[Closed] What's the obsession with the down being the only "fun" bit?

climbs teach you balance, correct weighting of the bike, traction control, brake control, planning ahead and line choice. all these skills transfer over to DH.

continuity - Member
Because unless I sprint the entire hill in the big ring I am not getting much fitter and/or releasing many endorphins. I am just bored (though nice scenery is always nice).

There's no skill in a fireroad climb, there's barely any proper physical struggle either. There's no adrenaline rush. There's no sense of fear or speed.

The only positive is a chance to chat to your mates whilst riding; which is always nice.

IF you can talk to your mates on the climbs, you're all climbing wrongly 🙂

I talk to one of my mates if we're at his pace... although he can't actually talk back 🙂

The hills are certainly a challenge for me at the mo, as I'm still new. I love the feeling of when I get to the top of a climb I havmt conquered before. Not the feeling of my heart about to rip through my chest, but the one of completing a challenge.

I like the flats after the climbs cos I can then recover before throwing myself down the hill to stupidly climb again!

What's the obsession with the down being the only "fun" bit?

Because a lot of people are not intelligent enough to fully appreciate mountain biking holistically.

Like skiers - sit down to get a ride up, then just slide down again.

I don't think you should be allowed to ride down something you can't be bothered to ride up first.

😉

Cos I'm a big fat biffer, so when we get to the downhill bits gravity becomes my friend, no longer yours, race whippet!!! So you best get out of my way! Muhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! 😆

because i'm fat and gravity dictates i go downhill faster and easier 😀

I tihnk most people aren't fit enough or mentaly strong enough (come at me) to appreciate the climbs. When you are fit and can really attack a climb its an amazing feeling. I've lost a lot of fitness lately so can't really attack them but still enjoy conquering a good climb. Especially if its rooty, wet and technical. My favourite technical climb is just north of portsmouth running along behind peoples gardens. Fantastic little track.

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If they put chairlifts in at trail centres.....what percentage of rider would ride up?

Fricken love fireroads!!

from a while back but one of my fave posts on here ever

Eccles - Member

Mostly I enjoy eating more than crapping, but sometimes you just have a really good, satisfying extrusion that leaves you feeling on top of the world, invincible, bluebirds singing as you go to wash you hands and so forth. It's an odd feeling that I don't think you could replicate the other way, and not one you'd normally share.

Climbing is like that, though less scatalogical.

I quite like climbing, it can be very rewarding - well you normally get a damn good downhill as a result don't you 🙂 but cleaning a tricky up or a long grinding technical climb, well it's quite a feeling of achievement innit? Done one uplift day and plan to do more coz lets face it downs are easy thrills.

Like what? I mean, I practise wheelies sometimes. What else do you suggest?

climbs teach you balance, correct weighting of the bike, traction control, brake control, planning ahead and line choice. all these skills transfer over to DH.

Cheers GW, just the sort of thing i'm trying to get at. Picking difficult lines, finding bits to pump, tapping your mates brake, trying to wheel spin, not trying to wheel spin, moving around the bike, getting position perfect. These things seem to reserved for the down, things that need time given to, if you ain't practising it in a car park, you need to practise it somewhere, easiest way to do it is to treat the entire ride as a game, not 99% a means to an end.

I guess this view of mine is bought about from being a BMXer, i ride a bike to piss about on it, if i'm not pissing about, i'm wasting my time, it isn't fun. I lead rides occasionally, people ask me how i do x skill or make y turn, the simple answer is practice, practice, practice, that's normally followed by "i don't have time", then i proceed to watch them spend 95% of the ride sitting down bimbling along, looking uninterested in any features to attack unless it's on the down.

downhill, you use gravity to get out of trouble, a techie climb you don't have that option, you have to have skill, line choice, balance, etc. oh and fitness.

Not saying that none of these apply going down, just that climbing is harder to do well.

Then in my case i enjoy riding and not being hospitalised/off the bike/ i have bills to pay etc.

The best riding for me is tight twisitng singletrack through trees, fitness, line choice, and speed all in one.

mrmo TBF for donwhill you need quite large cajones too, any chicken can have a crack at a climb knowing that (aslong as they unclip properly) it'll be consequence free if they fluff it.

I see people who become super fit and obsessed with climbs don't bother much with the downhills. Their body craves the kind of physical stress that comes from climbs. They end up as roadies 😛

But seriously, the bike set ups are quite different if you're seriously into climbs. You won't be doing super fast and powering climbs on a downhill bike or even slack AM bike, nor will you be doing near vertical gnarly downhills on a steep angled XC or Cross bike with your head tucked forward and down if you think that kind of climb technique transfers to DH. At least not without landing on your head.

donk, you aren't riding the right climbs then, i know climbs that will see you fall along way if you get it wrong and as for putting a foot down that isn't really possible either.

