After marrying a man who bought one of the first mountain bikes back in the early eighties, I was dragged into the sport - and have never looked back. Don't be intimidated - you can start out "easy"; once you've made it to the top of a wilderness peak under your own steam, though, looking at the view and looking forward to racing back down (my favorite part), you'll be hooked for life.
If you are just getting into the sport, learn a whole lot about mountain biking for beginners from About Guide Kevin Tisue. You don't have to start by scaling peaks - if you have a bike path in your town, start there and get used to the bike - how it feels, balances and shifts. Move onto a "baby" hill. Don't push yourself too hard at first. You'll want to get to that point soon enough!
Buying a Bike
First, read Kevin's article to find out what you need and want if you don't already know. You may also want to check out reviews at mtbr.com.Having owned a bike shop, I must say that hitting your local shops is your best option for buying a bike. You'll need to be fitted properly and take some test rides, and that can't be done online. You might be also able to find the perfect bike in the newspaper or at a local swap meet.
Hope to see you on the trails! (Oh, yeah - get trail maps from your local shops or, if traveling, you'll be able to find some before you leave home online).
