Fun or Speed: Whats your choice?

b707ds

So lets get it out there early, I'm a novice, beginner, all the gear & no idea kind of thing. I've started going up Cannock Chase and have completed the Monkey and Dog about half a dozen times. The first few times and for no good reason I was worrying obsessed with the length of time it was taking me to get round. Maybe it was because i'd been reading on sites similar to this about what was an acceptable time or was it down to the tracking, mapping, timing and digital world we live in. 6 months ago I thought Strava was an Eastern European Stag-do resort!!! but as soon as I arrived in the Car park I was starting the App and hoping to God to beat my last whizz round.
Thanksfully my last 2/3 visits have been different, less time obsessed and more fun orientated, and I think this can only be a good thing. The thing I want to do more was ride the technical sections better, enjoy my surroundings, enjoy meeting other riders, not trying to pass them (or be passed more like) with barely any acknowledgement. I still enjoy getting up a sweat and feeling my lungs bursting when on a climb, I will freely admit to having to get off and push when and only when I think the Air Ambulance might be needed!
I'd love to get back to the feeing I had when I was a kid going out on the BMX with my mates, it was ONLY ABOUT FUN, getting lost was fun and the only time that mattered was getting back in time for tea.
Anyway would love to know what you think, don't mind if you totally disagree, what a boring world it would be if we all thought the same.

JMcP92

Speed is fun
Fun is fast

End of the day, just enjoy yourself, I spent money and building a killer bike that'll be better than I ever am, so I can ride anything and anywhere I want, but I have none of these apps or monitors or speedometers or anything, why would I? I just enjoy myself, if I'm fast, I'm fast, if I'm not, don't care, enjoyed it

cooldad

Whatever makes your bum hum.

rockmonkeysc

Forget Strava, it sucks all the fun out of riding and turns reasonable people in to arseholes.
Ride for fun, find a natural flow and speed will come naturally.
I love racing, there's nothing like riding against the clock for me but I also really enjoy getting out for a day on my xc bike covering lots of miles with some good company.
I can't stand trail centres, you can't ride fast because you just catch up with too many people and there's no sense of adventure or chance to explore.
Just find what you enjoy and occasionally experiment with other styles of riding. It's all good (except trail centres).

The Northern Monkey

Nah I like strava for training. I've never really had anything to guage my performance on and now I can.

For me its fun and fast until I fall off... then its not so fun for a bit lol

Kowalski675

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Forget Strava, it sucks all the fun out of riding and turns reasonable people in to arseholes.

Never tried it, but that certainly seems to be about the size of it. Completely disagree about trail centres though. Each to their own.

rockmonkeysc

Trail centres just lack all sense of adventure and exploration for me. On busy trails you never see any wildlife or get a chance to enjoy your surroundings. You also get few opportunities to change your route half way through if you fancy something different.
Plus the best trails I have ridden are on the Quantocks, far more technical and varied than any trail centre.
Thats just me though.

Polf

Strava is ruining the trails, both man made and natural. How often do you see a strava line that has had to have a log placed across it at every switchback. I know a copper in North Wales who caught some bloke riding coed on a motor X bike at a not unreasonable speed trying to get KOM. For those that use it for genuine purpose, fair play, but it turns others into monsters.

The Rookie

Ride in a way that is fun, I enjoy terrifying my self, due to lack of ability that is easily to do at a fairly low risk of major injury, I use Strava to challenge myself and see how I compare to better riders I know, yes it enjoy getting KOM's but only because it means I was faster, not by cheating.

paul.skibum

I ride up stuff to ride down it - the up is a necessary evil although sometimes enjoyable but the fun bit is the down which I do at speed - Strava and timing is balls and has no place in mountain biking unless you are training to race and even then it ignores your actual maximum potential because it doesnt account for VOX and max heart rates and all that sh*t.

Have fun doing whatever you do on your bike but for me timing is irrelevant

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trail centres just lack all sense of adventure and exploration for me. On busy trails you never see any wildlife or get a chance to enjoy your surroundings. You also get few opportunities to change your route half way through if you fancy something different.
Plus the best trails I have ridden are on the Quantocks, far more technical and varied than any trail centre.
Thats just me though.

then you need to explore more yourself.

