Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 There's been a lot of this sort of opinion piece, lately. There are a few different sites that have user-generated-content, and it's always interesting to see what others put in, and how it resonates with the reasons that you ride. Here's the latest one I've seen, courtesy of PinkBike. http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb10628958/p4pb10628958.jpg Mountain biking isn't about shiny objects. It's about where those shiny objects take you, the adventures they facilitate, and the stories that result. There's a raw simplicity to it all – even the most elegant and meticulously crafted bikes are still designed to be ridden away from the concrete, to be pummeled and thrashed like pugilists, enduring round after round of use and abuse. It's the sensations that matter; of speed, of tires spinning and clawing for traction, the moment of weightlessness that transpires just after leaving the lip of a jump - those are the reasons to ride. Not to impress or convert, but for yourself. Riding is good for the soul, and as long as you're rolling on two wheels, roosting around corners on a rigid singlespeed is http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb11897727/p5pb11897727.jpg just as much fun as doing the same aboard a high-zoot carbon fiber wonderbike. The experiences, not the equipment are what really, truly matter, and the memories of splashing friends with a well timed wheelie through a mud puddle, or watching the sun dip behind the mountains just before racing down the final section of trail in the alpenglow will never go out of fashion, or need to be upgraded. There's also an underlying grittiness to mountain biking that's easy to overlook, to gloss over with that lingering sunset imagery, but it's one of the things that originally drew me to the sport. The idea of exploring, of getting scratched, bruised and battered, away from the rules of home and school was hugely appealing to my 12-year-old self, and that appeal still remains. Just like how I'd rather go see a noisy punk show in a dingy dive bar than a watch a sugarcoated and over-processed pop concert in a stadium, I'll take a steep, muddy, rocky, chewed up trail over a smooth, manicured ribbon of singletrack any day. The same sentiment applies to the bikes themselves - a well used bike, with grips perfectly worn to matched each hand's calloused contours, the crankarms polished smooth by countless muddy revolutions - that's a bike with a story, a story that's infinitely more interesting than that of the spotless bike with the little rubber spikes still protruding from the tires, the one that looks like it's never been anywhere more challenging than a gravel rec path. Bikes and bodies alike are meant to be used, to be pushed to their limits, part of a continuous experiment to find out what's around the next corner, and how quickly it can be reached.That rawness is what has fueled my addiction for all these years – mountain biking isn't easy, which is why I can't get enough of it. The fact that there are no rules, that it's an anarchic activity free from whistle blowing referees, makes it all the better. Deep in the woods there are no speed limits or safety nets – your decisions belong to you, along with the consequences that come with them. Mountain biking is a constant a balancing act, a teetering on the edge of chaos and control that forces the brain to block out everything else except the moment at hand. Best of all, once I'm far enough away from the masses there's no one to judge my mismatched kit, my tire choice, how I hold onto the handlebars – it's just me and the squirrels, bears, and mountain lions, and they definitely don't give a f*ck about head angle or chainstay length. I ride for myself, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
popcorn_skollie Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 My bikes may not be worth much. But the fun I have on them is priceless
KarlvN Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 That about sums it up for me. Can't be bothered about what other people think, really. The allure for me is the fact that it is me who I need to impress, not anyone else. If I can climb a hill non-stop matters to me more than to anyone else, and what I experience on the way up, and even more so on my way down again, cannot in any measurable way be shared with anyone else.
SpyDude Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 I ride cos it restores balance to my life and i feel happy when i get to the bottom, be it in one piece or in an ambulance... I have done most "extreme Sports" on offer.. everything from Surfing massive waves to over extended free falls out of planes, rock climbing and monster ramp/pool skateboarding, heck i even dodged bullets for a year and nothing gives me the rush and relaxation of riding my bike with my mates up, away from the crap that is life.
bullet77 Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 You gents have said it all. Who else loves to ride alone sometimes? I like riding with friends/family/races but also love riding alone in the mountains, just me and bike, some mates think I'm weird to enjoy this.
