Big Mountain Enduro, who's doing what?

**kidwoo** · 01-29-2014, 06:38 PM

It's okay, you're talking to the idiot that doesn't even believe his rotors are rubbing until after the 6 hour ride is over.....only to find out they actually were the whole time.

You definitely need to pick your trail wisely to do those. But I'm a huge fan of chainless races for sure. Just another way to separate skillz from V02max.

There's a kid who lives here (probably heard of mikey sylvestri) who owns those things. He puts chainless times down on most dh courses that all the mad sprinting in the world from most people won't beat. He's not the fastest dh rider around but definitely one of the most fun to watch.

**toast2266** · 01-29-2014, 06:58 PM

Yeah, Sylvestri is fast as shit. Always fun watching guys that can maintain ludicrous speed through the super gnarly sections.

Unfortunately my both skills and V02max are lacking so I'm fucked regardless, but I'll still blame my hubs and tires.

**flatlander#2** · 01-29-2014, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Just another way to separate skillz from V02max.

Why you dislike the V02 max so much? I know more than a couple of dudes that have pretty good handling "skillz", even if they can't do tricks, as well as having pretty big V02. Is this type of racing necessary to separate out the physical output? Sure seems like nobody wants there to be any hard physical work going on, aside from the occasional sprint.

**kidwoo** · 01-29-2014, 11:14 PM

Does that hit a nerve with you or something?

Some of the most successful xc 'mountain bikers' couldn't manual their way through a unicycle training wheel convention, much less a set of stair stepped rocks at 25mph. To a lot of people that's not mountain biking. That's just another avenue for crossfit expression.

So chainless races are the quintessential event for not those guys where skill undeniably trumps the generic aspect of fitness which might as well be any other sport. Who's better at riding a bike, not who's better at heart rates. Wheelie contests..... nowhaddahmean?

**bsavery** · 01-30-2014, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Some of the most successful xc 'mountain bikers' couldn't manual their way through a unicycle training wheel convention

??? Does anyone understand what that metaphor means and could explain it?

BTW I would venture to say that most crossfit is just about as far from vo2 max xc racing that you describe as possible. Aerobic vs anaerobic and all that shit.

**kidwoo** · 01-30-2014, 06:45 PM

Do you know what a manual is?

If not we may be getting to the root of the misunderstanding here

But see this is why chainless racing exists: for the people who don't give two fucks about how VO2 max relates that crossfit cult. No one invented mountain bikes because they were a fitness tool. They started building those things because they were fun and rowdy. The chainless events just reference those times before it got overrun and ruined by making it nothing more than a long distance running race done with a bicycle thrown in there somewhere.

It's the unserious part that a lot of people miss where nowadays a mediocre bike handler wins a race if there's just a long enough flat fireroad in it. Chainless races are one of the only avenues where the competition comes from who's a better bike rider, not who's a better cross trainer. Simple enough yeah?

**bsavery** · 01-30-2014, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Do you know what a manual is?

If not we may be getting to the root of the misunderstanding here

But see this is why chainless racing exists: for the people who don't give two fucks about how VO2 max relates that crossfit cult. No one invented mountain bikes because they were a fitness tool. They started building those things because they were fun and rowdy. The chainless events just reference those times before it got overrun and ruined by making it nothing more than a long distance running race done with a bicycle thrown in there somewhere.

It's the unserious part that a lot of people miss where nowadays a mediocre bike handler wins a race if there's just a long enough flat fireroad in it. Chainless races are one of the only avenues where the competition comes from who's a better bike rider, not who's a better cross trainer. Simple enough yeah?

I know what a manual is.... just know jack shit about unicycles. Anyways I think there are the type of races that are just VO2max fests (go to sea otter to see one), but most of the enduro races I've done are a good mix. I also think there's something to be said for combining the two, and the best mountain bikers are the ones who can clean a section like no one's business and still do it after pedalling all out for 15 minutes with nothing left. Call it the race of attrition where you have to have the handling skills and the aerobic chops. Those are the most fun IMO.

**kidwoo** · 01-30-2014, 07:13 PM

Since unicycles are a thing with only one wheel, any use at all constitutes a manual

You get what I'm saying though right? You do understand the fun in doing chainless races. You need some basic level of fitness for those too you know. It's just one format where the fittest won't by default win (but they might if they can ride a bike well). And yes I know enduro racing takes both, but it's still just starting to look a whole lot like some other formats at this point. And most of the dudes winning them tend to be the ones that can sprint hardest, not the ones that can ride a bike the best.

I used to row in high school and college, something that takes a developed skill while also being retardedly physically demanding. But it was the physically demanding stuff that took so much relative time and effort (just like most dh racers spend most of the their time OFF bikes but working out). That shlt just gets boring to some people, and even more boring when the fitness side trumps the others..........hence chainless races.

It's just a perspective, that's all. Yours already has far more avenues and outlets, this is just one tiny little corner of events that (thank god) will never become marketable.