Not at all retor.. My new Darkside
- Thread starter mickey@spooky
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mickey@spooky
Dirt Disciple
xeo":1az5ikhe said:jees, i feel guilty of posting the above. I just couldnt help it
retrobike has always been full of good karma, love & respect. Such strong opinions are seldom seen, & im really not the type to start arguments, but i did find the above offensive, nought i can do about that.
xeo.
It's fine for you to feel that way. Palmer and MotoGear killed my enjoyment of DH racing. The attitudes of the kids these days at the races, at least here in the US are lame. They like to pretend they are in the X-games instead of realizing that they are bike racers.
I'm all about that laid back bike racer lifestyle, but goddammit, racing, especially at the highest level, needs to maintain an image and reality of professionalism, and doing everything possible to win.
That's why we race. To make the best products, work with the best local riders, and do everything possible to win. Purposely dressing up like a clown and flopping your way down a track is laughable, and literally, retarded.
Image, personality and alternative lifestyles are for the paddock, the podium and the pub. The 4 minutes a rider spends on the track are no time to have a fashion show.
Cristian-T
Retro Guru
cool.
But the fact is, it takes BALLS to ride most courses we have here in England, especialy in the wet! & yes, you do get the fashion pimps, but after being in the race scene pretty much since it started, i can say one thing that is prevalant;
The skill level is HUGE, & often totaly miss-understood, looked down on & dissed by other elements. In the pre palm/moto days the bikes were as crap as the courses, which enabled many more people to give it a go.
Nowadays the UK DH scene is full of passionate, super-keen guys(&girls) that travel all over the UK to race. Its thriving, we kick ass in the world cups & the grass roots riders love it. Not only that DH races are much more friendly than XC races too!
Kids attitudes dont bother me, & just pleased to see young guys having a dam good time on bikes i wish existed when i was 14.
But the fact is, it takes BALLS to ride most courses we have here in England, especialy in the wet! & yes, you do get the fashion pimps, but after being in the race scene pretty much since it started, i can say one thing that is prevalant;
The skill level is HUGE, & often totaly miss-understood, looked down on & dissed by other elements. In the pre palm/moto days the bikes were as crap as the courses, which enabled many more people to give it a go.
Nowadays the UK DH scene is full of passionate, super-keen guys(&girls) that travel all over the UK to race. Its thriving, we kick ass in the world cups & the grass roots riders love it. Not only that DH races are much more friendly than XC races too!
Kids attitudes dont bother me, & just pleased to see young guys having a dam good time on bikes i wish existed when i was 14.
Re: Spooky
Mickey, nice bike, is this a CH one?
I dig your bikes, your company, and your general position on things, especially DH. I lived and breathed the New England scene in the 90s and wore my FTYM t-shirt with pride. I hucked my Metalhead bigger than I should have, enjoyed every minute, and cried when it was time to give'er up.
The new Spooky Bikes is as good as the old, IMO.
BUT [and I'm happy to reverse this statement upon presentation of fact...] I dont remember anyone on a Spooky winning a state or National championship.
Mickey, nice bike, is this a CH one?
I dig your bikes, your company, and your general position on things, especially DH. I lived and breathed the New England scene in the 90s and wore my FTYM t-shirt with pride. I hucked my Metalhead bigger than I should have, enjoyed every minute, and cried when it was time to give'er up.
The new Spooky Bikes is as good as the old, IMO.
BUT [and I'm happy to reverse this statement upon presentation of fact...] I dont remember anyone on a Spooky winning a state or National championship.
Wold Ranger
Old School Grand Master
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Euro Scene
I only commented on the fact that I thought Spooky weren't into XC :?
Touchy or what?
As for the dressing up in whatever fancy outfit making you a retard? Think a few folks at MM, may have a comment on that one?
As stated, the UK and Euro bike scene is thriving, bike sales in the UK have never been better, despite the Global downturn, UK and European frame designers are doing really well and nothing wrong with them being welded up in the FE, to make them more affordable, the more value the bike, the more folks we can get involved in the sport, which can only be beneficial in reducing unit costs further still and building funding within the manufacturing sector for new innovation.
The Euro mtb and road scene is very much a friendly and sociable one, this site being a prime example, IMHO? Bad and aggressive attitude has no place in our sport, its all about having fun, getting a little bit fitter hopefully and helping one another out to do so.
I only commented on the fact that I thought Spooky weren't into XC :?
Touchy or what?
As for the dressing up in whatever fancy outfit making you a retard? Think a few folks at MM, may have a comment on that one?
As stated, the UK and Euro bike scene is thriving, bike sales in the UK have never been better, despite the Global downturn, UK and European frame designers are doing really well and nothing wrong with them being welded up in the FE, to make them more affordable, the more value the bike, the more folks we can get involved in the sport, which can only be beneficial in reducing unit costs further still and building funding within the manufacturing sector for new innovation.
