Let's say I want to go to Diablo...

NJMX835

New Member
The first thing I was told when I started riding DH was if a faster rider comes up behind you move over & let him pass.

Especially if you're in race practice with multiple classes practicing at the same time.

Even freeriding you will have guys barreling down on you & it's best to just let them fly on by.

I always pull over for faster guys & then usually try to tuck in behind them to see what I can learn, which is much better than holding someone up and having them pressuring you to ride faster than you're comfortable with.


Oh, and the number one rule:

NEVER STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAIL.

Pull off to the sides, it's not always possible for someone to stop in time even if they see you especially in sections like rock gardens where once you're in hitting your brakes isn't an option.
 
Last edited:

Engignar

New Member
I have been to Diablo and fall into the I can ride almost all of these trails, but at my pace category. I am not slow, mind you, but I was shocked at how fast some of these guys come down the trails. When Sean says that people will not be able to get slowed down from a "race pace" on the trail he is right. The good thing is that at high speeds bikes make all kinds of chain slapping rock smacking noises, so often you can hear someone coming up and try to move over. This is not to say riders there won't slow down and follow until there is a good spot to pass, but that in some cases it just is not possible. As long as the slower rider is polite and considerate, you should not anticipate any problems. Anyone interested in going to Diablo knows the trail rules anyway, don't stop in the middle of a trail, around blind turns etc. so as long as some common sense is used all should be dandy. Yes, dandy.
 

NJMX835

New Member
stigmata is definitely spooky. I went over the bars just before the rock face into the wood decking. I almost went off the edge without my bike.

there are a lot of hidden obstacles, not marked at Diablo. It is a good idea to go with someone who has been there before or take your time on a few trails and get to know them.


I remember the first time I looked over the edge of that thing, I was like 'you're friggen kidding, right?'.

lol
 

Fightnut

New Member
Ok, so a small group of us (maybe 5-7) are planning to make our first trip to Diablo next month.
We range from early 20's to 40 years old, mostly just ride singletrack, never done any downhilling before.

I think all of us are looking to rent the bikes there.

Is there anything that we should know, any tips on what to bring, what to expect, anything that we should definately do, or definately not do??

Just trying to get some input from people that have gone there that might make it a more enjoyable day for all of us.

Thanks.
 

mergs

Spokompton's Finest
JORBA.ORG
Ok, so a small group of us (maybe 5-7) are planning to make our first trip to Diablo next month.
We range from early 20's to 40 years old, mostly just ride singletrack, never done any downhilling before.

I think all of us are looking to rent the bikes there.

Is there anything that we should know, any tips on what to bring, what to expect, anything that we should definately do, or definately not do??

Just trying to get some input from people that have gone there that might make it a more enjoyable day for all of us.

Thanks.

Gather up some armor and a full face helmet. It will make your inaugural runs a whole lot more pleasant. Get shoes that are grippy. If you don't own shoes that are made for dh pedals, hikers will kind of do in a pinch, but you want to have a waffle pattern on the sole so the pegs will have somewhere to go.

To get used to the pedals, and take a few runs on alpine. Once you get the hang of how the grippyness works, you're ready.

Find someone to show you around if possible. It helps to know where the trails are that best for you, and to follow someone elses line really helps.

Don't forget drinks... you can do the camelbak thing or bring a cooler and leave it at the lift (no one has really bothered mine). Then again, how would I know ;)

All I can think of... so just have fun... the place is awesome.

And watch you back for Sean! Just kidding man :)
 
Last edited:

NJMX835

New Member
Rent IH Sundays if you can & ask the mechanic to help you set the sag on the shock for your weights (makes a big difference).

Not sure you can reserve a rental ahead of time, but maybe call to find out, if I was renting I would definitly do that.

You get armor with your rental I believe, make sure to use it, Diablo has alot of rocks, some quite large, lol

Get there early to get good parking because the waterpark people take up alot of the parking, I would get there no later than 8:30am if you can.

Bring food & drinks in a cooler, food at the park is very expensive & only consists of hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.

Start off with some easy trails like Greenhorn, OTB, DomBoo, Alpine, Dominion (you don't have to do the jumps), Tempest & work your way up to more advanced runs (not sure what you're riding ability is).

I can't really think of anything else of the top of my head, but if you have any questions feel free to ask.

If I'm around that weekend I'll show you guys around a bit.
 

Fightnut

New Member
Thanks for the input so far, helpful stuff.

I'm pretty sure all of us are planning to rent the bikes, so the gear will be covered with that. I read on their website that they advise renting them ahead of time to be sure a bike is reserved for you. They even have a form online to reserve a bike, so we'll do that.

We were planning on doing it on a weekday to avoid crowds, good idea?

We're coming from the Philly, PA area and since it's going to be a 2 to 2.5 hour drive for most of us, I just want to make sure we're prepared. Thanks for the tips on the food and drink.
 

