What should I use...

[Cubist]

Here's a ltlle inspirational video. If I could ever ride as well as this guy I'd be extremely proud of myself

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnN2ASlkP3A


Cavedale is a lot steeper than the video makes out. Check the angle the walkers are at at 2.40 or thereabouts.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

My gauge of ability is my not coming to a complete halt and falling over at the top of a hill

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Get off and walks.... well, there are many occasions where I will take a chicken run, but I have a dark secret loathing of my lack of bottle, so I'll occasionally force myself to go back and have another go. I've surprised myself how well I can actually ride some features that a couple of years ago I would never have contemplated riding. I still have to carry my bike down some stuff, but I try to do it where no one's watching!!!

A wise man once told me "It is the third attempt that will see you in hospital." Except he said it in French and he didn't mention the helicopter airlift. Which I don't remember anyway...

 

[dan_bo]

At the startline on my first attempt of the three peaks CX I remember spying an old guy with a massive white beard, denim cut-off shorts, hiking boots and an old singlespeed cyclocross bike. I remember smugly thinking to myself 'at least I won't come last......'

I choked on those words as he strode past me on the climb up Ingleborough as I was gasping for air and grabbing at the grass for grip. Never saw him again that day.

 

[ThinAir]

Cheers guys... Much food for thought...

@Cubist... What do I want to do? I want to do what that guy in the video did. Maybe with drops and other features in there too. Unfortunately, as mentioned before,me have a rather cavalier attitude towards things like that, and love the adrenaline. The fitness is coming from the miles I'm putting in on the roadie.

However, (unfortunately) at the moment, i am riding a hard tail with a little bit of travel.. Two reasons. Cost. And the secondly, not knowing if was going to take to the off road side of things. I have. I love it. But now I want more. I want to get out and explore many of the trails mentioned above, ask have heard from other sources as well as here, that they are excellent beginner and intermediate trails... Something that as a beginner, I am keen to get onto Nd try and master.

I know that to ride some of the ore radical/techy stuff, I am going to need a much more substantial bike thank arising at the moment, but getting up to a standard that will require this will give me some time to save and assess what is out there.

This has given me some excellent food for though. And I am now off ton watch that video again.

 

[Hacienda71]

I road bike most of the time. I do ok on Strava, in the real world I hold my own on the time trials and the hill climb I have entered this year, so I ain't the fastest but I am not all that slow. Once or twice a year I go to North Wales with a mate and we do one of the trails in the area, normally The Marin.
I have to say that despite the perception I was nailing some of the descents in good conditions Strava said something else, I was sheeite. On the road, on descents I normally am in the top 2 or 3 % of riders, even going uphill on a lot of the climbs in the Peak District I seem to be able to get into the top 10% on the Marin bottom quarter on most , the only exception was the fire road climbs where I was fine.
Conclusion from this mountain biking involves a lot of skill but I still thoroughly enjoy myself despite my poor relative performance to others, so I ain't bothered.