Follow Me

  Can you please follow me???!!! This is a message to everyone. If you like my blog, please follow it!!! I promise you won't regret following my blog!!!

Visit My YouTube Channel

  Be sure to visit my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/AshutoshChannel. It's pretty cool!!!

Healthy Food

  Always eat healthy food before biking!!! Have carbohydrates a little while before going out. Good food for carbohydrates includes pasta and rice. Do not eat too much or you will not be able to move around well. For breakfast, eat light food like cereal. This should keep you healthy. Do not eat more than 2 snacks before biking. Energy drinks should never be used. Energy drinks are some of the worst things that you can have, both reducing performance, and, health. Do not drink energy drinks. You can get sponsored by energy drink companies though, just don't drink their products. Have fun biking!!!

Designing Tracks

  I have a suggestion: why don't you design tracks? You should design them on paper, computers, etc. These designs will help you become more creative and if you want, you can make them real. I design a lot of tracks and I have also designed a whole bike park. Below is a design of a pump track. It is not designed by me.

  Do you like the design? It has been made with various computer softwares and hand drawing. I hope that this pot has inspired you to design your own tracks. Have fun designing tracks!!!

Doing Tricks

  In this post, I will explain how to do tricks. Doing tricks looks cool and is an added addition to jumping. Doing tricks that are hard is a big accomplishment. Doing tricks is also fun. So how do you do tricks?
  Commitment is very important in doing a trick. You don't want to jump in a competition trying to do a new trick and not do it. This would also result in a crash, because, say, or example, you have planned to whip 180 degrees to continue your run and you don't whip at all, you would crash.
  Another important thing is willing yourself to do a trick. Most professional mountain bikers use a phycologist to help them will themselves into doing a trick.
  Imagining what you want to do in a trick is also very important. I, instead of actually doing the trick, imagine it when jumping. This makes me do the trick subconsciously, which is how I don't over extend or under extend my tricks.

Everything You Need To Know About Bike Clothing

Helmets
  Helmets are mandatory. Riding without a helmet could lead to serious injury or death. They protect your head from damage. Riding without a helmet is illegal. Wear a full face helmet if possible. This type of helmet protects your jaws, head, sides of head and, with goggles, your eyes. I wear the Fox Rampage Helmet and it is very good. The Rampage helmet is a full face one.

Goggles
  Goggles prevent your eyes from getting exposed to dirt, twigs or even bugs. They can also save your eyes from a severe impact. Wear a double layered goggle if possible. If you wear glasses, wear them while riding your bike. You can buy OTG goggles to prevent your glasses from fogging up. If your glasses fog up, you will not be able to see your track and that can be deadly. I have had experience with fogging goggles.

Jerseys, Shorts Or Pants
  You could buy a short sleeve jersey or a long sleeve jersey. Long sleeve jerseys are my preference because they offer more protection. You could either buy shorts or pants. Shorts are better in my opinion because they are more comfortable, allow movement and they are very safe.

Knee Pads
  Knee pads are pads that protect you in your knees. They will not prevent you from twisting your knee, a knee brace, would do that. I wear knee pads even though I have twisted my knee many times before. This is mainly because I think that knee pads are more protective in large impacts.

Neck Braces
  If you are doing extreme mountain biking like huge airs, flips, big tricks, massive rock gardens and 25 feet drops, you would want to wear a neck brace. A neck brace will prevent your neck from over twisting in any direction. This can she your life in extreme crashes. I do wear a neck brace, but then again I do huge stuff that most people shouldn't be doing. It has really saved me when I have face planted from 10-20 foot jumps.

Types Of Shoes

  You could use biking shoes or just skate shoes. I use skate shoes because they are cheaper and biking shoes don't really help. I recommend using skate shoes, you'll save money and you don't even need biking shoes.

Everything You Need To Know About Bikes

Bike Types: Always Choose The Right Bike 
  There are two types of extreme, shredding type mountain bikes. One type is downhill. This type of bike is usually for racing. The handlebars are wider and the suspension is plusher in this type of bike. Usually forks are double crown and rear shocks have a coil spring. The next other type is a freeride mountain bike. This type of bike is usually for doing tricks but not just tricks, or the would be BMX. The handlebars are narrower than downhill bikes and the suspension is usually very stiff. Both double crown and single crown forks are used. Also rear shocks that are both air spring and coil spring based are used. Usually, freeride bikes are modified downhill bikes.

Bike Sizing

  For downhill biking, 1 inch of clearance between the frame's top tube and your pants'/shorts' inseam is sufficient. But, for freeride mountain biking, 2 inches of clearance is better. This is because in freeride, you really have to move a lot around your bike when doing tricks. For downhill, on the other hand, our feet always stay on the pedals (okay, usually). This is why there is a difference between downhill bike and freeride bike sizing.

