What's a Newbie?

[Team Smitty]

Originally Posted by Pato

I've never surfed and know nothing about it so I have no idea what a squid is. Your comparison of a downhiller to a surfer with a ""Locals Only" mentality, a false sense of entitlement to something they can never own." is completely off base. While there will always be a bad seed here and there, this is NOT the norm. Especially not here on this board.

I wasn't sure whether you were joking or not with the lack of emoticons. I don't know you and your sense of humor, or lack thereof, so I gave you the benefit of the doubt. Please don't make those generalizations when a new member is asking a question. It gives them the impression that we are some kind of clique that doesn't like to share the trails.

You are correct. We will never own the trails. No one will. STR members will never exclude or prevent anyone from riding the trails we ride. On the contrary, we've always welcomed them with open arms.

OK, I'll get off the soap box now.

To the original poster. Smitty, sorry to have hijacked your thread.

I'm assuming by "newbie" you mean a beginner rider and not new to the group. If so, my definition of a Newbie is someone who is relatively new to the sport and is just learning the ropes. For example, how to use the shifters properly or ride something slightly more technical than a flat fire road. Not all newbies are equal so it's hard to have a clear cut definition.

On the one hand, you can have a newbie who's very athletic and picks things up quickly and ride right along with the intermediates. On the other hand, you can have a former couch potato who has to take a break every quarter of a mile on a flat paved road. Both are welcome and fit in with our group.

Then there are those who have been riding for years and still can barely stay upright and I still consider a newbie. ie. STR member Cougar Bait. He'll make any first time rider look like a pro if you ride next to him.

Duc

I started this thread thinking the STR community would come to an agreed upon definition of a “Newbie” or maybe a few levels of newbies, so when there is an organized ride we can all understand what the skill and physical requirements will be for that ride.
The motto “No one left behind” doesn’t work in all situations.

Jokes are always welcome and the sense of humor on this site is hilarious (to me).

It wasn’t intended as a forum to flame-out on each other.


Smitty

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by Team Smitty

I started this thread thinking the STR community would come to an agreed upon definition of a “Newbie” or maybe a few levels of newbies, so when there is an organized ride we can all understand what the skill and physical requirements will be for that ride.
The motto “No one left behind” doesn’t work in all situations.

Jokes are always welcome and the sense of humor on this site is hilarious (to me).

It wasn’t intended as a forum to flame-out on each other.


Smitty

This is my best attempt at being serious. There is no way to categorize what a M-Bike n00b is.............

I have been riding M-bikes for almost 20 years and I am an n00bie in many ways.

Downhilling = n00b

CC racing = n00b

etc........

You can take a rider that can spin the F-loop 2 times at neck break speed without breaking a sweat and put him on a more technical trail and he is a n00b.

Me thinks........if someone is going to post a ride all you need is the trail and pace (Slow, Moderate, Fast).

I will try and describe the trail or better yet a geoladders link. Type of bike I will be riding and the pace. Very rarely is there an issue. I have riding buds that are just about the same as me, others that are way faster and some slower. As long as everone is on the same page it is all good

[Vickie]

....is when you are racing the Counting Coup - Like I was March 1st, you get a rear flat - like I did on March 1st, and you've never changed a rear flat - meaning you don't know how to put your rear wheel back on - like happen to me on March 1st!! THAT's A Newbie

[allison]

Originally Posted by Team Smitty

I started this thread thinking the STR community would come to an agreed upon definition of a “Newbie” or maybe a few levels of newbies, so when there is an organized ride we can all understand what the skill and physical requirements will be for that ride.
The motto “No one left behind” doesn’t work in all situations.

Riding newbie, forum newbie? What kind? You can be new to the forum and ride better than 95% of us, and you clearly aren't a newbie rider.

Newbie rides are rides that we all do usually on shorter loops, sometimes easier trails, generally where the pace is slow and social and everyone hangs out afterward to talk about riding bikes.

No one should be concerned with going on a newbie ride unless they literally can't ride down the street safely. When we say "no drop" it's no drop.

Even when Justin and I do SART and Noble we don't drop anyone. Someone always waits at trail intersections and we make sure if anyone is going to bail they are familiar with the area or goes with someone that is.

Newbie rides don't generally require 3L of water, extra food, or a GPS

[surlygal]

I think Allison's points are right on.

I've tried to reply to this thread 5 times and get it into words.

Here's the problem:
DeeZee thinks he's a newb, I don't think so!
Plenty of my pals say i'm not a newb, i'm just slow.
I think i'm a newb!

It's all about how someone feels about their own riding skills.

STR - has a Newbie Ride Moto - *no one left behind*

That's great and all but, Ride leader/posters and Newbs also have a part in all this when posting regular rides.

The ride leader/poster - should be as descriptive as they can when choosing to post a ride on a public forum, ie: pace, terrian, time frame.If you don't post enough and someone shows up with no business being there, well that's you fault for not making the ride level clear

The Newb - should pay attention to those details and not show up for a ride they have no business being on.Thus turning a 4 hr ride into a 8 hr ride.That's not fair to the other riders.If your not sure ask questions, this is a public forum.

Easier said than done.I know!

Not sure if it's even possible to have an option when posting a ride to have a pace level in the module? If not WE should make it a habit to put the pace in the title.

