Downhill Mountain Bike riding in Big Bear...

[BusterJohn]

Ok…so, yesterday I took my kids and our bikes to Snow Summit up in Big Bear so I could introduce them to the whole downhill mountain bike scene. Although there weren’t any races scheduled there, I figured I would show them how we would load the bikes on the lifts and fly down the hill and jump right back onto the lifts and do it all over again until we were so tired we couldn’t pedal anymore…lol. I had raced downhill mountain bikes for over 8 years all over the west coast but Snow Summit was my home away from home in that time of my life. If we weren’t racing up there, we were practicing the courses or bombing bootleg trails…but the lifestyle and commodore was like no other sport I have ever been involved in. I was fortunate to meet some of the best and fastest riders from all over the world up on that mountain and actually made some very good friends in the process.
Now, here’s the kicker…I had been at a NORBA National mountain bike race back in 2003 when a female pro rider from Japan fell and snapped her neck…she never made it to the hospital and they took her home in a body bag(she wasn't the first and won't be the last). Because of the incident, the family decided to sue Snow Summit, NORBA, as well as the owners of that section of mountain where they have hosted bike racing for many, many years. So, the board of directors decided to close the mountain to all downhill bike races and prohibit any bikes on the Summit Trails.
So back to yesterday…we get up to the hill and I notice that the parking lot was almost completely empty…but the lifts are running…so, we get up to the booth and the guy running it recognizes me and we start talking about the situation. He told me that it’s become a ghost town and even though the lawsuit has been dropped, they are still holding to the new rules. Once up the hill we had to take a different route down the hill, which was way out of the route I was used to taking and took us almost an hour to get back to the truck (I used to get down the mountain in about 5-6 minutes). The whole time we were on the hill, I saw only one other couple riding their bikes. I started thinking how sad it was that one incident could change a whole way of life for many people. I remember watching young riders (12-15 years old) grow up. They would start as beginners and work their way up to pro rider status, being sponsored and experiencing travels to all parts of the world. I had been telling my kids about some of the craziest experiences I had while bombing down the hills at 40-50 miles per hour and bombing 20-30 foot doubles…and in the same time, thinking that they would probably not get to experience that.
I know that there are other places to race and blossom as a competitive rider…but there was nothing like being up in Big Bear…Well, I’m just venting!!!

[Isaac Potter]

I used to be a bicycle mechanic during college. Alot of good times. never did any downhill racing but alot of x-country and road racing. After a couple of crashes(head overheels) on my mountain bike that resulted in  multiple trips to the hospital for stiches.  I went back to road bikes. I still go mountain bike riding on the trails of Northern Ca, but no competition.    Some of the best escapes from the CITY have been on my bike!!!!

John i like the knee pads that could have saved me a couple of times!!!!    KAMAKAZI  DH!!!!

[bk63rag]

Cool picture i love the adventure of trail riding . I ride on and off i messed my shoulder up a couple of years ago.  You know how it goes you get real comfy with a nice down hill section and keep going faster each time you ride it tell you push your luck.  There are some poeple doing crazy stuff on bikes now days . I just try to go out ride at my own pace and have a good time .  Its a fun way to get in shape for sure .  I moved to Martinez in December and last mounth me and my girl freind went for a ride and found some cool trails in the hills right near are house .  I need to get off my but go check them out .  I have never seen down hill raceing in person yet it sounds pretty wild.
Brian

[veloracer]

I was happy to see another cyclist on this forum.  I've traded posts with Buster, he's posted some cool pix of downhilling.  I've raced XC mountain bikes for about 10 years up until this year, wife is pregnant and if I can't train like I am used to, 3000 - 4000 miles a year, it's hard to be as competitive as I am.  I raced Elite for a year, trying to race with the semi- and pro's is tough business.  I live in a flat state so we don't get much in the way of downhill racing, however, back in 2002 NORBA made a stop here at one of our ski hills, and I mean hills.  The four cross was by far the most exciting.  They didn't have a downhill since it would have taken all of 2 minutes to get down. lol

It is a shame that one incident a 25 year history of no one being killed can ruin a whole bunch of good things.  I remember that crash as I follow cycling ALOT!  That was one unfortunate incident.

[JVance]

I've been a trackie since '97 and only recently got into MTB'ing (though I likely will never race...we'll see)...single speed on the dirt, fixed gear on the road, fixed on the track. I recently read about the trail closure and NORBA no longer hitting that stop on the series. It's kind of the same way up at Whistler (I think...might be another MTB park in BC)...some bloody good downhill runs are now closed to the public and only open to pros during competition due to liability.

