I suppose that could be put as; do you like the sensation of speed without the danger or the sensation of danger without the speed?
I think I like the latter. At 6’2 and 16 stone most bikes feel a bit small/light for me but I like it. For quite a while my only bike was a battered old 15″ Saracen frame with 8 gears, 24″ Halos and Dirt Jumpers in it. I rode it hard at Chipshop, Gawton and our own downhilly tracks. I was not that quick top to bottom but I loved it, the flighty handling, the Nokian tyres, the horror..
Put it this way; I rode my brothers DH rig at Chipshop and I was pedalling hard through a very rooty section that, on my bike, I was fighting to roll over straight. It was amazing to me and obviously so much faster but at the same time boring. What was previously a tricky, technical bit of track was now just a run up to the next bit. The challenge and the need to consciously ride it had gone.
Anyway I don’t try to kid myself that I actually enjoy peddling up long hills anymore so maybe my question’s got a limited audience as I know there’s plenty of people on here who do. Though I am building up a 20″ bike so maybe that will change.