I devoted a year to XC RACING & the results SURPRISED me | My Mountain Bike Journey Continues
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- xc racing mountain bike
Dive into my year-long journey of XC racing my as I share the highs, lows, and unexpected outcomes in this gripping video. From blind runs to heart-pounding races, I devoted a season to learn the art of cross-country mountain bike racing. Join me as I reflect on the challenges, the mistakes, and the surprising results that came from pushing my limits and embracing the world of XC racing. 🌲🏁 #XCRacing #MountainBiking #MTB
Thanks to my friends that contributed footage, pics, advice and help during the season to help make this video possible.
The Equipment Used in this video.
Polygon Syncline C5
bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/DKKy3G
Upgrades Made Throughout the racing season:
Check out this video: • The Diminishing Return...
_______________________________________________________________
This channel is sponsored by Magura USA.
I am affiliated with Bikes Online. Check them out for some great deals.
USA
bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/kjKbkx
Australia
bikesonline-australia.pxf.io/...
Jenson USA
jenson.sjv.io/9W5WZ4
REI for all your outdoor product needs
bit.ly/3DRPiF6
Check them out for your parts and accessories needs.
Keep Your bike clean and in great shape with Muc-Off Products
mucoff.sjv.io/WDB5Le
My Preferred Tubeless Sealant is Orange Seal.
bit.ly/3segV8H
Shopping through these links will help support the channel and keep more content flowing. - Спорт
Thank you for joining me on this journey. If you enjoyed this video and you want to see more content like this * *PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHARE.*
I’m a 47yo dad and did my first year of XC racing. It was a super rewarding experience on so many levels. Congrats on your season
It's very rewarding. Congrats on your season as well!
Way to go!!
Congrats. I’m about to turn 50 and trying to decide if I want to switch to road from mtb. Time for new bike.
I'm 42 and overweight. But I'd like to give it a go. Thanks for sharing your journey. Awesome work.
XC racing is just a battle of pride...and that makes it hard...
I just started racing last year at 54 years old. Love the short track races. I won the overall local 4 race cat 3 series on a hardtail. Just got a full sus bike. Never thought the sport was as tough as it actually is. I train every other day, all 4 seasons. Keeps me in great shape. Congrats on your success.
Thank you. Congrats on your win!! I'm a couple of years younger than you. The hardest part seems to be keeping up on training and diet. I gotta stay disciplined! Best of luck on your racing efforts!
I gotta say that I'm impressed with how many people you were passing toward the end; I felt out of breath just watching. It's encouraging to see this from someone who is relatively new to XC racing, for someone like myself who has yet to even try it. Also, there seems to be merit in pacing one's self in the beginning and then making passes later on.
Thanks. There was a big field of racers. Pacing is definitely important. Knowing when to get on it and when to back off. Pacing with the lead group in particular. You'll know pretty quickly where you stand relative to your fellow competitors...and you'll adjust accordingly both on and off the race course. Best of luck in your racing efforts! 💪
Awesome compilation of your racing season. XC racing is tougher than it looks. I’ve raced a few within the last couple years and it was an eye opening experience. I found out it was easier to get out front early and maintain a cadence than it was to sit middle pack and over work to get around slower riders. Best of luck to you in your training. Look forward to seeing your progress.
Absolutely. XC is no joke. Takes a lot of effort to do well. Thanks for watching! 🙏
We love this video! Oh, and nice ride! 😉
Love you guys! Love the bike! Thanks!
Hey man looking forward to season 2, maybe better nutrition plan would unlock more gains 💪💪💪💪🔥🔥🔥 some technical training.. you got this!!! podium spot 🙏😀
I raced pretty hardcore in my 20s. Now that I’m 40+ I’m looking at getting back into it. Came across your video in the process to getting back. My heart was racing after your crash at the meltdown. I felt your pain as something similar has happened to me. About 100 yards from the finish after 18 miles of riding, I bonked. Legs completely cramped and locked up. I couldn’t pedal. 1 rider at a time I saw my effort go away. I eventually crawled across the finish line. Great riding and keep at it.
Thanks! That's the drama of racing. A good effort can fall apart in an instant. Best of luck with your return to racing!
Interesting. My main lesson from this year was that mistakes are costly and fatigue leads to mistakes.
Truth!
Love the video and content. Great job completing all these events and documenting/editing your efforts. Bravo.
