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Indoor power based training and the lack of basic mountainbike skills


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There has been numerous threads on The Hub, and lots of mention of the lack of skills in A,B & C batch riders in most events.

When chatting to people who have been riding for a while, and recently competed in an event, there is always mention of one or two riders, unable to negotiate simple technical sections and obstacles like switchbacks, rocky sections etc.

 

My thoughts on this, and specifically the mention of "fast riders on the dirt road sections, but can't ride single track"

led me to think about the rise of indoor power training as a method to increase fitness and develop power.

It has been scientifically proven to be most effective at increasing fitness and endurance. The growth in the availability of power based training to the general public is linked to the rapid advancement of technology, and the booming cycling industry. The numerous apps, different types and makes of trainers, being able to train on-line and race against friends are all indicators of this.

 

If I look at where my fitness was on the day I went and bought my first serious mountain bike (relative term)  and how long it took, and how hard I trained to get to a level of comfortably finishing a 3 day stage race, it was definitely not six weeks as the training plans of the power based training methods promises.

 

I am getting to my point....

 

Be patient.

 

In addition to increasing fitness when one spends hours on a mountain bike, one also naturally develop a basic skill set. Some people seem to have a better natural skill aptitude, and others attend skills development classes to aid with skill development. But skills need to be practised to be implemented successfully, else it's just another book on the shelf... gathering dust.

 

So taking all of the above into consideration, I believe the lack off skills on the trails from upper batched riders are due to the fact that although they have the power output due to the fact that a person is following scientific power based training plans, they do not have the skill-set, due to not enough time spent riding actual trails.

 

There is a general lack of "real world" trail experience. Not enduro type of "shredding the gnar" or clearing the table top on a 200mm suspension DH machine, but easy stuff like going around a corner without deploying landing gear, maintaining speed over small obstacles, not using too much front brake in a corner etc.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

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dont know about all, but i use my idt mainly to maintain and slowly build, most of my training and the group of guys i know use idt use  it as "part of" not all//most training,,,,,, 

 

lack of skill on 94.7 i blame 90% of that on spinning glasses who cater for 94.7 riders

 

 

dips bolts to the door

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But Dips, you and the guys you ride with have been riding before the whole power based training thing became so mainstream.

 

I'm not trying to bad mouth IDT or power based training (I will be divorced if I do) I'm just making an observation regarding the rapid rise of cycling and specifically the corporates getting involved.

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the lack of skills is directly attributable to the number of noobs and ex golfers and reasonably fit blokes with enough cash to enter all the races (no longer paying golf club fees !) out riding mountain bikes ,who believe - like most men - that they know everything and are great at everything they do ....(ask any guys wife ) :wacko:

 

the other problem with men on bikes is the same as men in cars - they think everyone else is crap and they are brilliant and bitch endlessly about everyone else's faults ...

 

therefore I don't think your argument holds water :thumbdown:  :clap:  :clap: :clap:  

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But Dips, you and the guys you ride with have been riding before the whole power based training thing became so mainstream.

 

I'm not trying to bad mouth IDT or power based training (I will be divorced if I do) I'm just making an observation regarding the rapid rise of cycling and specifically the corporates getting involved.

 

I agree with you. As mentioned the industry have boomed and people making use of these scientific training programs. I myself train at Cadence on Tue/Thu but spend as much time on the trails. This is where the lack of skill comes in...only/mostly training indoors (which does help - fitness/power!) , and doing races or events over weekends.

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I agree with the OP .

Same goes for road cycling . Reasonably fit ( from indoor training ) riders have no bunch skills so they are able to stay in bunches where they do not belong .

Many many moons ago with less riders on the road a newbie was quickly told if he was unsafe in a bunch . That was how we learned .

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OK I will bite. You are talking about me.

 

I do 70% of my training on an IDT. I suck at technical riding (mostly because I don't want to get injured). I ride A bunch in most MTB and Road races.

 

Should I stay home? Hold back? Apologise? What?

