Are you ready to get on your bike? Cardrona Bike Park opens on December 1, 2018!
With just a couple of weeks left before we open for the 2018/19 summer season, we thought we’d share our top 5 tips for getting ready for the mountain biking season...
Get your mountain bike sorted
Getting your bike ready for the summer requires more than a dust-off – there are heaps of checks & tickle ups you need to give it before you head out for your first ride. At the very least, you’ll need to:
- Check your tyres have heaps of tread, aren’t torn, & are pumped up.
- Give all of your bolts a quick check, sometimes they can get shaken loose after a full summer of laps!
- Spin your wheels, checking for any wobbles, making sure they’re spinning nicely & your hubs aren’t too tight or loose.
- Make sure your brakes aren’t rubbing - re-adjust the caliper if they are. If they’re super worn you’ll need some new brake pads before you hit the Bike Park!
- Give your brakes a squeeze while you’re at it. If they’re feeling spongy, it may be time to give them a bleed.
- Tidy up your suspension – make sure your seals are clean & not cracked. Cycle your suspension a few times, check your bounce & adjust your air pressure to get it in that sweet spot.
- Check your frame for any damage. If your brake & shifter housing is rubbing on your frame then it’s time to get your tape out!
- Check your handlebar is still in the right place & free of damage.
- Shift through your gears, making sure your drivetrain isn’t skipping from one cog to another without you giving it the go-ahead. Give your chain a good lube…
If that all seems like too much tinkering for your liking, take it to your local bike shop to get your bike running sweet again! If, in your excitement for Opening Day, you forget to get your gear looked at, there’s a Bike Workshop up the mountain with mechanics on-site to give your bike some love.
Go gear shopping!
This is definitely the time of year when we’re all looking at what needs an upgrade. Do your research - there are a tonne of sites out there with great gear reviews. If you’ve got a spare couple of hours, pop into your local bike shop & chat to the crew in there about what’s best for your ability level, style of riding & budget. They’ll chew your ear off with all the options, but it’ll be worth it when you’ve got the perfect setup for your riding this summer!
Remember: if you forget anything when you come up to Cardrona, we’ve got a shop up on the mountain that has you covered with a bunch of bike gear.
Get your fitness up
Go to the gym! Do some squats, build up those leg muscles. Make sure you focus a lot on your core - that’s where all your biking movement originates so a strong core will really help you when you’re out on the trails.
Then get out on your bike - start with some easy, flat terrain to build up your endurance levels. Use these couple of pre-season weeks to get out there as much as you can, so you’re up to doing the Peak to Pub on Opening Weekend!
Get your Cardrona Bike Park pass
If you haven’t already, now is the time to get your Cardrona Bike Park season pass! They’re really good value with no blackouts, & they come with a great community of local riders who’re always up to take some laps (especially on Friday nights). If you’re a member of a local bike club you get a really sweet deal, so check out the Bike Wanaka or Queenstown Mountain Bike ClubFacebook pages for more details.
Sharpen your mountain bike skills
This summer we’ve got heaps of ways to make the most out of your summer riding with the Cardrona Mountain Bike School:
We’re offering First Timer Packages (so you don’t have to jeopardise your relationship by teaching your significant other) with a half day pass, 2 hour beginner group mountain bike lesson & full suspension Trek bike included. If you’re just getting into riding downhill, this is the package to get you super confident out on the trails.
Book yourself into a Private Lesson for more specific technique tips if it’s not your first time riding downhill (or you just want some 1-on-1 attention from our excellent Bike School instructors).
If you’d like to become a mountain bike instructor yourself, PMBIA are running a couple of courses in early December - check out their website for more details & to sign up!
Now you've got all that sorted, it's time to get psyched for another epic summer up at Cardrona Bike Park! We'll see you all on Dec. 1... are you in?!
