# How long did it take you to become a well-rounded rider?



## 6foot4 (Jul 9, 2017)

I'm asking this question because I feel like I've gotten over the initial learning curve of how to ride trails, but it seems like that is the easy part. I have no manual/bunny hop/jumping skills and I corner sharp turns poorly. My climbing is great until a certain grade and then I have to get off the bike.

I would only consider myself in my first real season of mountain biking because all my other riding has been spotty on and off mainly gravel and road biking for the most part.


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## EABiker (Jun 24, 2004)

How long? I've been riding since the late 80's and am still picking up new skills.


It never ends!


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## Grassington (Jun 24, 2017)

Thirty years, except I can't really consider myself a well-rounded rider as my manual, wheelie, drop, jump and bunny-hop skills need a lot of work. Breaking it down though, it's actually 28 years of blind working-it-out-on-my-own and 2 years of learning from YouTube tutorials.

One-on-one coaching at a skills clinic is always the fastest and best way to learn, but in the absence of that there are some pretty good tutorial videos out there. Seth's Bike Hacks and Skills with Phil (Kmetz) are my favourites (and sometimes GMBN), though it's heartening to see that even a skilled and experienced rider like Phil admits to the occasional skills gap (Confessions: I can't wheelie a bike). Naturally Phil can now wheelie like a good 'un.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Yeah, it's the journey, not the destination. You never stop learning.


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## l'oiseau (May 5, 2015)

Some people progress faster than others, and sometimes it's what you put in. You're bound to reach plateaus though, so be prepared.

Things you don't know that will be useful to your riding: practice. For example, being able to get you weight back in a manual position to ride off steep drops and over obstacles. Useful. Holding a manual for 5 seconds. Pretty much worthless except for show.

As far as your climbing technique, do you just give up and move on? I'll tell you how I learned to clean the hardest climbs. I went back down and rode them until I could make it or I passed out. Expecting different results by doing the same things will never work either.

Trouble corners: ride them over and over until you feel confident. I'll tell you this, there are some corners I always feel slow on and never feel like I do right. It's just how they are and even pros will say the same thing. And just when you think you did it better, the conditions will change and throw you off the next time.

Put the time in and things will come quick until you reach your natural talent. Then it will become exponentially harder to progress.


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## Tinymountain (Oct 26, 2016)

I've been riding off and on for over 20 years. I've progressed more in the last two because I've been riding more often and more consistently. I can manual, wheelie and bunny hop well enough for the trails I ride. I'm frequently trying to improve those as well as jumping and stoppies. I try to continue to challenge myself and improve as much as possible. 

Working on low speed control will help with sharp corners. Trackstands and space some cones or sticks in your yard about a bike length apart and weave in and out of them slowly. Doing some figure eights at decreasing speed and size are also good practice. Like l'oiseau said, session the corners and climbs you struggle with and you'll get there.


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## FJSnoozer (Mar 3, 2015)

Its more about mileage on the bike. I now ride about 5k miles per year. Last year was about 3k, first year was probably 1500. 

I am very well rounded but am a long way from the pro level obviously. I'd say after 2.5 years I was a very very strong rider, but am always improving and sharpening skills. The biggest gains these days come in speed and fitness and minuscule handling skills I pick up here and there.

We don't have bike parks, so I have no where to hone skills on things like doubles and pump tracks. I have no fear of sending it and being in the air, but just don't know the speed for some of the bike park lips. I'd rate myself a 4/10 on park skills. I'm pretty crappy on "showy" manuals, but they are coming around despite the fact that I may only try 1-2 per week and have not focused on these somewhat useless skills. 

I had to get good quick to ride the highly rocky terrain on my home trail, so I had an advanced. My typical goal would be to go very fast, clear everything and never dab. 

Some moves came quickly and some took 50 or so rides. I would rarely session something and always left it for the next ride unless it was something "I should have cleaned" in which case I may go back and hit it. 

