Forum menu
I think the fact that they can all ride it on 80-100mm hardtail hybrid's in the main with virtually slick tyres shows it wasnt technical enough. Im not expecting them to need 140mm trail bikes to get round but equally I dont think it should be so easy they can use what they can.
I seems to me that the courses are designed to suit their bikes rather than the bikes responding to the courses.
I can think of maybe 3 regular forum users who could even come close to riding that course dab free at that speed
I was with you up until that^^^ crazy-legs.
There are hundreds of regular forum users, I think you'd be surprised how many could.
80-100mm hardtail hybrid's
[img] 
[/img]
^^^nice, balanced argument, well done 🙄
Chrismac, you do know what a cross country bike is don't you?
I seems to me that the courses are designed to suit their bikes rather than the bikes responding to the courses.
Yes it's designed as an XC course for XC bikes. What were you expecting from an XC race?
Whippersnapper Yes thanks. Things like Giant anthem's, Spesh epic's, scott spark's, trek top fuel's they are cross country bikes according to their manufacturers.
This thread is seriously funny!
One is left supposing that a race featuring 6 inch travel bikes, with super tacky 2.5 knobblies which conforms to the Olympic course spec, would be far more interesting to watch.
Please, carry on, it's most amusing.
This thread does show that Mountain Biking in the UK seems to exist in some lonely microcosm where there is only "one true way" and it involves Yorkshire-built filing cabinets.
Whippersnapper Yes thanks. Things like Giant anthem's, Spesh epic's, scott spark's, trek top fuel's they are cross country bikes according to their manufacturers.
And do these same manufactures call the kind of bikes raced at the Olympics today 'hybrids'?
This thread does show that Mountain Biking in the UK seems to exist in some lonely microcosm where there is only "one true way" and it involves Yorkshire-built filing cabinets.
*round of applause* well said that man!
'I'll be riding in that Olympics as soon as they fix the track up for me bike'
'Ah, right you are, I can see you're an athlete from a way away, would you like to wear my hat while you do?
[img] 
[/img]
I watched the first 30 mins or so and thought it was a good course considering all the constraints that are on the organisers such as
the course has to work in all weather ,dont forget 2 weeks ago it rained non stop a mud slide fest would look terrible
all the security aspects proberly ruled out a lot of possibles
I am sure that the people who are saying its too easy wouldnt say so if they had been hammering around it flat out for one lap let alone for an hour plus and as we all know what looks easy on TV is far from it.
Well as a spectator event I thought it was really very good. Everything worked, park and ride, the race, food, space, weather all spot on.
Hard to fault anything.
Well as a spectator event I thought it was really very good.
that's where you've failed!
you should be sat at home on the computer saying how gash it was based purely on the fact that you can wobble around a trail centre slowly with a 5" travel skill compensator before heading to the cafe to eat your substantial bodyweight in bacon butties. 😀
Shall I take it that you haven't ridden a race then?
that's where you've failed!
Yes, you're right. If I was anyone else on here I would have left in disgust at the lack of mountains.
muckytee - Member
Good thing about XC is that you have to have the lungs as well as the skill, and to my mind that makes it more of a sport than DH for example (not a stab at DH just an example).
Try racing Fort William without a good set of lungs and see how you get on
CBA getting into the course debate - it didn't look very interesting to me but I don't know much about XC racing and haven't seen it in the flesh. I do reckon a 'gravity enduro' type race would be much better viewing, but it would be quite hard to film well I suppose.
But.................. given all the massive evangelism/hype about 29ers being so much faster/better (including lots of people on here) - how come it was 26ers in 1st (and 3rd)?
One fault I just remembered:
£45 pound didn't seem to do any more than a £25 ticket, unless I missed it.
A 26er wins 1st place in one race, that proves without a doubt that 29ers are crap 🙄
A 26er wins 1st place in one race, that proves without a doubt that 29ers are crap
And third place. Nice straw man argument there though - when did I say that 29ers were crap?
It just kind of gives lie to current ideas that bike manufacturers marketing/magazine hype are trying to shove down our necks - that 29ers make you so much faster, no?
you should be sat at home on the computer saying how gash it was based purely on the fact that you can wobble around a trail centre slowly with a 5" travel skill compensator before heading to the cafe to eat your substantial bodyweight in bacon butties.
Spot on, this thread turns into the usual stw joke, ride round a trail centre once and you think you know more about bike than Chris Boardman and are a world class course designer. Also you have developed skills in commentating.
Folk on here should take a step back from the keyboard now and then. 🙄
The course looks like any trail centre that most of you keyboard critics probably mince your way around every weekend.
And i think the best person won on the bike they felt most comfortable on, a 29er is not a gauranted win!
...I agree Chris, he's got to be looking at a mark in the high 90s for that daring tail whip. Very reminiscent of Danny Hart, although slightly spoiled by the belly fat revealed as his shirt rode up.'
'I couldn't agree more Jamie, and we could be edging up into the medal positions if only he could emulate the russian in that beautiful ensemble with sequinned baggy shorts and the perfectly weighted Camelbak....
when did I say that 29ers were crap?
on pretty much every 29er thread since the dawn of time 😉
I think this is mainly because you are of hobbit like stature (short and rotund) and have a similar distrust of anything that the "big folk" do 😀
Just arrived in from the event and as a spectator, I have to say that was amazing. Incredible, friendly and uplifting atmosphere, beautiful weather and some of the best organisation I have come across.
It looked like such a fun course to ride, plenty of climbing, lots of well designed technical set pieces and no shortage of passing places.
Bresset looked as cool as a cucumber all the way. Annie was giving it her all, but you could tell that she wasn't going to keep pace forever. Maybe Rio?
Well done to all the personnel, racers and crowd. Bloody good show chaps.
8)
on pretty much every 29er thread since the dawn of time
Show me a link to where I've said that. I'm sure they're fine, I just doubt that they represent the second coming of jesus like some people seem to believe, and I'm cynical about industry marketing hype/bandwagons.
I think this is mainly because you are of hobbit like stature (short and rotund)
Have you been stalking me? 😯
Course looked pretty technical from where I stood (bottom of the rock garden). Leap of faith probably looks less imposing on the TV. I would say that it reminded me of Whytes Level, some big rock slabs. But these ladies are racing not mincing. And yes, a lot of them looked pretty nervous at the top of the rock garden - it wasn't there at the pre-event.
As for wheels, well there were some small ladies on bikes that were clearly too big for them (psychological advantage?). Cornering over the rocks meant that anyone on a 29er who took the easier inside line rather than the berm, struggled to get round at the end of the rock garden. This probably wasn't seen on the TV.
Watching the men warm up beforehand made it look easy. Can't wait to ride it myself.
Riding a 29er or a 26er makes no difference because, maybe, just maybe... it's about the rider not the bike.
BTW love how this started as a thread about the time to record the MTB, then became STW's official Olympic MTB thread (course bashing thread), and now looks to become a 29er bashing thread 😆
Got my tickets for tomorrow but not bothering now as its obviously just for idiots who despite being the best in the world at what they do have described it as extremely demanding, one of the most technical that we have had to race on and a real test, whilst the STW massif the true font of knowledge on all subjects have clearly identified it as only fit for powder puffery and manhood strokers.
What a let down....
Dj, sounds like we must have been standing pretty much next to each other. Couldn't agree more on all counts. A fantastic day out, and a great mix of people. Funnily enough I was thinking of Afan as I watched them picking their way down the rock garden, and wondering how I would compare. Not all that favourably I'm guessing. Can't wait to find out at some point.
Yeah, don't bother berm bandit. You'll be struggling to keep your eyes open without matchsticks. As your tickets are virtually worthless, I'll do you a favour and offer you 50p and as a brucie bonus throw in an out of date clif bar that i found down the back of the sofa. Deal, yeah?
Is there a fell runners forum somewhere with a thread titled "That 10,000m run is too easy"
This is footflaps picture from the other thread:
[img] 
[/img]
Doesn't look easy to me with your saddle up that high - at a presumably very high heart rate.
It may not be off camber or crazy steep but that's a riot of wheel traps and OTBs for those lightweight little bikes..
Does anyone know what time the highlights of this are on TV tonight?
22.30 to 22.31.......
Bol, son2 and I were wearing signed Team GB jerseys, Mrs dj had the gb hands. Great day out. Excellent organization, travel, atmosphere and crowd. Funny thing was at the end we saw the Germany no 20. And of course all the men were ogling her carbon Felt.
Going tomorrow with Son1 only, if he can get up. Super picture by Ben sums it up really.
I think the course, and most of the competitors 😉 looked pretty good! Yeah, it's not a massive techfest of a course, but it has some nice features and clearly suits the "racing" bit, which, lets face it, is quite important for an Olympic event. I just hope that when the open it after the games it's not sanitised. I want to be able to see how i compare (badly!) to the best of the best in XC!
(if i need to sign a disclaimer before I ride then so be it, but please don't take stuff out of the course because it might be "a bit too difficult for the general public"..........)
I watched on the tele mid ride on the Surrey Hills.
Full respect to all involved.
The man made technical bits looked pretty daunting - gap jump with point rocks, rock gardens with pointy rocks and steep rock chutes. All on a tv friendly course. I have no problem admitting I would be looking several times at quite a lot of it before committing.
I thought it was excellent.
A non mountain biker who read this Forum for a few days, then watched the Olympics would wonder why they all were not riding orange coloured steel hard tails.
From the bits I watched it looked good and I guess those rocky sections are pretty darned steep as tv tends to flatten things out. A few riders seemed to be struggling on the uphill rocky steps too.
Possibly a silly question, but were the riders the same who compete on the world cup circuit?
Possibly a silly question, but were the riders the same who compete on the world cup circuit?
yes. Qualification was based on UCI points, or more specifically the number of points a country has determined how many riders they could have.
