SA MTB Ballies (over 30) Mentalities ??? Please explain

[MTBc]

Nothing bitches more than a cyclist!

 

Don't drag my missus into this!

[nigelhicks]

Hey slow down there Nigel.....who're you calling ballies? At 41 I don't see myself as a ballie, but then again, that's thru fading eyes...................

 

 

Admittedly, some 20years ago, I may have considered VETS as ballies

 

hahahaha I'm a ballie too .... in the UCI's eyes ... if you are over 30 ... you are a ballie

[KnobbyMech]

Bloody hell, 2000m climbibg over 35km on a XC course?! I would battle to do that on a rockless tarred course!

 

Well done on your hard work guys and good luck to the local masters.

[Jewbacca]

Haha... When did people over 30 become Ballies!!! Surely that term is reserved for people with wrinkles and prostate problems?

 

But yeah, dog walkers, trail runners and sunday strollers get in the way everywhere.

 

I also agree with you about how the general attitude of cycling has changed in the last little while. At the Die Burger on the weekend nobody thanked the marshals, pulled over for WAY faster people on the climbs/single track nor did they have a sense of humour when a single speeder passed them.. The fundamental difference between a cyclist and people who ride bikes... Cyclists have all the 'go faster' kit and bling and zero etiquette... People who ride bikes are just that, people who ride bikes..

 

Be a bike rider, cyclists suck

[Stretch]

Bloody hell, 2000m climbibg over 35km on a XC course?! I would battle to do that on a rockless tarred course!

 

Well done on your hard work guys and good luck to the local masters.

 

ja its mean...and its not nice long climbs to get in a rhythm..its is short sharp out of your seat lung busting climbs...barring one or two gradual uphills

[Donovan Le Cok]

It's the world champs! The course must be world champs difficult. I have seen the video some of the rocky sections do look scary but I can't wait to ride it!

 

Thanks to you and Nick for all the hard work you guys have been putting in.

 

Please just ignore the whiners...

 

[nigelhicks]

i did notice a lot of that in the xc course. In some instances it is just a shortcut round a tree which is going to happen in the race anyway, but i noticed a lot of the rock gardens people had created their own paths next to the obstacle, wheras they should have been using the b line.

 

 

HAHAHA - Nick said to me the other day that he is so GATVOL of okes going around stuff or moving stuff ... that if he finds out that stuff has changed etc not through his doing ... he is going to put the rocks etc back .... WITH INTEREST! ....

**** I laughed.

[Super_mil]

I saw some of the old toppies were mucking about with Jugs BIG One!

Hopefully no one got hurt

[KnobbyMech]

https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/mtb/sa-mtb-racing/huge-blow-for-masters-world-champs-contenders-r831?st=16#commentsStart

 

You broke them already?

[Eldron]

I guess this could be a 400 page discussion but the diffenrece between "technical" and "dangerous"?

 

Not trying to have a go Mr. Hicks sir but at what point do you cross the line from technical to dangerous.

 

What happened to Con and Chris could have been freak accidents but is your course too dangerous/technical?

 

Now I'll probably get 50 tapout tee shirts yelling HTFU but us ballies have jobs, wives, families etc - 6 weeks out with a broken <insert bone here> is a real problem for us not just a quick enforced rest session and 4 weeks of holiday from classes.

 

In a perfect world I'd like to be beaten by someone with more skill and fitness than me not by someone who's willing to risk injury more than me.

 

Just food for some thought.

[VicanZA]

Hey Nigel

have no problem with killer courses as long as it stated and clear up front! most ppl showing up at cycle parks on weekends are out for a spin with the wife and kids. watched a group of them staring at a river crossing on Saturday wondering if the 5cm of water was going to wash one of the kids away.

 

Allot of the hubs tough guys will tell u to make it harder as they not gonna ride it. if this is how u plan on making money I recommend modders approach with something for everyone but it aint gonna kill u.

 

on the DH side i have no clue, never done it before.

[patches]

What happened to Con and Chris could have been freak accidents but is your course too dangerous/technical?

 

They must have been... according to the Tread article the one crashed in an "off-camper" corner and the other while jumping a "double table".

 

I don't even know what a "double table" or "off-camper" corner are but they sound deadly!

 

Nige, why you be building "off-campers" and "double tables"! Good heavens! these men have wives and children!

[VicanZA]

I guess this could be a 400 page discussion but the diffenrece between "technical" and "dangerous"?

 

Not trying to have a go Mr. Hicks sir but at what point do you cross the line from technical to dangerous.

 

What happened to Con and Chris could have been freak accidents but is your course too dangerous/technical?

 

Now I'll probably get 50 tapout tee shirts yelling HTFU but us ballies have jobs, wives, families etc - 6 weeks out with a broken <insert bone here> is a real problem for us not just a quick enforced rest session and 4 weeks of holiday from classes.

 

In a perfect world I'd like to be beaten by someone with more skill and fitness than me not by someone who's willing to risk injury more than me.

 

Just food for some thought.

 

Spot on..

[Eldron]

They must have been... according to the Tread article the one crashed in an "off-camper" corner and the other while jumping a "double table".

 

I don't even know what a "double table" or "off-camper" corner are but they sound deadly!

 

Nige, why you be building "off-campers" and "double tables"! Good heavens! these men have wives and children!

 

I loved the off camper comment. I'm mean I'm happy to launch off a pavement, kicker or small car but a camper? Those things are far too high for a carbon hardtail. Or me.

 

Tables have quite a large size variation but I'd probably ride off most of them.

 

Gotta love journalists.

[nigelhicks]

What happened to Con and Chris could have been freak accidents but is your course too dangerous/technical?

 

Now I'll probably get 50 tapout tee shirts yelling HTFU but us ballies have jobs, wives, families etc - 6 weeks out with a broken <insert bone here> is a real problem for us not just a quick enforced rest session and 4 weeks of holiday from classes.

 

 

I know exactly what you are saying Eldron ... and it is that exact thing that (not just for Masters - for Elites too) makes us put in B and C lines ... (note that these lines are NOT deemed as "Chicken Runs" .... as most people state)

 

Riders need to ride to their ability and not beyond - if they are pushing themselves and crash in an A line when there is a B line around ... that is their own issue - that does not make the track dangerous as there is an option - If there is No option ... that would make it dangerous

 

... In many instances the B line is as technical as the A line - but just gives a rider a separate option in case of traffic. In other instances the B and C lines get progressively easier but then the rider forfeits in time penalties

 

So "dangerous" should actually be if there is

1. no alternative route around said obstacle (but the obstacle must be something that is potentially dangerous ... not just one rock in the middle of a trail)

 

2. no warning sign before said obstacle

 

3. No Catchnetting if said obstacle is a bank drop etc.

 

So if the safety guidelines are adhered to ... a track cannot be dangerous ... just technical ...

From there on - its the riders skill level that becomes the issue

[Music Pirate]

One huge advantage of a bicycle is that it's relatively quick 'n easy to dismount to walk the bits that are beyond one's skill level (which, in my case, is fairly frequent) ...... the decision making process relating to this is made even more straight forward if a course is pre-ridden....... remounting should also not pose too many time-related problems....... the choice to take a risk by exceeding technical ability is, of course, always available... hence the required waiver....