Mega Ramp/Mega Rail/Danny Way out...

**BergaLiden** · 08-01-2009 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by DRC

I'm pretty sure if you gave any one of these guys a DH board and they'd be winning races.

Without breaking a sweat.

**Terrorsathan** · 08-01-2009 10:31 AM

Re-run of the rail jam on espn right now!

**AlG** · 08-01-2009 10:38 AM

This event is beyond gnar. The mother####er's are gladiators.

**Terrorsathan** · 08-01-2009 10:43 AM

it is sooo mind blowing

**Terrorsathan** · 08-01-2009 10:47 AM

Imagine if someone did a back flip off the mega ramp... on a BIG WHEEL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA-bdqagCPc&feature...

Travis Pastrana did.

**Tagsrover** · 08-01-2009 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by bowlfreshener

Well, I think some, like Danny Way could do it, but as you mentioned, he has been skating for 20 years or more, and has seen skateboarding go through various phases...I was referring mainly to the newer, pros. And while the boards used on the Mega Ramp/Rail were shortboards, many of them had wider trucks than usual, so I guess they did steal a bit from the downhill guys....

agreed

Originally Posted by Terrorsathan

also, it was required that all riders on the mega ramp MUST run Indy 215's

i thought i heard them say they were running the widest trucks. i wonder what bushings

Originally Posted by Terrorsathan

Imagine if someone did a back flip off the mega ramp... on a BIG WHEEL:

YouTube - Tricycle on MEGA ramp - Travis Pastrana (backflip)

Travis Pastrana did.

imagine if someone did a corked 720 backflip thingy

Travis Pastrana didn't

**msk** · 08-01-2009 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by AlG

Lots of people give up street/vert skateboarding because it's too hard and take up carving/sliding/DH/dancing/etc,

Fixed...

Originally Posted by DRC

I'm pretty sure if you gave any one of these guys a DH board and they'd be winning races.

Don't know about DH, but it doesn't necessarily translate over for slalom. I've seen a handful of pros and former pros who kill on street and/or vert who, despite lots of practice, just couldn't quite get it. Middle of the pack B division at best. And at a JPL race a few years back, Hosoi and Mountain showed up to watch. I asked them what it would take to get them out there racing, and they both told me no way, that was too insane...

Originally Posted by bowlfreshener

And while the boards used on the Mega Ramp/Rail were shortboards, many of them had wider trucks than usual, so I guess they did steal a bit from the downhill guys....

The majority of 215s will be found on pool boards, not DH boards. In this case, the shortboarders are stealing from, well, themselves...

**BoardDuDE630** · 08-01-2009 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Tagsrover

i thought i heard them say they were running the widest trucks. i wonder what bushings

stock duh haha

does anyone else notice that everyone wears a helmet, while the street skaters wear hats?
with them being pros shouldnt they be out settin an example for all the kids who look up to them and watch the xgames?
(just thought id trow that out there)

**jmasta** · 08-01-2009 01:49 PM

kickflip indy to board slide on the mega rail was was sik wit it

**Tagsrover** · 08-01-2009 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by BoardDuDE630

stock duh haha

does anyone else notice that everyone wears a helmet, while the street skaters wear hats?
with them being pros shouldnt they be out settin an example for all the kids who look up to them and watch the xgames?
(just thought id trow that out there)

from what i've seen, skate/bmx park and street so far not 1 person wearing a helmet, tis a shame.

**Mall Grab** · 08-01-2009 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by BergaLiden

Without breaking a sweat.

Ridiculous. You don't win DH races just by being good at staying on your board and having "no fear" (read: being unable to grasp the concept of getting injured before it actually happens - a widespread condition in the trick skating world). It's about tactics, experience, and yes, DH-specific skating skills.

Sure, a good trick skater has an excellent chance of eventually becoming a very good downhill skater, but let's not go overboard.

**jman1365** · 08-01-2009 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mall Grab

Ridiculous. You don't win DH races just by being good at staying on your board and having "no fear" (read: being unable to grasp the concept of getting injured before it actually happens - a widespread condition in the trick skating world). It's about tactics, experience, and yes, DH-specific skating skills.

Sure, a good trick skater has an excellent chance of eventually becoming a very good downhill skater, but let's not go overboard.

eventually?
it'd take them a week maybe

**msk** · 08-01-2009 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by BoardDuDE630

does anyone else notice that everyone wears a helmet, while the street skaters wear hats?
with them being pros shouldnt they be out settin an example for all the kids who look up to them and watch the xgames?

Because today, being a pro means something completely different than it did 30 years ago. Today, "pro" means you have your name on products. As such, today's pros aren't defined by how many contests they win, as they were 30 years ago, but by selling themselves and their image. And the current image is "helmets are lame". About the only time you'll see helmets worn in the mainstream magazines is vert ramp shots, or the occasional Salba backyarder shot. In many contests, you'll even get marked down for wearing a helmet (I've heard from several groms about being pressured not to wear helmets by contest organizers, or else they don't have a chance of winning).

As it is, the X-Games aren't looked upon favorable by many skaters, who see it as a watered down or sold-out commercialized version of skating. Making the skaters wear helmets when they don't normally wear them would just undermine the credibility even more, as well as probably prevent many of the pros who do show up from competing...

**jmasta** · 08-01-2009 04:30 PM

anyone with as much skating experience as those guys are going to pick it up way faster than most

**Mall Grab** · 08-01-2009 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by jmasta

anyone with as much skating experience as those guys are going to pick it up way faster than most

Nobody's denying that. They just wouldn't be "winning DH races right away without breaking a sweat".

**Tagsrover** · 08-01-2009 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Mall Grab

Nobody's denying that. They just wouldn't be "winning DH races right away without breaking a sweat".

can we all agree they'd win a race before you won a street competition?

**jman1365** · 08-01-2009 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Tagsrover

can we all agree they'd win a race before you won a street competition?

they'd win a race before most people on the fish would

**Wells** · 08-01-2009 07:47 PM

The boards they're riding are huge. 10+ inches wide, 35+ inches long, with Indy 215s and big wheels.

And yes, all this longboard type stuff is pretty easy to pick up if you're alright at street and transition.

**AlG** · 08-01-2009 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by msk

Fixed...

Don't know about DH, but it doesn't necessarily translate over for slalom. I've seen a handful of pros and former pros who kill on street and/or vert who, despite lots of practice, just couldn't quite get it. Middle of the pack B division at best. And at a JPL race a few years back, Hosoi and Mountain showed up to watch. I asked them what it would take to get them out there racing, and they both told me no way, that was too insane...

The majority of 215s will be found on pool boards, not DH boards. In this case, the shortboarders are stealing from, well, themselves...

aye. it's all skating, IMO it's just whatever yer into not the length of yer board. be happy to be able to ride!

**BoardDuDE630** · 08-02-2009 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by msk

Because today, being a pro means something completely different than it did 30 years ago. Today, "pro" means you have your name on products. As such, today's pros aren't defined by how many contests they win, as they were 30 years ago, but by selling themselves and their image. And the current image is "helmets are lame". About the only time you'll see helmets worn in the mainstream magazines is vert ramp shots, or the occasional Salba backyarder shot. In many contests, you'll even get marked down for wearing a helmet (I've heard from several groms about being pressured not to wear helmets by contest organizers, or else they don't have a chance of winning).

wow that is surprisingly true and overall........just really sad