morne101 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Guys think of it this way...MTB in the western cape is the fastest growing sport in the world currently. Thus resulting in a loooooottttt of noobs around. To organize a race is all about money, and the organizers only look at one thing, numbers. To try and seed all these numbers is nearly impossible. You get porple that grow skills as they go along and then you get people that do alot if riding and just tag along on the same skills for years. I mean they build a trail now at Bloemendal just for low skilled riders green route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Earp Posted December 1, 2014 Share No way dude - give it a go ... you may suck at first but it will really help your riding skill and fitness.Im even going back to do some XCO this year. I know im going to get lapped on the first or 2nd lap but who cares ... Fitness is good, skill level is acceptable, but the true XCO riders just have so much more flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelhicks Posted December 1, 2014 Share Fitness is good, skill level is acceptable, but the true XCO riders just have so much more flow.which will come with time when you race it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Earp Posted December 1, 2014 Share which will come with time when you race it ... Nah, been there many years back, raced weekend in and weekend out, some riders are just better than me with that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoy10 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Once you have mastered that, stand on one leg and try and draw a figure eight with your other foot and rub circles on your head at the same time .... now that is difficult, bliksem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted December 1, 2014 Share Nah, been there many years back, raced weekend in and weekend out, some riders are just better than me with that . I have about as much flow as 3 week old custard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Dale Posted December 1, 2014 Share Fitness is good, skill level is acceptable, but the true XCO riders just have so much more flow.Just like El Niño flow on that 650BLike silk Amazing hey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoy10 Posted December 1, 2014 Share grapkaste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Dale Posted December 1, 2014 Share I reckon may cyclists, including roadies, just train endurance and speed.It's extra effort to practice them handling skills. Participated in a race yesterday and the skill levels were limited too.It was a road race. Nervous times at 52 km/h it was indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headshot Posted December 1, 2014 Share Ja, and you hardly ever see them at those #E-word races anyway. We all know that that is where the real manne hangout nowadays. Ya, its for the okes who can clear a 5 m gap into a boulder garden wif their eyes closed I hear. But my wife did one too and didn't come last and had a great time despite being quite scared. Everyone has to start somewhere and I suspect that races in the 21st century are more tech than races back in the 90's when canti brakes and other junk were king. Bikes have got better but that's only a fraction of what is required to negotiate a trail. The #E sport has done one thing - its focused attention on skills and this will slowly influence the sport as a whole, as will the development of high profile tech trails like the ones at Jonkershoek and Karkloof. When the Epic has downhill timed "enduro" stages in places like the BC Bike Race, we know things have changed for the better... Oh ja, - in coaching my wife to gain a few tech skills recently I realized how we take our skills for granted and how easy it is to bumble along , enjoying what we do, but never really improving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlvN Posted December 1, 2014 Share On a different note, yet related, ever tried being a "chick" in a MTB race that is over-loaded with testosterone? From guys screaming "give me track" from about 100m behind (when I'm well aware they are there and will pull over to let them pass - believe me I don't want you ogling my ass as much as you can't stand to be behind it either) or blocking my own descent (yes, funny that, I CAN go fast downhill) cos to have a chick pass them is like, so last year bru.... yip. Yesterday I had a former rugby prop (metaphorical description) deliberately prevent me passing him on a long piece of singletrack by cutting me off if I tried passing left or right, but its OK cos I just went round him as soon as I hit a wider piece of track (ie ten metres from the finishline) - shem, so he came 199th not 198th (metaphorical exaggeration once again), and didn't beat the chickie. Does it make y'all feel goooooood yeah??!!!! Oh, and when you guys can't ride through the river crossing and force me to get off my bike...... *sigh*. <- and in the end its all for fun right? Right?I'm assuming that ass must be worth ogling at then?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlvN Posted December 1, 2014 Share Guys think of it this way...MTB in the western cape is the fastest growing sport in the world currently. Thus resulting in a loooooottttt of noobs around. To organize a race is all about money, and the organizers only look at one thing, numbers. To try and seed all these numbers is nearly impossible. You get porple that grow skills as they go along and then you get people that do alot if riding and just tag along on the same skills for years. I mean they build a trail now at Bloemendal just for low skilled riders green route. Haha, I know what you mean there Morne. I overheard two guys absolutely gushing like two teenage girls over a boy about the Bloemendal trail on Saturday. It was utterly hilarious, these okes decked out in the latest and greatest going on over a green route trail... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChUkKy Posted December 1, 2014 Share Too much bait here for a Monday... I'm not biting Will likely end up in a suspension or a ban for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcza Posted December 1, 2014 Share Too much bait here for a Monday... I'm not biting Will likely end up in a suspension or a ban for me. Please walk on the left....far left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V12man Posted December 1, 2014 Share Nah, been there many years back, raced weekend in and weekend out, some riders are just better than me with that .There is a certain spruit rat giving lessions.... maybe that will make a good christmas present for you..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gornilla Posted December 1, 2014 Share Small bitch, nah the day was still awesome, but really. I have not ridden a proper MTB race/ride for a while, then BOOM, I Origin of Trails yesterday and today. Granted I started yesterday in D and today in B, but today was the worst. I accepted that in d you are going to get some dirt roadies that have no skills, but damn in the B bunch. come on! We had such awesome trials the 1st 50 km, but no one seemed to be able to ride them. Walking switchbacks, baby rock gardens, awesome drops etc. Also no trail etiquette, I did not mind because i was expecting it, but this leads to a lot op people not really getting full joy out of the trails. I resorted to giving myself space then trying to gunn it, but alas in 50m or less .............. Note to self ----- stop moaning. Back to the question where have all the skills gone. Surely in B bunch, front group, there should be some. Seems not so much. PS. Origin of Trails got it all right this year, if you think Jonkers is awesome, THINK AGAIN!!!!!!!!What are you not good at? There must be something. DICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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