[slimshady]

Joking with a friend about the extremely noodly stays in the Commencal Meta V5 I recalled the term "French lines", in relation to how a flexible rear end would help the Frenchies carve tighter turns. Then he asked me about the origins of that expression.

I remember when some French guy jumped over the tape at a WC in South Africa (?), but I can't for the love of $DEITY remember where the expression originated. Could the community please help me remember when did it get coined?

 

[Kurt_80]

I can't help you with specifics, but I seem to remember that saying from well before pre-SA WC.... late 90s perhaps when DH French dominance was in full swing? Dirtmag sometimes gave the backroom chat around French vs everyone, Peaty vs Vouilloz etc. Lots of chat about the French reeeeeaalllyy pushing the limit of acceptable sportsmanship.

 

[toodles]

We always call French line on anyone corner cutting whenever the race organisers don't bunt the whole trail top to bottom. Seems they had a reputation for finding loopholes to exploit.

 

[Redwood Mulch Chucker]

 

[6thElement]

I thought it came from Fabien Barel in early EWS stuff?

 

[buckoW]

Greg Herbold was the original French liner.

 

[shirk007]

I can't help you with specifics, but I seem to remember that saying from well before pre-SA WC.... late 90s perhaps

Stellenbosch SA hosted UCI WC DH in 1997 and 1998. I attended the 1998 race to watch, Nico and ACC won. So uh late 90's was the OG SA race.

 

[Kurt_80]

Stellenbosch SA hosted UCI WC DH in 1997 and 1998. I attended the 1998 race to watch, Nico and ACC won. So uh late 90's was the OG SA race.

Oh man, I completely forgot about Stellenbosch. Good call. Woulda been a good race. I imagine Minnaar would have been around by then?