[NoUseForAName]

talk to a roadie, then you wont think dh'ers are really that bad

So i got told this story about Mario Cipolinni once.

He was racing for Specialized and they couldn't make a bike that fit him *exactly* in time. So they custom made him a Titanium stem that would put him in the position that he *had* to be in. Guy from SBC flies to Europe with this stem just to get it to Cipo in time.

He loved it. Loved it some much that he decided it *had* to be on his new custom bike which had finally arrived.

Which Specialized had built to the dimensions he requested originally.

 

[RUFUS]

talk to a tri-athlete and you won't think roadies are that bad

This. Go stand next to a tri at a bike shop and just listen to them. Hilarious.

 

[Andrewpalooza]

MX bikes are even more picky. They also just happen to be more dialed.

Is "dialed" a quantifiable dimension?

 

[DirtyMike]

I am with teh OP....... People are picky, that is all it is.......

So check this.... Parts I put on my rig, and why I pout them on.....

66 ETA fork..... Its what I had
Fifth element rear shock..... Was on clearance for 25 bucks
Transiiton wheelset.... had them already... Built them for the last transition I had
Deore shifter..... as the cheapest with dual release
Saint Derailluer....... I like the chain tension.... Lowers the slap
Mrp G2........ Needed guide, this was the fastest I could get
Hussefelt cranks 170 MM......... Right size for my legs.... free
Shimano DX pedals..... strong
Azonic WF bars...... Sponsorship
Brakes, Stroker trails........ Sponsorship
ODI grips.... Fit my hand... SPonsorship
Well pretty much verything else from there is a sponsorhip item, or was at some time




Out of all the things I have done on my Blindside that have changed the weight, the only thing that has been truly noticable was tires and tubes....... Other than that, my bike has varied a few pounds up and down over the last two years throughout wearing parts out and flat out breaking parts........ Tires havebeen the only that have been noticable for weight, and Bars are the only that changed the feel...............


Alot of it is mental, there is no doubt in that......But if you guys think anyone in the cycling world is nit picky.......Go talk to a professional fisherman, or the Pro AM that thinks he is a pro...... Those guys are crazy nit picky about gear

 

[Tetreault]

tri geeks ... they insist that I'm wrong because they read ___ on a forum somewhere and thus my suggestion that they do something different is obviously BS.

so true, i think it also has to do with the personality type that tri-people are. Thus why most are doctors, accountants, or other jobs that i would have no desire doing

Maybe its just me, but if i was dressed factory sam hill, i would assume id probably ride faster. I can only speak for myself, but if i have a nice matching DH bike ... alot of monkeys on here match components to make it pretty, which mentally may make you faster

I would feel like a complete douche riding in full hill gear or any of those replica kits. But looking good and making your bike look good is part of it, but the matching colours to go faster doesnt make sense to me, i get component choices due for what ever reason one may have, but i think colours are purely for aesthetics not performance, i don't even know what im talking about???

 

[BIGHITR]

Anybody consider the mental aspect, i know (at least me) if i am happy about how my bike feels and looks (but matching colors dont affect anything) ill be happier and ride faster. Maybe its just me, but if i was dressed factory sam hill, i would assume id probably ride faster. I can only speak for myself, but if i have a nice matching DH bike, im probably happier, and probably ride better. I dont have the times to prove it, but so much of DH riding is mental, so i think its important. If i get 6 Ti rotor bolts, and think i lowered my unsprung weight, ill be happier, and think ill do better, than potentially do better. I may be the only 1 to admit it, but i think (judging by bikes) that alot of monkeys on here match components to make it pretty, which mentally may make you faster. Now whether you get a demo 8 and go replica sam hill or not is up to you, maybe you will be faster, but can u look at yourself in the mirror

Ahhhh HAAA! So I SHOULD get a longer shock and I'll feel more confident with the extra inch travel!!! I KNEW IT!!!

