[kidwoo]

Well I'll give'em this. That biggest drop looks like it actually has a pretty safe landing. Looks like you need to be moving pretty good to hit it.

Good thing there's never any wind in those canyons.

 

[trib]

I'm legitimately scared for anyone who's going to be hitting those

 

[jackalope]

3 pages and not one Demo freeride bike joke (e.g. "Well, maybe the Demo can finally win something, even if the track isn't technical and bumpy")...I am disappoint.

But yeah, what trib and Ray B said...Wut the fornication. I almost don't want to watch...almost.

 

[demo 9]

Is that top left into bottom right?

 

[kidwoo]

Is that top left into bottom right?

Left is the one that makes the L

 

[Tomasz]

I feel like a big boy when I ride Freight Train.

 

[HAB]

Left is the one that makes the L

Okay so his understanding of directions sucks, but the intent of the question is valid. I'm a little unclear on which takeoff goes where.

 

[trib]

if anyone considers hitting the top drop to lowest landing (may not even be possible, but the image does suggest it's an option) they're more than welcome to borrow my testicles.

 

[djjohnr]

 

[canadmos]

This is my take on it

That long take off on the bottom goes to a landing that can't be seen?

So who is going to do it first?

 

[trib]

perfect conditions for a no hander lander

 

[thad]

Fairclough, Gee, Stevie, Sick Mick, Nico Vink are all on the invite list... anyone know if they will actually be competing?

 

[canadmos]

Steve and I'm pretty sure Gee won't be

 

[fred.r]

If I'm unsure on a shuttle option is it worth bringing the DH bike? Gonna be out there solo pretty much Thurs/Fri and plan on bringing my trail bike currently.

 

[buckoW]

Fairclough, Gee, Stevie, Sick Mick, Nico Vink are all on the invite list... anyone know if they will actually be competing?

Nico left for Rampage last Tuesday and Brendan is going about now. They are both competing.

 

[4130biker]

Nico left for Rampage last Tuesday and Brendan is going about now. They are both competing.

Awesome! I'm getting excited for this

 

[Beast]

This is my take on it

That long take off on the bottom goes to a landing that can't be seen?

So who is going to do it first?

This should clear things up.

 

[Mo(n)arch]

That thing is completely mental...

 

[jonKranked]

why don't they just give it the full marketing money shot and have them jump through a giant oakley "o"

 

[bizutch]

National Parks crap related, the Pisgah Inn is leased on government land and privately owned and they're PAYING Blue Ridge Parkway rangers...to block his entrance and trying to say he's shut down under the current deadlock.

I would drive to the office of the official who put that place in his personal hit list and falcon punch him

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/04/blue-ridge-parkway-pisgah-inn/2923169/

 

[kidwoo]

This should clear things up.

Not really

Seriously where the hell does that riders' left-most lip put you? I can't tell if it's a left hip or supposed to be some longer jump to the right most landing.

Freedom riding is confusing.

why don't they just give it the full marketing money shot and have them jump through a giant oakley "o"

ON FIRE!!!!!!!

 

[jonKranked]

ON FIRE!!!!!!!

fireworks & great white playing.

 

[William42]

Am I the only one that genuinely worries that mountain biking has gone from cool to "what the fvck you're going to actually die doing that please don't"

http://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/Cam-Zinks-2013-Red-Bull-Rampage-Plan-The-Biggest-Step-Down-Flip-in-History,660

 

[jonKranked]

Am I the only one that genuinely worries that mountain biking has gone from cool to "what the fvck you're going to actually die doing that please don't"

http://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/Cam-Zinks-2013-Red-Bull-Rampage-Plan-The-Biggest-Step-Down-Flip-in-History,660

if an austrian can skydive from low earth orbit, i think these guys can figure out a step-down.

 

[William42]

if an austrian can skydive from low earth orbit, i think these guys can figure out a step-down.

8 months of prep with a whole lot of science, testing, and planning with a ton of tech on your side and a fair number of contingency plans feels safer to me then "high five bruh, you got this"

 

[jonKranked]

"high five bruh, you got this"

because that's exactly how it happens

 

[kidwoo]

because that's exactly how it happens

I can think of a few guys with whom it usually goes exactly like that

"team of scientists" may be a little generous

 

[- seb]

How have I never seen this before:

(Cam's G-Shock backflip)

 

[jonKranked]

I can think of a few guys with whom it usually goes exactly like that

"team of scientists" may be a little generous

well yea, I doubt they've got engineers calculating velocities and launch trajectories, but these guys have a number of years of experience doing this kind of stuff.

