Patchelicious Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Mountain bikers are supposedly such nice people, surely you can just ask nicely for them to move?
MTBeer Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Problem is all they ride is dirt roads, week in week out can't learn skills there. Improving seeding is the only way around this issue, once in A group most of these problems vanish. that's my point.
ChUkKy Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Is it Friday yet? Could be soon... To the OP's comment:Nothing gets the walkers moving faster when a handlebar gets them in the lower back. The rule is simple, if you gonna walk, stay out of the track, if you choose to walk in the track I cant guarantee my bar or elbow wont hit them.
bertusras Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Improving seeding is the only way around this issue, once in A group most of these problems vanish.Legit question. How would I actually go about improving my seeding if I'm stuck behind guys who battle with tech sections, silly bottlenecks, etcetera etcetera. Go do halfs and go full gas passing as many people on the flats and non-singletrack climbs as possible, or what? It's a bit frustrating to be honest. I'm by no means a racing snake, but I'm not terrible either (apart from when I fall on my head), so I'm seriously curious.
mtbride Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Legit question. How would I actually go about improving my seeding if I'm stuck behind guys who battle with tech sections, silly bottlenecks, etcetera etcetera. Go do halfs and go full gas passing as many people on the flats and non-singletrack climbs as possible, or what? It's a bit frustrating to be honest. I'm by no means a racing snake, but I'm not terrible either (apart from when I fall on my head), so I'm seriously curious. That's what I did, started in E batch in the half Nissan Trailseekers, now in A batch (well was last time I did one a few months ago). The Trailseeker races around PTA are great to improve seeding in that some of them are wide open races on gravel roads, where you can motor along and pass alot of people. I started with a seeding of 60 something, I'm now on a 31. Also got frustrated here and there but it's part of any mtb, nothing else to do except try and improve seeding, or the other stuff mentioned here ...
jcza Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Could be soon... To the OP's comment:Nothing gets the walkers moving faster when a handlebar gets them in the lower back. The rule is simple, if you gonna walk, stay out of the track, if you choose to walk in the track I cant guarantee my bar or elbow wont hit them. Skillzzzz has spoken!!
Milosh Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Could be soon... To the OP's comment:Nothing gets the walkers moving faster when a handlebar gets them in the lower back. The rule is simple, if you gonna walk, stay out of the track, if you choose to walk in the track I cant guarantee my bar or elbow wont hit them. That's sure to help ! NOT !
KarlvN Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 That's what I did, started in E batch in the half Nissan Trailseekers, now in A batch (well was last time I did one a few months ago). The Trailseeker races around PTA are great to improve seeding in that some of them are wide open races on gravel roads, where you can motor along and pass alot of people. I started with a seeding of 60 something, I'm now on a 31. Also got frustrated here and there but it's part of any mtb, nothing else to do except try and improve seeding, or the other stuff mentioned here ... Well, at least the Nissan Trailseekers in the Western Cape include plenty single track. The last one we did at Hemel & Aarde had some awesome ST, and people were courteous all the way through. I passed some folks who let me through, and plenty of peeps were given space by myself. My take on ST in a race, is to ride within your skill level, and allow other riders who are faster, or more proficient to pass. I am in no way a slouch when it comes to ST, stemming from most of my riding being done on ST trails in and around Tygerberg MTB club. I agree that people are poeple sometimes, but if you don't want to be stuck in a bottleneck, avoid the mass participation events. I for one will not spend 11 grand to be frustrated by other people.
xnadu Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Why dont they have seedings or something like that then us slower riders are safe and the faster riders dont get hold up by us
GLuvsMtb Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 I touched on this in the W2W thread, and then saw this topic (recurring, but relevant none the less). I believe that event organisers and bicycle agents also need to take some responsibility in promoting (and perhaps even subsidising) skills clinics for all riders. It makes things safer (its far more dangerous to walk an A-frame than to ride it, if you know how to ride it), less congested and everyone has a better time. Instead of showing us footage of each stage they could also change the focus on how to / not to ride certain obstacles. Riders unfortunately also need to put up their hands and pursue technical training clinics. If you can spend money on a personal trainer, cadence, tech support at the race, massages etc. you can spend a few saturdays before the event getting some much-needed technical coaching. Key here is having the time to practice what you have learnt.
KarlvN Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 I touched on this in the W2W thread, and then saw this topic (recurring, but relevant none the less). I believe that event organisers and bicycle agents also need to take some responsibility in promoting (and perhaps even subsidising) skills clinics for all riders. It makes things safer (its far more dangerous to walk an A-frame than to ride it, if you know how to ride it), less congested and everyone has a better time. Instead of showing us footage of each stage they could also change the focus on how to / not to ride certain obstacles. Riders unfortunately also need to put up their hands and pursue technical training clinics. If you can spend money on a personal trainer, cadence, tech support at the race, massages etc. you can spend a few saturdays before the event getting some much-needed technical coaching. Key here is having the time to practice what you have learnt. These races should have a mid-level tech section of at least 2km at the start of the event, with berms, bridges, rock gardens, drop-offs and the odd jump or two, perhaps even a table top. Riders must be routed over this section, and only those who manage to ride the whole section will be permitted to continue the ride. If you walk, you stay. If you end up in hospital...well, you stay either way...
Headshot Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Last years Epic prologue was the prime example of lots of money and fitness but no skills...
lerouc Posted November 2, 2015 Posted November 2, 2015 Well, at least the Nissan Trailseekers in the Western Cape include plenty single track. The last one we did at Hemel & Aarde had some awesome ST, and people were courteous all the way through. I passed some folks who let me through, and plenty of peeps were given space by myself. My take on ST in a race, is to ride within your skill level, and allow other riders who are faster, or more proficient to pass. I am in no way a slouch when it comes to ST, stemming from most of my riding being done on ST trails in and around Tygerberg MTB club. I agree that people are poeple sometimes, but if you don't want to be stuck in a bottleneck, avoid the mass participation events. I for one will not spend 11 grand to be frustrated by other people. Ja see i am "ok" on down "hill" single track. But as soon as it turns upwards i am crawling (might have something todo with the 130kg my bike has to carry) but at Hemel en Aarde I let everyone and i mean everyone through on the uphill sections and when we got to the downhill the same people i let pass ignored me behind them. I actually stopped to help a guy with his chain because i was stuck behind 3 girls who for the life of them can't ride single track and when i asked to pass they said there is not place so i have to stay. (which is fair also even though at some spots i would have let faster riders through)
Trail Ninja Posted November 2, 2015 Author Posted November 2, 2015 My wife did a skills clinic at Dirtopia in Stellenbosch, she can now ride everything I can, just a little slower, and is faster than most woman and lots of guys down the trails purely because of some training and riding these trails alot. She can do the cobra (hoogekraal - Tygerberg trails) only getting off once, and shes far from a pro. This goes to show skills clinics work well, however, you need to go out and practice this once you have done one.
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