Landon had a great post on the 24" wheel thread and I wanted to expand on it in it's own thread. I don't think it should be a pi$$ing match of 24" vs 26" or big wheel vs bmx riding but just a good discussion of riding bikes.
The 24/26 debate doesn't bother me because it's not something anyone even a half step out of the tiny circle of people "concerned" about this even notice. Not to mention a complete non-issue outside of the US. Anyone else notice the Lacondeguys rode 24's at Crankworx? As a manufacturer of a 24 specifc bike, I don't consider this to be any sort of victory..it's just what those kids what to ride. Obviously anything at crankworx could have been ridden on a 24's, and a couple of high profile riders did it. So what?
I also consider my bike a BMX bike, or at least the riding I do is BMX. But that's more out of habit, or maybe because saying I'm going "mountain biking" when I ride a park or trails doesn't sound right to me. When I ride XC, or go to whistler, that's definately "mountain biking" to me. Ulitmately, there's so much overlap of skills and fun that to me, it's all just riding.
Something I'd like to propose to IMBA is to recognize park and dirt jumps as a legit form of mountain biking. The fact is, kids are buying mountain bikes to ride this stuff, and as an industry, BMX hasn't done a very good job of advocacy. Imagine if IMBA was advocating for dirt jump parks? Who knows where that could go. The fact is, very few people live anywhere near actual mountains, especially if you are talking about resort style riding. A vacant lot however, can accomdate something that scores of people can ride, and legitimately prepare themselves for resort riding, or anything. I know IMBA has done a lot to legitmize free-ride trails. Personally, I couldn't imagine really learning how to jump on the free-ride stuff I've seen. For starters, a bike with some travel really helps ride that stuff. But those bikes are expensive, and those places are usually far from where people live. Meaning kids can't participate, and then it's videogame time if they aren't hip to BMX. On the otherhand, a good bike park, with progressive lines...that's where people can go and actually learn something. Kids and adults.
Something that needs to happen is to eliminate this huge distinction between BMX and Mountain Biking. I just got the new Ride, and Fudger tears into mountain bikes in the letters section, again. In his defense, the letter was pretty silly, but it's part of his agenda to print crap, and tear into it. That guy needs to wake-up to the idea that riding a different type of bike doesn't justify completely dismissing a person. This is just being an adult.
I was kind of surprised that mountain bikes weren't mentioned in any of the Red Bull elevation coverage I read. Hard to believe someone didn't rent a bike, try A-line, and dig it. I was waiting for a novelty photo of Inman, or Bohan on a rental bike destroying something. It's just silly to go to Whistler and not ride that mountain. What's the harm to BMX if a kid learns that there's a bigger version of his bike that he can blast down a mountain on?
Thoughts?