What is a Mountain Biker?

[Muddy Ground]

I upset some guy the other day by stating that he wasn't a mountain biker; he likes to ride to places using a mix of roads and bridleways. He uses a mountain bike to get there and back. To me he's a proper cyclist; one who likes his bike as a useful mode of transport to varied locations, and who perhaps doesn't care too much what he rides so long as it does the job. Yet he took umbridge over not being labelled as a mountain biker, which I found rather odd.

To me there are three'ish distinctions; mountain biker, cyclist and then roadie. In simple terms an MTB'er wants to hack through singletrack as fast as possible; a roadie will want to do a ton every ride - or at the very least "get some miles in"; whilst a cyclist doesn't care either way, they just want to enjoy the journey. I think the roadie and MTB'er are of the same breed; adrenaline junkies except roadies like a bit more pain. The cyclist is the all-rounder and perhaps the better person.

 

[Zoiders]

It's a contrived argument.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Within the MTB camp there are many Sub sections.

Down Hillers

X-Country Riders

Free Riders

4x Riders

Trail Rides

 

[Friz]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/24/bike-snobs-guide-cycling-tribes

 

[calibanzwei]

http://www.guardian....-cycling-tribes

Enjoyable read that

 

[Red Light]

Does it matter - he rides a mountain bike?

What's singletrack and speed got to do with it anyway? Are you not a mountain biker if you ride the Garburn Pass or Walna Scar? If you want to be picky about labels, you are not a mountain biker unless you are riding in the mountains.

Sounds like you're one of those faux mountain bikers swooping along the man-made single track at Forestry Mountain Bike Centres

 

[Friz]

Enjoyable read that

This cracks me up every time...

In fact, there's a traditional rivalry between Roadies and Mountain Bikers, which leads Mountain Bikers to do extremely irritating things like try to race Roadies who are simply out for a ride, which, if you're a Roadie, is sort of like being goaded by a hillbilly while you're browsing an art gallery.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

This cracks me up every time...

In fact, there's a traditional rivalry between Roadies and Mountain Bikers, which leads Mountain Bikers to do extremely irritating things like try to race Roadies who are simply out for a ride, which, if you're a Roadie, is sort of like being goaded by a hillbilly while you're browsing an art gallery.

Can't say I've every raced a roadie. I have tried to keep pace one occasion but after a few seconds realised how futile the attempt was.

 

[Zoiders]

Does it matter - he rides a mountain bike?

What's singletrack and speed got to do with it anyway? Are you not a mountain biker if you ride the Garburn Pass or Walna Scar? If you want to be picky about labels, you are not a mountain biker unless you are riding in the mountains.

Sounds like you're one of those faux mountain bikers swooping along the man-made single track at Forestry Mountain Bike Centres

I ride with two other chaps, we cut all over the place on the Chase, we avoid the touristy trails like the plague.

About half of the guys we see out riding in all the kit, the spanking new SPD shoes, the shiney Trek full sussers with all the gubbins, the Fox float forks they dropped half a grand on...well they may as well just stick to the canal tow paths as they trundle round on the "off road stuff" like grannies (swapped that last word for something else that rhymed)

It's a tool box and the bike you see someone on does not indicate the ability or attitude they have to riding, I have been told on good authority that some cheeky so and so's even go so far as to own more than one kind of bike for road and off road riding.

 

[Red Light]

I ride with two other chaps, we cut all over the place on the Chase, we avoid the touristy trails like the plague.

About half of the guys we see out riding in all the kit, the spanking new SPD shoes, the shiney Trek full sussers with all the gubbins, the Fox float forks they dropped half a grand on...well they may as well just stick to the canal tow paths as they trundle round on the "off road stuff" like grannies (swapped that last word for something else that rhymed)

It's a tool box and the bike you see someone on does not indicate the ability or attitude they have to riding, I have been told on good authority that some cheeky so and so's even go so far as to own more than one kind of bike for road and off road riding.

Perhaps we need a grading and licensing system. Start people out on Ammanco bikes until they demonstrate their riding is worth of a better bike. Fox forks will of course be restricted to those who can ride the Dalbeattie black routes without dabbing.

 

[lesley_x]

I ride with two other chaps, we cut all over the place on the Chase, we avoid the touristy trails like the plague.

About half of the guys we see out riding in all the kit, the spanking new SPD shoes, the shiney Trek full sussers with all the gubbins, the Fox float forks they dropped half a grand on...well they may as well just stick to the canal tow paths as they trundle round on the "off road stuff" like grannies (swapped that last word for something else that rhymed)

It's a tool box and the bike you see someone on does not indicate the ability or attitude they have to riding, I have been told on good authority that some cheeky so and so's even go so far as to own more than one kind of bike for road and off road riding.

So what if they have fancy forks and shoes? They're out enjoying themselves. Who cares.

 

[coffeejo]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/24/bike-snobs-guide-cycling-tribes

 

[Zoiders]

So what if they have fancy forks and shoes? They're out enjoying themselves. Who cares.

I was agreeing with red light.

The OP how ever thinks you have to project a certain image and attitude and this must dictate how you ride, which leads to blokes just throwing money at the problem, the problem being that they are crap.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Perhaps we need a grading and licensing system. Start people out on Ammanco bikes until they demonstrate their riding is worth of a better bike. Fox forks will of course be restricted to those who can ride the Dalbeattie black routes without dabbing.

Bullshit. Someone should not need to be good, to be allowed to ride or purchase a better bike. If they have they money to spend (regardless of how avalible it actually is) then why can't they?


If I had the money I would spend £2k on a hardtail and ride it like 10 times a year and not give a crap what anyone said, but since I am a bit more sensible my £600 ish will do.

 

[Zoiders]

"The OP how ever thinks you have to project a certain image and attitude and this must dictate how you ride, which leads to blokes just throwing money at the problem, the problem being that they are crap."

Didn't take long to go off piste now did it? Where did I mention image? I certainly never mentioned trail centres. I've only ever been to one once. Tsk, tsk, really now.

I'm just interested in personal labels is all, and why people seem to think they are important.

PIJ

How can you be interested in "labels" and believe in them as you seem to do and not think it's about image?

This really is a bang your head on the table thread.