April last year I decided that I wanted to get back on a mountain bike after a few years out due to work etc.
So I went head long into it, bought a brand new bike, helmet, rucksack, clothing and tools, everything I needed (and wanted).
So I headed off to my local trails, those being Leigh woods and Ashton court bristol only to discover that I don’t really know what I’m doing and that I have lost the confidence I had on a bike only a few years before. Any way I persevered and road through the summer (if you can call it that) finding that nothing was changing, then the winter hit which was all the excuse I needed to put the bike away for a few months.
Now the weather is picking up I want to get back on the bike, but I need to do something about the confidence issue. What would people suggest? I’ve thought about a skills day but I’m open to suggestions.
Also do any of you here know where there are some good natural trails around the Cotswold Bristol area?

Find some people to ride with? Plenty of decent folk to ride with on here

i think you have done the 1st step, you WANT to get out and ride!

and as root said find people to ride with.
get an os map and explore, it often gets me out
i find the more i ride the better i get

When you say you don’t know what you are doing, do you mean you keep crashing? Why not just slow it down a bit and build your fitness up and just rider tougher things as you go?

If you are knackered easily, then all you can do is just keep riding more to build your muscles up.

Good advice, it’s finding people that’s the hard bit, if there are any people here that want a tag along by all means let me know I’m happy to drive and can carry a few bikes.

I’m in Wyre area if you are up this way, for sure.

No I have yet to ditch it as I’m to chicken to go fast enough to hurt myself, just bag technique really

Youtube helps a lot for technique I find. This is a pretty decent one:

from what i hear you need to feel the force and go see jedi. im told he is the man.

A mate is in the same boat as you OP.

We ride The FOD during the week. He’s learning from scratch. I’ve got too much confidence and not enough ability or fitness. I’m living on borrowed time before I hurt myself properly. It will be fun to watch it happen.

You’re welcome to join us. Email in profile.

tommy19 i’d be happy to go for a ride or two with you….

pm me if your interested.

As said previously find people to ride with. The more ther merrier . If u work different shifts get a pool of people who are available the times tah u are

Ride within your own ability and don’t let others push u harder than ur comfort allows

Most of all have fun

Is there a particular decent you enjoy that has a few sections that you sometimes avoid as it looks too hard? Or even a nice bit of singletrack you enjoy but cant seem to “flow” on or dont feel your riding it fast enough?

I found that ‘sessioning’ a section of track really helped me build my skills. If you know whats coming up and you have a good idea of what speed you can hit it you have more mind space to think about what you and the bike are doing and therefore what you can improve on.

Alternatively some people find that following someone helps massively and can give a new insight into line choice, speed and body positioning.

Yeh it helps to follow someone who is fitter than you too 😀

Hi monkey boy I take it you local? Il definitely take you up on the chance of a ride when and where?

You’re bored. Take up road riding.

tommy
Bristol Mountain Bike Club meet at Ashton Court Golf Hut every sunday at 10.30 . give them a try

To be honest I have already tried a Bristol based club and didn’t really like it.

We head out to wherever most weekends. Generally trail centre stuff during the winter, natural stuff in the fair weather.
North bristol/south Gloucestershire based, pretty mixed ability. No racing around, plenty of breaks for chats on the climbs. Just go out to have fun really. You’re welcome to join us.

I’m a self confessed fatty on a return to biking bender. If you ever get across to Afan I’d be more than happy than to go for a ride with you.

As for the confidence thing: Start small. Build. Smile.

One thing I found in an article by Tracey Mosely which I thought was a really good idea was to find something on the trail every time you ride which makes you think “You can’t ride up/along/over that…” then figure out a way of doing it.

I’m south glos based wrecker, where do you meet?

I’m in Bristol too, drop me a line and I’ll happily do a few laps with you, think I’m free this weekend… got quite a fondness for the forest of dean at the moment too!

I’m south glos based wrecker, where do you meet?

Normally at mine. Drop me a PM (in profile).

Fellow brizzoler here. I don’t really ride much or at sociable times at the moment or I’d offer to meet up but the Cheesy riders sound like they’d be right up your street.

http://www.thecheesyriders.co.uk/

As to the riding, stick with it – I think more time on the bike will sort you out. If you need any logic to go with it though, the Bristol trails are very safe as it goes – because they’re pretty twisty you’re rarely actually going very fast so even if you do crash, you shouldn’t be doing too much damage. Maybe try riding some sections over and over to see how far you can push it?

Some proper training can go a long way. I did a half day with Pedal Progression and it helped.

They are Bristol based.

About Us

ride with some guys and go on a skills course

The trails at Ashton Court have changed a lot over the past couple of years. They’re a lot more jumpy and pumpy now so I’d second the recommendation for a bit of skills coaching, and maybe practicing technique down the BMX or pump track.

The other thing to bear in mind is that we’ve had a crap summer weather-wise and often you need a few successive rides on buff dry trails before you start feeling confident again.

Now the weather is picking up I want to get back on the bike,

bit late I know but next winter keep riding. Slithering about while slowly riding through slop is a great lesson in bike control and should mean any crashes aren’t too painful (low speed and soft landing)

Probably a good idea to get a couple of lessons, keep meaning to get some myself but then I remember I’m a tightwad and don’t bother.

Check out Ed Oxley’s (Great Rock) skills training. Great teacher.

Find something to re-ignite your passion for bikes.

This might be a skills course to boost your confidence.

This might be meeting up with other riders (from STW as a start)

This might be trying another type of cycling (road bike?)

(I fall into option 3 – I get bored easily, so I can have 4 bikes at my disposal – BMX, DH, XC and road…)

….

do any of you here know where there are some good natural trails around the Cotswold Bristol area?

http://bristoltrailsgroup.com/local-trails/50-acre-wood/

http://bristoltrailsgroup.com/route-guide/

Tommy…go back to basics. Do rides for fun and explore. Imagine you’re a kid again. Don’t put pressure on yourself to ride technical stuff. Go an easy ride and if you happen to see something en route and feel good then just do it.

Think about your riding from the ground up again. ask yiurself questions, How do you ride a drop off? Where is your body weight?

Learn to look well ahead. Force yourself not to look down at the front wheel.

BTB – back to basics, something I try every time I’m out.

dont try and ride fast, try and ride smooth.