[pelo]

the fact that world champs gets everyone into a skin suit says it all. when you want to win, you use every possible advantage that you have and a skin suit definitely helps.

Yes, but only if you´re the only one who´s wearing the suit. This seem to be so hard for most skinsuit fans to understand. It´s a relative competition. It won´t put you in a better position. And if it does, why would you want to win on "windy" coarses with such an obvious advantage, when you´re one of the few wearing it? That is "fuvkin retarded", my friends.
BTW, skinsuit is not ideal for training purposes in DH, but it is for DH-skiing. I can see motoshorts coming from what you like to train in. Seriously, if you don´t crash and ride in muddy conditions, you´re not really doing this sport. And that is where the moto-pants/shorts is coming from.

I guess nobody switches between two different bikes for training and racing, eh?

But, I can understand the freedom of movement argument, especially if you have the "all over the bike" style.

 

[fred.r]

All the homophobic BS remarks in this thread really bum me out, and make me feel ashamed to call myself a DHer if this is the majority of our population. I've seen the word "faggot" countless times and only read halfway through the thread... awesome.
I have no opinion on the skin suit issue personally. Being only an expert level racer I personally wouldn't rock one... but on the worlds course, who knows.
Now back to the gay slandering... carry on.

 

[Whoops]

... why would you want to win on "windy" coarses with such an obvious advantage, when you´re one of the few wearing it?

Uh, because it's a race?

 

[davep]

MX races, either outside or SX take a lot longer to complete then a DH track.
So why arent Stewart, Tedesco or Reed in Lycra?
You would think they would benefit more during relativly long MX heat then someone on a 3minute DH track.
They also reach speeds far greater then any DHer on ANY DH track and theres a lot more money involved.
I just cant imagine a skinsuit having any effect on the results of any given DH race...

You have heard of the internal combustion engine.....???


It has been well documemented what a 'skin suit' can to for aerodynamic drag. Ever heard of road cycling? Lance Armstrong? There is a reason that Nike spent a sh!tload of $$ to develope the TT suit that lance almost cooked himself in....It was significanlty more aerodynamic than even simple flat woven lycra. If adding woven 'puckering' to a jersey and shorts can have such a benefit that a world class road rider out to set a new world record would 'risk it all' for the gain......

sure as **** the benefit of a 'skin suit' over heavy parachute shorts is significant.

 

[davep]

All the homophobic BS remarks in this thread really bum me out, and make me feel ashamed to call myself a DHer if this is the majority of our population. I've seen the word "faggot" countless times and only read halfway through the thread... awesome.
I have no opinion on the skin suit issue personally. Being only an expert level racer I personally wouldn't rock one... but on the worlds course, who knows.
Now back to the gay slandering... carry on.

with you 100%!!

This is the forum I participate in as it seemed (still does occasionally) as there was a majority of 'adult' posters and a distinct lack of pre-teen name calling and brainless garbage posting.

Unfortunately, this thread proves there is a very health pinkbike streak alive and well at RM....lthumbsdown:


Hurry, every one rush in and show the world how un-educated and bigoted you can be YEAAAAA................................................

 

[pelo]

Uh, because it's a race?

That´s interesting. I know what you´re saying. But, this might be where we look at things different.
To be competitive I think you need to be fast by good technique, strength etc. That´s the core. I wouldn´t want to beat the guys who normally are seconds in front of me, just by putting on the suit. I don´t consider myself a faster downhiller that way.
What´s your opinion Whoops?

 

[worship_mud]

All the homophobic BS remarks in this thread really bum me out, and make me feel ashamed to call myself a DHer if this is the majority of our population. I've seen the word "faggot" countless times and only read halfway through the thread... awesome.

100% with you!

 

[Whoops]

That´s interesting. I know what you´re saying. But, this might be where we look at things different.
To be competitive I think you need to be fast by good technique, strength etc. That´s the core. I wouldn´t want to beat the guys who normally are seconds in front of me, just by putting on the suit. I don´t consider myself a faster downhiller that way.
What´s your opinion Whoops?