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Interesting view. I dont take it as IDT based only. I see it as a general trend. A program that takes you 6 weeks to get strong enough to finish in the A bunch for argus, does not mean you have the skills to finish in the A bunch for argus.

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OK I will bite. You are talking about me.

 

I do 70% of my training on an IDT. I suck at technical riding (mostly because I don't want to get injured). I ride A bunch in most MTB and Road races.

 

Should I stay home? Hold back? Apologise? What?

you dont have 10 000 posts so we cant comment :ph34r:

 

but, you can still ride faster than most so just offer you back pocket the next time you come past :whistling:

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I remember way back when, just before the 94.7 . They used to have bunch riding skills training at kyalami on Wednesday (free entry nogal). Don't you think that, that needs to come back? (especially the free entry  :clap:  )

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Interesting view. I dont take it as IDT based only. I see it as a general trend. A program that takes you 6 weeks to get strong enough to finish in the A bunch for argus, does not mean you have the skills to finish in the A bunch for argus.

 

There's a 6-week training program that gets you into A bunch ?!!??! What?!

Tell me of this sorcery you speak........

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I'm always amazed that everyone gets held up and NO one does the holding up, except Talus.

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OK I will bite. You are talking about me.

 

I do 70% of my training on an IDT. I suck at technical riding (mostly because I don't want to get injured). I ride A bunch in most MTB and Road races.

 

Should I stay home? Hold back? Apologise? What?

I also don't want to get injured (who does?) Thats why I invested some time and money on skills training. I live in the flattest part of the freestate, my nearest 2 mountain bike tracks are both more than 35 km from my home, and they are both very flat and only slightly technical. The nearest thing I can call a hill is more than 150 km away. What's more, I am on the wrong side of 50, but I made a big effort at improving my skills, so that I can be safer on the trails, enjoy it more and not hold up every one because I can not ride over a small rock or root or around a switchback.

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Batch seeding at mtb events means that the rider is fast enough to ride in that batch. Perhaps the marathon seeding system implies that not a lot of skill is needed for marathons?

 

Re the IDT and power training, fitness from it it is no different than that gained on a road bike, or jogging, or hill repeats up a district dirt road. It is just fitness, it makes no difference where it comes from.

 

Riders with skills should perhaps consider some of the downhill events? There the results depend more on skill and no bottleneck problems...

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Ok, so I'm one of the guys that recently commented on the fast dirt road riders vs the more technically competent riders. TALUS, to answer your question... The ONLY thing people that's faster through the single track can expect is that you offer that they pass you, permitting that there is a gap somewhere where you can slightly pull over to the side and for the faster rider to pass on non-riding line. And I don't expect you to stop, nor to leave the track!!!

 

I ride to push myself through the single track and tech sections. I have pushed the limits of my abilities and have become a better technical rider. Sometimes I have paid the price (falling hard), but that has tought me a lot about my bike, tyres, tyre pressures, my own weight placement, etc. The frustrating part for me is obviously that I ride for these tech sections and when I get hold up on these sections it's almost if the reason why I came to do the race is now null & void. I understand that I need to work on my own power (for those long dirt roads), but at the same time if others want to do these mtb races they should also work on their tech abilities. I have done the tread skills clinic and doing another in June. All guys (like me) is asking, give me a fair chance to enjoy the part of the race / trails that I'm good at and excell at - just like others have a fair chance to outgun me on the open flat roads. So, when you here me (constantly) on my breaks behind you in the single track or rocky uphill or downhill and there is a gap in the road, please offer for me to pass you. You'll catch me again on the next dirt road and make up the 5 seconds you lost and I will enjoy my race so much more... Gunning the single track... Maybe even give you a gopro moment if I get it wrong :-). And I'll come home and hop onto hub and write about how considerate mtb riders are for allowing me to pass them on the single track and enjoy my ride (& skills).

 

Ns: I'm by no means a technical expert and have ran out of skills as well, but I can hold my own and would say that in all the batches / races I have started I am above the avg Jo soap / weekend warrior in terms of tech skills - but this has not always been the case. I'm not a youngster anymore - so there's definitely hope for all who wants to improve their tech skills.

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