Hi there,
I am new here so hello to everyone!
My question is:

How important a part do you think the bike plays for staying competitive at amateur(ish) races? This could be either XC, Enduro or DH.

If you had to put a percentage on it how much would you allocate to the bike and how much to fitness and how much to technique?

Look forward to your answers.

Hi,

It’s ALL about the bike

I’m only shit because my cranks aren’t carbon 😥

personally overall and on average
Technique
Fitness
Bike for DH
Fitness
Technique
Bike for XC
Enduro
Fitness
Fitnes and
Fitness.

The bikes will all be broadly similar at race level so makes little or no difference IMHO

For xc ,1% bike,10% technique,89% fitness.I know this because I race a totally unsuitable bike,I’m not that good but i am fit and I still usually finish inside top 20 at stuff like the crc’s,dyfi,no fuss 10’s etc

I’d say your bike needs to be appropriate to what you want to do in order to let you reach your potential. For example a DH bike mustn’t break, and an XC bike ideally should be fairly light – you’re not going to do as well as you should be able to do on a 37lb trail monster.

It’s a sliding scale. Going from a 37lb bike to a 25lb bike will make a massive difference to your XC racing – going from 25 to 22 won’t make as much, and going from 22 to 21 will make hardly any at all 🙂

Riding position is also important for XC. So a 25lb racy hardtail will be quicker than a 25lb trail bike – usually.. but of course that could depend on the course 🙂

I question the need for competition. Having the most fun is its own prize 🙂 And everyone can share.

There is a strong psychological element to having a swift, light bike that’s swifter and lighter than the next bloke’s.

That said, I have to broadly agree with the others here, it’s fitness, attitude, technique, shoes and bike in that order.

😈

Having witnessed a rider school 200+ DHers at a regional DH race on a hardtail built up in the carpark (after his DH bike snapped) and a roadie TT specialist win an XC race on a borrowed bike, at amaturish races I’d say it’s not very important at all. as long as the bike is in the right ball park for the type of race. even at the top level it’s not massive, Peaty won a national a few years back on a blown shock.

asda special would probably hold you back quite a lot.

a entry level – say £400 boardman for XC (no idea what sort of DH equivilent, stinky?) will make little difference.

Once you get to shimano kit and a reasonable for it is mostly rider.

Its good to read everyone’s comments.

So here is the next question:

It seems that the general consensus is that fitness and technique are more important than the bike. Personally, work and family commitments make it diifcult for me to stay as fit as I would like and get as much practice in as I would like.

Does the bike become more important for Mr Average like me who might be carrying a few muffins over the baggies?

Does the bike become more important for Mr Average like me who might be carrying a few muffins over the baggies?

Nah, if anything a good bike will be wasted on you. Just make sure you make time to stay fit, thats the best solution.

I.e. instead of working overtime to be able to spend £4000 on a dead nice bike, take the time off to work on your fitness and ride a £400 bike.

Not having the ideal set up is a good excuse (its why i race a rigid ss 😉 ) but if you’re only extracting 50% of the potential of your bike then increasing its performance 5% won’t really make much difference.

The less fit you are the less important the bike is. Simple.

If you have no technique then a larger amount of travel can compensate for this but a carbon V-10 will be wasted on you.

Get fit and ride. Then get fitter.

Personally, work and family commitments make it diifcult for me to stay as fit as I would like and get as much practice in as I would like.

That’s a rubbish excuse, admit it you’re just lazy like the rest of us 😛

I question the need for competition. Having the most fun is its own prize

Some of us think competition IS fun in itself though 🙂

To the OP – how much time do you think you need to train? It needn’t take long. They say there’s no substitute for hours on the bike – but I am now learning that there is 🙂

30 mins a few nights a week and a weekend ride could be all you need.

Sounds like a plan and you’re right it is all excuses really!

Even though there are a few muffins wobbling on top of the baggies I do feel a whole lot better when I’m riding a serious peice of kit.

It seems to make winning less important! I just enjoy the ride!

It must be the poser in me:)

Nice bikes aren’t about speed – let’s get that myth out of the way. Nice bikes are nicer to ride, that’s all there is to it.

People wibble on about saving a few lbs off your bike making no difference in speed on the climbs. As if that’s why I’m doing it! Who do you know who compares times at the top of a climb on an MTB ride? It makes the bike nicer to ride – lighter bikes handle better (provided they are burly enough for whatever trail you’re on of course).

I have to say I’m with you molgrips.
I can’t help myself but check out the other bikes when I’m out on a ride.

I wish I could afford more bikes! And of course more time to ride them.

Perhaps if I had new bikes more regularly then I would be all the more motivated to get out riding them! It feels good having something well designed and built between your legs!!! OOER!!

Nice bikes are nicer to ride

I question that – it depends how well they match your body. Some rusty old rubbish could ride really well and an expensive blingfest could be awful. And if you look at your bike while riding it you’ll soon come to grief!

Perhaps if I had new bikes more regularly then I would be all the more motivated to get out riding them!

I see the bike as basically irrelevant. You have to have one but it’s the riding that matters.

bike – <2% unless it’s pretty rubbish
fitness – the remainder – bar a wee bit of skil in Scotland as the courses can be tricky.

Who do you know who compares times at the top of a climb on an MTB ride?

That would be me 😆

I know my split times for my main training route. I know what difference tyres and weight make.

But… it’s all very marginal. Shaving 5 minutes off a lap is pointless if you’re 40 minutes slower than the fast lads. If you’re 4 minutes slower that’s different. I’m about 5 minutes slower than my baby bro so having a better bike *really* matters 😀