1st ride at Poto

[Snowybunting]

First, let me get my excuses in line:

- I haven't been riding long, this is my 2nd full season of mountain biking
- I started late in life (I'm 48 years old/young/whatever).
- I ride Maybury and Stony almost exclusively. My friends and I can get around Maybury in ~34 minutes, and my best 2 lap time is 70:15.

Now that those are out of the way ...

I've been trying to get the guys I ride with to try out the Poto trail with me. The timing was never right, so I went by myself yesterday (11/23) morning. From everything that I'd read about Poto, I expected it to be difficult. I had a map with me and made it thru the first 3-4 miles with no real issues. The area on the map that says "serious hills" was right on the money: I thought I could make it up the first tough climb but the roots got me. I got absolutely thrown off the bike - unclipped and everything. I was a little disappointed I had to walk the bike up the last 1/3 of that climb. I had no idea how to handle those roots, they stopped me cold. I tried different things on the next climb, but same thing. Then going downhill (I think it was the 2nd big downhill) I was getting bucked all over the place, and I started to get the feeling I wasn't in complete control of the bike. It was more of the same for a while, I was lugging the bike up the hills after not being able to negotiate the roots. I tried pulling the front wheel up to get over, but I guess I didn't have enough momentum and would tip over sideways like Artie Johnson falling off his tricycle on "Laugh In" (obscure reference, but those my age and older should get it).

I was pretty defeated by the time I hit #11. After that though, the trail was more forgiving, and I was able to make the rest of the climbs after that. I found that putting it in 1st gear and standing while going over the roots helped. I got some good air off the wooden bridges and some of the more even-spaced dropoffs on the downhills. I was able to follow the trail pretty well, only getting a bit concerned when the trail came out to the unpaved road turn-around by Gosling Lake. Also, I got caught up looking at a babbling brook and almost went straight into it when I took my eyes off the trail.

I finished 17miles, and when I got in I felt as if I had ridden a real mountain bike trail for the first time. I know now I don't have the bike handling skill to tackle those climbs, but I'm going to try it more than a few times next year anyway. It was a demanding trail for my skillset, but absolutely the coolest trail I've ever been on.

[jrshome]

Poto is awesome, next on the list should be Highland, just as tough but in a different way.

How did you like that long climb at the end, after full the full loop that is always a killer

[Snowybunting]

How did you like that long climb at the end, after full the full loop that is always a killer

Is that the one that does a 90° turn about halfway up? If that's the one, it ate at my soul when I thought I was done with the climb then saw all the rest of it after that turn. I thought about walking it up that one as well but I already was tired, dirty, and had snot all over my face, so I said "f*** it" and put my head down. There was a tree on the left about 50' from the end that I shouldered and then used to push myself up a little bit.

[CardsHockey]

Yeah..... that's a fun one.

I've ridden Poto 5 or 6 times and I still struggle with a few hills in the first few miles of trails. They're tough as *beep*.

[fsr1]

This is what I remember from Laugh in.

[trout_smith]

Yeah..... that's a fun one.

I've ridden Poto 5 or 6 times and I still struggle with a few hills in the first few miles of trails. They're tough as .

I think Owasippe here on the West side might be a comparable trail, but a little shorter at around 11 miles. It's got one of those climbs where you just begin to be relieved and then you see that you're only about halfway done

[gossamer]

Then you have to try a double Poto thats when the fun really starts

[jrshome]

How did you like that long climb at the end, after full the full loop that is always a killer

Is that the one that does a 90° turn about halfway up? If that's the one, it ate at my soul when I thought I was done with the climb then saw all the rest of it after that turn. I thought about walking it up that one as well but I already was tired, dirty, and had snot all over my face, so I said "f*** it" and put my head down. There was a tree on the left about 50' from the end that I shouldered and then used to push myself up a little bit.

Yes that is the one, it is a long way up after that turn. I have been riding Poto since the early 90's and it is still my favorite trail. It is to bad they had to take the real big hill out. Where it says series hill on the map their used to be an even bigger hill than the ones that are their now. Not sure if I ever made it up that hill clean

[Leroi Rider]

that hill at the end is easier if you just stand up, sprint and try not to puke at the top . As for double poto...those are a lot of fun, but my favorite is 3 laps of the 14mile and then the 6 short loop.

