I’m one of the slower riders in our group so I usually go straight to the back or roar off saying you will have to catch me to pass me lol, which isn’t hard as I ride with Jedi a 2 or 3 times a week

A Tues night is my only group ride, rest of the time I ride on my own. This after having organised and ridden with groups for many years 🙄 If I catch up on a slower rider I will offer advice on how to improve their riding rather than be a pillock like some…… If I want to go fast I can go back another day.
I don’t know whether I’ve become a grumpy auld git or “younger” riders have become more aggressive/pains in the butt/up their own arris etc……… 🙁

I don’t have any riding mates.

No issues.

What’s being on a Hardtail got to do with it?!

If I catch up on a slower rider I will offer advice on how to improve their riding rather than be a pillock like some……

I’d rather take some barracking from behind than have some patronising helpful soul giving me ‘advice’ tbh. Maybe at the pub after, but not while I’m trying to ride a line

What’s being on a Hardtail got to do with it?!

Nothing, nothing at all – they are just as fast through a rock garden as a 6″ FS.

I’m pretty quick DH, but if I’m on my HT, I’d naturally migrate towards the back of the pack

If I catch up on a slower rider I will offer advice on how to improve their riding rather than be a pillock like some……

My god, patronising like this would piss me off no end. No no no.

Don’t do this.

I catch up on a slower rider I will offer advice on how to improve their riding rather than be a pillock like some……

Seriously, you don’t actually do that do you ?

Bigger problem are the cx riders creating logjams on technical (i.e. FUN) descents. ON YOUR RIGHT SHITHEADS!!

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member
If I catch up on a slower rider I will offer advice on how to improve their riding rather than be a pillock like some……
I’d rather take some barracking from behind than have some patronising helpful soul giving me ‘advice’ tbh. Maybe at the pub after, but not while I’m trying to ride

As I typed that I was thinking the replies would be as above 😉 I thought the general stw advice was to ride with mates and learn from them? If advice isn’t offered how does one learn?
We don’t have a pub stop, drink laws in Scotland 😈
I will also give a “barracking” if and when it is appropriate and the person is deemed receptive 😉
Time & place for everything 💡

I can’t believe the op chose to speak the Internet before his mate, or just get fitter and get to the top first.
What winds me up is when a group have stopped on a trail, see you approaching at speed and all rush to ride off and procede to bimble. Makes me irrationally annoyed, not because of being held up but the lack of thought.

I can’t believe the op chose to speak the Internet before his mate, or just get fitter and get to the top first.

I can’t believe you chose to reply without reading the rest of the thread, but shit happens, suck it up sunshine.

In all honesty this thread could be about Ferg last week.

If we’re being awkward with each other 😉

(top marks everyone for this thread by the way, it’s as uncomfortable as watching the office!)

n all honesty this thread could be about Ferg last week.

If we’re being awkward with each other

(top marks everyone for this thread by the way, it’s as uncomfortable as watching the office!)

Was Ferg shit last week, I can’t remember – Gibbon was having the nightmare on his HT?

I’ll take shit off anyone, on any ride and lets face it – I’m dogshit uphill – that’s why I get to the back, or let people past 😉

Lol looks like our next club ride could be interesting! Yes it is just a bunch of people riding in the woods but if you only get out once a week and you’ve spent 20mins sweating up hill for a 2minute trail blast descent the last thing u want is to be stuck behind a rider who’s slower than you. It ruins your flow and robs you of a limited chance to push your limits and get your hit of adrenaline. Waiting is not always feasible when you have 20 more riders behind you waiting for you to set off.

I usually set off near the back for descents when I’m on a ride with mates. It spoils my ride if I’ve got someone breathing down my neck!

**** hell, some people make their lives complicated!

(Edit: Not a response to Vicky Pea!)

On my hardtail 😉

Hang back and bide your time for a nice steep bank, couple of tyre burns then a swift passing manoeuvre elbow/boot to the temple, followed by some roost as he’s going down, oh and a reassuring GTFO the trail Grandad and back to the nursing home.

Slash-n-key + dog shit the door handles of his Audi A4, it’s the one with the spare green Bell Stoker on the rear parcel shelf and sticker saying “My Other Car is a T5” just to be sure.

Think flash car, boring well paid job, squash club members..

