What should I use...

[ThinAir]

As a gauge of ability

For example, on my road bike, I look at my average speed and how much climbing I have done or the amount of miles I am putting in, and this helps me figure out ways to better myself and improve my performance.

Is there something that is favourable for MTB? I figured that speed probably wasn't all that reliable because of the technical stuff and some of the stupid climbs that I seem to encounter? Or am I wrong?

Should I even be worrying about this?

Thanks

 

[ColinJ]

If you really want to know, enter some MTB races and you would soon find out!

 

[ThinAir]

If you really want to know, enter some MTB races and you would soon find out!

Given that I have been on two rides so far since I bought it, I shall continue practicing!

 

[ColinJ]

Given that I have been on two rides so far since I bought it, I shall continue practicing!

In that case, the answer to the original question is - no, you should not even be worrying about that!

(I have ridden with some MTB riders whose speed on technical descents terrified me, and whose speed up technical climbs astonished me!)

 

[Dave W]

I don't really tend to pay too much attention to my performance.

Sure I'm a lot lot fitter now that I was a couple of years ago but quantifying it is pointless in my view because I cycle to enjoy it. The fitness side of things is just a huge bonus.

If you're desperate to measure things then feet climbed and in what time is always a good place to start.

 

[ThinAir]

(I have ridden with some MTB riders whose speed on technical descents terrified me, and whose speed up technical climbs astonished me!)

I have no sense of fear when it comes to stuff like this... I often have a "whats the worst that can happen"/rather cavalier attitude to stuff like this. The faster I am going down a hill, the more fun I am having

Sure I'm a lot lot fitter now that I was a couple of years ago but quantifying it is pointless in my view because I cycle to enjoy it. The fitness side of things is just a huge bonus.

If you're desperate to measure things then feet climbed and in what time is always a good place to start.

I like the idea of measuring the climbs though... strava could be getting a bit of a hammering

 

[ColinJ]

I have no sense of fear when it comes to stuff like this... I often have a "whats the worst that can happen"/rather cavalier attitude to stuff like this. The faster I am going down a hill, the more fun I am having

I once chased 2 superior-skilled mountain bikers down a very fast descent which was strewn with loose rocks and had some large slabs of stone across it. I realised that I was going too fast, but it was hard to scrub off speed for fear of sliding off on the loose stuff. Eventually, I hit one of those stone slabs way too hard, bottomed out my suspension and was then launched into the air along with the MTB.

You should have 5 points of contact, right? (2 hands, 2 feet, 1 bum.) I ended up with only 1! Both feet unclipped, I was thrown out of the saddle, and one handlebar grip was torn from my grasp. I managed to keep hold of the other grip by the tips of my fingers ...

I thought I was about to meet my maker! In fact, I landed back on the bike, bounced back into the air again, and somehow regained control when I landed a second time.

I slowed down and let the other 2 riders continue thrill-seeking without me ...

I have been a bit more cautious since that near-miss!

 

[ThinAir]

^^^ possibly what it will take to slow me down :S


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tango]

As above, it's all about having fun

If you're grinning you're winning

But you mention Strava and that will be a good way to see how your performance improves, but in essence is still very much how much climbing and distance in a given time.

A simple way to look at it might be to find a local loop or trail centre and see how long it takes and measure each ride against previous ones

 

[Tango]

You are not far from rivington, you could park in the twin car parks off sheep house lane. Head up the hill on the right and go up heading up through the trees and ultimately heading out to wilders wood. At this point you will be on a very wide track, just as you go through a gate you will see another gate to your left that heads off on a narrower track uphill. When you meet the road turn left and head up to winter hill mast, go straight past that and then over a gate and follow the obvious track heading down to the main road, turn left heading down to Belmont and then left at the pub. (Black dog I think) eventually towards the top, you will see a wide track to your left with a gate about 40 metres up it. Head up there and keep going until you get to the wooded area with the pigeon loft. Turn right and head down that track (it does get rocky) back to the car park.

