Is DH only for the younguns?

[ezrider]

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??????

Me too ,i turn fourty at the end of the month and have just been out playing in the dirt with my b'day present. IT turned up early but i am super pumped with it . ( cheers barspin-imports )

Now i want to blow work off and go riding .....is that a thing a fourty year old bloke should be saying...

 

[kapitaal]

Ha, I spent today at work researching what bike to buy!

The cool thing is you can actually afford to buy these pornographic hyrdroformed creations the older you get. That is I'd hate to be tossing up a new house or a new bike and truth be told I took photos of my motorbike today so I can sell it and buy a DH weapon.

Carbon V10.....hook line and sinker.

 

[Sparkman]

I only started riding Dh when I was 39 and did my first race series at 40. I'm now 46 and still trying to push it harder. I hate riding b-lines. I recently landed my first 10m gap and was sooo stoked. It was easy as, but my brain kept steering me past it every run. Finally on the last run I got the opportunity to do a run in with someone else who knew the jump.

I can't imagine not riding DH. It is pure adrenaline fuelled enjoyment. I just feel so pumped at the bottom of a run, especially if you've really pushed your limits. A couple of weeks ago I got my first major injury, a broken rib, from a really stupid stack due to a pedal strike. Doesn't dampen the enthusiasm one bit. I just want to get back on the bike and clear the new double that's been built on the local track.

As far as age is concerned. I thought that my latest Dh bike may even be my last. Not now. I'm already looking at the next frame... and suspension upgrades... and lighter wheel set and...

PS: Ez how's the new rig going?

 

[Jackstack]

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

Head butted a low lying tree branch, all good now, am just more wary of low lying trees. Don't really do DH but if I got into it would definitely look into one of them neck braces like the moto guys wear, I never realise how easy it is to crack a bone in ya neck.

 

[4dabush]

Shouldn't laugh, but Kapitaal, it must be easier than we think to break your neck.

My Mums got a chipped vertebrae, we drove around Australia in 1980, and mum slept most of the way, nodding in the passanger seat - as you do - and they put it down to that! Imagine, breaking a bone in your neck while sleeping!

Agree with the leatt brace though, they are relatively expensive, but compared to a wheelchair, they are a bargain!

 

[kapitaal]

Scary stuff. My wife used to work as a nurse for a guy in Canada who landed on his head attempting a back flip on his bmx and couldn't move from the neck down. A neck brace is definitely on my shopping list but living in fear is even more debilitating than some injuries!

 

[Jackstack]

A neck brace is definitely on my shopping list but living in fear is even more debilitating than some injuries!

Definitely no good to live in fear, you may as well stay on the couch if ya gonna do that, but it don't hurt to arm yourself with stuff that's gonna help should a good days riding turn bad.

 

[Cooch]

Agree with the leatt brace though, they are relatively expensive, but compared to a wheelchair, they are a bargain!

Relatively expensive...? I don't think so. This is something to think about - probably brought on from my Chartered Accounting Auditing days and working out materiality:

Bike's nowadays cost $'000s, Downhill bikes even more!

Example: Bike = $7,500 Leatt = $600

So you wouldn't spend an extra 8% to protect your life....? I certainly did. I don't think they are expensive at all.

Like you said - bargain!

 

[scblack]

Relatively expensive...? I don't think so. This is something to think about - probably brought on from my Chartered Accounting Auditing days and working out materiality:

Bike's nowadays cost $'000s, Downhill bikes even more!

Example: Bike = $7,500 Leatt = $600

So you wouldn't spend an extra 8% to protect your life....? I certainly did. I don't think they are expensive at all.

Like you said - bargain!

They are expensive, don't try to paint it otherwise.

My helmet cost me $150, so to spend $400-$800 on another protection item is EXPENSIVE.

Lets pluck another meaningless comparative number out of the air - my car cost $35,000, so your $7,500 bike is cheap as chips. Thats only 21% of the value of my car, bike must be just a cheapie. Materiality of any item can be changed if you compare to a different number as I have done.

Its not going to protect our lives, it MAY protect us in a very specific incident, thats all.

I am on the lookout for a neck-brace, but to justify this amount of money when I have a family who have requirements means it is a big decision to buy one.

 

[Cooch]

They are expensive, don't try to paint it otherwise.

Lets pluck another meaningless comparative number out of the air - my car cost $35,000, so your $7,500 bike is cheap as chips. Thats only 21% of the value of my car, bike must be just a cheapie. Materiality of any item can be changed if you compare to a different number as I have done.