Slow/Moderate/Fast are clear in my book - more clear than Newb (obviously - please refer to every post in this thread)

Okay now that i've made no sense again

What is the big deal? Newb or not aren't we all here to find some buds to ride with so were not riding alone or not at all?

[OMR]

Gene said it first and said it best and we live and sometimes die by this: We leave NO one behind on Newbie rides ... and this is what really separates us as a group from other biking groups...

See all you Noobs on the next Noobie (Marshall Canyon) Ride.

[hoovermd]

Well, after reading all the erudite responses I think you might be confusing a noob with someone who is out of shape or unfamiliar with the terrain

I believe that the classification of a newbie has more to do with the how, than the how fast.

First, if a ride is signed as a newbie ride I expect to wait. How long depends upon the fitness of the folks.
If the group has no-drop policy than that means that someone always stays in sight of the last rider. Doesn't matter how slow. No drop is no drop. That is why distance and pace are important to post.

Here are just a few examples of newbieness that we should expect on a newbie ride:

1) Stopping in the middle of a single track uphill.
2) Inability to restart on same.
3) No water on board.
4) No pump/tube/patch kit.
5) Inability to move from the granny gear into a taller one (or vise versa).
6) Inability to stop on a steep downhill.
7) Helmet inappropriately perched on the noggin.
8. Reluctance to ask for a hand.

None of these are insurmountable obstacles if we simply remember that the purpose of a newbie ride is for said noob to go away thinking that riding is fun and wanting to do more of it.

My 0.805477245 rupees worth...

[SheDevil]

...don't forget crying(once I chucked my bike into the bushes and sat down in the middle of the trail)...which I've done twice and I think it has to have something to do with following JOSE (shinken).

[art23rockpile]

Originally Posted by 1080P

A Newbie is to Mountain Biking what a Squid is to surfing. The difference is the Newbie, when climbing, always has the right of way to other riders. A Downhiller is similar to the surfer with the "Locals Only" mentality, a false sense of entitlement to something they can never own.

Quack!!!

[1080P]

Originally Posted by Vickie

....is when you are racing the Counting Coup - Like I was March 1st, you get a rear flat - like I did on March 1st, and you've never changed a rear flat - meaning you don't know how to put your rear wheel back on - like happen to me on March 1st!! THAT's A Newbie

Yer just a Newbie to getting your hands dirty fixing your own flat... you do clean and lube your own chain and drivetrain, don't you? You think a Nascar driver changes his own tires? That's what a pit crew is for. BTW, Congrats on your CC feather and exceeding your goals in that race.

[mr.hobbs]

I resemble 1/2 this list on almost every ride I do. In fact I choose to ride with others that are well prepared so I don't have to be bothered with all the extra weight.
I'm far removed from Newbee, yet sometimes I choose to ride in shorts that were pants when I left the house for the ride. Because I'm forgetfull and have the "run what you brung" mentality.
[quote=hoovermd;226258]


3) No water on board.
4) No pump/tube/patch kit.
5) Inability to move from the granny gear into a taller one (or vise versa).
7) Helmet inappropriately perched on the noggin.
8. Reluctance to ask for a hand.

[ezzyride]

I've been thinking about my reply before posting on here.

I don't now what a newbie is or any newbies. Wonder who thought of the descriptor "newbie". I think I am just exhuasted of hearing newbie etc.

1) I agree with Surlygal a good ride description and stating the pace is helpful. The time alloted for the ride very important, as well as exposure. People will make the right choices to the surpise of many newbies are very intelligent people.

2) Wrong Hoovermd I'd be considered a newbie. I am totally prepared on my rides. Have my spare tube, water, extra chain link, my tools and can change my own tire. As well as place my back tire back on my bike. Cell phone and pepper spray. Do some riding on my own. I know how to use my tools and get myself out of trouble. You rode with my Newbie 12 year old girl on Sunday at The Loop. Oh! and a shot of tequila in case things get rought out there.

3) Newbies appreciate the people that wait. Thou it's not expected. I do my trail research - I go out explore and ride. This way I am not holding anyone up. It keeps me from stressing from holding people up and I enjoy my ride at my slow pace.

4) Everyone enjoys the newbie rides and that's why everyone shows up. They just use us as an excuse to have the newbie rides.

5) The encouragement and skills are what make the newbie rides so successful. The truth is alot of good freindships happen on newbie rides. Because people aren't being competitive and concerned about riding faster than everyone else, on newbie rides.

6) Hoovermd true conditioning comes into play - but many newbies as well as my 12 year old kick butt. The great thing about STR is that many have been encouraged and have physically conquered some challenges, thanks to their STR peeps.

I say don't refer to people as newbies as like this person can't hang. Instead rate the rides and the trail and let people make a choice.

As leaders let people know if you show up and can't hang. We will ride you back to the trailhead or know your way to the trailhead.

It's just a ride!

Pato - sharing my secrets, coach potato, stopping evey quarter mile. I think I stop every mile, but I will give you quarter mile. Just remember I have your armour.

It's true most newbies are sandbagers.

Sweepers - haven't met a bad one, they usuall don't get involved in newbie threads. That's because they enjoy the ride fast or slow. At least that's what my daughter tells me me "Mom who cares fast or slow just riding is what matters".




-Elvia