a rock garden would be easier if you didn’t need to pedal. Pedaling moves your weight around at the very time when you are trying to maintain your balance. To help maintain your balance while pedaling pick your gear carefully. The right gear will give you enough torque to get over rocks, while still being difficult enough to push to offer resistance and aid in balance. If the bike seems to jerk forward with very little effort, you should shift into a more difficult gear. By contrast, if you can hardly get any momentum going because the pedals are so hard to push, try dropping down a few gears. Additionally, as you pedal, pay close attention to where rocks are and where your pedals are going. Banging your pedal off a rock is a quick way to lose balance. If you need to pedal, but are in fear of hitting a rock, consider pedaling only 1/4 turn, backpedaling, then pedaling again.
Little bits at a time
You shouldn’t expect to be able to clean every rocky section on your first attempt. Even highly experienced riders still have trouble on new sections. Above all else, ride within your abilities, trying new sections a bit at a time.
