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Triathletes Mountain Biking
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So this weekend in Charlotte, NC we had a very unique event: The "Rumble in the Concrete Jungle" at the US National Whitewater Center. They emptied the competition channel of water and set up a "downhill" course through the channel (and up and around, etc). Each participant got to do several practice runs and then two timed runs (best run counted towards your place). Some friends and I mountain bike for fun during the winter months so this seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, crashing is inevitable. John (jbnc77) crashed and hairline fractured his elbow. Luckily, he is going to recover quickly.

All that being said, it's really fun to get out and do these (extremely unique) events and we are really lucky in Charlotte to have a facility like the USNWC; as far as I know nothing quite compares (their long term plan is 100+ miles of trails; currently at 13-15 I think).

So on the second downhill timed run is where Mr B took his nosedive. I fortunately stayed on two wheels (albeit going quite slowly) and made it to the "Short Track" event, which was a 40 minute race where each lap "started" at the beginning of the DH run, went through that, and then wound around the gravel path surrounding the channels at the WWC. Each lap was a hair under 3 minutes I believe. THAT was extremely hard, but extremely fun as well.

https://vimeo.com/84006038

Heal quickly, jbnc77
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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I think you're mixing up Montain Biking (ususally XC by default) with Downhill. I will never do downhill... too high of risk to reward ratio, but I truely miss XC MTB as there are no trails or at least good trails worth driving to anywhere me. So for mow, my college XC Racing bike has been relegated to "Daddy duty". I try now to stess too much about tire pressure and fork set-up anymore. Especially since I think the fork seal blew out a long time ago, there's minimal oil in there and the elastomers are probably rock hard after 12 years. But hey, the springs work fine.


TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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James Haycraft wrote:
So this weekend in Charlotte, NC we had a very unique event: The "Rumble in the Concrete Jungle" at the US National Whitewater Center. They emptied the competition channel of water and set up a "downhill" course through the channel (and up and around, etc). Each participant got to do several practice runs and then two timed runs (best run counted towards your place). Some friends and I mountain bike for fun during the winter months so this seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, crashing is inevitable. John (jbnc77) crashed and hairline fractured his elbow. Luckily, he is going to recover quickly.

All that being said, it's really fun to get out and do these (extremely unique) events and we are really lucky in Charlotte to have a facility like the USNWC; as far as I know nothing quite compares (their long term plan is 100+ miles of trails; currently at 13-15 I think).

So on the second downhill timed run is where Mr B took his nosedive. I fortunately stayed on two wheels (albeit going quite slowly) and made it to the "Short Track" event, which was a 40 minute race where each lap "started" at the beginning of the DH run, went through that, and then wound around the gravel path surrounding the channels at the WWC. Each lap was a hair under 3 minutes I believe. THAT was extremely hard, but extremely fun as well.

https://vimeo.com/84006038

Heal quickly, jbnc77

I rode the xc trails there - probably 6 years or so ago. They were not technical at all and very fast and flowy. Personally, I prefer New England rocky singletrack - but yeah DH is a whole other animal!
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [MtnBikerChk] [ In reply to ]
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They have changed quite a bit in 6 years. They are still not extremely "technical" but there are definitely difficult sections (although I'm no "expert" at mtb'ing). The trail system is very awesome.

Yes, DH is a whole different animal. Given the option, I would probably not do that part again ha! Very intimidating standing up on the banks and looking down into the channel.
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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Interesting concept, looks like fun. I found this video which shows the course from top to bottom:



Not really what I'd think of when I hear "downhill" (i.e. the crazy stuff that needs long-travel bikes, body armour etc) - this looks like it's about the same technical level as a descent on an XC ride, just longer.
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]
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Yea I wouldn't equate to normal DH runs. It wasn't really "hard" per se, the added stress came from the fact that it was on concrete.

I have some helmet video of my 2 runs and some of the short track race but haven't compiled them yet. The guy that won the DH overall is a pro world cup downhiller. Pretty legit. He didn't do the 40' short track race, ha!
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [WelshinPhilly] [ In reply to ]
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Looks fun but damm whoever did that YouTube video needs to be shown where the crop button is in his video editor. Cut out the first two minutes of just standing in line.

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"Unless you have a ... GF who might put out that night and that night only ... skip it and race." - AndyPants 3-15-2007
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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He'll do anything to get out of swimming!

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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James Haycraft wrote:
https://vimeo.com/84006038
"Triathletes Mountain Biking" ???

Ah, the stereotypes.... ;-)
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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When you all take your training wheels off you could think about stepping it up a little...;-)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxwVXp0uEIg


I can't imagine doing what these guys do..
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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Won't we all??
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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i used to race MTB in the fall 'off-season,' and it was always a rude awakening. i was always stunned when i wore my HRM - how on earth did i average such ludicrously high heart rates for hour-long XC races?

as a triathlete, i found that the one virtue i had over 'real' MTBers was fitness. they always crushed me on skill, and any time things got too twisty or technical, i was finished. but on long straight climbs or even just flats, i could put time into them. towards the end i was able to stay rubber-down for an entire race, which really helped, and even develop some flow in the more loopy sections, but i just wasn't ever going to fly over roots and rocks with the best.

great fun, though, and usually a cooler (or at least different) atmosphere than tri.

-mike

____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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Damn you! Stop posting this everywhere! I will return this favor!

My hand slipped!!!!!!!!!!!


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John Behme
Charlotte, NC
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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I am considering doing an xterra at the Whitewater center(crazy triathlete doing a mtn bike?). I need advice on the type of bike to buy whether stiff tail or not. 29er or not? I'm a long time triathlete that could give all the tech advice on tri bikes but not on this topic. Thanks Mark
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [DrSwammy] [ In reply to ]
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For the WWC a hardtail 29er is perfect.
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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Great, now we will have to deal with MTBers saying that triathletes have no bike handling skills.
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [James Haycraft] [ In reply to ]
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Since this thread revived itself, here is the short track race:

https://vimeo.com/84471471
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Re: Triathletes Mountain Biking [jbnc77] [ In reply to ]
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jbnc77 wrote:
Damn you! Stop posting this everywhere! I will return this favor!

My hand slipped!!!!!!!!!!!

Which (inadequate) elbow pads were you wearing, in case I have the same kind?

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Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
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