EWS Aspen

[adrenalated]

I heard Stage 2 would become permanent, but I don't really know

I actually just found this, which has some details:
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/inside...o-world-series
It sounds like at minimum, the top section of Stage 4 is set to become part of the bike park, which I was hoping for. That section looks fun.

Edit: thanks for the info grskier!

[grskier]

I actually just found this, which has some details:
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/inside...o-world-series
It sounds like at minimum, the top section of Stage 4 is set to become part of the bike park, which I was hoping for. That section looks fun.

Edit: thanks for the info grskier!

I sat at lunch with a homey that helps run events and is an avid biker... so, even a big section of stage 1 was the existing sequel trail....

But yeah.

And Stage 4 did use the soon to be new DH trail up top of Elk Camp.

[joetron]

Racing and riding mowed and roughed in trails is awesome. I loved racing the Snowmass DH courses back in the day because the mowed sections would get taped a little differently every year and the good lines would evolve over the course of the weekend.
The new and mowed sections at Aspen EWS last year were rad...racing the 18" twisty singletrack on Buttermilk was not that rad (though fun to ride any other day) and probably not great for the trail, given how the French interpret space between the tape.

[WaistDeepGroomers]

My real question is: why does every pro wear a long sleeve jersey for every race, even in the middle of summer? Are they trying to avoid skin cancer or something? I'm fucking dying out here and I'm wearing a tanktop.

[summit]

My real question is: why does every pro wear a long sleeve jersey for every race, even in the middle of summer? Are they trying to avoid skin cancer or something? I'm fucking dying out here and I'm wearing a tanktop.

Sponsors... Ever crash in a tank top while racing Enduro?

[WaistDeepGroomers]

Sponsors... Ever crash in a tank top while racing Enduro?

That was my other thought... skin preservation. Still, I'd way rather be in a short sleeve.

On a related note, gotta love Graves' no-kneepads-just-kneewarmers steeze.

[summit]

I always chuckle when I see people at the bikepark with Full face, wife beater, shorts and shoes. Sometimes they have no gloves, but often a neck protector... they must either never crash or just haven't crashed yet.

I tend to view eyewear, gloves, helmet, and knee pads (in that order) as the most important and basically mandatory protection. But I'm no pro... just someone who constantly sees the results of wrecks.

[toast2266]

My real question is: why does every pro wear a long sleeve jersey for every race, even in the middle of summer? Are they trying to avoid skin cancer or something? I'm fucking dying out here and I'm wearing a tanktop.

I've got some long sleeve jerseys that run cooler than a lot of short sleeves. They keep the sun off, but they're kinda meshy fabric so air flows through them really easily.

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[goldenboy]

Aspenites are smart and don't want the good trails to get destroyed?

Seriously. A pack train of horses after a week-long monsoon does less damage than an enduro race. Now get off my lawn.

[summit]

Seriously. A pack train of horses after a week-long monsoon does less damage than an enduro race. Now get off my lawn.

Your lawn is next...

[XXX-er]

I like arm/elbow protection over knee pads, bounce off trees or fall over at slow speed and the first thing that gets boo boo d is the arms/ elbows

[WaistDeepGroomers]

I like arm/elbow protection over knee pads, bounce off trees or fall over at slow speed and the first thing that gets boo boo d is the arms/ elbows

Yeah I'm still a little confused in retrospect over the kneepad obsession -- I have honestly taken maybe one fall where they've actually taken the impact, but falling on my elbows a thousand times.

[goldenboy]

Your lawn is next...

I know I'm half inclined to go out and stack logs on every inside corner so they'll actually stay on the damn trail.

[joetron]

I know I'm half inclined to go out and stack logs on every inside corner so they'll actually stay on the damn trail.

Yes. Block all Strava lines.

But then you also have to go fill in the outside end of turns with hazards to block the Front Range 29er lines.

Had a buddy call all the trail cuts - inside and out - Hightower lines. I laughed.

[goldenboy]

Yes. Block all Strava lines.

But then you also have to go fill in the outside end of turns with hazards to block the Front Range 29er lines.

Had a buddy call all the trail cuts - inside and out - Hightower lines. I laughed.

Ha! I'm not the only one who has noticed that every turn has gotten wider over the past couple of years with all these long wheelbases?!

[Dee Hubbs]

Don't worry they will all go ride some real trails next week in Whistler.

[XXX-er]

Have they got a rowdy course planned for whistler?

[kidwoo]

Don't worry they will all go ride some real trails next week in Whistler.

Did somebody finally build some?

[Dee Hubbs]

Did somebody finally build some?

New trails are constantly being built.

[toast2266]

I know I'm half inclined to go out and stack logs on every inside corner so they'll actually stay on the damn trail.

Meh. Wide trails are fun. With wider trails, I can ride the same trail 5 times, and ride it differently every time.

Skinny singletrack is awesome, but it's fun to actually have to pick a line. And it's not like the ews is being held on remote backcountry trails. I'd bet every trail in the course is more interesting now because of the race.

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[kidwoo]

Meh. Wide trails are fun. With wider trails, I can ride the same trail 5 times, and ride it differently every time.

Skinny singletrack is awesome, but it's fun to actually have to pick a line. And it's not like the ews is being held on remote backcountry trails. I'd bet every trail in the course is more interesting now because of the race.

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Haven't you heard? Riding anything other than a 4 inch wide swath down the middle of a corridor means you're a) a bad rider who can't stay on the trail b) strava or some shit c) avoiding something technical™, regardless of how poorly or short sightedly a trail may have been routed or laid out.

I don't get this whole 'must ride the strip' thing either. Trails are put in to mostly provide a way to move through the woods by whatever means. A corridor is cleared. Using an extra few inches or feet within that corridor usually affects very little and doesn't do doodly squat to the rest of the landscape that the trail is mostly there to keep you off of. If a line forms somewhere else, maybe that's just where it should have gone to begin with. It seems to be a pretty emotional thing with folks lately.

[adrenalated]

And it's not like the ews is being held on remote backcountry trails.

The race on goldenboy's lawn isn't EWS (it's BME) but I think most people would consider most of the trails they use there to be backcountry trails. "Remote" is probably more debatable but they definitely ain't bike park front-country trails for the most part.

[Dee Hubbs]

Have they got a rowdy course planned for whistler?

The course and stages are not disclosed until the week of.

[joetron]

I think GB is talking about some of the CB trails that got Frenched 2 summers ago. They were all moto trails, but some turns definitely got erased.
Up in PC there are plenty of spots where turns have disappeared - and I blame the Fred's who sold their first MTBs (Bronsons), then bought Hightowers, now are moving on to Wreckonings...because it's easy.
Ask Fruitians about what happened to their singletrack as wheels grew. Same thing in Buffalo Creek.
It's obviously the overall growth of the sport, but also a bunch those new people on big, capable bikes that can go fast and straight but can't turn(the people - not the bikes).

I'm slowly adopting the Crusty worldview of MTB. This shit is full! Haha.

[jm2e]

What does it mean for a trail to get Frenched? Is it a tongue thing? Or are we just talking about its use by some of the worlds greatest MTB talents of all time; Vouilloz, Chausson, Barel, Bruni, Gracia, Ragot, Absalon, Clementz