Noob to downhill - need help with choosing a bike

[jarrod839]

We drove up on the Friday, rode Sat and Sun, and headed home on Monday... hands were super sore and stiff after all day Saturday but Sunday was still awesome.
I reckon the two days is just about perfect.

I'd have loved to go a third if my body and time allowed though.

Here's a vid I chucked up last night, starting on the DH track and moving onto the Flow trail. It's just fast and fun, no real thought required... just point and ride.
Ideate on the left, following me on the right, following the other dude we were with at Buller.

[video=youtube;ov0LTrDChOM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov0LTrDChOM[/video]

I understand what you mean about getting the bike off the ground. Especially on Cressy because there's not much vertical and you're required to throw some pedals into most of the jumps.
On proper DH tracks though with more thought put into the trail design and jump placement, once you start pumping into the jumps they just kind of bounce you up so nicely. I love how squish the DH bikes feel on landings too!

I've also taken the DH bike down Trav's for something different... not much fun overall, way too much work!
As for the rock steps, yeah you really need to ping it and clear all the jumps before it if you want to be able to clear the drop as well. I can't be fucked so I just slow it down and roll down the left.



Sometimes it seems like they try a bit too hard to make it technical and it comes off feeling way too artificial.
Great for convenience though if you live on the western or northern sides of the city.

I still dig Cressy, though I think the first rock garden extension sucks.

i think its one of the things that keeps you yangs going is its location as it makes it accessible for alot of people and u can push back up without to much punishment. I use to love hitting that rock garden at full speed on the DH rig.now you nearly come to a complete stop in it. The mods to the top section destroyed cressy for a DH bike

 

[Ezkaton]

i think its one of the things that keeps you yangs going is its location as it makes it accessible for alot of people and u can push back up without to much punishment. I use to love hitting that rock garden at full speed on the DH rig.now you nearly come to a complete stop in it. The mods to the top section destroyed cressy for a DH bike

The top one was cool before, coming into that berm and launching out over the rocks. Now it just feels so sluggish if you're not hammering it into the start of it. Granted that the track is totally built around mid travel bikes, while remaining accessible for all kinds... But yeah some design decisions are a bit iffy, for sure.

 

[slowmick]

cheers for posting the vid Ezkaton. i will check it out at home where the fun police don't have the site blocked. never realised how close to Melbourne Thredbo is. am a bit embarrassed now (i was thinking i could combine it with Canberra :noidea

4 days seems like a good road trip. i tried three days in a row at Whistler and my wrists and hands have not recovered. Will have to make the effort next season to get to Thredbo.

the squish of my hire aurum was what sold me on needing a DH bike. hucking it off the ramp at the very end of yellow post near the lift station the bike just sucked it up, no noise and kept going. that and taking my enduro down the channel 10 track and feeling like it was screaming get off me you fat bastard...

 

[Boom King]

Can anyone post a pic of these steps please?

Here are the perps!

 

[Ezkaton]

cheers for posting the vid Ezkaton. i will check it out at home where the fun police don't have the site blocked. never realised how close to Melbourne Thredbo is. am a bit embarrassed now (i was thinking i could combine it with Canberra :noidea

4 days seems like a good road trip. i tried three days in a row at Whistler and my wrists and hands have not recovered. Will have to make the effort next season to get to Thredbo.

the squish of my hire aurum was what sold me on needing a DH bike. hucking it off the ramp at the very end of yellow post near the lift station the bike just sucked it up, no noise and kept going. that and taking my enduro down the channel 10 track and feeling like it was screaming get off me you fat bastard...

Yeah it was roughly a 6.5 hour mission to get there with a lunch stop... perfect for the 4 day Easter weekend.
It was CRAZY busy all weekend. It makes Buller peak times look like a ghost town in comparison.

Whistler would be amazing. I'm hoping I can afford to get over to Queenstown, NZ in January for a few days.
Next season at Thredbo, the full length of the AM trail should be open too. I'm almost tempted to go back with the Spitfire.

 

[slowmick]

thanks for the photos bk - that's a very big huck to clear all the rocks when looking at it side on. i think i'll resign myself to riding down the side. hope you had a good ride today.