Hence GB being, to be very blunt, crap at XC racing* got one place.
* This is a reflection in my opinion that most UK mtb riders are more interested in bacon butties than in riding and racing fast.
So the experts on here who laughed at bike designer and team GB insider Chris Boardman for saying a lot of riders were using tubulars were not actually right after all?
I watched on the tele mid ride on the Surrey Hills.
At the Pitch Hill Pit Stop? You must have been the other group there then! Thought that was awesome!
I CBA getting involved in the pathetic armchair perspective of the course, there's one rider on here who's raced it, he said it was great. I thought it looked good. Enough for me!
chrismac - MemberI think the fact that they can all ride it on 80-100mm hardtail hybrid's in the main with virtually slick tyres shows it wasnt technical enough. Im not expecting them to need 140mm trail bikes to get round but equally I dont think it should be so easy they can use what they can.
I seems to me that the courses are designed to suit their bikes rather than the bikes responding to the courses.
Quality, pure quality. There are so many tool's on this forum, the owners must despair.
Chrismac, please post something else so i can work out whether your're trolling or just an idiot
Yeah at the Pitstop. Turned up as it started and fully enjoyed watching, drinking and eating!
Is there any other good riding round there? Good they put together a couple more waymarked trails to make it worth a visit?
Course was great as a spectator. From where I was standing I'd say the rock sections wouldn't have looked out of place on the Laggan Black and are being ridden at race pace, on hard tails, with seats up.
the rock sections wouldn't have looked out of place on the Laggan Black and are being ridden at race pace, on hard tails, with seats up
Pffft. EEEE ZEEEE. I could do that on my BMX. And I'd throw in a couple of superman seat grabs to give it some steeez.
😉
to be fair, only a couple, maybe three, people said it wasn't hard enough - not sure it's worth all the handwringing.
Looks like a good race course. And they go sooo fast everywhere. And they don't stop when they feel tired.
I watched it.
It made me want to ride my bike there.
Looked like a decent enough course. I was pleased to see a 40 year old get a medal too. Perhaps it's not too late for me to enter a few races after all.
OK, same question this morning (although not sure I got an answer yesterday!) - what BBC channel do I need to programme the recorder for?
Although I'll chance it with Project's BBC 1 call.
No I won't, the box tells me it's on BBC2!
Yup, BBC2
Yes Beeb 2
The course doesnt look that hard at all.. what does look hard is the pace. Its absolutely relentless.. especially as there is nowhere to really rest or recover. Its more a case of survival of the fittest.
For those with Sky/Virgin, it's also on BBC Olympic 10, channel 459 for HD, channel 483 for non-HD. Starts at 13.25.
It looks ace.. and as its only about half hour from my house I will be riding it when they open it up the STW elite.,. ;o)
Is there any way to watch it afterwards? I'm due to fly in a few hours.
Alternatively, if anyone is recording it and willing to make a copy for me I'd be willing to pay a few quid to have it sent over. Email in profile.
really looking forward to it, can't beleive all the armchair keyboard warriors bleeting about the course etc, its mtb coverage on tv which is good for the sport.....no?
Alejandro- I watched the women's race on BBC iplayer this morning, expect the men's will be up there a few hours afterwards.
Think it's great advertisement for the sport, will probably encourage quite a few people to get back on their bikes or go buy one. And to those that say 'ooh it's too easy,' unless you've ridden it then you don't really know. How many times have you had someone take a photo or film you riding and thought afterwards 'it doesn't look as steep in the video. Felt worse in real-life.' Yeah I reckon I'd be fine on all of it but I'm not planning on going at the speeds the athletes are doing, at least not without a breather at the top of the hill. And if it's so boring then don't watch it. Go out, ride your bike (go on find something 'difficult').
fair play to the BBC presenter, went over the bars but went back for another go
Has anyone got a web link for this for outside the UK. This link is meant to be MTB but it is showing Man City v Chelsea
http://www.vipbox.tv/watch/62341/1/mens-cross-country-mountain-bike-final-live-stream-online.html
Cheers!
Better if she had a pair of gloves on! Game lass though and a great looking course.
Some of them getting a little whip on over the gap jump! Awesome!
3rd man on full sus
Spare a thought for those without Foxtel in Australia - the schedule said 10.30pm mountain biking but there are five Russian ladies prancing about with pink balls 🙁
who's your money on?
I put 50p on Absalon
Spanish guys moustache alone is worth a medal
I put 50p on those ladies with pink balls not being ladies...
Russian ladies prancing about with pink balls
That doesn't match my definition of a lady...
Absalon in 8th at the moment. No sign of Liam, he must be somewhere mid pack?
They seem to have some more cameras today, there's at least two shots that weren't on TV yesterday, that Leap of Faith being one of them.
Liam 24th..
.
Sounds like I've lost my 50p 🙁
Ddin't see yesterday, but cameras not as well positioned as I'd hoped. Absolon way back
They're doing the same as yesterday, camera is sticking with the lead trio so it's missing all the mid field action. 🙁