RIP XC?

Calvin27

Eats Squid
It's not just death of XC. Most racing has declined relative to the proportion of participants. This is certainly the case and road racing and stuff like track as well. XC is just hardest hit. Part of the reason is because racing is falling out of flavor - why race when you can hang up your bike and make a nice day of riding with mates - you still come out cooked and have a great time. most new entrants to the sport have no intention of competing ever. Maybe an event to challenge yourself but that's it. Testament to this if that these days the events that do well tend to be gravel grind category. Folks make a day of it and you get some nice fueling stops in the middle of nowhere to make it worth your coin.
 

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
XC simply isn't trendy these days; people just want to jump off shit and that's reflected in the bikes being sold - the big sellers are medium to longish-travel bikes.

Covid and the resulting paranoia/hysteria has probably put the final nails in some events' coffins, but it's been a declining scene for years. I haven't "raced" for over four years, for a range of reasons, so admittedly I'm a contributor to the decline, but even back then, numbers were shrinking. I only ever did a few short-format races (crits & XCO) because that wasn't my strength, instead focusing on the multi-hour endurance stuff, but those races haven't happened for a few years now.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
people just want to jump off shit

Until the time to jump off shit is right up in their face...then the b-lines come out. Or so it appears around here where the b-line is king!

Also a recently bit of professional track building was bulldozed and remediated because the xc cry baby crew kicked up enough of a stink about all the new jumps ruining their xc loop. Was a wierd scenario..
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
In summary: roadie culture sucks.

(which is a shame as even a half decent road bike is a heap of fun to ride)
When I got my first roadie i kept making the mistake of saying hello to other roadies I passed. I quickly learned the trick is look at their bike and gear - if theirs is lesser than mine, ignore them with a sneer, and if its better pretend to have not seen them and ignore them. Its the roadie way.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
When I got my first roadie i kept making the mistake of saying hello to other roadies I passed. I quickly learned the trick is look at their bike and gear - if theirs is lesser than mine, ignore them with a sneer, and if its better pretend to have not seen them and ignore them. Its the roadie way.
Roadies from the city are a very odd bunch. The roadie folk that come out here to play on our hills all seem to be socially retarded...
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Roadies from the city are a very odd bunch. The roadie folk that come out here to play on our hills all seem to be socially retarded...
It is odd. Now I get the whole idea of getting out on the bike to be away from humans, but I'm not quite so far out on the spectrum to not say hello to the fellow bike person out on the road/trail.

I think its more about roadies tend to more people in it for the exercise/fitness/sports/personal development etc etc, whereas mountain bikes are more in it for the sheer fun of it.
 
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silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
It is odd. Now I get the whole idea of getting out on the bike to be away from humans, but I'm quite so far out on the spectrum to not say hello to the fellow bike person out on the road/trail.

I think its more about roadies tend to more people in it for the exercise/fitness/sports/personal development etc etc, whereas mountain bikes are more in it for the sheer fun of it.
The mob I ride with around here aren't really mountain bikers (and typically 60 plus) and the trails around here are remote firetrails...so it's mostly road these days for me and almost entirely for the social connection. The only reason we bunch up is so everyone can participate in the conversation. The Wednesday evening time trial the more serious roadies do up one of the local roads is still largely a chat fest.
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
He was…but he’s noted over the last few years that the people he knew who where avid XC racers are now mainly riding trail bikes for fun or have moved into GE racing.
thats easy then, as they get older take use of the formula
momentum = (mass). (velocity)
as you get heavier GE is the natural progression, look at paul VdP , increased body weight makes u faster

there is just no equivalent for roadies, i guess they get grumpier? or take up eMTB
 

moorey

call me Mia
thats easy then, as they get older take use of the formula
momentum = (mass). (velocity)
as you get heavier GE is the natural progression, look at paul VdP , increased body weight makes u faster

there is just no equivalent for roadies, i guess they get grumpier? or take up eMTB
Nope. It’s the super fit young XC whippets moving to GE. They train road and XC riding, but race GE.
Conversely, the older heavier gentleman are taking up E..across various disciplines….including breaking trend and racing EXC.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Shouldn't that be eXC ?

Regardless, it's hilarious that is even a thing... me and my battery, we're faster than you and your battery...

Phark, what hope have we got
Yep. Unless you have standard power and battery, it seems a bit pointless IMHO.
(I hear the same arguments against any acoustic bike categories where you can ride a $500 shitter against a $15000 Uberbike, but I don’t see it as the same)
My 13yo daughter is e-ing the state EXO round this weekend rather than sit around while Felix and I ride. Only one category, combined m/f open, but just doing it for something to do. 90min EXO means you can surely run boost the whole race, rather than have some form of racecraft conserving power to get you through a long race.
 

Art Vanderlay

Hourly daily
We had a good run with the 6 hour endurance series here in Vic. Numbers were good, dwindling a little towards the end which coincided with covid to put an end to those. A couple have popped up since, but again numbers low.
Still a few endurance events about that I can think of Odyssey, Cattlemen. The few Audax gravel rides I have done have been enjoyable and more relaxing.
I have no interest in the gravity, enduro, downhill stuff. I just like doing long rides.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
Same. I just have no interest in paying a chunk of money and driving a long distance to do it under race conditions Even though I will pay more, and drive further for gravity enduro
What’s the TT? Chopped liver?
 
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