# Is the skier and mountain biker mentality similar?



## Greg (May 4, 2009)

I always felt there are a lot of similarities between skiing (specifically in the trees) and MTB. Are people who ski more likely to take to MTB than your average Joe? If so, is the reverse also true?


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## RootDKJ (May 4, 2009)

I'm not sure on this one.  Over on mtbnj.com, there are many more bikers who don't participate in winter sports.  I got "yelled" at for mtb being a secondary sport.


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## Greg (May 4, 2009)

RootDKJ said:


> I got "yelled" at for mtb being a secondary sport.



That's so lame. What? You're not "core" enough. :roll: Weak.


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## RootDKJ (May 4, 2009)

Greg said:


> That's so lame. What? You're not "core" enough. :roll: Weak.


I guess so.  I could care less as skiing is my "core" sport.

There's actually a bunch of folks over there who gave up snow sports in favor or riding.  Nuts!:blink:


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## Gremf (May 4, 2009)

Tough question.  Been skiing since I was seven, XC Skiing since 16, snowboarding since 30, and took up MTB at 40.  MTB is primary to me primarily due to accessibility and the fact I can almost ride year round, except when the snow is too deep, then it's XC skiing.  It's hard trying to disappear for a day or weekend when you have kids to go skiing since one them skis now.  Next year all three kids will be skiing.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (May 4, 2009)

does stuff get tracked out when you mountain bike???  Does the early bird get the worm???  Plus mountain biking is free once you have the bike..I don't know how it could be the same..I see mountain biking as more similar to hiking..you can just go at whatever time you want and not have to worry about crowds or the resort being closed due to weather..


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## Greg (May 4, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> does stuff get tracked out when you mountain bike???  Does the early bird get the worm???  Plus mountain biking is free once you have the bike..I don't know how it could be the same..I see mountain biking as more similar to hiking..you can just go at whatever time you want and not have to worry about crowds or the resort being closed due to weather..



Tracked out, no. But trails that are heavily ridden and eroded aren't as fun as the ones that are fresher. Actually, really new trails are tricky too.

Stuff is always breaking down on an MTB so it's not "free" after you get the bike, but yes, overall it is a lot cheaper. I guess MTing is more similar to turn earning/AT than it is lift-serviced skiing.


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## RootDKJ (May 4, 2009)

Riding after a race has chewed up the trails all morning can get a little dicey at times, but it maybe only happens once or twice a season.  

Riding after a Trail Maintenance day is great!

I see no reason to get up at O'dark-ugly to go mountain biking like I do for skiing.  If I have something that pressing to do that day, I'll just blow off going for a ride.  

Ski slopes are much more crowded than bike trails.


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## Marc (May 4, 2009)

Greg said:


> I guess MTing is more similar to turn earning/AT than it is lift-serviced skiing.



Just about to chime in with this.

There's also the whole self sufficiency parallel.


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## deadheadskier (May 4, 2009)

Greg said:


> I always felt there are a lot of similarities between skiing (specifically in the trees) and MTB. Are people who ski more likely to take to MTB than your average Joe? If so, is the reverse also true?



I know for me, when I took up MTB in HS it was 100% because I was looking for a complimentary sport to skiing.  The downhills did quench my off season ski jones considerably, the uphills, not so much.  Maybe I'll get back into again someday, but as of right now I don't have that great of a desire to make the necessary investment.

As to whether skiers take to MTB and vice versa.  I'm not so sure a compelling argument can be made; though BC skiers there might be.

Hard to tell how many 'real' mountain bikers are out there; and I don't mean 'real' ala the 'real skier' thread .   What I'm saying is that like most SUVs, I'd be willing to bet that most MTBs stay on pavement or bike paths and aren't utilized to their full capabilities.   Or like other pieces of exercise equipment are purchased for fitness then sit in people's basements collecting dust.

In general I would think a much higher percentage of people who purchase MTBs do so with fitness in mind than those who take up skiing.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (May 4, 2009)

Greg said:


> Tracked out, no. But trails that are heavily ridden and eroded aren't as fun as the ones that are fresher. Actually, really new trails are tricky too.
> 
> Stuff is always breaking down on an MTB so it's not "free" after you get the bike, but yes, overall it is a lot cheaper. I guess MTing is more similar to turn earning/AT than it is lift-serviced skiing.



