firstly i do not want to race.
the reason i ask is im curious as to how long it would take an average person with reasonable fitness, diet etc to get really good power, stamina etc to be able to compete at a "just for fun level" in moutain mayhem or simular.or just ride to a high endurance standard,etc.
Basically is it something that develops over years or a shorter time frame? im not impatient but have heard about muscle fibre changes etc and also some of the people ive ridden with before (offroad)are just such powerhouses and thats when they arnt even trying!

think my thread title may have placed to much influence on racing compared to my question…. 🙄

I think its different for everyone. I've been riding lots for about 2 years now, and I still die after about 65 miles (most of the time), no matter how much training I do. But then, I'm only 17.

It really does depend on how much training you do, how seriously you take it, how hard you push yourself, etc. etc.

"just for fun"

Well for me, I hated riding at times when I was really unfit due to the arrival of my son and consequent near complete lack of training for about a year and I guess that it took about three months of training three times a week (but fairly hard training when I did it) to get to a level where I was enjoying rides more because I wasn't struggling.

It's hard to say absolutely though – for me, I've been pretty fit for a long time so I reckon I got it back fairly quickly. For people who've never been fit, it'd probably take longer.

I would say that if you already in reasonable shape that you can get fun race fit within a year. That would include a good diet and riding your bike properly (2-4 hours at a time) at least twice a week. But it is important to build fitness up gradually, start with 1 hour rides and over the year build up to 6 hour + outings. Type and speed of rides also important, I tend to vary fast race speed training rides with long leisurely weekend rides to keep things interesting etc.

But is really is different for everyone due to their general fitness, age, diet, etc.

I'm 37 and been training for race fitness for 1.5 years now, both MTB, DH and road, had good general fitness before mind. I now compete in XC and Marathon XC races and tend to place upper mid field. To be honest I only train so I can enjoy my riding without feeling knackered but I can't help the occasional race to blow the cobwebs out the lungs 😆

I've been training for Marathon type events for about a year now…

I was very slim but also very weak and very, very unfit so arguable started from nothing but at least didn't have weight to contend with…

A year on of doing similar to what clubber described, riding at least three times a week and as hard as I can I've come a long way – but I'm still miles away from the front runners. I'm at a standard where I'm happy to finish in the top half, ecstatic to finish top third…

The good news is my social riding has come on miles, when I started out CwmCarn would take me all day and I'd barely get round, now I can comfortably go to Afan and ride Whites, The Wall, Penydd and July all in a day… I don't know if that helps you answer your question or not…

Taking up road bikes helped A LOT!

Most of the 1st Cat road guys I ride with reckon that you will reach your base potential after 2 years (this is both fitness and race craft). From that point you will have to work very hard to advance significantly.

Most of the 1st Cat road guys I ride with reckon that you will reach your base potential after 2 years (this is both fitness and race craft). From that point you will have to work very hard to advance significantly.

…and then plateau forever in 1-2 years. It works for a regular adult who takes up cycling, i've been watching local racing crowd for quite a long time. 3-4 years of steady progress and then nothing despite all the proper training. If someone is still progressing after 3-4 years then he/she hasn't trained enough.

Young boys/girls who do only cycling and nothing else they are different.

well what im really getting at is, as some have mentioned,to go out socially or for fun and not be knackered.to be able to get the max out of a day out etc.
like so much i guess, the more you put in the more you get out…

When I fractured my pelvis a few years ago I was off the bike for about 6-8 weeks and then had to start again from scratch, it took me a good year or so before I was fully race fit again and that was starting from near enough race fitness to begin with!

Depends on what level you're at, what your goals are, how much training time you can devote to it and what your actual training is – far too many people doing it 'just for fun' aren't training properly. It could be not enough, too much or not the right sort of training (wrong intensity/duration etc etc). Diet helps a lot too – you can tune the engine all you want but if you're feeding it the equivalent of supermarket unleaded you're wasting your time!

If you're training seriously you NEED a road bike!

I plateaud end of last year after some 3 years of training, I got to the stage where I simply wasn't getting any faster. I'm nearly 38 now and riding XC & Road, my strength is in Time Trials and endurance type events, I'm the wrong body shape to be a good climber but I like climbing. I am a pretty strong sprinter and most of my 2nd places have been on the sprint.

I was working incredibly hard last year for very little gains, this year I've back off the intense training and am riding more to enjoy it. I have now have a better attitude when I go into races which is if I finish well and I've given it everything I'm happy. Last year I wanted to win everything and hated myself when I didn't.

So far this year I've had 2 MTB XC wins and a Road win (my first). I've completed 3 Etapes, raced at 2 Caribbean Championships, a few other Caribbean races, Cycled around Peurto Rico 3 times, did La Ruta last year and am doing Trans Rockies this year. I started riding 4 years ago after giving up a 40 a day smoking habit.

I train 5 or 6 days a week from January to November. Normally 60-90 minutes weekdays and 3hrs + Sat & Sun (when there are no races). We don't have categories over here but I reckon I'm up around a CAT3 roadie.

handsomedog and mtbrDot – interesting answers there…(no sarcasm btw)

What do you reckon about different types of riding though? I've just spent 9 months training for an 8 day stage race from an already 'good' base of fitness. I'm hoping I'll do OK at the event, as that's what I've trained for.

But…!

Put me in a 2hr XC race and I'd suck!

(Not sure of my exact question but you get my drift!)

🙂