Am I a mountain biker
Wily-Quixote
Posts: 269
Ok, I love mountain biking, well I love riding my mountain bike but I don't know that i am a mountain biker:
I can't wheelie, i can't manual,I don't care that i can't wheelie or manual, i can only trackstand after years of practice, I descend slowly and hate my wheels sliding, i have been in 4 races which bored me to death because it was riding round the same circuit for 6 hours,I hate riding with other people and I hate mountain bike 'parks' because they have annoying tight turns and stupid berms and are full of 16 year olds that overtake me..
But, I ride for hours on gravel fire trails with insane gradients, I ride on animal footpads up and down hills (and mountains), I explore through bush which (I am certain) has never seen a bike. I ride across paddocks through creeks and along bush tracks where I have never seen a bike or bike track. And I've done all this for 18 years.
I was coming down a hill near a MTB park last week and stopped to chat with a rider who invariably listed his 'credentials' (you know, which races he had just completed etc) and I could tell that when i said 'i hate racing and mountain bike tracks' that he thought 'dude, you aren't a mountain bike rider'.
Which is funny because I ride up and down mountains, on my bike, he just rides around a track that someone has prepared for him. Maybe he's right, or maybe we're both MTBers, and, in x-country skiing terms, he's a skater and I'm backcountry...
I can't wheelie, i can't manual,I don't care that i can't wheelie or manual, i can only trackstand after years of practice, I descend slowly and hate my wheels sliding, i have been in 4 races which bored me to death because it was riding round the same circuit for 6 hours,I hate riding with other people and I hate mountain bike 'parks' because they have annoying tight turns and stupid berms and are full of 16 year olds that overtake me..
But, I ride for hours on gravel fire trails with insane gradients, I ride on animal footpads up and down hills (and mountains), I explore through bush which (I am certain) has never seen a bike. I ride across paddocks through creeks and along bush tracks where I have never seen a bike or bike track. And I've done all this for 18 years.
I was coming down a hill near a MTB park last week and stopped to chat with a rider who invariably listed his 'credentials' (you know, which races he had just completed etc) and I could tell that when i said 'i hate racing and mountain bike tracks' that he thought 'dude, you aren't a mountain bike rider'.
Which is funny because I ride up and down mountains, on my bike, he just rides around a track that someone has prepared for him. Maybe he's right, or maybe we're both MTBers, and, in x-country skiing terms, he's a skater and I'm backcountry...
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Comments
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If you enjoy what you do that should be enough. Why worry about the label?
Mountain biking is a very broad church, let's not try to make it factional.0 -
Festerfeet wrote:If you enjoy what you do that should be enough. Why worry about the label?
Mountain biking is a very broad church, let's not try to make it factional.
This.0 -
You find a lot of cyclists can annoying or elitist, but you meet just as many cool ones.
Just get on with having fun on your bike and worry less about other people
Current:
NukeProof Mega FR 2012
Cube NuRoad 2018
Previous:
2015 Genesis CdF 10, 2014 Cube Hyde Race, 2012 NS Traffic, 2007 Specialized SX Trail, 2005 Specialized Demo 80 -
I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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Nice, a bit of free protein to keep you going. Next you will be swallowing a spider.0
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If you enjoy riding your mountain bike then you're a mountain biker.
If you finish a ride without a smile on your face them you have failed as a mountain biker.Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=130702350 -
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Yet you took the time to write a post...Angus Young wrote:I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.0 -
Point taken , I have neither facial hair nor tattoos...jimothy78 wrote:0 -
Wily-Quixote wrote:
Yet you took the time to write a post...Angus Young wrote:I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.
Yes, I did. What's your point?All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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Wily-Quixote wrote:I hate mountain bike 'parks' because they have annoying tight turns and stupid berms and are full of 16 year olds that overtake me..
you go to the wrong places then
I do have to ask what is wrong with tight turns, berms, and being slower than other riders :?0 -
POAH wrote:Wily-Quixote wrote:I hate mountain bike 'parks' because they have annoying tight turns and stupid berms and are full of 16 year olds that overtake me..
you go to the wrong places then
I do have to ask what is wrong with tight turns, berms, and being slower than other riders :?
Er....... You missed the point of my post.0 -
Wily-Quixote wrote:Ok, I love mountain biking, well I love riding my mountain bike
If this is truebut I don't know that i am a mountain biker
Then this doesn't matter...Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL0 -
Mountain biking is very relaxed and accepts anyone, just get out and ride the trails.0
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the OP spends too much time thinking about completely ridiculous/pointless stuff instead of just riding his/her bike.
"Am I a mountain biker?" and "Trails are built for 26" wheels"
"Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes
Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build
Trek Session 80 -
Wily-Quixote wrote:POAH wrote:Wily-Quixote wrote:I hate mountain bike 'parks' because they have annoying tight turns and stupid berms and are full of 16 year olds that overtake me..
you go to the wrong places then
I do have to ask what is wrong with tight turns, berms, and being slower than other riders :?
Er....... You missed the point of my post.
probably so explain it 0 -
I'm not a 'Mountain Biker'; I'm a Long-Distance Cross Country cyclist ;-)1999 Scott Vail - Work commute
2015 Giant Anthem 27.5 SX - Weekend riding
East Hants MTB on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/288056017965343/0 -
+1booldawg wrote:I'm not a 'Mountain Biker'; I'm a Long-Distance Cross Country cyclist ;-)0 -
Angus Young wrote:Wily-Quixote wrote:
Yet you took the time to write a post...Angus Young wrote:I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.
Yes, I did. What's your point?
My point? You describe this topic as uninteresting (which is fair enough i can see why) yet you read it, think about it and compose a lengthy reply...0 -
Wily-Quixote wrote:Angus Young wrote:Wily-Quixote wrote:
Yet you took the time to write a post...Angus Young wrote:I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.
Yes, I did. What's your point?
My point? You describe this topic as uninteresting (which is fair enough i can see why) yet you read it, think about it and compose a lengthy reply...
He does that a fair bit.Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.0 -
I have a mountain bike.
I ride it, mainly off-road...
... that will do, for me.0 -
Wily-Quixote wrote:Angus Young wrote:Wily-Quixote wrote:
Yet you took the time to write a post...Angus Young wrote:I swallowed a fly yesterday when I was out riding. Went straight down the back of my throat before I had a chance to close my mouth. And it was a proper fly, not just a gnat. It sent me into coughing fit that almost made me throw up. Didn't manage to get the little bugger back up, though. And that was far more interesting than whether I'm a mountain biker or not.
Yes, I did. What's your point?
My point? You describe this topic as uninteresting...
No, I described the matter of whether I'm a mountain biker or not as uninteresting. Which is a perfectly reasonable response to the thread.All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
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