One of the things that has kept me from Mountain Biking is all the maintenence required..I just leave my skis in my car all season and have a friend wax/sharpen them occasionally..with M-Biking you need a spare tire and all kinds of tools..but with M-Biking..other than the temperature, does starting early in the day make a difference like skiing..I like to ski fresh cord on non powder days..is there a M-Biking equivelent where the early bird gets the worm..


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## Greg (May 4, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> One of the things that has kept me from Mountain Biking is all the maintenence required..I just leave my skis in my car all season and have a friend wax/sharpen them occasionally..with M-Biking you need a spare tire and all kinds of tools..but with M-Biking..other than the temperature, does starting early in the day make a difference like skiing..I like to ski fresh cord on non powder days..is there a M-Biking equivelent where the early bird gets the worm..



The learning curve early on with figuring out what you need to take along, as well as figuring out how to fix minor break-downs/flats is part of the appeal, and is an example of Marc's "self sufficiency" comment. Take 2knees for example. On his first ride he showed up with a bike, and one 20 oz. Poland Spring bottle. He learned quick that wasn't enough. :lol: Everything you need for a several hour ride fits in a decent sized hydration pack.

As far as time of day, it doesn't really matter as far as the trail surface goes. Recent weather (i.e. rain or not) impacts the trails more. I like early morning/evening though. Cooler, less riders and more chances of seeing wildlife, plus it doesn't eat up the middle of the day and you can get other things done.


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## RootDKJ (May 4, 2009)

I don't think the maintenance requirements are that demanding.  Learn how to change a flat = 5 minutes.  Cleaning the drivetrain can be a little more complicated, espically when living in an apartment.  

The shop I got my bike from, includes lifetime general maintenance (which is mostly just cable adjustments, and brake inspections).


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (May 4, 2009)

bump


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## JD (May 4, 2009)

For most people skiing is a lift served activity.  MTB for most people is an "earn your turns" activity.  BC skiing appealed to me becasue it was more like XC MTBing.  Descending is very much the same.  You have 2 contact points instead of an edge, but I think the "eye" for it is the same.  Most skiers just don't get the same aerobic workout as MTBers do.  Like greg said, 3 hours of MTB wears him out like skiing bumps all day.  Of all the things I love to do, hard MTB rides kick my butt like no other.  Today i was laying on my back seeing stars at the top of the last climb...felt amazing.  I never get that blown up skiing or boating.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (May 5, 2009)

I sort of feel like mountain bikers are more core than skiers..mainly due to the tight clothing and technical savvy when it comes to repairing gear on the flash.  Skiers who also partake in mountain biking are a type of elite class of extreme athletes who pretty much walk on air.

  Root who is both a mountain biker, skier and also loves to smoke meats had a zipper malfunction at Blue mountain the true mountain..I skied a run without him and back at the top he told me how a pack of snowlerbladers with backpacks had the right tools to fix his zippers and also gave him a beer.  That sort of thing never happens to me because I'm not a mountain biker so there's no way I could share that mentality.  I have Mountain biked in the past.  In college I picked up a neon Orange Moran for $150 and cruised around Burlington VT and the UVM campus...unfortunately it was stolen about a year after I purchased it and luckily I still had my Rollerblades..

In college I always thought the mountain bikers were more core than the skiers..skiers would want to sleep in unless it was an uber duber fantabulous heady dank powder day..while mountain bikers would ride around naked during finals week and get mad steezy air off of everything..true urban riding but with hills..I sort of have to say that skiers who mountain bike and also longboard or use those carving rollerblades that the Epicskiers love are the most core..yet their mentality is different...more toward efficientcy..sort of like a triathelite(sp?)..so the mentality is gonna varry based on the number of sports a uber gnarly multisport summer winter spring summer or fall.,,James Taylor loving outdoor enthusiast 20 extra points for a Volvo, Saab, Subaru driver with a green VT plate..extra points for ski the east bumper stickers..double extra points for ski today work tomorrow bumper sticker..Triple word score for bike and skis on the same roof-rack!!!!


