Hillcapper, on 30 April 2012 - 05:03 PM, said:

I'm not arguing with either of them, if you really think my recommendation that people watch videos is arguing with them LOL that is all

the truth hurts sometimes

MrBlahh, on 30 April 2012 - 05:33 PM, said:

Come on, man up to what you've been posting!  You are saying to watch videos to prove your point that most off-road pro's stand up virtually all the time, which is simply not true.  You've got a multi Enduro champ and other Enduro and Hare Scramble winners telling you different and you still maintain your position based on the fact that you like to stand and 'cannot ride sitting down' and basically anybody that sits down just needs to get in shape.  The only other evidence you offer is that you see the pro's standing on videos?  Ever wonder how you get a three hour race down to a one hour video?  Editing.....so sorry a video doesnt tell the whole story.  You live in NC, did you go to Steele Creek and walk a bunch of sections and see how much the pro's sit or stand?  For the record I am not a race winner, I'm a C class geezer, I like to stand a lot but have no intention of standing all the time and no I dont think thats a bull#$%@ excuse for my being out of shape.

This might not solve anything, but it's a cool vid.

http://www.digitalof...l-enduro-video/

Hillcapper, on 30 April 2012 - 05:46 PM, said:

I'm not arguing with you, all I'm saying again, is watch the race video's,  make your own determination

I cannot ride sitting down, so it's a moot point for me

Edited by MrBlahh, 01 May 2012 - 02:22 AM.

MrBlahh, on 01 May 2012 - 02:20 AM, said:

you are wrong, my friend. Like you I watch erzberg, last man standing and other long offroad racing on TV, and HD channels. How are you not seeing taddy blazusiak, David Knight and others sitting ALOT?? i just don't understand how you are not seeing this.. you sir are simply wrong. Yes, they stand in tough stuff, but they sit way way more than you think. why don't you go watch some more youtube coverage of these events and get back to me.
places you sit.. 1-uphills 2-open field sections where you need to flick bike back and forth underneath you. 3-corners 4-sweeping corners 5-the start.. all the way except sometimes standing up a bit entering the corner if there are braking bumps. 6 -  WHENEVER THE HELL YOU CAN IN A 2 HOUR OR LONGER FAST RIDE/RACE.

mylsmkj, on 30 April 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:

one of many cool vids covering gncc..! Awesome stuff.  but the 1/2 of the coverage where you saw them sitting, even in fast sections.. was a total figment of your imagination! It didn't happen, your eyes were playing tricks on you according to some replying to this topic.

Edited by MELK-MAN, 01 May 2012 - 06:31 AM.

I would suggest someone enter the race, ride the course and then make their own determination, but speaking of video, here's a real good one I found of a VCHSS race that I'm trying to work into my vacation schedule this year -> http://offroadjunkie...chss-race-edit/

bg10459, on 01 May 2012 - 10:38 AM, said:

computer aided cinematic trickery i say! all that sitting in many of those sections by fast guys was smoke and mirrors!! cool video. I WISH we had terrain like that here in florida on a regular basis. A week without rain here and any trail that has more than 10 bikes go over it turns it to a dust fest..

Hey! I saw Lafferty sitting down in straight section for at least 30 yards, not 'hovering', butt firmly planted.  That dude needs to get in shape!

I think my buddy from GA and I might do the Rad Dad next year, and yes I will sit every chance I get.  As soon as someone knows the date please post it!

MrBlahh, on 30 April 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

MrBlahh, why are you saying "I cannot ride sitting down." ?
Everyone can ride sitting down.

Edited by dmikel, 04 May 2012 - 04:26 AM.

dmikel, on 04 May 2012 - 04:20 AM, said:

I don't think he means he doesn't have the skill.  I'm pretty sure it's a comfort thing - back, butt, leg problems, etc.  Heck, it could be hemorrhoids.  Does it matter?  I am trying to stand more when I ride, but honestly it's mostly for the exercise.  I don't feel any more or less in control.

dmikel, on 04 May 2012 - 04:20 AM, said:

I cant I have a bad back, disk problems,  no pain if I ride standing

I try to stand more rather than less.....but that is more for conditioning when I'm just out riding the trails.  Did my first XC/Harescrambles ever last year, and sat when I could to conserve energy....stood when it made sense to do so for the terrain.  Even still, my quads were starting to cramp by the end of 2.5 hours and 4 laps of the 11km course.  Not bad for a 55 year old though, IMO. I was only 7 minutes behind my 17 year old nephew, so I done good!

And that was last year....I wasn't in as good a shape as I am starting this year.  Last year I started the riding season over 200 lbs.  This year I'm around 185!  Someone asked about training (you might be interested in my Dirt Bike Fitness Odyssey blog posts).  I found the best training was to ride a lot!  Nothing like practicing for real.  Though during the winter I did have to resort to gym workouts.  Skipping is phenomenal for your aerobic capacity! You can spike your heartrate with a skipping rope faster than with anything else, in my experience.  Lots of leg work obviously, to help with being able to stand near the end of a race.

