One thing I have noticed is that one region’s blue trails are another region’s green. Same with black to blue. I regularly hammer through the black trails in my area but always start on the greens when I go somewhere else to get a feel for that area’s rating system.
I am a total noob, started this year and yeah figured that fast, those ratings should be internationally set to a certain standard. At least until red.
Regional handicaps are a real problem. A double black in Bentonville is about as tough as a family friendly connector trail in central Europe. It gives people a dangerous amount of unwarranted confidence.
@@ZoZooZoooZoxxxxthere are some standards, but unfortunately only real trail builders know what the standards mean. Municipalities don't have a clue and vigilante trails are going to be either unmarked or rough guess on ratings
Love the vid! I would add on etiquette, never stop in the middle of the trail (of course!) and look uphill to make sure no one is coming before you jump back on
I found out the hard way that elbow pads with the straps a little too snug creates hand pain far worse than the most grueling arm pump. The circulation gets cut off or significantly reduced, creating a build up of either CO2 or lactic acid in the lower arms (I'm not sure which it is actually). Hands felt that they were on fire and I could barely squeeze the breaks even half way through an easy run.
I actually never thought about that but makes sense. Fox pads are always tight on me but offer great elbow and knee protection, but they are really tight fitting.
@@christinachappetta4542 No joke! The first lap is always a lot of adjusting depending on her my hands are feeling. Often the change is so minute it looks like nothing happened, but the effect is huge.
I gave up on arm pads entirely because they're either tight enough to cause arm pump, or they're loose enough to slide up when you crash on them, thus negating their existence.
For new riders coming to the park the focus should be safety first, then fun, then progression. It's hard to progress if you're not having fun, and if your riding is sketchy and dangerous then it's not really fun. Learn some basic technique like body position and braking tips so when you ride you feel confident in what you're doing. Once you're riding safe, the fun begins! Confidence in your skill breeds progression. There is often bike coaches and services around to help with that kind of stuff, and they'll be happy to answer any questions.
@@christinachappetta4542 I used to live in Denver more than twenty years ago so I used to take the Greyhound bus to Vail probably 3-4 times a summer. I usually tried to go there during some national races.
Totally thought this video was about bringing my parents to the mtb park for session runs until it rabbit holed into a laundry list of obvious to-dos/don’ts. Great for beginners but most agree visiting a park in person on a half send day sorts out 99% of these questions way faster. This video really for first time full send park flashers?
Nice. It’s interesting that it looks like now the world cup cross country races now have bike park elements throughout. definitely a Boon for the longer travel higher tech bike industry. But it is truly heavenly.
Love the video, love Christina, but this is such a case of better late than never. It's August 12th! Most bike parks are starting to only be open on weekends & we are nearly through the season.
Great video. I would only add that long sleeve and even trousers are better in BPs because they are usually at some altitude thus close to sun, and long sleeve/trousers add more sun protection. Also a lip balm in a hot sunny day may be helpful.
This is perfectly timed, thank you. Heading to my first DH lift park soon. Question: I have a 150/140 trail bike and don't think that is going to cut it. I was thinking of renting a DH bike, do most places give you a hand setting up your suspension or should I bring my own pump?
I'm extremely happy with my Bluegrass Solid D3O elbow protectors. They're adjustable on both ends. Hated every other one I've tried. Too bad Bluegrass doesn't make those anymore.
Love to have some good flat pedal shoes. None make a eeee 13 US size shoe. New balance has been working well for me, though. Had to put longer pins in. I have had no problems in slipping a pedal yet.
Faster riders chill the ef out when approaching a slower rider from behind....might be on their pre-ride lap, maybe new to the game, maybe a bike issue, maybe hurt, whatever, a fast guy breathing down your neck is a good way to cause a crash. Fast guy back off or pull off altogether to allow the other rider to move farther down trail, then let her rip! Plus, without the guy in front of you holding you up, you can show off for the chicks or whatever.
14:30 when there are slower riders ahead i keep more distance an wait myself when there is a good spot. Its annoying and stressfull for beginners when there is somebody all the time a few cm behind. None of these rules seem to exist in french bikeparks anyway ;-)
@@christinachappetta4542 I thought the same but I was pretty well prepared and knew what to expect. It was a lot of fun and looking forward to going back. Thanks for the info
It's funny you talk about elbow pads cutting your circulation for me it's all knee pads that stay in place that are too tight, or they fall down my legs... I truly hate knee pads, shin guards are usually better at staying in place...
