I’ve watched the UCI DH and can accept that I don’t put the training, or have the single-mindedness in to get to that level. Ive seen the EWS up close and personal and been impressed by the skill and the speed. I’ve ridden with people faster and more skilled than me. I’ve compared strava segments and scratched my head. I’ve pined after newer, better equipment in the belief that it is holding me back. Ultimately I accept that I don’t ride enough.

But deep down I always thought that I was quarter-decent. Not great, but more not fit and not putting the time in.

Then I watched this guy: http://mtncine.ma/1392

I love watching the big mountain stuff on the interweb, but there is something about his composure in the face of exposure that has made me watch this three times back to back.

Seriously impressed.

I know that feeling. I used to think I was ok. Now I feel like I have only just passed the stabilser stage.

[video]http://vimeo.com/106715068[/video]

Embrace mediocrity, it’s quite liberating 🙂

pretty slow, though, wasn’t he

😉

🙂 Scaredypants

wwaswas – I think that is it. I never intended to.

I used to think I was reasonably quick. Till I went racing… Delusions of teh orsumz = shattered.

Mediocrity is a distant pipe dream…

When I use o Rock Climb I developed a theory “we are all bumblies”

“bumblies” is the term Austarlian for a less skilled climber. Apart from one who is king every other person is less good.

I remember thinking that I was making progress and then queening for an E3. I was just a slightly better bumbly

Whether its cycling, climbing or darts in the end most of us do it not as we are good but because we enjoy it

That’s not a dawning realisation!
But I’m decent and good enough for me. I ride for fun so that’s ok

I watched that video thinking **** that. My 8 year old took one look and said “That looks fun!” Oh dear…

The solution to never having this moment of realisation is to never think you’re that quick anyway, due to a combination of starting the sport late and not having much time or fitness.

At 3.50 he cheats with a bar lean, and there’s no whips.

Wonder if that’s a segment on Strava?

Having just watched that video and clenching my buttocks during many of the exposure sections I have come to the conclusion that I bet he’s a crap shag 😆

Not enough flow at that trail centre for me

I was once the best mountain biker in the area.

Largely because I bought the first mountain bike in the area.

All been a bit of a reality check since then, wwaswas and tomhoward sum it up for me 🙂

[edit] Given that I came off twice yesterday on Cutgate I don’t think I’ll go wherever that was filmed 😯

Not a problem for me, since I faced up to a reality.

I spent my former life as a professional freerider. I rode all over the world for Devinci, Banshee bikes and Da Kine.

As I got older I had to admit it was not a viable proposition, I was carrying serious shoulder injuries and the need to earn a regular income.

Hard to face up to, but I faced it and realised I could still get my buzz riding road bikes and also back into cross country mountain bikes (which is where I got into the bigger wheels in mid 80’s after BMX racing and freestyle).

Still got the bmx and fr skills, but now with road bike fitness meaning I am ripping it up on the road bike and xc mountain bike, loving the move to a more realistic outlook whilst pushing myself harder than ever!

To all riders reading this, don’t worry, find what makes you happy and do it!

some of that stuff was really exposed 😯 . It didn’t look even slightly fun but hugely impressive. I’ll stick to Arthur’s seat
and to answer the original question – I realise that I’m crap but some stuff feels like that to me, even if it’s clearly not. As long as no-one is filming it’s all good

I’m not sure I would ride “six inches off line and you’re dead” stuff even if I had the skills (which I don’t). I’m willing to accept the price of a broken bone or two, but high tariff stuff like that doesn’t appeal in the slightest.

One good thing about being crap is that I’m easily pleased, if I ride a trail I know and feel I have ridden it well, then that will do me.

Plus, it’s a bloody long walk back for him if his bike goes over the edge and he doesn’t!

I have no delusions of grandeur. I can’t even set my dual air forks up right, so watching headcam vids of Ratboy et al (And the above video) only confirm the truth. I’m not that great.

I enjoy the views as much as the riding though so even when I’m having a day where every rock sends me over the bars I at least enjoy my surroundings.

Seemed hard for a route signed as a red.

^^^^^^^

Ha ha

I spent the 90’s obsessed with MTBing. Eventually I got fed up with the fact that I was slow as, scared of stuff that really wasn’t scary, and just was never going to be a half decent rider.

Rather bizarrely I’m quite handy on a motorbike and in any group am up front with the fast boys, where the consequences of getting it wrong are far, far worse.

I was quite a decent roadie for a while, Gold finish in La Marmotte, but have got lazy recently.

Risk perception and bravery / fear are strange things, and very personal.