Try not getting off the bikes on climbs. Despite what your legs tell you, you CAN keep going and it is faster to pedal than walk. If you are stalling out due to gearing, work on a being more realistic with your power and selecting the right gear BEFORE you go up the climb. If you are losing traction, you will need to work more on your body English. Shifting forward on your saddle and putting the weight on the nose at the right moment to maintain traction even while climbing out of the saddle. There is no shame in sessioning hills and this will very much improve your abilities. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

How do you define "well-rounded rider"?

I've been riding mtb for almost 20yrs and I'm still learning/improving. Some things I do well, and some things I'm not very good at. A good bit of that is related to the types of things I get exposed to on my local trails. In fact, I took a skills clinic last weekend (Ryan Leech was one of the coaches) where I was in the more advanced group, and learned some stuff to help me progress on some of the skills I'm lacking on.

My climbing strength is also one of my weak points. I'm not bad on technical climbs, but when it comes to pure fitness output/speed, I am at the back of the pack. Am I well-rounded?

I would say I'm not all that well-rounded.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks guys, I'll be 80 by the time I'm well rounded :madman: 

This year I've been able to ride way more consistently than the last few years. I still struggle on climbs, and I'm not very confident with tight switchbacks. All I can do is continue to ride, although about half of my riding this year has been on rail trails, and road, I've been challenging myself with climbs around my house instead of keeping too flat. It has helped quite a bit for endurance, but still work in progress. 

If I'm on the trail now days, I just want to enjoy the ride, and hope that I get the occasional PR, or try to stop as little as possible, or maybe clear a section I couldn't before.


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## 2zmtnz (Apr 20, 2017)

jcd46 said:


> Thanks guys, I'll be 80 by the time I'm well rounded :madman:
> 
> This year I've been able to ride way more consistently than the last few years. I still struggle on climbs, and I'm not very confident with tight switchbacks. All I can do is continue to ride, although about half of my riding this year has been on rail trails, and road, I've been challenging myself with climbs around my house instead of keeping too flat. It has helped quite a bit for endurance, but still work in progress.
> 
> If I'm on the trail now days, I just want to enjoy the ride, and hope that I get the occasional PR, or try to stop as little as possible, or maybe clear a section I couldn't before.


I have been riding for "only" around 7 years, and I would say I feel pretty well rounded as a rider. I still struggle with manuals and wheelies but I am work on them when I get a chance.

As many have said though you never stop learning things/ improving, you will always be chasing some new skill/perfecting a line.

the best advise I can give is just get out there and have fun, that is the most important part to mountain biking and I think some people forget that.


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## lazarus2405 (Jul 16, 2011)

I think it was about two full years before I stopped feeling like a beginner. That's about how long it took to build basic bike handling skills and the competence to be able to take the bike just about anywhere and be able to have fun. 

Of course, there was still plenty to develop. Real cornering skills, technical rocks, drops, initiating manuals, working the face of jumps, feeling comfortable airborne, learning how to float through chunk, choosing when to be heavy and when to be light, the list goes on. 

On top of that, there's learning how to be an athlete. Riding more frequently and consistently, adding duration/distance to your rides, learning what nutrition and recovery you need, etc. While you're riding there's things like understanding your threshold and how that feels, when you can keep going and when you need to back off, etc. 

That's easily a decade of development, but it's more gradual after the first few years. The best advice is to ride with better riders, identify your weaknesses, and deliberately work on them. Expose yourself to as much variety as you can, in terrain, features, riding destinations and in different regions if you have the means to do so.


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## tealy (Mar 7, 2013)

okay


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

Being well rounded is being a jack of all trades and master of none. If you can tackle most trail obstacles except the extreme stuff then your mountain bike skills are well rounded.


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## 6foot4 (Jul 9, 2017)

Great responses so far! Keep them coming.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

6foot4 said:


> I'm asking this question because I feel like I've gotten over the initial learning curve of how to ride trails, but it seems like that is the easy part. I have no manual/bunny hop/jumping skills and I corner sharp turns poorly. My climbing is great until a certain grade and then I have to get off the bike.
> 
> I would only consider myself in my first real season of mountain biking because all my other riding has been spotty on and off mainly gravel and road biking for the most part.


