lukeburrage

I just watched a YouTube video by Driver 61 about normal people trying a Formula 1 car for the first time. None of the non-professional drivers can ever get close to the limit of the F1 car, as they are held back by their skill, fitness, and fear. I got my first mountain bike in 1991, and the main thing that held me back, and all the other kids back, was the lack of good brakes. No matter what situation we put ourselves into, the cantilever or V brakes would fail long before we could reach the limits of our control or our bravery. The fastest riding we could do was down forest access tracks, and we’d hug the inside corners, knowing that if anything went wrong we’d have to whole other side of the double track as space before we hit a tree. Every aspect of riding was dictated by how bad our brakes were. The first 15 years of my riding was in Teesdale, and this summer, after 15 years of living in Germany I returned to Hamsterley Forest with my 2021 Orbea Occam… and the difference was night and day! Now Hamsterley Forest is full of community-built trails and has a downhill bike park, none of which would be even remotely safe enough for the public to ride without reliable brake technology. Without good brakes, nobody will reach their highest level of skill or enjoyment. Lack of confidence in stopping power will hold everyone back. Trust me, I rode mountain bikes in the 90’s, and I was an idiot kid who would huck to flat from any height… as long as their was a long enough runout area.

I’ll catch the replay in the morning. Meanwhile, just remember that everyone who crashes in their first run will play it safe and not be able to be competitive in their second run… and everyone who didn’t crash in their first run will try to do something too big in their second run, and crash out. It’s how the format works these days!