you're the biggest daredevil of all man!DAMMIT
the excitement of knowing it could happen at any time is way more exciting than the riding could ever be
Is DH hot again?
- Thread starter daisycutter
- Start date
the excitement of knowing it could happen at any time is way more exciting than the riding could ever be
Val di Sole? And yes I agree, but there was a lot more soil on that track back then than there is now, Hill was incredible that day, I really don't think that's the sort of thing we see very often but I don't think you can use that to just offhand disregard the fact that the track is quite different these days. It is rougher and slower, and worse for it IMO.
I referred to bike parks because I just don't see it much in racing, and when it is there its called out, riders are not shy when it comes to calling 'bike park' races shit.
Maybe I'm lucky, all I can go on is what I see online at the world cups and what I have locally and neither of those have gotten much easier in the last 5 years or so, there has always been smoother/jumpier/shitter tracks (Willingen, Canberra etc) and they are never the ones that people remember fondly.
Also, Leogang did actually just rope off a fresh bit of track and let it ride in last year, it was a shit show but had it been not quite so wet in sure it would have been great.
The local races here use a bike park but they nearly always use some old bits of tail that everyone has forgotten about, or more often they will dig a few new sections for race day only.
Good mountain biking still exists, both within and outside of racing, sure there is more squid friendly jump lines as well and if you want to get upset about that I can certainly see where you are coming from. If the local club builds another blue grade flow trail next I'll be letting them know that there is more to riding than that, but i think they know that already.
Honestly, if you ever come to Queenstown, hit me up, it show you some steep rowdy non sustainable tracks with not a single table top in sight.
Unless your crew is rolling on home built fully ridgid 20-27" (yes 27, not 700c) and learning to ride on decades old foot trails and an outdoor home built pratice moto track carved into a ravine system things have gotten easier. Evolution and progression happen.
And if we are?
Bikes are rad. I'm not against better equipment (which is pretty obvious if you've ever seen most of my posts here). MountainbikERS and mountainbikING are uh.....different now
Trails should be getting rowdier. Instead they're getting imba-er
Everything has progressed pretty well equipment-wise. But very very few really get that trails should be going with it.
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This is where our opinions differ, and honestly I think we are probably both right. In the last few years I have ridden in NZ (Queenstown, Alexandra, Craigieburn, Nelson, Rotorua and others) and Tasmania (Derby and Maydena) and all over I have found the rowdiest trails to be as rowdy as they ever were, if not more so, and the flow trails to be more fun than they used to be.
Obviously grade 1 and 2 trails are going to be lame for experienced riders and some people just don't like flow trails full stop, so if you are in that group and all that is getting built around you is lame Flow trails then I sympathise with you. That would suck.
we still have a few in the "other" pisgah, but even that part of the forest is getting so much attention lately that it's starting to get "maintained" and rerouted for "sustainability." don't even get me started on pisgah proper. @kidwoo you need to get back out here before it's all gone.
all of the bikepark talk makes me feel fortunate to be somewhat close to snowshoe and windrock, both of which have thankfully kept the natural jank trails to complement the other stuff.
all of the bikepark talk makes me feel fortunate to be somewhat close to snowshoe and windrock, both of which have thankfully kept the natural jank trails to complement the other stuff.
I've heard
this was one of the less annoying recent vids of black i could find. "upper," which thankfully is remaining, starts at around 3:00; "middle" which, sadly, is the reroute, starts around 8:00. Lower, which got re-done and flowified a few years back starts around 13:20. i need to get out there soon for a farewell ride.I've heard
I don’t know much about them but I thought @englertracing might have some thoughts. Back tire dribbling and resonance something or other.... Moto GP something something....
I think we have to get y’all out here for some prime sketchy bicycle park riding. There isn’t a lot of sanitizing and beginner friendly stuff but plenty of lifts. We need some of those trails you guys are talking about, desperately.
RM chalet in Morzine or Châtel? C’mon guys! Y’all have earned it!
@toodles I got a hobbit bike for you. Marine is about your size.
I had to sanitize this one a little bit since it is the only legal trail in our bike park. Others are open just not fully legal. Long story.
before
chill jump trails for @kidwoo
That looks like proper fun!
This getting old thing really sucks; being I now break easily and don't go back together very well, this is full DH bike for me, although the bottom section looks like it would be more fun on the trailbike.
mykel, just bring the vacuum cleaner to pick up all the pieces when you crash. As I get older this looks to be the way forward, that and knee oil.
No one worth listening to. Half the forum is still trying to fit 26" wheels in stuff and I think about three people still race.
WUT
Nah you can still fuck up on the new mega couches. Falling asleep at the wheel is a real risk now.
Dunno about that part. Straighter I think maybe, but the level of brutal chunder they chuck in now is next level.
Legendary. This year is a wash but might be getting to Europe next year for skids and beers.