I started riding in 1998 and I am still working on Bunny hop and manual skills. Since 2012 I have ridden 16,000+ miles so it not like I never ride. My skills have improved over the years, but while better than some still not to the level of others. Sharp turns are hard, but I have been working on my up hill and downhill switchbacks. As for steep grades... Yeah I have spend time pushing my bike up hills. We all do. The difference down to how sharp the turns, and how steep the grades. I bet my definitions are different than yours, but that does not stop me from still wanting to improve.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Think it depends in the trails you ride ^^ 

You (I mean anyone, in general) can get good at a certain riding style.

They may then move onto another style & start learning new stuff.

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Been on it over twenty years and I keep learning lots of new stuff. I'm a much better rider than I was even 2 years ago.

A lot of that is because I got back into DH and mix it up between brutal old school steep tech and new flow.

Riding flats also helped me tune my skills.

Big air with prolonged hang time, and manuals are something I don't think I'll ever be good at. For those familiar, clearing everything on Rainmaker at Tresstle is about my limit with airing it out. Old school tech, up and down, is where I'm strongest.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

I have been riding over a year now and still have much to learn. I am very comfortable on my bike and that is a major plus for me to learn new things as I go.


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## RWhiz (Jun 10, 2013)

I think we all realize that our journey with mountain biking is always developing, and that's a good thing! Things I consider a well rounded rider to be able to do:

Fix a flat on the trail
Help another rider fix a flat on the trail
Find some dark trails and keep them that way
Know which way to turn a barrel adjuster
Have your bike apart and back together and functional
Constantly try to improve on weaknesses, i.e. Trials, endurance, track stands whatever!
Ride the more challenging line, not just the fastest
Know how to replace a chain, and when to
Help maintain trails 

This is just a quick list that popped into my head, I'm sure there are a lot of other things a well rounded rider should know. For me it was about three years since my return to MTBing from the '90's.


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## 6foot4 (Jul 9, 2017)

I think I'm gonna have to get a lesson when I get my full suspension bike...I have almost zero skillset other than pointing the bike and turning it when I need to. So far I have only had one major crash, but I probably have technique that needs refining even when both wheels are firmly planted. I'd like to be able to bunny hop, wheelie, manual by the end of the summer.


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## OffTheTop (Sep 20, 2015)

6foot4 said:


> I'm asking this question because I feel like I've gotten over the initial learning curve of how to ride trails, but it seems like that is the easy part. I have no manual/bunny hop/jumping skills and I corner sharp turns poorly. My climbing is great until a certain grade and then I have to get off the bike.
> 
> I would only consider myself in my first real season of mountain biking because all my other riding has been spotty on and off mainly gravel and road biking for the most part.


This is my second season with a real bike and basically have the same issues.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

6foot4 said:


> How long did it take you to become a well-rounded rider?


That depends on how many McDonalds you eat.

I doubt I'll ever get there. I can jump a little, climb anything but I can't manual or bunny-hop. Can't do drop-offs bigger than a foot, unless they are down-hill ones, and I'm too old to break bones learning. I am getting better at stuff but I'll never be a hero.


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## Jorgemonkey (Mar 10, 2004)

Riding for 13 years here, on & off. I've always been pretty good at climbing and going for long rides. I took about 5 years off of riding, and I decided in my come back I would actually learn how to do things. Lots of YouTube videos on how to go off drops, do wheelies, manuals, jumping, cornering, etc. My riding has definitely improved. I think I'm doing great on the downhill, but then I see I'm still ranked at 125 on Strava. Haha.

Am I better than I was 5 years ago? 1 year ago? 6 months? Last week? Yeap. And that is what matters for me. 

My goal is to do something different each ride. New jump, new line, faster climbing a section, stuff like that.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

6foot4 said:


> How long did it take you to become a well-rounded rider?


Until I crashed enough to get all the corners knocked off.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

I've been riding for 15 years and if you saw my post in the Did You Ride Today thread, I very much felt like a beginner last weekend on some new trails; it was very humbling. I'm not good at bunny hopping or manualing, just not skills used a lot on the trails I ride, though I'm sure they could come in handy. I'm not much of a jumper but I can hit jumps at high speed and absorb them, keeping my tires on the ground. 

My strengths are my endurance, I'm a fast climber; and that I am very much one with the bike. I think this oneness with the bike is the key thing that beginners lack, learning the slight adjustments in body position that make the bike respond as if it was part of you. Riding with others, I've also learned that sections I still have trouble with aren't easy, they still have difficulties there as well.

So as others said, we will always be learning and improving, that's part of the fun.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

6foot4 said:


> I think I'm gonna have to get a lesson when I get my full suspension bike...I have almost zero skillset other than pointing the bike and turning it when I need to. So far I have only had one major crash, but I probably have technique that needs refining even when both wheels are firmly planted. I'd like to be able to bunny hop, wheelie, manual by the end of the summer.


It has nothing to do with the bike you ride but how you ride.

There are riders who ride hardtails better than anything I could feel comfortable on my full suspension bike.

It wasn't until last year when I've been able to session things at the skills parks have I improved. And I've been riding 23 years.

This year I'm concentrating on corners. And now drops. And DH riding (getting comfortable at speed). And pumping. The fundamentals.

I still have to work on trail anxiety and comfortable in technical stuff but I'll get there. Just takes time and some work.


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## dirtyBob (Jun 1, 2005)

Been riding my whole life and I'm 45, and though I can manual, bunnyhop a bench while riding flat pedals, hit the double-black downhills and jumps at a bike park, I still am trying to improve on things.

I hate to crash because I'm old enough now that it takes longer to heal. Longer to heal means longer time off the bike of course, and I go stir crazy without 2 or 3 rides a week. So how the heck do I feel safe going bigger and faster than I did as a twenty-something?

1. I ride at least twice a week (it hurts less going uphill, and that "dialed" feeling comes quicker if I can do 3x). For me, 3 is the magic number of rides a week.

2. pick one skill to improve in and watch some youtube vids on it then put it into practice. Trying to improve one thing at a time on the trail works for me, and I agree with the above comments about "skills with phil" and "seth's bike hacks". I think they break stuff down the best. I saved seth's bunnyhopping vid just to show my kid because he explains it so well, and since I wanted to improve my cornering this year, I saved phil's cornering vid for myself and it has helped a lot.

3. practice bunny-hopping with flat pedals until you can clear a curb consistently. And I'm talking about the American bunnyhop where your front wheel is as high as you can get it before your back wheel ever comes off the ground (again, seth's vid is awesome). There is no bike skill that has served me better, jumping and correcting in the air and general "a**-saving maneuvers. And once you can do that, you've already taught yourself to do short manuals, which also save my butt frequently, so it's a two-for-one skill. Start with a crack, then a hose, then a 2x4, etc...

4. Ride as much suspension, with as slack a head angle as you feel comfortable riding. When I switched from a 130mm travel bike, to a slack 160mm... the world opened up. Stuff I thought was impossible became possible. No exaggeration. The technology in today's enduro rigs makes for a whole lot of "holy-sh*t-my-bike-can-do-that?!" moments. and they climb really well. Just did 17 miles and 3500ft of climbing today on mine.

5. If possible... ride bike parks. There's no quicker way to get more experience riding downhill (and I mean simply as opposed to pedaling uphill) than getting chair-lifted up the mtn over and over again in the space of one day. I was scared leading up to the first time I rode Northstar here in Nor Cal. Every person I ride park with has said they were too. I was thinking it was going to be a bunch of stuff that was over my head with kids sending jumps, tailgating me, and I was going to come home in a cast or a body bag. Not true. Nothing has improved my skills faster than riding park. As long as I stay within my ability and look to improve by going a little bigger as my comfort level grows, I come home able to send stuff safely that I would never have done as an idiot kid with no sense of danger. 8 foot drops, rock gardens, 20 ft tables... it all starts with rolling small comfortable stuff and growing into it. Rode Northstar last weekend with a beginner and he had a blast! The grins that were plastered to our faces at the bottom of every run stuck there all the way up the next chairlift. 

Hope some of these suggestions help! Welcome to the addictive, rewarding world of mountain biking! Have fun!


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Mr Pig said:


> I am getting better at stuff but I'll never be a hero.


But....you are my hero.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Battery said:


> But....you are my hero.


No you can't shag me.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> No you can't shag me.


If you are both "well rounded" it might be tough


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## Darth Lefty (Sep 29, 2014)

I had to eat a lot of spaghetti and bread sticks to get this round.


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## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

6foot4 said:


> I'm asking this question because I feel like I've gotten over the initial learning curve of how to ride trails, but it seems like that is the easy part. I have no manual/bunny hop/jumping skills and I corner sharp turns poorly. My climbing is great until a certain grade and then I have to get off the bike.
> 
> I would only consider myself in my first real season of mountain biking because all my other riding has been spotty on and off mainly gravel and road biking for the most part.


This is exactly where I'm at too, and it's been about 14 months of consistent biking. I don't jump stuff, but I have the same problem with downhill switchbacks. I'm sure there is a lot of information on how to do them on here but it's also very fragmented. I see some other bikers doing very difficult stuff and I know their bike is expensive so I don't even try it with a 100mm fork. No urgent care visits needed. For climbing, what gearing do you have? What number of teeth is the shortest (largest) back cog? Do you have a grippy back tire? I can climb a fairly steep asphalt incline with a 28-30t lowest cog but the back tire slips for the dirt trails uphill.


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

Darth Lefty said:


> I had to eat a lot of spaghetti and bread sticks to get this round.


Beer my man, liquid bread!
Been at it for 30+ years, slower now and many beers and im rounder now!

If you want technical skills, hard to beat getting friends together and sessioning all day. Urban trialsing all day into the night works thise skills. Hitting lots of trails worksntoo, but sessioning the same obstacles over and over you learn what works and doesnt.


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## Sidewalk (May 18, 2015)

As with any skilled hobby, it depends. You can find someone who mastered a martial art ("mastered" being used loosely) in only a dozen or so years to be fighting the best in the world in their 20's, while another person has been practicing for 40 years and would never even consider getting into a real fight.

I rode the **** out of my BMX when I was a kid. Developed a lot of skills then. Started motorcycle racing in my 20's, learned a lot more skills that transferred to MTB.

I started riding MTB 2 years ago.



richj8990 said:


> I see some other bikers doing very difficult stuff and I know their bike is expensive so I don't even try it with a 100mm fork.


I take enduro lines on my XC hardtail (100mm fork) faster then most everyone I know on full suspension enduro style bikes with 160mm of travel. It isn't the bike.


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## dirtyBob (Jun 1, 2005)

Sidewalk said:


> I take enduro lines on my XC hardtail (100mm fork) faster then most everyone I know on full suspension enduro style bikes with 160mm of travel. It isn't the bike.


guessing you know some pretty slow people my friend. not trying to refute your personal skill level- every moto or bmx convert i ride with became pretty good pretty quickly- but there's a reason dh and enduro racers don't ride 100 mm hardtails... because bikes do matter. i agree with the sentiment that there's no substitute for experience, and we can have fun on any bike, sure, but put the same rider on a 100mm xc bike and then switch him/her to an enduro or a dh rig and- assuming they know how to ride a mountain bike downhill- that rider is able to go bigger and faster.


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

Sure bikes matter, but skill makes more of a difference. I saw Lebor Karas jump on a kids horrible dept store bike with caliper brakes and pull moves that guys with dedicated trials bikes couldnt do. Skill can compensate for more deficiency in equipment that equipment can compensate for deficiency of skill.


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## dirtyBob (Jun 1, 2005)

root said:


> Sure bikes matter, but skill makes more of a difference. I saw Lebor Karas jump on a kids horrible dept store bike with caliper brakes and pull moves that guys with dedicated trials bikes couldnt do. Skill can compensate for more deficiency in equipment that equipment can compensate for deficiency of skill.


agreed.


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## kazlx (Jun 13, 2005)

Find people to ride with that are better than you, but willing to help you. I rode bmx as a kid, but never really touched a bike once I could drive. Then I picked up mountain biking on a whim in my mid 20s. Now at 36, I've ridden more than I ever thought I would. I started out being scared to death of drops, big jumps and steeps. There's been plenty of times I've ridden features that were over my head, or so I thought. Having one or more people to help you navigate things and watch makes a huge difference. Ultimately, you also get sort of forced to keep up, even if it's subconscious.

If you really look around, it's like any other sport/activity. There's people that have done it forever, never get out of their comfort zone and aren't that good. They don't push themselves, never learn anything new or practice. I've done plenty of group rides with people that have ridden for a long time that aren't very strong riders. There's also the mindset that varies. Some riders just want to set PRs on climbs and don't care about riding a steep roller or hitting a rock drop, they are content being the first one to the top.

I enjoy being in better shape, because it makes riding more enjoyable, but I've never put emphasis on climbing. I'll get there when I get there. It's nice to get there faster and makes you notice you are making gains, but from the day I started wanting to get a mountain bike, I looked at pics of big jumps, ladders, crazy rock gardens, drops and other stuff and thought about how awesome it would be to ride that stuff. I've always pushed a little at a time to get there.


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

Yup, def find others to ride with. Feeding off each other will help growth. There are times when riding by yourself can be good too, like sessioning a single obstacle for what seems like hours where most riding buddies would get bored. But generally ridIng with others is beneficial. You can observe techniques, get some coaching, or ribbing. Share encouragement, share pain.


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## WolfyWesty (Jan 19, 2017)

I only got into mountain biking about 4 years ago but it wasn't until this year where I was able to ride down stairs, hop up small ledges (60-70% success rate) and single-finger brake. 

Still trying to learn to manual at 26!


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

kazlx said:


> If you really look around, it's like any other sport/activity. There's people that have done it forever, never get out of their comfort zone and aren't that good. They don't push themselves, never learn anything new or practice. I've done plenty of group rides with people that have ridden for a long time that aren't very strong riders. There's also the mindset that varies. Some riders just want to set PRs on climbs and don't care about riding a steep roller or hitting a rock drop, they are content being the first one to the top.


This.

It is what makes you better.

Push it until it hurts. Never stop learning unless you want to get old and die.

Our culture's fascination with avoidance of hardship, suffering, and not being "comfortable" with something is killing us.


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## Guest (Aug 3, 2017)

EABiker said:


> How long? I've been riding since the late 80's and am still picking up new skills.
> 
> It never ends!


 Early 80s here, same thing. I never could manual very well but I was riding wheelies around the block on a 10-speed when I was 15 (can barely wheelie 20' now). Turning takes practice, the right tires/pressure and confidence. Luckily, confidence comes from practice so you can kill both birds with one stone.


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## slowpoker (Jun 4, 2008)

Been at it since '93. I'm still terrible. I'm never going to ride competitively, though, so not a problem. I just try not to kill myself. Hard to imagine loving it any more than I already do. Don't forget to enjoy yourself.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

Took me about two years of hard work, hard riding to get to where I could ride with the pack so to speak.

You need to play a game.
We called It hunting.
A few of us would show up at local club races, watch the race paying attention and logging the podium riders lap and finish times for our age group and the age group below us.
We would return on slow week days and ride these courses until we were absolutely sure we could make podium every ride, often took three or four rides a week for several weeks,,or longer.
Then later we would go, 'Hunting' at the trail head, we'd find fast riders and chase them all over the park, make them work harder and harder to stay out front.

I've puked on my bike more than once, We learned to rest on the bike, we gained great cardio and rode smart.

Every time they looked back there was this small pack of two or three old fart riders moving silently, always seeming to gain but remaining 10 or 20 to 30 yards back, always there, relentless, If they stopped for a break we would not. Yep they had to catch us, never failed, If this pissed them off we'd break off and move on. Mostly It was all good and some times they'd get on trails we did not feel comfortable on,, Oh well, can't win em all.

Often when they found out we were twice their age they'd freak.

Want to get better ?
"TANSTAAFL" There ain't no such thing as a free lunch

You gotta earn it


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

I didn't read the whole thread.

I thought I was pretty "well-rounded" until I rode someplace I'd never been before.

