[davep]

Glad you did not get hurt,

but there is no need to throw in the towel (unless you do not enjoy that type of riding). I am 37 and waiting for (most likely) a spinal fusion surgery, completely unrelated to mtb. As soon as I am through this, and the recovery, I will be back on the DHR!! I got rid of the DJ bike as that seemed harder on me than the DH plushmobile, and my sergeon wants me on bikes with 'give'.

As far as your bike goes. Broken bolts are easy to replace with a good grade 12.9 bolt. But... a broken suspension bolt is a sign of hard bottoming your suspension, and that is not good! Bottomed suspension says incorrect set up. Replace the bolt and check your spring sag/travel to make sure it not too soft, you might also want some more high speed comp. especially if you are going to be doing drops.

Either way..good luck. 40 is not the end of the world (for most people). Maybe just turn down the volume a little..

 

[Echo]

Either way..good luck. 40 is not the end of the world (for most people). Maybe just turn down the volume a little..

That's my problem. I go in saying I'm gonna "take it easy", but as soon as I see a fat drop with a sweet landing, "taking it easy" goes out the window with the dirty bath water and the dead parakeet. I just gotta walk away...

 

[BMXman]

funny but after my accident I starting thinking the same thing...maybe I need to slow down a bit and remember that I have a wife and kids to take care off.....D

 

[Ciaran]

Screw that. As I get older I work out and ride more. Absolutely no reason to slow down just because you've hit a certain age. Quite the opposite. You should do MORE to remind your body that it's not rest time yet. Age is all in your mind. I'm 35, by the way. My dad is 56 and still kicks some serious ass at whatever he does. He looks 40 too. I take his advice as best I can... Eat right, work out, and think strong.

 

[dhbuilder]

Went to Diablo this weekend and had an awesome time. Hit everything there, lovin' it. Then about 3:00, I hit the Phantom drop (like I did at the bottom of every run ) and heard a loud SNAP! Actually everyone in New Jersey heard it, from what people were saying.

Broke a suspension bolt and some sort of bushing sleeve. The tire jammed against the seat and I skidded to a stop. I was happy about 3 things: first that it happened towards the end of the day, second that it wasn't the frame that broke, and third that I didn't eat sh!t because of it.

However the fact that a bike I considered basically as strong as they come broke on about an 8 foot drop to a nice transition, well basically I've lost the fire. I don't have anything else to prove in freeride/DH riding and after seriously screwing myself up earlier this year and now this, I'm calling it quits. I'll be 40 in a week and it's time to move on to road and XC racing with some urban and Ray's rides to get my occasional fix of airtime.

Keep an eye on the Buy/Sell for a sweet deal on my Nicolai after I get a few parts

i'm fifty.
i don't ride to prove anything to anybody.
i ride for the sheer joy of ripping, jumping and dropping.
(well, just maybe to show up a few p.a.k.'s)
and i don't forsee slowing down anytime soon.

you have still got many many d.h.years ahead of you.
don't waste em.

 

[BMXman]

Screw that. As I get older I work out and ride more. Absolutely no reason to slow down just because you've hit a certain age. Quite the opposite. You should do MORE to remind your body that it's not rest time yet. Age is all in your mind. I'm 35, by the way. My dad is 56 and still kicks some serious ass at whatever he does. He looks 40 too. I take his advice as best I can... Eat right, work out, and think strong.

all I'm saying is one can have just as much fun riding XC, DH, SS, DJ, or trailriding....D

 

[bjanga]

Hail, all ye aged RM rippers . . . I am going to be like you one day

 

[ghostrider]

Well, Echo, I'm sure your family members will be pleased you are quitting the boneheaded "extreme" riding, but damn bro, be careful on the road. I'll take my chances on the dirt any day over fighting selfish idiots in their vehicles. I'm thinking if you are properly equipped and know what you are doing, a good old fashioned trail ride is the safest thing you can do on a bike in the outside.

 

[LOOnatic]

well basically I've lost the fire. I don't have anything else to prove in freeride/DH riding and after seriously screwing myself up earlier this year and now this, I'm calling it quits. I'll be 40 in a week and it's time to move on to road and XC racing )

See what is silly is that your saying only rode DH b\c you had something to prove?
If so then you rode for the wrong reasons bro.
Were you really not havin funn railing Alpine?
Were you bored at whistler wishing for something else?

Bike parts break yada,yada,yada.
Like this one summer at bandcamp..............

So anyway, do whatcha like,rida whatcha wanna but i know you be back.irate2:

 

[skinny mike]

just keep riding anyway that'll keep you happy man.

so about that nicolai....

planning to replace it with a new frame or just thinning the herd?

 

[tmx]

Aw shucks! Now I'll NEVER see you (....and not know it's you until you take your helmet off, as always seems the case.)

I don't blame you though. It's gnarly out there and if you're forever tempted by the big drops, may as well bow out while the bowing is bow-able.

It was a treat to see you Saturday and I now have yet another reason to not pass on TreeSaw's invitations to their gathering, knowing that I won't be running into you once or twice a year at Pkill or DiaBlow.

Cheers!
t

 

[johnbryanpeters]

'S odd, I ride both road and dirt and have gotten hurt doing both. On the road the worst was an equipment failure that damn near cost me my life. I'm a lot more comfortable crashing on dirt than on pavement.

Anyhoo, you can outride me under any circumstances I know about, so rave on in whatever mode you choose.

J

 

[Echo]

See what is silly is that your saying only rode DH b\c you had something to prove?
If so then you rode for the wrong reasons bro.

That didn't come out right... the only person I ever wanted to prove anything to was myself.

I've enjoyed every moment of freeriding and downhilling... if I get an uncontrollable urge I'll rent. But I ain't gonna sit on a $4000 bike when either I'm broken or the bike's broken for half of the riding season.

 

[lonewolfe]

Dude, your still practically a youngster. I'm 47 and ride everything. I suggest perhaps a nice all mountain bike that will enable you to do a bit of everything. My next suggestion is this. It's sounds like you are pretty fit by what the other posters have said. Why not take up Super D racing?

 

[BigMike]

Yeah, everytime I get hurt or spend another $100 on somthing that broke the throught crosses my mind.

But then I remember the thrill and fun of riding, and I just can't do without it!

Good luck to you in whatever type of riding you end up in, as long as you are still on the bike!

and as a side note, you said you were doing a century, that ride is not even 96 miles, pvssy!

 

[W4S]

You like your bikes a little slack, eh?

Yes, and I really like the *new* floating suspension. :biggrin:

Echo, I'll be 39 in July, sometimes it's hard to deny your age. FWIW, do what feels right and be open to changing your mind when that feels right.

 

[Ciaran]

all I'm saying is one can have just as much fun riding XC, DH, SS, DJ, or trailriding....D

Absolutely! I agree! I ride XC/trailriding much more than DH. Of course there's really no place to DH here in So Cal anymore so I don't get much of a choice. But that's another whine altogether.

All I am saying (much like DHBuilder) is that chronological age is no reason to stop doing that which one loves. Take the medieval thing I do for instance. Sure we're geeks and all that, but the funny clothes aside, the fighting is real. No choreography, no hitting soft, no padded weapons and the bruises are real. I get hurt way more fighting than DHing, and I wear steel and aluminum body armor! (It's more physically taxing than DH as well) But there are guys 50, and 60 years old out there kicking ass with the 25 and 30 year olds.

Of course in the end no one can make the decision for us when it's time to stop. If Echo feels that it's time I respect that. One day I will also make the same decision. And W4S makes a very good point... "...be open to changing your mind when that feels right"

(My post was not directly responding to yours, D. Sorry 'bout that. I should have been more clear in my previous post.)