[Tootrikky]

Need a little help on deciding which race to attend. I have never participated in either, but was at the Otter for work 2 yrs ago. The DS course looked super fun, but I wasn't stoked on the DH course. I heard the Sonoma DH was a bit better, and they are having DS plus 4x as well. Any thoughts?

 

[luelling]

Need a little help on deciding which race to attend. I have never participated in either, but was at the Otter for work 2 yrs ago. The DS course looked super fun, but I wasn't stoked on the DH course. I heard the Sonoma DH was a bit better, and they are having DS plus 4x as well. Any thoughts?

get specific...what are you going for? pure results or for fun as well? I take my old lady to Sea Otter evey year and she has a ton of fun...sure the DH course sucks, but the rest of the courses are fun. If you're taking family or a significant other I recommend the Otter...plus the booths are fun. Otherwise I would hit Sonoma.

<EDIT> I can't vote until I know more

 

[Tootrikky]

Woops! Specifically for the racing, not the Sram girls, or long walks on Pebble beach....... just me against the clock, or 3 other riders, or one other semi-slow rider.

 

[J_B]

I went to Sea Otter last year. Had no fun in the mud nor the DH course but oh well.

It was cool walking around and checking out the tents. I took my wife and son he had a blast even though it rained alot.

We hit the aquarium, cannery row, Bubba Gump Shrimp and had a nice drive back up to Roseville.

My wife skipped on Sonoma and regretted it only because it's only 1.5 hours away, she was able to see the course and it wasn't raining...

You sound like you are going to only one so I say Sea Otter.

 

[Tootrikky]

I went to Sea Otter last year. Had no fun in the mud nor the DH course but oh well.

It was cool walking around and checking out the tents. I took my wife and son he had a blast even though it rained alot.

We hit the aquarium, cannery row, Bubba Gump Shrimp and had a nice drive back up to Roseville.

My wife skipped on Sonoma and regretted it only because it's only 1.5 hours away, she was able to see the course and it wasn't raining...

You sound like you are going to only one so I say Sea Otter.

Specifically (excluding the mud at Otter last year) which venue had the better courses in your opinion?

 

[sanjuro]

You are talking about what's worse, poison oak or poison ivy.

Neither DH course is Garbanzo. The elevation at both places are near 800 feet, and there is little in natural terrain features to make it very exciting.

Sea Otter is the biggest cycling event in America and it attracts road, xc, and gravity riders. Sonoma happened to be the national championship venue because Mammoth was snowed in, and the complaints about the whole event are easily found.

I would go to Sea Otter for the fun, not the course.

 

[Sir_Crackien]

otter for sure it just the classic. i have not been to either but i would rather go to the otter if i had to chose.

though i'm not a racer (some time for fun)

the otter is an experience to be had. the other is not

 

[Tattooo]

Rad, porn and New Orleans casinos...

After having gone to both, the better course is Sonoma, if its not tracked to death. I like the Otter because you can do other events, and the camping is always a zoo. Sonoma is hotel based for the most part, and that's not so much fun, unless you bring your own zoo.

I am going to do both, the Otter is just the Otter, its worth the trip just to get drunk with Jon and **** with other people all weekend.

 

[gonefirefightin]

the otter is definately more of a carnival atmosphere, plus all the vendor gadgets are a plus

 

[Morgan]

the "shuttle" was the best part of somona last year, ill leave it at that

 

[Tattooo]

The power ride in the loaner Tacomas, buzzing past the spectators walking up, spraying them with gravel. That was, as Paris would say, hot...

 

[PatBranch]

I think they were Tundras. That was the best shuttle. The line seemed to move quicker than with the truck for bikes and vans for people at Fontana.

The Sonoma course is...dry, loose, off-camber (try not to slide down the hill. When I went on Thursday, the course was mostly grass (which was gone by Saturday). There is a fun step-down, then triple, but they are the only jumps. I slipped down the hill a bunch of times during practice, but made a decent race run without falling (10/21 - beginner).

I haven't raced or ridden the course at Sea Otter, so I can't compare.

 

[Zark]

FYI, Sonoma, no longer on the the "National" series. Its been replaced by the Firestone MTB Classic, in Santa Barbara Co.

 

[Peete]

My son and I had a blast at sea otter 2 years ago. A week of rain prior to the race killed the mtnx course but the DS was a blast.
Racing is racing so I still had fun on the mtnx too. There was plenty to do when we weren't practicing or racing. I'm glad I didn't bring the DH bike, too much north shore type stuff on the course.
And Bubba Gump Shrimp factory has some good eats!

I want to go back in a couple years with my youngest son.

 

[Tattooo]

Peete, I've got a room out there at the host hotel this year if you guys are gonna go.

 

[jrfor0]

2006 sonoma was a joke

 

[offtheedge]

for pure biking atmosphere Sea Otter is it and as a plus if you get to watch XC short track in 4" of mud........done deal.

 

[Zutroy]

FYI, Sonoma, no longer on the the "National" series. Its been replaced by the Firestone MTB Classic, in Santa Barbara Co.

When did that happen?