Tick, tick , tick

I ride in several groups with varying skills. Sometimes I can be amongst the quicker lads others I’m firmly at the back. Only thing worse than holding someone up is being held up yourself! Usually works itself out.

You seem like a nice guy Chestercopperpot

+1 jamesoz, seems to be a trail centre thing where people stop after a section. The fact your group has caught theirs would suggest they’re slower, but they scrabble to set off before you pass them (when being passed whilst stationary is the easiest safest thing for all concerned).

And yes if we’re the ones being caught I’ll happily encourage them by.

It could also be entitled “how new parenthood can temporarily remove all ability to both ride a bike and make good decisions…”

It could be entitled many, many things. Glad you survived that nasty crash but no excuse in the world will convince me that you can handle a bike. With that in mind maybe you shouldn’t be so critical of others you ride with?

Darkcyan, don’t worry fella, it’s not a competition or a race and if you’re enjoying being out on the bike then **** what others think.

I can’t believe the op chose to speak the Internet before his mate, or just get fitter and get to the top first.
I can’t believe you chose to reply without reading the rest of the thread, but shit happens, suck it up sunshine.

Sorry ‘Sunshine’, I misread it. but did read it.

I never realised Brighton was that far south – it’s dark on our night rides up here in the north…

You really should submit that video for the Pinkbike fails contest.

Might end up winning something, as well as getting “pwned” by hundreds of teenage boys.

@ darkcyan – You seem to be a serious person.

I’ll run all my future posts by you first so you can decide whether the content meets with your approval, if that’s ok with you?

Now I have been on an enforced riding break so not really seen much of anyone in Stanmer, and also very slow onto this thread, but I would say the following:
CGG, it seems like slightly inappropriate timing to comment on DC’s riding if you really haven’t been out for months. Based on the video, maybe you should stick behind DC and concentrate on your riding rather than being desperate to bomb down the hill (insert suitable smiley here to convey I am not 100% serious).
DC is therefore right to be a little peeved as this has come somewhat out of the blue and it comes across as quite a personal attack.

Now if the 2 of you want to meet up in the new playground on New England Road one lunchtime, I am more than happy to come down and referee?

In the meantime I will be out for a gormless mince on Thursday night and will be careful not to mix it with the big boys up front…

hmmmm…. reminds me why i avoid the large groups snaking around Stanmer most of the time.

It’s nice to ride with others, but sounds as if the posse out on Thursdays might need to split up, slow down, spread out. It’s perfectly possible to wait a few minutes to find a gap to ride any section of Stanmer trail, as they’re no more than a minute or two long anyway.

You could maybe have designated speed groups, and do different sections of downhill trail with a meet-up at the top of the next bit?

Anyway, just as long as none of you get in my way when i’m being a billy-no-mates having fun on my own.
I’ll run you down if you do….!

😈

Rider order should be based on speed EGO everyone knows this

Fixed that for ya, albeit a tad belatedly… 😉

I avoid riding in big groups because of all this crap.

If I do ride with a group I happily ride at the back, I am really not botheres who rides first or if there is a pecking order.

I dont ride trails, or trail centres competitively unless I am in an event.
Mainly because I dont want to risk crashing in to a walker, or in to an obstacle some local jobsworth has put on the trail, etc.
I only push it if i know there is a clear track and marshalls on hand and I am being timed. Other than that its just for fun.

I certainly dont buzz peoples tyres if they are slower then me, I slow up and then ride away from them

they scrabble to set off before you pass them

This mild panic is always funny!

I remember going round degla with a girl (noooo!) who is an excellent road biker, but it was her 1st time on a MTB. We were out for a XC blast and not taking any breaks.

Getting to a group (maybe 10) mincing about at the top of a downhill section and seeing the panic on the faces was funny. I’m sure those guys were a lot faster than both of us down the hills guessing by the body armour on show. We stopped and I asked :

“is there a queue, or can we go?”

“errr, errrr, no-ones gone yet, but we’re going soon and don’t want to get held up”

“so you’re waiting for no-one, and no-one’s gone? We’re ready now, so please give us 2 mins after we’ve gone, thanks”

“err, errr, errr”

“bye”

Didn’t see them again.

We were two groups doing totally different rides. They would have been way faster than us downhill, but that doesn’t mean you can own the trail.

