Mountain Biking

Should Be Fun!

It can also be a really exciting way to get outside and explore the outdoors

all while challenging yourself and pushing your limits.

We felt there had to be a better way of introducing people to the sport of mountain biking, a better way of teaching the necessary skillset required to not only feel confident on a mountain bike but also eliminate the feelings of fear and frustration that so many first-time riders often experience.

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This is why we created SimplyMTB.

- SimplyMTB Founder

My love for bikes and the outdoors started inside - in a spin class.

 

After several grueling months of stationary sweating I was finally starting to get some good solid fitness and decided it was time to take my cycling skills to the next level - the open road.

 

I purchased a road bike, started riding and training with friends and shortly after I

began racing competitively. Fast forward six years later and the thought crossed

my mind that I needed a mountain bike (although, I wasn’t exactly sure why -

it's the same as road cycling, but just slower, right?). So, I searched around,

found a nice used mountain bike online, and it was blue, so I immediately

made the purchase. I was now a mountain biker!

 

My new bike sat unridden for nearly a year.

 

Almost a whole year past before I decided enough was enough, it was time

to give this thing a solid go. So, I set a date, arranged a demo bike for my

boyfriend (his first time too) and we hit the trails. Or… the trails hit me. 

I sucked at mountain biking so badly! I hated every second of it and

only wanted to go back to what I was comfortable with, really good

at - the road bike. My boyfriend, however, LOVED mountain biking

and he started the search to buy his first bike. Great… I got him into

it, he loves it, I hate it - now what?

  

I thought to myself, maybe if I just commit one day each week to this

dumb sport he'll think I'm supportive. I am not exaggerating when I say that I

was the absolute worst mountain biker around. Most of my rides ended in tears. I was terrified of the smallest rocks, tiniest bumps, anything non-smooth, especially the turns. Switchback! Forget about it! I wouldn’t do any of it. But, alas, I remained committed to my one-day-a-week show of support.

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As that first season went on my confidence grew and my riding improved. I got a new bike, one that fit me much better and I was shocked at how much more comfortable I felt. I started riding my mountain bike way more than my allotted one-day-a-week and even ventured off by myself from time to time. On my solo journeys I would practice everything that scared me,

especially switchbacks. I would practice switchbacks over and over and over, hiking

back up with my bike for what seemed like hours trying them again and again

until I mastered each and every turn. That’s how it was with every obstacle I

came across. Sure, it wasn’t easy, and I was scared a lot, but I tried and tried

until I finally succeeded.

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When I finally started feeling pretty good on the bike and really started to enjoy

all that mountain biking had to offer I wanted nothing more than to share it with

everyone I knew, hoping that they would find that same enjoyment, that same love

that I have, and continue to have every time I ride my bike.

 

It is possible to learn to love mountain biking… sometimes it just takes a little coaching. 

"My New Bike

Sat Unridden For

Nearly A Year"

"On My Solo

Journeys I would

Practice Everything

That Scared Me"