your fave mtb thing??

Jedi
Jedi Posts: 827
edited November 2010 in MTB general
when riding off road, what's your favourite thing to do?
land perfectly on a drop or jump? carve a perfect turn?
mine is just to flow down a trail with minimum effort.

what's yours?
«1

Comments

  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    pffft - all three to be honest, but I add that they re so so much better when done on something natural rather than a man made obstacle
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    has to be landing a drop for me, not that it happens very often!
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Not crash
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Not sure I'll be able to explain this one... Let's call it zen trackstanding. Roll to a halt, thinking about something else- last time it happened to me, it was figuring out a line down one of the sections at laggan, without thinking about it all I found I'd been balanced right on the edge of the feature for about 10 seconds or more, just perfectly stone still on the lip... And I couldn't do that normally never mind right on the edge of a mad pile of rocks. Then the brain switched back to riding and it just took the slightest hip movement to get the bike moving and off again. I'd never understood that idea of the perfect moment before... Thinking about it still gives me a real feeling of, I don't know, peace I guess. Calm.

    But I think that might make no sense at all except to people who've had it.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • ashleymp777
    ashleymp777 Posts: 1,212
    cooldad wrote:
    Not crash

    +1 for the not crashing favourite thing! ha.......Oh, and getting to the tea stop at Peaslake!
  • Tolk
    Tolk Posts: 775
    The pub after.
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    Flowing down a trail and poping off roots or jumps and keeping it flowing! Nice 8)
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • Northwind wrote:
    Not sure I'll be able to explain this one... Let's call it zen trackstanding. Roll to a halt, thinking about something else- last time it happened to me, it was figuring out a line down one of the sections at laggan, without thinking about it all I found I'd been balanced right on the edge of the feature for about 10 seconds or more, just perfectly stone still on the lip... And I couldn't do that normally never mind right on the edge of a mad pile of rocks. Then the brain switched back to riding and it just took the slightest hip movement to get the bike moving and off again. I'd never understood that idea of the perfect moment before... Thinking about it still gives me a real feeling of, I don't know, peace I guess. Calm.

    But I think that might make no sense at all except to people who've had it.

    This makes perfect sense - its the point when it just all comes together - you and the bike and all the things you have learnt / read/ ridden up to that point in unison - those moments don't come often enough I find! :)

    All of things Jedi as mentioned make me smile though
  • LjStronge
    LjStronge Posts: 287
    My Fav is down hill trails so turning a bermed switchback sweet at super high speeds is my I get the most satisfaction out of. Although I usually have bricked it going in and taken to much speed of.

    That and climbly a horrifically steep and horribly technical hill. The sheer sense of completion and mental strength I get from climbing is awesome.
    Specialized Rockhopper Comp 2009.
  • popstar
    popstar Posts: 1,392
    But to achieve Northwind's state of mind you really have to ride alone. It would be very hard to get the high* with your riding buddies due to distractions in conversation etc. It is quite hard for a Sunday warrior to stay in nirvana like state of mind and be ready for any trail feauture to just flow over it, no matter if it's a corner, drop, jump or just another rock garden combined with all things mentioned.

    But surprisingly I felt the same as Northwind at Laggan, maybe it is a magical place?
    I suppose it takes some riders years of riding to understand their riding in order to actually get that feeling when they want. And what about those who didn't discover this -Zen- yet?

    IMO it's all about your skill to apply consistency on any trail you ride, then that feeling creeps onto you. Never mind your riding buddie crashing and shouting for help, -Zen- ruined.
    What could have been (Video)

    I'll choose not put too much stake into someone's opinion who is admittingly terrible though
  • mak3m
    mak3m Posts: 1,394
    mud tbh and the grin on my face when i come home covered in it
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Riding any sort of trail where you feel like you literally could not have gone faster, that sensation where there was no point along the trail you could have braked less or pedalled harder. The feeling that it all just ripped - it can be a kind of out of body experience in some ways as you become detached from the experience, if you werent you'd be terrified but some how it all holds together.

    I had it int he summer on the Avalanche Cup course when my mind was just surfing ahead of the bike working out what was coming next and everything just gelled together - I am not saying I couldnt have ridden faster or got more air or whatever but for me it felt like a smooth fantastically enjoyable run.

    At Afan the other week on one section of Whites I had a similar feeling - the rock steps just appear I cleared them and the run carried on it just flowed. Mmmmm nice.

    Somedays or even some sections it just feels like you are holding on and fighting for everything.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    Northwind wrote:
    Not sure I'll be able to explain this one... Let's call it zen trackstanding. Roll to a halt, thinking about something else- last time it happened to me, it was figuring out a line down one of the sections at laggan, without thinking about it all I found I'd been balanced right on the edge of the feature for about 10 seconds or more, just perfectly stone still on the lip... And I couldn't do that normally never mind right on the edge of a mad pile of rocks. Then the brain switched back to riding and it just took the slightest hip movement to get the bike moving and off again. I'd never understood that idea of the perfect moment before... Thinking about it still gives me a real feeling of, I don't know, peace I guess. Calm.