What if your bike is better than theirs? Boxxers are better than Marzocchis for race runs... should be banned... Formula brakes better than Hope? Ban them.

The purpose of racing is winning. Simple.

 

[pelo]

How would you consider a Boxxer faster than a Maroccco? It´s all the same, really. It´s what you get used to. If you have a choice, one thing can be better than the other from the perspective of what you believe in. But faster? Nah.
Winning is superior skills compered to competitors.

 

[rockwool]

No, I dont need to Lick anything. You need to be open minded as to what might be Comfortable to ride in, have you ever actually worn Lycra? Because unlike the Emo tight as you can get not letting the boys roll around jeans, Properly fit lycra, you cant even tell its there. This is coming from the guy who swore he would never ride in Lycra. Try it someday, its actualyl comfy, breathes well, and allows for excellent movement.



Only reason It got me going, is when people are saying, You want to wear a skinsuit, you must be gay, you fag. A skin suit in DH really isnt going to gain you must just for Aerodynamics, but on a really fast coarse, or a stupid widny coarse, it can be the difference of even staying on the bike. Try a race where you have a 40mph Plus crosswind, make two runs, once in full baggy, once in a skin suit and you tell me which one you were in more control with.

And By the way, talk to more Pros, you will find they DO have them and use them when needed.

No doubt, lycra has a lot of benefits, and one you forgot is that it dries quick. I have used it. As underwear. Either I had baggies over while courriering, or moto pants when it was below 5'celsius.
And just to bragadoshias a little bit, you telling mushroom boy to be openminded is like Han Solo telling Luke Skywalker to feel the Force.


Denying that a skinsuit sometimes gives you benefits it plain retarded. Calling their users gay is I gess both out of simplistic reasons, as well as to F with them a bit. Showing of your bodys curves is, as I showed with that mega post a page or so back, very gay. There's no getting around that fact.

I saw a hole bunch of Pros this past weekend who didn't wear them, even though it was clear that Tracy Mosely normally woudn't have come closer than 10sec (or so) of Sabrina. Much less win with 5sec.. That aside, if the Pros started riding naked, or some other stupid thing, cus it was proven to be beneficial, I still wouldn't do it out of the fact that it ISN'T ME.

 

[Pegboy]

I'm bored and as much as every fiber in my body tells me not to touch this thread with a 10 foot pole I think a lot of people need to put them selves in check.

I think the one thing that everybody on this board shares is a love for this sport. Everybody would also like to see big money, big sponsors and more TV coverage. While I don't believe this type of banter to be the sole reason that these things are not happening, it certainly doesn't help. Why would a corporation want to get behind a sport where members of a certain discipline (DH) do nothing but ridicule every other discipline. Calling XC, roadies, or even other DHers who chose to wear lycra,"fags, gay, homos ect." shows a total and complete lack of maturity, profession, sportsmanship and class. I am in total agreement with fred r., it is embarrassing to be lumped into this crowd.

As athletes we should respect and support other disciplines and other sports for what they are and the ability it takes in order to be successful, especially cyclists. Why should UCI or US cycling put any money into a segment that is saturated with this type of attitude? Like it or not, Lance Armstrong has brought road riding to the forefront of cycling in the US and that is where the funding is going to go, and the rest of us a fighting for scraps. Be assured that the obnoxious kids at the back of the bus will continue to get what they get...which is nothing.

As far as skin suits go, General Lee brought up the only valid point in regards to banning (or discouraging) the suits when he referred to uniform and equipment standards for various sports. He's right, it may not always be optimal for performance, but it does exist. On the other hand, are people trying to push the limits and ride bikes as fast as humanly possible or just ride fast enough to beat the next guy? That is one thing that I truly respect about DH ski racer Bode Miller, his goal is to push and go as fast as possible, not just win, which is why he used to blow up so often and care so little about results.

For those who still chose to call the suits "gay, retarded, ect." go catch a few fights on UFC. While "board shorts" are prevalent, George St. Pierre, Crocop, Roger Heurta and even Matt Hughes will sport what equates to very short lycra shorts. Please let me know when any one of you are going to inform them that they are gay for choosing so.

