Pro MTB

edward.wigmore

Hi,

Was wondering how you go about making a career out of XC MTBing. Next year, after x-mas, I was going to join Berks on Bikes MTB club. Done my first Gorrick now realise that if you are going to come top you need to go at the front at the start line or else you end up stuck behind everyone else. SO whats next?

Thanks

Ed

whyamihere

If you have to ask, you're not good enough.

edward.wigmore

mabye but i recon its better to get some advise first

Mc Smiley

Train race train race
Get out there if you do well you may pick up sonsership
Show desire and you might get there

Also advice, it is a noun an object
I am advising you

edward.wigmore

Thank you, sorry about the advice + advise thing I will watch my grammer in the future. So the general idea is to go out and win races!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mc Smiley

Well yes and don't be a cocky, be confident buut no one likes someone who is above themself. You need their help.

But yes win races, but train

MrChrisP

edward.wigmore wrote:

So the general idea is to go out and win races!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Peaty didn't get to the top by coming 2nd did he

edward.wigmore

exactly, 3rd or 2nd against the best in the world just isn't good enough i am only 15 at the mo so 2nd or 3rd would be good. lol

edward.wigmore

forget to say i am trying to fit in training around school and doing lots of xc running in school

Mc Smiley

Less running more biking if you can. You'll get fitness and skills, I run once a week and ride once or twice a week as well. Variety is good, don't bored that way either.

edward.wigmore

the running is during school time so cant not do it so i thopught mightaswell do it to build up aerobic base and then cycle after school and all weekend. What got my cycling started was cycling almost 50 miles xc everyday of the summer holiday it started out with lots of pain but got less and less next target is the big 100 miles

projectsome

race EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. oh and erm practise.....

Set yourself targets. I can now do my route home from work (2 miles) in 7 minutes on a hardtail. that's 4 minutes off my time.

crash more! you won't be afraid to push it beyond the limits if you know what pain feels like.

edward.wigmore

any thoughts on turbo trainers? for use in evenings when you cant hit the trails

missmarple

edward.wigmore wrote:

any thoughts on turbo trainers? for use in evenings when you cant hit the trails

If you want to be a pro, you can ALWAYS use the trails, find somewhere local - guaranteed there will routes available, get a bright enough set of lights.

I suggest you join a club first, and then you'll discover your true performance against others.

To keep the upper body fitness, I'd recommend rowing (out of personal experience).

crash more! you won't be afraid to push it beyond the limits if you know what pain feels like.

Deffo agree with this, don't be afraid to push yourself beyond the limit - if you don't make mistakes you'll never learn.

And best of all, good luck.

ride_whenever

on your timeframe, just go out and ride as fast as you can for as long as you can. With only evenings and weekends you'll struggle to over-train, particularly fitting it around school. So find yourself a local loop and see how fast you can go round it, and then keep trying to beat it.

Race everything that moves, cars, buses, deer, birds, other riders obviously, particularly roadies!

Choose the races you want to do well in advance so you have goals and then try to achieve them. Maybe enter a race in the spring and aim to come in the top 10% etc.

dangerousdescent

Was wondering how you go about making a career out of XC MTBing

It depends what you mean by career!

If its enough money to live on, then you would have to be exceptional and probably winning top quality races by some distance already. There is very little money in MTB in this country or in MTB generally, relative to road.

This probably explains why one of the recently announced British based professional road squads contains 4 guys who have all ridden the World MTB Champs (3 GB and 1 NZ).

Jedi

just enjoy riding and see how good you get.
goal setting from the outset mostly leads to fail

edward.wigmore

thanks for all the advice, roadies always seem to be in the press more but you never know oneday mtbing might get there. Do you know if many young mtbr move over to road later on and race?

dangerousdescent

There probably isnt much differece between road and MTB at youth/junior level in terms of the bit of support the better riders may be able to get. However, at senior level there are far more well funded road teams available, so thats when many of the better xc MTB riders tend to switch.
If you want to get to the top nationally its easier in MTB, but there isnt as much for you when you get there, if you are looking at the financial benefits.

The Northern Monkey

Why race when you can just rrriiiiiiiiddddeeee.

littlebear

Training is a fine balance of strength, power and recovery. Things you have to train hard at if you want to be able to turn it on when you need it. I would advise spending a lot of time churning out miles on a road bike with some specific goals in mind, but also find time to hone your mtb skills off road. Fifteen years of age is a good place to be. Work on strength and power and don't forget base training miles and recovery are equally important as racing anything that moves. You have plenty of years to get better at off road and seeing as you enjoy racing, well there anit no better place do it, under pressure and flat out. Any mistakes are magnified and lessons are quickly learned. Mountain Trax in your area have club rides off road. Have a Chat with Chris if he is available. He races and is a top bloke

Good Luck!