Madone69 Posted November 23, 2016 Share this ego trip the the cyclist are having all started from the road scene....keep left keep left...we know this .... hell i still do it.. i did some MTB rides ...really enjoy it when i can ..but that the same egos are now coming to the trails...hence i find it intimidating... where to now........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanD Posted November 23, 2016 Share I think it has to do with finances as races, especially the bigger more popular one, are becoming so expensive and I would guess that riders pick the few races they want to do and perhaps thhe 94.7 is not such a big thing anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen Posted November 23, 2016 Share I'd be keen. I think an all women team sounds awesome.I am female...There we go Savage..you have 1 lady.. now to get the rest..[emoji122] [emoji122] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen Posted November 23, 2016 Share As a girl and a newbie this is my experience with cycling:Being a runner myself (Ultra road marathons mostly) I took up cycling about a year ago as a form of cross training between my running and my closest friend, who has been a competitive cyclist since before he could walk, encouraged me to give it a go too. We built up a bike together with his help and the help of all you here on the hub and managed to get a nice spec-ed mtb for around 10k. I started cycling with him only and myself just around the roads in Pretoria and then we started going to mtb parks and started with a 16km race and worked up to 45km races and 60km group rides. I was more than happy to ride my bike on the roads (if it meant going round in circles to get longer distances) to get fit and enjoyed the actual cycling itself very much three times a week when I didn't run. However the more I began to join races and go to mtb parks I began to enjoy it less and less. I'm not the most confident on the trails when it gets technical or tight lines and somehow managed to faceplant at almost every race without fail. The thing that got me though was that no matter if I was in the J batch at a trailseeker if I got to a technical section and needed a bit more time to maneuver through it I'd be shouted at from behind with numerous calls of "TRACK" and just general irritated comments of inconvenience. Now twice shy I'd just get off and pull my bike off the path into the bushes at every small technicality so people could pass and not even attempt anything which never helped me gain the confidence to practise them. Group rides were similar; I would be perhaps the slowest in the bottom batch owing to my difficulty with technicalities and although those ahead would go on ahead of me and then come back and forth all the time it never gave me much confidence or encouraged me to try I'd rather just get off and run with my bike to get through it quick and not be left behind. I tried going to bike parks alone at early hours eventually to practise and get better which did help granted but the moment anyone came up behind me at a race or a normal hour of the day the same thing would occur. And I'm not trying to run down anyone in the cycling world because there have been those who stop behind me and wait and encourage me to give something a go and they'll wait behind me happily or pass me when there is space and give a cheerful thanks on their way past. But in general I felt the people are just not as interested in helping someone who is a little less confident (as most ladies are). Whereas during a group run if someone is having an off day or is a little slow one if not all will take the time to slow to their pace that day or walk with them and encourage them to run again at the next lamp post or whatever. And I don't mean to offend anyone with what I have said here just thought I'd share my experience which has put me off cycling a lot and hence I haven't touched my bike in the last few weeks after the latest group ride.Aaw, that is a pity hey, and you probably ended up stressing more about the guys behind you than the actual technical section approaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacc Posted November 23, 2016 Share As a girl and a newbie this is my experience with cycling:Being a runner myself (Ultra road marathons mostly) I took up cycling about a year ago as a form of cross training between my running and my closest friend, who has been a competitive cyclist since before he could walk, encouraged me to give it a go too. We built up a bike together with his help and the help of all you here on the hub and managed to get a nice spec-ed mtb for around 10k. I started cycling with him only and myself just around the roads in Pretoria and then we started going to mtb parks and started with a 16km race and worked up to 45km races and 60km group rides. I was more than happy to ride my bike on the roads (if it meant going round in circles to get longer distances) to get fit and enjoyed the actual cycling itself very much three times a week when I didn't run. However the more I began to join races and go to mtb parks I began to enjoy it less and less. I'm not the most confident on the trails when it gets technical or tight lines and somehow managed to faceplant at almost every race without fail. The thing that got me though was that no matter if I was in the J batch at a trailseeker if I got to a technical section and needed a bit more time to maneuver through it I'd be shouted at from behind with numerous calls of "TRACK" and just general irritated comments of inconvenience. Now twice shy I'd just get off and pull my bike off the path into the bushes at every small technicality so people could pass and not even attempt anything which never helped me gain the confidence to practise them. Group rides were similar; I would be perhaps the slowest in the bottom batch owing to my difficulty with technicalities and although those ahead would go on ahead of me and then come back and forth all the time it never gave me much confidence or encouraged me to try I'd rather just get off and run with my bike to get through it quick and not be left behind. I tried going to bike parks alone at early hours eventually to practise and get better which did help granted but the moment anyone came up behind me at a race or a normal hour of the day the same thing would occur. And I'm not trying to run down anyone in the cycling world because there have been those who stop behind me and wait and encourage me to give something a go and they'll wait behind me happily or pass me when there is space and give a cheerful thanks on their way past. But in general I felt the people are just not as interested in helping someone who is a little less confident (as most ladies are). Whereas during a group run if someone is having an off day or is a little slow one if not