Sloppy Riding…

You know, since I started riding my new hardtail, I’ve realized just how sloppy of a rider I’ve become, and how I’ve totally come to rely on my other bike’s seven inches of front and rear travel to bail me out of trouble.

The thing I noticed on my first ride with my hardtail was how much work it takes to absorb all the bumps, jumps and drops in the trail. I’ve also noticed that my mistakes have far bigger consequences as I’ve had more than one close call on the trail. After my ride, my legs, back, and arms were totally sore from doing so much more work, while the same trail on my full suspension bike is like…butter…

It took me a good half a dozen rides to get used to using my body as a shock absorber again. I’m also finding that I’m taking much faster and smoother lines down the trail, while before, I would just plow through everything, letting the suspension do the work. It’s also a heckuva lot easier to climb with a hardtail.

I’m definitely having a lot of fun with new hardtail. In fact, to give my riding a boost, I’ve signed up for a Dirt Jumping Course with the folks at Endless Biking. I’ve never been great at jumps, and I find that a little embarassing, especially since I grew up in the same town with the likes of Darren Berrecloth, Ryder Kasprick, and Jordie Lunn. Well, let’s see if I can catch up 😉