Some thoughts brain dump from a 20 year plus veteran mtb/cx/road rider and former cycling coach: I see you changed out your front fork to one with a lock out-hard to tell ( see your fork bouncing at 18:39 in the video = wasted effort), but use that lock out on your race starts and anyplace that is semi flat-get out of that saddle and sprint - practice those sprint starts 1-3x per week in a grass field months before race season, consider the Time ATAC 6/8 pedals as an option (also you must practice clipping in/out with both feet (don't look down). You need to spend more time training in whatever your zone 3, zone 4 and zone 5 are. Zwift has training plans to help with this, basically you are acclimating your body/heart/lungs to sit in those zones if that makes sense, if you want to hurt you need to train your body to accept the hurt so to speak. Same with the leg power and climbing - if you want to climb better, be faster, you must go climb hills (on a road bike/gravel bike). Go learn to be an efficient climber on your road and gravel bike, push pull all the way around the pedal stroke. Work on your core and flexibility (Yoga is excellent in winter, go to gym for circuit training). Increase your 20 min watt (power number). If it's 200 now, set a realistic goal to raise it over 4-6 months. 275-300 watts for 20 min would make you a competitive mtb/cx/road racer. Work on your lines (find a familiar trail, that isn't too hilly, try to ride it faster and faster without using your brakes, work on carving those turns like an F1 driver). If you are going to race those rocky races again - get the fatest-fastest tires on that HT of yours - it will help the rollover and cushion your body, learn to right lighter. Learn to let go of those brakes and commit to the trail and drive the bike where you want to go. Play with tire pressures, document what you use (keep a record) - use what works. RE: Clipless pedals - work on doing single leg drills on your bike or bike/trainer - full circle and fluid. And, not sure what your weight/height are, but any lbs you can lose will always convert over to faster times on any bike (generally). Nutrition while racing is also a whole other discussion, but very very important. Great job on your season. Lastly - smile, have fun and set realistic goals to keep cycling and racing fun - burnout is possible as a beginner or expert or pro. Holler if you have questions. 👍🚴♂🏋♂
Great stuff! Thank you. I'm going to save all this.
i am 37 years old. I started riding xc races 2 years ago and it was a challenge. I ride a cheap aluminum hardtail with clipless pedals. I ride an indoor trainer during the winter. I consider it a success if I end up in the better half, but I usually end up in the middle or worse. 😅 your results are really great 👌🫡 greetings from Slovakia 😊
Been there. Some of us just dont have the top athlete genetics that others have. I fall into this category. Training hard meant improvements but I wasnt going to win any races. Learned to start in back of pack and pick my way forward because getting passed a ton had negative psychological impact. A lot of these races came down to just trying to finish or setting a PR for a particular trail. For most of us middle of pack riders or less, its about competing with ourselves.
Definitely. We do it because we enjoy it and derive some personal benefit. That's all that matters in the end.
Excellent video. Nice work. FYI, Im the dude who took the third place spot at Raceway.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video! It was a fun race.
I've been on a mountain bike since 2016 but recently started riding again more seriously. I have watched ALOT of mtb videos and this was by far one of the more interesting and entertaining videos I have watched. Thanks for sharing the story!
Thank you! 🙏 So glad you enjoyed it! 😁
Crazy awesome video! Thanks for bringing us along on your journey and for letting me be a part of it. Great story telling in this video. You definitely improved a ton over the season!
Thanks Rico. The video wouldn't have been the same without you!
Nice one Homie!💪
Thanks! 🙌
Dude, such a fun video. Well done!
Excellent journey! Thanks for sharing!
I love Sid and Mackie videos, they rock
Wow that was good to watch and inspirational.
Awesome effort and amazing video champ. Keep going 👍🏽💪🏾
Great to watch. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for sharing your season! Getting me pump for next year.
You shoulda made podium on that one race, they shouldn’t have let that one guy take it since he started 2 mins early
Yeah, typically, something like that results in a DQ. More motivation for me to get faster. 🙂
Its crazy raceway is becoming something. We’d goof off in those woods during our high school days. Round 2018 the place started to gain traction. I used to run crystal lake ski and bike, we would perform free bike maintenance at the trail Head during the Tuesday night group rides. Some of the best memories I have are at that trail system
They've done some great work out there!
You got a new subscriber. I love these xc races with commentary. I'm about to turn 50 and took back up mountain biking after nearly 20 years of back problems, 3 back surgeries, and other health issues that have kept me from it.