Bike Components
  There are so many components in a bike. If you order your bike online, usually the front end, seat assembly and pedals are dismantled and you will have to assemble the components. The fork and shock take care of suspension work. The pedals transmit power to the rear wheels. They also provide a solid place for you to put your feet on. The stem attaches the handlebars to the head tube. The brakes stop the bike when required. The wheels allow the bike to roll forward. The gear system allows you to change the speed at which your wheels turn when turning the pedals. The handlebars provide something for your hands to hold on to.

Handlebar Sizing
  You can choose between narrow handlebars, wide handlebars or anywhere in between. The wider the handlebars, the more aggressive stance you are in until the bars get too wide. The narrower the handlebars, the more control you have over your bike through corners and jumps. Too narrow handlebars on the other hand, are not good at all. I personally prefer a handlebar width somewhere in between of narrow and wide, but I mostly ride a custom 760mm bar, and thats pretty wide for extreme freeriding.

Tire Pressure 
  Tire pressure is a very important aspect when setting up your bike. Too high tire pressure and you get a very, very bumpy ride. If your tire pressure is too low, you are not going to get proper feeling of the ground. I ride with 40psi in the front and back tires. This is towards the high side.

Suspension Setup
  Setting up your suspension is extremely important. If you freeride, set your suspension up stiff. But, be careful that your suspension is set up to be able to absorb smaller, jittery bumps. The best way to do this is have a softer low-speed compression. Cam Zink, and extreme freerider who took part in the Red Bull Rampage and won, set up his suspension to a little less than 200psi in his fork. He set up his rear shock to be  little stiffer than his fork. I think his settings were very good for extreme freeriding. Downhill bikes should be set up plush to absorb small impact like rocks and roots. These obstacles are popular in downhill courses. Do not set up your suspension too plush or you will not get a feeling of the ground. Sag is also very important. I set my fork and rear shock to 30% sag. For best setting instructions on setting up your suspension, go to the manufacture's website and the product's Owners Manual.

Types Of Forks: Double Crown vs. SIngle Crown
  Double crown forks are awesome for extreme jumps, rock gardens, and overall big time hucking. These types of forks are usually used for extreme riding. These types of forks reduce twisting and make the fork stiffer. And by stiffer, I mean side to side movement, not shock absorption. I don't use a double crown fork even though I shred big. Instead, I use a specially designed single crown that lets me do bar spins, tail whip, etc. The single crown I use has very, very, very little flex, lesser than a double crown, and works for the 40-45ft. drops I do. My fork is specially designed so not all single crown forks will work for 40-45ft. drops, but what I mean is, single crowns are good.  Now for the single crowns. This is the type of fork which is commonly used. If you have a good quality version of this fork, it will be as good as a double crown but with the advantage of being able to do a barspin. Single crown forks do flex more than double crown forks, but, they are way cheaper.

A double crown fork's photo is below.

A single crown fork's photo is below.

Different Types Of Pedals
  There are two types of pedals. One type has pins coming out of it to increase grip between the riders' shoes and the pedal. The other kind does not have pins. The type of pedal that does have pins is popular among mountain bikers. This is because in jumps, bumps, rocks, roots and odd positions, your feet should never slip of your pedals. Always use pedals with pins!!! If there are too many pins, the pedal is not good. Put your feet with shoes that you wear while biking to test the pedals.

Backyard Pump Tracks

  If you are a slopestyle rider, you probably like to ride pump tracks. The problem with this, however, is that you may not be able to ride every day. The solution? Create a pump track in your backyard. This will allow you to ride your bike very frequently. Your pump track should be big enough for a run in, a couple of wooden structures and jumps.
  To create a pump track, you will need machines, shovels and your hands with gloves on. First, plan out your track. Secondly, cover the entire area of your pump track with dirt. Next, create the jumps. They could have metal take off ramps if you want. I love to jump so if I was making a pump track, I would make lots of them. Make sure the jumps are properly secured. Now cut out pieces for your wooden structures and put them together. Dig a hole in the dirt where the wooden structures should go. Now burry part of the wooden structure inside the hole and secure it. Next, create the run in. It could be made of metal or dirt, depending on your choice. Secure it to the ground using a hole. Also, be sure to use other materials like bolts to secure it too. Make sure that your track has turns in it. This will make your track more compact. Lastly, make sure that your track can take weight. Also, I prefer treks that have at least 1 foot of elevation.
  Maintaining of a pump track is very important. The lips of jumps get less steep every time they are jumped of and eventually they will not be steep enough to allow you to jump a gap. This could result in crashes. To maintain a pump track, first water it. Then, make required adjustments. Make sure that your pump track is not too dry when riding. Have fun with your pump track!!!