 

[DirtyMike]

All the homophobic BS remarks in this thread really bum me out, and make me feel ashamed to call myself a DHer if this is the majority of our population. I've seen the word "faggot" countless times and only read halfway through the thread... awesome.
I have no opinion on the skin suit issue personally. Being only an expert level racer I personally wouldn't rock one... but on the worlds course, who knows.
Now back to the gay slandering... carry on.

with you 100%!!

This is the forum I participate in as it seemed (still does occasionally) as there was a majority of 'adult' posters and a distinct lack of pre-teen name calling and brainless garbage posting.

Unfortunately, this thread proves there is a very health pinkbike streak alive and well at RM....lthumbsdown:


Hurry, every one rush in and show the world how un-educated and bigoted you can be YEAAAAA................................................

Nice to see who the adults are here, Your guys responce's were less hostile than mine, but I am glad we are on the same page, Dave, I owe you rep, I have to spread some around a bit. Fred...... You going to be at woodword in september???

No doubt, lycra has a lot of benefits, and one you forgot is that it dries quick.

Denying that a skinsuit sometimes gives you benefits it plain retarded. Calling their users gay is I gess both out of simplistic reasons, as well as to F with them a bit.

Showing of your bodys curves is, as I showed with that mega post a page or so back, very gay. There's no getting around that fact.

I still wouldn't do it out of the fact that it ISN'T ME.

I didnt forget that it dries quick, in fact I mentioned it. Oh wait thats what Cyclists are talking about when they say how well there clothes breathe. IE "It breathes very well"




Glad you see that denying it helps is Rertarded



Are you really so closed minded that you belive seeing someones body curves is Gay? What if I am racing in 114 degree tempurature<sp> nd I feel like wearing my lycra shorts without any covers? Is that Gay? Or am I just trying to keep from overheating...... Another advantage that WILL help you be faster. Does that make every road racer out there Gay becaust last time I checked they dont EVER wear baggies over there Lycra, but I guess showing there curves and all.......



You dont want to wear a skinsuit, you dont want to wear just Lycra, FINE. Just stop being a JackA$$ and telling other people that its just plain gay if they do.












And everyone wonders why they are being thought of as Insecure.

 

[skinny mike]

Denying that a skinsuit sometimes gives you benefits it plain retarded. Calling their users gay is I gess both out of simplistic reasons, as well as to F with them a bit. Showing of your bodys curves is, as I showed with that mega post a page or so back, very gay. There's no getting around that fact.

i can't believe i just read something like that from someone who claims to be open-minded. you sound like the most homophobic person in this thread.

 

[rockwool]

All the homophobic BS remarks in this thread really bum me out, and make me feel ashamed to call myself a DHer if this is the majority of our population. I've seen the word "faggot" countless times and only read halfway through the thread... awesome.
I have no opinion on the skin suit issue personally. Being only an expert level racer I personally wouldn't rock one... but on the worlds course, who knows.
Now back to the gay slandering... carry on.

Well, read the other half as well to make sure you're propperly informed, wouldn't wanna come out as a lazy ignorant MX fanboy do you?. I'm sure you'll see the word tossed towards both sides in dislike of the other style, and more so you'll see that it's used as a way of describing a fashion. Gays do have a fashion of their own, since you didn't know. Check out post nr 82 on page 6 for true quotes, as well as a link for an indeapth gay fashion research.

How would you consider a Boxxer faster than a Maroccco? It´s all the same, really. It´s what you get used to. If you have a choice, one thing can be better than the other from the perspective of what you believe in. But faster? Nah.
Winning is superior skills compered to competitors.

True, looking at the times of the top WC racers they are within tenths of a second, and some times even a few hundreds of a second, of each other, all on different bikes, shocks, forks, etc.



As stated before, a sinsuit will give you many seconds when conditions are right, but it will only be to an advantage over those who aren't wearing it. If nobody is wearing it, conditions are quite equal and therefore fairer; the fastet pilot wins! Not the fastest suit, fork, bike, or any other petty material object.

