[smedford]

As all of you know, the people we work with, and our familes do not know what we do. They seem to think that mountain biking is a roll through the park with children laughing and everything safe and clean.

I heard a co-worker talking to someone about the biking he has been doing and they told him that they should talk to me, because I ride bikes too. Well, I took him on a ride on some local trails, nothing big, some skinnies some steeps and a couple drops, not big, 4' at the most.

He walked a lot of the stuff, but he had a big smile and said his eyes were now open to about what people actually did on mountain bikes. It is not just a ride through the park. He wants to ride more and he will tell more people of the fun to be had.

I think everyone should grab a co-worker and take them on a ride and let them experience for themselves what can't really be described.

 

[scratch]

i hear ya man- everyone assumes i'm in great shape, wear spandex, and ride for 100 miles on a 5 pound bike.

its really amusing. but sling those people some pics or vids, and they light up like a little kid. another cool thing to do is to just go walking at a local riding spot with someone who doesn't ride. just showing them the stuff is funny.

i really can't wait to get some of my family to come out to an event.

we live in our own little world, its great.

 

[habitatxskate]

scratch has a point when you say biking everyone thinks of lance armstrong..i mean if that is your thing cool. but most people think of freeriding and downhill as mountainbiking...basically riding a dirt foot path...they underestimate how much something has progressed from riding on a dirtpath.

 

[scratch]

big time. someone at a local trail asked me where i got my m1 a while back- walmart or target. people just don't grasp the concept that so many have taken the sport beyond hobby level.

thats fine by me though. its nice to be underestimated, then you get to surprise everyone.

 

[legend_killer]

i took some trash talk friends from school riding(they thought that mtbiking was easy and they were beter than me) well i was gonna hit some freeride stuff, you know 6' dorps , anyway roll up to a roll in and their like, ''you gonna ride down that your crazy,'' i just srugged my shoulders and backed up and then launched off the roll in landing near the bottom and all i heard was "holy SH!T'' as i went off.

its funny nobody really knows what we do.

JT

 

[schweino1]

it took me 4 years, but i have 1 co-worker into DH and another 3 onto XC racing....

they had no idea at the beggining.... and yes, they all had wal-mart bikes

 

[hooples3]

yeah i always offer to bring people somewhere to ride , something at the beginner level. but most of them are too fat and lazy. now im trying to get one of my co-workers son to join me

 

[legend_killer]

i still love the reaction you get when you tell people how much you spent on a bike or parts

JT

 

[Jayridesacove]

I love explaining to people why I have 5 bikes.

 

[scratch]

haha-
i know what ya mean. i just shelled out a ton for 3 new bikes.
funny thing is- i've been skipping meals, staying in, and working a ton just to support my addiction.

i just let them make up their own numbers. i'm not tellin anyone how much i spend.

crack adictions cost less than a bike habit.

 

[The Kadvang]

"Why did you spend four grand on a bike?"

"Why do you have 3 bikes"

Taking people riding is fun.

 

[Jayridesacove]

I also like explaining to people why I need disc brakes.

Making people less ignorant about the stereotype that all bikes are pretty much toys is always a positive for mountain biking in general.

 

[dwaugh]

I just love the look on their faces when you go to a dirt jump park for example, and the first thing you hit is the biggest line, which they think of course, is gigantic.

I wish I could do the biggest line... Someday...

 

[crash test]

I drive my fiance nuts when we go hiking. She doesn't bike. So we'll be walking along and i'll be pointing out every down tree and covered cliff that has the potential to be a skinny or a drop...
She won't even watch the videos of my biking because it scares her...

 

[mcA896]

every single day my friends heckle me. "why would you spend 2 grand on a bicycle? you could have gotten a quad or a dirtbike" I DONT WANT A QUAD OR DIRTBIKE. I had an mx bike, but not anymore. Then, they think they can hang and a blown away by the stuff that goes down on the tougher trails. Another funny thing is that I am the only one at the bike shop i work in who rides on a regular basis. one other guy rides, and has a kona stab primo, but he rides maybe 5 days out of the year.

