Indoor power based training and the lack of basic mountainbike skills

[Christie]

I must add, I only mtb and can ride singletrack, berms, drops etc. fast. When entering marathon events (one or two per year), I expect crowds, bottlenecks and parking problems. For my singletrack fix I go blast around bike parks in the late afternoons for some clear track.

[RocknRolla]

@TALUS, I am not on a witchhunt here. I merely shared my opinion, and an observation I have made. I enjoy listening to other's opinion on bike related stuff, the general dynamic and shift in the industry the last couple of years is very interesting to me.

 

@ christie There has been a progression for the riders that crave something a bit more extreme than a Trailseeker mass participation event, namely #enduro. At least here in South Africa. Not as extreme as full on DHI, but enough to really get the adrenal gland to go to town.

 

Hearing Talus's view on why he does not necessarily want to go out and specifically develop skills, is interesting and it is what makes us all individual (isnt that an oxymoron) What i'm saying is that talus, would have without even realising it, honed his skills if he was doing his training in an environment similar to where racing would take place.

 

All pro riders have fitness coaches, and do their fitness and strength training on power trainers, indoors at the gym, on roadbikes etc, but they also have a skills coach that teach them skills to deal with obstacles one would encounter in a race environment (think XCO)

 

Marathon riding in SA is the perfect compromise between the more gnarly DHI type stuff, and the XCO type stuff. To successfully complete even a regional XCO course in Gauteng, one needs an above average level of fitness, and a proper set of technical skills.

People like Wendell and Pierre nel have been trying to get more people to do the XCO events, but then general population thinks XCO is too hectic. They either dont enjoy the intensity factor of the racing, or how technical the track is.

[Capricorn]

XCO is more technical than marathon. Marathon is just about endurance. Where's this compromise/middle ground you speak of? 

DH and marathon are the polar opposites in the MTB world with the middle ground being held by enduro and XCO.

[RocknRolla]

XCO is more technical than marathon. Marathon is just about endurance. Where's this compromise/middle ground you speak of?

I suppose I was trying to say it's a compromise to get the masses to participate, and get to experience that sense of acomplishment. If one is selective about the marathon events, there are some really fun events to do. But nothing as technical as an XCO event (even the monster was made easier this year, from what i have gathered)

[Christie]

My problem with XCO is that riding a technical set is fun. Doing it over and over and over and over at max HR stops being fun.

 

Two thumbs up for enduro :-)

[dev null]

I just do not have the fitness for an XCO race, but I make it my business to train on the XCO loops, of which there are enough around where I live (Helderberg Steilte, Coetzenberg).

 

I don't enjoy races that much because there sometimes seem to be a trend to cut out the technical singletrack sections in favour of jeep track, for obvious reasons of course.

[DIPSLICK]

Talus,talus,talus get your pitchforks lets get him, burn him burn him

One thing you guys all including "guilty talus" mustn't forget and it's a simple fact actually

You get guys who climb, simply because they lighter, mindset, they train for it

You get guys who grind heavy gears on the flats and once they get started they can't be caught

You get guys who fly DH because most of them just don't have grey matter

And you get legends who just have natural skill

I think before the industry (IDT )exploded there already were gaps, is it bigger because of IDT ??? nope, it's bigger and more obvious because the industry (cycling)IMHO HAS EXPLODED IN SIZE and as said above

I blame all the OKES from the " sport "called moer en soek who now try " play MTB "

As always dips runs off

[Capricorn]

coming back to the OP, i disagree that a lack of technical ability stems from power based training. Its simply due to lack of application and training. The really sad thing is, you dont need to be DH level technical to be more than sufficiently capable for what I believe to be the general level of technical riding available in local tracks. A couple of sessions at a place like Chris Nixon's training ground will set most marathon and XC riders on a very solid footing technically. But i think most avoid it because they think its not necessary to gain the proficiency, or probably worse, they think they are actually doing it right. Its worse because they then convey that 'understanding' to someone else.