I rode cwmcarn last night and went 'off piste' out onto the moors to add an extra 5km on to the loop. totally natural riding and exposed and miles from anywhere. saw some sheep (I was in wales) badgers, cows, birds. was bloody freezing but I loved it. we also decided to take a different route to the one we'd planned half way around "to see where we end up" I also matched my fastest ever time on the xc final descent.

but you're right, you can't do any of that at trail centres...oh, and I was using strava :roll:

stuisnew

I love trail centres and natural stuff. Horses for courses. Trail centres around me are busy but dead quiet during weekdays or evenings. I also like strava. Never going to win a kom or even get close but I like challenging myself and its great for recording distances and how fast you are on local loops.

WindyG

I like Strava it is great as a training aid but also fun to use as a challenge against others, i've got very close to a few KOM's and I enjoy trying to push that little bit harder to try and get close or beat previous times. Sometimes I'm happy just to go for a long ride and explore new trails or have a bit fun through bomb holes. I do think some take Strava way too serious though treating every ride like a competition that can easily take the fun away in my opinion.

pilch

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trail centres just lack all sense of adventure and exploration for me. On busy trails you never see any wildlife or get a chance to enjoy your surroundings. You also get few opportunities to change your route half way through if you fancy something different.

Bit sweeping that, maybe you should broaden your horizons a little... as for Strava, I dont really use it, can be useful for discovering stuff in areas you haven't ridden before however

lawman

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Trail centres just lack all sense of adventure and exploration for me. On busy trails you never see any wildlife or get a chance to enjoy your surroundings. You also get few opportunities to change your route half way through if you fancy something different.
Plus the best trails I have ridden are on the Quantocks, far more technical and varied than any trail centre.
Thats just me though.

Hugely sweeping statement that simply isn't true. Yes there are some centres that do get very busy, Cannock or Llandegla for example, but there are others that can be so quiet you won't see another rider all day. The ClimachX Trail in Machynllyth has the longest descent of any centre in the UK, yet I ride there all the time and I could probably count on my hands how many other people I've seen there. Rode Coed y Brenin t'other week and that was pretty quiet too.

Natural riding can be fantastic, some of my favourite rides have been up in the peaks on natural routes, but centres have a place in MTB and there are some bloody good trails that rival any natural terrain I've ever ridden, Eastridge forest borders on a DH track in places, very gnarly and local knowledge goes a long way when it comes to off-piste stuff in and around centres too.

As for Strava, the competitive side of me loves it. With a big bunch of mates out, pushing each other you progress quickly and it can really help with fitness and it's bloody satisfying when you get home and you've got that KoM you've wanted for weeks. Going fast is fun, on my trails back home there have been occasions where I've busted a gut to get a KoM and I haven't enjoyed it as much I normally would, through sheer focus, effort and too many close calls, but the majority of the time it has zero impact on how much fun I have. If I'm out on the bike, using Strava, riding a trail centre or natural terrain, I'm just happy I'm on the bike, having fun and able to enjoy this fantastic sport.

rockmonkeysc

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

kajjal

I do both. When out with the wife off road it is more just getting round and having a laugh than speed.

I mainly use Strava to keep track of how much riding I am doing a week to make sure I am not slacking off. Strangely I hold a off road KOM on Strava over a 5 mile run. This is more down to the lack of people riding it than any skill / fitness. Strava is really handy to help improve skills and fitness. If someone is faster than you , you can see which parts of the segment they are doing faster and workout how to improve your line and technique to match or better them. This doesn't mean you have to start wearing lycra and turn into Strava Man

welshkev

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

wtf are you talking about? really?

BigAl

Fast or fun?

Can't I have both?

blinddrew

BigAl wrote:

Fast or fun?

Can't I have both?

^^^This.

njee20

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.

Don't be stupid.

Fast or fun?

