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I started mountain biking in the past year, and it's interesting to think about how this applies to that sport. There's a common refrain that you aren't getting

I started mountain biking in the past year, and it's interesting to think about how this applies to that sport. There's a common refrain that you aren't getting better if you aren't falling, which really bothers me. In part, I think it's intended as a consolation, trying to find an upside in something that sucks. But there is also a sense that if you aren't pushing beyond your boundaries, you can't improve, and therefore if you aren't falling, you must be stagnating. This narrative is so compelling because there is a certain underlying truth to it. You don't really appreciate how effective your tires are until you reach that boundary where they start to slide out. You need to jump a few times before you get a feeling for how to jump. You can minimize your risk in other ways, but you can't eliminate it entirely. But on the whole, it feels like there is a culture within mountain biking (though certainly not amongst all riders) that you should always be pushing your boundaries to improve and that if you are eking out thinks out at 99% or whatever like the guy talks about in the article, you're doing things right.

mnky9800n 4y ago
In motorcycle riding the idea of "failing" is more of a warning. You will fall off your bike one day and that fall could kill you. It is not if but when. So the culture is more about when the fall happens how can you do everything in your power to prevent it from being deadly. But then some idiot pulls out in front of you when you have a green light and you go across the car hood, land on your back, break a few vertebrae, and the idiot who cut you off drives off never to be seen again. But at least most riders I know are thinking about safety in some way as opposed to pushing yourself to the limit on your motorcycle.
chasd00 4y ago
One of the things that's nice about extreme sports is it's very clear where your boundaries lie and when you've crossed the line. You need the encouragement to find them which is where i think the whole "push yourself" comes from but once you do then you know where you stand. I use to do a lot of skateboarding when i was younger and taught my boys how to skate. I would tell them, attempt to violate the laws of physics and you will be punished. A hard slam is a very clear signal that what you assumed was not the case.
- wetmore 4y ago
  This is true for some but not all "extreme" sports. EG it is pretty untrue about any sport that requires you to travel in avalanche terrain; there is very little feedback when you are in dangerous situations, and when there is feedback about a poor decision, it is not always clear that the bad outcome was a result of your own action.
gerbilly 4y ago
I've done a lot of mountain biking, and for years I rode bike trials¹. I think on a bike it's fine to push your limits, because the consequences are less severe than for hang gliding, especially if you aren't doing big drops. Trials riding is technical, but it isn't fast, so one unexpected thing is that you get better at crashing. Kind of like in Judo, where there is a correct way to fall, falling often enough at slow to moderate speeds teaches you how to fall better. Now I mostly ride cross country, but every once in a while, when I get into a sketchy situation, I fall like a cat, whether it be over the bars, off the back, hopping off the side, I have a deep well of experience from previous crashes to draw upon. I'd say in mountain biking the enemy isn't falling or crashing, it's falling or crashing at speed. I _know_ it's fun to go fast, but if you switch your mindset from: "I'm going to get through this section faster than you" to "I'm going to get through this section _better/cleaner_ than you." you can keep the fun alive while keeping the consequences down. So what is 'better,' it could be without putting a foot down, without shifting down to the granny gear, without skidding etc... This is why I think mountain biking is way more fun than road riding. I don't have to have elite level fitness, or massive quads to be 'good' at mountain biking. Take a roadie out on a mtn bike ride for the first time and they will probably blow all the steep climbs at first, cos they don't have experience in modulating traction through the back wheel. Eventually they would learn to project though the bike and feel where the back wheel is touching the ground at all times, which takes your riding to the next level. 1: Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZJylpYJec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZJylpYJec

mnky9800n 4y ago

In motorcycle riding the idea of "failing" is more of a warning. You will fall off your bike one day and that fall could kill you. It is not if but when. So the culture is more about when the fall happens how can you do everything in your power to prevent it from being deadly. But then some idiot pulls out in front of you when you have a green light and you go across the car hood, land on your back, break a few vertebrae, and the idiot who cut you off drives off never to be seen again. But at least most riders I know are thinking about safety in some way as opposed to pushing yourself to the limit on your motorcycle.

chasd00 4y ago

One of the things that's nice about extreme sports is it's very clear where your boundaries lie and when you've crossed the line. You need the encouragement to find them which is where i think the whole "push yourself" comes from but once you do then you know where you stand. I use to do a lot of skateboarding when i was younger and taught my boys how to skate. I would tell them, attempt to violate the laws of physics and you will be punished. A hard slam is a very clear signal that what you assumed was not the case.

wetmore 4y ago
This is true for some but not all "extreme" sports. EG it is pretty untrue about any sport that requires you to travel in avalanche terrain; there is very little feedback when you are in dangerous situations, and when there is feedback about a poor decision, it is not always clear that the bad outcome was a result of your own action.

gerbilly 4y ago

I've done a lot of mountain biking, and for years I rode bike trials¹. I think on a bike it's fine to push your limits, because the consequences are less severe than for hang gliding, especially if you aren't doing big drops. Trials riding is technical, but it isn't fast, so one unexpected thing is that you get better at crashing. Kind of like in Judo, where there is a correct way to fall, falling often enough at slow to moderate speeds teaches you how to fall better. Now I mostly ride cross country, but every once in a while, when I get into a sketchy situation, I fall like a cat, whether it be over the bars, off the back, hopping off the side, I have a deep well of experience from previous crashes to draw upon. I'd say in mountain biking the enemy isn't falling or crashing, it's falling or crashing at speed. I _know_ it's fun to go fast, but if you switch your mindset from: "I'm going to get through this section faster than you" to "I'm going to get through this section _better/cleaner_ than you." you can keep the fun alive while keeping the consequences down. So what is 'better,' it could be without putting a foot down, without shifting down to the granny gear, without skidding etc... This is why I think mountain biking is way more fun than road riding. I don't have to have elite level fitness, or massive quads to be 'good' at mountain biking. Take a roadie out on a mtn bike ride for the first time and they will probably blow all the steep climbs at first, cos they don't have experience in modulating traction through the back wheel. Eventually they would learn to project though the bike and feel where the back wheel is touching the ground at all times, which takes your riding to the next level. 1: Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZJylpYJec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZJylpYJec