Heart says new bike + skills day to get the most out of it and holliday to put it all to good use.

Head says……

Skills day = pointless, you've reached a point where the bikes holding you back, or at least it is in my head, I spent Sunday watching people do silly things on much lighter bikes arround Swinley.

New frame = Whats wrong with the old one? Other than that handling quirk you've not quite dialled out that your head keeps telling you is going to kill you.

Holliday = Whats the point in going on holliday with a bike your not 100% confident in any more and so not having the balls to use it?

p.s. I love my bike, but our relationship has drifted apart somewhat after not being used for nearly 2 years after an injury (clipless pedals fault, not the bike).

p.p.s. I'm sure all three would push my riding on about the same ammount.

So STW oracle, what should I do?

Man up, fix the bike get your arse to the three hills/north downs learn to ride again then go on holiday and become a riding God.

Assuming you dont fall off again !

Holiday! 😉

Seriously speaking, I came to that conclusion a long time ago with snowboarding – it's better to keep the same board for another year and get another week out there riding it than it is to have the latest board.

Little bit different with mountain biking as it's obviously easier to ride your bike in the UK.

What bike do you have anyway? What's wrong with it?

NO skills to learn? Bike holding you back? I doubt it.

A skills day should push your skills the most.

if i was you i would go out riding more regularily with people who are better, and eventually you will become faster as you follow their lines and pick up more speed.

That way you can keep your bike, upgrade wtih some new parts if required, and with all the money saved go on the holiday where you get even better and have fun.

You don't say what bike/frame you have but unless you have 80mm race hardtail and want to ride downhill or a DH Bike and want to race I don't think that your bike will be holding you back.

Why not get book yourself onto a one day skills course or here and take it from there.

Skills holiday!
Gotta be.

How about holiday AND skills training with BasqueMtb ?

OI Crossley get yer arse up to Swinley, my knee is temporerily working and so is my bike, this can't last for long!

Ohh and I have a new favourite corner to fill the hole in my life left behind by not being able to ride down Stanage every weekend.

Skills day (biggest single upgrade you cn make, whatever level of rider you are) + holiday (putting those skills to good use, somewhere nice)

AQR get my vote for the skills, and they do damn fine holidays too…

Bugger the new bike. If the old one works, why change it?

everyone can learn something on a skills day

Good riders can ride any bike, I'm crap and get as much fun riding my hardtalas I do my full suss on the same terrain

Holidays are great

+1 for AQR great bunch of enthusiastic knowledgable people

you are probably over anylising stuff and a bit nervous after your accident.
I fell off a few yrs ago and broke my collar bone. First ride on the bike went back and rode that section to banish the fear. No problem. Went back a few weeks later cleared that section again but could not get my head around the bit after it, took 3mnths or more to finaly clear it.
Stop blaming the bike imo. I have just ridden most of a local trail and secrets on a strange bike beloning to a mates friend whilst he rode mine. I have shimano pedals and his had some other make so we both had to ride unclipped ❗
I have also gone on holiday, hired bikes and ridden on strange trails in Spain, Verbier and Slovenia

What is your bike and your percieved problem ❓

holiday

DMR switchback, hade a pretty bad crash on bamford clough after bashing my cleat on a rock, not being able to get a foot back on the pedal, picking up speed as I couldn't get any weight back to get the brakes on, and ended up going headfirst into the ground at a silly speed.

Now ride on flats, no problem with SPD's, just don't like them any more.

But somehow despite a complete re-build with new forks, powdercoating for the frame, and new finishing kit the bike still gives me the heebie jeebies at speed. Just a complete lack of confidence in it for some reason.

Anyone want a DMR switchback frame, 18", lightly used by one overly carefull owner?

That doesn't sound like the bikes fault, just a mental thing…

Sounds more like you are going too fast for your ability/skills level/confidence.
All this ride with mates faster/better than you is OK so long as you realise you may take a bit of time to reach whatever standard they may be at and lots of practice. I ride with a few who get pssd off at me being a good few yrs older than them and they are struggling to keep up or do some of what I do. I have more than 20yrs riding in my body to their 4 or 5 but being youthfull they are also impatient and expect to be able to do it all without the effort.

Not a rant btw, just an observation 😆

Its definately a mental thing, I borrow someone elses bike and the problems magicly melt away, hence why a new frame/bike is a definate option.

Maybe make some adjustments to your set up with the cash so it lends itself to skills/technical over efficiency – shorter stem – different length bars, take a holiday up here in Scotland supporting the British economy and ride some awesome trails, you can get some skills tuition from us at http://www.mtbskills.eu in the process – 2 birds one stone (or stane as they say up here). I've raced for 22 years now and taught other top professional riders and they all confess to learning a thing or two when out with us. Value for money you will get far more bang for your buck booking a skills session than relying on a bike doing all the work for you. Good luck and have fun on whatever option you take.
(You could also see Richard at All Biked Up if your daarn saarrf)
Clive. http://www.mtbskills.eu
We also deliver bespoke skills sessions on weekdays and outside our scheduled calendar, just e-mail me at ss01mbc@mac.com and I'll be happy to help.

Would agree with Euroclive above – did a skills course at the weekend which has really picked me up and also discovered the difference taking out a couple of spacers under the stem has made. Seems small and insignificant, but what a difference. Like having a new bike, just cheaper!

new to you second hand frame and skills course????

Skills course are fab with the right coaches, and there are some excellent recommendations on here.