Steve Kish
Senior Retro Guru
I'm in the 'live and let live' box but TBH, downhilling doesn't really interest me. :?
Differences in opinions on DH from a retro perspective
- Thread starter echihn
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And the mid 90s DH bikes when they first started moving into specialised DH bikes are really interesting from a development perspective.
One of my DH bikes from 1996 is a great example with a massive 4" of travel, but set up purely for the new V Brakes and a single front ring. A bit odd to take out on the trails now but still great fun.
One of my DH bikes from 1996 is a great example with a massive 4" of travel, but set up purely for the new V Brakes and a single front ring. A bit odd to take out on the trails now but still great fun.
For me back in the day, we rode and raced it was all the same, you turned up and did an XC and a DH, heck you even did a hill climb race on your way to the DH start, all on the same bike, with the same people.
Then after a while (mostly with the advent of FS) you would ahve 2 bikes, 1 for XC and the other for DH, but at any time your XC bike could race the DH and the DH bike could be pressed into service of XC.
Then for me around 97/98 wehn proper DH only bikes were coming around, course got more "narly" and you had to have longer travel and your XC bike would get you injured (killed) on a DH course and in general.
Then my local races and the world cup XC and DH became separate things ant different events.
The you get the problem of, we have suspension, that course is now OK, oh so we get a harder course->get more travel->get harder course->more travel->harder etc etc...
I've come across people that like to ride hard tracks (illegal ones) because they say that normal stuff is too easy on aDH bike, I say go buy a hardtail.
I went to my big race last year (worlds) and watching the XC was simply amazing, seeing the fitness and skills on display, after watching the DH practice, I was so underwhelmed didn't both to watch the finals (also the spectators didn't help).
Also judt for the masses, not the pros, but the attitude is completely different, XC people seem to be, oh DH, nt my thing, Dher's seem to be, what you ride a HT? what for, there is something other than DH, that isn't DJ?
Anyway thats just my thoughts, I'm not XC or DH, just ride around very slowly and wish it was all different, liek in the early 90's :idea:
Then after a while (mostly with the advent of FS) you would ahve 2 bikes, 1 for XC and the other for DH, but at any time your XC bike could race the DH and the DH bike could be pressed into service of XC.
Then for me around 97/98 wehn proper DH only bikes were coming around, course got more "narly" and you had to have longer travel and your XC bike would get you injured (killed) on a DH course and in general.
Then my local races and the world cup XC and DH became separate things ant different events.
The you get the problem of, we have suspension, that course is now OK, oh so we get a harder course->get more travel->get harder course->more travel->harder etc etc...
I've come across people that like to ride hard tracks (illegal ones) because they say that normal stuff is too easy on aDH bike, I say go buy a hardtail.
I went to my big race last year (worlds) and watching the XC was simply amazing, seeing the fitness and skills on display, after watching the DH practice, I was so underwhelmed didn't both to watch the finals (also the spectators didn't help).
Also judt for the masses, not the pros, but the attitude is completely different, XC people seem to be, oh DH, nt my thing, Dher's seem to be, what you ride a HT? what for, there is something other than DH, that isn't DJ?
Anyway thats just my thoughts, I'm not XC or DH, just ride around very slowly and wish it was all different, liek in the early 90's :idea:
Wow that came across as grumpy, I'm not, and ususally everyone is farily nice, jsut sometimes I get hte feeling that DHer's are complete tools and soemtimes XCers as well) and I do enjoy watching DH on the tellie... just that I think that the way things were mid 90's was pretty much perfect for XC/DH bikes and riding in general and these days things are just a bit too divided.
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I still ride everything, as I always have. I've had more genre specific bikes in the past (trials, downhill, dual slalom etc), but have always gone back to a hardtail for general riding. I can still have a blast on my modern hardtail and be within a few seconds of someone on a downhill bike. Although I do love downhill bikes, I like to ride uphills so can't see me having another.
