Hi am new to mountainbiking (trying to get fit ) been out on Ballinstoe 3 times last saturday was the first doing it all the way round thanks to a friendly biker explain the way the track ran , Is there many other places around or anywhere with good direction to the spot and around the track there
Thanks Karl
Keep going to Balinstoe and get your speed and skills up for now. There will be another official track in Ticknock soonish as it's under construction.
You will find no one here willing to discuss any other "less" official trails on a public forum.
Join a club is my advice and the key's to paradice will be passed to you.
Cheers Bren , yea was thinking i'd get an answer like that :) , not sure about joining a club yet as after 15 years of not doing anything active i'm a good bit away from even being able to cycle up all the hills in balinstoe without having to get off and push for a while , but it's all worth it for the down hill sections .............. is there many clubs based around wicklow town area ??
I was the same. Came to the sport at 39 having been only been involved in watersports before. Struggled up that poxy climb for what felt like an eternity. It does get easier and in no time at all you'll be doing the loop non stop.
Don't rule out a bit of coaching too. One or two lessons.
There's a lot to learn that will help keep you upright over the tuff stuff.
Be carefull though this sport is also very addictive.
i'm nealy 30 have done anything sporty since secondary school , them uphill climbs are a killer think i'll have to used to them before getting and lessons , also finding it hard to grip tightly and( hold fingers over the brakes ) all the way round probably cause of old hand and wrist breaks, trying to build the muscle back up no with them exercise grippers....i can imagine it being very addictive , i've already start cycling on the road (loads of massive uphills there too ) a few times a week to try prepare better for the woods
As mentioned by Bren, skills coaching would be good for someone new to the sport...
(seems to be no shortage of new bikers around the B'stoe trail centre who can well pedal up the fireroads but when it comes to anything remotely rocky/rooty, downhilly then they are more like Granny's ;D )
Alfie Wallace ( Alfie ) on the forum is a Coach and guide..no better man to give you the skills and encouragement you need..
He thought me everything I know and I invented the sport !! and to quote Niall Davis of www.biking.ie
" I wish I was Alfie Wallace, men want to be him and women want to be with him !"
cool cheers for the info lads , as soon as i can cycle up a hill without making a show of myself i'll look him up .... hope to get up there once a week only living 15 minutes away never realized how close i was to a great sport :)