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Getting into mtb xc racing

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  • 19-03-2008 1:43pm
    #1
    polevault
    Closed Accounts Posts: 49 ✭


    Hi all,
    i am just putting it out there that i am really interested about getting into mtb xc racing. I am 23 yrs old and have graduated from university since last july. I have been deeply involved in competitive sport for many years including playng provincial rugby at junior level to being a very successful rower. However because i have now entered the big bad world of earning these sports are now not feasable for me to give them my all!. For many years i have been a very keen mountain biking enthusiast and now i feel it is time to do something about it and get into it in a competitve way. For the past two years of college i would normally go up to 3 rock and other places after rowing training for a good old hack, but i always had the hunger for racing.
    I suppose what i am really wondering i, how can i get into it in a more active manner. I know joining a club would be a start, but as regards competitions, is it a sport that most people do on the side of other sports, i.e, roadies do xc on the off season or people do xc races along with training for other sports. What i am really trying to say is what should i expect from novice level xc and is it possible to do well and have fun for your effort or is it a sport that is still in its infancy and not taken seriously.
    i will be living in the dublin area and hope to get involved in April. I think i need to register in order to race?.
    Any general thoughts/advice for someone starting off.

    Just to say equipment is not an issue, i have an xc hardtail with full xtr etc, so i am not a dummy starting off i have been cycling xc for years but never competed. I really want to give it a shot and compete to win!!",)


Comments

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    #2
    Morgan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Morgan


    Joining a club would definitely be a good place to start (perhaps even Ireland's Premier MTB Club) - you'll become a better rider a lot faster if you're out with other people.

    It's not really an off-season activity for roadies, since the races are on around the same time. I've noticed a lot of hill-runners and adventure racers getting into mtb in the last few years though.

    MTB is definitely a small sport compared to others in Ireland (GAA...) but attendance at races is booming at the moment. There were 263 riders at the first round of the K-Capital Cup two weeks ago.

    You should probably enter the "Sports" category for your first few races to see how you get on. Racing can be a real shock to the system but it feels great (afterwards). Don't forget to enjoy yourself.

    You'll need a race licence to take part, either an annual or a day-licence. I've written a bit about that here.


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    #3
    trinewbie
    Registered Users Posts: 481 ✭✭trinewbie


    Feck it ...jump yourself in at the deep end and get yourself racing in the experts category,... It seems you have a solid level of fitness at the moment and are not a complete noob on the bike. As morgan says sports would be good only for your first few races, but you would get way more respect and sense of achievement by doing your first race in expert class.Sports is for noobs, and people not looking to challenge themselves, or people without the confidence to move up a category.you will push yourself waaaaay harder in experts as the pace is ferocious....I had never raced before the first round of the k-capital but decided to go for experts (actually I was bullied into it :))...Glad I did it though, finished 8th despite a 1st lap puncture that set me back a couple of minutes.

    If you cant make theK-CAp keep an eye out for the NPS series..Keep an eye on the MAD,Epic and MTBireland websites for info on these sorts of things....oh and www.irishxcmtb.com aswell...


  • Options
    #4
    joemc99
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭joemc99


    trinewbie wrote: »
    Feck it ...jump yourself in at the deep end and get yourself racing in the experts category,... It seems you have a solid level of fitness at the moment and are not a complete noob on the bike. As morgan says sports would be good only for your first few races, but you would get way more respect and sense of achievement by doing your first race in expert class.Sports is for noobs, and people not looking to challenge themselves, or people without the confidence to move up a category.you will push yourself waaaaay harder in experts as the pace is ferocious....I had never raced before the first round of the k-capital but decided to go for experts (actually I was bullied into it :))...Glad I did it though, finished 8th despite a 1st lap puncture that set me back a couple of minutes.

    If you cant make theK-CAp keep an eye out for the NPS series..Keep an eye on the MAD,Epic and MTBireland websites for info on these sorts of things....oh and www.irishxcmtb.com aswell...

    I disagree, sports are not noobs.....dont mind trinewbie. If you have never raced XC before, defo give sports a go. K Cap Cup # 2 is on in the north this weekend, and 2 weeks later # 3 is in Djouce. Give them a go. Both will have tech courses and should be challenging even in the sports cat. the advantage of the sports cat is that its held before the main events (elite, masters, experts, etc), so you wont feel like you are getting in the way.

    Also, epic, mad, imbrc, all great clubs to go out with and talk with the guys and get racing ideas, etc.

    Enjoy, hope to see you at # 2!


  • Options
    #5
    joemc99
    Registered Users Posts: 179 ✭✭joemc99


    trinewbie wrote: »
    Feck it ...jump yourself in at the deep end and get yourself racing in the experts category,... It seems you have a solid level of fitness at the moment and are not a complete noob on the bike. As morgan says sports would be good only for your first few races, but you would get way more respect and sense of achievement by doing your first race in expert class.Sports is for noobs, and people not looking to challenge themselves, or people without the confidence to move up a category.you will push yourself waaaaay harder in experts as the pace is ferocious....I had never raced before the first round of the k-capital but decided to go for experts (actually I was bullied into it :))...Glad I did it though, finished 8th despite a 1st lap puncture that set me back a couple of minutes.

    If you cant make theK-CAp keep an eye out for the NPS series..Keep an eye on the MAD,Epic and MTBireland websites for info on these sorts of things....oh and www.irishxcmtb.com aswell...

    I disagree, sports are not noobs.....dont mind trinewbie. If you have never raced XC before, defo give sports a go. K Cap Cup # 2 is on in the north this weekend, and 2 weeks later # 3 is in Djouce. Give them a go. Both will have tech courses and should be challenging even in the sports cat. the advantage of the sports cat is that its held before the main events (elite, masters, experts, etc), so you wont feel like you are getting in the way.

    Also, epic, mad, imbrc, all great clubs to go out with and talk with the guys and get racing ideas, etc.

    Enjoy, hope to see you at # 2!

    Inspiation for ya
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pik0V4a_CpU&feature=related

    Build up to this!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iY4UYVPn8g


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