what is your greatest weakness as a rider?

[shekky]

mine is descending very steep, rough sections at night. going through super technical sections bring me off the bike and on to my feet as well.

what are yours?

[TheGweed]

If I get over a difficult up n down, but just barely, (or don't even get over it) I will chicken out on it for the next bunch of times I come to it.

tied with:

Not landing jumps right and wrecking, even small ones.

[p_DuBs]

mine is descending very steep, rough sections at night. going through super technical sections bring me off the bike and on to my feet as well.

exact opposite here... greatest weakness is fitness/pedaling/climbing

steep/rough/loose/chunky downhill riding (day or night) is my comfort zone

[bitewerks]

I stink at going down tight switchbacks which is what my local trails have.

[01bmf]

I can't bunny hop. I try and try and try harder. Just can't seem to get more than a couple inches.

[Wombat]

Poor reflexes, crappy sense of balance and too fat.

Tim

[Ladmo]

When I get tired, my technique goes all to hell and I end up not clearing things I should be able to easily handle.

[ghettocop]

When I get tired, my technique goes all to hell and I end up not clearing things I should be able to easily handle.

This.......

and another big one in my long list of weaknesses........tight, downhill, slow speed, right hand switchbacks. Can do left no problem but right is hard for me.

Also, forgetting to breathe in sketchy techy bits, and thusly blowing my cardio.

[likeaboss]

Manuals and bunny hopping.

Good at technical and climbing. Getting better at cornering. Had to relearn on my 29er after 25 years riding a 26.

[John Kuhl]

I suck at anything technical, and some of it guys
here would think is easy.

[uglyguy2]

My greatest weakness seems to be that I suck at riding bicycles.

[Nubster]

Poor reflexes, crappy sense of balance and too fat.

Tim

My greatest weakness seems to be that I suck at riding bicycles.

Pretty much sums it up for me.

[alphajaguars]

Climbing, descending, and cornering.

Oh, and going fast.

[gcappy]

My mind!

[Gasp4Air]

Wind. It doesn't take much to put me deep into aenerobia. Over the years it's gotten better, but it's always a struggle. Hence, my tag.

[thrash]

Beer. It has the strange property of increasing the effects of gravity in a manner proportional to the amount consumed in the days prior to any given ride.

[MSU Alum]

I'm too old.

[desertred]

I found out this past weekend that I don't bounce as well as I used to. Nursing a separated shoulder.

[Rev Bubba]

I just don't climb very well anymore. No matter where I am, I just drift back to the end of the pack on any type of long climb. Oh, hell, I never climbed very well! I also fear crashing hard. Right now I'm recovering form what was probably a broken rib from a crash three weeks ago. Not that it kept me off the bike but I do have a fear of a bad crash ending my season. Sucks to get old as they say!

[mcrn12]

Narrow bridges with no sides. Total mental hang up. Narrow trails with a steep drop off to one side. I want to bunny hop!!

[shwinn8]

weakness: cornering, big drops, hucking jumps, and climbing.... but i Love tight, technical, rocky, rooty downhill stuff!

[MTBeing]

1. Picking the wrong lines, esp through technical stuff.
2. Not carrying enough speed through technical stuff.
3. Carrying momentum through turns properly.
4. Cleaning my bike all the time.

[Kiwi_GR_Biker]

Pretty much sums it up for me.

Me too. Plus I'm a total pu$$y.

[chuckeieio]

Having my feet restrained in the pedals. I mentally cannot overcome not being free to quickly plant a foot. I've only given it a brief chance once but scared the crap outa me.

[Nubster]

Ability to push myself is another. I get out and ride, but often not nearly as hard as I should. Yeah, not all rides need to be "workouts", but I often feel after a ride that I should have pushed harder, rode a little further, tried a little better at a climb, ect.

[Philbobagginz]

Ability to push myself is another. I get out and ride, but often not nearly as hard as I should. Yeah, not all rides need to be "workouts", but I often feel after a ride that I should have pushed harder, rode a little further, tried a little better at a climb, ect.

This is exactly me. My biggest weakness would have to be long rocky/rooty climbs. I just can't seem to keep my momentum going, and I always hop off and walk it.

