i am 14 and i plan on starting next summer as i dont have enough cash for a bike right now, when did you start doing downhill?
When did you start downhill??
- Thread starter Thunderbolt42
- Start date
last august, when i was 27
what bike do you have?
My life has been going downhill for 20 years now.
I started in mid 1993 when i was 18 on a fully rigid canti braked GT Karakoram,quickly followed by a RTS2
Same.
I started riding DH in 1997, bought my first "proper" DH boike in 1998, a good old Kona Stab. 5 1/2 inches of plushness, madcore!!
first dh race was in like '98 on a K2 animal with a judy XL and a chainguide made out of oak and plexiglass. i guess I was about 14 at the time.
First DH I did was the puerco DH (malibu) in 1986, that same year I did the rockhopper classic in Big Bear where you had to race the uphill to get to enter the DH (as most DH events were).
I think I was about 19 or 20, so 11 or 12 years ago. I had Giant ATX 900 series, I think. Lightweight, XC full suspension bike. 90mm of rear wheel travel, 80mm in front - RS Judy. But I had wheel built with Sun Mammoth rims and ProStop brakes with huge +200mm floating rotors
and ProStop brakes with huge +200mm floating rotors 
In 1996 in Japan Gt hardtail, then an M1.
LBJ
Gt hardtail, then an M1.LBJ
First race in 1995 but really got into it after going to the Cairns worlds to watch. Purchased a Turner straight away and got into it. Racing vet class now, havnt missed a season.
Pfft... Old timer...First race in 1995 but really got into it after going to the Cairns worlds to watch. Purchased a Turner straight away and got into it. Racing vet class now, havnt missed a season.
First race was in '95 when I was 15. I'm eligible for Vets next year, but haven't decided whether to stay in Open Men or not.
I started last year at age of 29.
come on up to the ol boys toods
started out on an RTS2 in 1995. Still suck though 
1996 @ Mt Snow on a C'dale Super V700 w/ i think around 4" of travel and disc brakes that howled like a banshee the whole way down the hill.
1999 was first "dh bike," a 1999 Bullit w/ Jr T.
1999 was first "dh bike," a 1999 Bullit w/ Jr T.
2004 for freeriding.
2005 for racing, at a young age of 38!
2005 for racing, at a young age of 38!
I was 34 when I started the silly DH (2003)!
I dont race, but I win!! YAY ME!!
I dont race, but I win!! YAY ME!!
ABout ten years ago or so, started out on an OLD as ahnd me down rigid cannondale, then went to a KHS rage, to a KHS fr, then a Dirtbag, to a **** load of demos to my blindside. Im thirty now, was still pretty fearless when I was twenty. Starting to realize it takes time to heal now.
somewhere between 1985-1988 I remember me and my neighbor Greg pushing our BMX bikes to the top of a rutted out moto hill climb of ours and bombing back down it twice, nearly killing ourselves in a side by side battle on the second run. NEVER did that again.
First DH race was in 1993 in college, 19 years old, rigid Schwinn burgundy Homegrown with full Shimano LX, Tiago Psycho tires, Answer Alumilite DH bar and Dia-Compe cantilever brakes. Actually found the fork off that bike hanging in my dad's shed two days ago ironicly!
First DH race was in 1993 in college, 19 years old, rigid Schwinn burgundy Homegrown with full Shimano LX, Tiago Psycho tires, Answer Alumilite DH bar and Dia-Compe cantilever brakes. Actually found the fork off that bike hanging in my dad's shed two days ago ironicly!
Just a pup, I was 33 in 1999
'93, Gainesville Fl (I got 7th overall. Jason McCroy and Todd Tanner were 1-2, Termite was 3rd, and the Caloi XC team rounded out the top 5). I was 13 and terrified)...
I never raced DH more than one or two times a year (too busy racing xc and on the road) until '03. The best DH races I've ever done were in the '90s (except for Whiteface). Go figure....
I never raced DH more than one or two times a year (too busy racing xc and on the road) until '03. The best DH races I've ever done were in the '90s (except for Whiteface). Go figure....
when i was 30 in 2000
Started in 2005 on a 2004 Iron Horse SGS Pro at the ripe age of 23.
Loved that frickin' bike.
Loved that frickin' bike.
Does Mt Peter still do DH stuff?
ME: STarted true DH last year at the ripe age of 38. this is my second season; just bought my own bike a few months ago and I am effin HOOKED!!!
I first rode DH trails about 14 or 15 years ago on a chromoly hardtail GT Karakoram with a Rockshox Mag21 fork and cantilever brakes. First FS bike was an AMP Research B3 with like 2.5-3" of travel, a couple of years later. Just got my first proper DH bike this season at 35, and I'm having a blast!
96 i think..
Started around 4-5 years ago at the ripe 'ol age of 36, I'll be 41 next month. But I would say that I only have 2 years of DH riding experience. I have taken a couple of years off in that time frame, due to different reasons.
I do believe that was my first DH race as well, on a stumpjumper with a Judy and bar ends. Uh, I was a little older than 13 though.
Don't laugh, but I was the Florida State DH champ in I think '95 or '96. THe races were more like flat sprints on XC bikes.
Final Decent, October 2004, right around my 20th birthday.
Did my first lift-assisted riding in august of 2007 at age 25. Was instantly addicted, rode all of last season at Diablo, loved every minute of it. Picked up a used Sinister R9 mid season last year and it's made things WAY more fun.
Finally got the customary broken collarbone the 2nd weekend of the Diablo season this year, and only just started riding again.
All I think about all week is the next time I get to ride, haha.
Finally got the customary broken collarbone the 2nd weekend of the Diablo season this year, and only just started riding again.
All I think about all week is the next time I get to ride, haha.
1998 on a Gary Fisher Joshua, solid 3" of travel with elastomer fork. Very rough ride since Attitash was where I started and they really only had Fire Roads open back then and their Fire Roads are like Cape Cod beaches with many baby heads thrown in. My wife broke her collar bone that day on a GF Joshua as well. Those bikes didn't last long.
Raced from 2000-2006 then broke my leg in Whistler, missed many weeks of work (had to come up with $25K for surgery in Vancouver) and just realized, being a parent and all, I couldn't take the same risks anymore so racing had to go.
I still ride DH and love it but don't allow myself to "Pin" it anymore. I'm 41 now and most the guys I rode/raced with don't even ride anymore, it's getting harder and harder to find people to ride with never mind DH with.
Raced from 2000-2006 then broke my leg in Whistler, missed many weeks of work (had to come up with $25K for surgery in Vancouver) and just realized, being a parent and all, I couldn't take the same risks anymore so racing had to go.
I still ride DH and love it but don't allow myself to "Pin" it anymore. I'm 41 now and most the guys I rode/raced with don't even ride anymore, it's getting harder and harder to find people to ride with never mind DH with.
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Started in April 2005 on a 2006 Santa Cruz Heckler. Then moved to a SC Free after that.
I am so happy I found MTB riding. Best thing that's ever happened to me besides finding my fiance.
If you care check my sig to see where I am at now. =]
I am so happy I found MTB riding. Best thing that's ever happened to me besides finding my fiance.
If you care check my sig to see where I am at now. =]
Started riding rented bikes at Bromont in 2000. But I was always faster than my buddies on the downhills of trail rides... does that count?!
I got my own DH rig in 2006. Haven't raced yet, but I'm at the local hill about twice a week.
I got my own DH rig in 2006. Haven't raced yet, but I'm at the local hill about twice a week.