[Closed] Thoughts of an old MTBer

peaks on helmets have saved my face from getting initmate with the ground/ trees more than once!

budgie smugglers go under the baggies and they have loads of pockets for trail snacks when you are chinwagging at the bottom of the trails....hence the crowds

ride a few shorter travell bikes and see if you prefer them? they are plenty capable in the right hands

modern geo steel hardtails are amazing, nothing like back in the day!

Did you have a faulty dropper post?

Long travel bikes are a different thing to rigid or short travel.  They make the ride different, and you need some time on them to get the best.  If you do the same old things on them a bit faster then yes, not worth much.  But they are designed to be ridden in a different way on different stuff.  When I take mine out I spin gently up the climbs chilling out, then I seek out the tight steep tech bits and the steep rocky stuff and blat down it about 2x the speed.  At that pace it's not at all boring or dull!  But it took me quite a few years to really understand the differences in body language, capability, and line choice.  You still should be choosing lines, just different ones - and you should still be riding just as technically.  If that style of riding isn't for you then that style of bike isn't either.

Similarly with dropper posts, they let you get the best out of a bike set up in a different way.  If you ride the same way as you do on a short travel bike with the seat up, you won't see much benefit.  For my long travel bike, the dropper (ok, riding with the seat down) was the final piece of the puzzle that made it all work brilliantly.  It wasn't great at all with the seat up.

Helmets with peaks, err, why?

They help with sun, rain and insects.  I have a small one on the lid I use on road.  Still helps with these things.

Boy do MTBer’s seem to stop a lot. At the top and bottom of every hill there were groups just sat there, every group I followed would stop after a section. Seemed odd to me, but then I was talking to the guy in the shop who found it odd that I did the whole loop nonstop. I can understand stopping for a pic at a scenic point but that’s not that often.

Yeah riding with mates, it's considered nice to wait and make sure everyone got through fine and to have whats called a conversation 😉

Baggy shorts, why? Found my old pair of baggies out, within a mile I was wondering why I bothered.

I do wear lycra for XC racing but that is it, baggies last longer when you hit the deck

Peaks? Good for the sun

yeah the peak's a sun visor! or a light visor for those road bits in night time winter rides.

I agree about modern full sus making it easy, point and shoot. I like to pick a (HardTail) line too.

Cannock's ace, I'm local so biased but it is great fun.

no comment on advocacy,  responsible riding and the campaigns for better provision...?

Lots of very diligent people are doing lots of work for the good of the community overall. Seemingly invisibly.

Boy do MTBer’s seem to stop a lot. At the top and bottom of every hill there were groups just sat there, every group I followed would stop after a section

This is a room 101 for me, it's drives me mental. It's not so much the constant stopping but where they stop! I've had numerous instances where groups have stopped blocking an exit to a trail and then get annoyed when they have to quickly move out the way for other riders coming right at them.

Personally for me with or without a group I try to limit stopping at every trail head as it bloomin kills my legs warming up and down all the time

Enjoyed reading that.  Another 90's starter here (currently riding a 10 yr old bike, most up to date one yet for me).

Have yet to try out a contemporary MTB so that was extra-interesting for someone who might be riding one at some point in the future.

plus you’re a grown man/woman riding a pushbike, you look a fool anyway

Is  that a peculiarly UK/US way of viewing adults on bicycles?  Or is it to do with clothing/style?  Always found it interesting how we view cycling as somehow ridiculous

Interesting thought experiment: do we think a Dutch person (or an African person, or a Chinese person etc) on a bike looks like a 'fool'?

lol. good read lunge. I'm heartened by folk that are still riding bikes after that long at all, they guys I enjoy meeting up with we used to make a hash of MTBing in the late 80s and 90s, happy to say they're still at it... maybe that's the different thing too..

lol. good read lunge. I’m heartened by folk that are still riding bikes after that long at all, they guys I enjoy meeting up with we used to make a hash of MTBing in the late 80s and 90s, happy to say they’re still at it… maybe that’s the different thing too..

I'm the exception in my group, all the guys I used to ride with have long since packed it in. A shame really.

The looking like a fool thing is more MTB specific than the pic above. You can (and I do) ride a bike in completely normal clothes. What I don't get is that if you're going to buy cycling specific clothes, why you'd buy stuff than functionally isn't that good? You look no less a fool in bright enduro gear than in Lycra, but the Lycra is a better tool for the job.

If I'm spending £50 on a pair I would want to wear them off the bike and generally baggies don't look too bad popping to Aldi but lycra shorts probably would.

