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..............a bunch of wusses?
This will probably get a negative response from some on here, but really!
Full face helmets, knee/shin/elbow pads, 5+ inches of suspension front and back, all for some nicely maintained, gravelled, trail-centre tracks.
I am not claiming to be superman or anything, but I've managed to not kill myself with a hardtail and a standard helmet for going on nearly 20 years of MTBing so far. Too many people following the 'DH/freeride' style, and not learning to ride properly IMO.
Technology has it's place, but it doesn't help if you haven't learnt the basic bike handling skills in the first place! But, of course it's in the manufacturers and magazines interests to sell the newest and 'best' to beginners in the sport.
This isn't necessarily aimed at anyone on here btw, just a lot of the people I see out riding.
On the upside, most of them never venture anywhere near natural trails and the greater outdoors, so more room for the rest of us 😀
no, we're all just getting older and more brittle
I could roll around well within my ability and possibly never crash again... Or I could keep on going as fast as I can, sometimes faster, doing sillier stuff, trying to go higher or lower, and having more fun... and inevitably end up in the dirt from time to time. And when I do, I'd rather be wearing pads than not.
Sorry about that.
nah. I mince more though.
Too many people following the 'DH/freeride' style, and not learning to ride properly IMO.
+1... i see this in summer when guiding. lots of people with the smartest bikes (3k upwards) with crap techique and no idea as to how to change the brake pads..
i agree with what you say, but you're not actually allowed to say it on here as there are so many poseurs and wannabes that they ll get shirty and offended..... 😉
A friend rode a BUCS downhill race on a hardtail and then on my old sx trail.
He was 30 seconds faster on the SX trail, even though it was massively undersprung for him.
Go figure. There are basic bike control skills that you can learn on a hardtail but once you start wanting to go faster you are going to have to learn how to control a full susser. They are harder to get in the air, the chassis moves around more etc etc etc.
Still, I love hardtails on flowy singletrack.
😆 Fun though.i agree with what you say, but you're not actually allowed to say it on here as there are so many poseurs and wannabes that they ll get shirty and offended....
I ride a lot faster than I did a few years ago - mainly due to riding with some fast riders, so I've had to up my game!
Still don't feel the need for pads and full face.
I do come off occasionally, but that's part of the fun!
A friend rode a BUCS downhill race on a hardtail and then on my old sx trail.He was 30 seconds faster on the SX trail, even though it was massively undersprung for him.
Go figure.
Ah, but would he have been that fast if he hadn't honed his skills on a hardtail?
Yawn
I know, but it's late, and I can't sleep
Yeah but I don't reckon you need more than 6 months down at some local trails on a cheapo hardtail to learn the basics. TBH I'm relearning some of the basics at the moment because I had an inner ear infection that has bollocksed my sense of balance.