Downhill bike

[mlabelle]

Lets me introduce you to my passion, Downhill bike.

I have been riding a bike since i'm a little kid.

At 13, i gathered all the money i could get and bought my frist bike with a suspension(600$). A crosscountry bike.

I was riding small trails everyday and loved it, but i always wanted more an more.
I went with this bike ride down a mountain and i saw people with better bikes going really fast.

at the age of 17 i bought a kona stinky (2300$) and started the real DH. Going faster and faster.

I've been riding this bike for 3 years now. I probly paid 3 time the bike in maintenance and i think its time for me to get a better bike.

So here it is, my brand new IronHorse Sunday 2007 WC edition. Paid 4000$ used. A pure bomb


Downhill is the evolution of my passion for bikes since i'm a kid. I'm so focus on the track and what is happening around my bike and me that i forget everything else. Its my way to just disconnect.

[T-Bone]

Wow, nice wheels, mlabelle. Your IronHorse must have crazy suspension! So how often do you ride?

Prior to the summer of '07, I hadn't thought about bikes in the longest time. I used to ride around everywhere when I was younger and came to find that there's a whole new world out there when it comes to bicycles.

I ended up getting an '07 Gary Fisher Nirvana and my wife a Trek 7300 WSD. We haven't gone on any trails - used it more for riding around the neighborhood and to the summer swim & tennis club we belong to.

[Gygax]

Great post mlabelle!!!

I used to do a decent amount of trail riding on a Gary Fisher that I still have. But it was no where near as intense as what you are doing. That's great stuff right there! Thanks for sharing.

[Saskabush]

Well that explains your AV now, I thought it was a picture of a couple of softball bats.

[mlabelle]

I ride from End of May to end of October. Every 4 days and i take also a complete week there straight. There is 4 different mountain around Montreal and Quebec city that can be ride in downhill bike. One of them is called Mont Sainte-Anne. Its one of the mountain where the PRO circuit have a race. Takes about 10 minute of really fast pace to do it.

[Crashsti]

i had a housemate that used to do downhill. His bike was a monster, especially compared to my roadbikes. Thats one hobby that is quite the commitment and in some ways, crazier then MMA. Very nice pics as well.

[mlabelle]

Originally Posted by Crashsti

i had a housemate that used to do downhill. His bike was a monster, especially compared to my roadbikes. Thats one hobby that is quite the commitment and in some ways, crazier then MMA. Very nice pics as well.

I can't say its crazier then MMA cuze i never fought of my life but i know DH bike is f..kin crazy. The faster you go the more you are concentrate and your reflexe are at the max. Tracks are about 5 minute. During 5 minute, what is happenning in my head is crazy.

When i ride, i watch at about 3-4 meters in front of me (i never check my wheel). So basicly I always have 3-4 meters of track saved in my brain. Has i see the rocks,trees or drops, i react and move my body and biek to the best way to get that part of the track while i keep looking whats next. When i finish a track, I'm spaced. I was so focused and "high" that went i sit on the chairlift, the only thign i'm able to say for the next moment is: Damn that was sick.

This website is a biek website, if you wanna see great pictures, hit the picture tab on to, enjoy
Largest Collection of Mountain Biking Photos on the Internet (1,500,000+)

[T-Bone]

Originally Posted by mlabelle

I can't say its crazier then MMA cuze i never fought of my life but i know DH bike is f..kin crazy. The faster you go the more you are concentrate and your reflexe are at the max. Tracks are about 5 minute. During 5 minute, what is happenning in my head is crazy.

When i ride, i watch at about 3-4 meters in front of me (i never check my wheel). So basicly I always have 3-4 meters of track saved in my brain. Has i see the rocks,trees or drops, i react and move my body and biek to the best way to get that part of the track while i keep looking whats next. When i finish a track, I'm spaced. I was so focused and "high" that went i sit on the chairlift, the only thign i'm able to say for the next moment is: Damn that was sick.

This website is a biek website, if you wanna see great pictures, hit the picture tab on to, enjoy
Largest Collection of Mountain Biking Photos on the Internet (1,500,000+)

meters? what are these meters you speak of?

Sick pictures...it's tough to not get hurt, right? Any major injuries, mlabelle?

[AikaImmortal]

3 meters = 3.2808399 yards
4 meters = 4.37445319 yards

Awesome photos man.. looks like one hell of a rush

[mlabelle]

Originally Posted by T-Bone

meters? what are these meters you speak of?

Sick pictures...it's tough to not get hurt, right? Any major injuries, mlabelle?

A good rider is a good crasher. Crashing happen often in downhill bike. But as you get better and know your limit and the bike limit, you crash less often.

When you crash in DH bike, there a lot of possibilities to avoid big injuries. Always avoid rocks and trees first of all And really important, try to reduce the impact by absorbing it. Crashing with style is important

When you go really fast and you happen to lose control for a reason, sometime i just jump out of the bike and let it go and i try to run. Sometime when the track is really incline, i let go the bike and try to catch a tree or a branch. But yea crashign often happen, thats why he have a body armor. That's me with my friend bike.


Yet in 3 years of DH i made a few injuries but nothing that ended my season completly. I'll tell you my main injuries.

I slip on a north shore(set up of bridge made in piece of wood) and my middle finger got stock between 2 piece of wood while i crashed and it fliped over. While i was heading down to the chalet after that crash, i crashed in a turn because i couldn't handle my bar well and i end up twisting my wrist in that crash. I couldn't drive my standard car after that

I crashed 2 time on my head. 1 time i fall on the head but i was able to roll and absorb a part of the crash with it. But 1 time my front wheel stocked between 2 root and I smashed my head on the ground and got KO.

Did a big air and landed sketch, i had to put my leg on the ground and when i did, it dislocated my femure bone. Got back in while i was flipping in the dirt but that thing hurt so much.

Thats about it. The rest is a lot of cuts bump and scars. But even with all these injuries, I feel lucky i still can ride and i can't wait for next season

[T-Bone]

"A good rider is a good crasher." I like that!

Sounds like a blast. Keep on biking.

[mlabelle]

Originally Posted by T-Bone

"A good rider is a good crasher." I like that!

Sounds like a blast. Keep on biking.

Maybe more like: A good rider has to be a good crasher

[T-Bone]

Originally Posted by mlabelle

Maybe more like: A good rider has to be a good crasher

no doubt...or else good rider is a rider no more