Downhill competitions - what is needed for this and where to participate in Russia?

What does every self-respecting velobiker dream of? Of course, so that the road is always uphill! But, this is impossible, you object. Those who are at least a little familiar with downhill, perhaps, will not agree with you. And in order to substantively argue, you need to delve into the topic and try to figure it out. Read the article to the end and you will learn a little more about downhill skiing.


Let's start with the term itself. Downhill, translated from English literally means "down the hill." Therefore, in addition to cycling, it is also used in skiing. In Russian, more often than not, it means downhill on special bikes.

Where and how are the competitions held?

Since this sports discipline is one of the extreme races, the preparation must be appropriate. The main part of the race track is a very steep descent. At the same time, it itself usually looks like a typical narrow mountain or forest path. If you add to this sharp turns of almost 360 degrees, stones or tree roots, as well as natural bumps in the road, it becomes clear that this activity is not for the faint of heart.



Sometimes artificial obstacles are arranged along the length of the route. For example, medium-sized stones. This is often done to deliberately slow down competitors on very steep descents and avoid serious accidents. In other cases, on the contrary, springboards are built to complicate the passage and increase the entertainment of the race.

A serious elevation difference, which reaches half a kilometer for every two kilometers of movement, allows you to develop speeds that are unthinkable for a velobike. But given the difficult curves and transitional sections with slight uphills, the average speed is usually a little over 35 km/h.

The birth of downhill

The rear brake hub from such loads overheated greatly, the lubricant disappeared, and the bearings in it failed. Problems also arose due to conventional low-pressure road tires that were not suitable for driving in extreme conditions. Everything spoke in favor of the need for a special bike that can withstand unimaginable loads and operating conditions.



Already 3 years later, Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher, who are both racers and organizers of such competitions, found a way out. Mountain Bikes, founded by them, marked the beginning of the worldwide popularity of mountain bikes of various configurations. Further experience has shown that a specially designed and manufactured apparatus is required for downhill skiing.

Downhill bike

The first specialized bicycles appeared after this sport discipline gained universal recognition. In 1990, the first UCI Mountain Bike Championship was held. The landmark event took place in Durango, Colorado, and the first winner was Greg Herbold. The difference of the new sports equipment is:

✅ disc brakes
✅ rear shock absorbers
✅ double crown front suspension fork

The special frame design allowed the vehicle to become more stable during sharp turns at high speeds. Another design feature is that this type of bike is designed for downhill travel only. When climbing, it is uncomfortable, due to the special suspension assembly, which makes it difficult to move the pedals under load. Therefore, usually a lift is required to get them to the start.

Experts tend to compare modern downhill bikes with motorcycles for enduro. Only without an engine, spoilers and much lighter. Their weight varies from 13 to 18 kg, which is generally comparable to a regular road bike. But there is a lot of additional equipment: 4-piston shock absorbers, a steering wheel with a rise, reinforced rims. To avoid excess weight, designers have to use especially strong aluminum tubes for the frame and air shock absorbers. Wheel disks are made of carbon or an alloy of the same aluminum.

What tire size is preferred?

There is no consensus on which tire size is the most efficient. If from the very beginning 26 "wheels, familiar to us in mountain bikes, were used, now the situation is changing upwards. The 650B (27,5") standard is considered the modern standard, but this is not the limit.

At the first stage of the World Cup, which was held in Lourdes 5 years ago, the new wheels of the FOX 49 series were introduced. Their diameter was even larger - 29". The new idea was quickly picked up by major bicycle manufacturers and for the fourth year anyone can buy a mountain bike with a larger wheel diameter.Time will tell if it can become the new standard.



Of course, driving in such aggressive conditions requires a tire with a deep tread pattern and sufficient width. Now, for maximum grip on the ground, tires up to 3" wide are used. There is also a wide handlebar with a short stem. This ratio allows you to have good control during fast movement and sharp changes in direction.

The cost of standard downhill bikes ranges from two to almost ten thousand dollars. Exclusive options can cost much more. And this is not redundant. High-quality and reliable parts will not only improve the result, but also preserve the health and life of the racer.

Features of cycling equipment

In a race as unsafe as downhill, extra gear is essential to protect the rider. It can be compared to hockey goalie ammunition or a protective suit for a Formula 1 racer.



The main one can be called a "full face" helmet that protects the entire face of the driver. There is a separate protection for particularly traumatic parts of the human body: neck, knee, elbow, hand, etc. There are special masks that protect the eyes and deep gloves with hard inserts to protect the racer's hand. Supplements the ammunition of the so-called. "turtle" - a special corset to protect the torso, chest, shoulders and abdomen.

Downhill in Russia

We talked a lot about the popularity and development of this sport in America and Europe, but do we have it in Russia? The answer is positive! Of course, in our country downhill is not as well developed as in the country of his birth. The first competitions were held only in 2000.

It is clear that special conditions are needed for such events, which are not available in the flat part of the country. The Caucasus and the Urals came to the rescue. Also recently, competitions have been held on the Crimean tracks. So far they are not so massive, but the popularity of the spectator sport is growing. A few years ago, by the efforts of the enthusiasts themselves, a track was developed in Krasnaya Polyana. The track of the resort "Manzherok" is considered the most difficult in the country and is included in the list of "extremely black".

What will the participant need?

Maybe you already have a burning desire and dream of visiting one of the bike camps as soon as possible? We hasten to inform you that such week-long events are held in two places at once: on the Crimean Ai-Petri and in Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi). They will take place from April to early November.



We note right away that the Crimean version is noticeably cheaper - approx. 44 thousand rubles But the Sochi trip will cost 15 thousand more. For the next Crimean race, which will begin on April 10, today you can still book the last two free places. The next two Crimean and one Sochi are already completely sold out. There are many vacancies for the July-September period.

For experienced riders, everything is already included in the price of the tour, but beginners will have to fork out more. In Crimea, the rental of a downhill bike is 3000 rubles, a ride uphill is 4000 rubles, and an individual instructor will cost 5500 rubles / day. Perhaps it's worth it. After all, among the instructors is the champion of Russia in 2018, Petr Vinokurov.

A dangerous sport or an opportunity to get new experiences?

Of course, with a lack of technique or a weak vestibular apparatus, this sport can do much more harm than a pleasant experience. Therefore, it is not surprising that the majority of his fans are young people. Here and with the vestibular - everything is in order, and the sense of self-preservation is not yet as strongly developed as among the representatives of the older generation.

At the same time, such a rapid descent, when it takes your breath away and it seems that your heart is left somewhere behind, brings incomparable impressions. Someone wants to receive them at an older age. In general, how to be - you decide for yourself. One way or another, you definitely can’t take away the entertainment and amazing dynamics from the downhill!