In our modern society, it is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of more is better. Whether that’s in general life or within the realm of mountain biking. More suspension travel, more battery life, more ability to conquer tougher features. But I find if I’m constantly chasing ‘more’, I sometimes forget to sit back and appreciate what’s in front of me.
- Forget gravel bikes, cross-country MTBs are better
- When cycling becomes your job
- The reality of being a cycling YouTuber
I’m constantly in battle with press releases and bike launches that don’t necessarily spell it out but subtly hint that you’d be a happier and better rider with a brand’s latest, very expensive, carbon-framed, electronic-geared bike compared to your six-year-old hardtail that’s probably still going strong.
And I realise the irony of being in the media, and suggesting that, actually, maybe we don’t need to be replacing our bikes every year with something that’s marginally changed compared to last year, but somehow gone up in price.

But in reality, the vast majority of us don’t need to. Unless you’re a racer or a pro rider who deems it necessary to invest (or be given) top-end kit to stay at the pointy end of your game, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with an aluminium, short-travel bike with mechanical gears.
There are far more gains to be had in performance and enjoyment of riding with a properly set-up bike than there would be by spending several thousands of pounds on a bike that is overgeared and isn’t set up properly.
Beyond the tools we use to ride, however, I also take issue with the narrative that mountain biking or riding off-road in general has to be dangerous or it has to be adrenaline-fuelled. Not every ride is going to be a full gas downhill ride, nor should it be.
Sometimes, instead of pushing myself out of my comfort zone, there’s nothing better to me than a quick whizz around the Moors, tackling bridleways and just taking in the sights and scenery. Appreciating the views, maybe even stopping to have a bit of cake somewhere on top of a hill, rather than worrying so much that I’m not pushing myself technically on every single ride. Because Instagram would hate that, right?
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It’s so easy to get sucked into comparing ourselves with others, whether it’s on the internet or in real life. And this point was raised at the Reframing MTB conference earlier this year, that the media, brands, and those with large followings on social media do tend to push this idea of mountain biking needing to be technical and fast, and pushing yourself to the absolute limit. When in actual fact, not everyone is interested in riding for those reasons.
Not everyone wants to ride Hardline, not everyone wants to progress past a blue graded trail. I’m not saying there’s no room for progression or wanting to develop your skills – in fact, I attended my first coaching session last weekend, so it would be pretty hypocritical of me to say so. But not every ride has to be about progression.
And to me, and the majority of those in the room at Reframing, it feels like there is a bit of pressure to defend yourself if you want to ride at a comfortable level and maybe not progress further. In reality, nobody cares. But for whatever reason, it can feel like you’re not a real mountain biker until you hit a big feature, which again, of course, is bollocks.
So I say – and it’s something I’ve been trying hard to do this year – just enjoy riding your bike. Whatever level you’re at.
We’re not all Lou Ferguson, we’re not all out to ride off-piste trails, and it doesn’t make you any less of a rider if you’re not on a 2025 model bike. The fact that you’re riding a bike off-road makes you a rider. And if you’re having fun? Well then, you’re doing it right.
So let’s all just remember why we like bikes in the first place – for me, it’s a break from reality, an escape from responsibility, where I can cross paths with squirrels or herds of sheep amongst the heather. It’s my time, and it’s a sacred time. And the less worrying about whether or not I’m good enough or if my bike is good enough, the better.
