What's your goal this summer?

[bluebug32]

A general goal is to increase my time in the saddle, I can mtbike for about two hours comfortably right now, I'd like to be able to spend 3 or 4 out and about. I'm also debating doing a race in August, just for the challenge and something different! I have a lot to do though to get there, even in the beginner class.

And I'd like to do the occasional half century on my poor neglected road bike as well! Working on that will help with my general endurance on the mt bike I hope.

I did a race after my first season of mtbing a couple of years ago. It's a great way to gauge where you're at and what you need to work on...oh, and if you like racing. It really forces you to push with everything you have. I was surprised. Going into it, I thought I would finish last or near to last. I rode hard, even crashed once, and came in 6th! It taught me that short endurance races aren't necessarily my cup of tea right now, but that I was a better mtber than I thought.

I've also just started road biking this season and I feel stronger on the mtb already! Especially climbing and endurance-wise.

Good luck to you!

[bounceswoosh]

I did a race after my first season of mtbing a couple of years ago. It's a great way to gauge where you're at and what you need to work on...oh, and if you like racing. It really forces you to push with everything you have. I was surprised. Going into it, I thought I would finish last or near to last. I rode hard, even crashed once, and came in 6th! It taught me that short endurance races aren't necessarily my cup of tea right now, but that I was a better mtber than I thought.

I've also just started road biking this season and I feel stronger on the mtb already! Especially climbing and endurance-wise.

Good luck to you!

Agreed -- I did one mtb race a couple of years ago. Came in dead last, but my bike skills improved monumentally after the race (for which I had done a fair amount of pre-riding of the course), and I was much more likely to keep riding than to stop half way up a tiring hill.

I did figure out that mtb races may not be my cup of tea -- a lot of people were faster than me by picking up their bikes and running over the technical or steep stuff. I'd much rather go slow but actually clear, or at least attempt everything. Even though I finished last, I did ride the entire length of the initial climb, whereas many faster people got off their bikes. And for my personal goals, I liked that I did that.

I find the whole dynamic of passing / allowing people to pass weird in racing. I guess if I really wanted to start racing, I would have to figure that out.

[atombessy]

thanks for the encouragement! I'm sure if I actually decide to go ahead with it I'll be full of questions for the board....

I'm encouraged by the running over obstacles scene that you encountered bounces, I'm normally rushing to keep up with people, so I've definitely gotten in the habit of hike a bike over something if I fall or slip....i guess that could work to my advantage in a race...

[Grog]

Discover new routes around the Vancouver area!

[alpinerabbit]

Go and test some MTBs and decide what I should buy. Then actually buy one come fall....