Beginners at Comps

[JasonMudd]

I've only just started, but was curious as to what should a newbie expect in terms of technical challenge at comps (talking beginner level here)... I'd assume that it would be toned-down versions of sport level of course, but how much?

Challenge is cool, but way over your head is just... well, way over your head.

[AndyT]

It should be rideable by any cross country riders standard, nothing over 6" high- some pivoting would help but you should be able to go through them totally just by rolling.

[JasonMudd]

Woah - not what I was expecting at all (I figured there'd be much more challenge than that).

Thanks.

[Zyzzyx]

The sections I was riding in beginner last year, and the one's I've seen beside my sport sections this year, are a bit tougher than that description. I would be ready for rolling up/down something up to 12". Probably won't see that, but it could happen.

Biggest skill I would recommend working on is general balance and trackstanding on different settings. There were quite a few places where being able to trackstand and pivot a bit meant you could get through part of the section without dabbing.

Agreed though, you should be able to manage nearly every beginner section by rolling through.


I'm thinking that I should start documenting sections (of all difficulties) when walking through them prior to the comp. Might be a good collection of information for folks wondering what level they should start out at in competitions. Also a way to compare difficulty level between various regions and event coordinators. Hmm...

[Spacemunkee]

how big is the gap between beginner and intermediate? im thinking of starting comps i think ill be fine with intermediate but you never know..

[AndyT]

If the promotor isn't a fucking idiot, they will set to a technical XC riders abilities. I know on the east coast 20" logs weren't an issue on trails, but out here in colorgaydo they chop them down and the trails are all super smooth.

Beginner sections are supposed to get other riders interested in the sport, alot of times trials is free with an XC or DH registration- so the beginner course is for them to see what its all about.

[MikeTheBike]

This topic raises some interesting issues I've been thinking about since putting on the NATS#4 event here in Tennessee. I set four sections for Beginner and Sport classes that they then had to ride in three loops. I've always been of the opinion that these riders need the repition more than Expert and Pro (6 sections / 2 loops).

Anyway, I set these Beginner sections with the same idea as Andrew posted above: technical, tight-turned, nothing over 6-8 inches, rolling XC sections. I really thought most of the stuff might even be too easy. But then, as can be seen by the results, not one Beginner, 20" or 26", scored below 45 total (out of a max of 60). This really surprised me.

I'm not intending to disparage the Beginner riders. I'm very glad they all came out to my event and I'm even pretty close friends with a few of them. I was just very surprised that my sections were that hard. Admittedly, this was a stand-alone event so we didn't get any crossover from XC. I'm wondering if maybe the riders were too concerned with riding trials (i.e. hopping) than just rolling it out like they would on their XC bike.

I would really like to get some feedback on this. I know there are a few riders on this forum that came to my event. What did you all think of my sections?

[Spacemunkee]

[QUOTE=MikeTheBike] I'm wondering if maybe the riders were too concerned with riding trials (i.e. hopping) than just rolling it out like they would on their XC bike.[QUOTE]

when i first started riding natural i found i was more concerned with trying to do everything ont he backwheel and hopping all over the place.. but since ive been practicing the last few months its easier to roll everythingi rarely go on the back wheel .. so i can see how beginners would think its the best option hence the dabs

[oicdn]

Yeah...I think that'd be my issue if I entered....I'de try to be all "fancy" and rear wheel hop everything, and even try to front wheel up some stuff if I felt confident enough with it.....and in the end, I'de have dabs everywhere, whereas the guy behind my on an XC bike just rolled over everything and got none, LOL!

[planetary1]

Anyway, I set these Beginner sections with the same idea as Andrew posted above: technical, tight-turned, nothing over 6-8 inches, rolling XC sections. I really thought most of the stuff might even be too easy. But then, as can be seen by the results, not one Beginner, 20" or 26", scored below 45 total (out of a max of 60). This really surprised me.

I'm not intending to disparage the Beginner riders. I'm very glad they all came out to my event and I'm even pretty close friends with a few of them. I was just very surprised that my sections were that hard. Admittedly, this was a stand-alone event so we didn't get any crossover from XC. I'm wondering if maybe the riders were too concerned with riding trials (i.e. hopping) than just rolling it out like they would on their XC bike.

