[kevbikemad]

I was just thinking, there must be a test event coming this year on the MTB venue, according to the linked Pinkbike article, it is supposed to in Oct.

Has anyone seen any other info about the course?

Based on the video in the article, looks like it will be less open and in the forest. I assume it's gonna be similar in style of trail building to the last 2 olympics for surface and man made features.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/everything-we-know-about-the-2020-olympic-mountain-bike-course.html

 

[TDLover]

Something that has been bugging me off lately is that Shimano being the largest cycling manufacturer in the world, it seems to me Japanese people are simply not competent enough around the world in cycling.

Does anybody know why that is?

My first guess is that is just cultural thing and they enjoy other sports more like baseball, but having Shimano there kinda defeats that idea.

 

[mik_git]

Something that has been bugging me off lately is that Shimano being the largest cycling manufacturer in the world, it seems to me Japanese people are simply not competent enough around the world in cycling.

Does anybody know why that is?

My first guess is that is just cultural thing and they enjoy other sports more like baseball, but having Shimano there kinda defeats that idea.

Well you could almost say, up until the end of last year, Americans invented mtbing, all the big manufacturers are American...why do American sux so much at mtbing for the last 20 years?

I think it's different there, when I was in Tokyo, i'd never seen so many people riding bikes (and how well they were accepted by people not on bikes (peds/drivers), but it was just transport, only saw a few nice bikes (and they were $$$$$$ nice), the 99.99% was just BSO get you around in a big city.

 

[TDLover]

Well, I'm guessing terrain is paramount, Japan being so small, maybe they are constrained by it. For example Swiss has perfect terrain and they are incredible competitive.

Other weird example is Latin America, somewhat poor countries were cycling as a sport is basically an elite sport and yet the popularity and competitiveness is pretty strong. Most of Latin America do have great terrain as well though.

Cycling as a means of transport is a different matter, in that aspect I guess Japan ranks pretty high.

 

[Lone Rager]

Japan has 10x the area of Switzerland. According to Wikipedia, 73% of Japan is categorized as rugged and mountainous...so I'll posit small area and flat topography aren't factors.

 

[LMN]

Something that has been bugging me off lately is that Shimano being the largest cycling manufacturer in the world, it seems to me Japanese people are simply not competent enough around the world in cycling.

Why some places produce racers and others don't, is a topic that interests me.

Closer to home, let us look at Wisconsin versus Ontario Canada. Wisconsin has major bike manufacture, and an absolutely huge local race scene, yet there is about zero world class racers that come from there. Meanwhile you go to Barrie Ontario (same climate, same terrain) and there is a single street that produces a constant stream of world class racers.

I think a lot of it has to do with role models. If someone from a particularly area has been successful then other people see it as a possibility and put in the work to succeed. Without that role model racing at the top can seem impossible.

 

[FJSnoozer]

Something that has been bugging me off lately is that Shimano being the largest cycling manufacturer in the world, it seems to me Japanese people are simply not competent enough around the world in cycling.

Does anybody know why that is?

My first guess is that is just cultural thing and they enjoy other sports more like baseball, but having Shimano there kinda defeats that idea.

They also make fishing reels, yet the ******* United states dominate the sport?

 

[KingOfOrd]

I can't wait, the track doesn't appear too spectacular but I think that's ok. This is more about the Olympic prestige than hosting the greatest mountain bike race ever. Millions of people will tune in to watch, fans of all kinds of sports. The focus is more on the athletes than the sport.

 

[Sidewalk]

They also make fishing reels, yet the ******* United states dominate the sport?

I don't know, ******** would LOVE to have a catch this big!

 

[FJSnoozer]

I don't know, ******** would LOVE to have a catch this big!

I don't see any fishing poles on that boat.

That ain't no fish.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kevbikemad]

Bump - I guess it almost time for the test event.
https://www.uci.org/mountain-bike/calendar/CompetitionDetail?competitionId=58974&year=2019

 

[kevbikemad]

Finally some course details are coming out. Short steep climbs, rocky DH sections and very tech.

http://instagr.am/p/B3KCCrJIljh/
http://instagr.am/p/B3JuomkFbeO/
http://instagr.am/p/B3J6URyoDa6/
http://instagr.am/p/B3J9dhfHZOB/
http://instagr.am/p/B3J61oLnD3z/
http://instagr.am/p/B3J6yjwIYvQ/

 

[rockyuphill]

Wow, there's nothing wussy about that Olympic XCO course.

 

[TDLover]

Woah, those pictures look amazing. Those Japans really put some some effort onto the track.

 

[KingOfOrd]

Any idea if this is being broadcast in the states? Maybe the Olympic channel? I did a quick search and wasn't able to find anything.

 

[LMN]

Woah, those pictures look amazing. Those Japans really put some some effort onto the track.

The course was designed by the same guy who did the London and Rio course.

From all reports it is the hardest course that anybody has seen.

 

[kevbikemad]

From all reports it is the hardest course that anybody has seen.

Harder than MSA? Cool!

 

[JoePAz]

The course was designed by the same guy who did the London and Rio course.

From all reports it is the hardest course that anybody has seen.

I wonder about the wisdom of that. Most of the time trails are made in natural terrain and you get what you get to some extent. Some times you make use of certain terrain features and others you have beat them in submission to make a viable trail. When you start importing stuff and start creating you can go way overboard. Good thing these pros are out looking at the course and riding it. I would expect changes as on any new trail you need to ride it a bit to see where it works and does not and what features need adjustment. Hard is good, but stupid hard is not. XCO is not Enduro and while making features even the best have to work at is fine it makes no sense to make trail features the top riders have to or choose to walk.

 

[kevbikemad]

More pics and vids from Instagram - not sure whey so much sod was used on the course, guess it makes it even harder?

http://instagr.am/p/B3Mn4OfFFpG/
http://instagr.am/p/B3McVgTnlqx/
http://instagr.am/p/B3MH9M7nT4N/
http://instagr.am/p/B3MNxxJHrAI/
http://instagr.am/p/B3MkyzAIE-6/
http://instagr.am/p/B3L0fziFdLi/
http://instagr.am/p/B3MjQ1plKYO/

 

[Walt Disney's Frozen Head]

new sod/wet grass will really suck the power out of ya.