Am I too old now to go Pro?

7448stewart

I am 28 and have only been riding trail for about a year now but I am now swaying towards down hill and enduro but I really want to take this up big time, am I now too old to make it anywere on this? clearly I wont make Pro? any help?

cooldad

Depends how good you are, surely?

Presumably you have raced - where do you place?

7448stewart

no i havnt started racing yet

rockmonkeysc

What sort of race results are you getting?
To turn pro you need to be getting consistent top 5 results at national level, even then you need to attract a very good sponsor and be prepared to live on a relatively small wage.
28 isn't too old. Steve Peat is in his 40's and still capable of winning world cups on a good day.

The Rookie

7448stewart wrote:

no i havnt started racing yet

So you can't possibly know if you have a chance unless you know whether you are even close to fast enough!

cooldad

Backing up a bit, have you ever ridden a DH course in anger?

AllezAllezAllez

I'm 39 eat and drink too much but I'm still hoping to turn pro, should I quit work and chance my arm?

The Rookie

Depends what type of Pro you want to be!

arran77

AllezAllezAllez wrote:

I'm 39 eat and drink too much but I'm still hoping to turn pro, should I quit work and chance my arm?

The Rookie wrote:

Depends what type of Pro you want to be!

A nearly 40 something professional alcoholic.

njee20

I'd suggest attempting to walk before running, enter a race first!

7448stewart

lol cool thanks very much i think ill go pro then

cooldad

njee20 wrote:

I'd suggest attempting to walk before running, enter a race first!

I would suggest attempting to crawl first.

viewtopic.php?f=40028&t=12952713&p=18668016#p18668016

njee20

Can you report back when you've done a race please?

Don't suppose you know a fellow called Richie McCoy? He had a similar outlook on things.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

njee20 wrote:

I'd suggest attempting to walk before running, enter a race first!

I would suggest attempting to crawl first.

viewtopic.php?f=40028&t=12952713&p=18668016#p18668016

Hilarious! Doesn't know how to use gears but wants to turn pro. I guess Josh Bender levels of bravery/stupidity would get you somewhere (most likely hospital).

7448stewart

Nice, shows your comunity is welcoming to new comers and doesnt take the piss, I thought MTB was a sport trying to grow, how will that happen if you dont welcome newbies!

rockmonkeysc

7448stewart wrote:

Nice, shows your comunity is welcoming to new comers and doesnt take the wee-wee, I thought MTB was a sport trying to grow, how will that happen if you dont welcome newbies!

New riders are always welcome but asking about turning pro before your first ever race is a bit of a daft question.
Get out and enjoy your bike, see how you get on.
Mountain biking is all about having fun, turning pro means years of training, racing and broken bones before you can even consider a pro career.

WindyG

7448stewart wrote:

Nice, shows your comunity is welcoming to new comers and doesnt take the wee-wee, I thought MTB was a sport trying to grow, how will that happen if you dont welcome newbies!

Problem is your asking a question no one can answer as you have nothing to show what your ability is, you really do need to actually enter some races and see how well you do. I'll be honest and say your chances of ever turning Pro are pretty much zero as I doubt you really understand what is really needed to get to that level.

cooldad

I think you've got it wrong. The community is very welcoming.
I am over 50, unfit, slightly tubby, and a bit of a rubbish rider. I regularly ride with XC racing snakes, enduro types, some seriously good ex DH racers, and a few current DH types. When we ride together they slacken their pace, rest when I'm turning purple, and wait at the top of hills. They don't laugh when I walk down scary stuff, although they do at my steam train impressions going up hills, and my fear of cows. (They all look like bulls to me.)

I also ride with a lot of beginners, met through the forums, or our facebook pages, show them local trails, and help them get up to my level of incompetence. Many have gone on to actually ride rather well, and most can leave me for dead fairly soon.

Point is, it's very welcoming and very inclusive. We even have some girls. Obviously more are needed.

As for growing, personally I preferred it a few years ago, when the trails, (such as they were), were quiet and peaceful. Often we didn't see other people all day. And don't get me started on Strava...

snoopsmydogg

cooldad wrote:

. And don't get me started on Strava...

I got a strava kom recently. Can I go pro?

cooldad

snoopsmydogg wrote:

cooldad wrote:

. And don't get me started on Strava...