I've completely changed my diet and way of living, lost 60 pounds, and am doing things I NEVER imagined I'd ever do again.
I've never competed in a race before, but watching videos like this are inspiring to me. It's made me see that just simply entering and finishing is just as much of an accomplishment as being world class and coming in first.
Maybe I'll make one of my goals at age 50 to compete in one of these.
Again, thanks for the videos!
I'm glad to hear about your return to mtb after those health issues. They are hard to overcome! The most important challenge is against yourself. Keep at it. You're ahead of the game at this point.Thank you for watching and welcome 🙏
Great effort, buddy! While your races might not have gone exactly as planned, remember, it's all about the journey. I rocked Yankee Springs this year in 1:04 on my fat bike - how'd you do? I even tackled it blind. Pre-riding could be a game-changer for your next race; it worked wonders for me.
In terms of training, gravel races intertwined with mountain biking really boosted my endurance. Those short punchy climbs become a breeze after hitting the hilly gravel paths. I suggest gearing up for Iceman in 2024 - yes, it's a bit gravel-heavy, but the mix of two tracks and single track makes it a blast.
Considering your 2023 experience, I'd say give racing another shot in 2024. Grab a fat bike for winter training - it worked wonders for me. Armed with the knowledge of 2023, I'm confident you'll crush it in 2024. Keep that determination alive and pedal on! 🚵♂️💪
Thanks! Great job on your performance! 🙌 I was about 1:20 or so. Not good. Having ridden the trail and having Gopro footage of it should help. I think I would do the Time Trial again. Really enjoyed it despite the result. Until then, I need to get back to training. Im definitely looking into some other forms of racing for preparation. Thanks for watching and the encouragement.🙏Have a great riding season!
Excellent videos and explanations. Beautifully edited. Bravo ! Look fwd to more
Very fun video great job!!
I decided XC was harder than I expected as well. Back in 94 - 95 during the Hawaii NORBA Series I tried to treat it like a fast pace trail ride and was grossly mistaken. After 2 races I ditched my XC aspirations for DH/Free ride and never looked back. Now 55 and still enjoy a nice DH rides and weekends at local SoCal parks. Spotted you a sub because of your devotion. 🤘🏾
Thank you! 🙏 I love riding DH. Just wish I was closer to some real mountains, lol.
that's awesome, I'm looking at trying xc racing in 2024 at age 46
It's worth it! I'm 52 and I'm glad I did it.
I’m 62 and you will be eating my dust….
You are right. Never under estimate yourself and never sell yourself short.
Great job sticking with it.
You an inspiration👍
Thank you! 🙏
Those pedals killed you bro 👊🏽, you did amazing, the conditions and the mud were crazy sketchy af , you did good bro 🙌🏼🙌🏼👍🏾
Great video! Thank you!
That was fun! Great job. 👍
That was fun! Thanks for bringing us along!
Thanks Craig! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing!!
Excellent story with some great drama that had me rooting for you! What fun.
Thank you! 🙏
After having 7 years off biking I got my self a new XC bike, I'm 34 tomorrow and looking at getting into racing. This video gave me good inspiration to get training with what little time i have.
Great video, thanks for bringing us along for the journey!
Thanks!
Great video what an experience
great storytelling mate! cant wait for more videos like this
Thanks!
Dude, at soon to be 59 (and a young one at that) haven’t rode MTB for 40 years, I’m throwing myself back on the mule and riding, hopefully adding some races in 2024 to my schedule.
Keep you posted.
You’re an inspiration!!
Keep going!!!
Thanks and welcome back to mountain biking! Enjoy!
Nicely done...you stayed in the race! Ill bet you will on the podium in 2024
🤞🤞
I like your mindset. Have you heard about the Marji Gesick in the UP.
I have! I rode RAMBA shortly after Miners. There's much work to be done before I'm ready for that one. 😬
Great video. I really enjoyed watching this
Thanks!
Congratulations on your commitment and your results. well done.
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this.. I really loved this. Well done also.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video 👍
Great video! Very interesting. Good job on the racing👍
Thank you! 🙏
💪Nice season!!! And great video !!!❤️
Thanks! 😁
Congrats to your progress, really nice video, enjoyed to watch your journey of progress.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
I race xc for my high school and it is amazing I love it
Well done. Really enjoyed the video and love the XC racing. Rock on next year!
Thanks! 🙏 Glad you enjoyed the video!