[Snowybunting]

Yes that is the one, it is a long way up after that turn. I have been riding Poto since the early 90's and it is still my favorite trail. It is to bad they had to take the real big hill out. Where it says series hill on the map their used to be an even bigger hill than the ones that are their now. Not sure if I ever made it up that hill clean

I'm trying to imagine how they would take out an entire hill, but I suppose there's more to it than what my limited imagination can conjure.

What is the preferred method for riding up those steep, rooty inclines? Is it simply a matter of getting used to hitting those roots and maintaining balance, or is there a different trick to it? Because the climbs in the "serious hills" section had me completely baffled - either I was stopped dead in my tracks if I went too slowly or I got bucked off the bike if I went too quickly.

[Paul Brown]

Yes that is the one, it is a long way up after that turn. I have been riding Poto since the early 90's and it is still my favorite trail. It is to bad they had to take the real big hill out. Where it says series hill on the map their used to be an even bigger hill than the ones that are their now. Not sure if I ever made it up that hill clean

I'm trying to imagine how they would take out an entire hill, but I suppose there's more to it than what my limited imagination can conjure.

What is the preferred method for riding up those steep, rooty inclines? Is it simply a matter of getting used to hitting those roots and maintaining balance, or is there a different trick to it? Because the climbs in the "serious hills" section had me completely baffled - either I was stopped dead in my tracks if I went too slowly or I got bucked off the bike if I went too quickly.

Ride Poto as much as possible. You'll figure out what works best for you after riding it a few dozen times. If you can't climb those after that you need to improve your power to weight ratio, again, just ride your ass off as much as possible and that ratio will improve as well. You'll get 20 different answers on how to clean technical climbs from the MMBA experts here (there was a 10+ page thread about riding through a turn for christ sakes), just enough to confuse the *beep* out of you. To improve your mountain biking the best thing to do is ride more and don't over analyze it.

[djansen00]

Yes that is the one, it is a long way up after that turn. I have been riding Poto since the early 90's and it is still my favorite trail. It is to bad they had to take the real big hill out. Where it says series hill on the map their used to be an even bigger hill than the ones that are their now. Not sure if I ever made it up that hill clean

I'm trying to imagine how they would take out an entire hill, but I suppose there's more to it than what my limited imagination can conjure.

What is the preferred method for riding up those steep, rooty inclines? Is it simply a matter of getting used to hitting those roots and maintaining balance, or is there a different trick to it? Because the climbs in the "serious hills" section had me completely baffled - either I was stopped dead in my tracks if I went too slowly or I got bucked off the bike if I went too quickly.

I just started making those hills consistently this year...and as Paul said it mostly just came from riding it more. The only thing I consciously changed is that I had to ride up them faster. When I just granny geared those hills I would always either spin out on the loose stuff or lose momentum when trying to get over the roots. So I just try to power up it as fast as I can and that seems to help a lot. I see some guys get off their seat for the entire climb...I haven't done that but I might try that strategy next year.

[Leroi Rider]

Paul Brown is full of crap. He's just some Expert or Elite racer or what ever, has no idea what he's talking about (major J/K!!!) I on the other hand am a professional mid level (read crappy) rider with 3 years experience who knows all, so I'm giving you my expert opinion. It's the only one that counts really. Your best bet is to continue to ride poto. Beyond that ride poto with people who are better than you so that you can watch how they do things, there is a thursday night group ride where you are bound to find someone you are the same speed as, but who might be able to clean that section and not do something you can. Keep on trying, but I bet very few of us who started out could clean those hills, but now we can...most of the time. To your benefit though, the second one is now like 5x easier now that some a**hole took one of the roots out of it. . Sooner or later you will nail that hill and then you have to worry about recovering at the top of it But at least you get to sit up there on the nice log-bench and heckle the other people who are trying to make it up.

[jrshome]

I agree, once you get to where you can ride all the hills(at least most of the times) you really blow your wad in the beginning of the trail. Takes a while to recover.

[ibisman]

Boy, this Leroi rider is a piece of work eh? I guess use 'ol geezers got to take him out fer a ride and teach em some tricks.As fer the climbs....sometimes its better to zig 'n zag yer way up instead of straight on. And yes a double lap at poto is nice, I've done it several times this past summer.