Exactly man, Exactly! Someone is finally beginning to understand me!

A $7,500 bike is the Ferrari of the bike world, but your $35,000 car is certainly not a Ferrari of the car world.

You spent $35,000 on a car - big money. Does it have airbags, ABS, auto-restraining seat belt tensioners, park assist, hill start assist, etc. All those things to protect your family?? I friggin' hope so! Would you pay $600 to $800 for airbags if it didn't?

What's $600 to $800 to protect your life and livelihood...? That's all I'm saying.

 

[dl79]

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

A week (or 4) in Whistler is an awesome 40th gift!!! I'm 30 and started racing elite last year and hopefully still getting faster. In 3 weeks I'm off to Whistler for a trip with some mates ranging from mid 20's to mid 40's. Good to have another gravity addict on board. Happy trails!!

Dave

 

[kapitaal]

A week (or 4) in Whistler is an awesome 40th gift!!! I'm 30 and started racing elite last year and hopefully still getting faster. In 3 weeks I'm off to Whistler for a trip with some mates ranging from mid 20's to mid 40's. Good to have another gravity addict on board. Happy trails!!

Dave

Sounds good Dave. Are you taking your bike or would it be better hiring? I'd like to ride a lot of the xc trails as well like comfortably numb so I don't think I could take both my bikes. This will be my 4th time back to Canada but the first for a summer trip. Last one was heli skiing out of Golden and I've previously lived in Vancouver and Invermere (Panarama resort). My brother still lives in BC so it's always a good excuse as a "family" catchup!

Let us know how your trip goes...

 

[dl79]

I'm mostly riding the bike park when I go so I'm taking my DH bike. I will be hiring a trail bike for the days riding xc. It depends on what you're mainly going to ride whilst on your trip. Taking 2 bikes would be sweet but I can't be arsed with the extra hassle. The hire bikes are ok anyway.

 

[deadparrot]

Old but not too old

I am about to turn 41, riding for the last 9 years and still loving DH. Most of my mates, male and female are in their 30's and all ride DH, although none of us race these days we still try and improve on each run and try and hit new jumps/drops etc. And then there is always the joy of riding a new track or finding a better line on a track.

 

[frank_n]

52 and racing super masters in SA. Will post pictures of bike and me soon.....
Bike: Glory DH0 (2007) custom anodized, Marzochhi 888Ti RC3.

 

[C.H.B]

You old buggers are crazy and you deserve all you get.at your age you should only be riding firetrails
and fairly tentatively at that.leave the rough stuff for the youngsters .besides old blokes look silly on
downhill bikes with full face hemets and big body armour,ditch the body armour and by some lycra you wannabees.................

 

[Cooch]

You old buggers are crazy and you deserve all you get.at your age you should only be riding firetrails
and fairly tentatively at that.leave the rough stuff for the youngsters .besides old blokes look silly on
downhill bikes with full face hemets and big body armour,ditch the body armour and by some lycra you wannabees.................

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

Yes, 99% of mid-life-crisis, lycra-clad, wannabie XC pro-racer types, who are new to MTB, share your sentiment!

Arrr Arrrr Arrrr Arrrr - Waaaa Ooooooooo

 

[spyderman_au]

You old buggers are crazy and you deserve all you get.at your age you should only be riding firetrails
and fairly tentatively at that.leave the rough stuff for the youngsters .besides old blokes look silly on
downhill bikes with full face hemets and big body armour,ditch the body armour and by some lycra you wannabees.................

Just checking whether you are joking about ditching the armour or not?

Would like to make sure before I reply.

 

[C.H.B]

absolutely......besides lycra is soo comfortable

 

[downhill dad]

I started when I was 46 and Im now 49. I got into DH through my son, when he bought his first bike I had never heard of DH - I tried to talk him into buying an Xc bike!! After taking him to a few tracks I started thinking how much fun it looked and gave it a try and have never looked back. I race at Ourimbah and there is normally a small group of guys in there 40's and early 50's and we have alot of fun. I also get a kick out of riding new tracks, so far Ive ridden Thredbo, Stromlo, Awaba, Ourimbah and Kurrajong as well as alot of small local tracks. Im looking forward to next year when Ill be turning 50 and wont have to race with the guys who are in their early 40's. Im thinking of doing the State rounds next year.

Everyone asks me why I do it and all I can say is because is its fun and I love it.