Poll: Do You Have Any MTB Superstitions on Friday the 13th?
After breaking his chain straight out of the start gate, no curse could stop Aaron Gwin from winning the 2015 Leogang World Cup.
The number 13 was thought to be unlucky in Norse myths, where the trickster Loki was uninvited to a 12-person dinner party, arrived with vengeance as the 13th guest, and killed another god. So moody.
While the idea of Friday the 13th being unlucky is a more recent development, mountain bikers are a superstitious bunch. And it's not just over-analytical racers turning their number 13 plates upside down. A few Pinkbike staff have their own superstitions. So how do we make our own luck?
The valve stems are lined up on both bikes, but which positioning avoids flat tires - valves with the hot patch or the brand logo?
Tom Bradshaw believes that if you add to the chance of flatting a tire if the sidewall logo is not lined up symmetrically with the valve stem. On the other hand, Brian Park has seen the over-prepared/under-prepared hex too many times; if you bring a rain jacket, it’s likely you won’t need it, or conversely, if you don’t bring one, the dark clouds will open up on you.
Do you install a new chain for race runs or roll with the "don't fix what's not broken approach"? Christina Chappetta never changes her brake pads on race day in fear of them not bedding in perfectly, which is perfectly acceptable. I’ve made the mistake in the past and swapped them out the night before only to find that there was too much fluid in the system. That left me melting with fluid levels and inadequate tools, ultimately souring my race.
Greg Minnaar about to tie his shoes 'just so' as to steer clear of any bad luck.
Those superstitions aren’t too far from what some World Cup racers do on race day, or even in the start hut. Greg Minnaar once said in an interview that he takes his sweet time tying his shoes before a race run so the tension and length of the laces are identical, in hopes of avoiding any bad luck. Plus, there’s Troy Brosnan’s pre-race run pump up where he wildly shakes his hands. Joe Barnes was said to walk on one side of his bike at all costs in fear that he might get a flat tire - that's next level.
Finn Iles wasn't superstitious at Leogang last year. He finished 14th without too much drama.
Many freeriders implore their videographers to never say "one more take," and the well-used phrase “two more, skip the last” is a way to avoid saying “last lap,” even though crashes are statistically more likely to happen on your first run. So, keep that in mind and be sure to abide by all of your superstitions on Friday the 13th. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that Whistler's season opener was delayed from today to next week.
What MTB superstitions do you have?
Author Info:
Member since Mar 16, 2001
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
If you aren't willing for 2 more, you probably don't have the gas for one more.
Since I don't ride park more than 10-15 days a year, sometimes it's hard to say "I'm done", but actually you know when you're tired and if in last 2 or 3 laps you started to make more and more little mistakes eventually you will make a big one sooner than later
Another one is jumps, if I'm not feeling them that day I won't push myself to hit/send them, I'll hit the lines with tables and squash them before feeling uncomfortable getting in the air.
This is science not superstition.
But,
karma has repaid me with a birthday badluck curse.. Car crashes, splitting with girls an two major bike crashes resulting in a week in hospital an months of recovery.. Among other shitluck B'day stories.
I'm typing this, recovering from two bruised black heels, Yuge black hematoma from knee to hip, smashed ribs and a broken dislocated wrist......
Life sucks wear a helmet
Thats not a hex, or superstition, or luck, that's called Sods law. Damned if you do, Damned if you don't. Always happens. It's why I won't ride to a mates 5 minutes away without a helmet. And won't go offroad without knee pads.
Naturally speaking - 13 weeks per season (temperate areas); 13 actual months a year between full moon (ie - the word "month" directly from from time between full moons or "moonth"; countless plant species with 13 veins (and as botanist I've check on this - too many to name); 13 segments on turtles backs - the list goes on
Societally speaking: 13 is a prime # and invisible by anything but 1 and itself; 13 is the 7th number of the Fibonacci sequence; 13 original US states & July 4 is purposefully 13 days after the summer solstice; #13 shown 13 times on the dollar bill. I'm not religious but Jesus / Disciples = 13 dudes. Original astrology was 13 signs because the Julian / Gregorian calendar didn't exist then
Realistically the only unlucky thing about 13 is that people don't actually know it's natural and human-made "lucky" origins.
There probably brainwashing us er something
Learning our every move
before ya know it we’ll be spending large sums of money,
On bike parts that’ll take months or even years to arrive
-Marion G. Harmon
- Always right side first when getting dressed to ride. Right leg into the pants first. Right arm into the jersey before the left. Right shoe on first. Right glove on first. And the bike is on my right as I get onto it. That way, in my head everything is alright.
- Never, ever say “one more run”. Always call it done at the bottom of the unspoken last run.
- Before sending something big and/or scary touch wood. If no wood is available at the time (not very often in a forest), 2 light knocks on my head with my right fist does the trick.
Superstition is for the weak of mind.