Being a newb myself (less than 2 months and 200 miles), I think it would be cool for the forum to have a section or sticky of basic knowledge or faqs for people to read all in one place.

Sections like:
Local bike shop bikes vs Walmart type
Where to buy bikes
Brands of Bikes
Different types of bikes, riding styles
Hardtail vs Full Suspension for MTB (pros, cons, etc)
Basic components of a bike (nomenclature, function, images, brands, etc)
What differentiates entry level stuff vs upgrades
Recommended parts (tires, wheels, brakes, shifters, derailleurs, equipment, etc)
Basic bike maintenance/repair (DIY, cleaning, lubrication, etc)
Where to ride
Tips to riding
Riding etiquette
And whatever else experienced members or even newbs come up with.

I think this is a great idea, but another good venue for this type of info is the DirtTreaders Wiki (there's also a link to it at the top of every page on DT).

It's definitely a work in progress, not by any means complete. Anyone registered here can edit and/or create new pages. Use your DT login info to login on the wiki site. Judging by RHS's experience, editing the wiki is a good way for you injured folks to pass the time (and pass on your knowledge).

Maybe a good practice would be this: when you add something useful to the wiki, post here telling everyone about it with a link to the page you edited.

So, consider this a wiki bump. If you've got knowledge to share, please do!

Where to ride is covered pretty well in existing sections. On the issues of tips and etiquette, you can learn an awful lot just by participating in group rides. As a recent convert to mtb who also discovered DT shortly thereafter, I can tell you that you won't likely meet a more welcoming and helpful group of riders than the people on this board.

Be careful though asking for bike and/or tire recommendations online -- those threads tend to go on and on and on and on . . . .

_________________
A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

I didn't even know that wiki thing was there and still had to look for it. That's cool but its a link away from the forum which also you have to be registered on the site. It might just be a few like me but sometimes we just like to read things behind the scenes and all in one place.

Since this would be directed for total newbs like people who don't have a bike yet or haven't ridden one since they were kids, I think it would be nice where they can just keep on reading for their own personal knowledge. Then if there's more they want to know about, then they could join the forum whenever they're comfortable to post questions and hopefully get helpful advice and not get flamed.

So something like this:
Walmart vs Local Bike Shop Bikes

Wal-Mart and Toys “R” Us sell plenty of bikes from brands such as Huffy, Mongoose, Roadmaster, and Schwinn for $100 to $200. They seem like good deals, so why would we advise you to spend $300 or more for a bike in the Ratings (available to subscribers)?

Because you get what you pay for. Mass-market bikes have cheaper construction than higher-priced bikes and can weigh 7 or 8 pounds more. They come in only one size, so you're not likely to get a great fit. And mass merchants can't match bike shops for quality of assembly, expert advice, and service.

In the long run, performance matters most, so we tried out two full-suspension bikes and one front-suspension model from the big-box stores, priced at $120 to $230. Shifting of the full-suspension bikes' 21 speeds wasn't nearly as smooth as on bike-shop models. Shock absorption and handling were fair to decent on pavement and on smooth dirt paths, but these so-called mountain bikes couldn't handle rough off-road terrain. On steep paved roads, the extra weight, poor gearing, and mushy suspensions made pedaling uphill very hard.

The front-suspension model, also with 21 speeds, did much better on pavement and on fairly smooth dirt trails--but only after we adjusted the sloppy setup to make it roadworthy. Plus it comes in only one size, so fit will be hit or miss.

Consider cheaper bikes from a department store only for the most casual adult use, and stick with a front-suspension model, which is likely to be better than a cheap full-suspension bike. You may want a mass-market bike for kids who will outgrow a bike quickly or toss it about.

Then blurbs talking about each part and so on.

Welcome buddy from the 951

Thanks for the welcome. Ya didn't have to thank the post, I just grabbed that pic from google. It already had the labels. I just put it up as an example.

Welcome! Like Canaan said, riding with the group will pretty much teach you everything about trail ettiqute. Most everyone leads by example.

For the DIY stuff, there's the Garage/McGuyver section on the main board index.

Common Parts Heirarchy:
Shimano = Deore<XT<XTR<Saint
SRAM = X5<X7<X9<X0

As far as recommended parts, what's better than what, best bike,... ask and we shall discuss.

_________________
Best riding advice I ever got... "make sure you have air in your tires"