If you did that regularly and timed yourself you would get a feel for your improvements

 

[Cubist]

The thing about MTBing is that it's all things to all people. There are so many variables that it's virtually impossible to benchmark performance unless you repeat the same ride and analyse it closely. For example you may not fear technical descents, but you need to define it first. What you consider to be a cakewalk I may stutter to a nervous halt whilst riding it. You may gain speed on the ascents but never improve on the downs. You may absolutely fly on a waymarked trail but lose 50% of your average speed by having to navigate on a bridleway route.

Unless you intend to compete I would concentrate on enjoying the ride. You may think for example that you are quick on one particular section, and an experienced rider would make it look like you were ponderous.

Colinj makes a good point about enjoying the ride by riding within confidence and ability levels, but you may be a thrillseeker and determined to wring every last drop of adrenaline out of every ride, in which case get to a trailcentre and Strava yourself. Work out where you are slow but more importantly ask yourself whether it matters that you are slow on particular sections or features.

Also, change your riding habitat. You may learn to ride a particular line on a particular descent, and do it confidently day after day, but in a new environment you struggle.

You are within an hour of some of the best beginner and intermediate MTBing around...... natural stuff in the Peaks, Cheshire, N Wales, West Yorks, The Dales, and central to a huge number of good trailcentres, Phillips Park, Clayton Vale for little tasters, Llandegla, Gisburn, Lee Quarry for some more adventurous stuff, Snowdonia for true epics like Marin, Penmachno, Coed Y Brenin, so work out what you enjoy and go do it. You'll feel yourself improving every ride.

 

[dan_bo]

Cubist speaks.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Cubist speak the truth. (as ever)

My own yardsticks are involutary-offs-per-ride, get-off-and-pushes-per-ride and bottle-out-and-walk-down per ride.

 

[Cubist]

A mate of mine took me on a ride. He did some stuff I would have to spend a lot of time girding my loins before I even attempted it, and just as I was starting to be in awe of his prowess he told me of a bunch of guys he rides with who will spot lines on some of the valley sides round here that he would only contemplate walking up roped, and then simply launch down them to try them out. I like a bit of gnarr. but last week Penmachno had some rock chutes and drops that made me sit up and ponder my mortality in places. Others say Penmachno is dull and featureless. Go figure!

I like Greg's yardstick criteria, but again, we are often our own worst (or best) critics, so the involuntary offs still keep coming thick and fast as we push our own limits. .... or they may be because we're crap!

I consider get off and pushes to be a result of my lack of fitness, and it's actually this that annoys me the most. A real frustration is where I run out of traction on a tech climb before I run out of puff, or just as annoying to run out of puff where if I were only fitter I could make it to the top.

Get off and walks.... well, there are many occasions where I will take a chicken run, but I have a dark secret loathing of my lack of bottle, so I'll occasionally force myself to go back and have another go. I've surprised myself how well I can actually ride some features that a couple of years ago I would never have contemplated riding. I still have to carry my bike down some stuff, but I try to do it where no one's watching!!!

So, @ThinAir, what's your favourite riding.... smooth flowing singletrack with whoops jumps and berms, slate rock chutes? Baby head rocks on Peak District marbly hardpack....... do you want to launch off tabletops, big drops and gaps? Pick your way down near vertical Calderdale bridleways and cheeky stuff that is all millstone grit and mossy slime? Do you want smooth speed or bumpy jumpy droppy adrenaline? Do you ride a short travel race hardtail of a big squishy 8 inch travel monster? Do you want to learn skillz or speed/fitness?

 

[Boris Bajic]

Do not worry about these things. If you have worked hard and are tired and enjoyed the ride, you've done well.

I used to do the odd MTB enduro (or similar) and it is a good lesson in speed-learning humility.

I'd be spanked on longer climbs and I'd think "Just you wait for the descent, you young whippersnappers".

Then, on the descent I'd get spanked all over again, by Kamikaze Crazies who'd barely yelled "On your Left!" before they disappeared in a cloud or dust, stones and flying bidons.

If I ever beat anyone by two or three minutes, I'd find out afterwards that they were sixty-five and had picked up a compound fracture in their thigh fifty miles from the end.

Off-road, forget about computers and averages and gizzmos... Just enjoy the ride.