I reached that point many years ago when I was racing XC and made the heady move from Sport to Expert. Having won a few races at Sport level, there was me thinking I’m all good.

Then I did my first Expert race.
Talk about getting a kicking… 😳

Same thing happened later on in road racing – got good at 2nd Cat stuff, tried an E/1/2 race and was shown the back door in very short order.

Thought I was fairly fit a few years ago and then rode with an ex-pro XC rider called Mike Newton who made me realise the huge gulf between a pro rider and everyone else!

Starting in mid 30s, I knew I was shit and could never be as good as the cool kids. I just try to be as good as I can and really my main aim is to be able to tackle as much as I can, even if not all the features (generally big drops and gaps are still no go for me, but I can make my way down the steep git of a slope they are on).

Much like skiing which I’ve done for far longer. I may be no freeriding ski guru, but I’ve got to the state that I can get down everything up to and including double black diamond slopes confidently without much issue, tackling proper powder a bit now, and generally manage to survive. That’ll do me.

Being able to go nearly everywhere is my thing. I can’t stand being restricted to beginner stuff. Being able to do fancy tricks or being a super fit racer is not my thing.

I love the riding in that video and really aspire to it in my own small way… That plus improving my skills and confidence in drops and jumps are my main ambitions. I’m 39 now and have been doing this for a long time but you got to have some goals. It doesn’t matter what they are.

Pa! I’d ride that on a unicycle.

Whilst juggling chainsaws.

Probably…

😉

Mind-blowing…. truly astounding.

Under ordinary rather than extra ordinary here…..I still have fun.
That vid /riding is mental .,cheers…I’d rather watch that than some mook bouncing about doing tail whips …

Same as aka_Gilo, happy to go fast on a motorbike, done the odd trackday and can hold my own in the fast group, ride a dirt bike faster and down steeper stuff than I’d ride my MTB down too!…. I don’t get it either, the consequences of getting it wrong on either bike far outweighs the minor scrapes I get on the cycle…. The motorbikes are more expensive than the MTB too so it’s not like I have cheap motorbikes that I don’t care about…. Weird.

I’m happy to finish mid table when I race, I nearly died with happiness a few years ago when I finished in the top third at one of the mini-DH races at the FoD, little things eh!?

Just don’t watch any rad gnarr vids & ride on your own. In my world i’m a trail god whilst plodding along on my FR SS 😉

I’m rubbish! I have no balance, or co-ordination. I’m also adverse to getting both wheels off the ground. The fitness is there, but the technique is sadly absent.

That hasn’t stopped me from at least trying though…and loving every minute of it.

I have been riding for bikes and havent improved at all. Its fun, its my escape, time with mates, whatever. I get as much of a buzz getting up a hill my mates dont compared to keeping up with them going down. That video is impressive, but how many times did he stop to allow the cameraman to go down a bit? Therefore how many times did he redo things if they didnt look complete or he dabbed with his foot?

Riding will only ever be a hobby for me, you generally ride to the level of your friends. You ride with super fast people, you will push yourself. If you ride with guys like that, I can imagne being challenged but bored. Id find the best fun blasting down that slightly rocky gravelly trail at the end at a faster pace.

“bumblies” is the term Austarlian for a less skilled climber. Apart from one who is king every other person is less good

Isn’t it bumblies, then punters, then players?

You are only a bumbly for a bit. Once you are competent then you, (and most of us) are punters. Only the best are players.

Buy many of these and affix to all your bikes…

http://market.allhailtheblackmarket.com/

I spent most of my youth and early twenties riding bmx. I was pretty decent but always rode for fun but the speed that sport was progressing was too much and it wasn’t fun trying to keep up (i didn’t have a foam pit or resi ramp to practice on 😀 ). I switched to motorbikes and did that for over 10 years. I wasn’t anything special (hard to stand out in a sea of talented and crazy road riders) but it was very exciting and as said by a few others, although the risk was greater, it generally felt safe. I was lucky and walked away from motorbikes in good health and started mtbing. I’m older and hopefully wiser and although i’m nothing special on an mtb, i have lots of fun with the occasional scare thrown in. And that’s all i’m after.

Being good is overrated, having fun is where it’s at.

Dawning? DAWNING!!!?

It’s a dull sunset over my level of mediocrity 😳

Being good is overrated, having fun is where it’s at

Second that.

Unless you’re getting paid to ride or hoping to in the future just enjoy what you have now. Sure, push yourself to improve but remember one day you won’t be able to do what you do now. So take a step back and enjoy it.

😀