Hello! New to MTB.

Michele

Michele

New Member
Hello my name is Michele and my fiance and I are from Bergen County. We're new to mountain biking and this forum. I've been lurking for a short time.

Several months ago we bought new bikes and we've been braking them in. In the beginning when it was cold we rode on the Saddle River Pathway but now that it's become much warmer there are more people on it. Just in the last week I've almost ran into 2 different people walking and refusing to move out of the way after hearing me. I also saw two men almost collide head on last night because two women were walking and stopped in the middle of the path to talk. We've explored most of the small trails off the paved path too. We're looking to get into more unpaved riding but we're unsure what would be the best place for us as beginners.

We both bought Diamondback bikes. Mine is a Women's Lux XE and his is a Men's Axis XE. We've also both have helmets and we've already replaced the seats.

I guess I just have a couple questions for now. :)

1. Good trails for beginners. Good places to get started?
2. Suggestions on gloves?
3. Anything we should look into or consider buying for our bikes?
4. Any other suggestions or tips or advice for some newbies?
 
I started mtb last year at High Mountain in Passaic. Should be about 30 min. Been told that it is not a noob friendly park but as someone told me, gotta start somewhere. Traffic is low at HM so you don't have to worry about getting run over. :)

But I assume most will recommend 6miles. Never been there myself so...
 
Welcome! There is a beginners ride every Tuesday night at Allaire State Park, but might be a little bit of drive from bergen county...
 
Welcome Michele. My favorite park is Wawayanda, there is something for everyone and free maps are available at the park office.
There are some hard singletrack trails, but also some scenic easy riding unpaved park roads and a nice lake for swimming.
I think you'd enjoy riding here. They have suggested trail loop for hiking or biking from only 2 miles up to 7 miles.
Parking is free all season at the park office parking lot.
 
Welcome!

great sport you can do for a long time, and at many levels. We've got a few bergen people here - so i'll let them chat up
beginner friendly, and next step. But i would like to say that I was given a tour over the GW bridge, and the greenway -
Pick a nice day, and slow pedal the GW bridge - totally worth it. bring a camera.

We will be putting together another recurring beginner ride next month a bit closer than allaire - stay tuned!
and use meetup.com for expanding your territory!

cheers!
 
Welcome!
I'm in Southern NJ so not sure bout any trails up that way. But for gloves, really anything that's comfortable for you. Try a bunch on. I personally like half finger gel gloves. For stuff for your bike, water bottles, spare tubes, air pump, tire levers, storage bags, are always a good idea. Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy riding
 
Hi Michele!

It's probably a bit of a hike, but Lewis Morris is a good place... hilly w/some roots but i think it's usually considered somewhat beginner friendly... plus there's always patriots path across the way. there's weekly wednesday rides there if your schedule allows (http://www.meetup.com/njmountainbiking/)

as for gloves, full fingered definitely... but, really whatever fits and is in your budget. and for other bike purchases, i think you kind of figure a lot of stuff out the more you ride but it is always a good idea to have a few things on you like multi tool, patch kit or spare tube, pump or co2, etc and obviously, water and a small snack.

:D
 
Welcome aboard !, Waywayanda is my home park as well. Not to bad a drive from most parts of Bergen county, Send me a shout if you'd like a tour of some of some of the more beginner friendly trails there. A father ride, but KVSP is a pretty nice place for newer riders as well, and Sussex Rail Trail runs right through it if you find that more to your liking.
 
Hi! I'm in the BC too (Allendale). The 4 parks in close proximity and which I mainly ride are:

Ringwood - lots of fire roads, probably good for beginners and lots of single track for intermediate and advanced
Jungle Habitat - lots of single track, I'd say intermediate to advanced. There are some beginner trails I think, but not a lot.
High Mountain Park - some double track and more recently, lots of single track. I find the new ST challenging, but the DT is probably ok for beginners. The ST is not marked and can be confusing.
Ramapo - I don't go here often as it's popular with hikers and gets a lot of traffic. I'd say this park is more intermediate and advanced as well

I think there's also a group of guys building out Sterling Forest just north of the BC which could be pretty cool when it opens.

These parks are all mainly situated outside of Bergen as the good people in our county government do not allow cyclists on the park trails, sad face.

There are good maps on this site for all 4 parks (I don't know about Sterling Forest as yet). If you have a smart phone, Maprika is a great app that will tell you exactly where you are on the trail. This will come in handy at Ringwood if you have never been there before.

Ringwood also charges you $5 at the door from Memorial to Labor day. There are a few other "free" ways in to RW (Ryerson School), but hey, $5 keeps the park up and running so, you know, it helps.

Anywho, good luck riding! I picked it up again after a bout with reality nearly 3 years ago and I am now hopelessly addicted.
 
Welcome! Six Mile was my gateway so I'd definitely check that out first. From there, Lewis Morris would be a good step to rockier and rootier riding without too many obstacles. Most other places will get a bit harder from there, but don't get discouraged if you have to walk to tougher areas. We'll be running a few group rides throughout the warmer months for a variety of skill levels, so keep an eye on the 'Rides' section of the forum as well.