I also ride a few times a week on my trials bike.....no sitting down on that, at least not while you're moving!

I'm really looking forward to this years XC series, since I'm in better shape than ever and with an early/dry Spring, our riding season has started early than ever.

This thread was interesting....till the pissing match started.  Oh well....typical forum behaviour.  So it goes....I'm going riding.  And yes....I'll be standing.  But I'll be sitting too!  Unless I decide to ride the GasGas trials bike instead of the YZ250!

Edited by andrzej, 04 May 2012 - 08:35 AM.

After i started this thread and read everyone's opinions, I started changing up my riding style a bit (testing) to try some things out.  I started standing 80+% of the time, when as before I was probably around 50% give or take.  After riding standing most of the time, even at cruising speeds, I felt like I didn't wanna sit down as much.  It was actually starting to feel a bit outta place sitting down.  Not in fast turns of course, but even in alot of turns I was crouching down really low, weighting the outside peg and feeling pretty good about it!  My ass doesn't get chapped now either

So with all that being said, since I've gotten faster this year, I like standing most of the time.  I'm faster, I have more control, I'm not feeling every bump, I'm more comfortable, but also, when there's fast, sharp corners, or opened up sections, I will still sit down.  For me, I train alot at the gym, always have and always will, so it doesn't bother me to stand the majority of the ride, its actually alot easier on my body

I have rookie, lazy friends that I ride with that have no skill whats so ever and I notice they sit the WHOLE time we ride!!!  Even when they should be standing.  I try to tell them to stand up more often because it w/ help w/ your speed and technique in rough sections you should be blasting thru, but they still don't get it!

Hey GoonSquad....you sound like my long lost twin brother!  

Mirrors my experience. The fitter you are the better you ride. The more you ride, the fitter you get!

I have a good friend who we nicknamed Sir Stizalot.  But he's been seeing the fitness, weight loss and improved riding skills that some of us others have accomplished over the past year and so he's starting to stand more.  It's a gradual process....you don't go from 100% on your ass to mostly standing right away....you have to work up to it and get fit enough to stand more.  A bunch of us razzing him about sitting all the time probably has helped too!  He's lost over 20 lbs as a result. We even gave him a sticker that said "Stay Up" (puns all intended ) which he stuck to the front of his gas tank, so it constantly reminds him to stand more.

When I get tired, I sit more.     Comes with the territory of being in your mid-50's.

Edited by andrzej, 04 May 2012 - 09:03 AM.

I stand in 2 positions: attack and "cruising". With the latter my legs are totally straight, like when standing on the ground. It's not good when the suspension is working, knees will suffer, but I can quickly change between the 2 positions. I'm not too fit, but I can ride in the "cruising" position for hours. For how long can you stand on the ground?

Hmm.. we can divide into two
1. racing
2. fun ride

In a race you are never "cruising" and you must somethimes sit to save energy.
Fun ride - you can stand 99% as MrBlahh said , because after hard sections you can cruise (or make a stop) and rest your legs, arms, back.... Best example in the vids from Hawaii riders, after some big hillclimbs they are waiting (resting) for the others.

Edited by dmikel, 06 May 2012 - 12:58 PM.

MrBlahh, on 04 May 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

sorry to hear that.. but PLEASE stop telling everyone that the best way to ride is standing nearly all the time. For YOU standing is best nearly all the time due to your physical ailments. YOU have back pain if you sit.. MOST OF US DON'T have back problems and CAN sit when possible. Even riders that MAY likely be faster than you (no offense-i don't know you, don't know how fast you are but im reasonably friggin fast in the woods) sitting when possible and standing when needed is usually the best way to for long offroad rides and races.

Edited by MELK-MAN, 07 May 2012 - 06:42 AM.

No, I disagree with you

MrBlahh, on 07 May 2012 - 07:44 AM, said:

I cant believe this thread is still going!  I dont know MrBlahh (who is a fellow North Carolinan), where he races, what class or how he finishes.  I am beginning to believe though that he is simply screwing with us and doing a very good job of it!  He offers no evidence that standing virtually all of the time makes you a better, faster rider.  Maybe he is on to something new and he should start coaching all of those pro's who sit quite often during races (all of them) and are obviously way out of shape (according to his belief in an earlier post) his advice.  Stand all the time (except for the occasional turn) and you will be a better rider.  If you cant stand all the time then get your butt in shape so that you can!

Unbelievable....

Good post dmikel and so true.  When I'm out riding with the buddies I do stand more than in a race, cause we do stop occasionally.  No stopping in a hare scramble unless the elegant dismounts that I have count as stopping and resting!

I can't believe its still going too! I'm gonna stop following it so my phone will stop blowing up. Stand when needed, sit whenever you can, end of story. Or, I have an idea, do whatever the F makes you comfortable on YOUR bike!!  Ha