Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 78
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478

    BME - snowmaas, durango, keystone, moab, crested butte

    So, who's going to be here for BME next weekend?

    Figured this could use it's own thread.
    Bummed I won't be announcing this year at Snowmass, but stoked it's part of the BME.
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
    Posts
    2,851
    Would like to be but their entry fees are a little steep for my first/second summer trying actual enduro races. What's the course like? Have only ever ridden Vapor, Valhalla, and Rim Trail around there.
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Dunfee View Post
    Would like to be but their entry fees are a little steep for my first/second summer trying actual enduro races. What's the course like? Have only ever ridden Vapor, Valhalla, and Rim Trail around there.
    I think they'll be announced on Wednesday.
    Valhalla and Vapor are usually part of a few of the stages. We did the chainless downhill on Valhalla the last few years.
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    2,036
    Looks like everybody is showing up. PM me if you are at a loss for parking. Might have an extra spot or two above the event.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    Quote Originally Posted by Asspen View Post
    Looks like everybody is showing up. PM me if you are at a loss for parking. Might have an extra spot or two above the event.
    Thanks! We ended up camping out Snowmass Creek rd, really just wide spots in the road but it was pretty nice out there with the rushing creek. We were all sleeping in trucks so it worked out fine.

    Pretty fun racing. Stages 4, 6, and 7 were the highlights for me, especially 7. Most of the race was real mellow trails, and pedaling won it for sure. Stage 4 Valhalla was a hoot, there must be 40 jumps on that thing. Racing it was pretty hard, I was so pumped about 3/4 of the way down I could barely hold on to the bars anymore and I was almost thinking about pulling over resting. Stage 6, Vapor->Valhalla->Nature Trail was also fun and the longest stage by far, I think that one was about 4K vertical. They watered Valhalla a bit and conditions were much improved from the day before. Stage 7, the Banzai DH trail was the highlight for me and I made some time over the guys that were beating me on the more pedally stages. It was short though, so there wasn't much time to make. I wish there was more gnar like that in general in these races though, it was the shortest stage and I still managed to pass two people. In the end I pulled off 5th in Masters. Pretty stoked for my first race of this caliber. Really liking this Enduro thing!

    Heading down to Durango tomorrow, looking forward to it all, but especially the Raider Ridge stages. Anyone else going?
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
    Posts
    5,868

    BME - snowmaas, durango, keystone, moab, crested butte

    Totally agree. Enduro races where pedalling power pretty much wins? Isn't that anti-Enduro? Leaning towards the XC race scene even? I'd much prefer to see gnarlier courses too, where bike handling skills and some balls get you the win rather than lung power.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    126
    Complaining about bike riding=so not enduro bro

  8. #8
    Finstah Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Lindahl View Post
    Totally agree. Enduro races where pedalling power pretty much wins? Isn't that anti-Enduro? Leaning towards the XC race scene even? I'd much prefer to see gnarlier courses too, where bike handling skills and some balls get you the win rather than lung power.
    Which ones have you participated in and felt weren't gnarly enough for you to muster up all your nastiness?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    Quote Originally Posted by Lindahl View Post
    Totally agree. Enduro races where pedalling power pretty much wins? Isn't that anti-Enduro? Leaning towards the XC race scene even? I'd much prefer to see gnarlier courses too, where bike handling skills and some balls get you the win rather than lung power.
    Nah, pedaling AND bike handling wins every time. I don't know if you've ever done one of these but to be competitive, you have to be on the pedals 100% of the time. The Euro courses, while prolly gnarlier than ours, are still won on the pedals. Even DH races are won on the pedals anymore. I placed the same in every stage but one, 5th, even all the real pedally ones. Only time I got back was stage 1, where I got slightly lost.

    I just wish there was more gnar because I like it.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    SLCizzy
    Posts
    3,554
    Steps to becoming a mtn bike racer.

    Step 1: Complain about the courses

    Step 2: Realize everyone has to ride the same course and go race your face off.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Littleton
    Posts
    2,453
    Suggestion - The "overall time" enduro format sort of weights the longer stages as more important. And *usually* the longer stages are the more XC ones. So guess who the race is weighted toward? To address this, I think a points system awarded off placing makes the most sense. This way the short stages matter just as much as the long stages.

    Talk amongst yourselves...

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Quote Originally Posted by flowtron's ghost View Post
    Steps to becoming a mtn bike racer.

    Step 1: Complain about the courses

    Step 2: Realize everyone has to ride the same course and go race your face off.
    3. Blame timing system or course cutting for not beating that guy that you know you're totally fast than bro!
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Quote Originally Posted by JeffreyJim View Post
    Suggestion - The "overall time" enduro format sort of weights the longer stages as more important. And *usually* the longer stages are the more XC ones. So guess who the race is weighted toward? To address this, I think a points system awarded off placing makes the most sense. This way the short stages matter just as much as the long stages.

    Talk amongst yourselves...
    Percentages/points based on placing per stage. It's the only way. There's a reason a lot of people call these things glorified xc races. You're absolutely right. One flat 10 minute stage and it's just another fitness contest. That's fine, but it already exists. I still want someone to do a chainless endurpo race. You can only put your chain on to get to the next stage.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    slc
    Posts
    17,891
    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    endurpo
    Intentional or not, that's funny.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
    Posts
    5,868
    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    Percentages/points based on placing per stage. It's the only way. There's a reason a lot of people call these things glorified xc races. You're absolutely right. One flat 10 minute stage and it's just another fitness contest. That's fine, but it already exists. I still want someone to do a chainless endurpo race. You can only put your chain on to get to the next stage.
    Sounds good to me. There's been a few chainless stages in the BME series, right?

