Riding more than 1 mtb discipline

[Sam02]

Was just curious to find out how many of you guys race more than one MTB discipline. I race XC, and then ride around street and stuff, but want to start racing downhill, while not giving up XC. I would be hoping to be competitive in both, so training would be interesting.
So, what do you guys do? Is it hard to manage? and all that kinda jazz.

Cheers, Sam

 

[thecat]

Was just curious to find out how many of you guys race more than one MTB discipline. I race XC, and then ride around street and stuff, but want to start racing downhill, while not giving up XC. I would be hoping to be competitive in both, so training would be interesting.
So, what do you guys do? Is it hard to manage? and all that kinda jazz.

Cheers, Sam

I do a bit of both. I race the occasional DH race and most of my recreational riding is DH but I race endurance and the occassional xc race.

Training to be super competitive for both is going to be hard.
Competitive DH relies more on explosive power, max heart rate stuff whereas xc relies on being smooth, riding within your zone and concerving energy where posible.

that said each compliments the other. The general fitnes you get from Xc is going to help you make up time in the pedally bits on the DH course and the skills you pick up DHing are going to help get you through that XC single track a bit quicker.

It's all good

 

[McBain]

and the skills you pick up DHing are going to help get you through that XC single track a bit quicker.

For sure - good example is Amiel - 2005 World Jnr DH champ, and was on the winning 4 man team at the Scott 24hr, doing 1hr (and faster) laps. We hates him.

 

[Always_keen_Jezza]

would have to agree they definately conmpliment each other. Was interesting during the recent flight centre epic to see all these XC racers on pretty awesome duallies struggling over sections and downhills that weren't too bad. Me on the other hand have a crappy shogun hard tail (student, so one bike has to suffer on the parts etc department and it is the XC bike). I managed through all those sections, attribute this to a bit of downhill experience. And was well stoked with a time of 5.52mins.

You can manage to train for both. Bit of sprint work on the local footy field on the downhill bike never goes astray and then the k's either on the road or XC style off road on the hardtail.

I personally just like being on the bike. Like the utter exhaustion from pushing too hard up a hill and after 60km's that day. But like to feel the heart pump when you drop that 10fter or do that 20ft gap and have just nailed that downhill run.

Gotta love bikes!!

 

[Gekigengar]

Gotta love bikes!!

i think that pretty much sums it up...

just ride..

 

[Sethius]

ride whatever i can get out and do! if it involving having to go up first so be it, down is more fun though, its better than watching tv BS.

 

[Mandy]

For my training (just to get fit im not competitive yet) The guy gave me downhill exercises and cross country/road exercises he said they are both relevant to both styles of riding. As i can only ride road in the week. So training should be fine just make sure you do stuff relevent to both styles.

 

[JDB]

It wasn't that long ago when there really wasn't such a big divide between types of racing. I remember reading articles about Mt Tommac racing and all that would change from the downhill to the XC was the stem on the bike. Oh and way back when, a race weekend would consist of down hill, XC and UP HILL races, and most people would compete in all 3 on the one bike. So there really isn't anything that weird about doing more than just XC or downhill.

Why not take your downhill bike for a cross country ride, very good way to really work on your fitness and power trying to ride a 18kg bike up hills.

 

[pylet_thekid]

i race downhill and ride downhill almost every weekend and i race 4x sometimes but im really bad at it so i just ride it for fun most of the time.

 

[PyletSnviper]

Why not take your downhill bike for a cross country ride, very good way to really work on your fitness and power trying to ride a 18kg bike up hills.

if 18kg was all my bike weighed i would be laughing.
weighed my demo9 last night.... 23kg!

that said... living in castlehill to get to any bush i have to ride up/down several hills..... so although i only do DH i am reasonable fit... i just got to get faster on the track lol

 

[scratchy]

It wasn't that long ago when there really wasn't such a big divide between types of racing. I remember reading articles about Mt Tommac racing and all that would change from the downhill to the XC was the stem on the bike. Oh and way back when, a race weekend would consist of down hill, XC and UP HILL races, and most people would compete in all 3 on the one bike. So there really isn't anything that weird about doing more than just XC or downhill.

Couldn't agree more. Surely a MTB Champ should be a Champion of all facets of MTBing? I've always thought it would be better if say in the Worlds, they had an overall World Champion, who points would be cumulative from DH, XC and Trials! Wouldn't that make it interesting?

Mt Tommac? Don't you mean John Tomac (aka God)? Backing up XC wins one day with DH wins the next on the Norba circuit. In the early days I think they didn't even change the stem, just drop the seat down a bit. On the local scene Rob Eva did a great job of dominating both discaplines for quite a while.

Bring back uphill races!

 

[JDB]

Couldn't agree more. Surely a MTB Champ should be a Champion of all facets of MTBing? I've always thought it would be better if say in the Worlds, they had an overall World Champion, who points would be cumulative from DH, XC and Trials! Wouldn't that make it interesting?

Mt Tommac? Don't you mean John Tomac (aka God)? Backing up XC wins one day with DH wins the next on the Norba circuit. In the early days I think they didn't even change the stem, just drop the seat down a bit. On the local scene Rob Eva did a great job of dominating both discaplines for quite a while.

Bring back uphill races!

Whoops should check my posts, I did mean John Tomac LEGEND. I agree that there should be some sort of overall championship, sort of like a decathalon, compete in all facets of riding. Or perhaps XC racing tracks need to become more technical again, so riders need to be skilled at riding rough downhill sections fast, and steep technical climbs.

I'd love to see an uphill down hill combination event, ride down a track then have to ride back up it, with hike-a-bike over up jumps and drop offs.

 

[Sam02]

An overall world champion world be cool as. Who do you think could be one of our best downhillers out of the XC crew? Maybe Sid Taberlay?

Thanks for the replies to guys, think i am going to have a go at both XC and DH, just need a bike to kill!

 

[horsey]

John Tomac used to compete in Trials as well - on the same bike he used for XC and DH.