[airNwater]

I always try to make it to Northstar during the summer.  5-6 runs and I'm done for the day.  I swear lots of people think going downhill is easy.  The rest of the time I crank my stupid FR bike around the bay area trails.  Yeah I get smoked on the way up by the XC guys, but once I get to the top.....WOOOOOHOOOOOO.  This year I hear that N* is building an hotel so no DH   I guess you could always urban FR

[Chris W]

I feel lucky living in the NW. We have some of the best DH/free ride riding around. I just got back in to road riding mostly fix gear and fix gear crit racing. It seams the area around here supports the sport allot more than other places, but if you want the best riding around go to Canada. My first trip to Whistler I was amazed at the stuff that was built up there, and the amount of carnage we saw every day.

This picture is of me during a trip up after Crank Works last year.

[bk63rag]

Woah thats a crazy looking shot .  It looks like you jumping off a cliff . I saw a truck on my way home from work today with two Santa Cruz bikes in the back they looked bad ass. So what kind of bikes do you guys ride . Mines nothing extreme i bought a new one a couple of years ago. Its a Speacialized rockhopper comp (hard tail) .Its red with black Mavic rims and spokes .  I kind of wish i would have saved a little more and went full suspension now .
Brian

[Isaac Potter]

Cool picture i love the adventure of trail riding . I ride on and off i messed my shoulder up a couple of years ago. You know how it goes you get real comfy with a nice down hill section and keep going faster each time you ride it tell you push your luck. There are some poeple doing crazy stuff on bikes now days . I just try to go out ride at my own pace and have a good time . Its a fun way to get in shape for sure . I moved to Martinez in December and last mounth me and my girl freind went for a ride and found some cool trails in the hills right near are house . I need to get off my but go check them out . I have never seen down hill raceing in person yet it sounds pretty wild.
Brian

   YOU HAVE BRIONES   REGIONAL PARK AND BLACK DIAMOND MINES IN ANTIOCH

[Mike Lawless]

It's really pretty amazing how many of us in the VW hobby are or were bicycle racers or riders.

Maybe one of these years, a "Pre-Classic metric century?"

[BusterJohn]

So what kind of bikes do you guys ride .

In my racing career, I was supported by Foes Fabrications in Pasadena...which in my opinion, is the best built downhill/free-ride bike built. I am a very loyal person and because of the support they have given me through my racing days, I will only ride a Foes (currently I have an older Weisel with Hanebrink 7" forks) The owner Brent Foes actually built me a bike for my size, weight, geometry, and all the suspension components were set up for my riding style...you couldn't buy a bike like the one he built for me...but after breaking both clavicles, a few ribs, 2-3 concussions, knee surgery, broken fingers, and a few broken helmets...lol...I decided to retire from the sport. I still ride every now and then just to keep my heart pumping. I was reading on another post about people getting butterflies before a drag race...shoot...they don't know what butterflies are!!! I had done a race in Boulder City Nevada and remember looking down a 6' drop with a nice landing and a tight switchback right after, thinking, this is what living is all about!!! There is nothing like the addreneline rush you get from bombing down Mammoth Mountain at 52.9 mph while doing the Kamakazi (I wish they still did that race)...the sad part about this is the fact that my boy probably won't get to experience the same feelings I would get everytime I wouild pull up into the parking lot of Snow Summit...just waiting to get up that hill so I could feel that speed...

[JVance]

Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City has some really nice downhill trails (and x-country trails)...I've been riding Armageddon and Snake Back with a friend lately, but on a single-speed hardtail. Certainly not the balls-out downhill type, but I dig the technical downhill riding.

[lawrence]

I got into mountain biking last year, its a lot of fun and great exercise!! I bought a entry level, hardtail diamond back with disk brakes. A few of my friends are also into MTB's so we go up to skeegs point in the bay area....some killer trails.

All of this bike talk makes me want to ride. Isaac whats up??

[Isaac Potter]

lawrence  its skaggs point!  now that your car is finished you should have time to ride. shoot i'll bring my mountain bike to work and cruise after work

[BusterJohn]

Ok...so, I'm gonna bring my mountain bike and we're all gonna do a fun ride on Saturday evening right after test/tune...LOL. 

[lawrence]

I checked the trail map, its skEGGs point, I put skeegs...skeezer point . Yeah that place is sort of crazy, it gets dark early because of all the trees.