 

[blindboxx2334]

as long as its not measured in PB measurements, he should be good

 

[Pegboy]

well yea, I doubt they've got engineers calculating velocities and launch trajectories, but these guys have a number of years of experience doing this kind of stuff.

Google Shane McConkey...who, surprise, surprise was working on a RedBull project..

 

[jonKranked]

Google Shane McConkey...who, surprise, surprise was working on a RedBull project..

Who's going hucking in a wingsuit now? That would be awesome

 

[Pegboy]

You could be onto something there...

 

[bdamschen]

Google Shane McConkey...who, surprise, surprise was working on a RedBull project..

Low blow and not accurate. McConkey died because of equipment failure doing what he normally does, not pushing himself beyond his limitations.

 

[dan-o]

these guys have a number of years of experience doing this kind of stuff.

The final comment pretty much sums things up.

 

[Pegboy]

Low blow and not accurate. McConkey died because of equipment failure doing what he normally does, not pushing himself beyond his limitations.

How is that a low blow or inaccurate? First off, Shane was the man and as a skier I am well aware of his history going all the way back to his father. If something is tried and successfully pulled off, then it seems to be within limitations; so when the stakes get raised the consequences of "beyond limitations" become dire. If someone stacks it in off the Oakley sender because their frame snaps and they end up a quad..is it just equipment failure?

I made the comment regarding the lack of contingency plans, which JK inferred was compensated for by years of experience. The point is that experience doesn't mean **** when things go wrong.

Redbull has a bit of a history with events/stunts that leave their athletes severely injured, paralyzed or worse. Where is the line? We don't yet know but these things seem to be getting to the point where the consequences will be extreme.

 

[bdamschen]

How is that a low blow or inaccurate? First off, Shane was the man and as a skier I am well aware of his history going all the way back to his father. If something is tried and successfully pulled off, then it seems to be within limitations; so when the stakes get raised the consequences of "beyond limitations" become dire. If someone stacks it in off the Oakley sender because their frame snaps and they end up a quad..is it just equipment failure?

I made the comment regarding the lack of contingency plans, which JK inferred was compensated for by years of experience. The point is that experience doesn't mean **** when things go wrong.

Redbull has a bit of a history with events/stunts that leave their athletes severely injured, paralyzed or worse. Where is the line? We don't yet know but these things seem to be getting to the point where the consequences will be extreme.

Low blow because you're using the death of a guy doing something he loved to do to criticize the sponsor that made it possible for him to do it.

Inaccurate because McConkey was parachuting/wing suiting when he died. It's hard to have a contingency plan for equipment failure while falling toward the ground. What things could he or Redbull have done to further mitigate risk?

I would argue that Redbull has a history of providing funding and support to athletes who do things dangerous/crazy enough that it is easy to be seriously injured. I feel like McConkey would have found a way to be taking the risks he did with or without the Redbull sponsorship. I also feel like people would be out there riding gnarly lines at rampage as well with or without Redbull. Maybe they should stop sponsoring all these crazy ideas and stick to investing their money in golf and nascar instead?

 

[OGRipper]

If someone stacks it in off the Oakley sender because their frame snaps and they end up a quad..is it just equipment failure?

Well, yeah, it would be equipment failure - that's literally, precisely what you just described. But that's not to say it would be an equipment defect. That kind of use is beyond normal or foreseeable use for most folks.

The point is that experience doesn't mean **** when things go wrong.

True enough, but the experience these guys bring the table make these calculated risks - more calculated than it might seem to mere mortals like me and (perhaps) you.

 

[tabletop84]

well we'll just wait and see. Technically each little blow of wind could lead to somebody die right there at the scene in front of hundres of cameras. I mean even the rb-marketing-director for these events sits in a wheelchair.. They'll even produce a tribute movie when someone dies. It's all part of the business...

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

For some reason (maybe I'm just getting old) this year's wood features inspired more fear than excitement for me. I think we can all agree that these features could kill someone, especially someone doing a flip or spin--this is probably not new, ie lots of other things from previous Rampage courses were similarly dangerous. Not sure why I feel like this year is somehow different. Given all the deaths of professional and nonprofessional skiers/snowboarders, its hard not to conclude that something similar is merely a matter of time. That said, I hope I'm wrong.