NotSoBigBen Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 You gents have said it all. Who else loves to ride alone sometimes? I like riding with friends/family/races but also love riding alone in the mountains, just me and bike, some mates think I'm weird to enjoy this. Most of my riding is done on my own, I love it!
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted February 12, 2015 Author Posted February 12, 2015 You gents have said it all. Who else loves to ride alone sometimes? I like riding with friends/family/races but also love riding alone in the mountains, just me and bike, some mates think I'm weird to enjoy this. Sometimes you just need to get away from it all. Make yourself suffer, or just enjoy the surroundings. Reassess, take some time out, whether it's hurt-locker type stuff or just a chill session. It's cathartic. Releases all teh right hormones, leaves the bad ones in a sniffling pile of insignificance. Release all of it on the way down. Pushing, playing, experimenting and, sometimes, hurting. Because you're worth it. It's what it takes to feel alive again. You get to the bottom of the trail, get off the bike and load it up. Then you're complete.
popcorn_skollie Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 You gents have said it all. Who else loves to ride alone sometimes? I like riding with friends/family/races but also love riding alone in the mountains, just me and bike, some mates think I'm weird to enjoy this. nah, I love it too. Always fun to be with mates. but some of the best rides I've had was alone
Dominik Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 I love riding alone (and yes I know these days you cant really anymore) but to make your own decision and take this turn instead of that turn, or someone that is always trying to make the ride a race and when you plan a ride and they cancel 10 min before the time just pisses me off. Some music in the ears and only me and the bike is always enjoyed. But love the content above from PinkBike sums it up perfectly.
Catatonic_Joe Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 a well used bike, with grips perfectly worn to matched each hand's calloused contours, the crankarms polished smooth by countless muddy revolutions - that's a bike with a story, a story that's infinitely more interesting than that of the spotless bike with the little rubber spikes still protruding from the tires, the one that looks like it's never been anywhere more challenging than a gravel rec path. Awesome. Was washing my bike after work yesterday, it's only 6 months old, and was trying to scrub of all the little scuffs, marks and chips from all my little mishaps with the rocks and trees, I don't feel so sad now for them after reading this.
popcorn_skollie Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 Awesome. Was washing my bike after work yesterday, it's only 6 months old, and was trying to scrub of all the little scuffs, marks and chips from all my little mishaps with the rocks and trees, I don't feel so sad now for them after reading this. A bike without scratches is a bike without character
Sidewinder. Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 "Deep in the woods there are no speed limits or safety nets – your decisions belong to you, along with the consequences that come with them. Mountain biking is a constant a balancing act, a teetering on the edge of chaos and control that forces the brain to block out everything else except the moment at hand."This.
droenn Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 Shouldn't have read this with so much of the work day left to go...
scubes Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 That about sums it up for me. Can't be bothered about what other people think, really. The allure for me is the fact that it is me who I need to impress, not anyone else. If I can climb a hill non-stop matters to me more than to anyone else, and what I experience on the way up, and even more so on my way down again, cannot in any measurable way be shared with anyone else. Well said. I ride a MTB because I want to and I enjoy it. Sometimes I feel like a slow ride and sometimes faster. In the end I enjoy it and I like being out in nature and not on a tarred road. I like what I see and I look for things to see. At the same time I enjoy cycling with friends but also enjoy the solitude of cycling alone especially in nature. For me it is not about Strava and beating other people including myself, it is about being out there exercising and getting fit as a by product. The journey is the destination. When I'm on the bike and all is smooth and going well, I love that feeling of legpower pushing along a piece of aluminium and rubber. I love sweating up a hill and then the rush of wind down the next hill. I love knowing that I got to the top of the hill non stop and I don't care much if I did in a record speed or not. Each ride is a lot of little achievements and I vary my rides and don't do the exact same one each time. Variety is what life is about.
gummibear Posted February 12, 2015 Posted February 12, 2015 Most of my riding is done on my own, I love it! Also to get away and have some "me time".
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