[m-dub]

Thanks HaveFaith! I put in a lot of time in just for the sake of my friends/fellow racers. $hitty part is I'm at home in bed with the flu and didn’t even get to race the course I spent the last three months' Sat. and Sundays building. You have no idea how far a simple "good job" goes. And I'm always open to ideas. I don’t take to much e-negativity to heart especially if they didn’t even ride it. Did you race your gearbox bike? I would have loved to seen it in person.

 

[dhkid]

best part about all this is that a large majority of the time the proper fast guys are actually out there doing the right thing. you dont hear from them much.

the guys who whine on the other hand...

 

[ianjenn]

Back to the topic at hand. I did a lot of work on the DH course and it was a challenge to "try" to make it tough enough for a national without it becoming a total man made slopestyle course. As more and more places are shut down and access is limited to competition use, its going to be people like Mike who are making it happen on private land. National quality like the late 90"s, no, but at least its something. I see more and more short courses and as they are not what we all wish for but they are what we all have and I’m thankful for that. Besides being flat, and too short, what should of been different in the space given? I would love "constructive" feedback. There is a third DH course planned, but again we are working with 700feet vert. maybe.

I think the course was cool being set up how you had it. A little water in some of the turns may have helped up top. But I am not there today so I hope more Pros showed up to race it!

 

[TheInedibleHulk]

There's a race this weekend??

 

[Beast]

There's a race this weekend??

Haha, that's exactly what I was thinking...

 

[ride]

Yup, Lisbon downtown. Peat won.

There's a race this weekend??

 

[bradking192]

Does anyone have the junior expert results? Including the 16- class. That would be great. Thanks

 

[Steve M]

Not arguing with you just agreeing, if you want it, you have to make it happen on your own. I'm so tired of hearing Americans Suck at DH, and your comments may be the reason for a lot of people, but not all. True we haven't been on top in a while, but were working our way back up, and to all the other Americans out there that think you need to have your way paid to do it, that is bull. My brother and I, along with a few other friends from the area are, on our own dime, work our asses off year round, traveling to Europe in a week for 6 weeks to race, including two WC rounds, yeah the exchange rate sucks, but worrying about that doesn't fix anything, you just gotta go with what your dealt.
I can guarantee too that pretty much all our other American pros that are traveling internationally to race are doing it with at the most minimal if any financial support. I know that Cole Bangert, & Luke Strobel both, two of our top guys work to fund themselves. In reality there are very few guys world wide that don't have to.

Don't wait for your break, make it happen yourself. Make some other financial sacrifices, most of us in this country can figure it out if we really want to. Camp at the next ten races you go to, you'll save yourself a few thousand $'s, thats at least a plane ticket to Europe right there. We have lots of opportunities, and although our economy isn't killing it like it was 10 years ago, things around here really aren't that bad. You gotta ride and race your bike because you love it. Were all in the wrong sport if what your looking for is a rich rock and roll lifestyle.

Totally man. The way I see it, you should be riding and racing because you love it. If you really want to work your arse off to be at the top of the sport maybe you'll be lucky enough to get paid for it. I have tons of respect for anyone who does this no matter where they come from. For those of us living in 1st world countries, it IS possible to support yourself and race internationally if you really want to. Sure it requires a lot of sacrifices (that people like me aren't willing to make) but if you truly want to be the best, you gotta make them.

What sport isn't ultimately selfish? I think cycling in general is a positive sport in that it is relatable to the entire world. Ya riding down hills on trick bikes is kinda funny, but isn’t putting a ball in a hole or driving in circles. I mean people in Kenya aren’t going to relate to golf or NASCAR. I just see it as much more of a world wide sport than any of our US team sports. In the end it is all about $$$ and your right, there really is no reason to have incentives if you look at it financially. In the big picture, I see it as the more incentives for young riders to get into racing, the more people ride the more our government will see the need to keep riding area's open (selfish on my part) and perhaps give our lazy young generation a reason to get off the couch. I think there is more prize money in a video game contest than a bike race and that is just sad, but again, it’s all about money. Sad. So your 100% right in that people have to want it and make it work on there own. As for no US WC rippers, I think talent comes in waves and the boys from down under or across the pond are in it to win it right now but we will see a swing at some point. Do you guys have TV coverage over there? We cant even get that, only on the internet.

I agree with you man - I just think that because the American scene did have that kind of money years ago, a lot of people over there came to kind of rely on it. We never had paid sponsorship over here, so when the DH scene kind of died in the arse a few years ago, it didn't really affect our scene that much, the top guys here always had to work their arses off to get anywhere anyway so there was no resentment about the lack of support that came from being used to it in the past.

And no, we've got no TV coverage, except we get like 10 minutes a year on SBS for the national champs.

 

[PatBranch]

Thanks HaveFaith! I put in a lot of time in just for the sake of my friends/fellow racers. $hitty part is I'm at home in bed with the flu and didn’t even get to race the course I spent the last three months' Sat. and Sundays building. You have no idea how far a simple "good job" goes. And I'm always open to ideas. I don’t take to much e-negativity to heart especially if they didn’t even ride it. Did you race your gearbox bike? I would have loved to seen it in person.

That sucks you couldn't race! Good job on that bridge thing. It sent you into that berm nice. I got third in the DH!

 

[barge]

You have no idea how far a simple "good job" goes.

Good job!

As far as I could tell, there were few/no haters out there this weekend, most everybody thought it was fun. Except for the hot part. Congrats to you and all the other trail volunteers that made it happen. Not bad for a course in its first year.

Bummer to not see you on the truck. Of course there will be more good times....

 

[Ian Collins]

That is such crap. The average income in the US is a HELL of a lot higher than in Australia, and even moreso than New Zealand. The US dollar might be bad but it's still stronger than either of our currencies, and in the past few years was a LOT stronger.

I think your attitude is actually why American racers aren't doing so well right now - the idea that somebody else should be fronting up lots of cash for you to ride a bicycle down the side of a hill. How many riders do you think are on paid sponsorship here in Australia, ie within Aus itself? As far as I know, the answer is: zero. The top riders might get a free bike, but most of them are simply on discounted bikes. The Americans' problem is that you guys expect everything to be provided for you. The reason the top Aussie and Kiwi riders succeed is because they expect none of that, and instead work their arses off to support themselves rather than expecting someone else to do it for them. Tracey Hannah bankrolled her entire international season last year - she's like 18 or 19. If you're not trying THAT hard too then no f**king wonder you're not competitive on the world stage.

thank you....i'm glad someone out there agrees with me