Amazing danny! « Singletrack Forum

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Amazing danny!

280 posts & 138 voices | Started 8 months ago by jedi | Latest reply from Blower

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cows_in_cars - Member

[quote]phil.w - Member
Ralph Naef's comments on bike choice for the champery xc was one of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard
Well don't hold back, what did he say?

POSTED 9 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST[quote]

Sorry!, I sort of summarised above but he said, can't remember the exact words but this is the gist; Martin Whitely asked Ralph Naef if he thought a 29er or 26er would be faster today? Ralph (who rides for the merida team and can (and has done)ride a 26er or 29er hardtail or soft tail) said: "It really doesn't matter, it's the rider who make the bike fast, every bike has advantages and disadvantages, doesn't matter what wheel size, hard or soft tail, if you know the bike well and feel confident in it, that's the fastest bike. People get nervous before the race and start to worry that maybe this will make me faster or that will, but it makes no difference. Know your bike well and it's the rider that make it fast." He also went on to say he and Hermida run the same front tyre pretty much all year round.

He said it much better in his broken english than I have above! But I felt it was so spot on, just dismissed which is faster cr@p around wheel size and bike choice.

Posted 8 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

You are joking right? The design features of kayaks, skis etc are just as involved as bikes. There is still the marketing BS about going 30% bigger on moves in the new designs.

No I'm not joking. Im not into skiing, kayaking, weight lifting or archery, I dont know many people who are either.

Posted 8 months ago #
grum - Member

He also went on to say he and Hermida run the same front tyre pretty much all year round.

You mean they don't change tyres every week depending on which identical trail centre they are riding at?

Posted 8 months ago #
pistonbroke - Member

If I can add my two pennorth. I think the reason that the BBC et al fail to cover many such sports is the cost of outside broadcast. I was at a Rally Sprint event many years ago which was on a bleak hillside in mid Wales, the camera crews had been there for 3-4 days beforehand to set up scaffold platforms and would be there for 2 days afterwards to tear down, imagine the cost of paying a heavily unionised crew of about 25 people to be a couple of hundred miles away from London for a week to cover an event that had about 1 hours airtime. Ok current technology allows better results from far less cost but I think this has been a factor in the demise of televised Rallying, Motocross,Circuit Racing all types of Cycling,etc as the broadcasters can only afford to buy in coverage of a certain standard from sports which are more popular abroad such as the TdF.

Posted 8 months ago #
jfletch - Member

Think it's very sad that people don't know who Danny Hart is or Brendan Fairclough or Annie Last but know who Chipps is. I have nothing against Chipps, he seems like a really nice guy but he shouldn't be better known than pro riders.

That is like saying its sad that more people know who Jeremy Clarkson is than Andy Priaulx. Its kind of inevitable that people recognise the media personalities more than a competitor in a niche part of a sport that they don't care about but is loosely related to their hobby or interest. Even if that competitor is the world champ.

And there isn't anything wrong with it either.

Sure it would be nice if our world champions got a bit more press but the lack of recognition isn't unique to mountain biking.

Posted 8 months ago #
colournoise - Member

davidtaylforth - Member
You are joking right? The design features of kayaks, skis etc are just as involved as bikes. There is still the marketing BS about going 30% bigger on moves in the new designs.
No I'm not joking. Im not into skiing, kayaking, weight lifting or archery, I dont know many people who are either.

As an Archer and MTBer (not at the same time I hasten to add), I would say that modern archery is an even more gearheaded sport/hobby/whatever than MTBing is. Like MTB, it is also obsessed by carbon, weight and speed.

In my experience, MTBing is WAY simpler than archery.

slainte rob

Posted 8 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

"What arrows for killing off a thread celebrating a young lads World Championship win?"

Posted 8 months ago #
Brycey - Member

Who the hell is this Chipps guy?

Edit: More to the point, great run, and well done Danny Hart!

Posted 8 months ago #
Mike_D - Member

He also went on to say he and Hermida run the same front tyre pretty much all year round.

You'd have thought the team could run to one each.

Posted 8 months ago #
jackthedog - Member

Personally, I'm happy for our sport to stay off the radar. I hope it continues to be ignored by the BBC.

The obnoxious, foul mouthed rantings of Warner and Co provide far more entertainment, enthusiasm and soul than any BBC commentator I can think of. Including that whining nightmare Murray Walker.

I'm quite happy for most people to think of mountain bikers as florescent lycra wearing weirdos wobbling along bridleways. Long may they continue to do so. It means the powers that be are more inclined to leave us alone to get on with it.

Mass coverage needs big money, and big money requires mass market appeal. Mass market appeal means watering down. Enough good things in life, from comedy to art to music to sport, have been watered down enough in order to be sold back to as many of us as possible.

Let's keep it about the riding rather than the entertainment. That way we might be able to avoid seeing our bike handling heroes whoring themselves out, advertising Bran Flakes and thirty blade Gillette razors.

I imagine football once had soul before it became about money above everything else.

Posted 8 months ago #
jfletch - Member

If I can add my two pennorth. I think the reason that the BBC et al fail to cover many such sports is the cost of outside broadcast.

