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PART 2
Off-Road Riding
SECTION C. MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING
GT Bicycle Owner’s Manual
SECTION C.
MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING
See also Maximum Fork Length.
See also Section B. Intended Use.
Off-Road Riding
Off road riding usually involves many, many
variables such as constantly changing traction,
obstacles, changes in line of sight, up hill, down hill,
soft surfaces, dry surfaces, wet surfaces. Off road
riding requires managing a complex and constantly
changing rider–to-bicycle feedback loop of traction,
weight distribution, application of power, application
of brakes and steering driven by the conditions one
encounters. The complexity and ever-changing
nature of off road riding requires focus,
concentration, strength, fitness and learning to read
the trail. The art of managing all this while
surrounded by nature makes this a challenging and
wonderful sport.
If you have ridden your mountain bike on a paved
road, or on a gravel or dirt road, you have done very
little in the way of learning to mountain bike.
Learning to ride off road is a process. It does not
automatically occur because you have a mountain
bike. Learning to ride off road does not come from
watching “extreme” mountain bike videos or TV. In
fact the riders in those films are professional
entertainers and/or daredevils, not teachers.
WARNING
Mountain bike riding is very different from
riding a bike on the road.
For starters, it is almost certain you will fall off.
Get training! Join a club and find experienced
people to teach you. It is likely that your retailer
can hook you up with local rides. Practice and
learn to stay in control. Carefully, progressively,
learn to expand your limits, but always ride
within them.
Bike Types
WARNING
Pick a mountain bike for how you will ride.
There are now many different kinds of
“mountain bikes.” GT makes mountain bikes
ranging from the light, nimble rush and
scalpels, designed for cross country (xc) racing,
to our rugged, long-travel freeride bikes. A
scalpel is not designed for freeride! If you try
using your bike for something it was not
intended, you may break it with risk of serious
injury, paralysis or death.
Matching the intended use of any kind of
mountain bike to your expected riding is import.
Read Part 2 Section B. Intended use.
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