In F1 the regulations are immence and they continuously get harder, just to keep up with all the different materials that develop and threaten to destroy the fair competitivness of the sport. The General gave plenty other examples of how things, and particularily skinsuits, are regulated in different sports out of the very same reasons.

Obvoiusly, they're commonly considered as an unfair competitive advantage, that's what I understand of why these rules exist.

More important than anything is that people are forced by their repective national organizations at the Worlds, and some other times even by teams (read Mojo here), to wear something that individuals find as degrading clothing.

Everybody, obviously, isn't offended by this garment, but who gave YOU the right to force your lack of ethics upon another individual? Some people only look at this purely as esthetical. Some others look at this as something that goes against their nature.

What needs to happen before some of you realize that this is a violation upon the will of other people? How about if the US cycling federation orders a buttplug to go with every skinsuit (that also you have to wear no matter what level you compete on), would that wake you up?

"-Ohh, that's different.."

Why, is it finally personal for YOU now? A violation that finally has to do with YOU? Does it really have to take a dildo up your bum before you wake up? Well, others get offended by less. Either way, no one has the right to offend another person. Never.

You cry loud for the use of gay and faggot that sometimes went on unrightful, but you don't back once from going Il Duce on who ever wants to race DH at the very top.

It's not the brown shirt that makes the fascist.

 

[DirtyMike]

How would you consider a Boxxer faster than a Maroccco? It´s all the same, really. It´s what you get used to. If you have a choice, one thing can be better than the other from the perspective of what you believe in. But faster? Nah.
Winning is superior skills compered to competitors.

Actually I belive that comparision to be a good responce to the ORIGINAL post. Telling someone they cannot wear a skinsuit because it gives them an unfair advantage, Is like telling them you cant run a Boxxer because its an advantage over a Marzocchi<NOt that it has anything to do with that at all, its a made up analagy>

 

[rockwool]

For those who still chose to call the suits "gay, retarded, ect." go catch a few fights on UFC. While "board shorts" are prevalent, George St. Pierre, Crocop, Roger Heurta and even Matt Hughes will sport what equates to very short lycra shorts. Please let me know when any one of you are going to inform them that they are gay for choosing so.

Non of them ever risk to crash in those shorts at 40MPH, and more importantly they NEVER FORCE their opponent to wear them.

 

[DirtyMike]

So, going off the post about Ethics ETC...... I will belive that Bullcrap the day they ban Lycra from road racing.

 

[Sandwich]

I read this whole thread. Sad.

I can't believe that nobody noticed how the majority of skinsuit bashers from that video were wearing huge WHITE sunglasses that belong on the pages of Cosmo rather than a man's face. You want to talk about queer or feminine? Seriously? You're going to call something a fad with THOSE things on your face? Get real.

Secondly, did nobody else notice the huge cold sore on Steve Peat's face? Maybe if he wore a skinsuit, he wouldn't be worrying about teh herps.

One of the things I love about DHing in particular is the advancement of technology. Somebody comes out with some new damping system, a better braking system, or new tire technology, and revolutionizes the field. Please don't start regulating my sport to make it look cool. Formula one lost my interest after the competitive edge was reduced so far. Nascar is boring as hell. Racing improves the breed, and I don't want to see technology stopped still because it might yield an advantage.

Moto shorts protect better, and moto jerseys are easier to put on over armor and such. I have a hard time seeing why you wouldn't opt for a suit if it offered a competitive advantage.

 

[DirtyMike]

Non of them ever risk to crash in those shorts at 40MPH, and more importantly they NEVER FORCE their opponent to wear them.

But deos that mean they should Ban them from the UFC for being an unfair advantage, or Because they have a LAck of ethics and are forcing someone else to see there BOdy curves????


Why is it considered ok in one place, but Gay and insulting to others in another feild.

 

[SuspectDevice]

Now that we're back on the topic of gay sex...

Not even having gay sex makes you "gay"... 60%+ of "gay porn stars" only have sex with other men for money. And it's good money too.

The UCI obviously needs to replace DH with Gay Sex. Then everyone get's paid more than $500 a race!