I agree with this.

climbs teach you balance, correct weighting of the bike, traction control, brake control, planning ahead and line choice. all these skills transfer over to DH.

Fireroad climbs might not teach you much unless you attack them... in which case they teach you about pain and fitness.

I'm about the complete ride, if possible I like to ride everything smooth and "clean" with no dabs and no forced stops. In the 20+ years I've been riding my local [s]forest[/s] mudpit I've manged all the sections individually, but I've never nailed the lot in one ride. I'll not take easy route's to increase my likelyhood of riding it "clean" because it's not the point... the grin on my face is the point. I take the same mentality to the hills, if I can ride the climb then I well.

The down is not the only fun bit, but generally it is the most fun bit.

mrmo TBF for donwhill you only need gravity, any chicken can have a crack at a descent knowing that (aslong as they unclip properly) they'll fall to the bottom eventually even if they fluff it.

Riding up a climb (whether road, fireroad or trail) that I couldn't get up before gives a great sense of achievement. Riding down a descent (or over an obstacle) that I couldn't do before gives a great sense of achievement.

It's all good. One is more of a physical challenge, the other (often) more mental, but I'm not sure I could choose between them.

Cheers

Andy

If you really, really hate climbing, push uphills and can only see the point of downhills, may I kindly suggest you:

1. Have a word with Ton.

2. Take your stupid pyjamas, silly hat and ridiculous inappropriate americanisms, piss right off and buy a motorbike. Dude.
Honestly, you'll enjoy it more. It's louder, more expensive, more antisocial and you can annoy far more people who enjoy the outdoors, cyclists as well. 😀

If your mum won't let you keep your motorbike at home, ask one of your shcoolfriends if you can keep it at their place.

Does everyone really have such little fun on the flat and ups?

Never think about doing anything other than in the saddle, head down, pedalling? Maybe messing about?

Wouldn't you get fitter/stronger/make more of the ride if you worked the terrain as much on the up and flat as the down?

Pretty much, yes. I can't ride fast enough on flats and ups to find it exciting. I'd need to be able to maintain about 20 to stop me getting bored, I get bored on the downhills sometimes! I even changed back to a hardtail to re-introduce a bit more "fun" on the downs - not claiming to be an epic rider but I just don't get excited about riding unless I'm flying. Ski lifts are the way forward.

I used to enjoy long flat singletrack but those days are gone.

I can enjoy technical climbs, but my bias towards DH means my bike isn't a great climber. A shorter travel, steeper angled lighter bike would make the climbs more enjoyable, but then the descents would be less fun. As said above, fireroads are a useful way up, but not much fun.

Teh downz is betta cos dey is more sicker init blud. Cant pul massiv skidz uphil or get phat air.

coffeeking - Member
Pretty much, yes. I can't ride fast enough on flats and ups to find it exciting. I'd need to be able to maintain about 20 to stop me getting bored, I get bored on the downhills sometimes!

D'you not think you 've picked the wrong sport?
Seriously?
If you just want excitement, try Russian Roulette.

It's not supposed to be an adrenaline soaked, high fiveing self obsessesd toss-a-thon all the time.
The quiet bits are good too.

I like it all - climbs and descents, rain and shine.
It is what it is, perfect as a whole.
Take any bits away and you ruin it.*

*Apart from punctures and mechanicals - obviously, which ming.

Take any bits away and you ruin it.

depends what you are used to? I can't abide standing around munching cake or making the Pub your destination personally, but to many people thats integral to the ride.

I ride up because it is neccesary. I even enjoy clearing a techy one, but would never choose that in favour of a good descent

so much pent up aggression rusty

but possibly bang on the money 😉

mrmo TBF for donwhill you only need gravity, any chicken can have a crack at a descent knowing that (aslong as they unclip properly) they'll fall to the bottom eventually even if they fluff it.

Never used to enjoy climbs til i got fitter, now i quite like the challenge of more technical ones. Plain fire road ones are boring though.

I even enjoy clearing a techy one, but would never choose that in favour of a good descent

Cake and pubs are not an essential part of riding in Britain.
Some perverts do without either, I believe.

However, you can't avoid climbing, unless you choose to only do uplift days.
If you're healthy enough to do it, might as well enjoy it.
S'better than the alternative.

Or you could admit that you are a wuss, let mother nature slap you in the chops, whinge, whine and complain about it 'till you give up and buy a motorbike.
You'd have more fun.

