3 Ways to Amp up the Fun on MTB rides

I know sometimes we can get caught up in the physicality of mountain biking. Afterall, this sport can be very physically demanding.

It’s easy to forget sometimes, but I’m here to remind you that mountain biking is FUN.

I am not a frequent Strava user, but there are those days where I want to crush some miles and sweat my tushy off.

For me, the sweat your tushy off rides usually result in type two fun. If you’re not familiar with “type two” fun, that’s when you experience the feeling of fun AFTER a given activity. So yes, there are times after those hard rides where I convince myself that it was fun.

But what about having fun in the moment? Keep reading because I’ve got 3 ways to help infuse a bit more fun into your rides.

1. Take the pressure off

If you find yourself dreading the ride, there could be a variety of reasons you’re feeling that way. Whatever pressure you’re feeling, try to get to the bottom of it.

First, ask yourself why? Why do I feel this dread?

Do you feel pressured to keep up?

I used to get really nervous before group rides. I was afraid of being the slowest rider and holding up the group. I’d apologize every time I caught up. Eventually I realized, WHO CARES. You’re on a group ride. Everyone has their own pace.

I started to take pressure off of myself, by simply reminding myself on group rides that I don’t need to apologize if folks were waiting. Instead I thanked them and said things like “thank you for waiting” and “that was super fun, just need a moment to catch my breath”

If they don’t want to invite me to the next ride because I was holding them back, that’s just fine.

Are you obsessing about KOMs and miles?

I give you full permission to turn off Strava every once in a while. See how it feels to focus on something other than how far and how fast. Maybe turn your focus to how you’re feeling. How the sky looks. How the trees sound. How good that post ride beer is going to taste.

Are you not in the mood to go for a ride but someone convinced you to go?

Some days we’re simply not in the mood to ride.. And guess what, that’s OK.

When I feel this way, I tell myself I’ll ride for 5 minutes and if I still feel like I’m not feelin’ it, I can go home! And usually what happens is I start riding and feel much better once I’m moving. So I continue riding and forget all about how I felt at the start of the ride.

2. Play on your bike

Play more on your bike. Seriously. Get silly.

_{📷 @hilarylextreks}

Practice skills in the parking lot while you’re waiting for your friends. It’s a great way to kill some time, warm up and practice some skills like wheelies, bunny hops and my personal favorite, trackstands. (Here’s a “how to trackstand” video).

Another way to add more play to your ride is to stop and session obstacles/trail features along the way.

I love sessioning because it turns an ordinary ride into a fun challenge. If you’re with friends to cheer you on, it can be super fun and encouraging to session!

Ok Ok, you might be thinking, “Jess, the idea of sessioning scares me.”

If you’re feelin’ a bit intimidated by a certain feature, let’s say Drops for example…And you haven’t learned How to properly drop… I’d recommend working with a certified MTB coach or attending a clinic.

Don’t let the lack of confidence or technique hold you back from the fun. Investing in some coaching not only boosts your riding abilities but also amps up your overall enjoyment and safety on the trails.

Lastly, surround yourself with people you enjoy being around and riding with

3. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right crew. There’s nothing wrong with surrounding yourself with people you actually  enjoy being around.

I’m all about good VIBES.

I actually got into mountain biking because of an ex partner. He’s a very fast, very skilled mountain biker. So when I started riding, the gap in both our skillset and pace were pretty extreme.

A typical ride would result in me losing sight of him pretty quickly, and me hike-a-biking a ton. I never saw him get over certain things on the trail because he was so far ahead. So I’d roll up to a log over and walk it. Long story short, I didn’t enjoy riding with him very much in my beginner days.

It wasn’t until I met a group of local women mountain bikers that I actually started having more fun on my rides! I enjoyed the social aspect. Plus, I met more people who were my pace and skill level which made it fun to session things together.

Don’t have a crew to ride with? Use social media, MeetUp or Group me to find other people who like to mountain bike (preferably at your vibe/pace/level).

That said, you also don’t need to have a huge crew. Finding one or two people you like riding with is great.

RECAP:

To amp up the fun: try finding ways to take the pressure off yourself, play more on your bike and find yourself good peeps to ride with.

So slap on that helmet, hop on your bike, and go have some more fun on the trails.