    But I think that might make no sense at all except to people who've had it.

    I get this.....most memorable was on an exposed icy hillside in perthshireish....near lix toll..

    Perfect descent...perfect weather, cold enough to make the ground hard, but just enough snow at just the right consistency to give grip....everything else just loses focus....and as blur once said...gave me a sense of enormous wellbeing. Total calm....I chase that everytime i ride. i do find i get some of that feeling on most rides...but it doesn't always happen as intensely or completely....it is always worth it when it does.
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Without wishing to spoil the vibe we are all suhc a bunch of f***ing hippies!

    Fetch me my rigid singlespeed 29er and lets go riding!
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • the feeling of reaching the top after a long walk or climb to have the whole run infront of me! also cant beat a nice flowing trail! i cant stand the stop start 1's! good post, has now made me want to get out in the rain for a blast! :D
    jAcKaSs

    If in doubt, Foot Out Flat Out
  • piker
    piker Posts: 353
    Them days when it all goes right and you feel like you are getting to grips with this mountain biking.Flow,speed,ect it all just comes together.
  • I love the feeling when zou've just climbed all the way to the top of the mountain, done 1400 vertical metres or so, and your at the very top looking around at the sheer beauty of everything, then you put your helmet on and bomb back down the way you came.

    The few minutes when i'm at the very top it's such an amazing feeling. You see what you've just completed, and what your about to complete next at the same moment in time.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    I really don't struggle with zen, I find flow really easy for some reason. It just seems to pick up speed and run really well most of the time with the occasional hiccup when i overcook something.

    For me my favourite bit is pulling off something really technical right at the edge of my ability, like getting a perfect bunnyhop over a trail obstacle, manualling through stuff or cleaning really technical climbs. That's the sort of thing I tend to look for, flow etc. I just let happen and enjoy.
  • MacAndCheese
    MacAndCheese Posts: 1,944
    Riding as fast as possible through flowing single track. One time in particular I was on a group ride going flat out through some woods when all the bluebell flowers were in season, it had just got dark and we'd all just turned our lights on.I just remember the sight of the guys in front of me lighting up this sea of blue whilst winding between and around the trees and thinking "this is f**king awesome".
    Santa Cruz Chameleon
    Orange Alpine 160
  • spongtastic
    spongtastic Posts: 2,651
    going out for a ride and not seeing anybody else. But then again everybody else gets spared the view of a 13 stone baldy sweating his bits off and swearing constantly.
    Visit Clacton during the School holidays - it's like a never ending freak show.

    Who are you calling inbred?
  • andyrm
    andyrm Posts: 550
    For me it’s all about being fast point to point – I’m not the fastest climber, descender or best technical rider, but out of all my riding buddies am one of the fastest overall. That’s what it’s all about for me – point to point overall speed, not flat out sprinting, heroic climbing or manic descending. I think hippies call this thing “flow” – I just know and love it when you clean a whole ride quickly and efficiently with minimum panic or effort.
  • andyrm
    andyrm Posts: 550
    For me it’s all about being fast point to point – I’m not the fastest climber, descender or best technical rider, but out of all my riding buddies am one of the fastest overall. That’s what it’s all about for me – point to point overall speed, not flat out sprinting, heroic climbing or manic descending. I think hippies call this thing “flow” – I just know and love it when you clean a whole ride quickly and efficiently with minimum panic or effort.
  • andyrm
    andyrm Posts: 550
    For me it’s all about being fast point to point – I’m not the fastest climber, descender or best technical rider, but out of all my riding buddies am one of the fastest overall. That’s what it’s all about for me – point to point overall speed, not flat out sprinting, heroic climbing or manic descending. I think hippies call this thing “flow” – I just know and love it when you clean a whole ride quickly and efficiently with minimum panic or effort.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    The hippie zen thing I'm talking about isn't just flow, though that's great too of course, there;s definately similarities but it's quite a different feeling. Hard to explain I guess. Both times I've had it, it's felt like time's just stopped dead.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    I know what you mean. I had a similar exeperience at Glentress on the magic mushroom bit (no i hadn't consumed any!) I remember everything feeling just right the ground was hard and dusty and the low summer sun was streaking through the trees. I just thought this is it.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Jedi wrote:
    when riding off road, what's your favourite thing to do?
    land perfectly on a drop or jump? carve a perfect turn?
    mine is just to flow down a trail with minimum effort.

    what's yours?
    Truth be told, I only head out into the forests to have a sneaky tommy tank. Oh, and to pretend I have a reason to be there other than hiding bodies.
  • Jedi
    Jedi Posts: 827
    yeah but thats what normal people do
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    my fave thing when out and baout is swoopy wide berms.

    my fave thing about mountain biking overall is fettling bikes. honestly, i like it more than riding.
  • Jedi
    Jedi Posts: 827
    wierdo!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Jedi wrote:
    wierdo!

    true, but it is what it is, i like riding my bike but i really like building them. both of those things arent even my favourite things to do with my spare time.