Viewing 15 posts - 41 through 55 (of 55 total)
  • Can slow people race?
  • mcboo
    Free Member

    As above….have a go at it. XC Racer website will tell you where your local XC MTB races are. First time just join in at the back, maybe do the Fun. You wont believe how quickly the guys at the front set off at, dont worry about it, just use your first couple of rides to get into the swing of it. Once you have your head around whats going on they are FANTASTIC fun, you’ll be going great guns before you know it, be totally buzzing at the end.

    Road sportives are another alternative, not a race but lots of people (ie everyone) is trying to get round fast as they can then see where they come when the results go online on the Monday morning. Better still find some pals and do it together or even join a club. That goes for XC too…..you’ll find your local club will be full of nice folk who will cheer you on whatever your standard.

    vickypea
    Free Member

    I’m 45 and think of myself as slow but I still race because I love it. I’ve been doing 3 or 4 MTB events (including Hit the North) and a few road TTs a year for the past few years and I don’t come last, in some events I’m nowhere near last which goes to show that a fair few slow folks race!

    aa
    Free Member

    simple answer is yes.
    Try it, you may well enjoy it. A lot of good comments up there^^.
    It’s a good craic and you WILL find your own race within a race.
    I’ve done enduro 6 and come bottom 5, i’ve done mayhem and come top thirty. My placing had no impact on my enjoyment of the race (in fact i’ve been known to stop for a can of ale halfway round on occasion).

    bjj.andy.w
    Free Member

    Can slow people race ?
    I bloody hope so, because this slow rider ( ie, me) is going to look at right fool on my own at the Gisburn enduro in September 😳 😀

    molgrips
    Free Member

    XC racing can be fun yes, but I cannot imagine doing a road TT for fun! It’s just 25 minutes of grim, then you go home.

    umop3pisdn
    Free Member

    Each to their own, I prefer sitting right on the edge whilst TT’ing than having my HR jumping up and down in road racing or XC, but I still do them all cos racing is fun.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    What I like about XC racing is being able to gain time on technical bits. So you’ve got the fitness aspect but also the technical bike handling skills. You have to push your limits of fitness and speed, which is proper exciting 🙂

    legolam
    Free Member

    http://www.britishcyclingnortheast.org.uk/index.php/get-involved/mtb/north-east-xc-mtb-series/175-2013-north-east-xc-mtb-series

    This is the local NE of England XC mountain bike series. I’d never raced before but went along to the second race earlier in the summer after a bit of banter between riding buddies. I’m a girl with a full time job and no training, but I’m by no means the slowest rider there (although I’m also getting used to being lapped!). It’s a really supportive way to race and I’ve made a few friends in the process. The front guys are fast but friendly, and those of us near the back have a bit of good natured competition going now.

    P20 and Ahsat from this parish came along to the last race and the organisers are keen to get people involved (it’s only the second year it’s been running).

    The last race of the series is in Hamsterley on the 7th September – there are promises of podium and cake at the end. Join us!

    samuri
    Free Member

    TT’s are so weird. It’s not helped by everyone there being very strange indeed.

    You’ll have some old guys who have ridden there at 7mph on an old beater from 1962 with a light off the front of steaming billy and some panniers filled with linseed soaked rags. They’ll churn out a 24mph average over 25 miles and then meander back home to their cats and disabled wife.

    There will be a load of massively serious blokes on single speed TT bikes that sound like a bucket full of bottle caps falling down some stairs when they pass you from ten minutes back. Those are the guys who will put in the fast times. They have this 1000 yard stare *all the time* and the only time they ride a bike is in the TT.

    Then there’s your common TT stalwart who is just a bit crap, rolls along at 18mph in these horrible cruddy bibs which he never washes.

    There’s the people having a laugh on a tandem or a mountain bike and finally you have the guys who turn up for two or three TT’s on a normal racer who simply haven’t got the mental blocks missing that allows them to apply 100% power, 100% of the time (and yes, that’s me)

    vickypea
    Free Member

    I think TTs are fun! I don’t have tri bars or aero kit, mainly because I have a bad back and even in a 25 I have to stand on the pedals and stretch my back out several times – which makes a mockery of assuming an aero position! I love beating people who are all aero’ed up. What category does that put me in?

    sturmey
    Free Member

    Lemonysam samuri I stareted racing cx last september Yorkshire series only ever done 2 mayhems before. Im 41 and have always been too nervous to race through fear of being rubbish. There is a full spectrum of riders just give it a go is what I say wish I had done it years ago.

    aa
    Free Member

    samuri,
    from a position of being a road club secretary, having run evening tt’s for years…..

    You’re about spot on!

    mt
    Free Member

    FunkyDunc – Member
    This is coming up soon 10th August. Reeth in the Dales. Ive not done it before, but I would have thought it might be worth a dabble.

    http://www.nutcrackermtb.co.uk/round6.html

    Do this race! Good place to start from, well organised, good ridding, go for it.

    yorkshire89
    Free Member

    I do like the sound of that. We have been meaning to go do a days riding around there but haven’t yet. I would have like to have a go at the course before the race but it doesn’t look like I will have time for that.

    Im hoping to get to Lee Quarry on Sat to get a feel for it, see how technical the course is and how my lungs hold up.

    jumble
    Free Member

    Last few years seems like the most common TT-er are triathletes who have cottoned on to club time trials. This is great though as you see more and more ladies coming into the sport now via this route. Oh and the odd pro road rider such as David Millar who turned up on Tuesday.

    No one is too slow to race XC, CX or TT. That’s why they are so much better than road racing. Good luck 🙂

Viewing 15 posts - 41 through 55 (of 55 total)

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