[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

Hey, did anybody here race in the Cranky Monkey mtn. bike series in 2003 (Virginia)? I think I might try some beginner races this year and was wondering how intense the competition is and so forth. (I'm a total beginner.) And what's the atmosphere like? Looking at the candid pictures from last year on the Cranky Monkey site, it looks like people were enjoying themselves and relaxing..... It won't be too much of gear wh*re parade, will it? I don't want to race a bunch of people in full spandex with shaved legs and all that....

Crankey Monkey Mtn. Bike Race Series

 

[Echo]

I dunno anything about that series. But if you're racing beginner, your goals should be learning about races, getting better, and moving up to sport, rather than worrying about competition and winning. When you're ready for competition you shouldn't be racing beginner any more.

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

Cool, thanks! I guess what I was wondering is this (and particularly about that series):

Do beginner racers tend to be people who just started mountain biking and just started racing, or people who have been mtn. biking for at least several years and just began racing? How does it work?

I just don't want to enter in a race as a beginner and find out I'm holding everybody up because they've been riding mtn. bikes for years but just started racing.... know what I mean?

I've ridden off-road as kid and now am returning to it after an 18- year hiatus where I focused on music. All the bike-handling skills I got as a kid are coming back to me, so it's not like I'm totally new to riding bikes on dirt... but I don't know if the level of competition is so high in racing these days that I'd be wasting everyone's time by showing up to a beginner race.

I bet someone is going to reply, "Just go out there and have fun!" I will!

Thanks everybody for your input in advance!