I love going up and down, a bit of jumping and dad size drop offs. Technical climbs that you can't always do are a challenge without having to worry about injuring yourself. The downs are great but don't last long enough so if you only liked them mountain biking would be a bit soul destroying. Funny that now I have seen quite a few jumpy, somersaulting, and huking films and think it is all a bit samey and boring. Where's the soul and the peace that I find in the forest and mountains? Looking at that new Ant Hill film, strength in Numbers and it made me think that surely Mountain biking isn't just about product placement, big stars and getting rad. *** off and try to sell something to some other fool.

D0NK - Member

so much pent up aggression rusty

but possibly bang on the money

Catholic upbringing innit - suffering is good, m'kay? 😀

@honourablegeorge: Why the snipey comment about middle aged people? I am middle aged and I like riding uphill and down dale. I know some other middle aged people that like to do the same. If you are lucky, you might reach "middle age". What will you do then? Potter around the garden? Sit with a pipe and slippers?
If you are lucky you will still be riding up and down hills, probably on a 29er.

It's not supposed to be an adrenaline soaked, high fiveing self obsessesd toss-a-thon all the time.
The quiet bits are good too.

Isn't it supposed to be whatever you want? You don't have to have some pretentious whimsical Mint Sauce spiritual experience while out biking either if you don't want to. 😛

I like techy climbs or flat/undulating stuff if it's interesting or nice scenery. Still not as good as a great descent though. Slogging up a fire road with no views doesn't do it for me usually.

grum - Member
Isn't it supposed to be whatever you want?

Bloody hell, just when you're enjoying yourself, a perfectly reasonable person comes along and ruins it for the rest of us. 🙂
Well done. I hope your proud of yourself. 🙄

It might be the sadomasochistic in me but I love the steep climbs the most, dont get me wrong the downs are great too, but for me it's the burn of the lactic acid in your legs and the sense of achievement when you've made it to the top without getting off and walking. Each to their own though!

I'll happily accept GWs point that many climbs have features that require the use of "DH transferable skills and fitness" I still don't accept there is any greater pleasure to be taken in a climb though, yes you should be paying attention (do people really just switch off their brain on climbs?), applying thought is not the same as enjoyment...

Most riders would normally be trying to pick lines and make moves that get you up efficinetly anyway I'd have thought; save a bit more energy, get your eye in with bike handling, etc, but only so you can apply it all on the descent...

This thread smacks to me of someone caught up with the idea of virtuous suffering, where they get to tell us how utterly awsome they are because their tolerance for combined bordom and physical discomfort is so much higher that everyone elses, Sounds cool but no sale Ta. I'll endure climbing without complaint, but don't expect me to join in evangelizing over the benefits to the soul of trudging to the top when I know there's a much more interesting descent coming after.

cookeaa - think you've come to the wrong conclusion.

I'm suggesting that climbs are pretty rubbish, they're hard because of the internal battle of fitness of boredom. I'm suggesting that by doing more than sitting in the saddle, being bored, grimacing, you could put them to good use by getting out the saddle and messing about. By doing this, you reap increase in skill, increase in strength, increase in fitness, decrease in boredom.

Skills, strength and fitness to put into the down it make it even more awesome. Plus if you're fitter and stronger, you can ride more up which equals more down. Win, win and win, no?

May be you are not trying hard enough if you do not hurt at the bottom of a descent?

you could put them to good use by getting out the saddle and messing about.

Do you have any videos of this? 🙂

Genuinely not really sure what you're on about.

virtuous suffering

Yes, a good way of putting it. I like the feeling of pushing myself physically and mentally. A virtuous exercise, and strengthening against life's natural calamities. Very little in life that's easy is worthwhile IMO.

where they get to tell us how utterly awsome they are

Way off-the-mark. But I do take [i]secret[/i] pleasure in stepping-up to, and overcoming a challenge. I'm sure you do to.

This thread smacks to me of someone caught up with the idea of virtuous suffering

Don't think people can be accused of trying to be awesome coz it's all pretty personal, a ride that fried my legs might be a gentle bimble for you. We're just enthusing about another part of our sport

Find uphills boring and tedious, but if they're a means to having 20-30 minutes hooning down the other side of the hill I'll grin and bear them. I know they make me fitter and stronger, but I take no masochistic joy from them 🙂

climbs are much more fun since I lost a shitload* of weight.

* 3 stone

I enjoy a nice single track climb. Up to Minch Moor at Inners is a nice climb.

I do enjoy the descent more though!

I like downhills, whether yee-haa brain-out stuff, technical pick-your-way down stuff, or meandering trails. Climbs are OK, and it's occasionally really fun in a look-what-I-did way to grind up to the top of a horrible ascent.

But mostly I prefer the downhills. And warp speed DH descending gets my adrenaline levels up more than almost anything else I can think of.

do people really just switch off their brain on climbs?

No... we think of other enjoyable things.

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