In other sports, folks move (temporarily) where the points races are... and the competition is low.
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are you referring to other sports where more than the top 10-20 participants can actually make a living off of it?
I know there are certainly people who, for example, move to Europe to pursue karting on up to F3 etc, but competition is low? I guess you can argue that downhill is relatively accessible compared to auto racing, but I have to believe that the level of competition is much higher in almost any established sport vs DH. Just look at the level of support/investment at amateur motocross races.
one thing about DH (as opposed to say, XC) is its like downhill skiing, its essentially geographically restricted to mountainous regions.
You'd think that. but look at a lot of the biggest names in DH from the UK and where they actually grew up riding. I think you'd be surprised at just how non mountainous the regions where they cut their teeth actually are.
my point was more that you can't really actively participate in DH in non-mountainous regions; at the very least you're traveling.
Yeah if you don't have mountains, lifts or at least some big hills, DH racing will die wherever that is.
Perfect example is Ontario. There used to be a full blow provincial race series, but lets face it, the hills here are tiny and you don't really need a DH bike for any of them. The participation was low and the series eventually just faded away into nothing.
The UK at least still has some big hills and what looks like technical trails. It probably also helps that the region isn't hugely bigly like the US and Canada.
Perfect example is Ontario. There used to be a full blow provincial race series, but lets face it, the hills here are tiny and you don't really need a DH bike for any of them. The participation was low and the series eventually just faded away into nothing.
The UK at least still has some big hills and what looks like technical trails. It probably also helps that the region isn't hugely bigly like the US and Canada.
What I meant by that is that in some sports (like Tennis), folks go to out of the way places to pick up points where the competition might be lower (or talent pool less deep) than if they went to say western europe.
Nah. you're wrong again. Most of the UK used to be full of regular regional domestic DH races and series. many in extremely unmountainous regions.
DH racing (other than a few local series' and the Nationals)has died a death here now enduro bikes are so capable and there's less need for uplifts to ride. but because of this enduro racing is even more popular than DH ever was.
Similar outcome. rider wise.
If that were true nebraska would have a thriving dh scene.
What makes you think it doesn't?
Fun fact, Nebraska has more than twice the elevation difference as New Jersey.
New Jersey's most prominent "peak" has 883' of prominence, to 581' for Nebraska though.
How many chair lifts tho?
Yeah?
and if I mention a random County in the UK such as Devon you probably won't have a clue what i'm talking about either.
I've been at regional "DH" races in England where the total elevation drop of the track has been less than 40m
Here's a pic of one such venue featuring a young lad who used to win youth while his Bro won Junior.
Photo 1203: Gee Atherton (riding for Muddy Fox) : Raceshoot.com
Photo 1203: Gee Atherton (riding for Muddy Fox) riding at NACC Muddyfox SW DH (Ashcombe, Devon) on the 23rd September 2001
I think the main difference and reason we have such a huge pot of tallented riders in the UK is the various local riding/building scenes we have. rather than our geographic elevation. Back when Gee and Dan were kids Dan used to build amazing tracks in one of the flattest parts of England. Seriously. Tech as fuck stuff in the smallest bit of woodland. This happens all over our tiny little island.
One of my friends from update NY seems to think my back yard had more elevation change than some of the trails near him. I think, if you include dropping in off the 5ft boulder at the top of my hill I have maybe 60ft of vertical on my property, I hope he was kidding.
Don't you also have a lot more access to public and private lands?Yeah?
and if I mention a random County in the UK such as Devon you probably won't have a clue what i'm talking about either.
I've been at regional "DH" races in England where the total elevation drop of the track has been less than 40m
Here's a pic of one such venue featuring a young lad who used to win youth while his Bro won Junior.
a couple of years later he came 2nd at Rampage. Makes you think, eh?Photo 1203: Gee Atherton (riding for Muddy Fox) : Raceshoot.com
Photo 1203: Gee Atherton (riding for Muddy Fox) riding at NACC Muddyfox SW DH (Ashcombe, Devon) on the 23rd September 2001www.raceshoot.com
I think the main difference and reason we have such a huge pot of tallented riders in the UK is the various local riding/building scenes we have. rather than our geographic elevation. Back when Gee and Dan were kids Dan used to build amazing tracks in one of the flattest parts of England. Seriously. Tech as fuck stuff in the smallest bit of woodland. This happens all over our tiny little island.
For some reason I think that Britain requires public access to trails and roads on private lands.
I started mountainbiking as a kid in an dirt quarry. Literally a big hole in the ground and it was awesome. The walls were maybe 100' tall and as steep as the dirt was stable. There were probably 20 trails going up and down, some drops into the quarry, lots of fast roll-ins to jumps.
I'll excuse myself from that comment having lived there for a dozen yearsand if I mention a random County in the UK such as Devon you probably won't have a clue what i'm talking about either.
Scotland has the right to roam. Not all UK countries.
Was it made to give Scots the freedom to roam, or just let Englishmen roam free in Scotland?
When? I lived in Somerset nr the Devon, Dorset border for 4 or 5 yearsI'll excuse myself from that comment having lived there for a dozen years
it wasn't really "made" at all. it's just common sense with common courtesy.
We've always had both.
England. not so much
They prefer 'little people'And midges.
Those fucking things can fuck right the fuck off.And midges.
I’m going to say that Ed would have had an easier time chasing DH points if he hasn’t spent the majority of the last couple years racing Enduro instead.
Gary is on the money. Digging is a big part of riding in the UK. Not that it is legal (in England) and not many riders actually dig, but there are enough riders putting in some time that nearly every woodland has something going on. Usually tech as fuck, sloppy most of the year, and I’m convinced a recent boom thanks to the 50/01 vids. Big features are generally not built because there is more chance of a reaction from land owners/authorities. This type of scene definitely gets a lot of kids riding and developing due to local proximity, and I am seeing a lot of local kids shredding. Most trails have minimal elevation drop since higher elevation is really found in specific areas/regions e.g. Wales, Scotland, parts of Devon. Actually I think it’s a perfect situation for kids and I would have been well into it if I was lighty now.
This. And the early negative comments by both of the Master Bros about Enduro and then changing sides as soon as there was money to be earned.
i'm biased, but i'm also pretty sure this is good shit to offset RM conspiracy theories.
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