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## JD (May 5, 2009)

Steeze...are you a golfer?


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## RootDKJ (May 5, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I sort of feel like mountain bikers are more core than skiers..mainly due to the tight clothing and technical savvy when it comes to repairing gear on the flash.  Skiers who also partake in mountain biking are a type of elite class of extreme athletes who pretty much walk on air.
> 
> Root who is both a mountain biker, skier and also loves to smoke meats had a zipper malfunction at Blue mountain the true mountain..I skied a run without him and back at the top he told me how a pack of snowlerbladers with backpacks had the right tools to fix his zippers and also gave him a beer.  That sort of thing never happens to me because I'm not a mountain biker so there's no way I could share that mentality.  I have Mountain biked in the past.  In college I picked up a neon Orange Moran for $150 and cruised around Burlington VT and the UVM campus...unfortunately it was stolen about a year after I purchased it and luckily I still had my Rollerblades..
> 
> In college I always thought the mountain bikers were more core than the skiers..skiers would want to sleep in unless it was an uber duber fantabulous heady dank powder day..while mountain bikers would ride around naked during finals week and get mad steezy air off of everything..true urban riding but with hills..I sort of have to say that skiers who mountain bike and also longboard or use those carving rollerblades that the Epicskiers love are the most core..yet their mentality is different...more toward efficientcy..sort of like a triathelite(sp?)..so the mentality is gonna varry based on the number of sports a uber gnarly multisport summer winter spring summer or fall.,,James Taylor loving outdoor enthusiast 20 extra points for a Volvo, Saab, Subaru driver with a green VT plate..extra points for ski the east bumper stickers..double extra points for ski today work tomorrow bumper sticker..Triple word score for bike and skis on the same roof-rack!!!!


You crack me up.  Have one on me!:beer:


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (May 6, 2009)

JD said:


> Steeze...are you a golfer?



casual golfer..maybe 15 rounds a year..


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## JD (May 6, 2009)

Mmmhhmm.


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## ski_resort_observer (May 7, 2009)

For downhill biking it depends on the dificulty of the trail your on. In general I think downhill mountain biking requires constant focus as even an easy trail it's not smooth like skiing a green groomer. Downhill biking is not free since the bikes don't have the gears to go uphill so you need a lift or some other method to get to the point where you want to head downhill. 

Personally I think downhill mountain biking is safer in that you won't get creamed by some idiot driver who is not paying attention when you bike along a road. I see alot of road bikers on roads with no shoulder, an accident waiting to happen IMHO. You can end up with alot of scrapes downhill mountain biking, even  broken bones but that's safer than the risk of getting hit by a car. I have no stats but I assume more people are killed road biking than downhill mountain biking. 

Resorts that offer downhill biking do have bike patrollers(usually ski patrollers) that can be dispatched quickly if you have a serious crash.


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## amf (May 7, 2009)

core??? who needs core?  

For me, skiing is more akin to climbing, specifically trad climbing.  Up until 5 yrs ago, 90% of my skiing was bc - I love the mental challenge of having to find a route on the downhill (or uphill, for that matter), thru whatever obstacles confront you.  On-piste skiing, and by extension sport climbing, tends to be on established trails / runs / routes that, for me, takes a lot of the mental challenge away.  Mtn biking seems to fall into the "on-piste" side of life - your route is pre-determined.


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## JD (May 7, 2009)

amf said:


> core??? who needs core?
> 
> For me, skiing is more akin to climbing, specifically trad climbing.  Up until 5 yrs ago, 90% of my skiing was bc - I love the mental challenge of having to find a route on the downhill (or uphill, for that matter), thru whatever obstacles confront you.  On-piste skiing, and by extension sport climbing, tends to be on established trails / runs / routes that, for me, takes a lot of the mental challenge away.  Mtn biking seems to fall into the "on-piste" side of life - your route is pre-determined.



Good analogies.  Building MTB trails is where the route finding/problem solving side of it comes in.  And a bunch of other stuff that's more like landscaping then anything else.


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