But Freecaster have already met that cost.

Covering the sport should cost 2/5ths of bugger all. The only cost would be cost of a more sensible commentary and a touch of editing to a highlights package rather than the full race.

Look at downhill skiing, its done that way with feeds taken from host broadcasters.

The only cost that may be prohibitive would be the licensing cost of the coverage. I would doubt that Freecaster would object to a major network carrying some highlights a few days after a race as it would massively increase the popularity of their exclusive live coverage. That leaves the UCI as the only obstacle so they a probably pricing the coverage out of the market.

Either that or the sport is so niche that nobody will even show it for next to nothing as there are more profitable options for the broadcasting time such as repeats of US sitcoms.

I say get the BBC to bring back Grandstand then they would have 10hrs a week of sport that had to filled with something but with no rights to mainstream sport. I seem to remember they even showed some DH on that once.

Posted 8 months ago #
cows_in_cars - Member

Thats kind of true the personality thing, I guess it again comes down to the thing of looking at mountain biking as a sport or a hobby/just about the bikes.

Because you liking it to Clarkson/top gear, top gear is about the cars so that's fine if STW sits on the we are just about bikes as a hobby side of the fence. But I suspect people know the racing drivers in formula one better than the people that write about it.

Just as in football, I don't follow it at all, so maybe I am wrong, but suspect people who do know the players and managers more than the people that write about it in the press.

It never used to be like it is now, yes you knew who wrote the magazine articles in MBUK/Mountain bike international e.c.t, but they were not more famous than the pro riders. It's the same with Dirt now, you know who Steve Jones (Jones actually being pretty good on a bike) is but he's not more famous than the riders.

But it is that sport/hobby thing...feel I am just arguing against people that see mountain biking differently to myself and should give up!

Posted 8 months ago #
wrecker - Member

Media coverage helps being (sic) people into the sport and keeps more money in the sport

Seriously. Do we actually really need more of either of these? Actually? Really?

Why on earth would you want our hobby not to grow in popularity?
MTBing is good for fitness and is great fun, I would encourage anyone to try it. We need to be inclusive and let us not forget that increased popularity will give us more clout for improving access.

Posted 8 months ago #
sssimon - Member

But I am not just interested in DH, more xc really just appreciate racing of any kind. More my points re STW, are:
1, People seemed to be moaning about the BBC not covering it and yet singletrack world had one half arsed report that missed out some fantastic performances in all disciplines. It seemed to me the anger/annoyance although not miss placed, seemed to miss out the obvious point of call. How do we expect the world press to sit up and notice when our own doesn't?

2,For me I think there is far too much focus on 'tech' in our sport. I like seeing the latest thing out but the sport, for me, is about the act of riding and the worlds is one of the best places to see it done at the highest level. I feel the worlds is far more important than seeing some bikes that will appear in the catalogues a month or so later. Feel that everyone's always on about the latest this and that to help their riding. When even the worlds best riders are saying, within reason, it doesn't really matter what wheel size you have or what tyres you have e.c.t, it's about knowing your bike and being fit. Seems a much healthier message.

3. Don't mean to be harsh but I don't think I would have such an interest in racing and keeping fit, if when I started the magazines had been full of pages of less than fit men. To me, it's not much to aspire to. Think it's very sad that people don't know who Danny Hart is or Brendan Fairclough or Annie Last but know who Chipps is. I have nothing against Chipps, he seems like a really nice guy but he shouldn't be better known than pro riders.

4, And this to a degree could excuse the above points, in away. Do think single track world needs to work out who it's aimed at, it's kind of all over the place, covers the Dalby and fort william world cup (sort of) and sponsors sleepless but covers nothing else really racing wise. Think if it just said, we are a publication for the non competitive/off road cycle tourist/rambler type, then no one could expect race coverage. Either cover races or not, it's not like I get frustrated when flicking through the CTC magazines, my girl friends dad has, that theres no race coverage. Think STW need to mark it's self out either side of the race fence, rather than covering it in a half hearted way.

The difference is cycling the sport and cycling the hobby, some people treat it as one or the other, some treat it as both

Posted 8 months ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

I would disagree that there is no infrastructure also, there is fantastic infrastructure, all the people at SDA, SXC, BDS all those race series have been working hard for years with the support of BC.

OK. I was thinking that the French, Swiss, Americans etc, all have have tonnes of bike parks with permanent lift access. A lot of grass roots DH in the UK is guys pushing heavy bikes up a short hill. Maybe it makes us try harder?

I'm sorry if my plea to the BBC contributed to a sh1tstorm on this otherwise happy thread. Here we go:

Posted 8 months ago #
druidh - Member

sssimon - Member
The difference is cycling the sport and cycling the hobby, some people treat it as one or the other, some treat it as both
I'd say that there's an even larger number of folk who see it as neither. Commuters probably outnumber the sport/hobbyists by 10:1.

Posted 8 months ago #
alex222 - Member

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlLubsKEGv0

Here is a pretty boring crash from the Champery world champs. I can see why it is easy to see as boring.

