Pinkbike Poll: What Are Your Racing Plans for 2020?
The Olympics are coming... Do you have any XC racing planned in 2020?
Not all mountain bikers approach winter time the same way. Some are content to sit on the couch, binge watching whatever Netflix suggests while counting down the days until the grass reappears from underneath the snow. Others revel in the white stuff, heading to the mountains to ski and snowboard, or donning showshoes and cross-country skis to trounce around in mellower terrain.
Then there are the die-hards, the riders who refuse to accept the idea of an off-season. They're the ones spinning away furiously in basements and garages, fixated on defeating their virtual opponents, or bundling up in clothes suitable for an Everest attempt in order avoid frostbike on their fat bike adventures. Every ride is a training ride, and many of these riders are chomping at the bit to dive into another year of racing.
No matter which category you fall into, it's not going to be long before the winter melts away into spring in the Northern Hemisphere, a transition that also signals the start of the race season. Many races open up registration this time of the year, and not only do you need to be fast on a bike, you need to be quick on the mouse just to participate – entries into events like the Enduro World Series sell out in a matter of minutes.
Racing can be a chance to ride through some spectacular scenery.
Of course, racing's not for everybody, and plenty of riders out there are competition averse. There's nothing wrong with that, either – racing's not easy, or cheap, and it's tougher than ever to get a spot on the podium, even at little local races. Still, signing up for a race every once in a while is a good way to step out of your comfort zone, to see how those Strava times stack up in the real world, or simply to get the chance to ride in an entirely different part of the world. Multi-day cross-country or enduro races make it possible to sample a massive amount of trails in a relatively short amount of time, with the benefit of having aid stations scattered along the route. And don't forget the underground race scene, those unregulated, informal events where the entry is cheap, the racing is fast and furious, and the prize is usually drinkable.
Last month's poll question revealed that a large number of Pinkbike readers were planning on racing enduro this year, which made me curious about how many many races people were planning on attending. Are you a committed competitor, traveling every single weekend in the summer, or do you pick and choose, participating in a couple races, just for fun?
What type of racing are you planning to do in 2020?
Select all that apply.
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More of a Five Guys fan myself.
To win or place well in a road race in Europe you need way more talent than for an Enduro race.
When climbing on the MTB I can definitely keep up with my buds who race enduro... but when we start going downhill I see them for about 2 seconds lol.
I think road riding is a lot more strength and cardio based. All the best road riders I know are light, have long limbs, are skinny AF, and love pain.
In fact that makes me think more and more that road champions are born. Not that they don't train on an insane level, but it's a lot about "how your body is made". I mean it's the same reason why there are climbers/GC guys and there are sprinters. you're just made that way. In MTB you have to learn how to be a great rider. I know because I started MTB late in my adult life, and it's hard.
But I like the LeMans quote more and think LeMans is the best car racing movie
...and many would say that the 917 is the best racing car.
it is complete waste of your day / weekend, while you can ride race track for fun few times and chill out without any number;
I do appreciate competition on the track with 'buddies' that are more mature than you so you will push against your limits
It's been quite a while since I've ridden a race. I rode the Megavalance when I thought that was called enduro. The current enduro stage races were called mini-DH or mates races if I recall correctly. I may give it a go at one of these enduro races someday. Looks fun. Will probably take a beating too on my hardtail
Did my first National Series DH at the end of summer last year in the Open Male category and after doing that, I decided to not race over the winter.
Have taken that a step further and won’t race at all in 2020.
As others have said, racing gets expensive, unless you’ve got some sponsorship or support and there can be a lot of waiting around. I’ve had fun and made some great friends, but riding bikes is what it’s about for me.
Why can't I be as fast as the other boys and girls mammy ?????
Racing can suck the fun out of biking but then again its a total rush hearing that beep at the start gate and pretending you are going to have your own Danny Hart "Champéry" run.
Races will all be to the bottom of a pint glass. Locations TBA.
Multiple categories available: Double IPA's, New England style IPA's; Belgian strong, and our Amateur category Coors Light. Entries are $5.50 per lap.
And not to mention gravel grinding/cross country against myself
Been in training since fall of last year, after a super sluggish year of mtbing. Only got a few rides in and 1 trip to Asessippi bike park (ya, it was a bad year). Hopefully this year of riding/racing will be a good one, so far it's shaping up.
Ya, I live in east central SK, kinda dead region for good mtb racing. Lucky there's a new bike park up and running within 1/2 hour drive. So I can test me metal a lot more now
"The real problem has come with the spirit of competition and, even more, with that of self-exposure. Things have intensified in recent years. Now we can record our ride on digital apps to compare our performances with others. Now we can expose our life through social media, sharing photos and videos of every new ride, component or place we visited. This has profoundly changed the way we use our bikes. Our rides are losing the personal, political and environmental essence they inherently have, in favor of a transactional, competitive, and, ultimately, egoistic desire. This misses the point of what ought to be cycling. I’ve seen how people (myself included) have been trapped in the crescendo of consumption, competition, and exposition."
medium.com/@RZapataL/disobey-cycling-dd1ea46258e0
With plenty of rest.
By the time I get out, I’m jonsin’ for a sprint!
Granby - May 31st
Eagle - July 12th
Steamboat - August 8-9th
Powderhorn - September 6th
Hey, even in the northern hemisphere some of us can ride our MTB all year long.