[RideMonkey]

Talk about BORING!

This is how a spectator friendly race should be run:

First of all put the mountain back in the biking. Those short track races are glorified road courses. Not technical at all. XC racing needs to be a showcase for new technology like downhill is. Downhill has become a much more interesting sport because its spectator friendly, fun to watch, and is driven by the latest technology.

How about this: XC 4 cross. Make a mile long course that has ramps, water crossings, rock gardens, etc. Make it super technical. The kind of course that would be suited to trail bikes with 4 inches of travel on each end. Have alternate routes around difficult obstacles so that anyone can participate, but make the obstacles a line that would save time for the riders with superior handling skills. So that the obstacles do not become bottlenecks in the course, run 4 racers at a time in 4 cross style.

And voila! We have a spectator friendly event that is exciting to watch, encourages the use of the latest MTB technology, and rewards both fitness and handling skills.

 

[Toshi]

Hmm, that sounds like cyclocross to me. (Log crossings, alternate lines.) And they run it, oops, I meant ride it, on rigid bikes.

 

[Babar]

So that would be short course + 4x mmmmmm that sounds good...

These days it seems XC is more about fitness level than skills...

Who ever is fit wins the race and no mechanical problem

 

[RideMonkey]

Originally posted by Toshi
Hmm, that sounds like cyclocross to me. (Log crossings, alternate lines.) And they run it, oops, I meant ride it, on rigid bikes.

Cyclocross doesnt have ramps and rock gardens etc.... cyclocross is pretty non-technical (with the exception of mud in some areas) with barriers that force riders to dismount and run.

 

[indieboy]

Originally posted by RideMonkey


Cyclocross doesnt have ramps and rock gardens etc.... cyclocross is pretty non-technical (with the exception of mud in some areas) with barriers that force riders to dismount and run.

wow you are totally mistaken.......there are some nastyyyyyyyyyy cyclocross courses out there. you'd be surprised at the handling skills cross riders like tim johnson, gully, johs huesby, and a bunccccccccccccch of cx riders have. go get a cross bike and ride as hard as you can downhill even if it's not so "technical" and see how many avaible lines you have.......oh and yeah the short track racing can be boring to watch but i don't take part in this sport to watch i take part in it to ride and race. i personally think short track races are a lot of fun b/c you are at your max the entire time and you have to constantly think about who's on your wheel or who's about to attack or what strategy you are going to have coming down into the last few laps. try one out then tell me what you think about em.

 

[NotAllThatYET]

The cross country races around here are quite technical with killer uphills. They are a bit long for spectator action. But a course that maybe was 2-5 miles could be short enough to spread out the spectators, or maybe have a camera feed at the finish and strategic places on the course. the forest makes it hard to see too far ahead. But I have seen XC races that look like even I I could be a contender. No real hills, little obstacles.
But I like where this idea is heading...
JR
DH darlin of the Future

 

[RideMonkey]

Originally posted by indieboy


wow you are totally mistaken.......there are some nastyyyyyyyyyy cyclocross courses out there. you'd be surprised at the handling skills cross riders like tim johnson, gully, johs huesby, and a bunccccccccccccch of cx riders have. go get a cross bike and ride as hard as you can downhill even if it's not so "technical" and see how many avaible lines you have.......oh and yeah the short track racing can be boring to watch but i don't take part in this sport to watch i take part in it to ride and race. i personally think short track races are a lot of fun b/c you are at your max the entire time and you have to constantly think about who's on your wheel or who's about to attack or what strategy you are going to have coming down into the last few laps. try one out then tell me what you think about em.

In amateur racing what the racer enjoys has a lot of relevance. Not so much in professional sports. Professional sports relies on the money it can generate to be successful. The current formula for World Cup and norba racing is not working. Professional racing needs to be as much about pleasing the fans and the sponsors as it is about satisfying the racers. Thats why the racers get paid.

 

[Heidi]

Originally posted by Babar
So that would be short course + 4x mmmmmm that sounds good...

These days it seems XC is more about fitness level than skills...

Who ever is fit wins the race and no mechanical problem

That depends on where you are racing. I've beat people because the course was really technical and some had to walk sections that I totally loved and rode through. Of course, there are ALWAYS the courses you are referring to...Big long fireroad climbs and descents - no techi parts.

RM - I for one would enter a race such as the one you described - in a second! You build it, I'll come race it!

 

[Babar]

Heidi i was refering to lot of race i rode which are Big long fireroad climbs and descents.... It's soooooooooooooooooooo bbbbooooorrrriiinnngg and pretty much who ever is in best shape wins

I would like to race some technical XC race but never have chance too... the closest technical i got in colorado was crestted butte, they replaced the fire road with asphalt road which was about %50 of the trail and the rest %50 singletrack.