New here and to mtb generally

Chill

New Member
Hi all,

Noob here. Just got back on a bike this summer after not riding since my teen years (aside from one fun downhill biking experience in the Poconos last summer). I picked up a cheap hybrid on Craigslist (Liv alight 3) and biked around Manasquan a few times a week this summer. I tried some easy routes in Allaire twice and ended up walking through lots of sections. I don't have the funds to invest in a mountain bike at the moment and don't even know where to start with biking there, or if it's impossible with my current bike. Any advice you can offer would be welcome, thanks!
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Welcome
With that bike, I would prolly walk some sections of Allaire as well. Not saying its a bad bike... its just that mtb is not what that bike was intended for.
Keep building fitness with the bike you have now and save. There is no need to rush. The trails will still be here when you are ready.
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
Welcome! You might want to start out riding some of the rail trails around NJ. Most of those that are dirt are quite smooth and suited to hybrid tires. Paulinskill and Sussex Branch in northern NJ are nice, and scenic too.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Welcome! Good advice on building fitness. Other choices that will give you miles of riding are there D&R canal path.

With a bit of walking, Six Mile Run would give you more of an 'in the woods' experience. Mostly flat single track.

Keep riding! Good sport, good people.
 

rottin'

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Welcome! If you're willing to drive a little bit north from Manasquan there are the paved paths at Sandy Hook that I take my wife and her hybrid all the time. We love it there.
 

scott62

Well-Known Member
My advice…… check out YouTube. Search mountain bike for beginners and remember 60% of it is bs….BUT there is some good information out there you can pickup. You can learn the basic language and get tips on basic skills. Hope that helps.
 

Chill

New Member
Thanks all, I appreciate the advice! I'm always tight for time, so those trail suggestions won't work for me most of the time. My fitness level is pretty decent. I'll check out YouTube as suggested and continue trying some green trails at Allaire, thanks! (If you meet me there, give me a few tips please!)
 

w_b

Well-Known Member
If you get into some sandy stuff, try to keep straight and pedaling thru it if possible. No brakes. Welcome!
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Thanks all, I appreciate the advice! I'm always tight for time, so those trail suggestions won't work for me most of the time. My fitness level is pretty decent. I'll check out YouTube as suggested and continue trying some green trails at Allaire, thanks! (If you meet me there, give me a few tips please!)
MTB is more fun the faster you go so keep up whatever it is you are doing to maintain your fitness.

One advice I can offer would be to look at where you want to go... and not what you want to avoid.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
Welcome @Chill
I'm a little north of you and just road down to Manasquan this past weekend. Good advice from everyone. There's weekly beginners ride at Allaire, think it's a Tuesday? Also mtbnj has a group ride this weekend for all levels. Some one will post up links I'm sure. If you want to head up to Hartshorne or Huber lmk, there's plenty of 'green' trails here as well
 

Juggernaut

Master of the Metaphor
Welcome 😁

As you get more comfortable on dirt/gravel/other…. Keep an eye out for Demo days. It’s an opportunity to try out cutting edge and ridiculously cool mountain bikes at no cost.
 

iman29

Well-Known Member
Welcome !

I’m what I call myself as an advanced beginner (and more of a roadie) and can say that riding with all these folks on here has certainly helped me improve. I also got a great deal on a legit MTB from someone on here that made a lot of difference.

Doesn’t mean your bike is bad. Just means you have to use it for what it’s meant for. Would strongly suggest starting out on some rail trials or paved paths to get used to it.

I’m up north in Morris county so I don’t know too much about the trails in the south or central NJ except the D&R canal. Up this way we have Columbia trail which is an old rail trail that’s perfect for that bike.

Ride what you got until you’re ready for some single track flowy stuff and check for all the group rides here there’s always people to ride with of all levels.
 

Bikeworks

Well-Known Member
Thanks all, I appreciate the advice! I'm always tight for time, so those trail suggestions won't work for me most of the time. My fitness level is pretty decent. I'll check out YouTube as suggested and continue trying some green trails at Allaire, thanks! (If you meet me there, give me a few tips please!)
Check out the 'Joy of Bike' series with Alex Bogusky and Lee McCormack (Lee Likes Bikes fame). The channel is pretty much dead now (Alex took up road cycling apparently), but there's about 2 years of content that really helped me as a new MTBer. Lee is very good at conveying his principles.

 
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