Regarding pads over instead of underneath the clothes: I've been wearing pads underneath the clothes because i am not sure if clothes underneath make the pads less protective (sliding of the knee or elbow easier due to the added layer of fabric, thats designed to not stick to your skin like the inside of my pads does). Are there any answers if i would compromise on safety when wearing pads over the clothes? In the end my body is worth to me more than any bit of riding kit (pants etc.)
So, this is literally keeping me up at nights: I'm hopefully going to go to whistler next year in May or June, June if i have my way, but I'm worried about how much travel I need. I'm going to the states for a few months beforehand and I want to take my trail bike for that, but I'm notsure if it's got enough travel. Can any good park rats weigh in? I have a 160/160 Pyga Hyrax with a coil shock on the rear. Do I need more bike? I know there are rentals available, but riding on a bike I don't know has it's own risks, nevermind being very expensive in my local currency. I'll appreciate any advice.
160/160 is more than enough if you're worried about riding a bike you aren't familiar with. I've done everything at whistler on my sb130. Not the bike, it's the rider! Don't worry about it too much and get ready to replace some parts because whistler is gooooood at destroying bikes.
While Christina seems like a really nice person and awesome member of the ride community, it seems she get's all the "Well Duh!" topic assignments that I rarely gain any useful knowledge from.
Always do a warm up lap and slow it down even if you have hit that trail a thousand times before. I got myself a type 4 shoulder separation last weekend by breaking that rule. My season is over and gonna be 6months before I’m clear to ride again …… it sucks so don’t do it !!
I only ride my Roscoe 8 and I send shit harder than most. It's all rider dependant really. I do agree about being exhausted though. Luckily my legs are strong and I ignore them most of the time 😂
"Butt pucker" 😂 Here's my tip. Dial it back when you get home from your bike park trip. If you attack your home trails at bike park speed you're gonna overshoot every single feature by 25%.
In Europe/ Switzerland it's for the difficulty usually blue, red and black. But I recommend keeping in mind that not every rating is the same in all bikeparks. Kind Regards
Where I ride blue could mean anything, when I was learning I kept trying to clear through a very steep triple rock drop that I only later learned wasn’t a feature but a section of the trail that washed away.
When stopping, pull off and don’t block the trail, that’s my pet peeve
And if your gonna session, don’t hike up the trail, blowing it for others!
Absolute cancerous behaviour isn't it.
One thing I have noticed is that one region’s blue trails are another region’s green. Same with black to blue.
I regularly hammer through the black trails in my area but always start on the greens when I go somewhere else to get a feel for that area’s rating system.
I am a total noob, started this year and yeah figured that fast, those ratings should be internationally set to a certain standard. At least until red.
Regional handicaps are a real problem. A double black in Bentonville is about as tough as a family friendly connector trail in central Europe. It gives people a dangerous amount of unwarranted confidence.
@@ZoZooZoooZoxxxxthere are some standards, but unfortunately only real trail builders know what the standards mean. Municipalities don't have a clue and vigilante trails are going to be either unmarked or rough guess on ratings
Love the vid! I would add on etiquette, never stop in the middle of the trail (of course!) and look uphill to make sure no one is coming before you jump back on
VERY good tip! Often forgotten for sure.
I found out the hard way that elbow pads with the straps a little too snug creates hand pain far worse than the most grueling arm pump. The circulation gets cut off or significantly reduced, creating a build up of either CO2 or lactic acid in the lower arms (I'm not sure which it is actually). Hands felt that they were on fire and I could barely squeeze the breaks even half way through an easy run.
It's a very, very fine line with those things
I actually never thought about that but makes sense. Fox pads are always tight on me but offer great elbow and knee protection, but they are really tight fitting.
@@christinachappetta4542 No joke! The first lap is always a lot of adjusting depending on her my hands are feeling. Often the change is so minute it looks like nothing happened, but the effect is huge.
I gave up on arm pads entirely because they're either tight enough to cause arm pump, or they're loose enough to slide up when you crash on them, thus negating their existence.
Great video! Just be nice and have fun!
For new riders coming to the park the focus should be safety first, then fun, then progression. It's hard to progress if you're not having fun, and if your riding is sketchy and dangerous then it's not really fun. Learn some basic technique like body position and braking tips so when you ride you feel confident in what you're doing. Once you're riding safe, the fun begins! Confidence in your skill breeds progression. There is often bike coaches and services around to help with that kind of stuff, and they'll be happy to answer any questions.