I'm on a similar journey, nice job! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Good luck on yours!
Awesome challenge and killer progress! 🤙💯
Thanks! 😁
You're first place in my book! 😘 I'm proud of all your hard work and dedication. I'm blown away by what you accomplish. This was a great video. You're a talented storyteller and gifted filmmaker. I cried when your seat got messed up and people started passing you. 😭
🤗🤗🤗
Really really enjoyed this! Great work dude.
Thanks Kyle! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing this video! You need: core workouts, leg workouts, more downhill riding, walk/run that bike at difficult climbs, and be more explosive when riding. Please keep posting videos. Thanks again.
Thanks for the tips! Much more to work on to get better. Thank you for watching! Glad you enjoyed the video. 😁
Looking forward to watching this!!
You're gonna love this one!
Nice work . Thanks for posting. I did something similar out here in the North West. After hip replacement surgery, decided to make some changes. I race a carbon stumpjumper. Been doing for 6 years now. Very rewarding! Ps. Crank brothers clipless peddles work better in mud. 🤘
Thanks. It's great having that sense of purpose that comes with racing.
Nice work, man! What an eventful season! You’ve got some will power to get through all that.
Thanks. It was a lot of work. Especially off the course. I wanted to be lazy. LOL
Great watch on the trainer on this 36 degree rainy December day. Thanks!
💪💪 Thank you for watching!
Thanks for your videos, greetings from Spain.
Thank you for watching!
Awesome video!!!
Can't believe I'd never found your channel before! That was great to watch!
Thank you for sharing, looking forward to future adventures.
Thanks!🙏 Welcome!
Great video men 😊,I racer many years now have 3 full suspension bikes never go back to hardtail, think about that 👍my new Whiller have just 10,5 kg
That was AWESOME!!
Thank you! 😁
Ths was a really good videoo! I've often wondered about trying racing out and this was really a great glimpse of somebody just starting out racing and progressing! Your narration was awesome I love the way you really did this whole video!
😁 I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this video and maybe getting some inspiration. Thank you for watching!
That looks like a blast. I enjoyed this immensely. I think this is a goal for me.
It was a lot of work, but the gains were worth it!
Really great story and man what a crazy adventure you went on! Way to stick thru all that hell climbing while under the clock and super impressive fitness level. Top 10 after all that is awesome 💪
Thanks, Jason! This one came together nicely. Thanks for watching. 🙏
Hey Howley!!!! You one bad shredder!!!! Valiant effort!!!! As they say champions are made in the off season. There’s plenty of winter left to fine tune and tweak!!! Next season will be the best season!!!!
I bust my stick. I shred so bad. 😄 Thanks. I got some work ahead of me for sure.
So good! Great job 💯🤙🏾
Thanks!
Awesome video……I watched it while on the trainer and made me push even harder as it felt like I was in the race. Good job and thanks for sharing 👍
I'm so happy people are enjoying this one. Thanks for watching! 🙏
Loved this video. Very inspirational and makes me want a cross country hardtail even more now. Much respect to you sir!!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. 😁
Man. the footage of the final climb up the grassy hill was VISCERAL.
My legs were burning and I was breathing hard. It felt like a dream in which I had to run through thick pudding and couldn't quite get through it. Of ALL of the p.o.v
bike videos I've watched, not one has had such an effect as your struggle up the hill.
Wow.
Thanks for capturing and sharing your journey. It was vulnerable and authentic.
Nice work.
Thank you! 🙏
I enjoyed ur video. I’m glad u straightened out that Garmin, it makes the processing of everything better when the Garmin is in line with tire. Also u got third! That guy in wrong field was his fault or the promoters. It wasn’t a time trial so time is irrelevant. U can only race who is there. U weren’t doing a Strava segment! Nice work!
Thanks. I thought about complaining but decided to let it go. I won't in the future. In all fairness to that guy, he did finish ahead of me in every race after that. So Idk if the result would've been different. I'll have to get better and leave no doubts.
Awesome video. Loved it.
Thank you!
Clipless pedals are a must for XC racing. You can plow through so much roughness without fear of loosing a pedal.
And you can pull like crazy if you need to sprint.
Great self documentary, gave a real good indication of what it takes to race XC.
Thanks!
This was awesome. I ride all 3 but have avoided meltdowns. Next year will be my first. Thanks for creating this!
The Meltdown is a fun race. You'll enjoy it! Thanks for watching! 🙏
Self-talking is great for videos. Much more interesting than silence.