I got a strava kom recently. Can I go pro?

Your driveway doesn't count.

HebdenBiker

I'm getting a GoPro. Can I go pro?

The Rookie

7448stewart wrote:

Nice, shows your comunity is welcoming to new comers and doesnt take the wee-wee, I thought MTB was a sport trying to grow, how will that happen if you dont welcome newbies!

Don't you see the irony though, you ask how to change gears and then are asking about turning pro......

You aren't too old if you are good enough, if you aren't good enough your age is irrelevant.

morepower

I have had to deal with more than a few riders who can talk up a good ride... (Motorcycles) and talk about going racing and winning races/championships... So this question is not that different from those customers who have asked me for advice and bought all the gear.....

The problem is they ride with like minded guys who talk up a good ride... OK they may be quicker than their mates... But they have never entered a race either...
I took one guy out who had apparently won a 3rd place trophy at some meeting a few years ago.. I was about 43 at the time. We did a trackday him on his tuned and very expensive race bike. Me on my road legal road bike which was 6 years older than his bike.. In 20 minutes on track I had lapped him on a 1.5 mile long track. Another guy was sure he was going to be winning races at his first race meeting yet had never even been on track.. I took him out for some experience and gave him some tuition. He was doing OK for a total novice.. But he got a bit too cocky and said at the end of the day "IF you pass me dont back off I want to follow you and see if I can get past you" Hmm....OK Last session.. I didnt hold back... Poor guy saw my back wheel 5 times in 20 minutes.. The OP is no different from one of hundreds of customers I have had to deal with and who knows... He may be good enough to win races... But he is going to have to experience the different levels of competition.. I was OK.. I could win club events and I got my national licence at the same time I lost my novice licence... I was good enough to do that... BUT put me at national level in a BSB (British Super Bike) event I I would have been lapped and cannon fodder... He needs to be encouraged to enter his first meeting,.... Then who knows..... Odds are he will see how hard it is to race at a club level... But it is good to dream.....lol..

Briggo

7448stewart wrote:

clearly I wont make Pro

I agree.

Kiliscott

Well if you think you can't, you probably can't. If you think you can, give it a go you never know, if you get telt to pi55 off your 5hite then least you know your 5hite. On a serious note you gave it a good go and that doesnt mean you can give it up right? I once heard that practice makes perfect.

The Rookie

Sally Bingham hit the scene at 28 and is now pro, she hadn't really done anything before that, at 28 you are still young enough as long as you are good enough, but asking how to change gear does kind of call that bit into question when even fat slow and old gits like me can do that bit!

7448stewart

ok Iv started quite a debate but I get the point, I know how to change gear, I was only asking for tips on if there was a betterway of doing it to stop me from bucking my cain or crank set. I see that the main point here is that I need to start racing (whitch I will look into) to see if I have what it takes, im still pretty new to all this and I love it more than anything, all I think about is riding my bike and how to be better at it. I ride twice a week, more if I have the time, mostly at trail centres but after going to Bikepark wales 2weeks ago I have the bug for down hill and enduro. Thanks for all your POSITIVE comments and maby ull hear my name in the next few years lol

YellaBelly

7448stewart wrote:

I love it more than anything, all I think about is riding my bike and how to be better at it.

Then why worry if you can go pro? Race because you enjoy it, don't base the decision on if you can make it as a pro or not. Just get yourself entered in some races, and do what you enjoy.

But be warned, the difference in speed between guys on a startline and guys on a trailhead can be a shock. Don't be disheartened by it if you don't do as well as you think you might, look upon it as a challenge and somewhere to aim for.

welshkev

I'm sure this guy must be a troll.....

7448stewart

Not a troll, just think iv got off on the wrong foot in the site with this question, it seems to have upset some people. I'm not goin to comment on the matter any more, peace out

HebdenBiker

7448stewart wrote:

Not a troll, just think iv got off on the wrong foot in the site with this question, it seems to have upset some people. I'm not goin to comment on the matter any more, peace out

Mate, you've taken the abuse in good spirit. Don't take it personally - my first post was about saddle soreness and I got told to harden the f*ck up :-) Then I bought an Orange 5, which is a sin on this forum, so I got more abuse!

Good luck with your racing and post your experiences.