Sponsors

  You should really get sponsors if you are a serious mountain biker. Sponsors can help you get money or equipment. Be sure to not have more sponsors than what you can handle. Sponsors can be hard to manage if there are to many of them. Problems could include too much resume writing, too many interviews or any other reason. So, sponsors are good but too many sponsors are not good.

Enough Of Those Pictures

  In the previous posts, in some of them, I have put almost just pictures. This was to show that there are a lot of photos taken in mountain icing. The pictures in the posts were all part of mountain biking media. From now on, there will be more text in the posts.

About The Topics

  As you have already seen, in this blog, I do not talk about myself but I do talk about mountain biking as a whole. This is how it will be usually. I hope you like it that way. I like it, not talking about myself but about all of your sport.

Crankworx Pictures

  Below are some pictures taken at Crankworx. Crankworx is a very cool event for all sorts of disciplines of mountain biking. Enjoy the photos as they are some of the best. The images below could have been in previous posts. Have fun!!!

Rampage 2010: Redefining The Limits

  The 2010 Red Bull Rampage was as crazy as every other Rampage. Cam Zink won the event after landing a 360 of a new 40 foot drop called the Oakley Icon Sender. The drop was so scary that many riders refused to even hit it. Thomas Vanderham had an extremely creative line through the top of the mountain, treating it as if it were a half pipe. His 60 foot gap jump was also amazing. Taylor McCaul's boulder jump was very cool. All in all, I think the 2010 Red Bull Rampage was awesome.

  Don't you think that the finals were cool!? And Cam Zink landed that enormous 360 of the Oakley Icon Sender. All the riders did very well. Gee Atherton's step-down to wall ride was amazing and Darren Barrecloth's 360 and wall ride were pretty cool. There is a picture below of the huge 360 that Cam Zink did below.

A Very Awesome Picture

  Today I have put a picture on this blog. The photo is different from other photos. Photos are really important in mountain biking, because, without them, the sport would not grow and we don't want that. You should like the picture because I also liked it a lot. Also, I have chosen it and I have been looking at a lot of photographs. This just proves that I have been very picky with the photo. I think that you will like the photo. Enjoy!!!

Everybody Should Be Having Fun

  Is everybody having fun mountain biking? By that, I mean everybody should have fun riding down or up a mountain with a bike under their feet. Have fun everybody!!!

Just Photos

  Below I have posted some pictures. I like them although they may not be the best. Some of the pictures may have been in previous posts. Enjoy!!!

Some Very Good Angled Photos

  The photos below have the best angles to them. The photos may have been in earlier posts. Enjoy the extremely well angled photos!!! Some photos may also be of good shadowy shots.

Favourite Pictures

  The pictures below are some of my favourites. They may have been in earlier posts. Enjoy them all!!! I am sure that you will because I have chosen them and I was very picky.

Mountain Bike Entertainment

  There are a lot of books, movies, magazines and other media on mountain biking. You can use these as forms of entertainment and as help to doing new tricks or harder tricks than you are already doing. One very good mountain bike movie is Follow Me. I cannot recall any awesome books but I know that there are some very good ones. Bike magazine is a very good mountain biking magazine. Other media could be photos, websites, blogs or more. Enjoy mountain biking media!!!

Your Own Competitions

  Everybody, make competitions of you own!!! Invite your friends, local photographers and other people who may have a fun time at your event. Your event may not only b a competition. You could just have a fun event for mountain bikers to bike and just have fun without being tens about scores. Mountain biking is all about having fun with your friends and that is what your event should promote. To help make your event better, have sponsors. They may give you money or do something for you. The event should be fun for everybody including you. You may also want to have special effect in your event. An example of special effects would be a smoke machine or animations made on a computer. Make your own event everybody and you, along with everybody, will have tons of fun!!!

The Jump of Tricks

  I recently did what I like to call The Jump Of Tricks. In the jump, I did a trick off a very small dirt ramp (2 feet high is very small) that nobody, or at least I think so, did. It was called the double whip. In the trick I tried to jump as high as possible from the small ramp. Next, I whipped the bike to the left. This happened before I was at the middle of my time in the air. Then, I whipped my bike to the right. This should happen just in time for you to land straight. In my case, however, I started the trick a little late and just barely hung on. I also had to put my foot down to stop myself from falling. Due to the steep slope at and after the landing, plus, the dry conditions, I ended up sliding dow the landing and slope with my foot down, sliding.

  The trick was very fun. I have always loved to do something new and accomplishing this trick was awesome. I end that commitment and determination are the best fuels to landing a new trick.

