I was out the other night doing a few laps of a local circuit. First time down I just tried to charge down as fast as my meagre skills and limited nerve would allow as usual, but it was very slippery and I nearly put myself into the trees on a few occasions. So, on the next run I made a conscious effort to take it easy and slow right down before any lumpy bits.

Obviously this is no good if you are chasing Strava times, but I was struck by a few positive benefits. Going into sections a lot slower gave me much more time to consciously choose a line and actively ride over obstacles, rather than going where the trail sends me and hanging on as I do too often. Having a bit more thinking time also allowed me to focus more on the feel of the bike and the natural flow of the trail and, of course, going slower meant that the whole experience lasted longer too.

I realise that it is a heretical thing to say, but I think I actually had more fun by going slower and it’s something I might try and do a bit more often in future.

I also wonder whether focusing on developing a smooth active style rather than just on riding faster might actually result in the ability to go faster and still feel in control, which would be nice 🙂

Sounds like you just lost your racer’s edge / balls? Self-justification that going slow is acceptable is the first step toward a middle-aged life of bimbling, cake and ‘social rides’. Which is just fine. If that’s your thing 😉

That bimbling thing he described…that’s me. 🙂

It’s easier to learn to ride properly by doing it slowly first.

Social rides are ace

‘The Joy of Slow’

Just call me be joyous.

“In order to go fast Daniel-son firs you muss wash-a-car. Wax on! Wax off!”

😀

Superficial – Member 
Sounds like you just lost your racer’s edge / balls? Self-justification that going slow is acceptable is the first step toward a middle-aged life of bimbling, cake and ‘social rides’.

Sounds like you are misled if you think everyone rides a bike to be the fastest they can.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Sounds like you are misled if you think everyone rides a bike to be the fastest they can.

Maybe you’re mislead if you assume that 100% of posts on here are deadly serious 😉

Sometimes to go faster,you have to go slower first! Old racers proverb 🙂

Would somebody tell that to my teenage son? He charges off like a nutter at the start of our rides then tires and lags behind for the remaining 95%, meaning I can’t get a good ride.

dunno what yer taking about. everyone is on the ragged edge wheelieing away from every corner putting the power down, and and any run not being a strava KOM or PB is a failure. 😉

actually went “the wrong way” yesterday. up a rooty climb that I’d normally go down. was ace – walkers see you puffing uphill so step out of the way 🙂 also can’t believe how many paths off to the side that I saw, that I’ve never seen before. Might have to explore some.

I approve of bimbling.

just get a rigid singlespeed hardtail – guaranteed to slow you down.

I’m just slow so I have no choice but to enjoy it.

slow is the new fast

Thanks folks. Just a few points, for clarification.

First, I never had a racers edge, my cojones won’t win any prizes and, unless I live to be over 100 even middle age has probably passed me by. So, I reckon I have every right to bimble. But, fun though that can be on occasions, it’s not really what I’m talking about here. It’s more a question of whether charging everywhere as fast as you can all the time is really the only way to go.

I don’t doubt that it’s fun and is probably the default mode for most of us (me included). But I wonder whether there isn’t something to be said for taking a bit more time sometimes too. Time to plan your line, time to feel how the bike moves and time to review what you’ve just done.

Of course, you mustn’t confuse speed with commitment. You might take a bit more time to pick that line, but once you pick it you’ve still got to commit to it. I doubt there is anything to be gained from riding tentatively.

I’m with the OP. When I got back into MTBing a few years ago, I went hooning round a local circuit and was frustrated because although I was trying hard, I felt like I was riding badly. I blamed the trail for being too bitty and twisty. (!) That was no fun, so I went with the old, ‘slow is smooth, smooth is fast’ thing and tried to ride it without braking (it’s almost all flat). End result was I went quicker, pedalled less and touched the brakes twice in about 4 km. When I tried to go fast again, I was much smoother and minutes quicker than before, for the same effort.