Good timing for this video I'm trying to book two weeks at Whistler in September. I'm going to need to buy a full face helmet that's for sure
The last time I took a chairlift up a mountain I rented a full suspension elastomer Pro Flex bike in the late 1990's.
WHERE was this?! Sounds like a time!
@@christinachappetta4542 I used to live in Denver more than twenty years ago so I used to take the Greyhound bus to Vail probably 3-4 times a summer. I usually tried to go there during some national races.
Great vid, ty. I would add to the list some form of back and chest protector, any type, rigid, d3o, vest, under, over, as long as you wear it
Totally thought this video was about bringing my parents to the mtb park for session runs until it rabbit holed into a laundry list of obvious to-dos/don’ts. Great for beginners but most agree visiting a park in person on a half send day sorts out 99% of these questions way faster. This video really for first time full send park flashers?
❤ the creole queen. So 🔥.
Nice. It’s interesting that it looks like now the world cup cross country races now have bike park elements throughout. definitely a Boon for the longer travel higher tech bike industry. But it is truly heavenly.
It's moar fun to watch.
XC used to be sleepy for awhile, now it's watchable...
It's actually wild what they send it on with those little xc bikes, and no padding whatsoever!
Love the video, love Christina, but this is such a case of better late than never. It's August 12th! Most bike parks are starting to only be open on weekends & we are nearly through the season.
Great video. I would only add that long sleeve and even trousers are better in BPs because they are usually at some altitude thus close to sun, and long sleeve/trousers add more sun protection.
Also a lip balm in a hot sunny day may be helpful.
Remember to smile!
Really helpful video. Thanks!
Last year, friend on my brother almost went paralyzed. He bought lots of gear protecting his neck and back after that😅
Great video
Yeah get out on the trails and have fun
This is perfectly timed, thank you. Heading to my first DH lift park soon. Question: I have a 150/140 trail bike and don't think that is going to cut it. I was thinking of renting a DH bike, do most places give you a hand setting up your suspension or should I bring my own pump?
I'm the guy with no elbow pads wearing a sleeveless shirt. It looks good with the riding pants, and chest protector. It's a whole look.
Great video! One of the best "So you want to ride Park..." introductions I've watched.
Thank you!
I'm extremely happy with my Bluegrass Solid D3O elbow protectors. They're adjustable on both ends. Hated every other one I've tried. Too bad Bluegrass doesn't make those anymore.
Love to have some good flat pedal shoes. None make a eeee 13 US size shoe. New balance has been working well for me, though. Had to put longer pins in. I have had no problems in slipping a pedal yet.
Just had to laugh at the "feel the wind in your hair" quote, while cutting to a riding clip with a full face helmet... ^^
Faster riders chill the ef out when approaching a slower rider from behind....might be on their pre-ride lap, maybe new to the game, maybe a bike issue, maybe hurt, whatever, a fast guy breathing down your neck is a good way to cause a crash. Fast guy back off or pull off altogether to allow the other rider to move farther down trail, then let her rip! Plus, without the guy in front of you holding you up, you can show off for the chicks or whatever.
No, you should always be aware of what is uphill of you it's not hard to use your ears and make room.
Im 62, and i love parking! I go by myself a lot. Lets go!!! Ill be your mom for a day, lol!!!
14:30 when there are slower riders ahead i keep more distance an wait myself when there is a good spot. Its annoying and stressfull for beginners when there is somebody all the time a few cm behind.
None of these rules seem to exist in french bikeparks anyway ;-)
Love a hardtail for DH. Its so funny to take a full suspension bike down after dozens and dozens of runs on my hardtail. I could almost take a nap.
Great video just went to my first bike park over the weekend
Hope it was a smashing success! Shame you didn't get to see this video before.
@@christinachappetta4542 I thought the same but I was pretty well prepared and knew what to expect. It was a lot of fun and looking forward to going back. Thanks for the info
Remember to have a break after a few laps then hit some more. Fatigue is real.
This is coming out the day I’m leaving whistler 😂
We going full Remy Morton shortshorts and no knee pads
The leg tattoos are an expensive piece of kit!