 

[Zark]

When did that happen?

Got the word yesterday from the Firestone race promoter, Mike.

 

[blue]

Sea Otter hands down.

Nothing like hauling a garbage can full of half-stolen beer to the e.13 tent...

 

[bikenweed]

WHAT?! Fireston is a national? Even the DH? Wow.

Our trails are too rocky and tech to be good training for any of the NORBA series anymore.

Isn't the Firestone XC course just a fireroad? Road bikes ftw.

 

[Zutroy]

WHAT?! Fireston is a national? Even the DH? Wow.

Our trails are too rocky and tech to be good training for any of the NORBA series anymore.

Isn't the Firestone XC course just a fireroad? Road bikes ftw.

Yeah, there are some single track sections...actually the XC course is kinda fun. It was really fun to come down the DH course on an XC bike. They built a go around i heard trail this year i heard though. The best was following JK down on his XC bike. He jumped it into a berm at the bottom and blew his UST tire off the rim.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Sea Otter '06 was terrible because of the mud.

But '05 was high and dry... and AWESOME.

 

[OGRipper]

I've never raced in Sonoma. The Otter DH course makes the most of what it's got but still it's pretty weak, there can be a frustrating lack of organization during practice and your race, and the weather is a real crap shoot. Given that both courses are fairly weak on the racing end I'd say pick the event with the most extracurricular activities, and that means Sea Otter. Super fun atmosphere, tons of vendor stuff, places to ride, movie premiers, and a chance to (re)connect with fellow bike nuts from all over the country/world.

 

[Fshflys]

plus if you get to watch XC short track in 4" of mud........done deal.

That was the best race to watch for the whole year. 4" of mud was in the fast sections, when they hit the holes & their wheels went up to the axle, that was a kick. When the pro women were checking out the semi men, that was great too. Here were a group of women, their bikes sparkling clean along with their clothes, shaking their heads like "what are we getting ourselves into"

 

[PatBranch]

When did that happen?

I saw it on the site a week or two ago.

Another big addition to the clout of the Firestone Santa Ynez Valley Classic presented by Platinum Performance is that because we have committed to a combined $8,000 pro cash purse to the race, our event is now part of the USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Calendar. The FWC will continue to be a qualifier for the one-day national championship in Mt. Snow, Vermont and both the DH and XC are still part of American Mountain Bike Challenge Series Events.

http://ridesb.com/

 

[Zark]

I saw it on the site a week or two ago.



http://ridesb.com/

Dude, they've been an AMBC qualifier for a while.
It is now part of the national series, which is different.

 

[PatBranch]

I'm a complete retard...

 

[Zutroy]

Dude, they've been an AMBC qualifier for a while.
It is now part of the national series, which is different.

Are we talking part of the NMBS or the new National series what has all the races in it? The firestone race was on the new national race calender before.

 

[Zark]

Are we talking part of the NMBS or the new National series what has all the races in it? The firestone race was on the new national race calender before.

Whichever one is involved with TBB and Blue-Ridge(sp?)

 

[Zutroy]

Whichever one is involved with TBB and Blue-Ridge(sp?)

NMBS is the one they run. Any word on why the switch?

 

[Zark]

Sonoma dropped out is what I understand

 

[Zutroy]

Sonoma dropped out is what I understand

Interesting....those guys need to get their $hit together. If it's true they are really dropping the ball....is the date going to change?

 

[Zark]

no, same date for Firestone

 

[SinatorJ]

Why would you go to either. Both races Suck, Sonoma was the best representation of why racing in this country is comsidered a joke nd Sea Otter is only an excuse to race if you are a So-cal local with nothing else to do. If you want a great, quality race experience go to a MTN States cup. This is the premier series in the country. The Downhill events are held, Gasp on a real mtn.

 

[Zutroy]

no, same date for Firestone

Back to the great scheduling...so they way people to take vaction for SO, be back a week, then take it again for the Firestone race...that's planning, for those of us that work huh.....

Edit...then fontana is the week after that.....nice....

 

[Zutroy]

Why would you go to either. Both races Suck, Sonoma was the best representation of why racing in this country is comsidered a joke nd Sea Otter is only an excuse to race if you are a So-cal local with nothing else to do. If you want a great, quality race experience go to a MTN States cup. This is the premier series in the country. The Downhill events are held, Gasp on a real mtn.

Well SO has a tradition to go with it, it's more of a party and get your act in gear for the season than antyhing. The MSC races are great, but for the average person who races and doesn't live close most of them aren't an option.

 

[Zark]

Back to the great scheduling...so they way people to take vaction for SO, be back a week, then take it again for the Firestone race...that's planning, for those of us that work huh.....

Mike couldn't change his race date at this point if they wanted him to.

 

[Zutroy]

Mike couldn't change his race date at this point if they wanted him to.

Yeah, not practical for him. It's just getting really silly in general here.

 

[bikenweed]

So there's no NORBA rule for minimum course length, huh?

What were the pro DH times at Firestone the last few years? I only raced the first year and never went back. Travis won pro in like 56 seconds or something. Has it gotten any longer?