Posted by: BC_Nuggets
^Underbiking is a great way to add challenge while taking the speeds way down.
The last two posts are not really helpful....am thinking about getting a hardtail again, plus building up a Titan next year. Oh well....
Spinal cord Armageddon!
I don't think people need to necessarily take a forced break from riding, but what's important is to do a good risk analysis. It doesn't need to be overly complicated, but considering things like energy levels (sleep, hydration, food/fueling), mental state (stress at home/work), and environmental conditions can help people quickly asses how ready one might be for a ride. Consider the difficulty of the ride you're planning, does your physical/mental state match the type of ride you have planned for the day? Sometimes though that can work against you and people get complacent with things they've done a lot, that can allow mistake to creep in. It's important to be connected with the trail and not flying along on autopilot. Lastly, everyone is going to have their own personal level of risk tolerance, don't allow someone's else's risk tolerance to affect your own and be mindful of pushing people past their comfort levels. It's great to want to encourage people to improve, but that has to be measured and requires some knowledge in the area of coaching.
Posted by: tashi
Well maybe it’s time to take a break from bikin. Personally I can’t ride safely if I’m distracted by worrying about crashing and hurting myself while riding.
It would make sense to use this time to work on the fitness basics. Weight strength, balance and flexibility. Play like an active kid too, jumping, climbing etc. That might train falling in a controlled environment.
I don't agree with the strategy of getting a sketchier bike.
Yeah, it can help by forcing you to go slower, which will reduce the severity of crashes, but having a bike that's "forgiving" is a thing.
Yes the problem is the more forgiving your bike is, the faster you're tempted to go, but if you can exercise restraint and stay on the forgiving bike, that's the ideal case.
But a "sketchier" bike can also increase the fun factor and turn a somewhat mundane trail into a good ride.
Posted by: tashi
I’m suggesting simpler, not sketchier. I’m not suggesting you bust your your ‘96 Hot with a 150mm stem and go endoing your way down the sick-gnar. High bars, dropable seat and decent tires.
The idea is to slow down, reducing the risk and atresd but still have fun, and maybe reconnect with the simpler aspects of what you like about mountain bikin.
Sometimes I think if I had more space I could even get one of these new Klunker versions, with disc brakes and just go fully rigid.
I have wood for the Crust Wombat. Rim brakes! Sick looking old school rigid atb with dropper post and 27.5 tires. They are sexy.
Posted by: syncro
But a "sketchier" bike can also increase the fun factor and turn a somewhat mundane trail into a good ride.
Sure, if you start changing multiple variables, the conversation changes.
Posted by: BC_Nuggets
I have wood for the Crust Wombat. Rim brakes! Sick looking old school rigid atb with dropper post and 27.5 tires. They are sexy.
I loved the lines of the modern klunker version that Transition made a few years ago, Leaf Cycles from Germany make a similar version but alas, space is an issue. I am really curious how I would ride a rigid single speed sans discs.
Posted by: tashi
Posted by: BC_Nuggets
I have wood for the Crust Wombat. Rim brakes! Sick looking old school rigid atb with dropper post and 27.5 tires. They are sexy.
As sweet as my 80’s bike is, after riding it in the wet for this years CrossFondo I wouldn’t get a bike that I’d be riding in the wet with rim brakes. Sketchy.
That's a good point. I find even my cable disk brakes (bb7) on one of my bikes sub-par compared to 4 piston hydraulics. ;)
Posted by: tashi
Posted by: BC_Nuggets
I have wood for the Crust Wombat. Rim brakes! Sick looking old school rigid atb with dropper post and 27.5 tires. They are sexy.
As sweet as my 80’s bike is, after riding it in the wet for this years CrossFondo I wouldn’t get a bike that I’d be riding in the wet with rim brakes. Sketchy.
I wouldn’t get a bike with rim brakes period.
Posted by: Climber
What are your thoughts about a hardtail (bike rich otherwise)? I have so much trouble to explain to some (beginner) bikers riding fancy bikes what I use it.
If I had to talk to new riders who own the latest whizzbang bike, I would revolve around the need for really good line choice and solid body language while riding a hardtail. Riding a hardtail makes a rider aware of the trail a way that even an "ordinary" full suspension kind of takes away. A full suspension bike is a bit like anaesthesia, the bike takes away a lot of feedback and what the trail has to say.
Posted by: Mic
Posted by: Climber
What are your thoughts about a hardtail (bike rich otherwise)? I have so much trouble to explain to some (beginner) bikers riding fancy bikes what I use it.
If I had to talk to new riders who own the latest whizzbang bike, I would revolve around the need for really good line choice and solid body language while riding a hardtail. Riding a hardtail makes a rider aware of the trail a way that even an "ordinary" full suspension kind of takes away. A full suspension bike is a bit like anaesthesia, the bike takes away a lot of feedback and what the trail has to say.
I love it. Thanks!
Posted by: Mic
Posted by: Climber
What are your thoughts about a hardtail (bike rich otherwise)? I have so much trouble to explain to some (beginner) bikers riding fancy bikes what I use it.
If I had to talk to new riders who own the latest whizzbang bike, I would revolve around the need for really good line choice and solid body language while riding a hardtail. Riding a hardtail makes a rider aware of the trail a way that even an "ordinary" full suspension kind of takes away. A full suspension bike is a bit like anaesthesia, the bike takes away a lot of feedback and what the trail has to say.
Agreed. I usually intentionally switch to hardtails for most of my "winter" riding, just to regain that complete trail and body focus again. The flip side of that, is it takes some time to reacclimatize to the speed of the big squish bike, come spring.
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