[TALUS]

My position (or lack of) is clear. I think there is more to any race than only one aspect. I get my kicks from managing my race around my abilities and the specific course. I will actually calculate the risk benefit ratio and decide to dab down or walk if it means I am likely to end stronger. I went down Umkomaas valley holding my place in B bunch without deploying landing gear once - because it was safe. But at Hakahana I touch down easily because there is very little time to be lost. I think mature strategy is not only about bombing it. It helps to run deep inside the hurt box for the gravel parts too.

[javadude]

The problem is pumps. We need to bring back those long pumps that used to run along the seat tube. My training partner, "'Mr Greenway"(because we had respect in the 80s), ex Rhodesian cycling ace, used to whack me on my helmetless head if I did something stupid in the bunch. If I complained to my mom when I got back home I would get another whack for being a woes. Somehow, magically, my skills got better. Granted, I did have ten years of BMX riding behind me, which should be mandatory for any cyclist.

[Lurch the stalker]

My position (or lack of) is clear. I think there is more to any race than only one aspect. I get my kicks from managing my race around my abilities and the specific course. I will actually calculate the risk benefit ratio and decide to dab down or walk if it means I am likely to end stronger. I went down Umkomaas valley holding my place in B bunch without deploying landing gear once - because it was safe. But at Hakahana I touch down easily because there is very little time to be lost. I think mature strategy is not only about bombing it. It helps to run deep inside the hurt box for the gravel parts too.

 

I have to agree on the 'mature strategy'.

Back in my 'youth' I would be more than happy to hit a jump and worry about where I was going to land once I was in the air, and I bear the surgical scars from the stupidity of some of those decisions.

Now, if I don't feel comfortable, I'm ok with walking something to be able to complete my ride/race.

Of course, that doesn't mean I haven't run out of skill/luck recently.

[Benjamin]

My position (or lack of) is clear. I think there is more to any race than only one aspect. I get my kicks from managing my race around my abilities and the specific course. I will actually calculate the risk benefit ratio and decide to dab down or walk if it means I am likely to end stronger. I went down Umkomaas valley holding my place in B bunch without deploying landing gear once - because it was safe. But at Hakahana I touch down easily because there is very little time to be lost. I think mature strategy is not only about bombing it. It helps to run deep inside the hurt box for the gravel parts too.

Correct. The irony is that there is an awful lot more time gained overall ( in most cases) by being a good climber and an avg techie or descender than there is gained by being a wizard in the tech and descents but being more leisurely on the climbs. Plus your finish time decides your next seeding . So learn to climb.

[NotSoBigBen]

Notwithstanding the IDT debate ....

 

Do we all have the ability (read genes) to acquire the same skills and muscle types to get to the 'minimum' level, whatever that may be?

 

The way I see it is if you're not at the 'sharp' end of the field then you probably know by now that at races 'it is what it is' so either you accept that sometimes you'll have an issue and just get on with it or you decide to be one of the 'I don't race' cool kids that ride the blue and black at bike parks. End van prent as our 10 000 post friend would say!

 

Me you ask? Sometimes I get held up and sometimes I'm the holder up, doesn't matter how much we '*** en kerm' here it's not gonna change ........ 

[Cargyrl]

100% no MTB skill, so I stay away from any timed event or where there is too much single track ... oh wait I NOT a MTB'er and happy about it. 

 

Just ride your bike and ride your IDT to get faster and stronger ... loving it

[Cargyrl]

However I do ride a SS MTB, but that is for fun only, not everything is a race.

 

Winter is ideal for IDT's, whichever discipline/s you ride. Skills training is also important, in all disciplines. 

[V12man]

The problem is pumps. We need to bring back those long pumps that used to run along the seat tube. My training partner, "'Mr Greenway"(because we had respect in the 80s), ex Rhodesian cycling ace, used to whack me on my helmetless head if I did something stupid in the bunch. If I complained to my mom when I got back home I would get another whack for being a woes. Somehow, magically, my skills got better. Granted, I did have ten years of BMX riding behind me, which should be mandatory for any cyclist.

I have one of those in a drawer - let me know where you ride so I can come whack you on the head with it.... sounds like fun....