[KevinGT]

Round, banked curves on descents. I just suck at them. I either brake so hard that I skid and crawl around them or I carry too much speed, tilt the bike wrong, and wash out the front wheel.

I rock these things while climbing. Climbing has always been my strength and I can climb a tight curve like nobody's business. I just can't descend it.

[snowgypsy]

Not trusting myself or my bike when it counts.

Some days, I'm superwoman; others, I can't seem to do the simplest of things. Some days I trust myself and I can do anything. Other days, I just can't seem to pull it together.

That's the biggest weakness: doubt. And doubt can hurt pretty badly if it creeps up right in the midst of a steep rock garden.

Gotta work on that.

[dirt farmer]

My inability to control my frustration over the weather. I WANNA' RIDE IN NICE WEATHER, DAMMIT!

I know, I know, my good weather riding days will come. BUT HURRY THE PHUCK UP ALREADY!

[Gotphill]

my diet, its hard to afford the calories burnt....

[LCW]

Manuals and skinnies...

Manuals I just can't seem to do. Skinnies - I can't keep a straight enough line in really skinny ones and biff it.

[beno0055]

At the beginning of my ride my 3L hydration pack weighs me down and I can't hop as well and be super nimble like at the end of my ride when the pack is almost empty...except then I'm too tired to even ride properly, and my technique is gone anyways.

[beno0055]

This is exactly me. My biggest weakness would have to be long rocky/rooty climbs. I just can't seem to keep my momentum going, and I always hop off and walk it.

I've got this problem usually until about August. That's when the mosquitos finally **** off. In my local trails the mosquitos are so bad that I can't take a break or I'll get swarmed by thousands of the little buggers. I am in a constant state of being exhausted as ****, and that would all be solved by a few five minute breaks, but no...the damn mosquitos.

[fahza29er]

Mine is climbing for along time, where I live we have no mountains but the hills we do have are short and steep. Basically balls out the entire climb, some are only 60 seconds but its all you got and then some trails there are one after the other, takes a toll on me.

[CraigCreekRider]

right hand switchbacks. Can do left no problem but right is hard for me.

So its not just me.

Yea I suck at skinnies and tecky pull-up and over obstacles too. It's a wonder I can ride at all.

[kikoraa]

Cornering.

I seem to be getting a little more comfortable at high speed downs.


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[PdlPwr]

My knees, if I ride too hard too many days in a row they let me know and I have to back off and hit the meds.

[LaXCarp]

Climbing and manualing

[edubfromktown]

mine is descending very steep, rough sections at night. going through super technical sections bring me off the bike and on to my feet as well.

what are yours?

#1 - Descending steep and rough sections. I got the front of my helmet caught on a big limb while sliding under a downed tree a couple years ago and my spine from the base of my skull down 3/4 th's of my back made a loud crack that someone ~10' away from me heard. I walked away from it but still hesitate on descents where the is no chance of stopping mid way down.

#2 Large rock traversals with a high endo potential.

[Jeremy1983]

My biggest weakness is over thinking technical bits and not just going for it. When I have confidence and trust in my line, I rarely ever fall. But when I second guess myself, I either fall or end up walking a section that I could have made.

[CannondaleF9]

Steep uphill rock gardens.

[sooshee]

Descending at high speeds, and cornering at speed. I also cannot bunny hop. Left sided exposure freaks me out, but I've become better at handling it.

[Mr.Quint]

Climbing, fitness and keeping on with the pedaling. I was pretty inactive for many years before taking up the bike again last year, and it feels like all the guys I ride with are lifelong athletes. I was an indoor kid. I didn't play sports. I didn't do any of that stuff, and I have zero natural athletic ability. I ride my bike because it's fun, but I constantly feel like I'm playing catch up with all but a few riders.

I am getting better though. Of course, so is everyone else.

[JDYMTB]

Climbing, fitness and keeping on with the pedaling. I was pretty inactive for many years before taking up the bike again last year, and it feels like all the guys I ride with are lifelong athletes. I was an indoor kid. I didn't play sports. I didn't do any of that stuff, and I have zero natural athletic ability. I ride my bike because it's fun, but I constantly feel like I'm playing catch up with all but a few riders.

