what on earth was that!?

radiojaja

just emerging out of the trees at a minor trail head to a sort of T junction onto the main trail, i heard a bike zipping down toward me from the right. its a fast trail, and i wanted to turn left on to it, so i hung back to let the bike with the momentum to go past before i emerged...

still with me? then i was amazed to see, flat out, in lovely balance and control, what looked like a drop handle bar (not entirely sure on that) racing bike, complete with a fully multicoloured lycra clad racing type riding it, VERY quickly down the muddy / rocky / rooty twisty trail i was about to join myself

a cheery "alright mate!" and he was away. sliding down the trail, even hopping around from rut to rut. all i could see was the high seat, narrow frame and what looked like a normal skinny road tyre.

its a great bit of downhill trail, damn technical, and even though i consider myself fairly new to MTB'ing, i've ridden it lots. even when its slidy like now after the continuous rain we've had. and while i am no great shakes going up hill :oops: i've never had much trouble keeping up with anyone going back down 8)

and considering i am on my new F/S cube ams and feel like i can ride over anything if i cant be bothered to go round, he left me for dead! whoosh, gone :shock:

honestly never seen anyone move so fast, that was the last i saw of him too. and i've no idea what the bike was.

he was clearly a very good rider! but what would he have been riding?! :?

any help appreciated, and sorry if this is an obvious question, its likely my bike inexperience at play here i'm sure!

radiojaja

sorry guys, after the type of bike rather than the make / model!

supersonic

Cyclocross bike

radiojaja

ah! thanks supersonic!

quick trip to wikipedia to check it out, thats exactly what it was

amazing! :shock:

and what a talented lad he was too

thanks again

NatoED

or an MTB with drops . aka Tomac from 1990 .

Raymondavalon

My friend and I was left standing by a cyclocross bike whilst riding on some singletrack one summers day. In the right hands they really can fly across almost any terrain

bike-a-swan

Occasionally some of us on the mtb side of my club like to turn up on a road ride and remind the 'other lot' we can keep a bike going at a fair old lick on tarmac, we used to find it funny. Smiles were slightly wiped off our faces when one of the roadies came out on a crosser and left us for dead on pretty much everything, so yeah, agreed!

butcher of bakersfield

Maybe we're riding the wrong bikes? What if we just have to grow some balls and man-up on one of these things :oops:

bails87

I might be getting one for winter commuting, very tempted to do some races too. I'm not miserable enough for road racing, mad enough for DH or fit enough for XC! Maybe I can do ok at CX!

jayson

Something along THESE lines maybe, supreme skill but completely nuts though!!!!!

ringwoodlights

I've was playing with the idea of geting a CX bike for a while, went with a single speed hybrid in the end, just need to get some CX tyres for it now and i'll be ready for the winter!