 

[rockwool]

I didnt forget that it dries quick, in fact I mentioned it. Oh wait thats what Cyclists are talking about when they say how well there clothes breathe. IE "It breathes very well"

Glad you see that denying it helps is Rertarded

My bad, I didn't put the consept of breathing garments to it's every meaning. You've prooved me wrong. Bad Rockwool, bad.

It's physics. Physics are comparetevly easy to inderstand compared to ethics. Now, since you clame to be a grownup I expect you to start respecting those persons wills that you're violating.

Are you really so closed minded that you belive seeing someones body curves is Gay? What if I am racing in 114 degree tempurature<sp> nd I feel like wearing my lycra shorts without any covers? Is that Gay? Or am I just trying to keep from overheating...... Another advantage that WILL help you be faster. Does that make every road racer out there Gay becaust last time I checked they dont EVER wear baggies over there Lycra, but I guess showing there curves and all.......

You dont want to wear a skinsuit, you dont want to wear just Lycra, FINE. Just stop being a JackA$$ and telling other people that its just plain gay if they do.

And everyone wonders why they are being thought of as Insecure.

Han, before I lazersword your ass back to humbleness, go back and comprehend what was writen by those Irish gay persons at that gay forum that I linked to in post nr 82.

 

[skinny mike]

Han, before I lazersword your ass back to humbleness, go back and comprehend what was writen by those Irish gay persons at that gay forum that I linked to in post nr 82.

you are so ****ing dense.

 

[rockwool]

i can't believe i just read something like that from someone who claims to be open-minded. you sound like the most homophobic person in this thread.

What ever sugar.

 

[Sandwich]

Non of them ever risk to crash in those shorts at 40MPH, and more importantly they NEVER FORCE their opponent to wear them.

nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. If GSP's short shorts offer him more flexibility and offer him an advantage, why wouldn't he wear them? If other fighters catch on and realize that they too want the advantages of tight shorts, why shouldn't they be allowed to? It's the same thing with DH. Nobody is forcing them to wear skinsuits besides themselves or their competitors.

 

[rockwool]

Actually I belive that comparision to be a good responce to the ORIGINAL post. Telling someone they cannot wear a skinsuit because it gives them an unfair advantage, Is like telling them you cant run a Boxxer because its an advantage over a Marzocchi<NOt that it has anything to do with that at all, its a made up analagy>

You still don't give a flying about the persons that are offended by the skinsuit and the force that some put upon them so that they wear it.

 

[rockwool]

So, going off the post about Ethics ETC...... I will belive that Bullcrap the day they ban Lycra from road racing.

Why wait for the devine UCI to catch up when your fellow athletes in the very sport you're into so strongly object to it (so much that they even give up wins and points at WC races). That's like saying no to food for them as they eat what they reap in points. No respect.

 

[rockwool]

But deos that mean they should Ban them from the UFC for being an unfair advantage, or Because they have a LAck of ethics and are forcing someone else to see there BOdy curves????

Why is it considered ok in one place, but Gay and insulting to others in another feild.

Have the UFC contenders complained?

Well, the WC racers have. Respect them.

 

[rockwool]

Now that we're back on the topic of gay sex...

Not even having gay sex makes you "gay"... 60%+ of "gay porn stars" only have sex with other men for money. And it's good money too.

The UCI obviously needs to replace DH with Gay Sex. Then everyone get's paid more than $500 a race!

If there's a free will to participate in it, sure. Not if it's forced as the skinsuit is today.

 

[skinny mike]

You still don't give a flying about the persons that are offended by the skinsuit and the force that some put upon them so that they wear it.

:huh:

you are talking about people being offended and yet you are throwing around the words "fag" and "gay" like it's nobody's business.

 

[rockwool]

you are so ****ing dense.

Hey, stop pointing your finger at me Darth, or I'll cut of your hand.

 

[rockwool]

nobody is forcing anybody to do anything. If GSP's short shorts offer him more flexibility and offer him an advantage, why wouldn't he wear them? If other fighters catch on and realize that they too want the advantages of tight shorts, why shouldn't they be allowed to? It's the same thing with DH. Nobody is forcing them to wear skinsuits besides themselves or their competitors.

