Riding Fast
Those who knew and have rode with me know that I dislike going fast. I don’t see the point of going 80kmh - 100kmh on the slope. I understand that if you’re really good already and you wanna progress doing tricks at high speed (e.g. high speed butters, going big on side hits, holding a clean carve arc at really high speed etc.) you have to go fast. What I don’t understand is just going fast on groomers going relatively staight (not really doing a complete turn) and bombing down runs. I understand that Jez told me his legs get tired from riding slow but I don’t think 60/kmh is slow by any standard. Going 100 kmh and doing a clean complete carve is a whole nother story, as that actually takes a lot of skill.
For me personally, 40-60 kmh (if the GPS is right) is plenty fast enough for me to cruise on groomers. Don’t get me wrong, I can ride fast. I’ve hit 78 or 80kmh before (again assuming the gps tracker is right), I just don’t see why would you wanna go as fast as a car on a highway? I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way to any of the guys here that like to bomb runs in a relatively straight line.
Any comments?
Cause going fast is fun?
That’s all i can offer. I generally cruise around at 60-70 sometimes 80 kms/hr and sometimes you just want to go faster. A hell of a lot faster.
You love Euro carving, i don’t particularly like it or want to do it. Different strokes i guess.
I like to channel my inner top gun and get my maverick buzzing the tower on with a flat base straight line speed blast. It’s good for the soul and is fun as all get up!!
I didn’t really know what high speed runs were really about until I went to the shred a few years back, everyone just drops the hammer and guns it, was awesome as a changed from my relaxed paced slashing.
I’m with you Skip, I don’t mind bombing a few runs but you get over the going straight after a while. I prefer tree runs and just hitting side hits / rollers etc.
Especially in Australia where the chair lifts take forever and bombing a run means your back at the base in a few mins.
I love to go fast, but I never do it in a group.
Dunno if you noticed, but when riding with most folks in a large posse I prefer staying behind.
It doesn’t mean I can’t catch up or bomb a run.
Can’t say for the others, but the appeal for riding fast for me is the control you need to have at those speeds.
When I say riding fast, I don’t mean “Riding fast that’s comfortable for you,” I mean taking the speed right up to “hmmm… maybe I gotta slow it down.” That’s when I don’t slow it down.
This is why when I attempt to ride fast, I make sure I can see the whole line down, and that it’s empty. Like that day on Emerald where Dan and I bombed the run. (I think you might’ve taken a different path on that first run?)
If something happens, it happens to me and me only (which is why I go to showcase.)
Same with riding switch, I try to push my progression and pick up speed on switch because it helps me fine tune how I move on the board and how it effects it.
You need to get a motorbike bro!
Then maybe you’ll understand why the need to go fast on a piece of equipment that doesn’t even begin to cover your body. =D
I’m a cruiser myself. I have bombed down groomers in the Switz alps which was scary but extremely fun with my mates. I prefer to carve and try to learn something new on my board, I like the technical side of snowboarding or free riding.
@TJswish and bkrtron: Exactly how I feel. It’s totally different than riding fast through trees or on technical terrain/steeps, but if it’s just groomers I’m with you guys.
@grunge: Haha, I won’t be riding motorbike anytime soon (or ever, especially in Indo lol). Yeah that first run I stopped for a bit cuz I was behind you but I saw Dan going another direction so I was like “hmm, which way should I go” haha. To me the progression of riding fast, it’s not so much straightlining down runs (or doing these mini turns) but more on what can I do when riding fast. For example, I may ollie over a roller with a faster speed, doing complete carves at like 80km/h (which I never really tried) or going bigger on a side hit. I feel like going down straight doesn’t require a lot of skill once you get the hang of how to flatbase properly. I agree with you that the control at those high speeds is one of the appeal. I do like bombing down runs here and there but I don’t do that very often.
But then again, I dislike speed in general (as in I don’t like driving fast e.g. over 120-140km/h in a car).
@trentradpants: I won’t deny that when you’re riding with a bunch of people sometimes it’s nice bombing down a run together, but even then once I reach a certain speed, I tend to slow down a bit. Especially in Whistler where it is pretty crowded most of the times.
^ Haha yeah.. that first run I was keeping up, but left enough space so I don’t take Dan out, but when I saw that all the way down it was just the 2 of us…. I just gunned it. =)
Motorbike in Indo is nothing like bike in Canada/US/Oz, for one it’s mainly for pricing (no higher than 250 cc usually less!) and easing traffic congestion. I would never ride in indo, (or if I do I won’t go at speed, roads are too crappy, but I may push it a little.)
I think where you are now is the PERFECT place to get a bike!!!! Going fast on a bike is different than in a cage (car,) where you’re completely sealed off and to a certain extent, “protected,” Much like going super fast on a snowboard. It’s all about wrestling control of the board. That’s pretty much it to me. No more no less.
And I think flatboarding isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially at the speeds and mindset I’ve described.
tl;dr - Rico, (chanting) get a bike, get a bike, get a bike, get a bike… 
You need to get a motorbike bro!
Then maybe you’ll understand why the need to go fast on a piece of equipment that doesn’t even begin to cover your body. =D
Agreed! I love my bike but coming off it is a lot less forgiving (and more expensive!) than a snowboard so it is nice to try and find those limits in relative safety. The thrill is just as good though!
I’m on the fence I guess, generally prefer the more moderate approach but fully appreciate a couple fast laps on fresh groomers before the crowds get up or being part of a mad pack creating havoc in fresh pow racing to the bottom of the glacier!
I feel like going down straight doesn’t require a lot of skill once you get the hang of how to flatbase properly.
There is a big difference between flat basing at cruising speed and doing it at warp speed….like anything. The faster you go the more control you require.
@deanobruce: Yes I know there’s a big difference, but IMO it’s still not technical as say buttering or carving.
As you learn to hit bigger and bigger jumps, the smaller jumps get easier and easier by comparison. The same is true in all areas and if you can shred at ball tearing speeds, it is a massive confidence booster at slower speeds. Also there is a lot to be learned by going stupidly fast: you have to be incredible responsive with your riding and be able to react to whatever is going under your feet, it also teaches you about picking a nice line. Just like driving the faster you go the further ahead you have to look to make direction judgement calls and this makes you look at the run in a much different light, it’s like riding new terrain!
Also that floating feeling where you now get air at speed off what is usually an unassuming roller is pretty freaking awesome.
Feel the need 
^ Yes!! That first run down emerald, where we flew over that roller was awesome… oooooooh yeah! Can’t believe we couldn’t find it on that 2nd run! =)
I don’t think it matters how you want to ride that’s the beauty of snowboarding. Your free to express yourself in any way you wish like any other board sports. Some people love the pow some people love the park.
If you want to float down the run taking your time and throwing down some tech go for it, but if you want to F1 runs and god speed then hit it!
It’s all snowboarding bro yeeeooww! 
@trentradpants: I won’t deny that when you’re riding with a bunch of people sometimes it’s nice bombing down a run together, but even then once I reach a certain speed, I tend to slow down a bit. Especially in Whistler where it is pretty crowded most of the times.
Being a lifty and having 10+ people all bombing a run together after all the non staff leave the moutain though is pretty damn awesome
