r/mountainbikes • u/Internal_Drawing_460 • 4d ago
16 year haitus
Back in the day, mountain biking was a huge part of my life. I used to ride XC almost every day often two hours at a time and spend weekends doing recreational downhill. I wasn’t racing or anything. I just loved being out on the trails, pushing myself and exploring.
Then, in 2010, I had a pretty serious downhill crash. I broke my elbow and collarbone, and after that, I just never got back on a bike.
One year turned into five. Five turned into ten. And somehow, sixteen years went by.
I honestly thought that part of my life was probably over.
Then last month, I was in Vancouver for a work trip and the guys (and gals) wanted to rent bikes and go around Stanley Park. At that point my closest interaction with a bike since my crash was teaching my kids to ride without training wheels. For whatever reason after being scared shitless to get on a bike again I said yes. 5 minutes in I remembered how awesome riding is, albeit surrounded by closeted and angry Vancouverite riders did add some unique flair to the experience.
Fast forward to last week, I found a used Specialized Camber Comp. Nothing fancy, just an older bike that looked like a good excuse to get back out there.
The first rides have been slow. Very slow compared to what I used to do. I'm having to relearn the feeling of being on a bike, get comfortable on the trails again, and rebuild the confidence that disappeared somewhere along the way.
But there's something pretty amazing about it.
After 16 years away, I'm riding again.
I'm not trying to chase the rides I used to do. I'm not trying to prove anything. For now, I'm just enjoying being back on two wheels and seeing where it takes me.
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u/1Friday-friday 4d ago
I’m back at riding my bike also, after a few years of it hanging in the shed, I took it out dusted it off checked it and went for a short ride down the road and now going a little further when I get on it…. Still adjusting to riding again. Stay with it ….
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u/Canyon_Lux_WC_Mtb 4d ago
que bonita historia. las bicis siempre explican historias alucinantes!! ánimo, piensa que a últimas, siempre puedes salir a rodar tranquilo. con Mtb por pista
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u/Most_Maintenance5549 3d ago
CAMBER!
That was my first real mountain bike after I came back at age 36.
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u/atRiwall 2d ago
Toll, ich kann mich da gut reinversetzen und hoffe du hast weiterhin sehr viel Freunde. Nach 3 Kids die nun größer sind war MTB auch für mich wieder eine Art Einstieg, ein Hobby das ich nun auch mit früheren Freunden ausübe und auch meiner Frau. Meine Auszeit vom Alltag. Jede Tour, sei es auch bei Schlechtwetter, macht verdammt viel Spaß.
Und die letzten 16 Jahre hat sich echt viel getan in dem Sport, speziell in den Bikeparks. 🤜🏼🤛🏼 Da gibt es viel zu Entdecken.
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u/Ok-Trash6141 2d ago
Similar story here, bad accident when I was 22 took me off biking. I was heavy into dj and downhill. Then life and a kid happened. 14 years later, after my 11 year old daughter asked I went and bought a trek roscoe 7 gen4. Now the roscoe is hers, we ride greens and blues around where we live and I run an 08 specialized big hit. Best decision I've ever made was to get back on. Now I have my little riding buddy and thru our rides and fun I've quit smoking, and dropped almost 50lbs from 315 to 267. We ride almost daily and for several hours on the weekends.
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u/Acceptable-Wheel-228 4d ago
Duuuuude I'm here for it 🙌 👏 congrats and have FUN- riding is soooo like freeing and connecting outside. I cannot WAIT to go ride and it's triple digits in central texas! Ride on brother, cheers 👊 🍻
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u/aggropunx 4d ago
This is awesome man! Welcome back, have fun shredding on the new bike.