So what makes anyone a "beginner?"
Matteeboy
Posts: 996
Asked this question on another forum but:
Seeing as most of us learn to cycle soon after we learn to walk (say aged 4-5), we can safely say we can all do the basics.
Now in my "main" sport of surfing, you do it just for fun - no "transport" gain to be made so many can't do it and it takes ages to learn.
But with riding, most of us do it for transport. MTBing is just an extension of this.
So what makes anyone a "beginner" (unless they've never ridden a bike) and at what stage can you consider yourself experienced? When you can do certain tricks? When you get to a certain level of fitness?
Interested to hear any thoughts.
Seeing as most of us learn to cycle soon after we learn to walk (say aged 4-5), we can safely say we can all do the basics.
Now in my "main" sport of surfing, you do it just for fun - no "transport" gain to be made so many can't do it and it takes ages to learn.
But with riding, most of us do it for transport. MTBing is just an extension of this.
So what makes anyone a "beginner" (unless they've never ridden a bike) and at what stage can you consider yourself experienced? When you can do certain tricks? When you get to a certain level of fitness?
Interested to hear any thoughts.
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Comments
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Well, clearly it's when you stop falling off. I mean if you fall off a bike you obviously haven't grasped the basics have you?Commencal Meta 5.5.1
Scott CR10 -
But if you never fall off, then you clearly need to try harder?0
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I don'tthink of myself as a beginner but I fall off all the time!0
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i must be trying really hard then lol0
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Ah here we come to another question where exactly does a "fall off" become a CRASH? :?
I fell off twice on wednesday night for 2 reasons 1 im ill and 2 im crap im not a beginner though!I never touched it! It was broke when I got here.0 -
Another definition of beginner might be anyone under 48 years old.Commencal Meta 5.5.1
Scott CR10 -
great only two more years before Im not a beginner!
or does it go up every year? :roll:I never touched it! It was broke when I got here.0 -
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When you've got cold wet and muddy fallen off and broken somethin on you or the bike spent all your money realise you spend more time on biking related sites than working and still want more your not a beginner any more0
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When you take your stabilisers off!0
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Surely it's when you put your stabilisers back on? Or resort to a zimmer frame....Commencal Meta 5.5.1
Scott CR10 -
When you are more likely to be the one helping fix someone else's bike than needing help fixing your own.0
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Well that depends, if its like you don,t know how to ride a bike and you want to start you would be a beginner, when you can ride e.g balance, brakes etc I guess you can ride.
If you plan on getting involved in a certain type of the sport e.g mountain biking then your judged by the sports structure of what class you can compete in and be competitive with other riders, you,ll soon find out where you fit in.0 -
Hmm - Not so sure.
In surfing, many of the best surfers don't compete.0 -
Matteeboy wrote:Hmm - Not so sure.
In surfing, many of the best surfers don't compete.
Why?0 -
I'd say you stop being a beginner when you no longer consider yourself one,0
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Matteeboy wrote:Hmm - Not so sure.
In surfing, many of the best surfers don't compete.
Is surfing not a judged sport, would it not be fairly easy for somebody to judge your ability just by watching?.
Suppose mountain biking or road racing is easyer to judge because all you need to do is compare say a tt / trail time that you have done to a more experianced rider.
I wouldn,t consider myself a beginner cyclist, I could ride a bike since I was 4, but in terms of taking it up as a sport I am new, e.g untill recently I,v never owned a bike thats cost more than £120, yet a beginner bike on these forums costs from £250 - £500 so I can understand why so many people have so many questions, including me
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You are a beginner when you are new to riding off road i.e. new to mtn biking. Be it a roadie for years but just switched to cross country etc.. A Beginner is someone that is new to riding a mtn bike, be it 10 years old or 55 years old. Everyone has to start somewhere, if your a beginner ya will progress sooo fast, in a very short time, and grow in confidence thats the key to being a better rider.0
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When you realise that instead of asking questions you are answering them?
We will always be learning, and that is an important realisation as well. But for me the transition from beginner was when I was able to help other people with advice, practical hands on or guidance.
The icing on the cake though is when someone comes up to you and says "I was told that you would know the answer to this..."
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(Unattributed Trad.)0 -
cjw wrote:Matteeboy wrote:Hmm - Not so sure.
In surfing, many of the best surfers don't compete.
Why?
Because they surf for fun, not glory. Competing is actually quite wearing in surfing (I've done it many times) -you have to surf in terrible conditions a lot (most) of the time and for many, it's not what surfing is about.
Never understood people who HAVE to compete all the time.
Having said that I recently took up trail running and managed (against many "proper" runners) 5th out of 700 in a 10k trail run 0