I am getting better though. Of course, so is everyone else.

mine is waiting for Mr Quint at trailheads

[Lawson Raider]

Climbing long and steep inclines....Just got back from riding in Arkansas and those climbs were brutal (coming from northern Missouri)...really showed me how out of shape I was...but going down was sweeter than Aunt B's apple pie!

[Mr.Quint]

mine is waiting for Mr Quint at trailheads

You will rue this day!

[007]

Manuals and skinnies...

Manuals I just can't seem to do. Skinnies - I can't keep a straight enough line in really skinny ones and biff it.

When riding the skinnies, where are your eyes focused? My guess is that you're looking just a few feet ahead of your front wheel . . . . if so, try looking 20-25 feet up the trail instead. This made a HUGE difference in my riding, both for riding the narrows as well as general descending.

My greatest weakness is for sure climbing, particularly technical climbing.

[jsgolfer]

heights. im terrified of heights. it keeps me off some trails.

[arkon11]

Getting the balls to do some larger hucks. Anything that isn't a table, and is over 5 bike lengths scares me.

[OllieQ]

Climbing rocky trails... Pedal timing.. cornering.. getting my bike over obstacles.. general trail riding.. actually.. general riding

[BigRingGrinder]

#1. Money/time.

God was good to me, im blessed with some small measure of innate athleticism. I am never the best at the stuff i do, but i can get pretty damn good at almost anything i try. Given enough financial backing to be "serious" about bike riding i could elevate my game on several fronts i am sure. A scientifically regimented fuel diet and more time to ride would be great. Not having to worry about breaking my bikes would sure help as well. Not having to go to work the day after a heavy ride would be blissful.

#2. My head.

Even if my lotto numbers come up, ill still have to deal with the ole noggin. My weakness as a rider would remain the same. I know it hurts to crash, so big jumps, skinnies, super fast cornering, etc. are all things i tend to do at about 75% of my ability. I can do them, but its hard to let go. Even when i DO let go and pull something off cleanly i rarely do it as hard the next time im on that trail. Instead of telling me "you got this, remember last time?" my brain says "oh god, remember how much air you got last time!? brake! BRAKE!!!".

[Jack Archer]

Technical downhill. Pretty much any downhill with more than a small rock or a small root in it and I'm either off my bike or grabbing brakes which screws me over harder. Smooth downhill I'm cool with. And technical climbing. Same concept as downhill. Luckily where I'm at there aren't much to be considered real hills.

Tight and medium corners. Never was too good at them but now Im a bit nervous on them as I already bent one wheel set. Granted it was a cheap rim that came stock on my bike, but still. Slowly getting better at them now that I have rims that can hold me better and much much grippier tires.

Also cliffs. I look at some of the pictures yall have posted with a cliff and a huge drop off only feet away and I'm scared to death of that, and I'm not even there! Again no cliffs here either.

[Mark in Baltimore]

Steep and long hills are my weak points. I can descend like a lunatic and fly on single track and rolling fire roads but long climbs are not natural for me, although I am getting better and actually look forward to hills since I see them as "eating my vegetables".

[b5280high]

Not trusting myself or my bike when it counts.

Some days, I'm superwoman; others, I can't seem to do the simplest of things. Some days I trust myself and I can do anything. Other days, I just can't seem to pull it together.

That's the biggest weakness: doubt. And doubt can hurt pretty badly if it creeps up right in the midst of a steep rock garden.

Gotta work on that.

Ditto to all (except feeling like Superwoman ....what helps me in situations above is STOP THINKING and ride it. A technique that's helped me overcome mental obstacles is ride somewhat close behind someone (preferably someone that you trust and like their lines) and follow without surveying the trail too much (don't go in totally blind). Two things happen for me: 1) I watch someone right in front of me clean a section (yeup, it is do-able and easy) and 2) I don't get the luxury of scanning/surveying/worrying about the upcoming section (read: let my brain get in the way).

There are plenty of times where I could look like a lemming running off a cliff blindly following the person in front of me into doom, but it hasen't happened yet.

Something to consider.....

[scrublover]

[ElwoodT]

beer and peanut butter.

[AlwaysInjured]

I'm god-awful at tech (by god-awful at tech I mean I fall if I hit a 3 foot long ground-level pile of loose rock). Also I have a hard time laying off the brakes-I always wind up going slow through stuff I should and can blow through at speed.

