Video of the Week – How to be a mountain biker

...and if you make mention of it, it is assumed that you have a chip on your shoulder.

 

No, mate, I really don't have a chip on my shoulder. I'm simply pointing out what I've perceived with a healthy dose of embellishment. I admire XC riders, they're way faster and fitter than me, but the type of riding is not for me.

Mate - you have the wrong bikeshop... mine keeps trying to sell me flat pedals and a 26er... or a jump bike, or a DH bike or some such...

great and simple answer. Is that the general consensus. So its almost like the jack-of-all trades, master of none discipline

EXACTLY!

Jumps and descends better than XC, but not as well as DH

Climbs and coveres distance better than DH, but not as well as XC

Mate - you have the wrong bikeshop... mine keeps trying to sell me flat pedals and a 26er... or a jump bike, or a DH bike or some such...

and you still don't take the hint?

Ah ok so it is for protection from knocks / falls instead of use...gotcha.

yeah.

I must admit though, I struggle with the term all mountain biking...all the other disciplines are quite defined. I am being sincere when I say I don't have a cooking clue what / how / where all mountain biking is.

I stand under correction but I see it somewhere between XC and downhill. The bikes have more suspension that XC bikes and less suspension that downhill. Head angles are more relaxed than XC but less that downhill.

I've heard it described as the sort of bike that you can use to get up a steep mountain as well as ride down it, with some speed.

Having said that I also don't think it's higher than XC (as in I'm too good for XC) and lesser to DH.

it's a separate style, albeit somewhat vague. I call myself a trail or AM rider because I like the variety.

EXACTLY!

 

Jumps and descends better than XC, but not as well as DH

Climbs and coveres distance better than DH, but not as well as XC

Well that seems simple enough...so if I have it right, its not bike specific its basically a mixture of all the recognized diciplines

DH

XCM

XCO

So its almost like the jack-of-all trades, master of none discipline

This is probably the best explanation.

Per implication AM is about being the slowest guy on the XC track as well as the downhill track, but at least enjoying them both

This is probably the best explanation.

 

AM is about being the slowest guy on the XC track as well as the downhill track, but at least enjoying them both

But the focus seems to be on doing a mixed bag of both in a ride...yes?

But the focus seems to be on doing a mixed bag of both in a ride...yes?

that's just it... there is little to no 'focus' in AM riding. Just getting out on the trail. Trying new obstacles in stead of trying to beat PB's or rack up miles. It's not about "training" for anything, just about enjoying the technical and having fun on a ride.

But the focus seems to be on doing a mixed bag of both in a ride...yes?

Yes, which is why I like Thaba, although that downhill track is still way beyond me.

I can do almost every jump there in my imagination, though

I've been begging Wendell to build a kiddies downhill run so that I can progress.

Yes, which is why I like Thaba, although that downhill track is still way beyond me.

 

I can do almost every jump there mentally, though. I've been begging Wendell to build a kiddies downhill run so that I can progress.

That is happening! And it's right by the parkinglot, so no need to bundubash your poor car to get to the trail.

There's a work party gathering there this Saturday from 9am to work on the new line.

But the focus seems to be on doing a mixed bag of both in a ride...yes?

Well that is how Enduro has come about (I think)

Edit to add: that riders have now become extremely skilled & suspension technology and the bikes have progressed such a long way that the lines between all the disciplines is becoming quite blurred. Look at what Graves achieved at World Champs.

that's just it... there is little to no 'focus' in AM riding. Just getting out on the trail. Trying new obstacles in stead of trying to beat PB's or rack up miles. It's not about "training" for anything, just about enjoying the technical and having fun on a ride.

Well of that is the case, I do AM all the time.

By the way, Patches, where's a good place to practice downhill in Gauteng that has small obstacles?

Edit: You've answered my question. Looking forward to the easy line at Thaba.

and you still don't take the hint?

I don't even ride all the bikes I have... and I do have a 26" bike with a DH fork on it...

Well of that is the case, I do AM all the time.

My bike is classified as AM on the Ghost website.

26", 120mm travel front and back, 69` headtube angle, 180mm rotors front and back.

descends fairly well and not to bad on the hills, albeit a little heavy

My bike is classified as AM on the Ghost website.

26", 120mm travel front and back, 69` headtube angle, 180mm rotors front and back.

descends fairly well and not to bad on the hills, albeit a little heavy

They are wrong. That description is for a poverty spec dual suspension bike.

My bike is classified as AM on the Ghost website.

26", 120mm travel front and back, 69` headtube angle, 180mm rotors front and back.

descends fairly well and not to bad on the hills, albeit a little heavy

ASX?

i like to ride my bike lanks in the trails by the sea and on da lands.....I luv it!

ASX?

yeah

yeah

Also got one. I like the handling, but yeah verrrry heavy.

I'm thinking of putting a soft set 140mm travel fork on it though, and I feel it needs wider handlebars.

Well of that is the case, I do AM all the time.

ya, on the uphills I wish I had a lighter bike

an on the downs I wish I had more suspension

and here i thought it was bikes made in cape-town...

ya, on the uphills I wish I had a lighter bike

an on the downs I wish I had more suspension

 

and here i thought it was bikes made in cape-town...

too true....it seems that the AM thing has got nothing to do with kit, bikes and travel and everything to do with fun and enjoyment. That to me makes perfect sense.

too true....it seems that the AM thing has got nothing to do with kit, bikes and travel and everything to do with fun and enjoyment. That to me makes perfect sense.

ummm not entirely...

As stated previous the type of riding fits bewteen XC and DH... and the equipment allows this.

Yes you can do AM riding on a hardtail 29er, just like you could do 3 towers on a dirt jumper... but horses for courses... With AM riding the trails are most suited to medium travel bikes with slacker head angles. They can still climb hills, not like an XC bike though, but are far more forgiving on descents, rock sections, and jumps, but not as forgiving as DH bikes.

So like you say... jack of all trades, master of none.

ummm not entirely...

 

As stated previous the type of riding fits bewteen XC and DH... and the equipment allows this.

 

Yes you can do AM riding on a hardtail 29er, just like you could do 3 towers on a dirt jumper... but horses for courses... With AM riding the trails are most suited to medium travel bikes with slacker head angles. They can still climb hills, not like an XC bike though, but are far more forgiving on descents, rock sections, and jumps, but not as forgiving as DH bikes.

 

So like you say... jack of all trades, master of none.

aaaargh, no man, just when I thought I had it down....and to me it makes absolute sense not to try and put into a equipment box...read helmets, padding, lycra, shorts, bikes, bottles, camelbaks

Surely you can cherry pick what you like from both the DH and XC world and still do AM, because you are getting out there and having fun.

If you want to box into something surely it leans more to terrain than equipment...a place where you can ride easy-ish XC like trails and easi-ish downhills at the same spot / ride?

I can tell you now without watching that the last 3 steps are probably not needed.

 

26 steps has done the job for so long, why complicate matters?

To be fair they tried 27.5 steps but it just didn't work...