Fifty Plus (50+) - Stats question for mountain bike riders

Since getting back into cycling nearly three years ago, I've enjoyed keeping track of my rides. I like knowing how far each ride was, how many miles I've ridden in a given month or year, and the number of hours in a saddle. But then again, I ride on the road.

As I consider getting a bike to do some trail riding, I find myself wondering what stats, if any, people who ride off-road keep. I know I'd have to change my paradigm in terms of goals (which I also enjoy having and reaching). The only constant that seems to apply to both kinds of riding is "smiles per mile."

So, if you track anything at all, what do you track?

Fun

Fun

Okay, but how do you translate that into numbers so I can do an Excel spreadsheet? :D

I ride my mtb to spend the day on a bike off the road. I use it for a mental break from what can become the same old routine. I would never keep stats on my mtb for that reason. Just go out and enjoy the time in the woods.

Bruises, broken limbs, bent rims, abrasions.

That hill with a loose surface and the odd obstacle like Ramblers lying on the track with Tyre marks all over their back- How far can I get up with a 30 mph headwind- Rain Persisting down and the how deep are the ruts from the tractors that have been down it. How many rocks I can miss on the downhills. How many trees I can miss- You know the ones- the ones that suddenly jump out into the middle of the trail. and how many faceplants I can do down the 45 deg slope with the gnarled roots exposed from the rain.

I am treating offroad as a winter activity as I don't fancy Black Ice on the back roads- so I just just keep a mental track of how hard the trail is under the differing weather conditons. And IF I ever get to the stage where I walk more hills than I climb- I will start thinking of myself as a Roadie. Currently- I do not walk any hill.

If your looking for a miles/miles equivalency maybe the best way is to measure the time involved for equivalent miles and use that as a milage multiplier.

Problem with my Offroad, that may not be the case for you, is the weather. All of our rides take in a stiff climb and the easy one is a 15% for 1 mile. That gets us up onto the good stuff where we can start playing. Providing you have similar weather conditions- It is easy to equate milage to time and set a spreadsheat up. Even better if you can time the on the same route for a while. Notebook necessary- Or Garmin- but time to climb a hill to see how strength is coming on- Time to get through the technical track to see how skills are progressing and finally- How many dabs are done on technical singletrack to get through to see how confidence is coming along. Then there is the overall picture of average speed per ride with an allowance made for hill climb in ft.

No stats for me. I just ride. I challenge myself to find smoother lines through curves, to make it up steep, technical climbs, to ride more laps of favorite loops, to make it cleanly through rock gardens, to spill as little blood as possible ;). But I don't keep records of any of it.

although I will admit to having a cyclecomputer on the bike, it is for a practical purposes, worthless. You can't watch it and the trail, your speed is dictated by the trail conditions (and they change each time), distance is meaning less(because in most cases you have to finish what you start since you can't ride the trail backwards even if you want too)

I tend to look at the challenges made, making a climb I haven't cone before, not wussing out on a hard decent, jumping an obstacle, or not getting hurt(4 broken ribs so far)

Is this DG the mountain biker the same DG who won't go clipless due to fear of falling?

Is this DG the mountain biker the same DG who won't go clipless due to fear of falling?

TRAIL rider, Tom. TRAIL rider.

I tend to track time and distance for all rides, and I also note which bike I was on, and if the ride was acommute to work...Then I have a 'summary' page that tells me how many miles I rode in a month, how much time, how many commuter miles and so on.

Works pretty well-- although it is depressing to see the distance on the mountain bike when compared to the road bike for the same amount of time...

train safe--

I only know about the time and mileage, and all mtb rides I do have a lot of climbing. The average speeds on the mtb are slower by at least half of a hilly road ride. I have an 18 mile all fire road ride that takes 3 hours, a 35 mostly fire road ride that takes 5 hours, an 18 mile single track ride that takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and a brutal, 33 mile fire road/single track/creek bottom ordeal that takes over 7 hours. That's the one I crashed on in October.
There are a lot more variables off road than on, so it's harder to compare them than road rides.
I also carry more stuff on the mtb, as well as the bike being heavier.

Everytime you return home without something broken, cut or sprained give yourself one point.

Everytime you return home without something broken, cut or sprained give yourself one point.

I've ridden on and off road for more than 20 years and the crash I had in October was the first of any consequence ever on the mtb. I have not had a friend end up in the hospital from a off road crash, wish I could say that about the road. Road biking is much more dangerous than off roading. Just take the time to learn some skills and don't ride over your abilities, or,as in my case, get complacent.

