Posts
18
Joined
7/18/2011
Location
Renton, WA
US
Edited Date/Time
4/8/2016 11:24am
Let me start out by stating this is not a bash on the enduro scene. I ride in an area that contains what a lot of individuals would consider DH territory. One thing I have noticed with the growth in enduro racing, along with the capabilities of modern bikes is that a lot of these trails are being ridden with open faced helmets. Riders who previously rode DH with full faced helmets are now riding enduro bikes and open faced helmets on the exact same trails. I can't for the life of me figure out how riding an enduro bike suddenly makes these trails safer, so the only reasoning I can come up with is that it's a result of it being the "in" thing to do. Anyone else have input or explanations for this change or feel like this is a major step back in safety?
It would be cool to have a "hybrid" helmet with a full-face segment that slid up under the visor or something. You could slide it up for open-face use and then snap it down for DH. Kind of like these for motorcycles:
Also those helmets already exist it's called the bell super 2R - http://www.bellhelmets.com/en_ca/cycling/helmets/super-2r-mips-equipped
But I know people that have gone from riding DH with a full face, to owning an AM/Enduro/bike, riding at pretty much the same speed on the same trails but now with a half lid.
I can see the argument for the people that actually ride up, but most of the ' enduro ' type riders I see still push to the top or get uplifts.
Up to who ever to wear what they feel they need of course but trees and the floor don't give two shits what bike you are riding !
+How many times has the person ridden the trail? 100 times on a dh bike and f/f without crashing? might feel inclined to back off the protection after climbing for an hour to get there
+What does the person typically ride? one man's xc trail is another's dh trail. and another's unridable sketch factory might be a warm up lap on a trail bike and half shell.
+geography matters. where i used to live had steeper gnarlier xc rides than what the DH rides are here. and the dh rides there terrified riders that ride DH here.
+rider ability to crash. if you were wheelie dropping 8 feet to flat on trials bikes or giant lips on a bmx bike, riding on "gnarly" trail is not only less hectic and stressful, you also know how to bail without destroying yourself.
+rider background. if you honed your bike skills charging through rock gardens on a rigid bike, well... riding rock gardens on a modern trail bike its way less hectic.
I also see tons of folks riding full faces and mini-dh bikes on mellow xc trails, so YMMV!
So in general, people feel more confident in their equipment and can now ride farther plus more difficult trails on one bike.
If the trail has a road to the top and doesn't involve much traversing or trail climbing, I prefer carrying a full face on my bars or pack.
Some of it does have to do with the bike. Plenty of shredders wear a full face on their v-10 but wear a half-shell and goggles on their nomads all the while hitting plenty of huge gaps, hucks and jumps.
Is it a dh track in the middle of a trail ride, or just sessioning a dh segment and lift accessible?
I think the capable 5- and 6-inch trail or enduro bike has revolutionized the sport....and maybe this is where the super 2r comes in. Problem with that helmet seems to be the joey factor...not sure htough.
Very very
Very
Cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaS5iZbSxU8&feature=youtu.be
uys at the local dirt jump spots choose full face but most use skate style dirt lids
In regards to elbow guards, I used to only wear them for "gnar" DH. After last summer, where I had three solid bails - all of which resulted in my right forearm/elbow leading the charge - I invested in some G Form pads for anything not XC. I'll wear a stouter elbow guard for DH.
Mortality sucks!
Any time I'm doing something that could by out of my comfort zone, riding more DH or jumpy trails I strap FF on my back for descent and ride up with no helmet. Ride that has multiple ascents and descent as well as EWS rules doesnt allow this. Speaking of EWS how can they make them wear a helmet for ascend and then let them do whole round (like scotland) in half shell...
Seeing what people (even if they are top WC pros) in the internet edits do in open helmets often makes me cringe.
for racing i always wear a full face, no mather what tipe of the trail's, when you are charging down the trail's the probability of going down is more significant
when i'm pedaling i always wear a open face, iknow the trail well and have sended the roadgap's and jumps before and i'm confident with it i'l send them, but normaly back up a bit on the speed in some part's
one thing is shure, i've just bought some proper knee pads, used to ride some fox enduro launch and on my last crash i fell with my knee and parcialy ruptered my lcp tendon, no more enduro knee pads for me exept for the xc type of trails near my home
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