# How to ride slow



## White7 (Feb 9, 2015)

Being 52 and a lot slower(careful) than i used to be I thought this article was funny and kinda true

How To Be Slow on a Mountain Bike | Singletracks Mountain Bike News


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

Good article. Recently, someone asked what I rode and I indicated a gravel ride. Their response was, "that doesn't sound like fun". Then they asked if I got air. WTF - not cool to put down someone else's ride? You don't need to get air and have lots of crashes to have fun on a bike.

BTW, I don't consider myself slow (I'm not crazy fast either), but I am careful (I have always been a chicken). I go for flow.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Sweet indeed, to no longer need, the crutch of speed. 

Slow is not always last... has been my experience.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

I regularly practice riding slow up hills.....I follow up behind less conditioned riders and challenge them....

Betcha I can ride slower than you....

Great fun and takes a fair amount of talent to maintain line and momentum when you are less than pushing speed.


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## AngryElf (Feb 12, 2014)

I've been riding slow for a long time now. Occasionally I stop and talk to hikers and dogs and joke that the "Tour" is not waiting on me. I've had as many broken bones as I want and there are two shiny new stainless steel hips in my future. Even when I was young, I found crashing to be overrated and healing worse than daytime TV.

Crap.........I sound a grumpy old coot, who goes to slowly!


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I learned to ride technical sections faster... because in most cases speed is your friend. When I compare myself to other riders, I'm slower. But I also like taking in my surroundings, even when doing DH laps. I did like the article


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

Always try to be the sweeper on group rides or just hang around the back. When by myself may push a little if feeling like it, I ride to stay active and disconnect for a bit from the day to day stuff, speed isn't a requirement; the training and racing days are long gone.


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## armii (Jan 9, 2016)

I have to disagree with the first part. Even though I ride slow, I still wear all the storm trooper / robocop pads.


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## Davide (Jan 29, 2004)

Install a 1x 26 front? That will slow you down


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Davide said:


> Install a 1x 26 front?


Nah

Ride an old triple 46 32 22 with a 36 on the back.


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## Davide (Jan 29, 2004)

jeffscott said:


> Nah
> 
> Ride an old triple 46 32 22 with a 36 on the back.


With an older 1128 cassette? but the 46 will still speed you up oh so much! Maybe an anchor would help


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## Guest (Jul 7, 2016)

jeffscott said:


> I regularly practice riding slow up hills.....
> 
> Great fun and takes a fair amount of talent to maintain line and momentum when you are less than pushing speed.


I have a section of 7deg ascent trail thats total embedded rock(vollyball sized) garden that i purposely ride for the sake of picking as i go very slow, therefor balance becomes of most importance when ratcheting @ moments.


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## stoplight (Mar 8, 2009)

age 60, just after my 60th missed a jump and for my arrogance was rewarded with a grade II AC sprain and bicep strain. Every bit of 6 months to fully recover to pre state of injury. Buddy and I did Snow Summit and concentrated on turns, weight and hip shifting, braking and momentum. Fastest times to date!!!! He a few youngers but we agree on one thing...learn, develop and practice better technique. Become more aware, more studious, more conscientious, leave the wheels on the ground and employ speed at the right time and the leave the ego at home.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Davide said:


> With an older 1128 cassette? but the 46 will still speed you up oh so much! Maybe an anchor would help
> 
> View attachment 1080652


Nope 11 36

The big ring allows about 50 + kph down the typical logging road around here.


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## Balootraveler (Apr 13, 2016)

Sold my liquid 55 for a fat bike to sloowwww down, it worked with a 26 front I go no where fast and end every ride with a silly little grin. No more broken legs and scar tissue from my mountain bike adventures


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

At 55 I'm a cautious rider, but I am interested in improving my skills and not slowing down too much. I do regular group rides with guys who are younger and faster than I am, and this pushes me to go faster. When I ride alone I tend to go slower and just enjoy being in the woods.


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## JACKL (Sep 18, 2011)

"I am a master of staying on the ground. Show me a sick pump track or downhill run, and I will show you how to ride all the way around it. No one makes more contact on a tabletop than I do."

LOL


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## SlimL (Aug 5, 2013)

I love to ride sweep myself. I am usually the slowest rider but when there is someone slower I like to keep them company. If you really want to up your Slow Ride, check out Ryan Leech's Baseline Balance Skills for Mountain Bikers. For me it is such a thrill to be going over a small hill, come face to face with a rock, quick stop and trackstand, and ride around it. But only when it's not big enough to ride over. Yeah, knee pads always.


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## oldbroad (Mar 19, 2004)

Very good article. 
Often, it seems that the faster rider you are, the better rider you are, even if your technical skills are lacking.


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## MASC1104 (Feb 2, 2015)

miatagal96 said:


> You don't need to get air and have lots of crashes to have fun on a bike.


Agree 100%. Even when i was healthier and physically able to ride at breakneck speed, it just wasnt what I enjoyed. But we are definitely in a minority in that thought.


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## DH40 (Jan 14, 2004)

I guess I'm doing it wrong.


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## SlimL (Aug 5, 2013)

DH40 said:


> I guess I'm doing it wrong.


Not necessarily. But you you do have to define doing it wrong because USUALLY there is nothing wrong with doing what it is that you want to do.