I think the only way anyone can become well-rounded is to tackle different terrain, under different conditions, probably on different bikes (FS/HT), and ride with different people. Some riders get that "big fish in a small pond" syndrome because they can rail familiar trails that they've ridden 1000X. Throw them into an unfamiliar setting and they either don't know what to do, or they hurt themselves. If you can come to grips with that, you'll be learning for a long long time.

-F


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## guitarguy (Jul 26, 2017)

As a noob that has bought my first mtb and has gone on 2 singletrack rides so far, this thread has been an awesome read. :thumbsup:


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## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

Fleas said:


> I didn't read the whole thread.
> 
> I thought I was pretty "well-rounded" until I rode someplace I'd never been before.
> 
> ...


This exact same thing happened to me last week. I found a really great track that winds back and forth across a hill, took a 26" and later 27.5" on it and did great, a really thrilling ride, and didn't even crash. Since there were embedded rocks that came up fast on the trail, several times I was like "I'm going pretty fast I bet I'm going to crash hard" but I didn't, the bikes did their job perfectly. And then, later in the week, I went to the far west side of the same hill to a side trail. It was completely different. It was steep with all kinds of ledges and boulders, an 'all mountain' trail, very different than the previously fun XC trail. I had to get off the bike 1/2 dozen times to even complete the trail. Then 3 guys came up behind me and acted like the trail was nothing. They did actually stop before jumping off the boulders if that's any consolation lol. I will stick to XC stuff, I am too old now to risk broken ribs, face, etc.


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

On the path to becoming a well rounded rider, you will likely go through a lot of parts. It's when you learn how the bike works quite intimately, and ride it to its limits, you become a rounded rider. If you're babying your stuff, or being reckless, you're either not pushing yourself (too deep in the comfort zone) or shooting yourself in the foot. This knowledge is especially useful when it comes time to compete... knowing your body is the other part of the equation, but you can change/adapt it. Generally, you should be strong enough physically and mentally to perform what you have set out to do.

So work up your core muscles, like your hips, chest, and shoulders, and get dirty wrenching on your bike and troubleshooting issues, and going out there and push your creativity on how to ride your bike. Once you open up and stop trying to contain yourself in a bubble, to limit all the new information coming in, you'll be taking your first big steps on your way to being well-rounded. Embrace it all and use what info you can, as it comes through. Get your bike, body, and mind all dialed.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

Does this include climbing? Because I've been riding 23 years and still suck at it. 


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## OwenM (Oct 17, 2012)

I was well-rounded when I started, and was equally bad at everything. I've made drastic improvement in all aspects of riding this year, but still think of myself as a beginner.
Since I almost always ride alone, I have no basis of comparison, so I guess I'm just less bad at the stuff I encounter most. The only things I know I do really well, after getting serious and spending a year-and-a-half riding singlespeed, and having recently ridden with a stronger and much more experienced rider, are pump the trail and maintain momentum(both compliments of the SS time).
Concentrating on specific skills the past several months, then incorporating them into my riding, plus sessioning challenging spots or trail sections has made a big difference, though.
I found myself thinking ahead to a "trouble spot" earlier this week, only to realize that I'd been so caught up in practicing more efficient use of my gears(went to 1x10), that I'd already ridden through it without even noticing. I'm starting to crave those moments.
Maybe one day trumpets will sound to announce my having "arrived" after hammering every inch of a 40-50 mile ride, but until then, the constant challenge of continuing to see noticeable improvement, be it in my cornering speed, overall bike handling or fitness, has become an addiction. 
I've set what are probably insanely unrealistic expectations in some respects(been watching too many youtube videos of pros), so should be able to remain occupied with getting better indefinitely


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

stripes said:


> Does this include climbing? Because I've been riding 23 years and still suck at it.


The best way to get better at climbing is to do it a lot. I'm very blessed in that where I live there is hardly a flat section of ground. Heck, my garden has a slope on it! I know guys who want to avoid hills as much as possible when they go out. Guess what, they cannot climb hills.

Look for the biggest, baddest hills and hit them. Then hit them again and keep hitting them and before long, trust me, you will be good at climbing hills.


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## MarshallMTB (Apr 26, 2017)

Noted. Noob here. Decent single trails with hard hills and some good jumps. My fitness is terrible for a mid 30s, slim man.


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