MTB skills - are you happy with your riding ability?

[gradeAfailure]

Pondering this on the ride home today; are you happy with your bike handling ability, or are you still trying to ride better/smoother/faster/more technical terrain each time you ride?

I think for me it's a bit of both; I'm quite at home on trail centre red routes, and some black level stuff, but I'm always looking to improve my riding and my ability to tackle more difficult stuff. I've recently progressed to jumping small (5' gap) doubles after having a bit of a mental block on them vs. tabletops, and there's a 4' dropoff on one of my rides that I finally managed to do after ages of taking the chicken line. A holiday to the Alps a couple of years ago was a real eye-opener in terms of how to progress - the first couple of days I was just overwhelmed by the scale and technicality of some of the singletrack; by the end of the week I was riding stuff I'd never have thought I could.

A lot of this has come after I made the switch from riding retro only, to having a 6" travel modern FS - it's given me the confidence to try more difficult stuff. I've even found that when I go back to my rigid SS I'm picking better lines, riding smoother and faster as a result.

FWIW; 39, dodgy back, been riding MTB since I was 13, with a break from 19-30 when I discovered cars, and riding modern stuff for 5 years or so.

How about you?

 

[k-rod]

after watching some of the world free-ride/descent championship stuff - the MASSIVE air and insane lines ... I shall never be good enuff!

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Nah. I've learnt to accept that I'm shite and it's too late to change it now. The acceptance makes it a lot easier to just enjoy what you can do. Still love my riding and still get out as often as possible. Just do it slowly and badly!

 

[mattr]

Skills, yes, they are suited to the sort of equipment i have and the sort of riding i do.

6" FS and big alpine days don't really interest me, so i haven't got any equipment that's really suitable and i don't fancy 5 foot gaps on a 19 lb hardtail with a pair of 1400 gram wheels!!

In the past i've done stuff like that, but not anymore.

Saying that, last time in the UK we visited a couple of the welsh trail centres, and the blacks weren't actually that bad. Even on the aforementioned HT!

Managed to snap a stem though :/

 

[xxnick1975]

I have zero ability but I don't really think of cycling as a skillful sport anyway, not like footie or tennis or cricket if you know what I mean.

It's more about cv fitness than anything else

 

[gradeAfailure]

...I don't really think of cycling as a skillful sport anyway, not like footie or tennis or cricket if you know what I mean.

It's more about cv fitness than anything else

Really!? Watched a World Cup DH or XC race recently..? Hell, even the Black runs at somewhere like Bike Park Wales demand a pretty high skill level to ride well.

 

[mikee]

Lack of peddling ability is the biggest issue for me

Mike

 

[stefanano57]

Re:

The aging process and fear of causing a mischief to my aching bones has brought on a more tentative style of riding I never imagined succumbing to.

I just don't have the same confidence in ability or maybe my better judgment has stolen it from me.. The beginning of the decline :roll:

Oh for youthful exuberance and being able to bounce when buckaroo'd.

 

[The History Man]

i like downhill moor and more as i get less fitter nd my density helps.

 

[FluffyChicken]

My skills are perfectly fine.