[smithcreek]

My biggest weakness as a rider? That would be on group rides. I push myself very hard to climb fast, clear every tech section and generally ride at the extreme of my abilities all the time, and I expect others to do the same. So, when they don't I can be a bit hard on them. I guess I just have unrealistic expectations for other riders in the group since those are the standards I set for myself.

Also... Wait a minute... Sorry, this isn't a job interview is it? I guess I see one of those "describe your weakness" questions and go on autopilot. Ok, I really only have two weaknesses, legs and lungs. Oh wait, skills too, so three weaknesses, but that's all, unless you count "focus"...

[jm-lh]

I often misjudge a a steep climb, overestimating myself by thinking I could easily do it and take a too big gear. Also the smallest gear I can currently use is 32 back - 42 front… good thing it will change soon.

[_Alberto_]

Air time. Jumps or drop offs bigger than 2ft. I never owned a BMX bike as a kid never had fun trying jumping. Couldn't bunny hop until this past year until I started riding again. I don't fear anything else.

[AZ]

My fat ass. But its getting smaller.

[Ailuropoda]

Fear....I just don't want to break a major bone for what is essentially a hobby.

[53119]

my diminishing ability to scare the sh*t out of myself & as of late my line choices are not equalling my sack size and my brain is clueless thru the process. Although, my fix seems to be "buy more travel w/a ccdb"!

[SAthirtythree]

I can't seem to muster enough confidence to carry the speed i need through technical stuff. Thus I continually fail. Even when I know I've picked the right line, and the only change I need to clear a section is to add speed, I just can't seem to do it.

[Bone Saw]

Pretty girls in lycra bike shorts. They really distract me. Just can't think straight.

[kubikeman]

^ They don't even need to be bike shorts. Any pretty girl on the trail is a distraction.

Manuals. Still can't hold one for more than 5 feet.

Technical climbing. I look down at my front wheel too much and I usually fail to spot the best line.

[bigpedaler]

I don't have any weaknesses as a rider.

I don't have any strengths, either, though.

When I get a little better at one thing, it's usually at the expense of another thing. A few years ago, I stopped caring, and just ride.

[Gasp4Air]

Pretty girls in lycra bike shorts. They really distract me. Just can't think straight.

Meeting a pretty woman on the trail charges my corpuscles like little else.

[El Salt]

The calendar. No matter how hard I try, I keep getting older.

[citiznkain]

hairpin switch-backs. I cannot pull one off without dropping a foot or getting off balance. up or down, doesn't matter.

[bleedinblue]

Climbing, and trusting myself and my bike enough to challenge myself in more technical stuff.

[The Yetti]

I feel I am a pretty well balanced rider, to some people I am sure I suck and to some I am pretty good. The biggest issue I have is my head. A section of a trail or a type of obstacle will get into my head, and even if I have cleared it several times before, I will screw it up because of my mind until I finally hit it again. It gets frustrating as hell sometimes!

[Fleas]

...When I have confidence and trust in my line, I rarely ever fall. But when I second guess myself, I either fall or end up walking a section that I could have made.

This is soooo true for me that if I don't just ride right into the obstacle with confidence, I just get off and walk. The second-guessing can be dangerous.

I struggle on jumps. Little jumps are OK, but if I get more than about 2 ft. away from the ground I start to freak out and have zero confidence. It's something I'd really like to learn, too. It's really hard to get over it because there are no trails around with "just right"-sized jumps. They're either tiny, or huge, and no tabletops.

My other "thing" is that I never bail off the bike. Somehow I always think I can recover even if I'm riding it right into the ground. It's how I broke my collar bone - never even put my foot down because I really thought I was going to ride out of it (as impossible as that was).

This is probably one of my biggest jumps. Long approach. No lip. Flat landing. Very safe.


I'd like to do this:

(credit to jhazard)

-F

[boybarog]

I'm fat. end of story

[jjaguar]

In case anyone was curious, I had my wife translate this label for me. The text on the right says riding direction, same as the English. The block on the left basically says warning: use the right lever for rear wheel first when braking.

[habsfan]

Tacos before riding. Not a pleasant ride if you're riding behind me.

[Hogdog]

I'm not very good at pedalling, I get all sweaty and it hurts.