    Quote Originally Posted by Finstah View Post
    Which ones have you participated in and felt weren't gnarly enough for you to muster up all your nastiness?
    Meh, I have no interest in structured racing. Why pay a few hundred dollars to go sit in line to ride for couple hours, when I can do that for free and without waiting? Competition is for people who have something they want to prove... I just want to have fun. It's more of a type-A personality thing, and I'm definitely not a type-A. My complaint is from the spectator perspective (and as a friend of racers - dude you did awesome on that gnarly track!). I'd like to see gnarlier courses. I've definitely ridden most of the trails in the BME series multiple times, and the Snowmass race is pretty smooth and boring from a technical perspective. It's fun in the flowy sort of way, but that isn't as much fun to view (and, for me, ride, except on occassion). The Euro series photos and videos are WAY more fun to view, and I'd bet it'd be WAY more fun to ride as well.

    If there was a decent amount of real DH courses and racing out here in CO, I probably wouldn't be complaining much. But the resorts out here are balls-less gunshy corporations, kinda like our tourists. I'd love to have Whistler/Mammoth/Northstar-style riding out here, but that isn't the direction that things have been going. Hell, Winter Park rides better on a heavy 6" bike than on a DH bike.
    Last edited by Lindahl; 06-26-2014 at 12:59 PM.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    Quote Originally Posted by Lindahl View Post
    .................................................. ............
    Meh, I have no interest in structured racing......................................

    Ummm. This thread is about racing. Just sayin.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
    Posts
    5,868
    Quote Originally Posted by beaterdit View Post
    Ummm. This thread is about racing. Just sayin.
    I guess I should have been more specific. I have no interest in being a racer in a structured race. I do have lots of interest in spectating, and watching friends participate.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    where the rough and fluff live
    Posts
    4,147
    There's definitely nothing Type-A about needing to be the expert voice on everything you ponder while reading threads at TGR. Nor in telling others that they're not as rad as you when it comes time to discuss skis. Nope! That's super-laid back, beta behavior.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    Intentional or not, that's funny.
    Man, that's like ubiquitous nomenclature amongst the dh world.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    slc
    Posts
    17,891
    Quote Originally Posted by kidwoo View Post
    Man, that's like ubiquitous nomenclature amongst the dh world.
    I figured it probably was, but since P is right next to O....

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    The Wilds of Maine
    Posts
    2,851
    I enjoyed the one enduro race I did mostly just seeing if I could hold it together doing technical sections with more chutzpah and balls than if normally take to a given trail, then try and pedal as fast as possible between those sections, which you never do as a trail rider. At least at my super am bottom of the field place, it was all a race against myself and gave me the incentive to send it through sections I'd otherwise have slowed down through. Racing definitely showed me a slightly higher level of what I could do on a bike and I really appreciated that. But I absolutely HATED the pedals section and thought it was dumb, and I pretty much lost all my motivation to give it my all on that part.

    I think where enduro has the chance
    To pull new people in is not through the type A's but for the trail riders who'd be interested in seeing how fast they could rally through fun downhilly courses but never have to hold any pace on an uphill. But the more it becomes about fitness the less it will attract new people. That's my $0.02
    "We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

    Former Managing Editor @ TGR, forever mag.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    where the rough and fluff live
    Posts
    4,147
    pedaling is so stupid on a bicycle. it should just have pegs. everyone who rides a bike should get ferried to the top of whatever hill they've got in mind, and the descent should be 100% gravity.

    silly enduro races, expecting people to pedal. if it's called an enduro race, it should be a DH race.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Dunfee View Post
    To pull new people in is not through the type A's but for the trail riders who'd be interested in seeing how fast they could rally through fun downhilly courses but never have to hold any pace on an uphill. But the more it becomes about fitness the less it will attract new people. That's my $0.02
    /devils advocate/
    why not just strava?
    /end douche/
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Golden, Colorado
    Posts
    5,868
    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Dunfee View Post
    I enjoyed the one enduro race I did mostly just seeing if I could hold it together doing technical sections with more chutzpah and balls than if normally take to a given trail, then try and pedal as fast as possible between those sections, which you never do as a trail rider. At least at my super am bottom of the field place, it was all a race against myself and gave me the incentive to send it through sections I'd otherwise have slowed down through. Racing definitely showed me a slightly higher level of what I could do on a bike and I really appreciated that. But I absolutely HATED the pedals section and thought it was dumb, and I pretty much lost all my motivation to give it my all on that part.

    I think where enduro has the chance
    To pull new people in is not through the type A's but for the trail riders who'd be interested in seeing how fast they could rally through fun downhilly courses but never have to hold any pace on an uphill. But the more it becomes about fitness the less it will attract new people. That's my $0.02
    Pretty much in total agreement with this, except I personally try on almost every ride to push myself to blow through descents as fast as I can. Love that part of biking more than anything else.

    Quote Originally Posted by creaky fossil View Post
    pedaling is so stupid on a bicycle. it should just have pegs. everyone who rides a bike should get ferried to the top of whatever hill they've got in mind, and the descent should be 100% gravity.

    silly enduro races, expecting people to pedal. if it's called an enduro race, it should be a DH race.
    Its not the pedaling thats stupid, its the redlining on the uphill and long flats thats stupid. I don't mind pedaling, but I don't like blowing my wad on the uphill so that I'm gassed for when its time to have the real fun.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Paradise
    Posts
    5,197
    Quote Originally Posted by creaky fossil View Post
    There's definitely nothing Type-A about needing to be the expert voice on everything you ponder while reading threads at TGR. Nor in telling others that they're not as rad as you when it comes time to discuss skis. Nope! That's super-laid back, beta behavior.
    Now this is pretty funny!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •