I'm no riding god…but

I don’t know about anyone else but I’m getting a bit bored of people getting slated for what they do or don’t ride on whatever bike they’ve decided to buy. Who the **** are you to say that because someone’s worked hard enough to be able to afford a nice bike that they have to meet some sort of standard or ride stuff you think they should ride? Get off your ****ing judgemental high horse and just ride, ok?

Sheesh..

I still am to a certain extent. Why oh why buy a 4k super gnar bike and not drop 3 foot on it? Was about 30k’s worth that didn’t try/bother…

Just wondering what value of bike would have meant they were justified in not trying the drop? Is there some sort of sliding scale of bike cost vs acceptable drop height?

Don’t understand all the bad tempered bolox on this thread 🙄

I went to hamsterley forest for the second time today and had a great time.

That’s the most important bit and sounds good to me. I might even pop over this week myself as it will be nice and dry and give it a try ……….

This forum is full of RAD people.

I sort of understand where the OP is coming from but sometimes its just not feeling right so there’s no commitment and then crashes happen. Saying that the drop does look pretty small but I suppose it would have looked huge to me this time last year.

idiotdogbrain – Member
I don’t know about anyone else but I’m getting a bit bored of people getting slated for what they do or don’t ride on whatever bike they’ve decided to buy. Who the **** are you to say that because someone’s worked hard enough to be able to afford a nice bike that they have to meet some sort of standard or ride stuff you think they should ride? Get off your ****ing judgemental high horse and just ride, ok?

Sheesh..

Oh dear… You sir, clearly don’t understand. I have not slated anyone at all. I am hardly judgemental – more inquisitive. I’m not on a high horse at all. Please (if you are concerned) re-read this post and reform your opinion. You may even like to offer an apology at the end – Addressed to me (if you can’t work it out). 🙄

grum – Member
I still am to a certain extent. Why oh why buy a 4k super gnar bike and not drop 3 foot on it? Was about 30k’s worth that didn’t try/bother…
Just wondering what value of bike would have meant they were justified in not trying the drop? Is there some sort of sliding scale of bike cost vs acceptable drop height?

Fair point my friend. Well, I guess my perception may be off. It could be linked to the fact that (like I said) this was my second time there and I’ve never been to any trail centre. Maybe the flash bikes all over made me think that all the riders would be whipping about in woods etc.

I did think that there was (kind of) some sliding scale. Silly of me really I suppose but I couldn’t spend big bucks on what’s clearly a trail weapon and then mince around on it.

I did think that there was (kind of) some sliding scale. Silly of me really I suppose but I couldn’t spend big bucks on what’s clearly a trail weapon and then mince around on it

WTF…??!!! Is this what they call trolling? Deliberate attempts to wind people up. My god man do you think people should be interviewed in the LBS before buying a bike, go on some sort of course to determine if they are ‘good enough’ to buy a trail bike. Buy your estimation anyone in a Porshe should be a racing driver, if you own an Omega Seamaster you should run around risking life and limb like James Bond… God forbid if someone bought an expensive road racing bike, would you then expect them to ride like a tour de France rider every weekend???

We live in a consumer society where we can buy what the hell we like, regardless of skill or what we’ll actually do with it. Either that of the simple fact that you don’t own an expensive bike defines you in ways I’m not going to mention…

[edit] by which I infer nothing about you at all. Just that you can’t read anything into a person by what they buy. Happy you nailed the drop and had a good ride.

My watch is waterproof to 200m. Does this mean I have to go deep sea diving before im allowed to wear it?

ask1974 – Member
I did think that there was (kind of) some sliding scale. Silly of me really I suppose but I couldn’t spend big bucks on what’s clearly a trail weapon and then mince around on it
WTF…??!!! Is this what they call trolling? Deliberate attempts to wind people up. My god man do you think people should be interviewed in the LBS before buying a bike, go on some sort of course to determine if they are ‘good enough’ to buy a trail bike. Buy your estimation anyone in a Porshe should be a racing driver, if you own an Omega Seamaster you should run around risking life and limb like James Bond… God forbid if someone bought an expensive road racing bike, would you then expect them to ride like a tour de France rider every weekend???

We live in a consumer society where we can buy what the hell we like, regardless of skill or what we’ll actually do with it. Either that of the simple fact that you don’t own an expensive bike defines you in ways I’m not going to mention…

[edit] by which I infer nothing about you at all. Just that you can’t read anything into a person by what they buy. Happy you nailed the drop and had a good ride.

I’m not trolling mate, honest.

I suppose I was dazzled when I was multiple gnar bikes mincing, that’s all.

I did have a good time though – thanks. Hamsterley seems to be great to me so far.

Check out the Peitersburg WC Xc race video (Nino Schurter on a 650B bike) – carbon XC race bikes, high posts, flat bars and low front ends, light wheels (light riders too to be fair), mens and womens pros were going of a bigger drop than that with heart rates at 80-90% I guess. Impressive stuff.

No comment on those who do / don’t do stuff like that on any bike etc, Idon’t care / ride what you like, but just to get it in perspective. A 3ft drop is now top-level XC, I think that’s a great thing for XC racing.

Well, I’m with simondbarnes on page 1 on this. There’s not enough hypnosis / mind-altering drugs in the world to make me even consider going off that.

Do I win £5?

I think people should worry less about what others are doing and just get on with it.

Just wondering what value of bike would have meant they were justified in not trying the drop? Is there some sort of sliding scale of bike cost vs acceptable drop height?

Surely anyone who spends that kind of cash on a bike and all the kit is an enthusiast though, your average non-enthusiast thinks a £200 apollo is an expensive bike.

And, as enthusiasts, surely you’d want to be able to ride stuff like this no? I know I do and I think thats the point the OP was trying to make. Also it’s about the only part of hamsterley black, or any trail centre for that matter where you might actually need 5 inches of front and rear travel. Challenging yourself, making the most of your bike and getting over that fear factor is a large part of the fun IMO and I dont consider myself in the least bit RAD.

And, as enthusiasts, surely you’d want to be able to ride stuff like this no? I know I do and I think thats the point the OP was trying to make. Also it’s about the only part of hamsterley black, or any trail centre for that matter where you might actually need 5 inches of front and rear travel. Challenging yourself, making the most of your bike and getting over that fear factor is a large part of the fun IMO and I dont consider myself in the least bit RAD.

Maybe they were riding ten times further than the OP that day? Not all MTB challenges are technical in nature.

Last time I rode the Black at Hamsterley, I also rode the Red and the Blue and also rode there from home, and back again. When I got to the drop, I was 20-something miles into a 68 mile ride.

But, my bike is (relatively) cheap, so I’m allowed to not ride the drop 😉

In our club you are only permitted to own an Apollo unless you have a woodburning stove installed in your house..
You are not permitted any intentional air-time by drop-off or jump until you have warmed the club chairman by the fire on a moonlit night at the secret bivvy spot..

we find these rules help avoid any of the confusion and bickering displayed on this thread..

I’m no riding god but….

…I ride that drop when it’s dark, and wet, and there’s nobody there to congratulate me on my gnarbilities!

edit; Hammers does seem to attract a VERY broad range of abilities. Probably a good thing.

Just a thought, but maybe some people buy full sussers cos they are comfier than hard tails, not because of the supposed Gnaaaarrrr factor.

And OP, you might not be a riding god but I would ride that drop on my 2004 GT Avalanche (with a helmet :wink:) where does that put me on the scale? I personally don’t think i’m that good, I’ve just been doing it for a while and sort of know what i’m doing. I’m not fit though and will regularly be seen pushing my five up a hill!!

I like the way the OP describes a group of people as “mincers” and later claims to be not slating anyone 😆

The Ferrari analogy is apt. Even the greatest car ‘enthusiast’ can’t afford a Ferrari unless they’re also very rich. If I had the means and a slight inclination, I’d have a nice car like that. Likewise if I was new to mountain biking but I had the money, I probably would buy a £4k bike – why not? The only downside is that jealous people post rubbish on forums.

As soon as you realise there’s really no correlation between rider skill and value of bike, then the only reason to post something like this is jealousy. The all-the-gear-no-idea stereotype must have been created by jealous people. On the other hand, if someone’s only been riding a few months and has a super-bling bike, and likes to talk about how they’re a riding god because of this, then they deserve all the abuse they get. But it’s not the same thing…

Also for what it’s worth: That drop looks boring as hell – for me it’s just pointlessly smashing my bike into a flat bit of motorway. So yeah, I would probably just ride around while people who think they’re sick riders for attempting it belittle me on my posh bike. Only I would know…

mountainbiking has become the new trend sport. it is easy to buy into the image of a cool mountainbiker.

Are you kidding? When I go for a ride I genuinely try to sneak out without anyone seeing me. Mountain bikers look like t*@ts. That’s fact. No-one can possibly think they look good in their hideous jerseys, a pair of leggings for crying out loud, and some odd multi-coloured sculpture perched on the top of their head.

There’s nothing ‘cool’ about mountain biking.

IMO, dropping off a 2ft ledge should be part of every MTBer’s repertoire. as should the humble bunny hop, riding down a set of steps and maybe even a trackstand.

And, as enthusiasts, surely you’d want to be able to ride stuff like this no? I know I do and I think thats the point the OP was trying to make. Also it’s about the only part of hamsterley black, or any trail centre for that matter where you might actually need 5 inches of front and rear travel. Challenging yourself, making the most of your bike and getting over that fear factor is a large part of the fun IMO and I dont consider myself in the least bit RAD.

I mostly agree, but mountain biking is different things to different people, and there’s no need to sneer at people who see things differently. Leave the self-regarding sneering at everyone else to owners of fatbikes 😉

I’ve been riding a lot on my Heckler recently after injuring my ankle last year, it soaks up some of the punishment.

So, there are lots of reasons. Maybe they were waiting for the refuser to get out of the way and finally lost patience and rode around him?

Are you kidding? When I go for a ride I genuinely try to sneak out without anyone seeing me. Mountain bikers look like t*@ts. That’s fact. No-one can possibly think they look good in their hideous jerseys, a pair of leggings for crying out loud, and some odd multi-coloured sculpture perched on the top of their head.

There’s nothing ‘cool’ about mountain biking.

you mean you don’t leave the garage cruising on one wheel whilst waving at passers by…..

no wonder you’re not seen as cool….

Perhaps a better car analogy is someone who buys a performance car, never takes it past 3000 RPM and just uses it to go to the shops and back. Its pointless and basically they just look like poseurs, its rude not to take the piss.

Perhaps a better car analogy is someone who buys a performance car, never takes it past 3000 RPM and just uses it to go to the shops and back. Its pointless and basically they just look like poseurs, its rude not to take the piss.

Just playing devil’s advocate, but I’m pretty sure there are people out there who do that, because they appreciate the art of the car. The engineering, the craftmanship…

It’s like people with their summer and winter bikes. Their winter bikes are often ridden harder than their supposedly superior summer equivalents – because the reasons behind owning those bikes are not purely based on performance, but rather aesthetics and image.

In the same sense, there’s not a whole lot of people who can bring themselves to pay 100+k for a car, then rag it around a track within an inch of its life. You’ll will find a hell of a lot more people sitting with it at home, polishing, admiring….just because they can.

And if you have the money, why not?

mdavids – Member

Just wondering what value of bike would have meant they were justified in not trying the drop? Is there some sort of sliding scale of bike cost vs acceptable drop height?

Surely anyone who spends that kind of cash on a bike and all the kit is an enthusiast though, your average non-enthusiast thinks a £200 apollo is an expensive bike.

And, as enthusiasts, surely you’d want to be able to ride stuff like this no? I know I do and I think thats the point the OP was trying to make. Also it’s about the only part of hamsterley black, or any trail centre for that matter where you might actually need 5 inches of front and rear travel. Challenging yourself, making the most of your bike and getting over that fear factor is a large part of the fun IMO and I dont consider myself in the least bit RAD.

Thank you!

By the definitions spouted here I guess I fall in the “All the Gear and No idea” category. I’ve been MTBing for about 20 years (now 50) and still really enjoy riding and building and fettling my own, and friends, bikes. A combination of living in East Anglia and ill health means I don’t ride as much as I would like, and my skill and confidence level has moved backward not forward. I still managed to do a loop over Helvellyn for the 50th, along with guys half my age. Why, given that I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t drive a flash car and don’t have kid, cant’ I buy nice bikes with my money without being sniped at?

I really can’t understand the bickering that goes on in these forum – why don’t we just accept that we all enjoy this “broad church” that is mountain biking and pull together to improve access, etc.

whoa whoa whoa

3-4ft. the pics dont show anything like that. some of you need your tape measure recalibrating.

i rode a similar drop….. (to that in the photos) which i estimated between 18″ and 2’….. ridden it lots before, went slightly wrong, smashed my wrist to bits. I was riding about a grands worth of 140mm forked hardtail.

I met a MTBer from an antique land, who said a three foot vast stone drop off stood in the desert, nearby in the sand a shattered MTBer lies, who’s frown, wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command, both passions he new well,in the stone is written “i am Dave king of mtbers look at my works you mighty and despair.”

ps. that drop is about two feet.

I was amazed by that…what’s up with these riders?

I suppose I was dazzled when I was multiple gnar bikes mincing, that’s all.

Ask yourself the question (in all seriousness) – why do you care?

I used to care about that kind of thing a couple of lives ago. I had various ‘good but not cutting edge’ motorbikes and had the “pah, just passed loads of spanky new R1s on my dirty old ‘Blade – what’s up with them mincers?” attitude.

Well, after a few years I realized the answer to “what’s up with them?”: nothing at all.

I think it’s something you’ll either come to realize or not. This all might sound a bit Yoda, but there’s some inner mechanism somewhere that can switch any one of us and change how we see things. Mine has flipped a few times over the years and I can quite happily chat with a bloke who has a $7k mountain bike, knowing that I can ride rings round him and be content that he’s a decent fella, out for a ride on a very nice bike that he appreciates. Happened the other day in fact (lovey Moots, dripping in XTR).

soobalias – Member

whoa whoa whoa

3-4ft. the pics dont show anything like that. some of you need your tape measure recalibrating.

i rode a similar drop….. (to that in the photos) which i estimated between 18″ and 2’….. ridden it lots before, went slightly wrong, smashed my wrist to bits. I was riding about a grands worth of 140mm forked hardtail.

I stuck my bike underneath the drop – it’s at least the height of an 18 inch Trek Fuel. You wish it was small is all…

The Hamsterley drop’s definitely closer to 3′ than to 18″. It also lands on a down slope, so the height dropped could be more and there’s a pretty tight left-hand bend straight after, IIRC.

idiotdogbrain – Member
I don’t know about anyone else but I’m getting a bit bored of people getting slated for what they do or don’t ride on whatever bike they’ve decided to buy. Who the **** are you to say that because someone’s worked hard enough to be able to afford a nice bike that they have to meet some sort of standard or ride stuff you think they should ride? Get off your ****ing judgemental high horse and just ride, ok?

Sheesh..

Makes people feel better about themselves, dunnit.

soobalias – Member
whoa whoa whoa

3-4ft. the pics dont show anything like that. some of you need your tape measure recalibrating.

i rode a similar drop….. (to that in the photos) which i estimated between 18″ and 2’….. ridden it lots before, went slightly wrong, smashed my wrist to bits. I was riding about a grands worth of 140mm forked hardtail.

Assuming the wheels in the pic are 26″ you can see it is higher than 2′.

Perhaps a better car analogy is someone who buys a performance car, never takes it past 3000 RPM and just uses it to go to the shops and back. Its pointless and basically they just look like poseurs, its rude not to take the piss.

You’re a troll aren’t you….go on, admit it.

Ride what you want, who gives a sh1t. Take the p1ss out of people with nice bikes who can’t ride – they’re probably laughing at the pikey on the POS bike who’s trying to hard.

Seriously, what does it matter….

I love a good mince on my 140mm hardtail I must say! Not a fan of drops, only hit jumps when they are nice & small and generally, I’m sure, disgrace my bike. I mean, its got ISCG tabs I have a granny ring on it! I’m sure it crys itself to sleep in the garage every night..

On a more serious note, if you start a thread saying that you were astounded that people were mincing about on long travel bikes, then, this being the interwebs & all then you are going to offend some people. Personally I dont really mind what bike people ride on whatever terrain / trail they choose.

Right everyone, thanks for all of the comments. I certainly have learned some things. I’ve learned that quite a few people on this forum (that have commented) think the way I do or at least understand where I’m coming from. I’ve also learned that some people just like arguing for the sake of it.

I ride to enjoy myself and a major part of that is feeling improvement in fitness and skills. I’m jealous of no bike (haven’t you seen mine)? I like to ask questions of informed individuals (you lot). I like nothing more than to see improvement in myself and others around me.

Excuse me all if I can’t work out why a gang of people with great/capable trail bikes can’t/won’t do a 3 – 4 foot drop.

I guess that I never did consider that people bought bikes like this because they look nice over how they can perform.

In future, I will be making a concious effort not to be so judgemental of others because now I’ve had my eyes opened I do see the truth:

Some people just want to ‘look’ the part – not be part of it. 😀

Interesting viewpoint from the OP, and one I totally disagree with. I have 2 nice bikes, which far outweigh my skill level (although I could do that drop nae bother ;-))but I don’t care, I can afford it and it makes me happy. I see kids with bikes half the value of mine and twice the skill, that the way it is.

I don’t know what bike the OP rides, but unless its a 300 quid apollo I can guarantee there are kids out there on far cheaper bikes hitting obstacles I suspect he wouldn’t even dream about….

OP, what do you ride? you may have said but i cant be bothered to read it all back.
Peace n love..

To the OP.

Im sure your bike is capable of doing more than 3ft drops. Why are you not doing them? Too busy acting the big ‘un with your massive 3ft drop.

Im sure you bike can handle more. 10-12ft easily? If your bike can take it, do it! Stop mincing around like a big girls blouse!