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'Taking up' needs to be defined. Visited my son in his student house yesterday. Six MTBs in the garage as they all use bikes to get to uni. Various cheap and cheerful but new bikes plus his 88 Saracen LE. No hybrids or road bikes.
Is it me or are there less people taking up Mountain Biking?
- Thread starter bigkeeko
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This has been compounded by many (not all) of them being unable to take safety related guidelines and advice as anything more than a direct insult to their manhood. (I've been threatened and sworn at by someone for trying to help them ride a chaingang properly/safely) Is not isolated incidents either.
And it's difficult to work out which group new riders belong to.
seeing as the vast majority of the big smashes I've seen over the last few years were caused by the middle aged beginner not knowing their arse from their elbow and being unable to follow a line/wheel or ride smoothly/safely in a group. I'm not entirely surprised.widowmaker":1cemlxiq said:
This has been compounded by many (not all) of them being unable to take safety related guidelines and advice as anything more than a direct insult to their manhood. (I've been threatened and sworn at by someone for trying to help them ride a chaingang properly/safely) Is not isolated incidents either.
And it's difficult to work out which group new riders belong to.
conformity in road biking is mostly about safety and performance. And riding MTB, even if you are an utter liability, you are very unlikely to put a club mate in hospital. Only yourself.widowmaker":1cemlxiq said:Whereas I have been out with a few group riding mtb's and they are a nicer, warmer bunch and this could largely be in my head, but there is less pressure to conform and more about the fun out getting out, enjoying the countryside and riding bikes
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Valid points,
But not everyone who wants to get into Roadbiking wants to ride Peleton style, mm's away from the wheel in front.
Valid points,
But not everyone who wants to get into Roadbiking wants to ride Peleton style, mm's away from the wheel in front.
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You need to find clubs/mates and SkyRide groups that want a nice relaxed jolly out.
I see no reason why they need to ride so close at such speeds and not talk to each other.
The groups I see relaxing and chilling out also say hello to you even if I'm on shudder an offroad capable bike and will have good banter in the cafes.
I can understand the performance clubs, that a sports and often training.
But just look for others or start another group up and do like we did, use SkyRide. Although we are MTB we've picked up quite a few locals now just looking for the same.
Still clubs don't sell the bikes but Triathlon has increased massively from TV covering it, events everywhere and many people I know have moved into it as a follow on from 10kruns which has had a big surge.
Hence road bikes again.
One big thing is road events are much easier to organise, no rights of way worries, no seeing if other rights if way can be used. Anyone can ride on the road and they all link up.
You need to find clubs/mates and SkyRide groups that want a nice relaxed jolly out.
I see no reason why they need to ride so close at such speeds and not talk to each other.
The groups I see relaxing and chilling out also say hello to you even if I'm on shudder an offroad capable bike and will have good banter in the cafes.
I can understand the performance clubs, that a sports and often training.
But just look for others or start another group up and do like we did, use SkyRide. Although we are MTB we've picked up quite a few locals now just looking for the same.
Still clubs don't sell the bikes but Triathlon has increased massively from TV covering it, events everywhere and many people I know have moved into it as a follow on from 10kruns which has had a big surge.
Hence road bikes again.
One big thing is road events are much easier to organise, no rights of way worries, no seeing if other rights if way can be used. Anyone can ride on the road and they all link up.
PurleySquire
Retrobike Rider
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Around London road biking has become massive recently, all as the result of an endless flood of marketing.
I have been anti-fashion all my adult life, the result of being subject to the horrors of 70s fashion as a child. There's nothing wrong with being counter culture in my book, it buy you some space to stay clear of all the idiots.
I do find it amusing that you can sell fully grown men the idea that you have to wear ballet type gear to go ride a bike round the park though.
I have been anti-fashion all my adult life, the result of being subject to the horrors of 70s fashion as a child. There's nothing wrong with being counter culture in my book, it buy you some space to stay clear of all the idiots.
I do find it amusing that you can sell fully grown men the idea that you have to wear ballet type gear to go ride a bike round the park though.
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Cycling has had a massive surge in interest over the last few years for a number of factors:
-Recession. Cycling for commuting is cheaper, and sometimes quicker, than other options, and subsidised by cycle to work schemes. Also you can have a fantastic bike for a couple of grand, while it'll get you nothing in the sports car arena.
- Olympics/Tour de France effect
- A mini-bubble in 40/50/60 somethings who are fitter than their precedecessors, but whose bodies can't take the hammering of the sports of their youth (e.g. running, football etc). I know a few fell runners who've got into cycling in a big way in their mid 40s.
Barely a week seems to go by without national newspapers covering cycling in a much more positive way.
Most of this new interest has gone into road bikes unsurprisingly enough. But here in North Wales mountain biking seems as popular as it ever did - although there are now tons of road cyclists about too. I've even occasionally thought about getting a road bike myself - but having only ridden mountain bikes since the late 80s and always appreciated their versatility - I can't quite bring myself to do it.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the popularity of cycling. Great that so many are into it, but the price of parts/bikes etc seems to have roughly doubled in the last five years or so.
Cycling has had a massive surge in interest over the last few years for a number of factors:
-Recession. Cycling for commuting is cheaper, and sometimes quicker, than other options, and subsidised by cycle to work schemes. Also you can have a fantastic bike for a couple of grand, while it'll get you nothing in the sports car arena.
- Olympics/Tour de France effect
- A mini-bubble in 40/50/60 somethings who are fitter than their precedecessors, but whose bodies can't take the hammering of the sports of their youth (e.g. running, football etc). I know a few fell runners who've got into cycling in a big way in their mid 40s.
Barely a week seems to go by without national newspapers covering cycling in a much more positive way.
Most of this new interest has gone into road bikes unsurprisingly enough. But here in North Wales mountain biking seems as popular as it ever did - although there are now tons of road cyclists about too. I've even occasionally thought about getting a road bike myself - but having only ridden mountain bikes since the late 80s and always appreciated their versatility - I can't quite bring myself to do it.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the popularity of cycling. Great that so many are into it, but the price of parts/bikes etc seems to have roughly doubled in the last five years or so.
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just stop doing things that are likely to be full of people who do then? Three of your four mentioned events are very very likely to have that sort of riding in, the other is pretty likely to. Join the CTC or touring club. It's not rocket surgery.widowmaker":2iuqqfoc said:
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:xmas-big-grin: soon
:xmas-big-grin: soon
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