gonesh9

I just finished the Test of Endurance race, a 50 miler with about 7500 feet of climbing in Oregon's coast range. Great race, but I just need to vent a little bit...Now I'm all fine with road racing, actually have been getting into it myself this year. I just started to get really annoyed today that most of the riders out there are really strong on the fireroads, but when it gets to singletrack they have no clue how to ride. It's been raining here a bit the last few days, so the singletrack was nice and muddy. Also the race organizer built some pretty good technical trails just for the race. Every time I entered the singletrack sections I was held up buy the roadies riding their brakes with one foot out for support the whole time. At the feed station and after the race I overheard several of the riders complaining about how nasty and technical the singletracks were. Isn't this supposed to be a mountain bike race? To me it was like the CAT5 road races I started with, where no one knew how to hold their line and it makes it dangerous for everyone. I guess it was good for me, as it slowed those guys down, but I also lost a lot of time being held up behind them since there were so few places to pass. Again, I don't have any problem that guys who are mainly road racers want to come race in the forest, but it would be nice if they actually went out for a mountain bike ride once in a while to get used to it. Is this the case in the rest of the country, or just happening here?

Little Leo

No it happens a lot. Somtimes its bad rider, young riders, hard trails or trail conditions. But dont forget that you probaly held up someone too. At the end of the race you had fun tho so it dosnt matter.

Just ask Frunkin and me about congestion on race day

KrisA

That's why you train harder to make sure YOU get the singletrack first. You've got nobody to blame but yourself for getting held up.

C Law

it happens a lot with long MTB races with a lot of climbing. KrisA has it right. Get to the singletrack first.

The Vermont 50 is notorious for this.

salsa

most people in wv train on a road bike but don't race them. road racers suck

Frunkin

I train and race road primarily, and I do mtb races for fun. The only real trail riding I have done this year is my one race. The only people I slowed down were the elites that lapped the whole field (and started 15 mins before us)

Little Leo

That was dumb that the elite and comp guys whent befor us. I would have been a little mad if I was them.

dminor 

We have a lot of two-discipline racers here. I hate getting into technical singletrack - -especially with descents and rock gardens - - behind 'em.

apclassic9

I don't how the race meeting at this race went, but a lot of race directors just don't think a mention of racing ettiquite is important - like, if you're not riding, let riders pass, if you're struggling with technical psrts (ie, 1 foot out) get to the side so others can pass.... Some riders just don't KNOW these things unless & until someone points them out!

So, if this wasn't done prior to the race, I would suggest the OP contact the race organizers and comment that it might be stresses a bit more next time. Here are the WV racing rules, which are basically read to, at the VERY least, the beginners:
General Racing Rules
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1. Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse. All racers are expected to understand and comply with these rules.
2. Racers shall complete the entire event on the same bicycle with the exception of cyclocross races where bike exchange can only be done in approved areas.
3. Racers must perform their own bike repairs.
4. Racers must carry their own spare parts and tools. Cannibalizing of other bikes is not permitted.
5. Food and water can be taken from anyone, anywhere on the course.
6. Racers taking food or water must not impede the progress of other racers.
7. Racers riding bicycles have the right of way over racers pushing bicycles. When practical, racers pushing should yield the most rideable portion of the trail when being passed.
8. A racer pushing or carrying his or her bicycle can overtake a racer riding his bicycle provided that it does not interfere with the riding racer.
9. Riders must alert those they are passing (lapping) vocally using the announcements "PASSING on your LEFT (RIGHT)!" or "TRACK LEFT (RIGHT)!" It is the responsibility of the passing rider to overtake safely. Riders being lapped must yield at the first reasonable opportunity.
10. When two riders are vying for position, the leading rider does not necessarily have to yield position to the challenging rider. However, a rider may not bodily interfere, intending to impede another rider's progress; this is considered to be highly unsportsmanlike behavior.
11. Short-cutting the course by any racer shall result in a disqualification.
12. Foul riding, use of profane or abusive language and other unsportsmanlike behavior will be taken very seriously. Such behavior by any racer shall result in a warning or disqualification. This will be strictly applied when such behavior is directed at course officials, volunteers or spectators. The penalty imposed is at the discretion of the race director.
13. Federal, state and county laws and ordinances will be abided by at all times.
14. Only riders officially registered in the event or persons designated by the promoter should ride on the racecourse during the event.
15. Protests can be made only by registered racers. Protests will be made in writing and delivered to the race director any time after the end of the race, up to 30 minutes after the posting of the final results. Protests should contain any information that supports the protest, including description of the incident, witnesses, names, addresses, phone numbers and signature of protestor. A $25 fee shall be submitted, in cash, with the protest. The race director, after his own discovery, will promptly rule on the protest. The fee will be forfeited to the race director if the protest is denied or refunded if the protest is upheld.
16. The race director has the final say in any ruling.
17. Wearing of a helmet is mandatory while warming-up for, or racing in, any WVMBA sanctioned event.
18. Bicycles shall be in good repair with both front and back brakes in good working order.
19. Violation of any of the above rules may result in disqualification.

jrennie

I race on the road about 95% of the time and just got into mtn bike racing so I am one of the people you described but I have a problem going the other way. I am much stronger climbing than the others(thanks to the road) so they hold me up going up and I hold them up on the downhill, thats racing.

