Aggressive riders?

[rocknrollgirl]

I have been trying not to respond to this because it has degenerated so much. When I first read the op, I felt my hackles go up. I am a mt biker, I race on a mt bike team. I am a very aggressive rider, but I do not down hill. I took offense at the insinuation that because I do not jump off cliffs, I am not an aggressive rider.

I think we got off track with the word aggressive. If the original post had been title "Downhill riders", I think much of this could have been avoided.

When I went back to reread after a few posts, it was not offensive at all in light of what was being asked, when I thought about what was being asked.

She was looking for fellow adrenaline junkies.....nothing wrong with that.

And it was a wicked thread drift.

Nerdgirl, don't be chased off by misunderstanding and a wicked thread drift.

[bboston88]

Eh, it's okay. The responses to this thread reminded me very well of why I prefer to play with the boys.

I think you found your answer then.

[Zen]

I can't stop grinning at "aggro".
If I could only figure out how to fit it into conversation (or convo)

I couldn't find my oven mitts this time.

[chickabonita]

I thought nerdgirl was normal.. and represented what you'd see on the trails.

Yet again, the posters on TE frighten more people away. Good going!

I will miss nerdgirl

[Zen]

she's out there on mtb forums, playing with the boys, her stated preference.
If I go to a group ride and find I don't care for the dynamics of the group, I don't demand they do things according to me. I try to remain cordial and gracious (stop that snickering) and either don't return or return, relax a bit, and go with the flow.

[Skierchickie]

I just read this thread today, and I'm really disappointed. I'm only posting now to say how apalled I am at some of the snarky comments. The thing I like best about TE is the overall lack of snarkiness. I think everyone should treat everyone else with respect (which is normally what goes on here), and if you can't do that, then maybe it would be best to walk away and not post in that particular thread. I think Nerdgirl was young and enthusiastic, and maybe some of her remarks were taken personally - no reason for things to get ugly.

Personally, I ride (and love) singletrack, and am terrified by the very thought of DH - I'm not sure why anyone would question Irulan's comment that it is more aggressive than XC. Or any of her other comments, for that matter. Not everyone is or wants to be aggressive, so why be offended about it? And why attack Irulan for being honest?

I can't even comprehend some of the "holier than thou" and other remarks here, and the reference to the op being nasty. There was a lot of nastiness in this thread, and it was not necessarily her. It reminds me of some of the other forums that I avoid (for the same reason I avoid them).

[Zen]

Hey.
It happens.
Uphill, downhill, i don't care.
But some little nagging voice is saying troll.

[BikeDutchess]

Skierchickie: +1

I was trying to articulate my thoughts along those lines, but you said it better than I ever could. I've always thought of TE as a very inclusive, accepting community, but that didn't happen in this thread.

[Zen]

::sigh::

While I appreciate all your responses, I don't see any answers to my original question-- you know, the purpose of the thread, to find other women who are into more aggressive riding. We're kind of getting off topic here and the thread is getting hijacked. I know I'm not a mod or anything, but it would be nice to get responses relevant to the original post, rather than this becoming an argument about singletrack v. fireroad, etc.

Just saying...

I just come from the school of thought that if you can't answer the question, then don't bother posting.

I think the general response was very accepting and welcoming.
But NG didn't seem interested in that.

[crazycanuck]

Darn..I was going to suggest http://www.downhilldownunder.com/ to nerdgirl..

Poo..

I know a few downhill chicks & they're pretty cool.

[channlluv]

I'm still trying to figure out what "down hill" is and why it requires body armor.

Someone mentioned jumping off cliffs and boulders and such. I take it this is done with great velocity? And on purpose? Seriously?

whereistheirsenseofselfpreservation?


Roxy, feeling like a total girly-girl powder puff by comparison. Ha! Does Terry make any of those cute cycling skorts in pink tulle?

[Crankin]

Personally, I think the responses may have been not the usual TE "welcoming" because the OP made it clear that she "wanted to play with the boys" and that generally, we seem like a bunch of wussies. I fully own up to that label, but I wouldn't put Nerdgirl down for doing what she likes. But, it was the way she said it. Condescending, if you ask me, because I don't think there's that many men I know, who ride, that would want to do downhill. It's fine if you do, but at least for me, I care more about preserving my bones. I guess that's why I don't do much mountain biking anymore.
This is why, sometimes, I prefer to ride/lead rides for with people just starting out, or who ride slower than me. They are so appreciative. I mean, I know there's people out there a lot tougher than this 56 year old woman, but on the other hand, most of the women I know can't fathom doing what I do.
It's the way you say it...

[Irulan]

I'm still trying to figure out what "down hill" is and why it requires body armor.

Someone mentioned jumping off cliffs and boulders and such. I take it this is done with great velocity? And on purpose? Seriously?

whereistheirsenseofselfpreservation?


Roxy, feeling like a total girly-girl powder puff by comparison. Ha! Does Terry make any of those cute cycling skorts in pink tulle?

<<sigh>>
Why would anyone want to pedal on asphalt with cars and trucks? Fight with traffic? Fend off aggressive drivers? Seriously? Where is the sense of self preservation? People do this with velocity? On purpose?

C'mon people, it's all good, does anyone remember that? We don't all have to like the same things.

[crazycanuck]

+100000000 Irulan

Roxy-look at the link www.downhilldownunder.com/ and you'll get some idea

Downhilling looks like tons o fun but a bit too fast for me. The ages here in Western AUstralia that do downhill are very very varied. From young kids to fully grown men and even a few women! It's growing in popularity & possibly because of a local dude, Sam Hill.

[tulip]

Back in the mid-80s, I was racing in the New England Mountain Bike Championships. Mountain biking was pretty new on the East Coast, and I raced XC and downhill. During the downhill dual slalom, I ate it bad and cracked some ribs and got knocked unconscious. That was on grass.

Downhill stuff these days--mostly out west where there are huge boulders and impossible drops--seems to me to have grown from BMX and trials (we used to call it trialsin). In addition to speed, there's also alot of finesse and technique.

My brother was a very good downhiller, sponsored by SE back in the day. He still had a couple of really neat downhill bikes, and he still does it "for fun," but now that he has kids he's not so reckless. He was a nationally-ranked BMX racer in the 70s for his age group, and his skills really come from BMX. Having raced and completed La Ruta de los Conquistadores, I seriously doubt that he would consider XC anything but "real" mountain biking.

I have no interest in doing downhill anymore, but I do enjoy watching videos of really good downhillers who really know how to handle their bikes and the environment in which they do their stuff.

As for nerdgirl, this wasn't a good fit for her. It happens. No doubt she's having a great time wherever she is.