…. I could do that better, even though you may have said that the time before as well, and you put 100% into it yet come away disappointed?

No such thing as a bad ride. Been on plenty where I’ve come away thinking ‘could do better’ or ‘must try harder’ but that’s just a part of why I ride bikes.
Never, ever, been disappointed with a ride though. Ever!

Go for a second lap.

Aaron Gwin never seems to be too happy with his runs.

If you finish a ride and think yeah, that was the best I could possibly ever do… Well that’s depressing. I want to keep getting better and better, so yeah, that means I can (and will) do better in the future.

I always think that I could have done something better but still get some massive grins and plenty of feelgood factor

That’s perfectionism for you – it’s a cross your just going to have to learn to bare.

Stay off the internet and ride more – that’ll cure it.

Kryton – what’s the problem that’s got you stumped?

Go for a second ride, ride that berm higher ,land that jump straighter ,miss that rock ,jump those roots ,take the hill in a higher gear or tap out a faster climb ,but most important enjoy the post session cake /beer and plan the next onslaught “you need to ride harder my friend “or change to a more responsive bike ?

You can always get better, it’s only a problem if you expect that to ever stop being the case. Recognising a mistake or a shortfall should be a positive thing.

Yeah I’ve had it a few times. Worst is when you’ve driven an hour or two to ride. Feels like such a waste of a day.

yup. i think about what i did wrong (usually keeping my weight too far back in the corners) and how i can sort it out for next time. it worked for me for remembering to brake before the corners 🙂

as long as you know what youre doing wrong, its pretty easy to sort it out.

No, never. Not because I’m perfect, but because I’m not competing against myself and have realised that it’s just getting out on the bike that makes me happy, not my “performance”.

…. I could do that better, even though you may have said that the time before as well, and you put 100% into it yet come away disappointed?

Maybe your expectations are far greater than your ability – you “think” you could do better, but in reality you can’t. If you’ve given 100% – where do you go from there?

That’s perfectionism for you – it’s a cross your you’re just going to have to learn to bare bear.

Much like pedantry in my case, sorry.

as mildred said …..

No, never

I go out to ride not to try to compete with myself or the clock, I equally enjoy bimbling along at a snail’s pace as I do ragging it

Yes, I’ve certainly ridden like a complete penis and been irritated with the stop start foot dabbing nature of a ride when I know that on another day, the same section flowed beautifully and made me smile from ear to ear.

However, I blamed the tyres.

Yes, first time I did 3 Peaks – had read all the forums and reviews and so went off easy and paced myself expecting some serious death-march. Turned out to be easier than the scare stories had me thinking it would be…

In a way. A few years ago I was running a very hilly 10k XC race. I was near the topish end of my age group and time was ok. As I went over the last climb, I could see there was no one close behind me and realistically I couldn’t catch the guy ahead, so I coasted the last 500m-1k. As I was driving home, I had a strong feeling of wasted opportunity. What was the point of running the race if I wasn’t going to give it my best effort. That feeling and the desire never to feel it again has been/is a very strong motivator now. If I ever feel myself slacking off, I think back to that moment in the car and kick again. It spilled over into the Mtb races that I have done.

But it hasn’t stopped me from wimping on certain drop offs. But I think that is a different story. At the moment, I have a complete mental block on one run in the Surrey Hills. Only short, steep drop and comfortably rollable but it has me for the moment. Every time I fail to ride it smoothly, I feel irritated at the end of the ride. I really need to just go and session it. But the alternative argument with MTB (and climbing) which has been repeated to me recently, is don’t go for it if your are nor feeling up for it. There is another day and better to ride safely.

No, never

I go out to ride not to try to compete with myself or the clock, I equally enjoy bimbling along at a snail’s pace as I do ragging it

this, life’s to short to be such petty worries.

stany – Member
Kryton – what’s the problem that’s got you stumped?

Nothing specifically. In the back of my mind I had my last road-ride, where despite knocking out a good average theres one 200m hill where last time I manage it in the big ring, and this time was almost all the way up the cassette in the 39.

it bugs me.