Mountain Biking - First DH Race of the season . . . and 2nd (update)

Well . . . first race at Beacon today. Good times; got stuck in the 40+ Cat 1 (since there were no other 50+ Cat 1 racers), so I only managed a 6th out of a field of 8. But it's all good: nailed some fair-size doubles that have been hit-or-miss for me, completely aired what's usually a roll-down rock face and pulled out a couple sketchy saves on paces where I went in too hot.

Sunday is race two at same venue:different course and one I've had more time on this year. Rolled the big "Seattle Line" rock face tonight before I went home; so I think I've got it all dialed now. Now just have to put together a clean-and-fast run tomorrow. SScyco and his son should be there too. His son raced today and made a good showing.

Never, you are going to love some of the new lines/features here! Third new DH course is being worked on too. May be ready to debut by May - - hopefully/

Awesome D, good luck tomorrow!

Can't wait to ride your terrain too!

Racing with the youngsters never works to your advantage-:innocent:

Good luck tomorrow (Today now) but try not to scratch the paintwork trying to show them how it should be done.

Well, Sunday went a bit better than Saturday. I had a lot more time on Sunday's course this year; and it all (for a change) came together in my race run. Hit all the features smooth and fast, remembered to pedal hard in between and even got a smooth, fast roll down the final rock face they call the Seattle Line (turns out I was the only one in my class that hit it). I had no regtrets off that run, so it was just a matter of finding out if the stopwatch would agree. Turns out I missed the podium by 2/10s of a second for fourth. Ahhh . . . that's racing folks.

It was a day for fourth place finishes I guess. Sscyco pulled a fourth too and I think that's what his son got as well (correct me if I'm wrong ss). All-in-all a great weekend at one of the funnest short-course venues in the Pacific Northwest.

A sequence from the bottom of the Seattle Line (with credit to photographer Dale Nunn):

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_umnCMd4Chew/S6bolclVoBI/AAAAAAAAC3U/nG3cHf3rNmw/DSC_1066.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_umnCMd4Chew/S6bollYlJpI/AAAAAAAAC3Y/SSiaIO9nl8I/DSC_1067.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_umnCMd4Chew/S6bomP5V3bI/AAAAAAAAC3c/jlQFN39YQho/DSC_1068.JPG

That looks great! What speeds did you hit, if you know? Also, when's the yeti comin in?

Good job D...how come you're not racing in jeans? ;)

Were you in 40+ for Sunday too?

That looks great! What speeds did you hit, if you know? Also, when's the yeti comin in?

I don't know the actual speed - but I would guess ~ 30mph, but for just a split second. Hitting a double at 20 or rolling a rock face at 15 is quite butt clenching.

Good job D...how come you're not racing in jeans? ;)


He don't have enough punk in him.

Yeah, 40+ for Sunday too. Kinda stung to come that close - - really wanted to crash that podium party.

Hey, I am a hack and not cool enough to go the hoody-and-jeans route ;).

BTW, this was my first weekend ever using a Leatt. I'd only bought it Friday and put it together that night, so had a little bit of trouble with it in practice Saturday (kept bumping the back of my helmet in the steeps). Turns out I had another ½" of adjustment on the rear table I had not used. Once I tweaked that, it virtually disappeared and I never even noticed I was wearing it the rest of the weekend. The jury is still out on whether or not they actually help; but I recommend them.

mzeffex - - I really have no idea. These are not high-speed, big mountain courses, just very technical in many places and crammed full of features (doubles, step-downs, step-ups steep rolls, etc.). I would say the speeds get no greater than 30-35 mph if that. Yeti is supposed to arrive early next month.

Lets hear for the 50+ crowd. I bet those 40somethings go home and say, I hope I can ride like dminor when I'm that old. CAT1 to boot-absolutely incredible.

Hey, I am a hack and not cool enough to go the hoody-and-jeans route ;).

You mean like this punk?

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs499.ash1/27222_376017615780_630180780_5395511_3650045_n.jpg


BTW, this was my first weekend ever using a Leatt. I'd only bought it Friday and put it together that night, so had a little bit of trouble with it in practice Saturday (kept bumping the back of my helmet in the steeps). Turns out I had another ½" of adjustment on the rear table I had not used. Once I tweaked that, it virtually disappeared and I never even noticed I was wearing it the rest of the weekend. The jury is still out on whether or not they actually help; but I recommend them.

Cool...be interesting to check it out when I'm there.

Lets hear for the 50+ crowd. I bet those 40somethings go home and say, I hope I can ride like dminor when I'm that old. CAT1 to boot-absolutely incredible.

That's what I say.

Cool...be interesting to check it out when I'm there.

You heading out this way? When?

PM sent.

The jury is still out on whether or not they actually help; but I recommend them.

^ If I had written this, chelboedwin would have been all over my a$s.

So I guess this means shredding season is finally upon us! Thanks for sharing the stoke. Hopefully you get a tan on your legs before the next round of pics. :lol:

My first event of the season is next Sunday - 85 miles of sand whoops. Joy.

Coool beans!!!!!

^ If I had written this, chelboedwin would have been all over my a$s.I know, the empirical evidence isn't there yet, or so I'm told; but there's enough anecdotal evidence out there to convince me that I'm better off with one than without one should the horrific occur.


