[- seb]

My perfect course is one that HAS big jumps/drops and steep/tech sections, but not just that. I don't like courses where you're dragging the brakes all the time to control your speed and letting gravity do all the work. I like to have to work for my speed.

Not saying I want flat (or even uphill!) sections in courses, but sections which have a minimum of gradient, and make you work to get your speed up definitely work for me.

I think more people than admit it feel like this too, they're embarrassed to confess though...

It's not that I can't ride non-pedally courses, I just get a lot more satisfaction from a course that leaves me gasping for air by the end of it. I like a course that you can really "attack".

Anyone else want to 'fess up?

 

[Straya]

You are going to get very excited by the worlds track in Canberra.

 

[- seb]

Well, no, when watching racing I'd prefer steep loose and stupid-scary, of course. Even the hardest tracks look lame once on video. I bet the course isn't nearly as bad in the flesh as it appears on video though - though the muddy flat bit at the end into a headwind last year looked pretty lame!

 

[Straya]

I bet the course isn't nearly as bad in the flesh as it appears on video though

Despite my comment I'm a fan of it. Then again I helped (in a very small way) to build it so I'm biased but I feel that DH is not all about crazy steeps and there is nothing wrong with making riders pedal a little bit every now and again.

 

[soul-skier]

i only like to pedal steel guitar

 

[dhkid]

seb, what i think you have just described is a non pedaly course anyway. nothing wrong with that. pedaly course = where you need to pedal to get to the bottom or will be extremely slow. pedaling to gain speed is part of the game.

but there is nothing like steeper courses, where if you get it right, you accelerate through sections. being man enough to stay off the brakes, and i mean totally off the brakes. even slight feathering of the brakes ruins it. easier said than done.

 

[Jim Mac]

I'm better at pedally courses, it's the XC sprinter in me (rather than the 'scared the crap out of myself brake dragger' part of me)

 

[- seb]

I'm certainly no XC guy, I have no stamina and can't pace myself, but I DO like a good sprint I need to get myself on a velodrome I reckon, think I'll enjoy it a lot..

 

[rollertoaster]

I tend to do better on longer more pedally courses myself. I wouldn't say I like them, but statistically I've had better results.

 

[Muttely]

That would be because your bike weighs about 4 kilos seb, haha

 

[- seb]

Certainly doesn't pedal as well as my DHi did. Either that or I've lost fitness!

 

[DirtyMike]

YOud like Fontana racing. Coarses are fairly short, you can roll most of it, but if you want to maintain any speed at all, you have no choice but to pedal Pedal Pedal....And of coarse.....you finish it up with the dreaded WALL!!!!!!!

 

[seth505]

I hate it

 

[JeffKill]

I find that the more I ride XC/AM, the faster I get on the DH bike. Not just for pedaling, but the endurance you gain helps so you dont fatigue when doing DH runs all day. Then if there are flat/pedal sections, I know I can sprint through them without consequence.

 

[Jason4]

I raced last weekend and I found satisfaction with trying to pedal more during my run.

 

[godfather]

I'm better at pedally courses, it's the XC sprinter in me (rather than the 'scared the crap out of myself brake dragger' part of me)

I couldn't have said it much better. This is definitely me too.

 

[jnooth]

I do best at mid length courses with some pedaling. i also do well on steep courses. its the ones with the football length sprints that i suffer at.

I feel steep courses draw out the better rider and pedaling courses draw out the most fit riders. in this sport i think it is good to have courses that have aspects of both.

 

[MDJ]

I like courses where you have to lay down a quick burst of power coming out of corners before the next turn or section. Long flat sprints at the bottom of a course suck.

 

[yuroshek]

i feel that i am a strong pedaler and can really over come the pain of pedaling and hurting myself. pedaling pain is temporary, winning lasts a life time.

 

[Jim Mac]

winning lasts a life time.

Until you lose again!

 

[- seb]

I like courses where you have to lay down a quick burst of power coming out of corners before the next turn or section. Long flat sprints at the bottom of a course suck.

Yep, that's the sort of thing I mean.

 

[yuroshek]

Until you lose again!

or crash out in US open finals and go from 1st place AM qualifier to 50th nobody. lol

 

[SylentK]

I don't mind pedaling. In fact I kinda like it. It is bicycling, after all. Just not too much!

 

[Brian HCM#1]

I pedaled once.

 

[mtbrider106]

pedaling makes you go faster all i gotta say.

 

[Kanye West]

The best DH courses are those that start out with braking skid marks from the starting gate. A simple requisite for a DH course is that it CAN be done chainless. A great DH course could be ran competitively fast chainless. Pedaling spots should be places to get an advantage, not a necessity to pedal. Might as well race XC or Super D if you wanted a course where you HAD to pedal.

 

[shakedown]

I like a course that can be ridden top to bottom with little to no pedalling. But, can be pedaled in places for max speed. That also has alot of riding of brakes, so the skilled/crazy can let off the brakes to go faster.

 

[Kanye West]

Pedalling should be the difference between fast and faster, not the difference between moving and stopped. That's why we have bikes with motors.

 

[Ironjunk]

I love shooting up short techy climbs. My legs feel better on the DH bike if i spend a lot of spinning time XC or road riding. I don't get tired as fast and have more energy overall. Plus it's nice to be able to blast DH sections but also fly up hills.

It's hard to imagine the pros not spending any time spinning but im sure just riding is a good enough workout for some.

 

[MDJ]

A simple requisite for a DH course is that it CAN be done chainless. A great DH course could be ran competitively fast chainless.

Speaking of which... Years ago when they had that world cup race in Hawaii, didn't Myles break his chain coming out the start house during qualifying, and still qualify in top 10?

Any of you old timers remember something like that happening?

 

[OB1]

Anyone else like pedalling? Or is it just me?

I don't like earning money. I like spending it.
I don't like paying for food. I like eating it.
I DO like being completely exhausted after a race. But only from my battle with gravity.
The only people I hear complain about a lack of pedaling...are guys who think pedaling would give them a competitive advantage. Jumpers want jumps, mudders want mud.....and then theres people who excercise due to guilt. They feel better after punishing themselves through pedaling. THEY become good pedalers. Just a theory.

 

[slowmtb]

Speaking of which... Years ago when they had that world cup race in Hawaii, didn't Myles break his chain coming out the start house during qualifying, and still qualify in top 10?

Any of you old timers remember something like that happening?

Can't remember which race but didn't one of the Athertons? Gee or Dan break a chain race run '08 and still finish in a respectable place?

 

[djjohnr]

pedalling should be the difference between fast and faster, not the difference between moving and stopped. That's why we have bikes with motors.

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