The Euro mtb and road scene is very much a friendly and sociable one, this site being a prime example, IMHO? Bad and aggressive attitude has no place in our sport, its all about having fun, getting a little bit fitter hopefully and helping one another out to do so.
mickey@spooky
Dirt Disciple
Re: Spooky
I'm not touchy, just passionate about bikes. Probably too passionate if you listen to my ex-girlfriends...
Amey, the 6061 bikes are built either here in Easthampton or at Sapa in Portland. CH is too busy doing CH stuff, and I finally got the shop setup here to do our customs and proto work.
As far as winning XC races; we did a ton of it. Way more than winning DH races, that's for sure. I can think of three pre 2001 xc national champions off the top of my head (Beau Lambert and Mike Patrick in semi-pro, and Adam Craig in Jr. X (although he had Schwinn Decals on his downtube)), Between Beau, Mike and the Jr's up north and Me and my team of Jr.s down in the Southeast we were winning stuff non-stop. Jen Dial and I also won a ton of 'Cross races as well.
Bike racing isn't necessarily about winning, but it is more fun when you do, that's for sure.
It's only in the UK, OZ and some areas of the US where people are even aware of the DH stuff that we did.
If and when we make gravity oriented stuff (probably sometime next month, according to my marker board), it will be totally freaking awesome, and sell fairly well, especially overseas. But right now, we are focusing on the end of the market that needs no bullshit superior race bikes in the U.S... And that isn't DH or 4x. Some of my best friends in the bike industry (if not best friends, period) make great DH and 4x frames, and have whole companies directed toward that golden cow of a progressive lifestyle marketing, progression and all that other bullshit that I don't like now and didn't like in 1997.
For good measure, here's a picture of me racing DH 2 seasons ago in a Skinsuit I found in the back room at Ironhorse. It even has stretchmarks and skidmarks from Toby Henderson in it....
And gearbox proto 1.2 (now a Keg Handle)
And the last ititeration of Metalheads from last fall. (now made into stools for my parent's xmas presents)
I'm sticking around Retrobike, as I've got a real softspot for Ano..
And I love to rant about my opinions. And you brits write so much better than those damn american kids with the low trousers!
ameybrook":38n1tw3l said:Mickey, nice bike, is this a CH one?
I dig your bikes, your company, and your general position on things, especially DH. I lived and breathed the New England scene in the 90s and wore my FTYM t-shirt with pride. I hucked my Metalhead bigger than I should have, enjoyed every minute, and cried when it was time to give'er up.
The new Spooky Bikes is as good as the old, IMO.
BUT [and I'm happy to reverse this statement upon presentation of fact...] I dont remember anyone on a Spooky winning a state or National championship.
I'm not touchy, just passionate about bikes. Probably too passionate if you listen to my ex-girlfriends...
Amey, the 6061 bikes are built either here in Easthampton or at Sapa in Portland. CH is too busy doing CH stuff, and I finally got the shop setup here to do our customs and proto work.
As far as winning XC races; we did a ton of it. Way more than winning DH races, that's for sure. I can think of three pre 2001 xc national champions off the top of my head (Beau Lambert and Mike Patrick in semi-pro, and Adam Craig in Jr. X (although he had Schwinn Decals on his downtube)), Between Beau, Mike and the Jr's up north and Me and my team of Jr.s down in the Southeast we were winning stuff non-stop. Jen Dial and I also won a ton of 'Cross races as well.
Bike racing isn't necessarily about winning, but it is more fun when you do, that's for sure.
It's only in the UK, OZ and some areas of the US where people are even aware of the DH stuff that we did.
If and when we make gravity oriented stuff (probably sometime next month, according to my marker board), it will be totally freaking awesome, and sell fairly well, especially overseas. But right now, we are focusing on the end of the market that needs no bullshit superior race bikes in the U.S... And that isn't DH or 4x. Some of my best friends in the bike industry (if not best friends, period) make great DH and 4x frames, and have whole companies directed toward that golden cow of a progressive lifestyle marketing, progression and all that other bullshit that I don't like now and didn't like in 1997.
For good measure, here's a picture of me racing DH 2 seasons ago in a Skinsuit I found in the back room at Ironhorse. It even has stretchmarks and skidmarks from Toby Henderson in it....
And gearbox proto 1.2 (now a Keg Handle)
And the last ititeration of Metalheads from last fall. (now made into stools for my parent's xmas presents)
I'm sticking around Retrobike, as I've got a real softspot for Ano..
And I love to rant about my opinions. And you brits write so much better than those damn american kids with the low trousers!
Bikeshopowner
Senior Retro Guru
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LOL, saw Toby Henderson at the Core Bike Show last week here in the UK! he's a big bloke! watch what you say!
To me, DH was all about John Tomac, Greg Herbold et al and always will be!
those were the days.... when i were a lad...............
To me, DH was all about John Tomac, Greg Herbold et al and always will be!
those were the days.... when i were a lad...............
Monkeypump
Retro Newbie
Gentlemen, I may be pretty new around here, but isn't this sort of ranting the antithesis of the Retrobike attitude?
:? :? :?
:? :? :?