Is DH only for the younguns?

[Cypher]

Cypher - I have 2 girls (3 and 6) and they're both super keen riders so the future looks good for the girls out there.

Excellent! I wish I started that early.

 

[jill]

But it is prettly lonely if you are a woman downhiller (30+ or not). Last race I was at I was the only female competitor. The race before that one other woman turned up.

So please encourage your girlfriends, wives, daughters to give it a go.

You see plenty of fathers with their sons. Why not fathers with their daughters? Or even better mums with their daughters at the DH race?

I agree - I get quite excited if I see another female riding DH.

I discovered mountain biking 4 years ago at the young age of 45, bought my first DH bike at 46 and started racing at 47 - still slow compared to the boys, but I don't care. I'll keep doing it as long as I'm still having fun.

 

[.:ROBBO:.]

Hmmm. Can't quite figure out if you were 17 when you bought your first bike, or 35.

Sorry I had not had a bike since I was 17. I thought everyone stopped riding bikes as soon as they got a licence to drive I now wish I had never stopped.

 

[spinner]

So my question is, does anyone over the age of 30 ride dh or is it just for the tattoo'd and pierced crowd?

Cheers

Heath.

I'm 44 and ride DH , but I have no piercings or tattoos.
I like to be different.

Ha

 

[dunndog]

Hmmm. Can't quite figure out if you were 17 when you bought your first bike, or 35.

pretty sure he means at 35, after not owning a bike since the age of 17.

 

[SuperSix]

I guess I'm the oldest... I'm 40 this year and haven't built up my DH rig yet

 

[jumpers]

I'm 44 and ride DH , but I have no piercings or tattoos.
I like to be different.

Ha

I am 40 - same as you, no tattoos and piercings .Also no TLD uniform

 

[spyderman_au]

I'm 44 and ride DH , but I have no piercings or tattoos.
I like to be different.

Ha

I like to be different too. I'm a Ranga!

 

[Nerf Herder]

I am turning 42 and still getting faster.

I'm slightly younger ... but I think I'm getting faster too ... been pushing myself to overcome mental barriers ... friggin annoying

To the OP, you'll find that the occassional DH session will increase your XC bike handling as well ... which will only make you that much faster on the downs

Give it a go ... plenty of cheap 2nd hand DH rigs out there.

 

[kapitaal]

Maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but the leader of the opposition has just ok'd a week in Whistler next year for my 40th b'day present

 

[SuperSix]

Why not form a DH team called über40?

 

[rone]

Why not form a DH team called über40?

Sponsored by Anusol Ointment and APIA

 

[scblack]

Maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but the leader of the opposition has just ok'd a week in Whistler next year for my 40th b'day present

Great work!

40th birthdays are good - I landed a new DH bike.



Edit.

I just had a thought about that. When I was 8years old I got a bike for my birthday, and was super excited.

Now I'm 40years old, and super excited to get a bike for my birthday.

Have I grown up at all??????

 

[spyderman_au]

Great work!

40th birthdays are good - I landed a new DH bike.



Edit.

I just had a thought about that. When I was 8years old I got a bike for my birthday, and was super excited.

Now I'm 40years old, and super excited to get a bike for my birthday.

Have I grown up at all??????

Growing old is mandatory, growing up is a choice. I choose not to!

Birthday presents don't come any better than a new bike.

 

[kapitaal]

I get more excited than my kids when I get them new bikes as well.

 

[Jackstack]

Maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but the leader of the opposition has just ok'd a week in Whistler next year for my 40th b'day present

I got a broken neck for my 40th, (bike related) your present sounds much better!!

 

[kapitaal]

I got a broken neck for my 40th, (bike related) your present sounds much better!!

Whoa - that sounds bad. What did you do and are you ok now?

 

[RangaRMX]

No tats for me but I've got enough scars that if I had tats they'd probably be ripped up anyway.

Spend a few grand on tats or a few grand on a new Santa Cruz?
UMMM??? Not hard really.

I like to be different too. I'm a Ranga!

I'm a Ranga too, and I'll still be riding when I'm 30+, well that's the plan!

There's a guy at my local that's over 30 and races regularly, last time I saw him he had fallen off and got a stick stuck in his side, couldn't wait to get better and get back on it either.

Maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but the leader of the opposition has just ok'd a week in Whistler next year for my 40th b'day present

I'd take a week in Whistler. There are easy (so I've heard) trails with little to no jumps or drops, plus there are B lines to avoid certain scary obstacles.
Pretty sure as long as you keep your head on and don't go too hard (can happen at any age, probably more likely at a younger age though) then you'll be sweet.

On a side note, do many young guys ride XC or 50/100km races? I'd love to but my mates are too hardcore (read: too unfit).

 

[frank_n]

Sponsored by Anusol Ointment and APIA

52+ and still racing DH......am definitely faster in the last two years

 

[Cooch]

Maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here but the leader of the opposition has just ok'd a week in Whistler next year for my 40th b'day present

Yeeeeooooow - us too. We both turn the BIG 4 0 next year and will be at Whistler for our Birthdays!