Seriously crappy skills day

do you have a cure for old age? ;) I knew from the first tech climb it was going to be an off day, my leg has been feeling strange all week. I got some serious hardware in it from an other really bad skills day a few years back…but that's back when my riding was at a high level, I don't risk that much anymore.

I can relate, I've got some hardware too.

Perhaps a few tips could help smooth out some tech climbing or allow you to read terrain more effectively and thus, reducing crashes or 'bad days'.

All good, just looking for perspective as why riders will invest in 'gear' but not on skill development. We never stop learning in life, or on bikes, it's endless…

DB@EB

I can relate, I've got some hardware too.

Perhaps a few tips could help smooth out some tech climbing or allow you to read terrain more effectively and thus, reducing crashes or 'bad days'.

All good, just looking for perspective as why riders will invest in 'gear' but not on skill development. We never stop learning in life, or on bikes, it's endless…

DB@EB

gear? I'm still on an old hummer :D

I've done both Darren. Problem with the EB "new skills" is that you then go and try gnarlier stuff or try and go faster and invariably fall again lol.

Just curious as to what you consider "old age"?

me? not that old, mid 40's but I don't ride like I did in my 20's that's for sure. Skill wise surprisingly is not that far off but my willingness for risk is not even close to what it once was.

me? not that old, mid 40's but I don't ride like I did in my 20's that's for sure. Skill wise surprisingly is not that far off but my willingness for risk is not even close to what it once was.

I know that feeling. I am riding at least 90% of what I rode when younger and now on a smaller bike. I don't bounce as well as I once did. Having a few major injuries as a result of some of those bounces will also tame the risky riding some.

As I get closer to 50 I realize that the number of years left for riding how I now like to ride are limited. I don't ride in fear, but do at times take an easier line when consequences for failing is likely injury and down time from riding.

I know that feeling. I am riding at least 90% of what I rode when younger and now on a smaller bike. I don't bounce as well as I once did. Having a few major injuries as a result of some of those bounces will also tame the risky riding some.

As I get closer to 50 I realize that the number of years left for riding how I now like to ride are limited. I don't ride in fear, but do at times take an easier line when consequences for failing is likely injury and down time from riding.

Funny as I close in on 60 I find that I'm starting to ride stupid again at times, is it stupidity or just forgetting how much the crashes hurt.

I've done both Darren. Problem with the EB "new skills" is that you then go and try gnarlier stuff or try and go faster and invariably fall again lol.

Thanks for sharing. It takes some time to turn new skills into muscle memory and to be able to execute instinctively. It is also good to improve on what we are doing and not try to progress too fast, or we will take a step back. We climb mountains one step at a time, not by taking a few leaps and some shortcuts.

It's like learning to walk, it's best to do some jogging before we start running or sprinting. When we develop new skills, we tend to want to run. It is important to let the new skills be absorbed before applying too agressively.

If we learn to rail corners, for example, we have to then learn to process terrain faster as our timing will be off with new found speed.

Thanks again for sharing! good discussion!

DB@EB

Ever considered a lesson?

I'm always amazed how many people will have a rough day or rough season on the bike and will just buy more gear

Why won't riders invest in themselves, improve their skills, develop efficiencies instead of repeating inefficiencies?

I'm just curious, not a sell. I just find it ironic that we will spend hundreds, sometimes thousands on gear but won't spend a couple of hundred bucks to invest in our own ability.

Discuss if you wish, just curiosity as I say.

DB@EB

Likely cause attitude is half the battle. If you're feeling good, you'll likely ride better. Retail therapy is always a good method of improving ones mood.

I've been riding the 'elite athletes' mountain more lately as the nature of the trails seem to reward rider input yet are predictable so don't seem to randomly just throw you on the floor like a chundery trail can. If i crash then it's my feck up.

Yeah I have those fail days for sure. I'm usually aware early on that my riding is shit and that I need to take it really easy or even cut my ride short… but unfortunately I often ignore the warnings :D need to work on that…

And yeah new shiny gear might not do much to prevent accidents, but researching and buying stuff is fun! And something to do while healing or otherwise not being able to ride.

I need a lesson. If anyone can teach me how to listen to my inner instinct that I'm not quite ready to hit the big jump line that I've never done and not respond to peer pressure then sign me up. At 42 years old you'd think I'd have this figured out by now but I just don't seem to get it. Thought I was getting better at this as I often walk away when I'm not feeling it, but i still manage to get it wrong sometimes, like 3 years ago when I broke my arm. What makes it tough is that there's a really fine line between being smart enough to know when you're suboptimal and should just say no, or just being a pussy. If you always back down when you're feeling less than 100% certain you'll regress very quickly, especially when you're 40+. But in hindsight I can always tell the difference between just being a little scared vs needing to wait til you're more switched on. Experience and skills aren't much good when your brain isn't quite on board today.

I've been riding the 'elite athletes' mountain more lately as the nature of the trails seem to reward rider input yet are predictable so don't seem to randomly just throw you on the floor like a chundery trail can. If i crash then it's my feck up.

Did I miss the memo, which is the "elite athletes" mountain? I will have to make certain I don't ride there as I would not put myself at that level. :-)

I need a lesson. If anyone can teach me how to listen to my inner instinct that I'm not quite ready to hit the big jump line that I've never done and not respond to peer pressure then sign me up. At 42 years old you'd think I'd have this figured out by now but I just don't seem to get it. Thought I was getting better at this as I often walk away when I'm not feeling it, but i still manage to get it wrong sometimes, like 3 years ago when I broke my arm. What makes it tough is that there's a really fine line between being smart enough to know when you're suboptimal and should just say no, or just being a pussy. If you always back down when you're feeling less than 100% certain you'll regress very quickly, especially when you're 40+. But in hindsight I can always tell the difference between just being a little scared vs needing to wait til you're more switched on. Experience and skills aren't much good when your brain isn't quite on board today.

Kram, so true !!!

However there are cases where the opposite is true. Rode Bookwus not long ago and managed a few of the tricky sections quite well, but completely wussed out on a couple of others that sometimes I get. Was putting it up as "one of those off days" Finished up with Ladies and was actually riding quite well (for me that is). Despite perfectly lining it up, I still couldn't get Bart's bridge stepdown part. Was coming up on the elevated ramp around the tree to the drop on lower part and was thinking I should give it a pass. Rode down the rock onto the ramp, hit the drop and was laughing as I don't think I have every hit it so smooth.

Somehow we need to be able to filter out the chatter or indecision that is only holding us back, while letting the "don't even think about it" type thoughts keeping us relatively safe.

I guess this is the same shit even elite riders or pros go through but multiplied by 1000x, when they are sitting up top of a absolutely crazy stunt. I can see it playing out. Hey man, you can back flip this 70 foot canyon gap, followed by are you fkkng nuts!!! No really, lets do this. Woo hoo, oh shit, ahhhhhhhhh!