Can someone be a great rider if they mostly sit?

[TomTopDog12]

In this post i'm not talking about experiece/age/bike/cc/or anything other then comparing Sitting to standing while riding.

For example lets talk about GNCC style trails witch are open and have multi lines to choose from. 

Can someone be a great rider if they are mostly a sit down type rider? there are two types of people i see, the type who sit most of the time or stand almost all the time. 

I find my self to be more of a sit down rider but it's not because i don't feel good while standing it's just what I've learned to work best for me. I know the whole standing while charging and sit down in the end of the corners type deal but let's count that out. 

 

I know while standing you can use more of your body and there for turn better and flow with a better speed. But can someone who is sitting most of the time still be at a level where it is considered good/great? 

 

What are your thoughts?

 

 

Mods if you think this should be in tech riding please feel free to move it out of General. 

 

 

Thanks guys! 

[BOAB]

I like to sit, but stand when I feel its appropriate, which is probably around 60-70% of the time.  As for the question, IMO you can be a very good rider sitting alot, but you need to stand unfortunately to be a great one.  For those of us that don't aspire to be great, just reasonably good, sitting a bunch is just fine. ?

[Piney Woods]

Especially those of us who can only "aspire" to be young. ?

[Kompact]

Although I don't have as much experience as some riding dirt I don't see how anyone could become great by not standing. Standing allows your legs to be used as secondary suspension as well as positioning your body so you are in balance at all times. Sitting severely limits your options depending on the terrain you are riding.

[The Inquisitor]

I'll preface this by saying that I do not consider myself a GREAT rider or a pro who is racing but I ride about 90% of the time standing but I have no problems with sitting to conserve energy or when sitting works better than standing.

 

Fundamentally it comes down what you want to get out of the sport. For me I love riding fast flowy and super tight technical single track with my buds. I also like to be out front but I also like following and watching other peoples lines.

 

I'll commit to saying and just IMO if you want to be come a GOOD all around rider, you need to be standing on the bike more than sitting.

Edited November 11, 2016 by filterx

[mec500]

off road bikes are designed for a standing rider. You can be a great rider and sit bUT you could not use the bike to its full potential limiting yourself.

[BOAB]

One thing to note here.  Many of us that learned to ride back in the 60s or early 70s learned to ride sitting most of the time, because unless you were one of those really weird trials guys that's what you did, and even trials bikes back then had seats.

[William1]

If you sit like a bump on a log, no. If you sit like riding a horse, yes.

 

Riding is subtle balance, pressing on the bar, peg. Leaning to a side. Letting the bike move under you. Leverage. Minimal effort for maximum results. Sometimes, you must stand to let the bike move. But at all times, you are a moveable mass that with proper shifting about, will control the machine effortlessly.

[wielywilly-g]

I find many times on a hare scrabmble course it is a waste of energy, harder, or just plain slower to do something standing.  Plus even if you are seated you can be plenty mobil with the body and legs to stay fluid. You can have your rear so far left or right if feels like your not even on the seat, or forward on the tank or over the back fender and a leg out as big counter weight or balance aid.  I think you could be great and seated 30% of the time.

[Singletrack_rider]

I sit way to much myself. I've been trying to stand more and it's slowly coming.

I don't consider myself a great rider but good enough. This year I am the overall B enduro winner in the state and will be moving to A class next year. One of the AA guys was joking with me. He said if I learned to ride a bike properly I could be pretty good.

In reality it my look like I'm sitting but I'm squatting over the seat. My ass is an inch or 2 over the seat. My butt is on the seat 50% squatting 40% and standing 10%.

[The Inquisitor]

Ya good point about squatting cus even when I think I'm sitting my ass is barely touching the seat and I'm absorbing with my legs. When I actually sit for longer periods to conserve energy, its usually on easier flattish long straight terrain.

[BOAB]

Ya good point about squatting cus even when I think I'm sitting my ass is barely touching the seat and I'm absorbing with my legs. When I actually sit for longer periods to conserve energy, its usually on easier flattish long straight terrain.

I prefer to call it"crouch". Squat sounds sorta ghey, lol.

[The Inquisitor]

Some of these I can know not unsee

 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=squatting&biw=1310&bih=701&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiynuWLxqHQAhUQ4WMKHXlfCA0Q_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9

[BamfRx7]

I've been riding 23 years and I prefer to sit most of the time with my sack on the tank. I feel that I have more control.of the bike. Of corse I stand on bumps and jumps.

[Piney Woods]

If you sit like a bump on a log, no. If you sit like riding a horse, yes.

 

Riding is subtle balance, pressing on the bar, peg. Leaning to a side. Letting the bike move under you. Leverage. Minimal effort for maximum results. Sometimes, you must stand to let the bike move. But at all times, you are a moveable mass that with proper shifting about, will control the machine effortlessly.

Very well said. I may look like I am seated a lot but actually have little weight on the seat most of the time. Like creeper said, I developed this style a long long time ago.

Edited November 11, 2016 by YHGEORGE

[BOAB]

Some of these I can know not unsee

https://www.google.ca/search?q=squatting&biw=1310&bih=701&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiynuWLxqHQAhUQ4WMKHXlfCA0Q_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9

The squatting fleshtone female mannequin creeped me out.

[Hans Schmid]

Yes

[Edgecombe]

Yes

[FTB]

No.

[05sx250]

If you sit like a bump on a log, no. If you sit like riding a horse, yes.

Riding is subtle balance, pressing on the bar, peg. Leaning to a side. Letting the bike move under you. Leverage. Minimal effort for maximum results. Sometimes, you must stand to let the bike move. But at all times, you are a moveable mass that with proper shifting about, will control the machine effortlessly.

This !!