Common man, this has been said before more than once. Many are forced by their respective national cycling organizations to do so at Worlds. The Mojo boys were also forced by their team manager this past weekend at Ft. Bill. What do you think happens if they deny? I bet you that they won't be alowed to compete. That might mean the start of the end of their dream life.

I don't care about UFC as I'm not mixed up in that. Let those involved in that take that fight. I'm into DH.

 

[dirtboyracer]

I think the main strike against skinsuits is the loss of sponsorship money. Do you really think a company like Monster will continue pumping money into a sport where everybody is wearing suits that many find "gay?" I have no problem with skinsuits myself (hell, I race a lot of XC in full lycra) but as the responses on this thread show, plenty do. Monster markets themselves as an "extreme sports" drink and I think it's tough to argue that skinsuits make downhill racing look like an extreme sport. The 15-25 (and I say this as an 18 year old) year old population Monster markets to is extremely influenceable. If they see that downhill riders are wearing skinsuits, they're less likely to find them cool and less likely to buy the product they endorse. Imagine the difference in perceived "coolness," at least from an 18 year olds perspective, of Sam Hill holding a Monster on the podium in moto gear to Sam Hill holding a Monster in a skinsuit.

Same is true for a company like TLD. There is no way in hell they're selling skinsuits to the general DH population no matter what the pros are wearing. They sell baggies and moto gear and people will continue to wear baggies and moto gear. Why would they continue to sponsor DH if all the racers wore products they don't sell?

 

[rockwool]

:huh:

you are talking about people being offended and yet you are throwing around the words "fag" and "gay" like it's nobody's business.

Quote me on those throws please, just so that we are clear that you don't give me the blame for every time those words have been used. I'm pretty sure that we will se that I've been quite moderate in how they've been used, and that my use has been according to how the gays at that gay forum were using it them selves. I hope that I haven't been carried away by this intense discussion and started bashing homosexuals out of hot headed unthoughtfulness. That would indeed have been wrong and unrespectful of me.

Now, how about you stop forcing your skinsuit loving ways upon my favvo Pros.

 

[rockwool]

I think the main strike against skinsuits is the loss of sponsorship money. Do you really think a company like Monster will continue pumping money into a sport where everybody is wearing suits that many find "gay?" I have no problem with skinsuits myself (hell, I race a lot of XC in full lycra) but as the responses on this thread show, plenty do. Monster markets themselves as an "extreme sports" drink and I think it's tough to argue that skinsuits make downhill racing look like an extreme sport. The 15-25 (and I say this as an 18 year old) year old population Monster markets to is extremely influenceable. If they see that downhill riders are wearing skinsuits, they're less likely to find them cool and less likely to buy the product they endorse. Imagine the difference in perceived "coolness," at least from an 18 year olds perspective, of Sam Hill holding a Monster on the podium in moto gear to Sam Hill holding a Monster in a skinsuit.

Same is true for a company like TLD. There is no way in hell they're selling skinsuits to the general DH population no matter what the pros are wearing. They sell baggies and moto gear and people will continue to wear baggies and moto gear. Why would they continue to sponsor DH if all the racers wore products they don't sell?

Who said youth isn't a bliss?

 

[xy9ine]

i still don't see what the problem is here. lots of sports utilize skin-tight clothing without disdain or controversy - skiing, running, swimming / surfing & other board sports, track, etc. most human powered competitive sports benefit from aero / hydro dynamic streamlining, and baggy clothes are detrimental, no question. it seem odd that elite racers / teams that go to great lengths to shave time (suspension data acquisition, shaving grams, etc), would balk at a cheap piece of gear that could save potential seconds. if the sport is really not about getting down the mountain in the fastest possible time, and rather a mano a mano showdown of relative talent, we should just stifle technological development & issue every rider identical bikes (preferably available at local box stores to make the sport more accessible) as well as identical branded baggy kit that can double as mass marketable street wear.

 

[SuspectDevice]

There is nothing "extreme" about downhill racing. Monster needs no help selling their dangerous, lucrative product to children either. None of the kids in your average middleschool classroom are aware of the existence of Mountainbike racing, but most of them are on their way to long-term kidney damage and type 2 diabetes from "energy drink" consumption.

