Up or downhill, what are you better at?

As title really, but I don’t really mean by comparison to others.

I’ve been riding for 20 years or so (makes me feel old does that!) Uphill, though I have got better, its downhill that has surpassed my expectations, I ride stuff now that I had no idea was possible 15 years ago. OK technology has improved but its not just that, I’m better downhill than I ever thought I would be…

… so what are you best at (in your opinion)?

not too shabby going uphill, okay downhill(as long as its not steep steps!!)

slightly less rubbish at uphill 🙁

Pretty much the same at both TBH, middle of the road! 🙂

On the mountainbike I get my gaps uphill, on the roadbike I get them on the downhills.

🙂

I was always bad downhill relative to up but, after slobbing around over Christmas, I can now confirm I’m equal terrible at both 🙂

Rubbish at downhill, since I lowered my bars much better at uphill…

better up than down, not great at either!

I’m better downhill until a section requires jumping gaps of any kind, drops are fine, as are tabletops but as soon as there is a double of some kind i turn into a spineless fool.

So downhill but… i guess.

How do you decide what you’re best at unless you compare yourself to others?

I prefer uphill as a rule. It’s an endorphins thing. I do like fast flowing downhill but I don’t like fannying around at 10mph on rocky rooty crap.

i’m a specialist traverser.

I’m best at talking about it in th pub afterwards – then I become a riding god.

SSer here, so only any good on the ups.

5thElefant – Member
How do you decide what you’re best at unless you compare yourself to others?

I’m not sure! I don’t do the competition thing, I often ride on my own, but I do measure my own performance against myself, subjective I know, but how do you measure feeling and thats what I am trying to get at.

Best on the flat.

very slow on the ups and ok on the downs

i enjoy a good climb now and again but quite frankly i find them boring

uplifts are the future!

I Like going uphill cos I generally do myself less damage, and I spent long enough scaring the crap out of myself for a living that It stopped being funny many years ago, prefer a pie and a pint to an afternoon in a&e. I’m a sad old duffer really……

I really like the bits in between 😆

used to be a lot better going uphill.

i reckon gravity has increased in the last ten years, not my weight/fitness, oh no…

Slow on climbs 35lb bike to drag up but enjoy the downs – more uplifts needed

I’d say I’m probably about average at pushing my bike uphill. 😉

DOWN!!!

up is loved only by the self flagellist or masochist!!! 😆

I’m bloody fast going Down 😀

I’m OK at up. I can, for instance do the Whites climb in about 35 minutes on a good day, and it’s middle ring all the way, which is OK as far as I’m concerned. Down…It depends, I’m can Hoon down with the best of them (in a kind of out of control stylee) if I know the descent, it’s the steep techy nadgery stuff that bothers me, I just don’t get enough practice at it to be confident, I’ll get down, it’s just never fast or pretty. I’m useless at dealing with “stuff” (like big ‘ole drops and such) if I don’t know it’s coming up, my reactions aren’t fast enough to control fear, and just deal with it, so in the absence of talent, I just jam on the brakes, if I know it’s there, no worries…

batter downhill as my legs dont like uphill.

I’m better at riding up than I am at riding down. Old King Cole was pretty good at both if I remember, don’t think he had a bike though.

Legs don’t like uphil, brain doesn’t like downhill.

I don’t mind any riding really – so long as I’m getting out there doing it!

Always get passed going uphill, never get passed going down hill.

Thing is you can think you’re good at one or the other until some one else comes along and completely readjusts the benchmark the had always judged yourself by.

Was always vastly better going downhill but I’ve sorted my fitness out over the last year so quite allround really…

im better uphill

I am one of the worst at riding uphill but I would say pretty ok at pushing up as I get a lot of practice.

As for DH I am much better and love the drops and tabletops but dont really get enough time to practice and get better.

Over the next 12 months I plan on improving my fitnes and getting some uplift days in.

Slightly better at downhill but poor-to-middling at both.

I *enjoy* going downhill far, far more 🙂

Downhill, by an insurmountable margin.

i am king of the freewheelers.

i find most times riding “uphill” is a fitness race, i like nice technical rocky/rooty climbs that keep you entertained. it has been commented i am a good climber.

downhill i get a bit indesicive weather to commit to things or not, which normally ends in a crash. although i bought a play bike and it has improved my confidence on the XC bike when desending

Can’t beat a tricky traverse 😀