Where do you get your MTB enjoyment from?

Riding my Ebike past Pinkbike Ebike haters... perfect.

this 100%

I love going to races and riding with my buddies, but in the last year I found great joy in exploring the woods on the e-bike by myself. I ride it in places where I wouldn't go on my regular bike, because I don't want to gamble my energy on something not worthy of being ridden, if that makes any sense. I would probably be pretty depressed right now, if it wasn't for my e-bike, so I am very grateful for having it in my life. It is a nice slice of independence, even if it probably doesn't appear to be that at the first glance.

Mx

I love going to a trail I know well, pumping out maybe 3/4 laps and feeling the speed increase every lap, usually by the 3rd of 4th I’m hitting everything just how I want, then I go home happy. (Also prefer it to be dark,damp and moody to make it the most enjoyable)

I used to race, and I liked the challenge of new trails or going faster on trails I knew. But now that I have kids, I'll ride anything just get out on the bike for a while. Same with skiing; I grew up racing, and only ever wanted to ski downhill. Now I will happily do a short XC ski just to get out in the snow.

This is a good reminder, as pointed out by the original poll here, that there are so many ways to enjoy biking, that no matter what situation you find yourself in for this season of life, bikes can bring you joy

Riding with buddies. I've done 90% of riding solo for the past 5 years and it's very meditative while climbing but always miss the vibes on the way down.

80% message boards 20% watching YouTubers 

Instagram mostly.

This poll needed to allow multiple selections...

I used to race [in the '90s - LOL], but was never very good at it, what with the not training and the hangovers. I enjoyed the camaraderie with the team and organizing the "training rides" and road trips. Post-racing, it was all about riding with friends, and ogling shiny new parts, and going for burgers after a big ride, and talking about the next ride, etc. Later, it was all about trail building, volunteering my time to write grant applications, plan new trails, work with [read: beg] for access from land managers, and solo trips into the woods to fix some random corner that needed work. After that, I loved teaching others how to ride better, seeing real improvement in their riding over weeks, days or even hours, and how pumped they were to master a new skill.

These days, I love to feel the flow of the trail under me, whether it's stringing together tech moves on something I've never seen before or pinning it on a favourite I've ripped dozens of times. I ditched Strava a few years ago, which has made me happier for some reason. I ride with my wife a lot, and also on solo missions - both bring me joy, but in different ways. We moved to BC recently, and I'm looking forward to doing more road trips and riding completely new [to me] trails. More fun awaits!

Racing/going fast and shiny new things. 

Since it's not multiple choice and time is way more limited with kiddos these days, I just voted on nerding out.

Obviously the real enjoyment is in riding the things you built.

I enjoy riding and finding new ways to push my limits especially with technical terrain and jumps.  I get biggest satisfaction out of building new stuff maintaining and updating my local trails

Riding eMTB.

I get my enjoyment from everything that you can do on a bike or bike related. Pushing hard on climbs, doing park laps ,big alpine rides(the trails often sucks,but the views make it),short rides after work, pumptrack,nerding out and underrated for most bikers trailcare.For me everythings about mtb is fun, except when you take off a tire and the tubeless tape move.

one thing I learned from the whole covid lockdown thing in Australia is my local area has so many hidden gems, I've been loving exploring these places on my e-mtb lately. Bit of orienteering, exploring and been outside. Riding for speed is less of a priority as I get older.

Lift assisted resort riding, same as skiing or dirt jumps

I wish it was multiple choice!

I like to push myself to be better, but I don't enjoy racing one bit.  I like the fitness, and the fresh air, and the company, and the post-ride beers.

I occasionally have the opportunity to ride with some former elite level riders (friends of friends) and they're the nicest blokes to ride with.  They're humble and encouraging and genuinely seem to just be happy that there are other people who also like to do what they do.  It's all just nice.

My favorite part of MTB is squeezing other people's brake levers and pushing up and down on the fork

I have a mate who does that while I'm riding the bike.  It's my least favourite thing

You know that sound your tires make when they grip the dirt just right?

When you're climbing, and all you hear is your breathing and the tires...

When you're leaning into a turn and you hear the tires hook up...

That's my favourite thing

I call it the sound of side knob scrubbing and it is certainly one of my favorite things about riding. 

 "The greatest happiness is to scatter your enemy, to drive him before you, to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears, and to gather into your bosom his wives and daughters."

I just like to get away, whether that's with friends or in solitude. Some of my best times in recent memory have been of taking MTB trips to new destinations - Moab, Sedona, Hurricane/La Verkin. I dream of riding in Switzerland someday. 

I used to love doing solo epic rides. I used to have an 80ish mile loop that I would do in the San Gabriels in SoCal. I'd ride from my house to the bottom of the Mt. Wilson Toll Road. Climb the 13 dirt miles to the observatory. A mile or so down to Red Box Station. Down the Gabrielano trail with a Brown Mtn. loop. And back home to soak my feet in the kitchen sink. (I mostly did this during winter break and there are 21 river crossings.)

I answered just being outside in the woods, but that's not the whole picture. You can get that experience hiking. No, combining it with the sensation of speed and trading exertion for reward is what makes riding addictive. Getting out with friends is a very nice addition and the gear nerdery appeals to me too.

Exercise, adrenaline buzz, therapy, adventure, travel, and building, with mates. And a pub at the end. 

Riding my bike(s). That sounds facetious but it's really the best way I can explain it. Most days, I'll just look at the bike(s) standing there, and feel this pull to go out and ride one of them. After all these years, that's pretty cool. Also, it's clearly an addiction haha. (many of the other answers in the poll apply as well!)