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The Alps Ruined My Riding!

WillrideforcakeWillrideforcake Posts: 305
edited September 2009 in MTB general
Just got back from a fantastic week in Les Gets - great riding, top people, fantastic scenery. Discovered I'm marginally better at DH than XC (given a fully boingy bike), and generally had a good time.

However, and here's the rub, everything back home just looks, well, tame in comparison. I look a trails I used to love, and would get some nice flow on, and just think "Hmm. Bit tame, really."

Has anybody else had this? Is there a cure? Help, I want to fall back in love with my old trails, but just can't get the motivation to get back out there.
Old hockey players never die - they just smell that way...

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  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    What trails are you riding here? You been to Wharncliffe?
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  • WillrideforcakeWillrideforcake Posts: 305
    Unfortunately, I'm based in the fens, so it's Thetford or bust unless I want a three-hour + drive - have thought about hitting Chicksands a bit more often, which might help get my mojo back I guess...
    Old hockey players never die - they just smell that way...
  • clarksonclarkson Posts: 1,641
    yep, been like that since i got back from france!!
    I said hit the brakes not the tree!!

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  • NorthwindNorthwind Posts: 14,675
    I felt the exact same when i got home from fort william. Then I treated my local XC loop with contempt and it ****ed me up :lol:

    Might be a daft suggestion but have you considered a different bike? I'm guessing for your alps ride you were on something mighty and bouncy, maybe you're a bit overbiked back here?
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  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Alps to Fens, I feel your pain lol.
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  • ride_wheneverride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    night riding...
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  • AlexAlex Posts: 2,086
    All I can say is that houses are probably as cheap as they're gonna get. Especially in Scotland/Wales/Shropshire.
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  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Come to Wales :D
  • paul.skibumpaul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    ride faster.

    or move.
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  • lesz42lesz42 Posts: 690
    slick tires, and no brakes
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  • ceecee Posts: 4,553
    ride_whenever wrote:
    night riding...

    on a hardtail.....problem solved.

    I have this problem every year after coming back from a holiday where the trails are big.

    just back from the fort as well and you can definitely feel the difference in your riding attitude...
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  • joshtpjoshtp Posts: 3,966
    buy a HT, go night riding, move to the land of my fathers. thers a house just down the road fro me actualy....
    I like bikes and stuff
  • Daz555Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    Willrideforcake wrote:
    Just got back from a fantastic week in Les Gets - great riding, top people, fantastic scenery. Discovered I'm marginally better at DH than XC (given a fully boingy bike), and generally had a good time.

    However, and here's the rub, everything back home just looks, well, tame in comparison. I look a trails I used to love, and would get some nice flow on, and just think "Hmm. Bit tame, really."

    Has anybody else had this? Is there a cure? Help, I want to fall back in love with my old trails, but just can't get the motivation to get back out there.
    Just stay off the bike for a few weeks. Back in Uni days I used to snowboard every week at the local dryslope and have a really good time doing slalom and working on my jumps. However, after a week or two in the Alps the idea of going back to the dry was completely uninspiring. After a few weeks rest however, things come back into perspective.
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  • sampras38sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    Willrideforcake wrote:
    Just got back from a fantastic week in Les Gets - great riding, top people, fantastic scenery. Discovered I'm marginally better at DH than XC (given a fully boingy bike), and generally had a good time.

    However, and here's the rub, everything back home just looks, well, tame in comparison. I look a trails I used to love, and would get some nice flow on, and just think "Hmm. Bit tame, really."

    Has anybody else had this? Is there a cure? Help, I want to fall back in love with my old trails, but just can't get the motivation to get back out there.

    I had a similar experience recently but my view is slightly different. I was in France for the Tour a few months ago and did quite a bit of riding while I was out there, i.e. climbed the Joux Plane and Colombiere a few times and tried to beat my times each time I went up. Since I've been back I've found my climbing has improved massively and I can now do my usual Box Hill rides a lot quicker than I used to be able to. France has really helped my riding but I still enjoy the UK.
  • stevebrockstevebrock Posts: 239
    I went to Les Gets/Morzine and it blew me away - when I got back home the trails just were not giving me a buzz - in reality with a bit of time my entusiasm for them came back!
    Santa Cruz Heckler
  • Joe_PineapplesJoe_Pineapples Posts: 1,718
    There is a cure, it's called 'booking flights for 2010'.

    We got on it as soon as we got home in July. Just in case anyone is interested, July flights to Geneva are not available to book until nearer Christmas. You can subscribe to Sleasyjet's newsletter that will mail you when you can.
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  • willy bwilly b Posts: 4,125
    Get a cross bike:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/forums/vie ... t=12651528

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  • WillrideforcakeWillrideforcake Posts: 305
    Northwind wrote:

    Might be a daft suggestion but have you considered a different bike? I'm guessing for your alps ride you were on something mighty and bouncy, maybe you're a bit overbiked back here?

    Scott Gambler and Kona Stinky over there, Kona Caldera over here - wish I was overbiked! That said, there's nothing nothing like riding an alp on a hardtail to improve your line choice!
    Old hockey players never die - they just smell that way...
  • BoardinBobBoardinBob Posts: 697
    Just got to think of it as something to look forward to and make plans to get back out there.

    it's like snowboarding in Scotland. Up here a lot of folk bleat on that they will never ride at any of the scottish resorts once they've been to Europe, America etc. Scotland may not have the best hills and snow but at the end of the day surely it's better to be on the snow instead of stuck indoors.

    Apply that logic to the bike: It's better to be on it than off it and your Alps experience should push you to try and find new possibilities at home that you didn't notice or think possible before. Also, if you can spend the money and fly to the alps, then you can drive for a few hours to trails further afield.
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