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## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

White7 said:


> Being 52 and a lot slower(careful) than i used to be I thought this article was funny and kinda true
> 
> How To Be Slow on a Mountain Bike | Singletracks Mountain Bike News


That article suits me to a "T". I also look at it this way. If I get injured for a period of time that is going to keep me off my bike because I am healing/recuperating, then I am missing out on time that I could be on my bike, besides the pain and medical expenses.


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

I'm a middle of the pack rider most of the time, and I like it that way. Since I am usually the oldest person on any group ride, I think I'm hanging in there pretty well. I find that if I take 5% off my effort, I improve my safety by 50%. It's that last little bit of "push" that raises the danger a lot. Don't know if anyone else feels that way, but I do, and I don't want any more broken bones. I've had enough for one lifetime.

When I ride, I listen to the wind and my tires. I focus on hitting turns well, proper positioning, and most of all, I try to always brake well.

I find the best way to go faster in most of the trails I ride is to slow down better, and no skidding, no matter what. That's how I roll.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

I have never been into speed for speeds sake. I like to have an even cadence when I pedal.This tends to put me around an avg.of 9-15mph given the terrain. 

Like many have mentioned, I also would rather ride slower with great technique, than fast and sloppy. THEN, as my technique improves, I can add speed via that. 

I ride to get out in the woods, challenge my self with tech, and to feel the wheels rolling under me. It is more of a Zen thing than a race thing. Even on my BMX at the park...I am not trying to do the best tricks...I am just trying to do the cleanest lines


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Some slow riding can be the most challenging and skillful riding in our sport.

Have you ever checked out a good trials rider? Trials not trails.


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## SlimL (Aug 5, 2013)

Ladmo said:


> I'm a middle of the pack rider most of the time, and I like it that way. Since I am usually the oldest person on any group ride, I think I'm hanging in there pretty well. I find that if I take 5% off my effort, I improve my safety by 50%. It's that last little bit of "push" that raises the danger a lot. Don't know if anyone else feels that way, but I do, and I don't want any more broken bones. I've had enough for one lifetime.
> 
> When I ride, I listen to the wind and my tires. I focus on hitting turns well, proper positioning, and most of all, I try to always brake well.
> 
> I find the best way to go faster in most of the trails I ride is to slow down better, and no skidding, no matter what. That's how I roll.


Yep, sounds just about right. I will always remember one of the coaches yelling "Don't be a Skidiot". I try to remember that always.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Well shoot, I love to go fast. I love air (that's not too big.) I like rocks and roots and all that natural stuff that backcountry trails can serve up, and I crash every so often, but hell, what do you expect? 
Bikes have come so far so fast that riding the terrain has never been so effing much fun. I love riding new trails, and liken it to losing my virginity. 

But going up-hill, I take that slow and easy. Not just that I ride at pace with my 70 year old riding, climbing, skiing partner who is dealing with the ravages of Parkinson's, but I am no longer in a hurry to get anywhere, especially up a long, 10% grade!

I've got my own health issues to deal with, so riding with my bud, going zero miles per hour, fits me to a "T." We always get where we are going and always take the extra time to sit down, kick back, trash talk some, and shed a tear for our buds who've thrown in the towel, ripped their last, and moved on to the happy hucking ground in the sky. God bless 'em.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

If I want fast I jump on a motorbike.

I'm not a mountainbiker, or a roadie, for that matter. I'm not on my bicycle for thrills.

I'm a riding through the scenery biker. 

I like doing that, and for as long as possible, so why curtail it by going fast? I'd rather be looking at the scenery than continually scanning the 2 metres of track immediately in front of me.

I'm usually out on my own so I eschew jumpy, stunty stuff. The places I go don't get much traffic so it's conservative riding for me. 

The only time I try to go fast is in a race.


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## Dougr (Jun 15, 2006)

Turning 55 this year and riding the best I ever have. Love cross country riding whether its flowy or technical but also enjoy slowing down and enjoying the scenery of woods, mountains, rivers and streams. Still like to get air occasionally but only on trails I know well. Don't consider myself a 'mountain biker' but just a cyclist as I also like road and cross riding.


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## Crazydad (Jun 30, 2011)

Great article, especially the part about having no shame. Great thing about being a little older is I no longer succumb to peer pressure. Pain sucks and I take way too long to heal now. I remember when I had the attitude that everything was ridable because I was invincible and afraid to show weakness, but those days are long gone. 

I love doing the large group ride the local club puts on and just go with how I feel that day. No longer feel the need to go with the "advanced" group and try to set a PR. Some days I'm at the front of the "intermediate" group and some days at the back. And there are some sections that I can clear 80% of the time but some days I look at it and say, "not feeling it today" and walk it.

For me the best thing I did was quit using Strava on my MTB rides. Now the ride is all about having fun.


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## Rngspnr (Feb 15, 2016)

Sometimes you just need to stop on the trail and realize how awesome it is. Listen to the sounds around you or lack of sounds like everyday noise that we have become so accustomed to. Let the roadies have strava to try and beat someones KOM. I ride road also but really enjoy being on the trail in the middle of nature not dealing with cars whizzing past me at 70mph three feet away.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I'll get there someday but for now mountain biking is all about speed, thrills, and digging deep into the pain cave now and then. Mid 50's now and still feeling reasonably good so I always wonder if this will be the last season I can still bust a few pr's, I know the time will soon come when I won't.

I love a wilderness experience but that's what hiking is for. For me slow is best for observing and appreciating nature and stopping is even better.


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