Answering Embarrassing MTB Questions You're Afraid to Ask

Comments · 775

• SL

  @sleepymandragora1392 · 11 months ago (edited)

  Sadly I have confrontations with horseback riders no matter how considerate im trying to be. Most common &quot;you should have rung a bell&quot; &quot;i did, 4 times (and my freehub is even louder)&quot;. <br><br>I seriously even got shouted at when I was on a flat, wide open farmroad. Rang the bell 4 times (first time when I was a good 200m away), stopped pedaling at around 100m distance, which was about when they noticed me and as they were still stressed, they signed me to halt, which I did, about 15m behind them. I didnt say anything or rushed them, yet they still complained, they argued and after I explained everything I did and asked what I could have done differently, they didnt even know what to say. They just kept being rude and said I should just go ahead.<br><br>I get that horses can get spooked and that you should be extra considerate towards them, but riders are seriously so touchy when it comes to this and I feel like at least some of them will always complain.

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• ID

  @idleivey · 11 months ago

  I&apos;ll buy a &quot;My Taints as solid as J.B Weld&quot; t-shirt

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• GO

  @godspeed821 · 11 months ago

  Once my riding buddy asked me if i change air on my suspension because he thought old air could damage it and he changes it every week or two. Probably the funniest mtb question I&apos;ve ever heard of.

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• CO

  @CookieMonster-nt8hh · 11 months ago

  Another thing on the saddle thing: Make sure you have the correct saddle size. As a woman, I have wider hips than most men. I took one of these sitting on a pressure plate tests and got a saddle that fits me. Its been a lot better ever since.

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• NO

  @Notmyfruit · 11 months ago

  As a roadie, let me clarify sometihng for everybody. Saddles are not your friend, you also need to search the correct one for your anatomy. You can ask for help, go to a fitter and try couple of them. This is really a journey, but when you find the true saddles and fit into your bike this is really rewarding.

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• ER

  @ericsherwood7423 · 11 months ago (edited)

  We were on a 1 way trail system. &nbsp;My friend went down a short downhill. &nbsp;I was next up,and dropped in. &nbsp;I hit the bottom and went around the first bend. &nbsp;As I went around the bend and the trail straightened I saw the previous rider riding the singletrack in the wrong direction. &nbsp;I had nowhere to go. &nbsp;I hit him at full speed with my left hand. &nbsp;I wound up with 3 broken bones, 6 surgeries, 2 metal plates, and 2 years of combined recovery time, as well as missing work for half of that. &nbsp;I had to walk back to the trailhead, find somewhere to leave my car while I waited for an ambulance. &nbsp;I spent 3 days in the hospital, had my left arm in a cast from my fingers to my shoulder, couldn’t drive for 2 weeks, until I got the cast off. &nbsp;I’m still friends with the friend I hit, 25 years later, and still have issues related to the injuries. &nbsp;The thing I remember most is hearing the sound of my forearm, wrist, and finger breaking and thinking “there goes my carbon bars” as I’m flying through the air. &nbsp;It was a VERY bad day, but for the sake of being 6 inches more to the left, it could have been MUCH worse. &nbsp; I might not have survived or could have even killed us both. &nbsp;The moral, respect 1 way trail systems. &nbsp;You could injure/kill someone.

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• DR

  @dr07828 · 11 months ago

  I have found that people hiking as soon as they see you, move out of the way. I have even stopped, and have been told to go ahead.

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• SP

  @SpineShank7 · 11 months ago

  Cutting your calluses off is crazy. lol

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• TH

  @theVoyage · 11 months ago

  reading through the comments, it would seem despising horse riders is universal.

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• JO

  @jonberry555extras · 7 months ago

  I still remember the first time I encountered a horse back rider on a mix-use trail, which also happened to be the first time using a trail with my bike that allowed horses. They gave me such a dirty look for not immediately yielding on the greenway section of the trail. It was in a tourist area, no trail etiquette sign (I doubled checked), and I was on a Walmart bike. Those 3 things, plus it being a greenway would indicate to me that, &apos;hey this might be a newbie, let&apos;s educate instead of giving them the stink eye,&apos; but they gave me the dirtiest stink eye I&apos;ve every seen. <br><br>The lesson from this: SIGNS! I know that way too many people don&apos;t read signs, but for those of us who do, have clearly visible signs at trailheads informing of etiquette, hazards, stats, etc. which can improve the experience and makes sure we aren&apos;t the problem. The infrastructure is already lacking, let&apos;s not make things worse by not having the information there.

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• FL

  @Fliim · 11 months ago

  I find it wild that people remove or thought about removing calluses from their hands. I have not once even thought about that until this video.

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• SH

  @ShreddedClippy · 11 months ago (edited)

  Also with the dropper post, I like to lower it when I come to a full stop. This makes it easier to dismount the bike, and makes it easier just sit on the bike at a full stop. If you’re good at track standing, or if you use a tree or rock to keep yourself propped up, then no need to lower your seat. I also keep it low (or slightly lower) when I have to start pedaling up hill. Then I raise it when my bike starts moving forward. This prevents me from feeling I might tip over.

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