It's a crazy love.

A few months ago Michael and I went cycling on the Avianto track.

The track is very boring at first especially in winter when the grass is dry and the scenery is a dull brownish, khaki green.  You cycle up and down, up and down on winding tracks on the same hill.  Finally you divert to a large open field and see a bit of country side.

10 km away from the club house my derailleur snapped right off while going down a hill.  No accident, no bump, it simply decided to jump right off.  My bicycle had been away for 4 weeks for a new derailleur and now the day after I got it back it was off again.  

Michael assessed the situation.  It was a very long walk back.  He broke my bicycle's chain and rejoined it so that I would be able to cycle without gears.

I now only had a  tough gear but we decided to continue.  Avianto's track saves the worst for last.  Already tired we hit very rough uphills and down hills full of loose rocks.  Because of the gears I could not gain momento for the uphills.  I was pushing and sweating, pushing and sweating, pushing and sweating.  When I thought we were close to the end of the trail, we hit yet another daunting hill.  I was by now thoroughly exhausted so I started to cry.

Michael:  "Why are you crying?"

Me:  "Because I am so tired"

Then we both started laughing.

When I got home I did what I always do after a long tough track.  I got into the bath and soaked myself for about an hour.  Rubbed of the dirt and as usual realised that some of the dirt that  I was trying to rub off  was actually bruises.  Every part of my body ached and yet all I could think about was,

"I hope the new derailleur the manufacturer is sending works this time."

Newbies guide to buying a mountain bike.

When Michael and I started out MTB last year we thought that it was really unnecessary to buy more expensive bicycles than our cheapie Chinese models bought from Game.

After 2 months Michael had to replace the pipe leading to his bicycle seat, it completely buckled. The next one buckled in a day.  (He was now riding harder).    He sorted this out by sawing off the barrel of his broken pellet gun and sealing it in the pipe with resin.  I kid you not my husband was riding on a barrel of a gun.  We were now getting faster and more daring and we started to realise that cheap Chinese models do not cut it.

Everybody will advise you not to buy a bicycle from a non bicycle shop and I agree except when you are new and on a very tight budget.  I advise all newbies on a  tight budget to start with the cheap MTB's.  You more than likely are going to end up loving Mountain biking and will end up buying an expensive mountain bike.  If you are on a budget buying an expensive one to start will be a waste if you find MTB is not for you.  Also you don't completely know yet what you want out of your mountain bike and you might end up with the wrong bicycle.

If you are well off by all means go and buy an expensive bike but only buy it from a proper bicycle shop and get an expert to tell you what is going to suite your body type.

Never buy a cheap mountain bike with rear shocks!!!!.

Front shocks are wonderful even on cheap bicycles but rear shocks are unnecessary for newbie MTBers and on cheap bicycles you cannot lock them for normal trails.  That rear shock keeps you constantly bouncing.  You can get sea sick on you bicycle!

Your derailleur must be metal not plastic.  I bought my second MTB still cheap but a bit more expensive.  At this stage still inexperienced all I wanted was front shocks for those rough downhills.  The derailleur was plastic.  It snapped right off, it was replaced and a few days later it snapped off again.  The manufacturer then sent me a metal one.  I realise now I was in too much of a hurry to get a better bicycle.  Take your time and speak to the experienced mountain bikers and go to proper bicycle shops.

Gear shifters that turn by your handles are awful.

Click gear shifters are the best.

Mountain Biking Changed my life!

Before I discovered the joys of mountain biking I tried jogging for a year.  I hated it and I didn't loose any weight.  I have come down 4 dress sizes!