where there's mountain bike racing, there's hecklers.
This made my day. Meow!
Another downhillers infested result inbound?
Love the Aspen/Dumb and Dumber quotes when the EWS comes around. Hope they won't be too bored with the trails. If you're from Yurp, CO trails are different. Which may not mean "better". I remember the interview with the Master's brothers (Wynn and Eddy) and they said that one of the Aspen stages was the worst track they've ever been on. LMFAO.
They may be the worst, but at least they'll be some of the longest, and worst.
They may be the worst, but at least they'll be some of the longest, and worst.
Ya I wonder why they aren't doing a stop somewhere in the PNW...I've never ridden Aspen but I'm guessing we have better to offer.
That Sam Hill interview was annoying as shit to watch...
That Sam Hill interview was annoying as shit to watch...
There's shit tons better in Colorado. They just built some overnight crappy switchback trails in aspen and held a race on them.
The same 'worst track I've ever ridden' has been said by plenty of people at the whistler races too FWIW. If you've ridden business time or that 99 switchback crap, you'd know why.
It's not a Europe vs. CO thing, it's a wrong person picking the courses thing.
The same 'worst track I've ever ridden' has been said by plenty of people at the whistler races too FWIW. If you've ridden business time or that 99 switchback crap, you'd know why.
It's not a Europe vs. CO thing, it's a wrong person picking the courses thing.
Yeah I have actually ridden those trails there is much better in the area. I think part of that is the guys out there are trying to keep the race away from beating their trails to death. I can't believe they ran it on microclimate a couple of years ago.
I do think the US should have 2 stops min...One in New England and Another in the Rockies or PNW...
I do think the US should have 2 stops min...One in New England and Another in the Rockies or PNW...
F-yeah!
very much. great stages!
are the racers using the gondola too or do they need to pedal up?
You planning to race only at night time?
Don't know about the rest of you folks, but I have a really difficult time getting interested in enduro. I'm sure they're doing just fine and don't need me, but I wonder how widespread this feeling is among folks who have been bike racing fans/participants over the years.
Too many disciplines: gated racing (if it still exits), DH, enduro, XC, short track, marathon.... I think its a case of being spread too thin with our attention spans. But, the problem with enudro is that its hard to watch enduro because its so spread out. However I think as a race, its the best. Mimics how I have been riding since the late 90s.
I'm with you on all counts, but I think many (particularly here) have switched to riding more Enduro than DH due to changing life circumstances (which doesn't need to be a function of age, but for many it is). Enduro racing then becomes more relevant to the bikes and terrain they are riding, which is completely fair. I think most of them still enjoy watching DH racing too. Similarly, I like DH more but I still enjoyed that Sam Hill EWS clip.
I added the pinkbike DH forum to my quicklinks recently, it's a younger generation, but nice to see the DH spirit is still fresh and alive amongst the right crowds. There's a bunch of long DH bike-specific threads which helped ignite my build-stoke for next season.
I'm probably straying from the topic, I guess the thing I've learned is that whatever flavor of stoke you crave is always alive and burning somewhere. Sometimes it runs off, you've just gotta chase it!
Snowmass EWS was awesome- the tracks were proper:
Stage 1: Old Norba DH track (two creeks)
Stage 2: Long AF trail on Aspen (pedally and hard to ride some parts)
Stage 3: Old Norba beginner/sport DH track
Stage 4: fresh cut for 7 min rocky/loamy, next 7 min was lame bike park and singletrack
Stage 5: fresh cut rocks for 3 min, followed by rad single track that wasn't too flat
Stage 6: the classic Norba DH track
Sam Hill killed it. Richie was on a mission, but maybe over-rode his bike?
Stage 1: Old Norba DH track (two creeks)
Stage 2: Long AF trail on Aspen (pedally and hard to ride some parts)
Stage 3: Old Norba beginner/sport DH track
Stage 4: fresh cut for 7 min rocky/loamy, next 7 min was lame bike park and singletrack
Stage 5: fresh cut rocks for 3 min, followed by rad single track that wasn't too flat
Stage 6: the classic Norba DH track
Sam Hill killed it. Richie was on a mission, but maybe over-rode his bike?
hold on, didn't you win a stage?
Our (Colorado) DH series turned into an Enduro Series. No one around here really puts on DH races. There are a few, but you combine that factor with trails getting dumbed down and bikes getting better....and bam, you are now racing on all the old DH courses, but on a smaller bike and wear less protection and go just as fast and do 3-4 races a day. It's called enduro.
It's finally nice to see just how fast those guys go on trails you've done. Having raced Snowmass many times, it was great to see them fly thru hell's kitchen. And Sam with that sneaky ninja line. Awe yeah. Brings back memories.
It's finally nice to see just how fast those guys go on trails you've done. Having raced Snowmass many times, it was great to see them fly thru hell's kitchen. And Sam with that sneaky ninja line. Awe yeah. Brings back memories.
Definitely NO
Snowmass was my first big semi-pro race back in 2005 (wow...). My buddy @SinatorJ told me during our course inspection that I was going to crash in there, at some point during the weeked. I didn't believe him until I did. He also told me that my goal was to beat the pro women's time, but that I probably wouldn't. So before heading up to do my race run I noted the pro women's fastest qualifying time. I had a clean run and crossed the finish line, pumping my fist in victory because I had indeed beating the pro women's time. Sadly I was 57 out of 60 semi-pro entrants. Needless to say, that was an eye-opener to CO racing for a east coast rocks guy. I collected some solace by top 10ing the race at Telluride the following weekend, but I will never forget the shock of how fast those semi-pro guys were going when I moved up from expert.
Maybe one day he'll get a sponsor that actually makes a bike tailored specifically for aggressive descending. A purpose built kind of thing.......made just for...... what's the word? Downhill. That's it.
My first fanny pack was a red neoprene one I won at a Cactus Cup race in north Georgia back in the 90s and since it was the 90s Blades were mandatory. So yeah, you nailed it.
I may have actually been there. That's pretty much right around when I started when I was at Georgia Tech.
OMG! where did you find that!
That's in the parking lot of Tsali right after a woodser for my fraternity.
That's in the parking lot of Tsali right after a woodser for my fraternity.
I'm a stalker.
haha. he was on DH tires, cush-core and 32 psi according to his mechanic. Sounds like a DH bike to me.
Oh yeah, totally
A 140mm travel 29er is totally a dh bike if you put dh tires on it. Same thing really. It's no wonder I see so many SB5.5s at dh races under dudes Richie's size these days.
That's it man. I'm coming to Colorado and stealing your fanny pack and setting it on fire. And I'm putting you on a chairlift with a dh bike. I'm worried about you.