"Exhibit Humility While Learning" wow..I like that part dude..nice message in the last part.
Thanks! It's always been the right formula for anything that I've done successfully over the years.
Yeah I can dig it
So inspiring. 4 years ago I was an avid rider and competing well. I moved to an area that doesn't offer much in the way of cycling much less xc or single-track. This year I'm putting in miles and looking forward to hearing the moots bells and the burning legs and lungs that means an on time finish with fist bumps and hi fives at the finish line. Pedal on!
Glad you enjoyed the video! 🙂 Good luck with your return to racing!
The spirit of competition is an amazing motivator. Don’t be too hard on yourself though. Compare yourself to other racers apples and apples is a easy way to bury yourself in minutia that doesn’t matter. As long as you progress and improve on your last effort, and more importantly, have fun is all that matters.
Thank you.. Competition can easily go from being enjoyable to downright stressful if you're not careful.
Fantastic i had a blast you are awesome.
I have my first XC race this march and your video gave me a complete different perspective.
Learned a lot from your video thanks so much.
Greetings from San Pedro de Atacama a very dry place in northern Chile.
Thank you for watching! Good luck to you on your racing efforts in beautiful Chile.
Man that is awesome! My hats off to you. I’m about to turn 48 and have been racing amateur enduro and always ending the race last or close enough to last. After this year I have decided to go into XC for 2024 just simply because enduro is not regulated and semi pro riders are riding in the amateur divisions and taking the glory. I’m in the same boat as you once was. I’m looking to buy an XC bike but I also don’t have a lot of money to spend. I’m looking forward to this new and next journey. You give me hope man! Glad I saw your vid tonight. 👍🏻
Thanks for watching. Get out there and give it your best. I just turned 52. I'm still learning and loving it! 💪
That race with the tunnel had trails that are like those that all my local XC races have, minus the tunnel :)
Full suspension XC bike is the right way to go!
An XC full suspension would have been a good idea for sure.
Love the video
Solid Video ..... 🎉 Best regards from Guam 🇬🇺 USA 🎉
Thank you 🙌
nice progress
Thanks! 😁
Love the video. good job .
Thank you!
Amazing.. I just want to say that hill at the end of palos and feeling all your pain with that seat and muddy situation had my heart pounding lol hoping you didn't wipe on that last hill!! So glad you finished, and this is an awesome change to the pro jump this and pro berm that. Feels like a win for us bramblers!!
Thanks. I almost passed out on that last climb. Lol. So glad you enjoyed it!
The sad music at the end of tje race was epic 😂😂😂
Great true personal account of your season - inspiring for a returning XC after 20+ years away from the discipline over here in the UK. Your video was just the motivation needed! Cheers!
Thanks! 🙏 Glad you enjoyed it! Best of luck on your return to racing.
Just snagged this bike on there black friday deal with the very same intention of dedicating next year to racing, been avidly strength training this fall into winter. This was such a cool video and story to watch unfold! MINERS REVENGE WAS NO JOKE! I raced my custom Siskiu T7 for the Triple crown there and fractured my hand at the end of the first lap, I was unsure of the damge but sat the final laps and the Enduro. However the next day still not knowing the damage but not wanting to miss out on the DH race I sent it! Was such a good time and definitely looking to get my revenge next year! Hopefully catch you out on the trail sometime!
Thanks. So glad you enjoyed it! 😁 You'll love the Syncline. Such a great bike!
Dang impressive that you tried the triple crown at miners revenge. 2 laps was enough for me.
Lol it was a bit improv and me being naive but it gave me a taste of racing and some life lessons lol. XC isnt my first choice for biking but being in south east Michigan it's what I got. Next year will be finsihing that triple crown for sure. Pinnacle goal for next season will be the Marji but could be a pipe dream, training like I am though. @@MTBTrailSherpa
@@KrashMTB IDK why I didn't see the rest of your comment the first time. Great job! The Enduro and DH courses were no joke!
The definitely were not but I really enjoy pushing myself and progressing through things I'm not comfortable with. I've got some footage up on my page from the event and my race runs, not near the story telling skills you have though. @@AdrenalineIsLife
Nice one..Well attempted...
Thanks so much for sharing your journey and your experience! At 44 years old, I now feel inspired and more curious to perhaps join a race or 2 next year.
It's very rewarding. Thanks for watching!
Beautiful video.
Thank you! 🙏