Unless you are all about the burn, the best part of mountain biking is when gravity is working with you, not against you.

Enter downhill mountain biking, which borrows the chair lift from it’s snow-bound brethren to skip the hard work and role straight for the fun stuff. While looking at armor-clad downhillers with bikes that look like the red-headed step children of motorcycles may be intimidating, this is really a sport that’s open to anybody.

Getting started

All you really need to get started is a mountain bike set up right and the proper safety equipment to start making the summer ski runs.

http://www.tahoe-world.com/images/stories/20070627/Northstar-Bike-Slide.jpg" vspace="3" align="right">First, get your bike checked out to make sure everything is screwed on tight and in the right place — a day of downhilling can put a lot of stress on your machine.
Then, drop the seat — you aren’t looking for the most efficient pedaling position when gravity is doing most of the work, and a lower seat means a lower center of gravity.

Lose the pedals that attach you to the bike — again, pedaling power isn’t key, and a good pair of flat BMX-style pedals will let you bail at the drop of a hat (or bike).

Wear protection — a good helmet and full-fingered gloves are a must, and shin guards to protect against those meat mallet BMX pedals I just told you to buy are a good idea too.

Going big

http://www.tahoe-world.com/images/stories/20070627/Northstar-Feature1.jpg" vspace="3" align="right">Totally hooked on downhill mountain biking? Time to leave the cross-country kit at home.

Like a motocross machine without an engine, bikes meant to go down have more laid-back angles, longer suspension, and bigger breaks and tires.

Suspension (the shocks on the front and back of a bike) not only makes plowing over rocks and roots more comfortable — it gives the rider more control (think galloping mustang versus bucking bronco).

Typical downhill rigs have 6 to 8 inches of suspension travel, but if you want something you can use without a ski lift 4 to 6 inches is a good place to start.

And of course, disc breaks come in handy when the lift line at the bottom of the hill comes at you faster than expected.

As you get faster, jump higher, and fall harder, it’s time to add more body armor and a full-face helmet.

Where to go

The place to be for downhill mountain biking this summer in the Truckee Tahoe area will be Northstar, opening Friday, June 29.

After being closed for a year for construction, Northstar’s lifts will once again cater to summer gravity junkies with new trails and terrain.

The resort’s mountain bike park has a run for everybody from the meandering beginner’s trail to the elevated wood ladders and jumps for those who don’t let sanity hold them back.

For hours of operation, ticket prices, and rental information, check out http://www.northstarattahoe.com">www.northstarattahoe.com.


This story originally appeared in the Tahoe World on June 26. The http://www.tahoe-world.com/">Tahoe World is owned by Swift Communications, tahoe.com's parent company.