I would really like to get some feedback on this. I know there are a few riders on this forum that came to my event. What did you all think of my sections?
It sounds like your beginner sections were just right. Let's face it, trials is hard and comp trials is harder, even at the beginner level. That's what the beginner class is about, an introduction to competition, especially the different way you have to think about riding. Just learning how not to dab after the smallest error, and learning that 90% of your dabs are unnecessary. Getting used to chaining moves together, getting used to making sure to do it correctly the first time, knowing when and when not to rear wheel stuff, and being able to realize that a lot more things than you think are rollable, the list goes on. Ok so some of the riders got high scores, but the thing is to see how these same riders do the next time, probably much better.

One thing I don't get is why don't more XC riders try their luck at trials when there is a trials event held in conjunction with an XC event? Even with free or $5.00 entry into the beginner class with their XC entry they don't really do it.

[oicdn]

One thing I don't get is why don't more XC riders try their luck at trials when there is a trials event held in conjunction with an XC event? Even with free or $5.00 entry into the beginner class with their XC entry they don't really do it.
Cause they think it's a waste of money for getting embarrassed. Shit, if there were comps here, I'de be competing all over the place.....and I suck.....

[DaneBrammage]

One thing I don't get is why don't more XC riders try their luck at trials when there is a trials event held in conjunction with an XC event? Even with free or $5.00 entry into the beginner class with their XC entry they don't really do it.

Its such a different mentality. I used to ride with a guy who loved to haul ass down singletrack on his mtb, and he had tons of endurance too. He knew every trail in the vicinity by heart. I probably had 1/5th his ability to fly down a trail and then ride up it again. In the parking lot I wheelied onto my rear bumper and then sidehopped across it (this was before I even heard of bike trials) and this guy clapped his hands and thought that was cool but he wouldnt try it at all. Just refused.

Most people are in their 'bag' and dont like the feeling of not being good at something. They value their so-called prestige. For example that guy I mentioned hated it when I ever got in front of him on the singletrack! Seriously, he was coo-coo for competition. Another guy I rode mtb's with refused to try trackstanding at all, and for pretty much the same reasons.

[oicdn]

^^^ That's pretty shitty, they don't want to "dent thier image"....fags. It called trying things....but it's like you said, they hate being no good at things...

[bwagner]

I really thought most of the stuff might even be too easy. But then, as can be seen by the results, not one Beginner, 20" or 26", scored below 45 total (out of a max of 60). This really surprised me.
Mike, I think it's ok for beginners to get a lot of dabs. When i rode my first comp, I had been riding urban trials for almost a year, so i felt kinda confident. I got a TON of dabs because of the diversity of natural riding as opposed ti urban square-edged objects. After a few comps, i turned sport, and at the end of the year I turned expert. Well my first expert event was Motorama the following year. I quit riding trials after that because the expert sections were so hard, and i felt gay trying to go back down a class. I felt like a sandbagger!! The dabs attained at the early level of competeing should help the newer riders relise that dabs are ok, and also give them something to shoot for in that stage of thier riding ability. Also if you make the sections too easy, they'll try to move up too quick in classes and might get discouraged like most people would. I say leave them the way they are, and maybe even a little more challenging without being dangerous, but remember to keep them fun, that is after all why we all started doing this right? Keep up the good work

[rush]

The gap here in Australia (Victoria) is huge between intermediate and beginner. Its been a point of contention for quite some time. The lowest score i have in intermediate is 57 dabs, and that sucks.

Beginner here is pretty hard, its absolutely ridiculous considering you SHOULD be able to get through it on a 3 ring bike. If i had tried that on my beginner comps i wouldve wrecked my rings...and my ring probably.

I have no idea where this is leading......... bye.

[MikeTheBike]

Thanx for the feedback everyone.

[Bryan]

Yeah, but when they say no obstacles over 6", it's a lot different in layout from the other levels. In sport/expert/pro there are high obstacles separated by gaps or reasonably clean runup. In Beginner the ground essentially consists of the small obstacles, some of them approaching 6". In other words, it's not just stock with lower obstacles, it presents largely different challenges.