Team MotionBased

Where is the sport of mountain biking headed and what events does the future have in store? Any pure mountain biker has certainly lamented the current state of the sport at a World Cup level where, by and large, the fittest rider always wins. This statement is not a criticism of top riders like Christophe Sauser and Julien Absalon whose bike handling skills are apparently very good, but it is indicative of a sport where the venues for competition have favored a high-speed, less technical track covering several loops of a closed course. The vast majority of these courses offer advantages to the lightest weight equipment and minimum suspension travel (aka hardtails). Unlike road cycling, where the basic form of the bicycle has remained unchanged for one hundred years, the mountain bike is changing every year. Whereas any recreational road cyclist will ride a standard race bike, the recreational mountain biker does not. XC Race bikes are as specialized for mountain biking today as time trial bikes are for the road, and for good reason: the new generation of trailbikes provide more comfort and allow riders to navigate more challenging terrain than their twitchy relatives from the racing circuit. But perhaps the tide is turning, and the new generation of mountain bike will prove to be faster on XC race courses. I'll cite just a few examples: 1. Weir and Co. setting new course records at Sea Otter on Nomads. 2. John K. placing highly in the Semi-Pro class aboard a Turner 5-spot, and 3. The continuing trend of full-suspension victories at the World Cup level. 1. Weir and Co. and the Nomad. Ok, the Sea Otter course has never been one for the purists. Year after year roadies show up and stomp on this non-technical course just to frustrate the MTB lifers. Not this time. On 28lb Freeride bikes the WTB crew won the 24hr race in Monterey in record time. How is this? Uh, I guess they are going faster? 2. While browsing the results from a recent AMBC event outside of Santa Barbara, an unlikely name was sitting in the Top 5 of the Semi-Pro XC race: John Kircaldie. Yes, he is a top racer, but in Downhill. Later it was revealed that his excellent performance was attained aboard a 5-inch travel Trail Bike. Not quite the beast that the Nomad is, still the 5-Spot is not the first choice for an XC race bike for serious competitiors. 3. Christophe Sauser and Liam Killeen finished 1-2 in Mont St. Anne (World Cup) on full suspension bikes (4-inch travel). Yes these bikes were wicked light, but to argue that FS bike are inefficient in this day and age is just ridiculous. Heavier, yes, but with advantages of its own. So is the sport changing in favor of technology? Maybe that depends on the nature of the modern XC event. If course designers begin to merge Super-D with XC and sprinkle their courses with tests of technical ability, we will see the emergence of a new style of rider/racer, and it may help the sport grow after years of shrinking numbers. Maybe we will see a resurgence of Tomac-style "do-it-all" riders, stage races with complete tests for MTBers (DH, Super-D, XC, Dual Slalom, Short Track). Hmm. After spending the first half of my season on the 3-inch travel bike I've dusted off my 4-incher to get ready for Downieville and I will also be racing a few XC events along the way. Judging by current trends, I have nothing to worry about with a little extra weight in favor of suspension that feels like a catapult through the woods. We'll see, and I'll be chiming in on this subject again...