You look no less a fool in bright enduro gear than in Lycra, but the Lycra is a better tool for the job.

What job? How does it react to falling off? Does it have decent pockets in the shorts rather than at the base of your spine? The need for aero benefit is much less in MTB than road so what is the real point in wearing lycra on a MTB social ride?

Also not all gear is fluro unless you live in a stereotype?

Dropper posts, hmmm. Maybe I’m not the intended market as a roadie/ex-XC guy but it was good but not revolutionary

Try riding one regularly so that it becomes second nature to drop your saddle whenever you feel like, then try going back.

@mikewsmith, It's not the aero benefit, it's the comfort element. Nothing flapping around, everything where it's meant to be. Plus, pockets, what's that all about, unless you want to break your phone or hurt yourself falling onto keys, why do you want things in shorts pockets?

Fair point on the dropper post things, maybe something I need to get used to. But even so, I'm not sure on it being a game changer.

why do you want things in shorts pockets?

So when you stop for a break or to fix your bike, you have somewhere handy to put tools, sunglasses, money, and other bits and pieces instead of putting them on the ground and losing them or having to keep opening your bag. When you're actually riding, they go in the bag. If you're racing, it's a different thing, but just going for a fun ride, shorts with pockets are useful.

@hol2, that's what saddle bags were invented for.

 It’s not the aero benefit, it’s the comfort element. Nothing flapping around, everything where it’s meant to be.

Well all my baggy stuff in comfortable, I guess this is one of those things where people just don't get it. But take my (and other peoples word for it) we don't care, it's comfy and we like riding in it. All that time with roadies must have made you a rule man and all that 😉

@hol2, that’s what saddle bags were invented for.

Ah putting all your tools int he spray from the rear wheel, don't tell me that is what mud guards were invented for....

that’s what saddle bags were invented for.

Not much point having your wallet in your saddle bag when you pop into a shop for a break.

Dropper posts, hmmm. Maybe I’m not the intended market as a roadie/ex-XC guy but it was good but not revolutionary which I was expecting after reading some comments on here.

i found it took three rides before i was hooked

ride 1: you forget to use it

ride 2: make a conscious effort to use it, find the most technical downhill you can

ride 3 : realise how much faster you can go without either getting caught on your saddle or not having to stop to put the seat post up or down

if you like to do the whole ride non stop a dropper is so much nicer to have and once you realise how much more confidence having that saddle out of the way gives you you never want to go back

Ah putting all your tools int he spray from the rear wheel, don’t tell me that is what mud guards were invented for

No, just put then on a sarny bag. Like the Lycra thing, it's not rules or anything else, just observations from someone who's been away from it for a while. This maybe an agree to disagree thing

It’s not the aero benefit, it’s the comfort element. Nothing flapping around, everything where it’s meant to be.

Best thing I ever cycled in (for comfort and performance) were (Lusso) long bibs.  At my age and girth am forced by decency to keep everything hidden, so flappy clothing is the way forward.  But I do everso miss the Spiderman-like freedom and aerodynamics of the lycra.  Especially in downpours.

If you’d spent your entire life wearing high heels, your first attempt at wearing flat shoes for sport would seem underwhelming too. You move your body around where a high saddle would be, so you get little of the benefit of a dropper post. Remove those habits and you’ll see why it’s such a game changer that even XC pros (who are brilliant at saddle up descending) are fitting them for more technical courses. But one ride after 20 years of sky high saddles won’t be enough.

You were on a monster of an enduro bike - a shorter travel trail bike would be more fun at normal speed, especially at Cannock.

Regarding baggies, they’re much nicer to crash in, you can put things in the pockets, well fitting ones don’t flap about at all and they’re more weatherproof in the winter (and if you want you can wear lycra under them, though I never do). None of my MTB tops have those pockets on the back because I often wear a pack, but for shorter rides, especially when it’s hot, I have a tiny saddlebag with my tools, a bottle on the frame and things like phone, keys, sunglasses in my pockets. Today I was wearing a running vest as a top, which was a damn sight better than cycling tops in this heat!

The pro lycra brigade always go on and on about how lycra is better functionally than baggy shorts, but they never seem to listen to the responses of riders who’ve worn both and care more about functionality than aesthetics. I’ve been MTBing since 1988 btw. But aesthetically they’re much better, especially with knee pads!

And you can’t fit big saddlebags on bikes with long dropper posts and rear suspension, unless you want your rear wheel to lock up whilst attempting to eat your saddlebag when you land a bigger drop or jump.

but the Lycra is a better tool for the job.

