A-Track

Where the tire meets trail is the edge. Mountain bikers crave success, the fine line between mediocracy and failure. Success in moderate proportions is considered mediocracy, looked down upon by all, and the enemy of a perfectionist. Failure is unfathomable. A mountain biker with moderate success does not clear jumps. They walk the bike down rocky sections. Never will they ride expert trails. On the other hand, failure can result in catastrophic injury. Success in this sport comes from riding the line between mediocracy and failure, but in the process, you will fall on both sides.

I fly past death on my decent. There is no return, throwing my breaks would toss me off the mountain. I jump over rocks the size of bowling balls and car tires, gaping over the mangled roots into a drop ahead. Two turns down, my friend tears around the corner. I will catch him. I trust the bike, lean off my brakes, and let her rip. Mountain biking requires speed. You need speed to jump, whip banked turns, and to keep your adrenaline flowing. To progress to more difficult trails, you must master your speed. It becomes exponentially crucial. When you hit a drop off, you must have enough speed that your bike does not nosedive. To clear a gap jump, you must make it to the other side. Speed is the name of the game.

Physics is most important where the tire meets the trail. If the static friction becomes kinetic, you slip out and crash. A normal force holds you to the berm (berms are banks where the trail turns. You must stay high on a berm so your centripetal force keeps you locked in), but without, you must slow down or crash. My friend drifted race cars for a living, and his knowledge of the rubber and road translates. He understands speed, and what the limits of a tire feel like. While I have many more hours on a mountain bike them him, I am trying to catch up. Riding the edge is a simple game of physics.