I used to kill it like you guys, climbing like a goat, descending like a pussy, pulling long rides everywhere with everyone. Then I started riding with my wife on the weekends at places like Hodges, MTRP, Otay Lakes, Penis-quitos etc...... I realized very quickly why we are hated and now have had my observations validated over the past year. The reason is..........

Older (SOME younger) fucking morons bombing/racing beginner trails on sat/sun. I'm old now too, and I like to go fast, but when you haul ass through a beginner trail on a sat/sun around blind corners and show no courtesy, you end up looking really bad. You make us all look bad. Stop your dumb-shit ways. Go bomb another trail before you end up taking out a little kid or an old lady. Your not macho racing around a flat lake with your buddy screaming around turns. You look like a fucking douche-bag. You impress no-one and are a danger to all of our access. I don't give a fuck if LPQ happens to be in your backyard, or you can ride to Hodges from your house, the result remains the same. Listen to my brain since yours are obviously absent.

Thanks-

PS-I will no longer yield to you, hope you weigh more than 200 lbs

Damn you Strava!

Its not just Strava.
People have been doing that since the beginning of Mt bikes.
We all have done it...

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If you are the big tree
We are the small axe

I think that your position is a bit general. I do agree that safety of users is definitely a must and needs to be taken into consideration and that no one should be acting like a douche for the sake of winning an imaginary race.

I do think that speed is relevant to each rider though. My 90% edge of control riding may be very slow to other more experienced riders. I would not ride like that regardless because at that speed the chances of a crash or losing control are higher for any variable that I dont have control over.

I have also experienced crashes because of going slower than normal in sections. The timing is off for execution or balance is off because of slower movement with less momentum.

Each rider needs to know their limits to be able to keep themselves and everyone else around them safe.

^^^ Agreed, but it goes beyond that. Perception is reality to the other trail users, and if they think you're out of control, that's as bad as actually being out of control. Slow down when you're sharing the trail and then get back on it after there's some separation.

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A bicycle is a splendid thing.
~Ernest Hemingway

So where were you that these so called bombers pissed you off????????

I agree there places to go fast and places to go careful. If you want to go fast on weekends go to Noble Canyon go Anderson truck trail go to Ted Williams. I rode Sycamore today and ran into several multi-rider groups and each one of the riders were mute or didn't speak English, not sure. I would say there are four of us and the other group not a word, what's with that ?

People just don't like to be scared or intimidated. Most hikers see us in all our gear and probably feel a bit naked or something. Smiling and slowing down usually helps. I have run across the surly hiker who won't yield trail to bikers coming from behind. that is always fun.

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"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

In my post I listed the locations but here you go,

Penis-squitos,
Hodges
Otay Lakes,
MTRP east


But my rant applies to any flat beginner Trail on the weekends.

I forgot BLT throw that in there as my wife was knocked off her bike there by some racing fool.

So your post was in regards to flat pedally sections? Not the descents of those places? Now, I see your frustration.

Can't tell you how many times this has gotten a "thank you" from the hikers.



Any bell is a good bell. It won't help with the haters but it goes a long ways towards reducing the surprise encounter.

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The world does not revolve around you but your actions impact us all!

Hey JJ, I feel your frustration bro and am the same way when out on the trails with my son.

I also feel the same way about people driving too fast through parking lots when I'm walking with my wife and son. There are some real douchebags who won't yield, pretend you're not there, or cut it super close. But it doesn't mean that I hate everyone who drives a car through a parking lot.

Save it for the douchebags, then unload.

I hear ya. I wasn't talking to every mtb'r on the trails, just the douchebags, they know who they are.

The funny thing is that most people on flatland trails think of mountain bikers as goons that are fully padded wearing crash helmets and baggy clown clothes while bombing the trails. That is the fear image they get in their minds.

But the true douchbags they are most likely to encounter are usually lycra wearing racers trying to get good strava times on these family trails. At least those are the ones I have the most problems with when I'm out for an easy ride at Hodges. I don't know how many times I've been run off the trail by a lycra clad pack hell-bent on going as fast as they can. They usually have matching kit too.

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Velo Ergo Endo

Ha! Hodges has always been like that. Way back when the Mag 21 was THE suspension fork to have, on one fine Sunday afternoon, folks were out walking on the trails, moms, dads, kids, etc. when I accidently caused an entire 'paceline' group of NORBA-wannabe racer guys to fall over like a line of dominos, most of 'em still clipped in.

It was of course, an accident, nI would never intentionally do something like that, but they just came flyin' around one of those blind corners on the single track, about 1/2 mile from the dam, and something had to give, so to speak.

Nobody got hurt, nobody even got wet, but some of those fellas got mighty pissed.....they were waving those stick-arms that SERIOUS cyclists all seem to develop, and although it was an accident, and I was sorry as all heck, really, I was, I still couldn't help but laughing at the sheer spectacle they made.
Thanks for 'jogging' my memory!

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Scum on a Bike