 

[FOXROX]

judging by the fact the 99% of us on here are not racing WC's and winning, and by the fact that every day i see post about "which hubs should i get?" "which fork is better?" it is more on a mental thing, honestly, will most of us need the adjust ability of a boxxer wc? or feel the weight difference between a wc and a team? probably not. will you feel more confident knowing while riding it? yes.

personally i think i will go faster on this

rather then this

because mentally i know the 2011 demo has more technology in it then the previous year, and in turn i will want to try harder to prove it. will i feel a weight difference? probably not. will i feel more confident in my bike? yes. does having a trick bike mean im good? no, but it makes me feel good, and when i feel good i think positive.

 

[TheTruth]

My response to the OP: Because I can.

 

[demo 9]

I would feel like a complete douche riding in full hill gear or any of those replica kits. But looking good and making your bike look good is part of it, but the matching colours to go faster doesnt make sense to me, i get component choices due for what ever reason one may have, but i think colours are purely for aesthetics not performance, i don't even know what im talking about???

I meant along the lines of getting a red chainring for you red bike instead of a green one, i would never switch forks or something important for color, just the sort of wow that red stem would look better than that black 1, its a placebo affect, like making a mistake in a run, and thinking your totally screwed (because if you made a mistake, how can you win!) when in reality, your still a few seconds up, same with being uncomfortable on your bike, for better or worse, im a happier person on a matching bike, and i THINK i would ride faster bcuz of it.

 

[BIGHITR]

personally i think i will go faster on this

rather then this

(raising hand) EEW!! EEW!! EEW!!! I know the answer to this one!!! It's the silver wheels! They make you go faster than the black ones!

LOVE that bike man. That is such a SWEET ride dude!

 

[Tetreault]

i would never switch forks or something important for color, just the sort of wow that red stem would look better than that black 1, its a placebo affect

gotchya

 

[DirtyMike]

(raising hand) EEW!! EEW!! EEW!!! I know the answer to this one!!! It's the silver wheels! They make you go faster than the black ones!

LOVE that bike man. That is such a SWEET ride dude!

Those wheels are white not silver.......

 

[HAB]

If it takes the shiniest new stuff to get you guys motivated to pin a race run, you're doing it wrong.

 

[jonKranked]

Ahhhh HAAA! So I SHOULD get a longer shock and I'll feel more confident with the extra inch travel!!! I KNEW IT!!!

but you're still riding a DH bike on XC trails. that's like wanting to put an extra 4" of lift on a F350 that's already lifted 2 feet and only driven around Riverside

 

[IH8Rice]

because mentally i know the 2011 demo has more technology in it then the previous year

did they put a computer in it for 2011?

 

[norbar]

If it takes the shiniest new stuff to get you guys motivated to pin a race run, you're doing it wrong.

Its not really motivation in my case and not really shiny stuff but stuff I belive that works. If it makes me belive I can corner faster I will hit corners faster. Of course there are many other ways to be faster but cant we use them all ? Or is there only one true way?

Though yeah the color thing and shiny stuff is BS. I just like my bike too look nice after I spent so much cash on it. Same reason why I wont buy an expensive hyundai

Ahhhh HAAA! So I SHOULD get a longer shock and I'll feel more confident with the extra inch travel!!! I KNEW IT!!!

Doesnt work for ideas that are so stupid you feel it right away. Kinda like using a hammer as a placebo for headache.

 

[HAB]

Its not really motivation in my case and not really shiny stuff but stuff I belive that works. If it makes me belive I can corner faster I will hit corners faster. Of course there are many other ways to be faster but cant we use them all ? Or is there only one true way?

Though yeah the color thing and shiny stuff is BS. I just like my bike too look nice after I spent so much cash on it. Same reason why I wont buy an expensive hyundai

I wasn't really talking to you. It was the color coordination stuff I was mostly referring to.


Though in my case I KNOW it's not the bike holding me back so I don't sweat it. I also barely race at all, so there's that. Most of the time I'd rather just go ride.

 

[norbar]

I wasn't really talking to you. It was the color coordination stuff I was mostly referring to.


Though in my case I KNOW it's not the bike holding me back so I don't sweat it. I also barely race at all, so there's that. Most of the time I'd rather just go ride.

Yeah I know that but still it works Also I have to do something when I live so damn far away from any kind of elevation (4h+ drive from anything serious)

 

[dump]

Hook, line, sinker. Happy consuming.

 

[TheTruth]

Hook, line, sinker. Happy consuming.

Are you saying everyone was trolled?

 

[Lelandjt]

I dont get too see many guys in other sports being such finicky whores, nor a ridiculously overpriced and diverse market to anal-probe them 4gr lighter ti bolts...

Really? Even poked your nose into the motocross or road race scenes?

 

[DirtyMike]

I wasn't really talking to you. It was the color coordination stuff I was mostly referring to.


Though in my case I KNOW it's not the bike holding me back so I don't sweat it. I also barely race at all, so there's that. Most of the time I'd rather just go ride.

Yeah its your multipeice collarbone.......

Your just plain natural on a bike no matter what bike your riding.

but you're still riding a DH bike on XC trails. that's like wanting to put an extra 4" of lift on a F350 that's already lifted 2 feet and only driven around Riverside

Now thats funny ****!!!

 

[Steve M]

It's partly to do with the internet too - people who are typically prone to being picky about their bike and setup, are the ones who end up on the internet researching and discussing it. There are tons of riders out there who buy a bike off the shelf and ride it into the ground without so much as putting the right springs in there!

That said... if you're really going to drop several thousand dollars on a bicycle and NOT be picky about every single bit on it then that's almost a bit weird. I change stuff because it improves the overall riding experience (sometimes that even just means something more convenient to get spare parts for, or that fits shuttle trailers better or whatever). People scoff at titanium bolts and whatever, and while personally I don't care enough to run that kind of stuff, every small weight saving adds up to a bigger one. Sure saving 10 grams in stem bolts isn't going to be noticeable, but if you saved 10g on every single part on your bike you'd end up with something significantly lighter all told. It's not my cup of tea (partly cos I'm a pretty big guy anyway), but some people just don't like riding heavy bikes. Me at 90kg riding a 42lbs bike is still a higher rider to bike weight ratio than say Udi at 65kg on a 37lbs bike, so yeah, in his case it does make sense to try to bring his bike weight down.

 

[jonKranked]

socket, what I took away from the last part of your post is that by getting fatter, the bike will inherently become lighter

 

[Ian Collins]

downhill is a very technical, and tricky sport....fractions of an inch and fractions of a second can make or break you(literally)....we're all trying to find that perfect balance and comfort level on a bike so we can dance on that fine line and push a little farther....i like my bikes to be pretty light, but in my opinion, anything under 36lbs is weird and unnecessary....once i have a bike at a reasonable weight, the only thing i'll split hairs over is geometry.

 

[IH8Rice]

but in my opinion, anything under 36lbs is weird and unnecessary.

so the stock carbon V10 is too light at 35lbs?

 

[lovebunny]

your bike doesnt matter. here is a guy who is faster than 99% of you guys and he will(and has done) do it on any bike. king of FRONJ!

 

[johnnypop]

I am fairly picky about suspension set-up and hand controls... but there's only so much an amateur rider can adjust before it's time to hit the trails and get faster. I've dealt with roadies/motocross/DH from sales and participant point of view and they all have their picky people, but in the end you just have to get out there and ride. Never hurts to have some bling though! hahaha

 

[Krzr3000]

lovebunny, agreed. i think most with the exception of the top pros should shut up and ride.

stay picky 2k11

...i know its bmx where bike setup is a lot more simple. but the picky probably wouldn't hit the stuff on this vid with their perfectly dialed in bikes.

 

[Uruk-hai]

your bike doesnt matter. here is a guy who is faster than 99% of you guys and he will(and has done) do it on any bike. king of FRONJ!

Who is that guy?

Back in the late '90's I heard a rumor of some guy racing the NORBA dh series on a rigid bike and wearing Hawaiian shirts. Never saw him or saw a picture but this reminded me of that story.

When I think too much about my gear I see pics like this and it puts it all back into perspective.

 

[Huck Banzai]

Sanjay!

 

[mattmatt86]

We are finnicky because we can be. In any competitive sport with so many variables it's only natural to question all of the ones you have control over - geometry, tire pressure, damping, shimz, yaw etc. To quote Fabien "Downhill is the Formula 1 of cycling." And guys in F1 take finnicky to a whole new level.

 

[ridiculous]

....i like my bikes to be pretty light, but in my opinion, anything under 36lbs is weird and unnecessary....once i have a bike at a reasonable weight, the only thing i'll split hairs over is geometry.

A bit backwards dont you think?

 

[norbar]

A bit backwards dont you think?

The minimal weight may vary from rider to rider but I agree. In some cases a very light bike feels strange. Wouldn't call it slower but if some people think it is - it may be for them. Though I'm glad the weight frenzy ended. I'd take proper geo, stiffness, durability and suspension over weight on any day.

 

[c101aviojet]

...Wouldn't call it slower but if some people think it is - it may be for them. Though I'm glad the weight frenzy ended. I'd take proper geo, stiffness, durability and suspension over weight on any day.

A light bike in movement has less inertia than a heavier one, which basicly means it accelerates easier (easier to start, to move around, but also to stop). The only drawback to that is that riding on some loose terrains there's a noticeable "braking effect" (even more if you're a thin guy) which on a heavier bike might not be so immediate to see.

I remember DHing the first section of a mountain - nothing but football-sized loose rocks. Some of my friends would drag rocks along the way, slow down and sink, while my gravity slug just cut through them and stayed afloat like a vessel in a see of stones. It was serious fun, too bad it took like ~2h to climb and 5min to descend.

Ditto to the rest of the message. For me, weight savings are welcome until durability or stiffness are compromised.

 

[OGRipper]

The older I get the less picky I am about what I ride, but I can also afford nicer stuff, so that's what I tend to ride. Plus, over time I seem to get more bro-deals and hook-ups, so I end up spending less for nice stuff anyway. It's a funny and not always just world we live in.

 

[WBC]

Anybody consider the mental aspect, i know (at least me) if i am happy about how my bike feels and looks (but matching colors dont affect anything) ill be happier and ride faster. Maybe its just me, but if i was dressed factory sam hill, i would assume id probably ride faster. I can only speak for myself, but if i have a nice matching DH bike, im probably happier, and probably ride better. ...maybe you will be faster, but can u look at yourself in the mirror

I think you're totally right on that one. My good bud is one of the filthiest riders around, and I definitely attribute it to him having a dialled bike and kit.

 

[demo 9]

I think you're totally right on that one. My good bud is one of the filthiest riders around, and I definitely attribute it to him having a dialled bike and kit.

the point, you missed it

 

[demo 9]

That shallow confidence purchased from a trendy kit and matching bike don't hold a candle to confidence earned from time on the bike and taking licks.

I agree with that entirely, nor do i say sam hill pajamas make you win WC races, however, the placebo affect *can* be larger than people think, look at medical studies, It isnt uncommon where people get better (or at least its reported) with a fake drug, im not here to start that debate, but in my opinion, and experience, a happy rider (whatever floats your boat) makes a faster rider. Ill give an example. your about to race, your all dialed in, and on the lift a ninja comes and slices your tire, magically the ghost of sam hill comes and replaces it with a tire you never rode before (and maybe its better than what you had) I would argue that you run will be slower than the run you had, because (and im saying its BETTER) you arent sure of it, nor are you 100% dialed and comfortable. Obviously that wont happen, but if somebody thinks their bike is ugly because it doesnt match, or their red bar ends clash with their purple grips, maybe they wont be entirely focused. Some people like to match, we have a jillion dollar fashion industry that if we were all about function, probably wouldn't exist. think how many TLD sam hill kits you see at the mountain

EDIT you deleted it? I thought it was a valid argument

 

[worship_mud]

i can't believe noone posted this:
"Bikes are ok, and we still see value in continuing to produce top quality cycling components. Its just the freeride and downhill guys are jerks, and whine too much, and are never happy. So, we are taking the SAINT lineup and moving it over to fishing." says Phil Hallahan, executive director of the new SAINT fishing line.