Little Leo

When there is such a big difference with everyones individual abillitys its hard. You get all the different age groups and race classes you are sertain to get stuck behind some one. You have to keep your head and just remember that you will hold sombody up too.

Its the riders that get all pissed off that make me laugh. Cuz they look like idiots

Little Leo

Are you calling me childish for saying that?

BLIZZ

That was the mistake I made on my first MB race. Last into the woods to find a big log jamb.
I though I was pacing myself for the long hall, but should have pushed at the first and then settled in.
It was fun passing most of the other riders durring the race though. {4th place}

I think however you do it, you wind up were you would have anyway. Unless its an all out sprint.

ZeCanon

because they are faster than you? or are you just frightened of the unknown? I'm confident that as a roadie, I could whoop you pretty bad...

I race both disciplines, and feel that each allows you to be faster in the other. Roadies with no mtb experience can be downright scary when things get sketchy (they freak out) and mountain bikers that don't ride or race on the road usually have such a fitness disadvantage that I don't even have to worry about them. You need the fitness and the technical skills to be a more rounded, complete mountain bike racer.

Road racing is a lot of fun, but it's a different kind of fun. It's tactics, attacking, using you head. There is no using your head in mountain bike racing. You just go as fast as you can for 2 hours. Yeah you can 'attack' the one or two guys around you but it's not the same as attacking a bunch of 60 or 70 riders and trying to hold them off. And in road racing, there is no hiding your lack of fitness behind good technical skills.

So basically my point is, try both! If you are bothered by the roadies beating you up climbs, become one. Try it out. Just think how much faster you would be if you could climb like a roadie and descend like a mountain biker.

apclassic9

O O O you have the kid's dander up!! Will you be at the Nationals in VT this July? The kid CAN climb like a roadie & descend like a MTBer...... I just don't feel like dragging myself to road races so Salsa can road race & talk me into another expensive bike.........

salsa

when i said most peole i ment me and other people i have 2 road bikes. im only 15 so assuming you older you could probable bet me


and when you don't know a person dont say you could whoop them pretty bad

if your going to VT for nationals we should have are own litttle race.

gonesh9

I don't know why the general consensus here is that roadies can climb better than mountain bikers. Where I come from going mountain biking means you ALWAYS have to climb at least 1000 ft. before you get to the rolling singletrack or the downhill. This has made me a stronger climber than most roadies I know.

GFjoshF4

In the short track MTB races I compete in (CO) there are plenty of roadies but there are the ones who have trouble with the 180 degree turns in the sand foloowed by power climbs and drops into banked turns, but then they always gain on the flat and only the flat, but usually a considerable amount.


Too each his own.

EthanYQX

Roadies, as cocky and stuck-up as some of them are, are always funny to watch when they run their first mountain bike races. They come in thinking that they're gonna whup everybody with their shaved legs and spandex underwear, and get completely destroyed in the singletrack by forty-somethings in old jeans and windbreakers. A lot like when some racetrack guys (talking cars now) show up to go rally racing and get killed by a Honda

EthanYQX

You, my friend, epitomize the subject of my previous post.

I'm already a very technical rider, coming from paying huge attention to rally racing and road racing series. I know the fastest way around a corner, and I also know that 90% of the time it's a good way to eat the ditch.

I'm also 5'4'' and 135lbs, which is not bad for my age.

There is a lot of using your head in mountain bike racing, do you really think we just launch into this stuff blindly? Come on.

So, my point is that 50mph on flat paved roads is a different thing, and a hell of a lot easier in my mind, than 35-40 mph downhill on a trail barely wide enough for your bike. Correct me if I'm wrong

Ethan

State

You know you are a technical rider from "paying huge attention to rally racing and road racing series?" What does that even mean?

EthanYQX

What I meant was that I always look at a corner and take it apart mentally to find the best way around it. Something I learned from being involved with a rally team for the last three years, and riding along with some of the world's best drivers.

Nothing wrong with roadies, until they act like, well, roadies.

apclassic9

I've always thought it would be neat to have a stage race - Mountain/Road/Mountain - and see what happens...

EthanYQX

Get it done and post the results, apclassic9

RIC0

My first race this year I went into the woods about 8th and the guy in 2nd got off to walk on the first switchback we came too. To make a long story short I finally passed everyone in my class and thought I won, until I crossed the finish line to see another rider in my class already finished. He was out so far ahead I never new it, thanks to the dummy that held us up. Now I make sure I"m at least in the top 3 in the woods.