[Wa-Aw]

From a mental standpoint racing BMX and DH are two very different things. It took a while for me to understand that I cant approach a DH run like i would a BMX moto. I still do not have a great race head for DH although I think i have come a long way.

from a riding standpoint I think that my riding style was defiantly influenced by racing BMX. Instantly i was very comfortable in the air. Jumping came naturally and when the trail gets rough I tend to spend as much time off the ground as possible. One thing that bmx didn't help with was flat corners. They dont exists in BMX. I was very good at berms from the beginning but learning to ride flat corners was a bit of an ongoing process. Overall i think my bike handling skill is a direct result of me growing up on BMX. i personally think its the best way for kids to develop the best riding technique.

Interesting to bring mental aspect of the equation into it, too. I always was a bit of a competitive person and handled pressure pretty well which I think is the biggest reason I'm a higher level competitive racer today. Without a doubt my skills are no where near as good as most of the guys I race against (and I don't learn as fast as most of those guys either, damn wheelies!) but for some reason when my head goes blank at the beginning of a race run I (USUALLY) manage to get down the hill in one piece and with a decent time. Has anybody else gotten through racing like this?


I'm terrified of BMX's. Whenever I ride off a curb with one I feel like I'm approaching a 20ft drop!

sponsored "freestyle" (before "freeride" was invented ) skier, early 90's ->late 2000's.

started riding XC once i moved to colorado in 97 as a way to train for the winter. started racing xc in 99, expert xc'er on a singlespeed with a 98 z1 till mid 2000's, when i started doing a bunch of urban fat to flat/trials sillyness up till 2005, and started riding DH then, which really finally clicked with the freeride mentality and flow of skiing and the exercise desires as well.

i am way better at pedaling and riding singletrack than i ever will be in tight berms. i am way more into step downs and fade away jumps than true doubles. seeing the backside of a big double for some reason freaks me out. i am used to sending 50 footers to steep snow landings with speed alot more...

somewhere in all of that above i split time managing bike shops in the summer and skis in the winter for 10+ years (1998-2009).

i now work in the ski business full time, so i ride ~75-100 days of dh a season during the slow season business wise, and only ski 40-50 days a year any more.

but yeah, all good

If I'm not doing something like this in 10 years, then I better be in a yacht in a Caribbean loaded ladies half my age! I still think I'd prefer marshalolson's paradise!

 

[Da Peach]

I did nothing... just rode my bike to work through childhood and up till college.

Coincidentally, I am a hack.

Same here. Paper route BMX!

 

[jnooth]

Interesting to bring mental aspect of the equation into it, too. I always was a bit of a competitive person and handled pressure pretty well which I think is the biggest reason I'm a higher level competitive racer today. Without a doubt my skills are no where near as good as most of the guys I race against (and I don't learn as fast as most of those guys either, damn wheelies!) but for some reason when my head goes blank at the beginning of a race run I (USUALLY) manage to get down the hill in one piece and with a decent time. Has anybody else gotten through racing like this?


I am a very competitive person. I am the type that refuses to loose to someone that is pedaling right next to me. This is why I was a decent BMX racer. I struggle getting into a race that I have know idea how I am doing till i cross the line and see my time. Looking back at my best races, they are the ones i cant remember. Like you said I turn my brain off and nothing matters but the section of course I am in. I never break focus, and if i make a mistake i forget about it instantly. I only pay attention to the moment i am in. that being said that race run happens 1 out of 5 for me. I am getting better but it still is a work in progress. Its one of those things that i know what i need to do but struggle to do it. I feel as if the mental side of things is whats holding me back

 

[NWS]

I started with skateboarding, then snowboarding.

This whole "bike" thing is just completely unnatural to me. Why are my feet so high up? I can't flail my arms for balance? If I could get this goddamn contraption out from between my knees I could really rip.

But it's fun.