No it isn't.

Lycra is comfy but i'd rather fall off wearing harder wearing baggies possibly with some protection underneath. But this all depends on the type of riding you do.

Baggy MTB gears is just normal shorts and t-shirt made to be MTB specific by using more breathable or stretchy materials and cut to be not quite as baggy as normal clothes. Really its the Lycra wearers that are 'putting on a uniform'.

What I don’t get is that if you’re going to buy cycling specific clothes, why you’d buy stuff than functionally isn’t that good? You look no less a fool in bright enduro gear than in Lycra, but the Lycra is a better tool for the job.

What's functionally not that good? I ride and race DH & Enduro. I don't do it in bright fluro gear as I live in the UK, and half the time I ride in mud, so I don't want everything stained in various shades of brown.

You must have an odd sense of style though, a fairly plan black pair of baggies & a technical t-shirt looks considerably less foolish than a middle aged overweight man in lycra, pretending it's making a difference to riding.

No-one looks good in lycra,

I don't want to start a debate on the benefits of Lycra, I think it works better, others don't, that's fine.

Edit, yeah, fair point below. Wording wrong, it's not an "I'm right, you're wrong", more of me expressing my view on it. Debate away.

Baggy shorts, why? Lycra is more comfortable and is just a better tool for the job.

I don’t want to start a debate on the benefits of Lycra

u wot m8

Really? No one looks good in lycra?

Peaks make sense, otherwise why would loads of roadies wear a cap (or if you call a water bottle a bidon then it's a casquette) under their helmets. What, other than a bit of faux French ponciness is the difference?

Boy do MTBer’s seem to stop a lot.

It's the XC crowd, without dropper posts, adjusting their seat hight 😀

No-one looks good in lycra

Works for some, not for all.

Lycra or high heels, neither are a good look for blokes.

Dont wear lycra on the mountain bike.

Dont wear lycra on the road bike.

Dont wear lycra on the cross bike.

Dont wear lycra.

baggies last longer when you hit the deck

Saves your skin too. Coming from road to MTB I decided I wasn't going to wear that hideous baggy nonsense. A couple of crashed changed my mind.

I demo'd three bikes recently at the Malvern Classic, my "current" MTB is a 14 year old Giant NRS and modern bikes have moved on so much  only got confident enough to start pushing it on my third run, bigger wheels, more travel, sharper brakes, dropper post, shorter stems, wider bars.

Unfortunately the boss is going part-time so acquiring a new bike is out of the question for a while...

Literally nothing of importance has changed since you ‘left mountainbiking’ 5 years ago. It sounds like you were stuck in a 1992 time warp.

You hired the wrong bike for your day out, they should have recommended a fast xc bike, guaranteed to make the trails come alive.

Then you could compare apples with apples.

That sounds a bit mean, but it also sounds like you had a good day out so good on you.

Lycra is a funny one - guys generally look awful in it (but I’ve got a lot of time for attractive athletic ladies wearing it) - but on my road bike it is better than baggy shorts - padded liner or lot.

On the road bike you're in a different position and static for long periods of time and with a highe cadence. I find baggies on the racer chafe.

However, there’s no chance I’m wearing Lycra on my mtb. It just looks even more ridiculous than on my road bike - plus on the mtb I can keep gels handily in the pockets and when I crash (occasionally) I get less abrasions. For reference I have one black pair of baggies and one dark black/grey camo pair.

Im not wearing fluro / bright coloured / team type kit on either bike.

On the bike front, the SB6 is probably massive overkill around Cannock - I’ve not ridden there but understand it’s similar ish to Swinley. Something like a Whyte t-130 maybe something more representative of a decent trail bike and feel more involving around that sort of trail centre.

However, if you found yourself at somewhere like Black Mountain Cycle Centre / Bike Park Wales / Antur Stiniog you’d probably appreciate what a longer travel bike brings to the party 😃

OP - that's weird that you posted this - I hadn't even considered seeing if there was a thread already but there you go, something that kinda reflects what I was wondering written just hours before I wrote my thread. I might just have to hire myself a bike and have a go.

Lycra is a funny one – guys generally look awful in it (but I’ve got a lot of time for attractive athletic ladies wearing it)

Did you mean "I like it when functional clothing lets me ogle women's bodies, but I don't like it when functional clothing causes me to have thoughts about men's bodies"…?

Been thinking this afternoon about the "mtber's are always stopping and chatting" thing and I think it's just part of the logistics of a trail centre bike ride.