all will take the time to slow to their pace that day or walk with them and encourage them to run again at the next lamp post or whatever. And I don't mean to offend anyone with what I have said here just thought I'd share my experience which has put me off cycling a lot and hence I haven't touched my bike in the last few weeks after the latest group rideThank you for your post Reegan. This is the sort of feedback I am looking for and the reason why I started the thread. I am also a girl and my training buddies are men. I started off with a MTB but after a couple of visits to Medicross after races I switched to road cycling. I enjoy road cycling, I feel more comfortable and I like speed more than doing technical sections. I cycle only in the Cradle and I don't feel unsafe. Ok, have to add I won't ever cycle alone. I do see ladies cycling alone in the Cradle, which I think is stupid. I don't know if I agree with the comments about an all ladies team, I think it can work if training is mixed with men cyclists. One last comment, men can gossip as much as women while cycling I do miss female conversation while riding, sometimes too much testosterone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloukrans Posted November 23, 2016 Share No offense to the other ladies out there and i don't really wamt to generalize but personally I would not de hell be in a ladies team.. sorry they can just be high bloody maintenance and well cows... it was one of the reasons why I quit club hockey a few years back.. too much effort keeping everyone happy hey... I am not saying all ladies are like that, but to find a group that will gell is not so easy. But well done to you for trying hey.Margaret, het Chris al gery? :ph34r: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 23, 2016 Share Year on year numbers - by gender 2016 Road Race - 3341 online entries 2016 MTB race - 410 online entries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ians H2Sport Posted November 23, 2016 Share Thank you for your post Reegan. This is the sort of feedback I am looking for and the reason why I started the thread. I am also a girl and my training buddies are men. I started off with a MTB but after a couple of visits to Medicross after races I switched to road cycling. I enjoy road cycling, I feel more comfortable and I like speed more than doing technical sections. I cycle only in the Cradle and I don't feel unsafe. Ok, have to add I won't ever cycle alone. I do see ladies cycling alone in the Cradle, which I think is stupid. I don't know if I agree with the comments about an all ladies team, I think it can work if training is mixed with men cyclists. One last comment, men can gossip as much as women while cycling I do miss female conversation while riding, sometimes too much testosterone...MTB needs more lady riders. While riding in the 20km races behind my daughter, I have noticed more ladies riding this year, and they seem to be having fun. Not sure about the other regions, but there are many ladies skills clinics and ladies riding groups in KZN. Try a skills course and make sure you are on a 'forgiving' bike. Don't go XCO race bike like many do, it makes life much tougher if you are learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen Posted November 23, 2016 Share Thank you for your post Reegan. This is the sort of feedback I am looking for and the reason why I started the thread. I am also a girl and my training buddies are men. I started off with a MTB but after a couple of visits to Medicross after races I switched to road cycling. I enjoy road cycling, I feel more comfortable and I like speed more than doing technical sections. I cycle only in the Cradle and I don't feel unsafe. Ok, have to add I won't ever cycle alone. I do see ladies cycling alone in the Cradle, which I think is stupid. I don't know if I agree with the comments about an all ladies team, I think it can work if training is mixed with men cyclists. One last comment, men can gossip as much as women while cycling I do miss female conversation while riding, sometimes too much testosterone...He he he fair enough. What is this conversation you speak of.. I can't breath let alone speak during training.[emoji6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacc Posted November 23, 2016 Share Thanks Gerald for the stats. Can you perhaps compare the last 3/4 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen Posted November 23, 2016 Share Margaret, het Chris al gery? :ph34r:[emoji23] [emoji23] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 23, 2016 Share Thanks Gerald for the stats. Can you perhaps compare the last 3/4 years?For the road race, I need to dig into my archives to find the data - MTB is the first event we organised this November. edit: found the files - just need to download, sort and update the graphs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacc Posted November 23, 2016 Share He he he fair enough. What is this conversation you speak of.. I can't breath let alone speak during training.[emoji6]It depends on what we decide to do on the day. If we are trying for new Strava PBs then we don't talk. We do have "social" rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted November 23, 2016 Share And I don't mean to offend anyone with what I have said here just thought I'd share my experience which has put me off cycling a lot and hence I haven't touched my bike in the last few weeks after the latest group ride. Welcome to the hub! interesting perspective. It is true that a lot of people do get quite irritable when it comes to technical sections. I have not raced a MTB race in years now, so I cant comment on what the situation down here in KZN is like in a race situation...but just riding out in the trails on the weekend everyone is very chilled. Maybe also it is the number of trails available in relation to the population that means that you hardly ever encounter other groups My biggest problem is waiting and waiting and waiting for @blondeonabike to finally make it down the singletrack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulse Posted November 23, 2016 Share I KNEW IT..Trail running is the new golf...You win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albatross Posted November 23, 2016 Share Latching onto the Running theory: Parkruns have grown amazingly over the past few years. Free 5km timed event in nature every Saturday, what is not to love. Parkrun Voortrekker Monument and Botanical Gardens see numbers of about 800 to 1000 people every single Saturday. A decline in disposable income in real numbers might be one of the biggest factors driving this decline in cycling we are seeing.and you get 300 Vitality points for a Parkrun - wrong thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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