 

[habitatxskate]

i still love the reaction you get when you tell people how much you spent on a bike or parts

JT

dude i was just thinking about that today...i spent 1000 on a bmx bike and people thought i was crazy...i got a fiath for 1600 since i worked in a shop...so i just say the retail 2000 since i just got 400 in parts and ****..they went off like the truck you are getting isn't even that much...i was like i know..people think we do little 1 foot drops where some of the better guys are doing 20 foot road gaps 20 feet in the air and they don't believe it...you can do that with a k-mart bike

 

[legend_killer]

well i'm still high school and everybody is like ''why dont you buy a car?'' i just tell'em "why, so i can spend all my money on gas?"

JT

 

[habitatxskate]

I love explaining to people why I have 5 bikes.

yeah, same with me even though i have 2..they are like...why do u need 2 bikes for transportation it isn't transportation and people think those dirtpaths we supposively take are easy to ride so why do we need the suspension the tires and everything...we need to show the world mtbing.bc when i heard of freeriding i was like...k going down a hill.now that i am in it kind of gets annoying that people don't understand you...we need to show the world.

 

[legend_killer]

^^
no we don't need to show the world tv is what killed freestyle BMX and skateborading it made everyone think that they could do it because it was on tv.

JT

 

[habitatxskate]

i mean i am only 14 but my dad and i might buy a chevy deluve pickup thing...34 in. tires...6 inch suspension...v8 rebuilt tranny and motor...1500 and i say to my friends when i was talking to the guy...my bike is better..the dude laughed so hard...but you need to notice the difference...if you spend a lot of money onn a transportation bike you are crazy...if you ride for fun and a type of lifestlye...money doesn't matter...i mean if i get the truck it will be getting me to a trail or just having fun on a rainy day but mostly ill be riding to trails or diablo freeride park i know i didn't word that perfectly but i think you guys will get it...we need to show people that biking is our life and that we need to dump our savings into our bikes so that the day will pass easierr for us.

 

[habitatxskate]

^^
no we don't need to show the world tv is what killed freestyle BMX and skateborading it made everyone think that they could do it because it was on tv.

JT

you have a point..i mean i skate and bmx too and people go out and buy haros thinking they are dave mirra and always **** with ur jumps...i mena i know it is different..but the more u show the world the more parks you get...why are there baseball fields in every town and a skatepark every 30 miles? because baseball is on tv with skateboarding..it has gone up in populariry the problem is cops don't like it since kids rid 20 dollar boards and get hurt trying big things...skateboarding is safer then skiing sometimes...at least i think sol

 

[scratch]

if it goes mainstream, it will gain a lot, but lose even more. part of the fun is sneaking around, finding hideouts to ride. i love this sport due to the fact that it is not widely supported. its a very strong community since its so small, and everyone faces the same problems-that makes it much more uniting than anything else. we stand out in crowds, people know we're different. we don't have a stereotype look. Biking is all about getting together with a tight, very diverse crew- groms, dr.'s, lawyers, construction workers, students, old guys, hardcore honey's, hookers, and all their families.

i trust my riding buddies way more than i trust anyone i go to school with.

i'd love to see the sport grow and be televised more, but the fact is that with more people come more conflicts. groups will form and problems will arise (i.e. racers vs/ feeriders) that doesn't matter. differences are what make this sport so unique. the only common ground is that we like to ride and we like other people that ride

 

[smedford]

You are right, it is a lifestyle.

 

[habitatxskate]

if it goes mainstream, it will gain a lot, but lose even more. part of the fun is sneaking around, finding hideouts to ride. i love this sport due to the fact that it is not widely supported. its a very strong community since its so small, and everyone faces the same problems-that makes it much more uniting than anything else. we stand out in crowds, people know we're different. we don't have a stereotype look. Biking is all about getting together with a tight, very diverse crew- groms, dr.'s, lawyers, construction workers, students, old guys, hardcore honey's, hookers, and all their families.

i trust my riding buddies way more than i trust anyone i go to school with.

i'd love to see the sport grow and be televised more, but the fact is that with more people come more conflicts. groups will form and problems will arise (i.e. racers vs/ feeriders) that doesn't matter. differences are what make this sport so unique. the only common ground is that we like to ride and we like other people that ride

yeah...you are right...and the thread person who made this im glad u agree with me..it is a life style i just gotan e13 changudie srs amazing..that was random...they are loud...go out and buy one...never drops a chain..cool bashguard too

 

[habitatxskate]

i am going to these trails i am excited since i thought diablo was the closest that is an hour..it figures its a 10 minute bike ride instead of an hour car..i will post pics

 

[surfinguru]

I drive my fiance nuts when we go hiking. She doesn't bike. So we'll be walking along and i'll be pointing out every down tree and covered cliff that has the potential to be a skinny or a drop...
She won't even watch the videos of my biking because it scares her...