  Now you know why the jump I did was called The Jump of Tricks. Tricks because for the name to be applied to a trick, it must be a combo trick. I try and do The Jump of Tricks every week because it is very fun. I hop everybody will do the jump of tricks because it is very fun. It also gives you and whoever does it an opportunity to create new tricks very frequently. The whole point of this post was to give you an idea of how to have fun while mountain biking. Below is a picture of a trick that could have been The Jump of Tricks.

Creating New Tricks

  What is the craziest trick that you can think of? Can you do it? These questions all come to my mind when I want to create a new trick. I like to plan, but, very little. Actually I would not plan at all but because I know that new tricks are dangerous, I plan to find out the consequences.
  I like to think up extremely hard tricks because they are fun to do and also entertain more people than a simple nac-nac. Whips, although easy, re very flash if done right. I like to do a lot of whips. It is so very fun doing tricks.
  My favourite tricks are backflips, frontflips, spins, flip combos, spin combos and Rock Solids. These are all very and by that I mean dangerously very hard. I have hurt myself tons of times doing these tricks and so I advise you, with experience, be very careful while doing the tricks mentioned above. Picture of some of the tricks mentioned are below.

Follow Me

  I follow my own blog. Come follow me everybody!!! Become a member!!!

Training

  You should always keep yourself in shape. I play in a lot of sports to keep myself fit. I like to play hockey, soccer, football and frisbee. The sports keep me in shape and are very fun. Also I like to relax. Relaxing is very important because if you over-exert yourself, you are only wasting your time instead of keeping yourself in shape. To relax, I like doing things on computers like posting on this blog or managing my sites or other blogs. I also like to read (a lot), watch a movie (rarely) or just sit (usually never). I like to keep myself active. Reading or doing things are usually my only exceptions to not moving around. Stay fit!!!

Sites or Blogs

  You should create a site or blog (like this one) about mountain biking and you. This will help you become more popular and more people will watch you. Don't create a site or blog if you don't want attention but you will probably like people watching you bike. In your site or blog, put flashy, edited photos of you doing the biggest airs and tricks that you have ever accomplished. If you have any sponsors, put a list of them with their logos. Also if you want to, put a About Me page telling viewers of the best feats that you have accomplished in your lifetime. It is important to create a Photos page. Also, create a Videos page. Put photos in your Photos page and videos in the Videos page. The names of the pages tell you what to put in them. If they don't, change the name of that page to a more sensible page name because the pages would not make sense to viewers. If you are creating a blog, post updates on it.

  Some good softwares to make sites in are: Google Sites, Adobe Flash Professional, Adobe Dreamweaver and iWeb. Between these softwares, I prefer Adobe Flash as it is easy to use and very flexible. iWeb is also easy to use but not as flexible.
  Some good softwares to make blogs include: Google Blogger, Google Sites and iWeb. I prefer Google Blogger because it is specially made for blogging.

Tricks

  In freeride mountain biking, tricks are very important. New tricks are created every day. Some easy tricks include whips, nac-nacs and no handers. Harder tricks include backflips and spins. Everybody can do every trick, given enough time to practice an enough commitment. It is very important that you are committed to do something, because, if you hesitate, very bad things can happen. Things that you don't want happening. Landings need special attention when doing tricks because doing a trick may manipulate the position the bike lands in. Staying on your line is very important too because on elevated trails, if you get of your line, you may fall of a steep slope and hurt yourself badly. The more the elevation, the worse the consequences if you fall of the trail. Try not to fall off!!! In freeride mountain biking competitions, you win or lose based on the amount of points you have. Remember, freeride mountain biking is not about being fast, it's about having the best tricks. Being fast will improve your points, but only slightly.

Have Fun While Biking

  In the previous post, I talked about having fun. That topic is continued in this post. Everybody always has fun when mountain biking, even if they don' know it. Everybody really has a lot of fun while mountain biking. The people in the pictures below are also having fun mountain biking.

Mountain Biking Is Fun

  Mountain biking is really fun, don't you think? I love to mountain bike. Getting so close to nature is awesome and the thrill of jumping cannot be matched by any other sport. Speeding downhills is really fun because you feel the rush of air past you as you race down a steep mountain or 360 of a drop. Mountain biking also requires creativeness. An example of being creative in mountain biking would be thinking of how to create a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring trick. Mountain biking requires flexibility and fast reflexes too. Determination is key because performing a new trick will not come without a few crashes. I love to do tricks while jumping. I have crashed, but, I have accomplished some very hard tricks. Having fun is the most important thing in mountain biking. Everybody should have fun but everybody should also be aware that mountain biking is a dangerous sport. People should have fun and stay in control. With that said, go out there and have some fun!!! I will come back very soon!!!