Why not keep the same stats as you do on your other bikes....but add the
name of the ride? Then you can monitor your improvements on each trail.

This assumes that after a while you'll find some favorite trails and frequent them.

Why not keep the same stats as you do on your other bikes....but add the
name of the ride? Then you can monitor your improvements on each trail.

This assumes that after a while you'll find some favorite trails and frequent them.

+1

I collect all my data with the Garmin and download it under a different bike.

No stats for me. I just ride. I challenge myself to find smoother lines through curves, to make it up steep, technical climbs, to ride more laps of favorite loops, to make it cleanly through rock gardens, to spill as little blood as possible ;). But I don't keep records of any of it.

DG - you'll find that MTBers have a different frame of mind than roadies. It's not about the mileage (what else do roadies have?) it's about the challenges and conquering fear (well maybe that's a strong word). My friend would say I keep stats in how many "punches" my medical insurance card has. And I have lots of scars to show for it. I remember after one particularly nasty spill, on a very steep, rocky descent, I tore open my elbow (I eventually required 6 stitches) and was bloody elbow to toe. As I was being attended to, riders coming up the trail seeing the blood gave me the high sign. Like "You go Girl! We are proud you aren't screaming!".

If you have to keep up the mileage thing - I usually rate it 2 to 1 on easy trails and 3 to 1 on hard. For instance, if doing North Ridge in Chino Hills with has 2000' of climbing in 10 miles, I would give myself 30 miles on bike journal.

Journaling is part of the fun (for me)!

Miles and mph have creeped up over the years... and, as I've several favourite routes and loops, point to point elapsed times gives me some motivation and feedback.

This last year, 3K mountain miles and 12-20% reduction in "established" point to point elapsed times! Whoohoo!

Now throw in a bit of Mud. the second pic is of the T climbing out of the mud filled rut. Mud is energy sapping and ruins the complexion.

And Pam is right. Mountain biking is about conquering- either the hill- the conditions and even the weather. Milage can vary so much. 30 miles on a warm summers day with firm ground underneath you is a good ride. Try it with high wind- rain - cold- or all 3 and it is a different matter

I keep track of the time on a given trail, but it's just a number. On any MTB ride there are stops for flat tires (many Black Locust thorns on my favorite trail), tossing my breakfast after a tough climb, wildlife viewing, just a nice day to sit under this tree or on that hilltop, BERRY PICKIN', that-was-a-fun-section-of-trail-let's-do-it-again delays, stopping to chat with another MTB'er or trail runner, etc. Time and miles are difficult to measure off-road.

Why not keep the same stats as you do on your other bikes.....


I do. I don't keep stats on my road rides either. I do have a computer on one of my road bikes and may put one on a MTB. I use them to make note of time, distance and speed of the current ride. But I don't keep a log of any of the readings and I don't track cumulative mileage. I just don't really care about all that stuff.

Since getting back into cycling nearly three years ago, I've enjoyed keeping track of my rides. I like knowing how far each ride was, how many miles I've ridden in a given month or year, and the number of hours in a saddle. But then again, I ride on the road.

As I consider getting a bike to do some trail riding, I find myself wondering what stats, if any, people who ride off-road keep. I know I'd have to change my paradigm in terms of goals (which I also enjoy having and reaching). The only constant that seems to apply to both kinds of riding is "smiles per mile."

So, if you track anything at all, what do you track?


Check out my excel-based cycling log. You can keep track of different types of rides (Mountain, Road, etc) It also gives detailed stats for the different riding you do. I think it is the best log out there (and it is free)

http://web.mac.com/danspeirs/Cyclestats/

I keep track of my miles and add them to my journal. My goal this year was 3,500 road miles and 1,000 mile of single track.

Joe

I keep track of my miles and add them to my journal. My goal this year was 3,500 road miles and 1,000 mile of single track.

Joe

Cape Cod single track? Got any pictures?

I was thinking about what Stapfam posted. Today I did a trail that is always alittle over my head and I have difficulties (but I do once a week). Well the Christmas gods were smiling on me and the trail as the trail was in perfect condition. I was able, for the first time ever! to make it over every log jump and climb every hill. I ever had the nerve to try some I always avoid. Whoopee! It was a good day!

That's normally how I measure my MTB days - good or bad. Seems like there are more bad than good lately but I just need to keep riding (and gain some more skill).

From one season to the next and one week to the next, conditions can be different. Wetter, sandier, middier, hard packed, too much leaf litter, not enough. Each ride is always different which is why I love to MTB.

No sorry I don't. I usually ride Trail of Tears if you look online you can find lots of pictures. ToT is in Barnstable.