John are there any trails out by the raceway, I know there are some bmx tracks

[Anton]

skeggs point is awsome, i've ridden there a few times, wish i had more time and lived a little closer, i mostly ride lake shabot and mission peak. i have a giant ac2, lawrence and isaac, shoot me a call, we'll go for a ride sometime. my friend and i are planning to make a trip to tahoe this summer

[SEGRoadWarrior]

wicked, I ride bmx, me and friends have built some dirt jumps/trails up the road at the local woods. They are acutally gettin there now, alot of work but all worth it. We have got a bigish 8-pack, a BIG 6 -pack, a massive volcanoe(4 sided jump, one side has a coping for grinding bmx pegs!), berms everywhere to keep the speed up, a CRAZY river jump!(one for the suspension guys) roll back/quater pipe up a tree, loads of smaller doubles and table tops, with endless runs to take. Its a compact build, well it was to start with lol, but its great to ride-and yeh, certainly gets your heart racing! Cheers, Sam(19,UK)

[Isaac Potter]

tahoe flume trail !!   yeah thats fun



whoops!!!  i thought the thread was about catching AIR!!!   whether its on your mountain bike,skis,snowboard, or skateboard,     nothing is like bombing hills and catching air. Damn thrill seekers!!!

[Mike Maize DdK]

I have been mountain biking for 13 years and was skateboarding since 1976! Thing I love about mountain biking is the fitness level that comes with it. My brother and I started together and vowed to never enter a race. Competition killed the fun of skating for a good 10 years. My brother and I were "all mountain" riders before anyone ever thought of the term. We were just trying to scare ourselves I have a new Specialized Enduro Expert, it is the best bike I have ever owned, I was a Cannondale guy for the last 6 years. Full suspension since the GT RTS first hit the market. Anyone ever gets out east please contact me and we'll go ride or skate

[BusterJohn]

I was a Cannondale guy for the last 6 years.

Crack'N'Fail??? I mean Cannondale???...LOL...just kidding.

[Mike Maize DdK]

Never broke a Cannondale......Its a PA thing I guess?

[JVance]

I rode a C'Dale on the track for 2 years...it was a stiff, @ss-pounding ride that became painful after 10-laps. Plus the geometry made for a very sketchy ride. Not cool...the best day was when I sold it to some poor, unsuspecting schmuck...

[Isaac Potter]

i just picked up a  2000 merlin road   frame. cant wait to biuld it with my kestrel cabon fork. This was my dream bike when i used to wrench on bikes!!!!!

[Chris W]

Merlin makes some very cool stuff! I ride a Specialized SX Trail 2 and a langster.

[bk63rag]

Thanks for the info Isaac , i will have to check those places out. When i lived in Fairfield i would go to Rockville Park . I need to get back in shape id get left in the dust right now. That would be funny seeing a buch of poeple riding aroung Sac Raceway looking for some good mountain terrain to ride. Tahoe looks like a fun place to ride i have been wanting to ride up in North Shore .Any one mountain biked at Mt Diablo? I have only driven up there once there is a lot of area there.
Brian

[Craig Merrow]

I have my ancient/trusty Univega Landrover Sport, it must be over 20 years old by now.  My uncle bought it brand new but it never got used, and I ended up with it.  I upgraded it to 15 speeds, some real tires, a suspension seat post and stem, and V-brakes.  I've been riding it for ten years and love it; I don't race or do crazy things, I just like the exercise and disappearing into the woods for a few hours.  The problems I run into around here is that with so many ATV's and dirt bikes tearing everything up, a lot of the trails I used to ride on are now impossible to use.  Some are washed out or turned into mud pits, and I've had a few close calls with a pack of bikes bearing down on me at 60+mph.

[Isaac Potter]

mt diablo, yeah thats a big climb but a very fast downhill.there are alot of trails. you could also head across the richmond bridge and ride the legendary Mt TAM!!!!

[veloracer]

I have my ancient/trusty Univega Landrover Sport, it must be over 20 years old by now. My uncle bought it brand new but it never got used, and I ended up with it. I upgraded it to 15 speeds, some real tires, a suspension seat post and stem, and V-brakes. I've been riding it for ten years and love it; I don't race or do crazy things, I just like the exercise and disappearing into the woods for a few hours. The problems I run into around here is that with so many ATV's and dirt bikes tearing everything up, a lot of the trails I used to ride on are now impossible to use. Some are washed out or turned into mud pits, and I've had a few close calls with a pack of bikes bearing down on me at 60+mph.

That is true, the ATVs and Motorcycles do rip up the trails a lot.  I do a lot of trail work here in Wisconsin.  My MTB team really works hard at keeping the trails seperate for obvious reasons, but also to advocate trail safety and maintence.  Once the water starts to flow incorrectly on the trail, it's done.  Going mountain biking today at a place called the Southern Kettle Moraine in Southeast Wisconsin.  Will get in about 35 miles today, should be a blast.

[veloracer]

BIKE PORN

My 2002 Cannondale Scalpel 4000 Team Replica


This is my race bike, it's few years old now, but still is pretty dope.  It weighs in around 24lbs.  It has full front and rear lockouts, with the front Lefty being the ELO (Electric Lock Out).

My Fixie, it's a converted 2001 Schwinn Peloton with Campy track drop outs welded in.

[JVance]

ooo...swanky single-speed pics