It's funny you talk about elbow pads cutting your circulation for me it's all knee pads that stay in place that are too tight, or they fall down my legs... I truly hate knee pads, shin guards are usually better at staying in place...
I, too, with my "athletic" thighs can sympathize. Usually the ones with an added strap at the thigh are brutal.
Try and find then that strap above the calf. The top might slide down but won't slide all the way down.
Regarding pads over instead of underneath the clothes:
I've been wearing pads underneath the clothes because i am not sure if clothes underneath make the pads less protective (sliding of the knee or elbow easier due to the added layer of fabric, thats designed to not stick to your skin like the inside of my pads does). Are there any answers if i would compromise on safety when wearing pads over the clothes?
In the end my body is worth to me more than any bit of riding kit (pants etc.)
So, this is literally keeping me up at nights: I'm hopefully going to go to whistler next year in May or June, June if i have my way, but I'm worried about how much travel I need. I'm going to the states for a few months beforehand and I want to take my trail bike for that, but I'm notsure if it's got enough travel. Can any good park rats weigh in?
I have a 160/160 Pyga Hyrax with a coil shock on the rear. Do I need more bike? I know there are rentals available, but riding on a bike I don't know has it's own risks, nevermind being very expensive in my local currency. I'll appreciate any advice.
160/160 is more than enough if you're worried about riding a bike you aren't familiar with. I've done everything at whistler on my sb130. Not the bike, it's the rider! Don't worry about it too much and get ready to replace some parts because whistler is gooooood at destroying bikes.
@@keeganjohnson-meyers598 thanks for the response! I was thinking nobody would chime in! I appreciate the input. I'll budget some money for spares!
Why am I watching this when I’ve already been to my local DH park 40+ times
While Christina seems like a really nice person and awesome member of the ride community, it seems she get's all the "Well Duh!" topic assignments that I rarely gain any useful knowledge from.
Always do a warm up lap and slow it down even if you have hit that trail a thousand times before. I got myself a type 4 shoulder separation last weekend by breaking that rule. My season is over and gonna be 6months before I’m clear to ride again …… it sucks so don’t do it !!
If someone says 'one more run?' the day is over. Time for beers.
"I don't recommend a hard tail for a downhill bike park"
Me: hold my beer *grabs the Roscoe*
Follows on a Bluepig.
Hardtail gang represent 😎
Chromag rootdown in line 🤘🏼
When 2 trails intersect at a bike park, who gets the right of way?
Don't ask a Brit this. They're so polite they will have tea over this.
20 dollar, long pants over the knee pads for me. Keeps the pads in place and the mud of them.
I think I saw Henry wearing his underwear on the outside of his denim.
Our trails we don't have to pay to ride
Is there a chairlift?
@@alexandernickos2213 no
id rather risk my skin and bones than wear my pads on top of my clothing tho
If it was the eighties I still wouldn't wear a crop top as a guy
Hot take: I sooner wear a chest protector than knee pads. Yeah shattered knee caps suck but ribs/your back on rocks sucks way more.
Did a day once with a hardtail. Lots of fun, but I've felt 5 years older for the next 3-4 days.
I only ride my Roscoe 8 and I send shit harder than most. It's all rider dependant really. I do agree about being exhausted though. Luckily my legs are strong and I ignore them most of the time 😂
flow would be doable but tech would be awful
@@shellderp it was the other way around. Didn't matter much on slow tech, but breaking bumps on fast flow was rough.
I live in southern Ontario and the rating system is way off in my opinion. Our double black looks like the west coast blues 😅
"Butt pucker" 😂
Here's my tip. Dial it back when you get home from your bike park trip. If you attack your home trails at bike park speed you're gonna overshoot every single feature by 25%.
Don’t use trail tires. You want to have good grip or you’ll be fighting front tire slip all day.
sad how one have to express that its not bodyshaming but just advicing on protecting your loved skin... people nowdays...
In Europe/ Switzerland it's for the difficulty usually blue, red and black.
But I recommend keeping in mind that not every rating is the same in all bikeparks.
Kind Regards
Where I ride blue could mean anything, when I was learning I kept trying to clear through a very steep triple rock drop that I only later learned wasn’t a feature but a section of the trail that washed away.
What about a back protector. High on my list
Thoughts on shoulder pads?
Please do a new XC bike showdown
Your awesome 😊
The number of puns in this video is too damn high! 😅❤
No pun intended!
Oh, I love puns.
che bella😍