DH'ers question

[Big E]

Having pretty limited exposure to the whole DH scene in my neck of the woods, spending a day at Snowshoe surrounded by DH dudes was rather eye-opening. Not the trails or the skill level or any of that. No, I'm talking about some of the people that are riding DH. I was shocked to see so many flat-out fat guys perched precariously atop their 9" travel steeds.

Is this normal? Does anyone else find this weird? No offense to any of the DH'ers on here. I'm not saying all of them were fat, just that there were a helluva lot more than I would have expected. Sure we all see the occasional rotund folks out on the slopes, but they're usually sticking to the groomed stuff on rental equipment. The guys I'm talking about aren't just "big-boned", either, not unless they have an extra one in their gut. No, I saw several guys straddling $4k bikes that musta been riding for Team Krispy Kreme.

I guess standing at the top they have more potential energy than the rest of us, but it just seems a little inconsistent is all. Flame away.

[jayfrizzo]

Bear in mind you were also in West Virginny.

[Pedro]

Having pretty limited exposure to the whole DH scene in my neck of the woods, spending a day at Snowshoe surrounded by DH dudes was rather eye-opening. Not the trails or the skill level or any of that. No, I'm talking about some of the people that are riding DH. I was shocked to see so many flat-out fat guys perched precariously atop their 9" travel steeds.

Is this normal? Does anyone else find this weird? No offense to any of the DH'ers on here. I'm not saying all of them were fat, just that there were a helluva lot more than I would have expected. Sure we all see the occasional rotund folks out on the slopes, but they're usually sticking to the groomed stuff on rental equipment. The guys I'm talking about aren't just "big-boned", either, not unless they have an extra one in their gut. No, I saw several guys straddling $4k bikes that musta been riding for Team Krispy Kreme.

I guess standing at the top they have more potential energy than the rest of us, but it just seems a little inconsistent is all. Flame away.

Were the Fat kids tearing it up and catching some big airs?

[funkendrenchman]

I see the same thing at Whistler, although usually they aren't the ones bombing the trails at mach looney pulling no handers. In fact I rarely see them on the way down. I think some of them tend to cross over from motorsports.

[Particle]

Yeah there are more of them than you'd think. They even have a Clydesdale racing category at a lot of the races.

Which is why I like the pedally DH courses...those guys can be pretty fast down a steep techy trail, but let it flatten out for 100 yards and I'll smoke 'em.

[altagirl]

I guess standing at the top they have more potential energy than the rest of us, but it just seems a little inconsistent is all. Flame away.

Inconsistent with what?

[altagirl]

Yeah there are more of them than you'd think. They even have a Clydesdale racing category at a lot of the races.

Which is why I like the pedally DH courses...those guys can be pretty fast down a steep techy trail, but let it flatten out for 100 yards and I'll smoke 'em.

There are Clydesdale DH classes? I've never heard of that...

[AfroMullet]

The big guy with the long black hair. He wore nothing but body armor, a helmet and shorts. It was gross.

[phUnk]

There are Clydesdale DH classes? I've never heard of that...

I think he meant XC.

[Crinkle]

I'm fat but i only ride XC.

[Big E]

The big guy with the long black hair. He wore nothing but body armor, a helmet and shorts. It was gross.

Fortunately I missed that guy. But I saw one guy that was about 5'5" and weighed probably 300 lbs, and another guy was heading down to the lift in front of me and could barely keep his pants up. <shudder>

It just seems weird to me to see these guys involved enough to plunk down huge coin on bikes when they are obviously not doing anything else remotely resembling exercise. Also, I always figured that the "clydesdale" category was more for people that are just plain big, but not necessarily out of shape. A 260-lb NFL linebacker would stand no chance against the 160-lb all-lung type guys in a XC race, but I wouldn't call them out of shape.

[biggins]

[QUOTE=Big E] I always figured that the "clydesdale" category was more for people that are just plain big, but not necessarily out of shape. [QUOTE]

Thats pretty much it. The archetype would be Maurice Tierney- editor/founder of DirtRag. He's a 'husky' fellow who obviously puts LOTS of miles on bikes, but just isn't a metabolizing-freak of a rail XC racer type. It implies a less gram-pinching mentality towards riding (stronger bikes, slow endurance and wherewithal over speed and efficiency). Nice for us 'large boned' folk.

[bagtagley]

They are obviously not doing anything else remotely resembling exercise.

They are downhilling. Go ride the NCS course and tell me that's not exercise. Better'n sitting on the couch I suppose.

[altagirl]

They are downhilling. Go ride the NCS course and tell me that's not exercise. Better'n sitting on the couch I suppose.

Yeah - race any of the DH courses and tell me it wasn't exercise. If you're pushing yourself it's a 5 min, full body sprint.

Sure if your goal is to lose weight, spinning for hours is going to work better but I'd guess the guys you're talking about don't give a damn.

[yentna]

True true, my whole body is sore and tired after downhilling, yet so many people say: "how hard can it be? you're riding DOWNHILL!" Hands, forearms, shoulders from holding on, abs from balancing, using your whole body for leverage. Tiring, I'm (almost) as out of breath down as up.

[Big E]

they are obviously not doing anything else remotely resembling exercise.

You guys sorta mis-interpreted what I meant. I wasn't implying that DH wasn't exercise, just that these guys are clearly not going for long road rides or XC rides or even the occasional jog or any other exercise. But if they're using DH to get in shape, it's clearly not working.

You guys can let this die now if you want, my curiosity has been satisfied.

[bagtagley]

But if they're using DH to get in shape, it's clearly not working.

Heh. Point taken.

[Dromond]

True true, my whole body is sore and tired after downhilling, yet so many people say: "how hard can it be? you're riding DOWNHILL!" Hands, forearms, shoulders from holding on, abs from balancing, using your whole body for leverage. Tiring, I'm (almost) as out of breath down as up.

I concur. The truth is, it's possible to get a huge-ass downhill bike and ride sitting down most of the way and be pretty lazy. This, however, is slow. Actually riding at a decent speed is a craaazy workout. I see some of the same sorts of chubby guys at my mountain, but (no offense to those of more generous proportions than I) I'm usually not riding with them... and if I do I lose them pretty fast... and I'm not unusually skilled.

[flowtron]

Riding bikes is fun. Riding DH/FR bikes with lift assist is really fun. These fat guys are just having fun like everyone else.
It seems like people forget that riding can just be about fun...it doesn't have to be about getting in shape or being the fastest. Granted, they might have more fun if they were more in shape, but maybe they just really enjoy beer and cheeseburgers.
At least they're on bikes and not on 4 wheelers.
I do feel sorry for their bikes though, they are usually waaay undersprung.

[Beaver]

Fat boys like this guy?

[descender]

I know fat guys that rip on bikes.

[CS]

You guys sorta mis-interpreted what I meant. I wasn't implying that DH wasn't exercise, just that these guys are clearly not going for long road rides or XC rides or even the occasional jog or any other exercise. But if they're using DH to get in shape, it's clearly not working.

That is because riding uphill is dumb, and riding on the road even dumber.

[ak_powder_monkey]

That is because riding uphill is dumb, and riding on the road even dumber.

I'm a dumb fat kid then