Practicing your 'Sam Hill' around corners with your buddies might be fun as all hell, but there is something else you can do that will make a much bigger difference: a riding clinic or coach will add to your arsenal in a way that an extra 3'' of suspension travel could never do. Yeah, you may think that you're quick on a bike, and you very well might be, but the gigantic skill gap between most of us (myself included) and a top-level racer who holds a pro license is even bigger than you think. The trouble is, the vast majority of us are not pros. With suspension that can make short work of some of the hairiest terrain imaginable, super tacky tires that riders happily accept will only last two, maybe three race weekends, and slack geometry that rewards ultra-aggressive, pro-level riding, a full-fledged modern downhill bike is an amazing piece of machinery. The slack geometry and dialed suspension allow him to capitalize on his skill set but does the average rider benefit from these same features? Unlike the very large majority of us, a top-level World Cup racer like Mick Hannah truly pushes his downhill bike to the limit. This same capability allows people to ride trails or features that might otherwise be above their skill set, which, depending on how you feel about the subject, could be either a good or bad thing. People have become accustomed to charging into challenging terrain with abandon, expecting to find traction and triumph that often happens solely because of these immensely capable bikes, not because of the rider's competence. In this day and age where it isn't uncommon to see a new rider whose first rig is an 8'' travel downhill bike, this can be a completely foreign way of thinking. I believe that if you don't know how to ride a short-travel bike (or hardtail) with skill, you might not be able to ride a long-travel bike with skill either. But let's not let that keep us from arguing about things for this Throwback Thursday, okay? - Mike Levy Of course, it doesn't matter what type of bike any of us are riding, only that we're having fun. Nowadays, a 160mm-travel bike can also be an impossibly good climber, there's no argument below about that, but it doesn't change the fact that pushing a short-travel bike to its limits - or your own - can be more rewarding than depending on suspension to save your ass after yet another terrible line choice. Steeper seat angles, longer reach numbers, shorter offsets, and the general march of progress have, thankfully, seen modern enduro bikes become incredibly competent and well-rounded. This product contains ingredients of international and domestic origin.The original version of this op-ed was first written and posted ten years ago, a time when long-travel bikes were much less evolved and much more unwieldy than they are today. (These staements have not been evaluated by the FDA.This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.) Manufactured in the USA. Total Caffeine from all sources is equal to 300 mg per serving. Fuel the rush within and train without limits. Experience explosive energy and muscle swelling pumps - all in just 1 scoop. Endorush takes your training to the next level from start to finish with a no-nonsense formula of gym-tested ingredients. We at BSN - call it Endorush, a pre-workout designed to help fuel the internal drive of performance athletes ready to rise to the challenge in front of them. The ancient Greeks called this Endo - meaning internal. Getting to the top requires unrelenting discipline from within.
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