Can't I have both?

+1

stuisnew

welshkev wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

wtf are you talking about? really?

Exactly. I love group rides but with a busy job and a small child I can't always commit in advance to rides, and phoning people at 5am asking if they want a ride doesn't garnish much of a response. Strava at least let's me guage how much training I have done, couldn't care less about my times other than vs myself to see how well I have done.
But I do have plenty of friends and am able to converse with other riders!

StuShez

Strava really polarises some people's opinions doesn't it? If I use runkeeper or runtastic in MTB mode is that just as bad? If I run Strava but don't care about KOM's is that less bad?

Have fun - the original comment about going out with your mates on your bikes resonated with me. Ride wherever (within reason) you enjoy riding, there is fun to be had wherever you choose.

I ride trail centres, natural trails, I explore, I get lost, I ride with a group, ride solo, use Strava, have friends, dont care/get competitive - which pigeon hole should I be in?

paulneenan76

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This

I ride. And I ride whenever I can. Sometimes on my own on Woburn/local trails, sometimes on my own exploring the countryside, and I even rode to work today (1st time for me and I'm even looking forward to riding home). I like to do all this plus trail centre riding with a mate or two or with a bigger group, and on night rides. Sometimes I even just ride round the block and round the lake where I live, jumping off stuff and trying to practice manuals, like I used to 25 Years ago!

I also use Strava. I do look at my times, and the times of others, but mostly I use it to see where I've been and to record what exercise my lard arse has done. I even include long walks with the dog. I always stop to speak to fellow riders (and dog walkers). Can you go fast and have fun? I do. probably more fun than fast, admittedly ;D

bennett_346

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

Agreed wholly.

BigAl

StuShez wrote:

Strava really polarises some people's opinions doesn't it? If I use runkeeper or runtastic in MTB mode is that just as bad? If I run Strava but don't care about KOM's is that less bad?

Have fun - the original comment about going out with your mates on your bikes resonated with me. Ride wherever (within reason) you enjoy riding, there is fun to be had wherever you choose.

I ride trail centres, natural trails, I explore, I get lost, I ride with a group, ride solo, use Strava, have friends, dont care/get competitive - which pigeon hole should I be in?

paulneenan76 wrote:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This

I ride. And I ride whenever I can. Sometimes on my own on Woburn/local trails, sometimes on my own exploring the countryside, and I even rode to work today (1st time for me and I'm even looking forward to riding home). I like to do all this plus trail centre riding with a mate or two or with a bigger group, and on night rides. Sometimes I even just ride round the block and round the lake where I live, jumping off stuff and trying to practice manuals, like I used to 25 Years ago!

I also use Strava. I do look at my times, and the times of others, but mostly I use it to see where I've been and to record what exercise my lard ars* has done. I even include long walks with the dog. I always stop to speak to fellow riders (and dog walkers). Can you go fast and have fun? I do. probably more fun than fast, admittedly ;D

Nicely said, both

lawman

bennett_346 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

Agreed wholly.

Who the fark are you?!

And that whole idea of it being for competitive people with no mates is bullshit. Have either of you even used it?

Kowalski675

Polf wrote:

some bloke riding coed on a motor X bike at a not unreasonable speed trying to get KOM.

In any walk of life there will always be some f*****g bellends...

bennett_346

lawman wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Strava is for competitive people with no mates or a fear of social interaction.
I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing.

Agreed wholly.

Who the fark are you?!

And that whole idea of it being for competitive people with no mates is bullshit. Have either of you even used it?

I meant the second part of his post, "I love riding against the clock but times depend a lot on conditions and I enjoy the social side of going out racing."

Who the fark am i? I am the walrus.

rockmonkeysc

The worst thing about Strava is the straight lines and short cuts appearing on trails where strava users are trying to save seconds rather than learning to ride.

Kowalski675

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The worst thing about Strava is the straight lines and short cuts appearing on trails where strava users are trying to save seconds rather than learning to ride.

Razor wire would stop that... That's a joke, before anyone starts frothing at the mouth...