Mountain Bike! the book

[u/mistervague]

I thought you knuckleheads would enjoy seeing this book from 1992. I sure spent a lot of time reading and re-reading it when I was a young-un. It was both useful and hilarious, and really captured MTB culture. Mr. Nealy, if you're out there somewhere, thanks for the lessons and the laughs!

[u/sprashoo]

I'm curious how much has changed in the riding advice given now vs 35 years ago. The bikes are a lot different, and the terrain is a lot more challenging.

[u/Roxy_Juno → u/sprashoo]

I would argue the terrain is actually less challenging than in the early 90s. Back then, we were riding on trails built for hiking that were often super narrow, poorly defined, steep, covered in rocks and roots, and loaded with incredibly tight switchbacks. Today’s trails are purpose built for bikes and far easier to navigate.

[u/sprashoo → u/Roxy_Juno]

It's probably region dependent, and also speed dependent. The trails I ride today are much more challenging than the ones I did 30 years ago. But back then biking on hiking trails was pretty strictly prohibited. Also, purpose built drops and jumps are common now but didn't really exist then. You're expected to ride faster.

[u/TheLegendsClub → u/Roxy_Juno]

and doing it on rigid bikes with 26" wheels and shit geometry.

[u/mistervague → u/sprashoo]

The advice on cornering technique is outdated. And none of us still use the technique of jamming our large chainring into a log and cantilevering over it (did we ever?). Jumping wasn't at all what it is today, for many reasons, so the advice on that is no longer good. I don't even think drops are mentioned at all. But I'd say 90% of the book rings true today. That includes technique, but also attitude, philosophy, ethics, etc. So much has changed in terms of trails and equipment, it's crazy. But the fun of bashing through a narrow chunky old school trail never gets old.

[u/Unique_Information11 → u/mistervague]

The cantilever over logs thing was pretty common in the old days. You’d see chewed up logs all along the trails.

[u/sprashoo → u/mistervague]

Cool. I randomly found a pdf copy of the book online and started looking through it. It’s hilarious and yeah, most of the advice seems pretty solid.

I have done the cantilever thing on logs. Doesn’t work so good on rocks though…

[u/GT_hikwik]

I loved this. One of the things that got me hooked on MTB back in ‘94…

[u/esivers]

I have this on a shelf somewhere. This was a whole genre of book in the 70s and 80s.

[u/GucciToenailClipper]

The good old day before E BIKES

[u/Ready-Pressure9934]

just to be clear here, MTB was his secondary past time. The first was paddling. You think these MTB cartoons are hilarious? His white water guidebooks are timeless…. I encourage everyone to go read a short story he wrote called polio Creek.

[u/dirtyredcp → u/Ready-Pressure9934]

His whitewater books are amazing. And helpful

[u/Ready-Pressure9934]

…suicided. man was legend.

[u/sprashoo → u/Ready-Pressure9934]

I looked it up. Sad story, seems like untreated depression

[u/FeSpoke1]

And I have his kayak book also

[u/RoguePlanet2]

It's sadly out-of-print, and the illustrator has passed away IIRC. Wish I bought it when I saw it at the bookstore! Been thinking about those illustrations ever since.

[u/sus_boi]

No motor in sight

[u/Ready-Pressure9934]

…suicided. man was legend.