A helmet and a good saddle will get you far, but I wouldn't go spending a ton of money on parts. Ride what you have, and if it's an entry level bike and you start riding a lot, then look into a new one as your skills progress. As for gloves, anything with full finger coverage and fits snug as they will stretch from sweat and usage. Grippy, silicone stuff on the braking fingers is quite nice too. I also prefer minimal padding without those gel inserts.
 
Welcome!! I recently got back in to riding after a long (about 18 yrs) break with some friends that are just starting out, and so far they seem to enjoy Six Mile the best. It's more then a 1-2 mile loop, and offers a wide range of terrain. There are a few hills, but like I told my friends.. don't be afraid to hop off and walk if the up/down hills are more then you think you can take, better off being safe then needing a run to the ER. As you ride more you will figure out what upgrades you may want to do, like if you guys start doing more single track w/hills you may want better tires and lighter components on your bike to make the climbs easier. As for gloves you really need to try them on and see whats comfortable, I started with full finger and ended up cutting most of the fingers off so you really can't decide by suggestion.. trying them on will be your best bet. My friends and I are actually going to Six Mile tomorrow morning for a ride (around 8-8:30) and you guys are more then welcome to join us if you are free.
 
First, welcome :)

I apologize if I'm over simplifying things but you said you guys are new so I'd rather just spell things out.

Reading the responses I just wanted to clarify:

ST = Single Track, a trail/path wide enough for a single bike/hiker.

DT = Double Track, a trail/path wide enough for two or more users. Usually thought of as being potentially an access road for motorized vehicles.

Columbia Trail is s nice tame path with some visual interest if you're still not quite ready for a traditional mountain bike trail.

Speaking of mountain bike trails. I don't care what anyone says, when you first venture out onto a "beginner" trail, there will be things that scare you. It is totally normal and it should in no way discourage you from continuing.

If you need to get off and walk over / around the rock, root, bridge, small child, etc.... Do it.

As you spend a little more time on the trail try one of the things that you "walked" in prior trips. If you fall, so what, get up and try it again.

Stopping to go over an obstacle over and over is a great way to build the skill and confidence to enjoy more of the trail.

Navigation: Maprika is a pretty good free app for most parks around here.

Just my 2c.... Garmin's, smart phones, maps are great, but use them at intersections only. If they are on your bars, you're going to look at them, and not the trail.... And you're gonna wreck.

Until you're comfortable riding single track, keep them in your pocket until you stop at an intersection or for a break.

Musts?

Tube
Hand Pump
Tire Lever(s)
Multi Tool
Patch Kit (because flats can come in bunches)

And a phone! Cuz stuff happens.


Good luck, you guys will do great. :)
 
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Walking is a great way to see the trail and analyze and visualize the lines you want to take the next time you ride thru.
 
Wow you guys are awesome. Thanks for all the tips and info.

I'll keep an eye out in the rides section. My fiance and I are both rather shy but we'd love to meet new people.

I've already started trying on every pair of gloves I see. I understand why it's such a personal choice now. :)

Thanks for all the suggestions of where to ride and what they're like. I know my limits and I'm not ashamed of walking my bike if I have to.

Chris Nordt - Thanks for the offer for the ride tomorrow but we have friends from Kansas visiting so we're busy the next few days.
Juggernaut - Thanks for the clarification of ST and DT.

Thanks to everyone for all the info so far. I've already learned so much on this site. Can't wait to get out there more.
 
Welcome!

Paulinskill trail is a perfect day trip.
Very secnic with plenty of stops.

Another nice weekend get away is
http://m.poconobiking.com/

I would look into rail trails
Allaire beginner Tuesday's
Six mile.

Also not sure about the aqueduct trails through NY but might be another option.
 
Hey there, and welcome!

You've gotten some great info on places to ride and what to bring,
I'll add a couple that may be local depending on where in Bergen county you are.

Oradell Reservoir trails (parking/access in Haworth near the Suez/United Water HQ)
Super beginner friendly. Great place to start, though there are probably less than 5 miles worth of trails.

Demarest Nature Center- one of very few nature centers that allow both dogs and bikes.
Again only about 5 miles of trails, and no elevation to speak of, but a good place for a quick spin or a few laps.
Just stay away after rains, it does not drain very well at all.

Joseph B Clarke/Old Erie Path/Raymond G Esposito rail trails just over the NY border in Sparkill.
The Clarke portion is a short paved route that may be extended someday, and the Old Erie path and Esposito section are about 5 miles of gravel DT up to Nyack.
A nice way to stretch the legs if the trails are wet or to go check out one of the million street fairs Nyack has every year.
Can also be combined with the DT route through the middle of Tallman state park to add a little distance and elevation.

And keep an eye on Palisades MTB at www.palisadesmtb.org and on Facebook.
This is a newly minted IMBA and JORBA Chapter that is working on getting us access and creating new trails in the area.
So far we have begun building trails just over the border in NY (Blauvelt State Park),
but hopefully this will lead to access to more parks in the area.

And of course look here and the JORBA website for group rides, there's always something going on somewhere!
 
I agree with everything Dan/Juggernaut said ! The only thing to add is to have someone show you "hands on" how to change a flat tire and both front and rear wheel removal/ installation. After they show you and you think you got it then change it yourself while they watch( no coaching). Good luck! If you ever come south Allaire is very beginner friendly and there is a beginner level ride (only goes as fast as the slowest rider) most Tuesday evenings thru the summer. Happy riding!
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem
 
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