MTB article : Downhill

If your one of these people who enjoys "big air", works out the fastest lines through a downhill section and hates the ride back up the hill, then the chances are that you are going to be a "Downhiller". What bike you will need to progress to depends on how seriously you are into the gravity game. If your not into serious racing and enjoy a 'good mess about in the woods with your mates then your best off with a hardtail bike with a small frame and riser bars, great for jumping and generally chucking around.

If you want to go for the racing option, your going to need to get some serious kit. Essential stuff: Full face lid: Not an option, I made the mistake of not wearing one on a nice downhill section and I broke my ckeek bone, fractured my nose and gave myself some nice facial scars. Anyway, they also look real neat and make you feel like a real downhiller.

• Full shock bike: Almost essential, just you try it on a rigid.
• High rise bar: You'll have that little bit extra control from the extra length and they give you a more upright position.
• Chain device: You'll soon get sick of your chain coming off just as you think your about to nail your fastest run.

You can get a reasonable cheap full sus bike for about �1000 (Cheap?), but you could easily pay up to �4000. Your going to want about 4 inch travel front and rear and quite a small frame for the flickability factor. DH bikes also let you get away with alot more that a normal bike so you'll find that you are adjusting your riding style.

Riding DH bikes: The same basic principles of handlebars at the front and wheels at the bottom still seem to apply. However, you don't want to move your weight around as mush as you would on a hardtail or rigid. Stay as smooth as possible and let the shocks do all the work (You paid enough for them). Sit down as much as you can, you need to get some weight on the shocks or they won't compress when you ride over the bumpy stuff and the bike will just bounce around. Lastly, keep your momentumn up as much as possible, DH bikes are heavier that normal ones, so you don't want to slow down, or you'r going to have to pedal it again.

Crashing: Don't worry about yourself, bones heal free of charge. Bikes on the other hand cost you large wads of cash when you break them. Even four grand bikes with reinforced everything will break if you hit them hard enough. Remember the golden rule 'Look after the bike and it will look after you'. Clean it, tighten it, cheak it, lube it and don't ride it into big ass rocks at 40mph. O.k. Things you should never say: XC rider suck. If you ain't got a four grand full sus, you ain't got a chance. You don't have to be fit to ride down hills. Lycra is for girls and wimps.

Article written by April 1999