If you're riding in a group on the road, there's benefit to riding close together, and drawbacks to drifting apart, having the weakest person struggling in the wind off the back is no good for anyone, you'll be making sure you're together, and you'll be close enough to chat to at least the two nearest you.

At at mountain bike centre, unless you're on a fire road, you're riding for fun not efficiency, there's no aero benefits, you want a bit of space so you can see your line and not get taken out by someone getting it wrong.  On the funnest bits, the fastest go off first and slowest last, so the gaps grow, and you stop at intervals to come back together. There's always a chance that someone's tonked themselves or their bike and you have to ride back up to scrape them off the scenery, and the less often you regroup, the further you've got to go to get them.

Some people will get lost if they're given the slightest whiff of opportunity, whatever the surface or form of transport/fun, and it can be a right pain in the arse trying to unlose them. so you wait at junctions till you're all together (unless you're riding together, see above).

And there's something about trail centres which attract a certain sort of rider, and a certain sort of group.  The only times I ride Swinley for example, are in mixed ability groups of mates I don't see very often to catch up over a bit of exercise.  Everyone knows where to meet, what the red and the blue are like...  The fastest 2 through a section start chatting, and the conversation carries on well after the last person's down.

In contrast, ride a big(/biggest) section of the South Downs Way, and it's more like road biking: you're picking your partners more carefully, you want to keep your average speed up and you can chat to each other for the vast majority of it: not a lot of stopping.

Baggy shorts, why?

Because they offer more protection from abrasion, work better with pads and let air circulate better.  Looser clothing is also cooler clothing - just ask a Bedouin.

Yes, I get they look a bit better but you’re riding in a forest, there’s no-one there to see you,

Contradicting yourself there.  There is someone to see us - this time it was you.  And yes, they do look a bit better - do we think that may then be one very key reason...

plus you’re a grown man/woman riding a pushbike, you look a fool

No, I look like someone enjoying themselves.

See also baggy tops.

Yep, all the same benefits.

Deleted.

Interesting views. Im a  mtber that started in 1987 and did my first race in 1990, not had anytime away from the sport and still racing and riding today.

6" bike at most trail centres is overkill. You'll find that if you ride more off piste trails or proper dh's then you'll have to pick your lines. They have made a big difference to whats capable on a bike you can ride a long way comfortably.

Being a road/xc type rider im guessing you have never learnt to ride wirh your seat down, never raced dh in the 90's? Its a different feeling if you have spent 24 years with a seat up. You need to spend time riding with a seat down to understand the benefits. Also your muscles  will not be used to the new position, making it not so natural for you. Lower seatposts are faster dh, but that may not be important for every rider.

Road riding is easier to be social. You ride and chat, not see easy on singletrack. Also many roadies are obssesed with mileage ( i ride road aswell) and they must do as much as possible in the time they have. Many mtbers dont care about miles and just enjoy the ride.

Almost like you lunge, I went from a 10yo HT to a Stanton Slackline with all the trimmings and the increase in ability to carry speed through rougher sections had me stopping to calm down at the start (I've now got knee pads).

Lycra?  I wear it under baggies for the padding and that combo just feels more frictionless.  For me, as soon as a bloke gets any sort of gut, lycra starts to look a bit MAMIL and I became less comfortable with complete strangers being able to see the outline of my penis.

Good read that.  Spent most of my childhood riding a bike because it was more convenient and cheaper than the bus. Stopped around the age of 17 when cars came onto the scene. Started again shortly after teaching my Son to ride as it was getting harder to keep up. Never stopped. Never rode a full sus always hardtails. Some nice builds with some fancy bits. Now I mainly ride a basic 29er XC HT  with fast rolling tyres. Mileage and time on the bike is more important than how Gnar the trail is. Bridleways cycleways and three ply tarmac with the odd naughty footpath here and there to link every thing up. It’s all good.

I think wearing lycra should be related to BMI.

The government needs to bring in laws that once you hit a certain point (something bloody low) it should be illegal to wear it, It would save a lot of innocent members of the public having to bleach their eyes or being scarred for life.

I'm going to raise it with my local MP!

As someone who spent an afternoon having melted lycra scrubbed out of my hip/arse 15 years ago, I'm happy to fully disagree on the OPs statement that lycra is the correct tool for the job for MTB.

Give me a decent rip stop, close fit baggy with no pockets any day.

Some of the OPs comments make me think that perhaps he was always on the XC side of things anyway.