So I guess this means shredding season is finally upon us! Thanks for sharing the stoke. Hopefully you get a tan on your legs before the next round of pics. :lol:Haha! Unfortunately, I'm a lot like the Procol Harum song in that regard - - right now I'm just A Whiter Shade of Pale. And YES, it is indeed a new season of shred. Y'know, I'm having so much fun with this. I've done bigger stuff this year than I have each year past and I do believe it's not just my imagination that I've gotten faster. I hope that keeps up at least 'til I'm 60.


My first event of the season is next Sunday - 85 miles of sand whoops. Joy.Enjoy it, man! Oh gosh does that bring back good memories: eating dust by the pound, cramping forearms and rattling your kidneys down into your butt. Don't miss any checkpoints - - it's a b!tch to have to backtrack ;). And good luck!

A short vid recapping the weekend, courtesy of Mark Brent of http://bonesovermetal.com/blog/2010/03/23/double-down-hoe-down-video/ (who also happened to have won my class on Sunday):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pvFyKxvGJs

The course looks like a ton of fun...love the rock features!

Some of those spills looked pretty rough. Were there any broken bones? Looks like a lot of fun for two minutes BTW.

Some of those spills looked pretty rough. Were there any broken bones? Looks like a lot of fun for two minutes BTW.

Yep - several. More even in the week leading into it. Beacon has claimed countless broken bones in the last 15 years.

Yep - several. More even in the week leading into it. Beacon has claimed countless broken bones in the last 15 years.

The same can be said of most shuttle hills and resorts...especially when you add a race into the mix.

sweet!

after watching the vid I want to build a DH bike!

are the MX skills transferable?

About how many minutes is the course? do they have beginners class?

I have a CCDB not being used...does anyone use CCDB's on their DH bikes or should I ebay it?

Good job D...how come you're not racing in jeans? ;)



he has contractual obligations. Levi's doesn't pay him to wear jeans.

:P

sweet!

after watching the vid I want to build a DH bike!

are the MX skills transferable?Absolutely! That's what attracted me to gravity racing in the first place. In fact, one of the guys in my class, a very accomplished M/C racer, has only been racing downhill for a couple years, I believe.


About how many minutes is the course? do they have beginners class?The hill here is just that - - a hill - - so the courses are only a couple minutes long. Nationals courses, especially ones at the big ski resorts, run more like 4-6 minutes long; and endurance DH racing (15+-minute courses) is catching on.


I have a CCDB not being used...does anyone use CCDB's on their DH bikes or should I ebay it?Oh, the CCDB is a highly-prized commodity. As long as it's fairly long-stroke unit, I'd hang onto it. It's an excellent DH shock.

How about Cove frames? I am needing more than just a Handjob these days

seems like a lot of frames are made for air shocks

can I get away with less travel at 130lbs and being smooth?

I wonder if I could just use my Mojo? see any Mojo's there?

Fuuuuun looking course! I liked seeing a couple of the riders clearing the whole of the two section step down bit. Nice looking step up in there, too.

The nose wheelie wreck didn't look fun.

How about Cove frames? . . . seems like a lot of frames are made for air shocks. Can I get away with less travel at 130lbs and being smooth?

I wonder if I could just use my Mojo? see any Mojo's there?Being a 'local' brand around here, there are more than a few people running Coves. A G-Spot would probably work fine for you. Your Mojo would absolutely rock! It still blows my mind how versatile those are. I haven't seen one in use other than Lopes up at Crankworx last year; but that's only because the things require a direct account at the U.S. Mint to own ;).


Fuuuuun looking course! I liked seeing a couple of the riders clearing the whole of the two section step down bit . . .Yeah I aired that totally to flat on my timed run. Came off a pedal I landed so hard but fortunately held on and got my feet back in place before the next step-downs. Both courses are a blast; there are a whole 5-minute-course-worth of features packed into them.



Quote of the week:


I am needing more than just a Handjob these days

How about Cove frames? I am needing more than just a Handjob these days

seems like a lot of frames are made for air shocks

can I get away with less travel at 130lbs and being smooth?

I wonder if I could just use my Mojo? see any Mojo's there?

Try what you've got on whatever local races you can come up with, and see what you think. Drop you seat, stick some fatty tires on, and go for it! Worry about building up a bigger, slacker bike later.

Nice pictures! And holy schnitzel, you're back with Yeti? Sweet.

I've been itching to hit the trails, but I've unfortunately been mostly surrounded by cement here in downtown Montreal.

Nice pictures! And holy schnitzel, you're back with Yeti? Sweet.

I've been itching to hit the trails, but I've unfortunately been mostly surrounded by cement here in downtown Montreal.

strong music work! do you have original stuff?


can you do ava maria? I like the jewel version

Have to agree about the music, Ben; very cool. Good to see you here again! (You a Modest Mouse fan?)

Yeah, back with the Tribe. Just waiting for my new 303R frame - - should get here in three weeks or so. Have a pile of new parts in the basement just a-waitin' for it. I am soooo stoked! Example of what's to come: gold RaceFace Atlas cranks.

Have to agree about the music, Ben; very cool. Good to see you here again! (You a Modest Mouse fan?)

Yeah, back with the Tribe. Just waiting for my new 303R frame - - should get here in three weeks or so. Have a pile of new parts in the basement just a-waitin' for it. I am soooo stoked! Example of what's to come: gold RaceFace Atlas cranks.

Those cranks are bad ass. I kinda wanted a purple or green.