Posted 8 months ago #
brakes - Member

A lot of grass roots DH in the UK is guys pushing heavy bikes up a short hill. Maybe it makes us try harder?

or it makes you build trails that are harder and more technical to get the most out of the little elevation you have, rather than just riding 6 miles of sheep track

Posted 8 months ago #
simonralli2 - Member

Think it's very sad that people don't know who Danny Hart is or Brendan Fairclough or Annie Last but know who Chipps is. I have nothing against Chipps, he seems like a really nice guy but he shouldn't be better known than pro riders.

Well in all honesty I had not heard of Danny Hart until this weekend. I thought that it was that other Danny chap who does those skills videos and that he had suddenly decided to enter DH and with his skills he just mashed everyone else up. Then I saw on youtube that that was Danny Mckaskill or whatever his name is.

As for Chipps, well it seems like a bit of harsh comparison. Obviously I have never met Chipps but he seems like a good egg and who is to say a magazine editor can't contribute the same amount to mountain biking than a champ!?

Posted 8 months ago #
BoardinBob - Member

I'd say that there's an even larger number of folk who see it as neither. Commuters probably outnumber the sport/hobbyists by 10:1.

Any everyone that sits down to watch the F1 or the Premiership is a professional driver or footballer?

Posted 8 months ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

That was a hellava OTB for Josh. Who seems unhurt thankfully. I think he's had an unlucky race season, just when he's showing some better performance.

I hope him and Brendon are really up for it next year and join Danny, Aaron and Troy on the World Cup podiums.

Posted 8 months ago #
Blower - Member

The obnoxious, foul mouthed rantings of Warner and Co provide far more entertainment, enthusiasm and soul than any BBC commentator I can think of. Including that whining nightmare Murray Walker.

+1

Posted 8 months ago #
Robz - Member

Only on this forum could a discussion about such an amazingly positive achievement descend into such a pile of negative old housewife squabbling bullshit.

The kid is 20 years old, from the UK and is a world champion. I remember when he couldn't lift his own bike on to the up lift trailer at races for christs sake, and be still kicked my arse!!

Who gives a shit It wasn't on the BBC website for a day. That's why there are good websites like dirt, vital and ridemonkey for real fans who care.

Posted 8 months ago #
cows_in_cars - Member

I really hoped this thread would end with Buzz-lightyears post. I am sorry and feel pretty rubbish that I ended up getting riled by some of the comments, esp the negative "it's boring". There are some interesting points, but lets just leave as:

Danny Hart is world champion, a truly deserving one, and that is pretty AMAZING!

Posted 8 months ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

Pic robbed from Vital MTB

Posted 8 months ago #
Radioman - Member

Well done Danny too &amazing riding. One of the things I love in MTB is that it isn't an elitist money mad sport like soccer. Yes maybe we don't bow down to the super heroes enough for all, but to me its all about getting out and riding yourself. A true grass roots sport. Despite the lack of big money we still produce great riders. The top DH /FR guys I have met have all been good guys...and modest too!!. I certainly had heard of Danny before and its great to see him at the top...

Posted 8 months ago #
GW - Member

You clearly don't have the vaguest incling as to how much money Paul Hart must've spent funding his Son's hobby over the years. He could have probably bought a footballer for less

Posted 8 months ago #
edhornby - Member

anyone got a link to a working video of the run?

Posted 8 months ago #
alex222 - Member

danny harts run. wouldn't embed for some reason

Posted 8 months ago #
jedi - Member

[video]http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_HoWzoEFRI[/video]

[video]http://youtu.be/i_HoWzoEFRI[/video]

Posted 8 months ago #
Radioman - Member

Admit I have no idea of the lads personal finance, his father must have been/be extremely rich?

Posted 8 months ago #
oliverd1981 - Member

You clearly don't have the vaguest incling as to how much money Paul Hart must've spent funding his Son's hobby over the years. He could have probably bought a footballer for less

I'm sure Danny's dad is beyond proud, and he's certainly put the hours in on gold muddy hillsides. World champions aren't born that way....

We're just around the corner from a generation who's dads (and in some cases mums) were DH riders themselves and understand the sport in the same way as other sporting dynasties, but every virtually every DH racer prior to this day will have have had to rely at some point relied on parents who understood their kid's love for riding fast..

Posted 8 months ago #
Radioman - Member

Agree Ollverd... his Dad should be very very proud, & good on his Dad too if he helped him...i would help my son in the same way...

Posted 8 months ago #
edhornby - Member

just brilliant

Posted 8 months ago #
GW - Member

Yes, his dad is (and has always been) very proud of him. the point I made on the cost of funding a DH racing career/hobby was in reply to this...
One of the things I love in MTB is that it isn't an elitist money mad sport like soccer.
I'm sorry, but DH racing is an elitist money mad sport. racing DH for one season costs a small fortune, never mind racing every weekend all over europe and it doesn't even pay a wage until you are a the cream of the crop. Danny now is and hopefully his career will be a long and successful one.

but every virtually every DH racer prior to this day will have have had to rely at some point relied on parents who understood their kid's love for riding fast..
this is not even vaguely true.

Posted 8 months ago #