Pics & Vids that make you want to ride...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p6pb12980156/p5pb12980156.jpg

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p6pb12902550/p5pb12902550.jpg

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p6pb12961896/p5pb12961896.jpgAnd as to what is going on there... 

 

12 sec in.

 

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/tropical-thunder-episode-1-wyn-masters-nick-pescetto-mark-matthews.html

[Uni]

yes please...

 

Hahaa I see how we're at opposite ends of the spectrum where I'm loving pretty chill rides while you're more shred **** -

Watched a video of whistler... Will have to grow a couple of pairs before I make that trip

[Duane_Bosch]

Dan Dobinson, Harry Millar, Nic Bizinos. 

 

Les Gets 2014. Mont Blanc in the Backround

[Duane_Bosch]

Lunchtime at Morgins Switzerland 2014. Champery hidden in the valley below.

 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Hahaa I see how we're at opposite ends of the spectrum where I'm loving pretty chill rides while you're more shred **** -

Watched a video of whistler... Will have to grow a couple of pairs before I make that trip

LOL. It's that type of trip that'll help me to grow a pair!

[Duane_Bosch]

Hahaa I see how we're at opposite ends of the spectrum where I'm loving pretty chill rides while you're more shred **** -

Watched a video of whistler... Will have to grow a couple of pairs before I make that trip

It's a complete fallacy to think that you have to be some sort of "World Cup Pro" to ride in these amazing locations like Whistler and Morzine. I've done 5 trips to Morzine and I'm no pro. There's upwards of 7000 Mountain Bikers in Morzine during the Summer. And the large majority are plonkers like me.

 

Yes there are trails that have 40 foot gaps and 8m drops but there are plenty of rideable trails too.

 

Also the scary stuff is built in a safe way. for example there's a jump called the river gap in Chatel. It's an 8m gap jump. But there's 2 setup tables running up to it. If you clear the tables you're golden.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[MTBeer]

It's a complete fallacy to think that you have to be some sort of "World Cup Pro" to ride in these amazing locations like Whistler and Morzine. I've done 5 trips to Morzine and I'm no pro. There's upwards of 7000 Mountain Bikers in Morzine during the Summer. And the large majority are plonkers like me.

 

Yes there are trails that have 40 foot gaps and 8m drops but there are plenty of rideable trails too.

 

Also the scary stuff is built in a safe way. for example there's a jump called the river gap in Chatel. It's an 8m gap jump. But there's 2 setup tables running up to it. If you clear the tables you're golden.

So you're saying there are trails for okes that ride Conters, Hoogies, Jonkers, Welvanpas Black, etc pretty well without doing any of the jumps?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

So you're saying there are trails for okes that ride Conters, Hoogies, Jonkers, Welvanpas Black, etc pretty well without doing any of the jumps?

TONS of them, from what I've watched.

[Duane_Bosch]

So you're saying there are trails for okes that ride Conters, Hoogies, Jonkers, Welvanpas Black, etc pretty well without doing any of the jumps?

If you can ride the Cobra @ Hoogies you're good to go. I would rate that a blue by France standards. The thing that's going to freak you out is the steepness of the trails. We're not used to that here.

 

The Trail ratings as a rough guide are.

 

Green. Single Track, berms, small tables. You can ride this with your wheels touching the ground.

 

Blue. Bike Parky trails, Berms, Big tables. There might be gaps but they will be offline. You can ride this with your wheels touching the ground.

 

Red. Some gaps. rooty. doubles, safe road gaps

 

Black. Steep. Big gaps, Expert only

 

Then there's the OMG You have got to be kidding me trails. Trails like the blacks in Morgins, Zougaloukata in Chatel, And Air Voltage. But EVEN THOSE. Hit them at the right speed and you'll be ok. As my mate Vince says. you have to just trust the builders.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

If you can ride the Cobra @ Hoogies you're good to go. I would rate that a blue by France standards. The thing that's going to freak you out is the steepness of the trails. We're not used to that here.

huh what!? Serious?

 

I know about the steepness, you've said that often enough. But Cobra?!

[Duane_Bosch]

huh what!? Serious?

 

I know about the steepness, you've said that often enough. But Cobra?!

I RATE that trail. For me that's the best piece of trail I've ridden in Durbanville. All the gaps work. It's techy without ruining flow. I dig it.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I RATE that trail. For me that's the best piece of trail I've ridden in Durbanville. All the gaps work. It's techy without ruining flow. I dig it.

No no, I dig it as well. When I'm not out of breath from the climb up to it, that is. 

 

Just surprised that that is the level it's at. Apart from steepness, as you say, and the other big features. But cool. Good to know!

[Uni]

It's a complete fallacy to think that you have to be some sort of "World Cup Pro" to ride in these amazing locations like Whistler and Morzine.

No I get that but I'd also hate to make the journey - which would be a serious bucket list trip - to rock up and have to walk most of it due to a)lack of fitness and b)lack of a pair of balls

 

e.g more local trip to Karkloof, I knew I didn't have fitness/ or skill to ride the best of the trails, but while I did enjoy what I did, a lot I didn't enjoy as I was either - as they say - bleeding out of my eyeballs- unable to breathe - gripping with dear life and braking and skidding my way down ..etc etc. ...

 

I had a look on YouTube at cobra - steepness as in up or down - or both - the video I watched didn't look too bad - deceptive camera angle?

Edited February 4, 2016 by Uni

[Duane_Bosch]

No I get that but I'd also hate to make the journey - which would be a serious bucket list trip - to rock up and have to walk most of it due to a)lack of fitness and b)lack of a pair of balls

 

e.g more local trip to Karkloof, I knew I didn't have fitness/ or skill to ride the best of the trails, but while I did enjoy what I did, a lot I didn't enjoy as I was either - as they say - bleeding out of my eyeballs- unable to breathe - gripping with dear life and braking and skidding my way down ..etc etc. ...

 

I had a look on YouTube at cobra - steepness as in up or down - or both - the video I watched didn't look too bad - deceptive camera angle?

 

No you don't understand. There's 6 bikeparks in one area. 12 mountains with trail on them. over 20 ski lifts. 650km of marked trail. It takes a week just to get to all the bikeparks.

 

Fitness. There's ski lifts. You CAN ride 1km vertically up an Alp if you want but. Ski Lift.

 

The balls issue. Well there's ALWAYS going to be something you aren't prepared to ride. If you want to get "good enough" for these places you'll never go. People don't enter the Epic expecting to win. Similarly. You can't go to these parks expecting to do all the jumps and trails. There's 80km of marked trail JUST in Les Gets. And guaranteed if you're a somewhat competent Mountain Biker you can ride 60 of it. 

 

This is a trail called Tuti Fruiti. It's a Blue in Morzine. The road gap is on the Red.

 

Edited February 5, 2016 by Duane_Bosch