[mcrn12]

I have not done jumps. I would love to learn.

[bigfruits]

off camber turns and mud

[Vegard]

I'm terrible at jumping, bunnyhops and rocky terrain.. I really wish I was better at it.

[Funrover]

exact opposite here... greatest weakness is fitness/pedaling/climbing

steep/rough/loose/chunky downhill riding (day or night) is my comfort zone

I am with you, I really suck on the long up hills....

[telemike]

Fear from the really intimate knowledge of all the damage I've taken over years of motor cycles, bikes, and moutaineering skis. I'd really hate to lose these sports. This knowledge is why the young are the hottest bikers, boarders, skiers, etc.

[Stardust]

I don't feel so bad now after reading these posts I have a mix of the same weaknesses .. But I suck at racing and burn myself out in the first couple of miles, then watch everyone pass me bye..horrible feeling. oh well, I really enjoy riding with my buddy's

[gravitylover]

Weak on the up, pitiful actually, but I don't care because I handle most other things pretty well as long as I keep it on the ground even though I know I can't get hurt in the air

[skankingbiker]

Can't bunny hop....I either fall off the back on the pull up or the seat hits me on the a$$ when I try to throw the bike forward and I go OTB.

I suck.

[Repack Rider]

Being 67 years old. I started mountain biking when I was already in my twenties, and how good are you going to get at a sport you take up as an adult? A kid who started riding dirt when he was six years old, will always have more skillz than I do.

[evasive]

how good are you going to get at a sport you take up as an adult?

So true. Missed opportunities on my part. My grandparents bought me my first bike, a KHS BMX, when I was 6 and my parents bought me my first MTB when I was 14, but it just wasn't something that my friends did. I didn't really get into MTB until I was in my mid-30s. I'm trying to learn skills that I wish I'd learned 20 years ago.

[RRRoubaix]

As others have said; climbing and endurance.
As I say at almost every race; "hills are my kryptonite". (I'm in Washington- everything is hills, lol)

I race, but poorly. I'm too experienced to be in Beginners, but woefully unfit to race in Sport/Cat B. I start off okay, but on the first hill of any consequence, I tank. Everyone passes me- not just my Cat, but other younger Cats stuck behind me.
I love riding w/ friends, but riding w/ teammates can be frustrating. They're SO much faster/fitter than me.

[jimbowho]

Me too. Plus I'm a total pu$$y.

Glad I was only drinking water. That was funny sheeeeooot.

I gave up on weaknesses. I mainly ride alone due to good days and bad days. I have drove to trailheads just to say screw it and just drank the beers. My secret? just couldn't care less, I'm out there, healthy, fresh air, exercise, not working.

[Desidus]

Everything! I just started though so I'm cutting myself some slack. ;P

[Kryptoroxx]

My damn age! If my younger self saw the jumps I was screwing up on and crashing he would kick me in the nuts.

I was fearless on a bmx. Now on a squishy bike I just can't used to landing. It feels so alien. However the ability to preload is awesome!

This and manuals. Can't bloody do manuals on a squishy bike.....go figure.

Hand typed and Telegraphed

[rollertoaster]

I have a poor sense of balance, which kills me on manuals/wheelies. Also my cornering really leaves a lot to be desired. I can plow some rock gardens though.

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[ghettocop]

This has been a great thread. Enjoy everyone's modesty.

[perttime]

My incredible humbleness is my greatest weakness!

... seriously: I'm slow and timid.

[Settertude]

Hard cornering. In essence I need a better trust in the ability for the front tire to dig in and hold. I'm working on it.

[Stegerman]

Fast, technical downhill. I'm too old to want to end up in the hospital.


Plus scratches screw up my awesome tan...............

[Millfox]

Reading this thread makes me think that this sport is mainly done by people in their mid 50's...everybody is too damn old.

[JKA]

Reading this thread makes me think that this sport is mainly done by people in their mid 50's...everybody is too damn old.

I resemble that remark.

[CannondaleF9]

Reading this thread makes me think that this sport is mainly done by people in their mid 50's...everybody is too damn old.

No, that is road biking.

[shekky]

Reading this thread makes me think that this sport is mainly done by people in their mid 50's...everybody is too damn old.

what the hell is wrong with being over fifty?