I have been whatching XC on Freecaster tv
and I dont want to appear to be rude But
What do you exactly get out of it?

I think it's like a lot of sports.

Good to take part in but looks a bit crap on the TV.

For me. Fitness.

If you do anything other than XC a mountainbike is a bit shit really. You might as well get a MX bike. Much more fun. Which is exactly what I do.

Its not a spectator sport.

Stu's right, even DH can look crap on telly so XC really doesn't come across well. I think 4X is the only thing that can work on tv.

You get to ride the downhill bits knowing that you've earned them.
You get to cover enough distance to see some fantastic views and wildlife.
You get to eat and drink lots without worrying about weight.

Depends if you mean XC riding or racing. I race occasionally because I enjoy competition, enjoy the challenge of riding fast and smooth and because I like the feeling of utter wastedness afterwards.

Having said that, I'm not very good.

If you ride with good XC racers (and I've ridden with the odd elite rider), you get to realise how much skill and technique they have in addition to the raw fitness.

if you ride downhill with the other fat boys in body armour and a skill compensating oingly boingly bike, you won't understand the joy of moving at speed using your own fitness rather than gravity.

Lardass 😀

You could say the same about any aspect of our sport.
It's hard to explain what I get out of it, though I do it because I just love to ride and I love to race. In particular I like to ride the whole ride and be out for ages, having to walk or get a lift or have the ground altered to ride it seems like defeat or a let down, not the best choice of words but you know what I mean?

That sounds a bit like I'm 'dissing' the other aspects of the sport which I'm not BTW.

Went out today at 9am it was cold so I was in tights and all that, no pads, no big travel DH bike, just me, an XC bike and I took the dog for the company.

It was crispy underfoot, beautifully sunny and deserted.

I rode about 15 miles or so around the Surrey hills, out for an hour and a half I reckon. What did I get out of it? If you need to ask you'll never know.

I like riding XC cos it means i get to ride my bike for a fair few hours. The downhills are obviously good fun but the uphills arent too bad either. Its obviously more fun with your mates but its enjoyable riding on your own aswell.

I Cant really see the point in downhill anymore. On a day out, you probably only spend about half an hour riding your £3k bike, the rest of the time is spent pushing up the hill. I'd only get a dh bike again if i go to the alps over summer

Exercise, somethimes rather hard!
Linking trails to make satisfying loops
Defeating technical climbs is satisfying
Ripping along with the bike skipping and squirming benieth is thrilling
Barely in control downhilling is terrifying fun
Daring to go down steeps
Finding new bits of trail

A lot of trail riding is common with easy DH but without the limitations of relying on a DH bike, a van and prepared trails

Isn't it all XC unless there's an uplift, Doing north shore or your jumping?

As said earlier it depends on weather you mean XC racing or riding, personally I "ride" XC but I would never bother racing XC, I like to enjoy a long ride at my own pace, try and build some fitness that way and get out and about ride new trails and beast myself up the odd climb, while XC racing is a lot more skillful than it appears on TV, and requires a lot of fitness, I can't see how I would ever enjoy it more than a DH race…

adrenaline rush that you get by going fast…

the achievement that you feel when you've trained hard and the previously long and tiring firetrack is a piece of cake.

RACING! best thing about XC is racing it.

xc racing is about pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible,its all about self acheivment,and if you go out xc riding a lot you are already doing a lot of the training for it,you just have something to show for your hard work

All MTBing looks sh1te on the TV

Yep, sadly it just looks crap on the TV. Riding technical stuff while breathing out of your arse with the saddle trying to plug the hole is brilliant.

GB

Most of the reasons for are covered above, but I'd have to admit that doing it is better than watching it ( nae giggling ya fudds!)
The only time Ive found viewing it interesting is when you see the pros descending on XC bikes which to me is often more impressive than proper downhillers.
And occasionally seeing people you sometimes race against getting totally punted by better riders, heh heh 😈

i just love to get out into the wilds on my bike/riding with people when i get the chance.(i suppose you might call it xc riding,but i prefer to just call it riding my bike.) it's the only type of riding that i have ever done.i agree though that to most people xc racing looks very boring.but those riders aint half fit (unlike me haha).