For the paltry few "impressionable youth" that are aware of mountainbike racing and may have been watching the Ft William simulcast, the intolerance, lack of tact, immaturity and plain old hate-speech of the commentators is likely to do a lot more to hurt the future of the sport...

 

[Inclag]

I think the main strike against skinsuits is the loss of sponsorship money. Do you really think a company like Monster will continue pumping money into a sport where everybody is wearing suits that many find "gay?" I have no problem with skinsuits myself (hell, I race a lot of XC in full lycra) but as the responses on this thread show, plenty do. Monster markets themselves as an "extreme sports" drink and I think it's tough to argue that skinsuits make downhill racing look like an extreme sport. The 15-25 (and I say this as an 18 year old) year old population Monster markets to is extremely influenceable. If they see that downhill riders are wearing skinsuits, they're less likely to find them cool and less likely to buy the product they endorse. Imagine the difference in perceived "coolness," at least from an 18 year olds perspective, of Sam Hill holding a Monster on the podium in moto gear to Sam Hill holding a Monster in a skinsuit.

Same is true for a company like TLD. There is no way in hell they're selling skinsuits to the general DH population no matter what the pros are wearing. They sell baggies and moto gear and people will continue to wear baggies and moto gear. Why would they continue to sponsor DH if all the racers wore products they don't sell?

I'll answer your hypothetical. Who cares if TLD weren't to sponsor DH anymore? And to what degree do they sponsor this sport right now in the first place, not as much as I bet you think Someone else would step in that probably has more money since it would be a company that utilizes real technology. And oh no, god forbid Monster Energy disappears! I guess whatever large conglomerate owns Monster would just sponsor the sport with a somewhat less "extreme" beverage like an sugar free anti-oxidant filled drink.

Homophobia aside (which unfortunately I think is a root cause of some of these dimwitted arguments), the real issue here, which precedes the whole skinsuit thing, is that some people want this sport to have a certain type of identity. Some people think that loose fitting MX gear, Monster association, etc etc means that the sport will grow. Others like myself think that no matter what direction the clothing style/identity of the sport takes, it doesn't really matter. A sport doesn't need an association with "extreme things" to succeed. And likewise there are many sports that are labeled as "extreme" that don't connect with the masses (Like say DH mountain biking for an example).

 

[DH Diva]

My question is:

Why do all you dudes care what a bunch of other dudes are wearing? Wandering into this thread feels like I'm surrounded by a bunch of 13 year old girls talking on the phone about what to wear the first day of school.

If you like skinsuits, wear them.

If you don't like skinsuits, don't wear them.

I don't get what the big deal is. It's a matter of personal preference and highly dependent on the particular course. It seems like a lot of pro's switch between skin suits and the cordura/nylon gear anyways. Some courses it makes sense, some it doesn't matter........so why the big stink over clothing.

 

[dirtboyracer]

I agree with you about Monster, It's a dangerous product and I hate the stuff. That still doesn't change the fact that they've been pumping money into bike racing.
Your right about the commentary, it was over the top.
I still think, to put it simply, a rider in baggies is more marketable then a rider in a skinsuit.

 

[rockwool]

i still don't see what the problem is here. lots of sports utilize skin-tight clothing without disdain or controversy - skiing, running, swimming / surfing & other board sports, track, etc. most human powered competitive sports benefit from aero / hydro dynamic streamlining, and baggy clothes are detrimental, no question. it seem odd that elite racers / teams that go to great lengths to shave time (suspension data acquisition, shaving grams, etc), would balk at a cheap piece of gear that could save potential seconds. if the sport is really not about getting down the mountain in the fastest possible time, and rather a mano a mano showdown of relative talent, we should just stifle technological development & issue every rider identical bikes (preferably available at local box stores to make the sport more accessible) as well as identical branded baggy kit that can double as mass marketable street wear.

Of course it should be a showdown of the biggest talent. Fastest pilot wins, not the fastest underwear, period.