Not sure if this has been posted before, but I just came across this vid of the Mammoth National Championships circa 1990. These guys were nuts!
Ride Kamikaze and get back to us.Was downhilling in those days just basically steep fireroads and clothes way too tight?
Hey, I'm not saying it wasn't hard. Just wondering what they actually rode down back then, couldn't really see any corners or tight singletrack or tech stuff.Ride Kamikaze and get back to us.
yeah liek the one missy jsut outright missed and went off a 20 or 30 foot cliff and broke her leg....dont remember year or anything, but think she was still riding for Cdale....there are some brutal wrecks on the kamikaze, I remember watching it on ESPN and a guy crashing so hard his helmet was removed from his head by the ground.Oh, there are corners.
Trashcan Morgan?I bet no one knows who BCD's avitar is.
The Kamikaze was actually the first "real" downhill race (other than the grasroots ones held in Marin). They originally planned it as a mass start race, but realized that would mean certain death for some.Hey, I'm not saying it wasn't hard. Just wondering what they actually rode down back then, couldn't really see any corners or tight singletrack or tech stuff.
Three stooges is exactly what it looks like!i like this video.
i just don't understand why "slalom" looks like some sort of 3 stooges cyclocross.
Two years ago they re-raced it at nationals (this year it was snowy and moved to Sonoma).i think that the kamakaze run should still be races...
I did the kamikaze a few times. The actual "racing line" was no more than 6-8" wide in most spots. As soon as you got off line, you were "in the marbles" to use a nascar term. You don't want to be in the marbles on a bicycle at 60mph. This is especially true when your left hand side is a 60ft, near vertical cliff.The Kamikaze was actually the first "real" downhill race (other than the grasroots ones held in Marin). They originally planned it as a mass start race, but realized that would mean certain death for some.
They also had the Ezakimak hillclimb (kamikaze backwards.. clever).
Even on todays bikes, that trail is still pretty challenging. Insane speeds, drifty corners, braking bumps, blind "no brakes" corners that if you hit the brakes, you will slide off a 30-50' rock strewn cliff.
It's a classic.
tomacI bet no one knows who BCD's avitar is.
Yea, that was the "Rebok Eliminator" with TV coverage and everything.I remember the two up races on the Kamikazi. Think it was called the Eliminator or something. That was fun to watch. It became a match race to see who would take the front, as the second guy in second would stay there and jump out of the draft at the second to last corner and sprint for the win.
Was a lot more fun the first time they ran it because no one had figured out that strategy so it was crazy passing in and out of the corners all the way.
And Bob Seals racing down the Kamikazi on a beach cruiser with a basket on teh front, while wearing a speado and a helmet and nothing else. That guy was the last truly wacky dude in the business.
We've got that same ad at my shop!I remeber buying a really dumb pair of Reebok light hiking boots because Myles Rockwell wore then in a Cannondale Ad. They were saweet! I then won a seyvlor inflatable Kayak for winning a trivia contest at the Reebok-V/C booth at a national 2 months later and felt vindicated for my stupidity. Still have the kayak, and I regularly use it.
Worlds were in Kirchzarten in 95BUMP! Love the oldschool!
Check out these two vids:
In the first vid, Vouilloz RIPS appart everydoby else.
In the second, it's all about Cully.
Post some more if you have some!