Don't help the youngsters !!

[dave303e]

Fully agree, there was definitely a few guys that took the short cut bypassing the nice new single track section.

 

ya there are quite a few strava tracks that clearly show cheating

[dev null]

I regularly help with school's MTB practise rides. We have a rule: no tube, pump or bombs, no ride, we send the kid home or he sits and waits for his parents to pick him up while the rest rides.

 

By the time that they are 16, most of them rides with tubeless and knows how to sort out their bikes.

 

BTW, don't paint the kids with the same brush. When my wife crashed in the Trailseeker at Boschendal, a young racing snake stopped to see if she is OK.

[Hennie VR]

Fully agree, there was definitely a few guys that took the short cut bypassing the nice new single track section.

 

Was it marked clearly? Maybe they missed a turn and unknowingly bypassed the single track. 

 

Boggles the mind that some will take a short cut and ride a shorter distance than what you paid for and then also get people that complain if the route was 5km shorter than advertised 

[Patchelicious]

I regularly help with school's MTB practise rides. We have a rule: no tube, pump or bombs, no ride, we send the kid home or he sits and waits for his parents to pick him up while the rest rides.

 

By the time that they are 16, most of them rides with tubeless and knows how to sort out their bikes.

 

BTW, don't paint the kids with the same brush. When my wife crashed in the Trailseeker at Boschendal, a young racing snake stopped to see if she is OK.

A teenage boy stopping for a damsel in distress...... and you think his motives are all good?

[Cas_1]

Was it marked clearly? Maybe they missed a turn and unknowingly bypassed the single track. 

 

Boggles the mind that some will take a short cut and ride a shorter distance than what you paid for and then also get people that complain if the route was 5km shorter than advertised 

Yes, was clear sign of 40km left to finish and 60km right to single track. I was very surprised to find out one more guy was in front of me than what I thought since we were chasing the group of guys in front of us.

[Popit]

I regularly help with school's MTB practise rides. We have a rule: no tube, pump or bombs, no ride, we send the kid home or he sits and waits for his parents to pick him up while the rest rides.

 

By the time that they are 16, most of them rides with tubeless and knows how to sort out their bikes.

 

BTW, don't paint the kids with the same brush. When my wife crashed in the Trailseeker at Boschendal, a young racing snake stopped to see if she is OK.

Moridin , you are 100% correct .

I by no means want to paint all the youngsters as being the same .

Sure there was some generalisation on my behalf .

I am sure that the majority of youngsters are self sufficient on a race .

 

As I said , more of a grumble than a rant .

[NelAndre]

Like they say in the aeroplanes....secure your own mask first.

[Procrates]

Ride 26" nobody else can use your tubes 

 

Note if you have different wheelsize bikes remember to swop your tubes according to bikes, I have been caught like this before. 

[dev null]

Moridin , you are 100% correct .

I by no means want to paint all the youngsters as being the same .

Sure there was some generalisation on my behalf .

I am sure that the majority of youngsters are self sufficient on a race .

 

As I said , more of a grumble than a rant .

 

Yes, understand.

 

Commend you for stopping. Wish a bloke like you were around for my son last year in the Stellies Cycle Tour.

 

He had a flat on the climb back to Windmeul. He proceeded to replace the tube, and then wanted to inflate the tyre using his bomb. As he inserted the cannister into the valve, the little nipple that is supposed to puncture the membrane broke. So he stood there unable to inflate the tyre, and not one rider stopped to help him inflate the tyre. Being a very shy boy, he did not want to flag down a rider to help him.

 

The sweep vehicle eventually stopped to pick him up, but first they tried to see if they could him him get on with riding. There was no pump on the vehicle, and the other cyclists that were already picked up could not help him either. Some of them did not have a pump, or if they did, it did not work, which is probably why they also had to be picked up.

 

So in the end he had to abandon his race.

[Pure Savage]

Yes, understand.

 

Commend you for stopping. Wish a bloke like you were around for my son last year in the Stellies Cycle Tour.

 

He had a flat on the climb back to Windmeul. He proceeded to replace the tube, and then wanted to inflate the tyre using his bomb. As he inserted the cannister into the valve, the little nipple that is supposed to puncture the membrane broke. So he stood there unable to inflate the tyre, and not one rider stopped to help him inflate the tyre. Being a very shy boy, he did not want to flag down a rider to help him.

 

The sweep vehicle eventually stopped to pick him up, but first they tried to see if they could him him get on with riding. There was no pump on the vehicle, and the other cyclists that were already picked up could not help him either. Some of them did not have a pump, or if they did, it did not work, which is probably why they also had to be picked up.

 

So in the end he had to abandon his race.

 

I stopped twice in that race to help fix punctures and pace people back. Must not have caught me by Windmeul

[Pure Savage]

Yes, understand.

 

Commend you for stopping. Wish a bloke like you were around for my son last year in the Stellies Cycle Tour.

 

He had a flat on the climb back to Windmeul. He proceeded to replace the tube, and then wanted to inflate the tyre using his bomb. As he inserted the cannister into the valve, the little nipple that is supposed to puncture the membrane broke. So he stood there unable to inflate the tyre, and not one rider stopped to help him inflate the tyre. Being a very shy boy, he did not want to flag down a rider to help him.

 

The sweep vehicle eventually stopped to pick him up, but first they tried to see if they could him him get on with riding. There was no pump on the vehicle, and the other cyclists that were already picked up could not help him either. Some of them did not have a pump, or if they did, it did not work, which is probably why they also had to be picked up.

 

So in the end he had to abandon his race.

 

Just realised I am probably not a 'youngster' any more

[dev null]

Just realised I am probably not a 'youngster' any more

 

But you are still way faster. Ou toppies have the endurance, while most of the youngsters lose their steam on the rollers back to Stellies. He was going for a 3 hour Stellies, and was at that time still on target.

[Pure Savage]

But you are still way faster. Ou toppies have the endurance, while most of the youngsters lose their steam on the rollers back to Stellies. He was going for a 3 hour Stellies, and was at that time still on target.

Ha ha, that day I did a 3:20 and only beat one person in the elite group, that day was less than ideal. Dont try and race ill

[dev null]

Ha ha, that day I did a 3:20 and only beat one person in the elite group, that day was less than ideal. Dont try and race ill

 

He was probably hot on your heels. He started in group D, I think.

[dev null]

Seriously though.

 

If there are any parents that cycle with kids, I would strongly urge them to train the youngsters at an early age to ride with kit to fix their bikes when they have a technical. The problem is that the parents race with their kids, and the parent only carries the kit. This is fine if the kid races at the parent's pace. But once the kid grows stronger, they forget about the fact that the kid does not have the tools or the knowledge to fix their bikes, thereby transferring the responsibility to other riders to help.

[BDF]

Seriously though.

 

If there are any parents that cycle with kids, I would strongly urge them to train the youngsters at an early age to ride with kit to fix their bikes when they have a technical. The problem is that the parents race with their kids, and the parent only carries the kit. This is fine if the kid races at the parent's pace. But once the kid grows stronger, they forget about the fact that the kid does not have the tools or the knowledge to fix their bikes, thereby transferring the responsibility to other riders to help.

I ride with my son (15) and daughter (13). I have tried from the beginning to teach my son the basic how-to's. At best I have succeeded in getting them to wash their bikes but anything remotely mechanical I do for them. They can pump wheels and that's about it.

Having said that, they have zero interest in racing. just in enjoying time out with their dad . Heart melts, bikes get fixed, serviced etc and we move on to the next fun time we spend together on the bikes!