Filthy Casual MTB Philosophy

There’s No Medal for This Ride, and That’s the Point

Recently, I was talking to a friend about this website, and the conversation made me realize that I have never really taken the time to spell out what Filthy Casual MTB is all about. Why I started this website who it’s for, and why I keep posting. I've shared some of the ideas around my philosophy in other posts, but I have not laid it out well in one blog.

So I thought I'd take a few minutes and share a little bit of the philosophy I'm promoting on this little corner of the internet. Honestly, this post is mostly a reminder for me about why I choose to keep coming back to this sport.

Lets quickly start with what I'm not doing these days:
I’m not chasing a KOM medal on strava. I’m not training for a race. I’m not trying to prove anything, to the internet or to myself. I ride because it makes me feel alive.

That’s what Filthy Casual is about. Chasing a feeling on the bike.

This philosophy was born out of me rejecting the idea that you have to be fast, fearless, or an elite rider to enjoy mountain biking. I spent far too long thinking I was not good enough to claim space in this sport. But the more I rode my bike, the more fun I had and one day I realized: greatness is not required to have fun.

The vast majority of mountain bikers are not pro riders, nor will we ever be. We are not sending 30-foot gaps or blowing out berms with insane our trail speed or signing up for Red Bull Rampage. We are riding after work or on the weekends. We have jobs, back pain, and mismatched gear brands. And yet, we still show up to the trailhead and ride our bikes.

We are not riding because we are trying to win a medal, but because we love the climb, the view, and the conversations at the trailhead. We love the sound of our tires rolling on the dirt, the feeling of our lungs drawing breath and the way riding can clear our heads after a stressful day. We are seeking that feeling of feeling alive and being present in the moment on the bike.

There is no medal for that. And that is the point.

I made this website because I want it to be the resource I needed when I started riding. I remember what it felt like to be new and have experienced riders tell me to ride a trail that I wasn't ready for and the frustration that would follow. I know what it's like to push my bike up every climb and wonder if I was just “bad” at this sport, to feel like I didn’t belong in this community because I wasn't 'good enough'.

I make it a point to regularly ride with new riders. In my conversations with them I hear the same frustrations I used to have when I started riding mountain bikes. That’s who I’m writing these blogs for. The rider who just bought their first bike and hates climbing. The one who doesn’t want to get dropped by the group on the first mile. The one who wants to love biking, but just needs the right route to have fun.

Filthy Casual MTB exists to celebrate the average rider, like me. T0 educate those curious enough to explore and to encourage y'all to stop and take in the view. This website is for those who ride the same local loops because they love them, and who know the ride doesn’t need to be epic to be meaningful.

I want this little corner of the internet to be a reminder that you belong here no matter your skill level. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been riding for years, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone. You don’t need a carbon frame or a race schedule or a KOM medal to matter.

You just need to ride.

Forever Two Wheels!

-Myles