29er dh bikes hit the world cup in 2017, what has changed dramatically in the 4 seasons that they have been racing them?
I'm not saying world cup tracks are all great but blaming 29ers for it seems pretty silly to me. We had shit tracks 20 years ago and we still have them now, just like good tracks.
I don't think the courses saw major re-routing but the race line has swept back and opened up a bit. Tight insides and ragged drifting seems to have almost gone (except in crazy high speed situations). The few new courses we're seeing seem more high speed and less janky (Les Gets is basically a ski slope) with less twisty tech. Bear in mind these might all be improvements - I don't think the majority of the WC riders are complaining about it, maybe just a few of the old guard.
sheesh gramps, take your chill pills
So we have gone from laughing at me for saying the tracks haven't changed dramatically to saying that the lines have changed a bit...
And then talk about Les Gets, I know the track is different from the old one back in the day but open taping down ski pistes isn't exactly a new thing in downhill. Maybe the lines have changed, but if they have its not because 29er, it's because that's the fastest way down the hill.
Just to clarify, I don't think the wc or downhill is better because of 29ers, and obviously there have been changes over the years, but blaming it on 29ers seems ludicrous to me. If anything bike design follows the tracks, not the other way round, and longer lower slacker has basically been happening since I got into dh in the very early 2000s because it's (mostly) faster, as are 29" wheels, as long as you are tall enough to avoid buzzing your ass of the rear tyre.
Oh I wasn't laughing, I was more of the opinion everyone sorta agreed DH racing had turned that way. I see your point though - when you think about it, its not like they re-taped whole new courses just because some people showed up on 29ers.
To me when I want to show a non-rider a bonkers DH race, I pretty much always go for an old-school effort on the smaller wheeled bikes (except for Amaury's Les Gets run - that was fucken nuts, albeit more appreciable viewing for riders).
Anyway, back on track - run whatever you wanna run. If I was trying to race seriously at all I'd run a 29er most likely, even if it didn't make me any quicker I'd still have no excuses. For now I've just got to beat mates that are so dumb they're running dissectors on the front so I'm hardly under pressure equipment wise.
Yeah, there are some classic old races for sure, Sam Hill Val Di Sole or Danny Hart Champery, but like you said, Amaury at Les Gets was another so the nuts runs are still happening, and let's not forget that not all the races from 10 years ago created classic runs that you'd want to go back and watch.
Anyway, downhill was and still is freaking cool and if anyone comes to Queenstown when there is a local race on you should do it, 29er, 26er, dh or trail bike, I'm pretty sure you'll have fun.
Anyway, downhill was and still is freaking cool and if anyone comes to Queenstown when there is a local race on you should do it, 29er, 26er, dh or trail bike, I'm pretty sure you'll have fun.
I've done a few over there. That Remarks track plus, Coro and some club one down Ants in the park. Never fails that anywhere in the world I've done a DH race the people are all rad and there's beer afterwards.
if you find an appropriate sized squeegee, let me know.
I can't keep this straight. Are people complaining about the bike riding they watch on TV, the riding random people do or the bike riding they do? It is probably safe to assume all three,
Slip them over your thumb, or whatever body part you have near your face.
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I use professional grade tools and offer a complimentary first "cleaning"
I even provide a comfortable bar for the customer to rest their chin on while I work
is that one hobbit sized or normal person sized?I use professional grade tools and offer a complimentary first "cleaning"
I even provide a comfortable bar for the customer to rest their chin on while I work
But freckles are melanin
It's a refresh. Like paintin the house yo, gotta pressure wash first.
I'm looking at a newer model that also adds a soul. Pretty excited.
Past October Middle Black was covered in leaves when I went. It was one of the most fun experiences of my trip. Sad to see it getting redone.
when?omg yes
I mean, now that the global pandemic is totally under control any time is great, really!
(grumble grumble grumble)
even in germany i should be vaxxed by the end of july (fingers crossed). and i only live like 4h away with the train now. dunno how easy i could get off work, for now we still have lots of (e)bikes in stock, but if we sell like we are now we should be mostly depleted by mid summer
I'm down. From a USA/Colorado perspective, Whistler is easier, but Europe is uhhh more exotic? Maybe time it with a world cup near by? Would love to see one of those over there.
Global pandemic?! So it's not cool to bring a dead bat? What if I wear a mask and stay 6 freedom units away from said bat?
enough already.
Don't start the game if you can't handle the plays!
did you see my response to your post in the police thread? that should have been enough of an explanation.Don't start the game if you can't handle the plays!
Did you see my multiple posts over the years regarding your hobbit bullshit?
I'm making fun of YOU, not your kid, just to be clear.......as I've also explained before.
I'm making fun of YOU, not your kid, just to be clear.......as I've also explained before.
oh i definitely have. which is why i tolerate a small amount of it