Iwasgoodonce
Old School Grand Master
Is there still a “Fun” class at races? Used to be Elite/Expert/Sport/Fun. Of course, there was a fair amount of crossover!
Sorry in no way do I take offence at that, at all! Very much a similar situation for me!
It's more just an observation of how early 90's racing was full of the have a go heroes and now even I find myself thinking "Umm, maybe I am not fit enough?"
But equally how many of us on here used to race and still love bikes but wouldn't race now rather just look at bikes or ride them but not in competition? And that to me, is a sad state. I don't blame anyone at all, but it's the crap thing about sport is that we loose the people that actually make the events. 7 fast people don't make a race, 50-70-100 people most of who are just okay, that's an event. The mid pack, back of the back racers are the ones that need recognition once you loose those, racing is intimidating and rubbish.
A rant maybe but bugs the hell out of me that there are still loads of people that rider mtb's but most won't race and I don't blame them, in the 90's certainly from my highland's of scotland experience, races were adventures, an achievement just to finish and had sole, even if they were or maybe because they were cobbled together. But who is really motivated to race around a 3/4 mile lap, probably get lapped and even before your off, you line up with about 15 people almost all looking like they will lap you.
It's not the style of bike that matters to me so much as the sprit of that 90's MTB event, maybe I will just have to console myself in some off road duathlons/triathlons they have way more of the 90's sprit than mountain bike races.
I think that's the idea though, whether you're "up to" being physically competitive doesn't really matter, as long as you're in a field of 50+ you might not win, might not trouble the top 10 but you're pretty much guaranteed to have a great time & a damn good race too.Would love to do a retro race. So many people don't race these days, but do sportives instead as they can "secretly" race and if they do crap it's just a "sportive".
My body is smashed to bits from lots of crashes, but a bloody minded racer is always a bloody minded racer, however not sure my body can do what my mind would like it to do!