4X needs to change, bigtime.

PB Forum :: Downhill
4X needs to change, bigtime.
Author Message
flag jonesym3
FL
Posted: Feb 13, 2008 at 16:07 Quote
skatejunkie wrote:
^^^^^^^^^ good point. I don't see why you think it needs to be so different than BMX. It's not like their racing on asphalt
#


seems to me a bit too easy for pro bmx'ers to make the transition to 4x and gain all the glory. looking at people like prokop and holmes(loads more i cant think of right now) it almost seems as if they use it as an off-season prep to bmx or something to do when bored.

It needs more people like lopes who work at 4x hard to try and be the best and concentrate solely on 4x. less and less people compete in both 4x and dh at WC events now which has its pro's and cons, but it needs its own style to get more riders involved and wanting to win it, rather than prefering to race the dh or racing it because its quite similar to bmx

i'm not sure what the point im making is here but .......... whatever four cross needs a facelift and i think places like maribor have it sussed(no pun intended)
flag brettyg
Posted: Feb 13, 2008 at 16:09 Quote
Agreed. It's annoying how a BMXer can make the transition so easily. It should lean slightly into the DH side of racing, but also mix it up with jumps and more technical "mtb" styled obstacles

My verdict - Make a track based on the above, and if you couldn't possibly do it on a BMX, it's perfect.
flag calgaryrider
Posted: Feb 13, 2008 at 17:42 Quote
terriflow3-0 wrote:
The reason that gaps are not a good thing is because in the sport of 4x you often et cut off/crash... now imagine if you get cut off right before a creek gap?

Your either going to DNF or walk back up the course far enough to get some speed to make it. Either way isn't good.

I don't see problems with rocks and stuff in the course - but stuff that isn't rollable does not belong on a 4x course.


Thats the answer right there, if you get cut off or shit hits the fan for you, and you can't make the obstacle then you are pretty much out of the race.
flag sykesy
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 5:40 Quote
4x needs to be made so pro's would use things like the kona, yeti and commencal full sus bikes, after all dirt jumping is a crap copy of bmx so why should 4x be a crap copy of bmx racing. Tracks need more flat turns, roots and rock gardens. things need to be bigger and better
flag fourcrosser
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 6:31 Quote
4x is a lost art. A lot of resorts are no longer making 4x tracks as people are not as interested in it anymore. My local lift assisted park hasn’t had one for years and the places that do have a 4x track aren’t very spectacular or anything that would make me say wow, that was worth the three and a half hour drive. If you are looking for excitement and want lots of big berms, gaps, jumps, step ups and all that jazz, try and get involved in slalom. It is very similar to 4x except it is head to head rather than having 4 other competitors. This makes for faster and more fun riding. Unfortunately, these tracks are far and few in between.
flag konabuck
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 11:21 Quote
ya big air would be nice to see in 4x
flag giantboypat
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 11:38 Quote
4x tracks should have a mixture of bmx style pumpy bits and dh. i agree that 4x is a bit bmx at the moment, but if you make it too dh orientated, it would be crap
flag kendall07
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 11:38 Quote
The guys at chicksands seem to have had the same thought. At the moment its all too perfect, and BMX guys are doing it faster than MTBers, even though its a National Point Series track. But, they're adding more on and putting in some flat corners and big jumps at the end, nothing major...but a step in the right direction.

I personally think that 4x needs to be more like dual slalom. Jumps with rougher landings, not so perfect berms etc. but not to the point that its just 4 people sent down a DH trail...
flag MajesticMOOSE
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 12:33 Quote
CrankShaftYQX wrote:
stuff like a creek gap.

Your prayers have been answered, this gap was on the Champery WC 4X course this summer, gnarly!
photo

1331317
flag CrankShaftYQX
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 14:18 Quote
MajesticMOOSE wrote:
CrankShaftYQX wrote:
stuff like a creek gap.

Your prayers have been answered, this gap was on the Champery WC 4X course this summer, gnarly!
photo

1331317


Now THAT...


...Is racingPimp
flag MajesticMOOSE
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 14:24 Quote
But wait there is more gnarlyness to be seen on WC 4X tracks, here is the 2007 Vigo Spain course

Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.jillkintner.com/home_blog/http:/www.jillkintner.com/home_blog/IMG_5274.jpg
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.dirtmag.co.uk/images/uploads/news/DSC_0747.jpg
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.dirtmag.co.uk/images/uploads/news/DSC_0752.jpg
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.dirtmag.co.uk/images/uploads/news/DSC_0757.jpg
flag odin333
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 14:51 Quote
lol that shark rock is the best.
flag JamesOliver
O+
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 14:56 Quote
terriflow3-0 wrote:
The reason that gaps are not a good thing is because in the sport of 4x you often et cut off/crash... now imagine if you get cut off right before a creek gap?

Your either going to DNF or walk back up the course far enough to get some speed to make it. Either way isn't good.

I don't see problems with rocks and stuff in the course - but stuff that isn't rollable does not belong on a 4x course.

I totally agree with you,4x should stay the same. What these people are suggesting sounds more like a 4 man downhill race not 4x.
flag JamesOliver
O+
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 15:02 Quote
Forgot to mention this.

The women race on the same course as the men. This might sound abit sexist but the woman dont usually do huge jumps and the likes. In 2006 at the world champs in Australia quite alot of the women pulled out of the 4x race because they thought the jumps were too big and dangerous. A 4x track has to be rideable for all levels of riders so putting creek gaps and the likes in there wont make that possible.
flag DanPells
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 15:03 Quote
JamesOliver wrote:
In 2006 at the world champs in Australia quite alot of the women pulled out of the 4x race because they thought the jumps were too big and dangerous.

This made me laugh.

*resists urge to make sexist joke*

 


Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.013660
Mobile Version of Website