Balancing risk and reward

[Jody]

I think at 41 I'm too old to be learning jumps & rollers

You would be surprised. Some of it isn't as hard as you imagine

 

[rideswithmoobs]

You're over thinking it a little. I definitely don't think your bike is over kill and it always leaves you the option to go on harder trails. Its perfect for those type of trails pictured as its light, fast, comfy XC bike. The only issue with the other trail you were riding is isolation and being on your own, which is OK if you know and accept the risks.

As for buying the wrong bike, it's the same as why I bought the bike I did rather than go for a bigger hitting FS. Its comfy for all day riding on the railway paths/local woods which is 50+% of what I do, there is little in the peaks I can't ride on it (all be it not quite as fast as some of the bigger bikes), it will handle trails, pump tracks etc. Its a jack of all trades that stops me going too lairy due it being an XC bike. You have bought a cracking bike that won't hold you back and will be able to do pretty much all that you throw at it.

Thanks Jody, appreciate your reply. Your probably right I am over thinking it. Maybe years of riding roads the crossing to MTB is going to take some getting use to. It was the roads I took to get to the trail that had me thinking its over kill but then in winter with snow, and thick mud I would probably want the MTB more than a gravel bike. Either way the MTB is here now and I need to stop thinking and get use to riding

 

[ChrisEyles]

@rideswithmoobs cracking pic there. I know what you mean about being over-biked on occasion. I really having my rigid MTB to take on easy bridleway routes, it livens things up when the terrain isn't particularly challenging. At the end of the day though, it doesn't much matter which bike or which trails I'm riding, I always have a great time

As far as solo riding goes for me it's OK to do as long as you think about the risks and mitigate those you can e.g. take a first aid kit, charged mobile, let someone know where you're going and when you'll be back, take a map or phone app so you can give a GPS if the sh!t really hits the fan and you need rescuing... and of course, ride a little more conservatively.

At the other end of the spectrum of being sensible, learning to jump is also ace fun and being able to manual/jump nasty drop-offs has even saved me once or twice when rolling them would probably have resulted in OTB

 

[Big Dave laaa]

50 year old with an 18 yo mentality here. Just perfected manualling after 25 years i felt like a cycling god today front wheel up for about 30 yards on a downhill run. It'll end in tears i tell ya!

 

[ChrisEyles]

Thirty yards - nice!!! Right, that's going on my list of things to do by the time I'm 50

Tried out some light gardening with Mrs Chris this afternoon since sitting on the sofa doing nothing is driving me nuts... operating secateurs is appartently still too much though and my elbow's killing! Grrrr... can't wait to heal up and get back on the bike.