Define what makes a good rider?

Wondering what skills people would see as absolutely definitive in the make up of a generally good rider.

Jumping, Climbing, Endurance, Speed on singletrack etc, I’ve met people who are demons on the jumps but can’t climb a steep technical trail to save their lives, lots of guys up north seem to be shit hot riding on rocks etc

So any thoughts on the top skills you need?

plenty of free time

Enthusiasm

Depends on your view of good; for me it’s someone who I enjoy riding with irrespective if they are a better (or not) climber, descender, fitter, stronger*

* add/delete as appropriate

Overall fitness – not necessarily ultra endurance like the 24 hour lot, and not necessarily the super explosive short sprint power of a DH racer. Something of a mix of the 2.

Good low and high speed technical skills.

Plenty of bottle, but not necessarily of the suicidal style – more a good grasp of risk/reward and a handle on their abilities.

That’s the beauty of what is happening in Enduro right now – you have to be a mix of all the above qualities to be good and do well.

A bloody good sense of humour

Sugar and spice and all things nice….

What got me thinking about this was booking a skills course, I think you need a reasonable idea of where you are skills wise and I don’t.

EPO?

DrP

DrP – very witty! ha!

andyrm +1

Enthusiasm important too.

Also, among the wide range of people I ride with there’s naturally a mix of abilities, but also I notice a difference between what I would call ‘good riders’ and ‘good cyclists’ – there’s plenty of guys in the Uni club who are super fast, with very impressive race CVs to back it up, but take them on a ‘proper’ ride and they’re useless – poor trail manners, lack of basic outdoorsy knowledge (map reading, ability to choose appropriate clothing etc.) and ill prepared – not taking tubes, tools, proper food etc.
Then there are others, not quite as quick (though still capable) who are much more complete mountain bikers, and the sort of people you want to be riding with on a big days in the mountains.

fast up/fast down/ready on time with working bike/carries jelly babies and hands them out at regular intervals.

Enthusiasm

I’ve been for epic rides with really fit but misserable people who just viewed the ride as training for the next one.

Conversely I’ve been for slow pootles (Pooks Pootle being a good allitterative example) of a slow ride with people I’d happily go riding with again.

Or for the original question, fitness. It’ll compensate for anything else. I was having a bad day on the bike last Saturday, felt liek I couldnt corner for Toffee. Not usualy the case and I’m sure my technique hadn’t dissapeared overnight, but i was suffering with the beginings of man-flu so the inability to build speed between the corners made the whole trail feel like a slog.

Folk who just ride.

Not for the speed, distance, up, down, gnarr, time, result, strava, fitness, commute etc, just because they want to, just because it makes ’em smile.

Nobby +1,000,000 🙂

Jumping is pretty irrelevant in terms of simply getting through a trail. (Good fun though.)

How bushy your beards-how few gears you need-size of wheels-taste in music.
In that order.

Interesting the enthusiasm thing keeps coming up – I’ve raced quite a few European Enduro (note EndurO not EndurANCE – very different types of people seem to inhabit the 2 scenes). Something I have noticed while I’ve been away is how damn enthusiastic and friendly they all were, even on race day. Especially the Italian guys. But maybe 9 months of sun, great food, great beer & wine, amazing trails, hot women and a culture that allows pinching the b*ms of said women would make even the surliest UK rider smile more 😉

Folk who just ride.

Not for the speed, distance, up, down, gnarr, time, result, strava, fitness, commute etc, just because they want to, just because it makes ’em smile.

What he said

joolsburger – Member
What got me thinking about this was booking a skills course, I think you need a reasonable idea of where you are skills wise and I don’t.

If it’s a good course the instructor will be able to assess your ability and where to improve you within the first 15 minutes.

Going quick, whilst looking like they’re going slow. Oh, and not falling off much.