Lol! So true... I'm always pointing out "features" to the GF when we're walking.

 

[scratch]

indeed- the golf course with dad always drives him nuts. especially when my bike's in the van and i'm talking to him about tow ins.

 

[Ohio_Huck]

haha, ^ on that note, my parents simply refuse to drive through citys with me, cause i go beserk spotting rails and jibs (skier). but yeah, biking is its own little community, and it wont be for long. granted, the prce keeps alot of people out, but just like all the cool little niche sports, it will get exploited, and it will be a pain in the ass. skiings my first love, and when i started, doin newschool stuff, there were days where youd be the only person on twins. if you saw someone with a pair, you were instantly friends, and youd ride together. now, skiings in the x games (and showin up snowboarding lot of the time (nothing against snowboarders!! i ride with a ton of um!)), and all i see are little kids ridding 1080s and trying to ski park. its good, but at the same time oyu loose that uniqueness that it had, and i really miss it. but in the end, if you ride for the right reasons, you really wont loose much, but the gains in technology, cost, and places to ride will outweight the loss by a longshot.

 

[habitatxskate]

haha, ^ on that note, my parents simply refuse to drive through citys with me, cause i go beserk spotting rails and jibs (skier). but yeah, biking is its own little community, and it wont be for long. granted, the prce keeps alot of people out, but just like all the cool little niche sports, it will get exploited, and it will be a pain in the ass. skiings my first love, and when i started, doin newschool stuff, there were days where youd be the only person on twins. if you saw someone with a pair, you were instantly friends, and youd ride together. now, skiings in the x games (and showin up snowboarding lot of the time (nothing against snowboarders!! i ride with a ton of um!)), and all i see are little kids ridding 1080s and trying to ski park. its good, but at the same time oyu loose that uniqueness that it had, and i really miss it. but in the end, if you ride for the right reasons, you really wont loose much, but the gains in technology, cost, and places to ride will outweight the loss by a longshot.

YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON THE BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the cost is something that the average person sees as rediculous..i went biking today with a neighbor and his friend, me being only 14, riding out with 30 year old guys is kinda out of the ordinary my neighbors friend had an intense, with a bomber, motocross bars on an intergrated fork with all these huge upgrades...huge carbon hub giving more spokes....etc. he spent 5 grand. i have a giant faith 3.even though mien may be worth about 2150, people come together. if you were on a ski slope with a 600 dolalr board you wouldn't ride with a kid on a K-mart snowboard would you? my point is, this is a small community which price may count a little but once you hit that sweet spot you are in. you guys are right, we do need to keep this a little more underground none the less, but the price is our backup. i know i sent mix messages but i think you giuys get the jist if not the whole thing

 

[frznnomad]

dude price should only be brought into the picture when your trying to scare people away. my theory is as long as you have a bike and as long as your ridin all is good. although i guess its different in nc were trying to get more and more riders no matter what kinda rigs they got and no matter how much they spend on them. all that we care about is if your ridin.

but with reactions i love it when you show a huge 200 lb football player who thanks that hes the stuff and big man on campus some huge 18 ft huck that you did and there jaw drops and they just say dude you are crazy. its funny how there view of you changes once they see some of the **** that you do and you describe some of your crashes. :evil:

 

[p3rider182]

to bad all my co-workers are bikers




(i work at a bike store if your slow)

 

[frznnomad]

im slow whats that supposed to mean :mumble: .lol

 

[silly_rabbit]

Once I told my frind that I have a $600 bike and hes just says I'm crazy...And then I told him there are bikes that sell for over $5000 he was almost scared. Of course he just has a walmart bike worth a couple hundred bucks.