 

[pink poodle]

Thanks for the pics. That entry is pretty deceptive. What's a guesstimation on the gap if you wanted to huck the lot in one go? It looks like a nice obstacle.

There is a section of rock steps like that here on the xc trail. It is one of the few fun moments...well it used to be. Noobs have dragged an epic rut all the way down the centre line, which was the best way through it. There is a sharp left hand turn immediately at the bottom too.

Here are the perps!

 

[slowmick]

Yeah it was roughly a 6.5 hour mission to get there with a lunch stop... perfect for the 4 day Easter weekend.
It was CRAZY busy all weekend. It makes Buller peak times look like a ghost town in comparison.

Whistler would be amazing. I'm hoping I can afford to get over to Queenstown, NZ in January for a few days.
Next season at Thredbo, the full length of the AM trail should be open too. I'm almost tempted to go back with the Spitfire.

cheers for the vid. looks like you had a ball. lots of laughing on the way down. sounds like you might need a trailer for the next trip. :becky:

 

[Ideate]

 

[slowmick]

A trailer and a few jerry cans...

 

[Boom King]

Thanks for the pics. That entry is pretty deceptive. What's a guesstimation on the gap if you wanted to huck the lot in one go? It looks like a nice obstacle.

Maybe 6m or so. You can carry plenty of speed in but like most obstacles, your head plays tricks. Anyone with even one decent sized agate would be fine, unfortunately though, that counts me out.

 

[pink poodle]

Maybe 6m or so. You can carry plenty of speed in but like most obstacles, your head plays tricks. Anyone with even one decent sized agate would be fine, unfortunately though, that counts me out.

Indeed. it doesn't sound big, but the blind entry and lack of room for error with those steps...maximum commitment required.

 

[Boom King]

Indeed. it doesn't sound big, but the blind entry and lack of room for error with those steps...maximum commitment required.

There seem to be only two options due to the relatively short individual step length vs step drop. Either a fairly slow roll or a sphincter clenching balls out clearance attempt.

Most, like me, are caught out by the blind entry and the thought that all of the difficult features of that trail have been dealt with. The 100m or so before these steps are flowy and fast with doubles and tables.

Moral of the story, stop and check features out before attempting for the first time.

 

[pink poodle]

There seem to be only two options due to the relatively short individual step length vs step drop. Either a fairly slow roll or a sphincter clenching balls out clearance attempt.

Most, like me, are caught out by the blind entry and the thought that all of the difficult features of that trail have been dealt with. The 100m or so before these steps are flowy and fast with doubles and tables.

Moral of the story, stop and check features out before attempting for the first time.

Just huck it brah! Smash a red Bull and balls out...right?

 

[slowmick]

There seem to be only two options due to the relatively short individual step length vs step drop. Either a fairly slow roll or a sphincter clenching balls out clearance attempt.

Most, like me, are caught out by the blind entry and the thought that all of the difficult features of that trail have been dealt with. The 100m or so before these steps are flowy and fast with doubles and tables.

Moral of the story, stop and check features out before attempting for the first time.

Learnt my lesson. don't assume anything on a downhill track...

 

[Ezkaton]

Either a fairly slow roll or a sphincter clenching balls out clearance attempt.

Haha, you can go mid way and just barrel down them at pace... it's a bit scary, but it works. :crutch:
Much prefer to just slow down and roll it though. Youies ain't really a place you want to stack it bad... all those rocks, and the dirt is very abrasive.

 

[Boom King]

Haha, you can go mid way and just barrel down them at pace... it's a bit scary, but it works. :crutch:
Much prefer to just slow down and roll it though. Youies ain't really a place you want to stack it bad... all those rocks, and the dirt is very abrasive.

I have personally found that if you can knock yourself unconscious by hitting the deck head first, the limp and completely relaxed nature of your body results in very minor damage.

 

[Ezkaton]

I have personally found that if you can knock yourself unconscious by hitting the deck head first, the limp and completely relaxed nature of your body results in very minor damage.

Just ride drunk and you'll ragdoll ALL the time! :llama:

 

[pink poodle]

Just ride drunk and you'll ragdoll ALL the time! :llama:

Billies in the car for pain relief?

 

[Freediver]

Billies in the car for license relief?

The cops love blocking off Geelong Rd. and testing everybody