outgrowing your riding buddies.....

mkf

frustrating sunday ride at marin trail with 2 long term mates whom took 3&half hours to finish.
they where so slow i was in granny on the flat between sections so they can catch up and
they wont go anywhere apart from trail centers anymore.
so what would you do

would you split from the group or stick with it

bluechair84

Why don't you find a local club that has outings more suited to your speed, then still go out with your buddies. Or, put yourself in a higher gear so that you are only capable of going at their speed and thus improve your strength, instead of spinning out waiting.
Or taunt their manhood so they are less likely to fall behind.

ricardo_smooth

ride with other people as well....no harm in that. it's not the school playground where people fall out because you be someone else's friend!

Stu Coops

I got a few mates like this but I accept that they ain't as fit as I am so I go with them basically on one of my rest days from training and have a good laugh as I'm not flapping about not having a hard session, basically I train with a couple of guys at my level and better than me to push me for top end and ride with my mates for fun so you need to find a balance of what you want to do otherwise your gonna get frustrated with them and likewise

ste_t

Once upon a time you were probably in their position - being able to go riding with a 'mate' who was fitter/better/faster than you so you were pushed into improving.

I do the Marin alot, even sub 2 hours once, but its always so much better with my mate who takes 3 hours+ because of the banter, knowing it improves his riding and, oh, because he's a mate. :roll:

Northwind

I ride with my mates because they're my mates... What's more important, the ride or the mates? Your call.

Anonymous

^^^

There are always chances to do a more challenging ride if you like with others but doesn't mean you don't have to ride with your mates either. Whoever you ride with become your mates anyway. Just build up a series of ride buddies of different abilities depending on what you want to ride. Get them to mix up and it's even better and people all have fun and learn off each other.

I find all rides are generally fun, no matter what the pace or challenge, and you can make a slower ride more challenging, or just relax.

Otherwise if you want to ditch them and just become obsessed about speed and nothing else, don lycra and go on the road :P

1mancity2

Im fitter than the lads I go out with on Sundays but I go with them not to be the fastest but for the company and a good natter, they have to stop a lot so I just practice manuals, bunnyhops etc.

If you feel you need to go for it then limit yourself to using just a few gears, on hills give them a good head start then see if you can catch them, use their lack of fitness as an option for you pushing yourself.

I do this and after 30-1min start on big hills they take some catching and the cheeky buggers know what your doing so end up racing you and making it even harder.

diy

Supplement the ride by either finding other riders or going out alone. But if you do this you have to accept that the situation will get worse as you get fitter and they don't. For most of the rides I do its about me and my fitness, hence I tend to ride on my own. I have a couple of riding buddies that ride at my level, but most of the time I do get bored riding with slower riders.

cooldad

I ride with a wide variety of people, from pretty rubbish, unfit and slow (me) to superfit quite talented riders.
We have fun.

bragawd

Northwind wrote:

I ride with my mates because they're my mates... What's more important, the ride or the mates? Your call.

mates is right......
when i was in my riding prime i used to settle on the back and keep who ever was slowest company .... nothing worse than riding alone.
uphill and flat ride as a group i'd say on the down bits it every man for himself.. you can wait at the botton.
even though you've got 2 mates as you said... after all its NOT a race its just being out on the trails.

miss notax

bragawd wrote:

Northwind wrote:

I ride with my mates because they're my mates... What's more important, the ride or the mates? Your call.

mates is right......
when i was in my riding prime i used to settle on the back and keep who ever was slowest company .... nothing worse than riding alone.
uphill and flat ride as a group i'd say on the down bits it every man for himself.. you can wait at the botton.
even though you've got 2 mates as you said... after all its NOT a race its just being out on the trails.

I agree with this

I just enjoy MTBing and being out with my friends - some are slower, some are faster, I don't mind really. If you're faster than your buddies can you find some little twiddly bits to play on whilst they catch up?

welshkev

but that is pretty slow for the marin, i'm a fat twonk and it only took me 2hrs 15!! i have mates who are super fit and i just tell them to go ahead, i usually catch them on the downs 8)

mkf

yeah, i do all that bragawd suggests, but then riding around for three hours in granny and
then having to stop before going down then stopping to wait at the bottom really tests me.
i do ride with other faster mates and i been riding solo,like someone else said this just makes
the gap wider.
i can't drop them, love them to much and the w.a.g.s go walking together so i guess i'll be
improving my bunny hops, manuals and wheels man might even get some snakey skids in.