When can I stop calling myself a noob?

[Wyatt Earp]

We have a winner.

I have been preaching that on this here forum for many years now and then I get told I shouldn't destroy peoples dreams .

[Dirt De Vil]

Noob - no such thing

 

Only two groups exist,

1. People that ride bicycles, and

2. people that don't

 

Enjoy the weekend's riding!

[Wayne Potgieter]

I have been preaching that on this here forum for many years now and then I get told I shouldn't destroy peoples dreams .

A smart guy i know once told me in the middle of a stage race that if you are not on the podium, you are not competing.

 

Just ride for fun and every bike journey will be awesome.

 

That has stuck with me.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Noob - no such thing

 

Only two groups exist,

1. People that ride bicycles, and

2. people that don't NEED TO

 

Enjoy the weekend's riding!

FIXED

[patches]

I just wanted to say...."when you stop worrying about what other say and stop having to ask them things like this.."

 

(I would say when you realise how much bull the sales man in the bike shop is talking and that you know servicing/building/fixing your own bike isnt as much rocket sience as the bike shops makes people believe)

 

 

You seem to have a serious issue with bike shops ,I have said it before many people can "work" on their own bikes but are they doing it right ?

 

 

I wouldn't say that hayleyearth has an issue with all bike shops. I think she was reffering to the large impersonal stores where many of the salesmen (not all, but many)  are just that... salesmen, not cycling enthusiasts. Rehearsed in regurgetating the same schpiel to each and every customer, and when asked anything that isn't written on the information tag, they look like a George Bush caught in a headlights.

 

And the workshops in said stores are often staffed by spanner-turners that do things like route a chain below the bottom roller on a chain guide because they have never seen such a device before and couldn't be bothered to ask or research, or they use regular grease for fork seals when servicing. _{*actual accounts}

 

There are bike shops out there run by bike people. Those that have a passion for the sport, technology, and take pride in their work. I definitely acknowledge this (as I'm sure hayleywearth will too). And for anything that I don't feel confident to do myself, or don't have the tools for,  these are the guys I go to.

 

But when it comes to the context of a "noob", unfortunately most new riders don't find their way to the good-guy bike shops until it's too late.

 

So... to get back on topic, I'd say a step away from being a noob is being able to go into a bike shop and know what you want/need, why you want/need it, what it's worth, or at least know the person that you can trust to give you the right information about it.

[canfan]

I have been preaching that on this here forum for many years now and then I get told I shouldn't destroy peoples dreams .

Cycling can loose its fun factor so quickly when you are constantly checking speed, power, time etc. And lets not even talk about Strava. The joy that a easy 5 km ride can bring you with friends or family is so much more important than all those other things.

[Patchelicious]

You seem to have a serious issue with bike shops ,I have said it before many people can "work" on their own bikes but are they doing it right ?

Very true, and this can be proven very quickly. How many cyclist own a torque wrench....

[canfan]

Very true, and this can be proven very quickly. How many cyclist own a torque wrench....

True, but I have seen more than one bike shop that doesn't bother using a torque wrench either.

[Patchelicious]

I have been preaching that on this here forum for many years now and then I get told I shouldn't destroy peoples dreams .

You can preach all you want, but people want to learn for themselves, regardless of how experienced the person giving them advice is.

 

They have to go through those steps themselves, kind of like how kids dont listen to us parents, end up making mistakes and then learning and we go "see, told you so"...

[Patchelicious]

True, but I have seen more than one bike shop that doesn't bother using a torque wrench either.

I once watched a Bianchi Oltre being assembled without a torque wrench and the young spanner man was using words like "finger tight" "quarter turn past finger tight", I almost puked as you hear those snap crackle and pops.

[TALUS]

Very true, and this can be proven very quickly. How many cyclist own a torque wrench....

I own one. Still made a noob mistake. Had a slipping seatpost on a ride. Really "tightened" the crap out of that sucker on the trial. Now I have a carbon repair coming up. I guess that confirms noobness.

[VicanZA]

ur not ready! u lose the tag when u dont give a F*ck about what other people think.

[GLuvsMtb]

I don't ever want to stop calling myself a Noob. There are always new things to experience. 

Things I have done so far:

- owned and rode a 26er

- owns and ride a 29er

- owned a road bike

- owns and ride a CX bike

- owns and ride a tandem

- did a stage race (actually, did quite a few)

- did a stage race in Canada

- did a 24 hour event (team and solo)

- did a ultra marathon (did a quite a few)

- assisted a development rider 

- toured on the bike with friends (4 amazing days in the Garden Route) 

- broke bones (I'll avoid these in future)

- had a warrantee replacement (I was just riding along... promise)

 

Other bucket list items:

- Tour a foreign country on my bike

- get a big travel bike and learn how to ride it properly

- attend a world cup XC and / or DH race (as a spectator)

- attend a grand tour (as a spectator)

- do a long distance race / tour through SA (something like Freedom Challenge)

- one day do a stage race with my son (he's 6 months old, so I will have to keep going for some time to get there with him) 

[mada3400]

the amount of time you spend on thehub has nothing to do with how good you are on a bike and how much you know about bikes.

[canfan]

I don't ever want to stop calling myself a Noob. There are always new things to experience. 

Things I have done so far:

- owned and rode a 26er

- owns and ride a 29er

- owned a road bike

- owns and ride a CX bike

- owns and ride a tandem

- did a stage race (actually, did quite a few)

- did a stage race in Canada

- did a 24 hour event (team and solo)

- did a ultra marathon (did a quite a few)

- assisted a development rider 

- toured on the bike with friends (4 amazing days in the Garden Route) 

- broke bones (I'll avoid these in future)

- had a warrantee replacement (I was just riding along... promise)

 

Other bucket list items:

- Tour a foreign country on my bike

- get a big travel bike and learn how to ride it properly

- attend a world cup XC and / or DH race (as a spectator)

- attend a grand tour (as a spectator)

- do a long distance race / tour through SA (something like Freedom Challenge)

- one day do a stage race with my son (he's 6 months old, so I will have to keep going for some time to get there with him) 

You my friend are definitely not a noob.

[patches]

• I ride 3-4 times a week
• I ride for fun
• I can bunny hop up a kerb... sometimes. Other times it ends in puncture repair which I too am capable of.
• I have a whole 1 strava KOM and I'm very proud of it. I hope it lasts
• I have been known to ramp ramps. Some are small. Some are large.
• I have built all my own bikes (not wheels though, but I have placed a wheel in a truing stand, if that counts).
• My holidays are centred around riding.
• I think about riding all the time.

...and just when I think I'm doing alright...

 

 I watch the Chris Akrigg's and Remy Metailler's of this world, I bow my head. And realize...

 

I'm such a noob and always will be