Engignar

New Member
Diablo is closed on weekdays until 6/30, when they begin summer hours. You will have a blast and leave a better rider!
 

sixseven

New Member
My first trip to Diablo

Last Thursday I went to Diablo with two friends. One of them had some mtb experience but had not been on a ride (xc or otherwise) in years, never to any kind of lift assist mountain. The other guy is a yacht captain whose only experience on a bike is running to the store for beer and groceries on a folding bike. My experience is all xc.

We did the rental deal, went with the Iron Horse 7 Points, they set you up with all the pads and a helmet. Super cool staff, the mechanic, Matt was super helpful with pointing out which runs to hit first and what to expect.

Expect a lot of fun on the Green trails. All kinds of features, but easily rideable. After a few runs on these we started to peice in parts of the black diamond trails on the right side of the mountain. Man the fun just kept coming at a faster rate then ever...more rocks, more ramps, berms, just more of everything coming at you faster and faster.

We had a couple of crashes, a couple of walk arounds and a lot of staring at a feature, waiting for the courage to arrive, or someone else to hit it first. This would usually mean a crash was about to happen. more fun...

Took a break around 2 for lunch, had a badly burned hotdog. Then it started to rain. We went over to the store/office and hung out waiting for the rain to stop, watching the mass exodus of obese families evacuate the water park next door.

Talked for a while with 2 guys from Beechwood Bikes, and some French guys from Harlem who only ride there. Great conversations, learned a lot about the trails and where to go. Very friendly people there, everyone huddled on this porch waiting for the rain and lighning to stop.

They opened the lift back up at five and we hit the trails to the left. We were looking for Tempest which everyone had reccomended, but ended up on some other ones, saw some unreal rock gardens that just left us staring, trying to figure out how anyone could ride thru it. One looked like a 70 degree drop down a rock face about 16 feet tall into a pile of Flintstone sized boulders. Another was down a few car sized boulders and then a sick looking rock staircase.

Our last ride of the day and some guys visiting from Virginia showed us to Tempest and we were able to hit most of that, laughing all the way down.

Granted there were very few people there so we didnt have much worry of getting run over by faster riders, but the flipside of that is that I felt like I missed getting to see some better riders and better technique on the parts that I couldnt do.

We dropped off the bikes, headed to the Vernon Inn for some beers and to plot our next trip to Diablo. One of the best days in recent memory for sure. Lots of laughs, lots of accomplishment. Lots of great riding and very little pedaling.

Next day...soreness in the arms, shoulders, legs...cant stop thinking about going back...keep imagining the trails rushing forward...keep trying to figure out how to grow a set of bigger balls and hit one of those drops...already plotting another day off to get back up there.

My friends told me they were thinking the same thoughts.

Its a great place for a beginner that wants to progress. It is NOT a place to bring your GF on her first ride. That said, I did go with a complete novice who has done a lot of extreme diving and such and he did fine...The pads help with the crashes a lot. It is very fast, and the consequences of things not going right are to be considered.

I want to go back and learn how to do the drops and the tabletop jumps. I have a fear of heights and need to get over it.

2 days later I went to Ithaca NY and rode a place called Shindagin Hollow. It was a total blast, like Six Mile on a mountain with stream crossings, some little downhills and more varied flora and terrain...but in the back of my mind I couldn't stop thinking about Diablo.

Going to try to get up to the races there this weekend...and the all girl AC/DC band...
 

warcricket

Like a Jerk
i meant the frenchies, but oh well. sounds like you had a great time. is it worth the circa $120 for rentals and pass?
 

sixseven

New Member
i meant the frenchies, but oh well. sounds like you had a great time. is it worth the circa $120 for rentals and pass?

It was worth it to me, fun to try out a heavier freeride/DH bike. They take a beating. You get the bike, all the armor and a helmet and as many rides down as you can do in 8 hours...it will make you want one of those bikes and that's where the price jumps.
The place is laid out for maximum enjoyment. You could bring your own bike and if it doesnt feel right you could rent one. Pretty sure they rent the helmet and pads.
Wear gloves!
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
i meant the frenchies, but oh well. sounds like you had a great time. is it worth the circa $120 for rentals and pass?

I survived with my Mongoose FS last year haha. My friend did it on a hard tail but got 2 flats. Bring your old DB there. It will survive. Don't waste the $120 yet or just "rent" my DH bike when I get my tire on it. Just make sure you have brakes! Seriously after some of those drops you need to hit the brakes unless you live there. The hockey knee/shin guards and camelbak saved my knees and back on a fall.

It was worth the trip going with even crappy bikes. Everyone stared at us and was like what the F are these kids thinking with bikes like that and no full face helmet. They were even trying to be pros and advise us to slam the seat, stay back, yada yada yada... DUH. What was funny was the kid advising us wiped out and got real real real cut up and even cracked his rim. He was proud of it and in my head I was thinking ummm should I even take your advice?
 
Top Bottom