I know that they were annoyed at us nipping in front, but this was deffo the fairest thing for everyone. Honesty and finding the best solution for everyone, not being over competitive and having pride hurt.

This thread is pure gold, it has everything…..a thinly veiled dig at another STWer’s riding, the video evidence of the accuser’s own crap riding….references to a ‘pecking order’ while out on the trail and seemingly done with a straight face for good measure….jesus wept, unless you’re paid to ride your MTB then there is no pecking order, it’s a hobby….probably best to find something else to do if you can’t help but take it this seriously!

….as others have said, this is why I ride alone…..i’m not averse to a ride with mates, genuine friends who view MTBing as ‘dicking around on bikes’ like I do but the thought of being in a group of blokes who take it all very seriously indeed and have a pecking order, shout tips to slower riders, buzz tyres etc leaves me cold….just so so sad.

I hope this thread doesn’t affect the Thursday rides.

I’ve always found them friendly, a bit competitive in a mates race kind of way but paced to give everyone a chance to ride everything without feeling they’re holding the group up.

Maybe taking this offline and just having a chat in the car park would help avoid any lingering issues. Personally I’d rather people told me I was causing a problem at the time and I think this is really what darkcyans concerns are around m. A quiet word from Ronnie might have avoided all this.

Anyway no idea when I’m riding again as I’m in a hospital bed pumped up with morphine having had my shoulder sorted but I hope there’s no lingering fallout and everyone can continue to enjoy their Thursdays.

This thread is pure gold, it has everything…..a thinly veiled dig at another STWer’s riding, the video evidence of the accuser’s own crap riding….references to a ‘pecking order’ while out on the trail and seemingly done with a straight face for good measure….jesus wept, unless you’re paid to ride your MTB then there is no pecking order, it’s a hobby….probably best to find something else to do if you can’t help but take it this seriously!

….as others have said, this is why I ride alone…..i’m not averse to a ride with mates, genuine friends who view MTBing as ‘dicking around on bikes’ like I do but the thought of being in a group of blokes who take it all very seriously indeed and have a pecking order, shout tips to slower riders, buzz tyres etc leaves me cold….just so so sad.

hard to disagree..

Wise words wwaswas.

deviant
….jesus wept, unless you’re paid to ride your MTB then there is no pecking order, it’s a hobby….probably best to find something else to do if you can’t help but take it this seriously!

Substitute MTB for almost any other sport/activity where groups of guys get together and you quite often get a pecking order emerging whether subtle or overt. It’s natural. It can be nasty and corrosive or it can be fun. Depends on the group, the individuals and the context, but it happens.

deviant
….as others have said, this is why I ride alone…..i’m not averse to a ride with mates, genuine friends who view MTBing as ‘dicking around on bikes’ like I do but the thought of being in a group of blokes who take it all very seriously indeed and have a pecking order, shout tips to slower riders, buzz tyres etc leaves me cold….just so so sad.

The flipside of your point of view is a group of mates who enjoy dicking about on bikes and who don’t take it seriously, who do buzz each other tyres, who do critique/berate each other and who know there’s a pecking order but like to mix it up and enjoy the carnage. It doesn’t have to be all negativity. Different strokes for different folks.

Holy crap guys its all gone a bit serious hasnt it.

Our group has people who ride full on DH stuff to national xc racers. Everyone gets along just fine. Ive got no idea why this thing happens. Isnt a group ride about having fun and being curtious?

Yes the XC folks take the piss up hill (one chap who rides with us regularly does 4 hill reps to my one!) and the faster DH guys take the “fun routes” while ill follow on my arse.

The fun bit comes when the XC guys over take the DH guys on the downs 🙂

in the end it turns out that everyone is within a min or so of each other (and sometimes with 30+ riders thats quite a good thing i think)

Reminds me of when I used to play 5-a-side footy with the guys from work on Wednesday lunchtime. Everyone was welcome regardless of skill or fitness but there were 2 lads who took it far too seriously and wouldn’t let me have the ball if I was on their team in case I made a mistake!

I think the rides will be fine. These are all really decent people and stuff just gets out of proportion online. I think it’s down to a genuine misunderstanding of how different people enjoy their ride. I fully understand the pecking order scenario and it doesn’t mean you are taking it too seriously it’s just the best way for everyone to find their flow. Anyway all out in the open now so time to move on.