 

[spacemanspiff06]

everyone i konw that doesn't ride thinks i'm crazy for spending the time and cash on biking. but then i got two of my friends on my bike and they liked it, one even got a bike to start riding w/ me. i'm luckly i guess that my parents and GF understand me but i think my extended family thinks i'm special or somthing. they don't get that biking can be a lifestyle, and i have almost no way to show them. how can i show them the passion that can be had for a sport?
and yeah, i get the 'dude, your an idoit, you could have gotten a nice car for that money, or at least a dirtbike. you got riped!' too. I HATE THAT! i know damn well how much that money is worth, and i don't want a nice car, the one i have is fine, i don't want a dirt bike eather, i can't ride it the way i want to and i don't have a place to ride anyway. i spent more time deciding what to get with my $ then you do jerckin,so no, i didn't get riped off. if you had half my tallent and rode this bike where i do you would understand. i do this for the same reason you spent 6 G's on your beater '98 accord and still live with your momma. it's a lifestyle, not just a hobby. it's just that no one's made a Vin desel movie about my sport yet, so it can't be a REAL sport. i don't even try to explain it at school.
Sorry i went off there it's a sensative subject. yall understand.
one thing i realy love about this sport is that @ 17 i can ride with 20-40 year olds as their equal and even teach them somthing, and i can learn somthing from 14 year olds with out embarrisment. a bike is one of the greatist equalisers; how good you are depends on how much time and passion you put into it, nothing else. that said, i'm gonna go ride!

 

[OGRipper]

A little off-topic but there's a guy who works in the parking garage in my building who rides his k-mart special all over the place, pretty much every day. I commute to work sometimes and will roll in on my fixie one day, vp-free the next, and so on. The wheels on any one of my 6 bikes probably cost more than his whole rig. He has no clue and doesn't care. He is more stoked on riding than anyone I know, especially many of my jaded bike-nut bros. Dude is an inspiration. The tech side is part of my love of bikes and I will probably never stop geeking out, but this guy constantly reminds me that you don't need the latest and greatest to find your perma-grin.

 

[chicodude]

A little off-topic but there's a guy who works in the parking garage in my building who rides his k-mart special all over the place, pretty much every day. I commute to work sometimes and will roll in on my fixie one day, vp-free the next, and so on. The wheels on any one of my 6 bikes probably cost more than his whole rig. He has no clue and doesn't care. He is more stoked on riding than anyone I know, especially many of my jaded bike-nut bros. Dude is an inspiration. The tech side is part of my love of bikes and I will probably never stop geeking out, but this guy constantly reminds me that you don't need the latest and greatest to find your perma-grin.

There is a guy like that here. He has a fully rigid bike from the early 90's and is always super stoked when He can talk to anyone else that likes to ride as much as him

 

[Freerider697]

YEah, my friend rides a haro 8.1 and cruises through rock gardens on a 100mm fork like he was glued to the track.I used to ridea a fully, and he was faster than me in the downhills! And no, Im not really slow, hes just a good rider. That tought me that I dont need to go for the latest and greatest to go fast and rip it up. I try to get others into it and say that I paid 1899 for a bike, adn they say, what kind of engine? I laugh in their faces and show them videos.

 

[Spero]

dude price should only be brought into the picture when your trying to scare people away. my theory is as long as you have a bike and as long as your ridin all is good. although i guess its different in nc were trying to get more and more riders no matter what kinda rigs they got and no matter how much they spend on them. all that we care about is if your ridin.

but with reactions i love it when you show a huge 200 lb football player who thanks that hes the stuff and big man on campus some huge 18 ft huck that you did and there jaw drops and they just say dude you are crazy. its funny how there view of you changes once they see some of the **** that you do and you describe some of your crashes. :evil:

Or when the 220lb ex-football player does the same, people wonder how the bike holds together. I quit contact sports mid way through college because of an ACL and decided to bust out my bike more. Now that I've made the transition into FR, I'm an addict. Went riding on one of the local campuses today and there was a huge church group visiting...these kids were all over the place (almost ran over a few) and half of them stopped us to ask questions. Even some newer XC guys have no idea what freeriding is.

 

[Biscuit]

...we need to show people that biking is our life and that we need to dump our savings into our bikes so that the day will pass easierr for us.

Wow, I don't think I could've said it better.

I generally just tell people: "If you have to ask, you'll never really understand."

 

[trailblazer]

usually i find that the thought of biking to people that have not ridden since childhood brings up thoughts of cruisers with banana seats more than the Lance deal.
It is soooo inspiring to see the look of absolute glee in the eyes of friends and familly who have not experienced that feeling in many years. Fu*k I love bicycles. It is so international and friendly like a union of friends that gather to ride and chill.
Well monkey's i must admit the internet has served me a bonus. I never thought in a gazzillion years I would surf and chat....let alone find riding buds and new friends on this here "computer thingy". Hard to believe.

someone fry up my shoes it's dinner time.