This summer, Evan Mant adopted an unusual training strategy. Partly out of necessity, and partly because it's outrageously fun, Evan has been destroying some of Whistler's gnarlier trails on his XC race bike—and it's been making him really fast on his bigger, squishier "E-word" bike. Evan was already producing consistent, good results in his first year racing enduro. He's been on the U21 podium more times than not—in local races, NAET, BCES, and CNEC races. But 1st place eluded him until last weekend's BCES/CNEC race in Revelstoke, where he beat the rest of the U21 field by an impressive margin. Coincidence? Not likely.
But don't worry kids, Evan still likes to ride his
#enduro bike sometimes... even on Whistler's local "XC" trails!
Whistler North mountain biking trails Whistler South mountain biking trails
MENTIONS:
@PeterWojnar /
@evanmant /
@NAETRacing / @bcenduroseries
Video was super cool, great to show that aspect of riding a MTB.
On the flipside, my wife only owns a hardtail. Getting her on a Bronson during a recent trip to NC did wonders for her confidence, both descending and climbing. Having a bike like that allows you to not sweat the small stuff on the trail, and now some of the features that looked super gnarly on her HT look more attainable.
Both bikes make you faster/better. The thing that makes you slower is stagnating and allowing yourself to get bored.
Again a kind of practice where you know what you do is the one that makes you good, no matter if it's math, mtb or tennis.
This Ht makes you a better fs rider is a term open to incredible variety of interpretations, of which the most false is that just riding ht in the woods makes you better as if by magic. Riding pumptrack, dirt jumps, flat ground sharpens your fundamental skills and is best done on HT.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/9787576
Now I'm (back) into 160 but I'm super curious on 100/100 as my second bike... actually a 29' HT with 100mm fork and "modern" geo as a training/mile eater bike would do me. However I'd go for a short knobbed tyres. I don't really get the trend: says 160 bike is too big, gets a HT or 120FS, puts 160 fork and minions on it... I've done that... it's ridiculous...
HT on trails: fun! Mega fun! But a tool for practice? Mnehemeh... Doing cornering drills on parking lot, manuals bunnyhops at some spot with logs, pumptrack, that will activate your lower body much more than riding ht on trails. To me it's just a lousy excuse to not do (or rather try) doing off-trail practice, which can be super fun too if you put your heart into it.
I actually got horny for riding ht this weekend...
I get your points about different bikes being ridden differently but see HT riding as a form of cross training. If you only every ride one bike you are going to be slower than if you ride many.
So again, never did I hate on the trails, just the video and riding wasnt as exciting as what I've seen by other riders in the same geographical area.