Seriously Cool......................

[Ben]

 

[clivehorridge]

Amazing

In many ways it reminds me of some of the downhill bike com routes I've ridden, not in completion, but on race weeks visiting the courses.

My favourite is an unofficial local event logically called the "kamikaze" held at the mountain "Sinaia" not far from the house. It's not a set route, just the fastest guy & bike from top to bottom, from 2,500m down to about 700m ending in the village of Sinaia. I know that mountain very well, and the routes the pros prefer.

My fastest time, is about 18 minutes, but that was a few years ago and at an insane speed for me. Nowadays it would be more like 25 - 30 minutes. At my speed we've clocked over 50kph on some of the sections.

The fastest pro time on the same route was clocked in 2011 at 8 mins 58 seconds.

Unbelievable. A mass of skill needed and a switched off brain helps.

 

[Ben]

Yeah thats what I thought when I saw it Clive.

I used to enter downhill mountain bike races many years ago and like you I was always amazed at just how quick the pros come down the mountain!

 

[Shayne]

I would love a go at that Polaris course ! When we were kids we used to remove the brake pads from our bmx and push them to the top of a small mountain owned by the forestry and race to the bottom , it was great fun because it was impossible to stay on the track and the only way to slow down was to crash but authorities put a stop to it when Darren emerged from the trees to discover a new logging road had been dug out a 30ft drop and no way of stopping . Poor bugger it took us an hour to carry him down to the nearest cottage then we knocked on the door and legged it . No mobile phones in them days .

 

[clivehorridge]

I have a number for the heli rescue guys, but I've never had to use it (yet) thank goodness.

 

[mrdelmonti]

A guy I knew who was a stupidly quick downhill rider reckoned his secret was his fear of heights. Made him want to get to lower ground faster.

 

[clivehorridge]

There's one stretch on Sinaia about 25m, very steep on mud with tree roots and it's in a narrow V with a massive rock 3m or so in dia., half way down. It has a vertical drop-off at the top and takes a bit of courage to commit to. As I was struggling past the rock, some guy had launched straight off the drop-off at full speed, used the rock in passing, and planted safely at the bottom all in one swift motion, and was gone before I got to the end.

What took me 2 minutes, took him less than 3 seconds, that's the way to do it.

 

[Gary820]

I've been slowly getting confidence back for fast descents on the mtb, a big off knocked it quite badly but now speed has increased again so has the smoothness and control. Hitting jumps with more speed, making air and landing them perfectly. Last year I was just rolling over them and holding on too tightly!!
Switchbacks are a lot faster and smoother too, the new bike helps I think as so light and easy to throw around.
Part of the route at the local trail centre has 4 good sized jumps in a row, I rolled them pretty much on the brakes, now I don't touch the brakes and other lads say I make quite a lot of air by the last jump with a big smile across my face lol.
Not wearing through brake pads so much now

 

[clivehorridge]

Bravo Gary, I'm too old now to get my confidence back. I'll still have a go, but the youngsters will always be twice my speed. You can't compete with youth, not at my age.

 

[Gary820]

I found going too slow I kept slipping, holding on too tight things weren't stable (sure you know what I mean) so had to just man up, relax and enjoy the ride again.

 

[clivehorridge]

I found going too slow I kept slipping, holding on too tight things weren't stable (sure you know what I mean) so had to just man up, relax and enjoy the ride again.

Yep, you have to let the bike run, finger & thumb loose around the grip, with no palm weight.

Damn, the winter is coming. Still, I'll get some skiing in to take my mind off the bikes

 

[Gary820]

I hope we get snow as will still ride to work so get to have fun.

I was hurting my hands and constantly covering the brakes, a day out would burn through a set of pads!! Felt like a novice lol. Been riding a mtb off road since I was 12, big accident which damaged my knee plus other injuries, broke the frame too. Eventually got back out and had another off, not as bad but confidence was gone and took couple of years to get back in the saddle off road. No stopping me now

 

[clivehorridge]

 

[frank rabbets]

Nice to hear a really well tuned engine with plenty of low down power and no pops or bangs at high revs.

 

[Chas]

Nice to hear a really well tuned engine with plenty of low down power and no pops or bangs at high revs.

fantastic in full screen, I can't help wondering why though, considering the height he was starting from he needed a starting ramp.

 

[tonytoyota]

He has got big balls to have a go on that From Tony.