One of the reasons to buy a XC bike is that the less fun parts (climbing) are shorter, and the most fun parts (descending) are longer. Its win win. Its also why i buy bikes for their climbing abilities, and dont care much about downhill abilities. Any bike with more than 3 inches of suspension is fun downhill. Its enough to keep you in control and not destroying your wrists. Slower downhill is a feature, not a bug.
Louis was the most impressive to be honest. For not riding a mountain bike before, or at least downhill like this, that was super impressive. You could see how limited his skills knowledge and experience is when doing drops, etc., but the fact that he actually did it and braved through it all is really impressive. Most beginners would've walked a lot of those drops. And only one minute slower than the local amateur rider.
I was just getting ready to come to the comments about it when it cut to his run! It's cool seeing him put a time down for this- it gives a sense of how much is skill vs fitness. Obviously, a pretty fair amount is fitness, and I'm sure Neil needs to brush up his skills anyway (says the weekend warrior who'd be lucky to beat GMBN's 'beginner'), but it's fun to see him out there. That goes for other presenters, especially but not limited to Blake, too.
Hey, can you do a video showing different sections ridden by all the boys right after another? So we can see differences in speed and line choise in certain sections. That´d be super interesting!
yea! are there any views from a static position, showing everyone going by? to put them side by side like this? ruclips.net/video/K2cNqaPSHv0/видео.html
Well done, Louis! For a beginner tackling some of that when it's wet, slippery and shale all over the place is dead impressive. I would have bailed from even doing it in the dry, let alone in that weather.
@@theprinceofliberia6793 I would like to see your serious riding. Where can I find some stuff to see? I want to learn, I'm a newbie and I think you are the right guru to follow
As a 29 year old beginner mountain biker myself, I really appreciated that the beginner in this video is 28. Makes me feel like it’s not too late to start after all :’)
51 here. Look after yourself, eat the right amount of the right things and get regular exercise. We will all have more active lives than the generation before us.
As a 'low-intermediate' rider I think about how best to tackle each tricky feature (rock, root, rut etc.), and it always amazes me watching world class riders how they pick lines and get air to completely avoid most of the features that I would be stumbling through! Like, over a 50-foot stretch of trail they just bounce around so their tyres touch 3 flat spots of dirt! In this video it was also cool to watch the way Matt was scrubbing across the jumps so as to not get so much air and keep all the momentum going forward.
really good video guys. need to do one with presenters now, each gets a handicap bike for their own preffered area, ie doddy xc blake jumps neil downhill
For one, the beginner one looked more confident than most amateur bikers. His form, especially when he pedals. Good episode! Hats off to GMBN for such awesome episodes! Cheers!
Yhea not sure "beginner" means just got his first bike. That beginner looks like he's been riding a while just never actually rode DH. From his style and shape of body I'd say he's been riding road a fair while maybe just moved to MtB or quite possibly works for GCN behind the scenes and that's how they chose him?
I can relate to Louis starting off faster and getting progressively more nervous.. at first a downhill bike feels unstoppable. Especially coming off a road bike. But after a couple of runs you might start thinking 'what am I actually doing?' and then a little crash can have you overthinking it. Good vid. Final point. Don't mess with the Don.
It s so cool to see the « front wheel tweak technique » of the pro on the takeoff of jumps to stay low. Impressive and so efficient. It’s the top dog after all!
Almost forgot Neil excellent way of showing people the different skill levels on the exact same course to see all the differences that they choose and how they progress as they go
Great video! Love to see some more Pro/Amature/Beginner stuff. If you do it again, could you do some side by side video showing the differences in line choice/decisions/results? Love to see how they differed.
The thing is, kids these days are so freaking good at riding bikes its quite scarry actually, so many are fast and smooth and make everything look so easy...
Louis was impressive for never had ridden a downhill bike and being a minute slower than an amateur rider, clearly has a natural talent for it and could really improve massively if he chooses to stick with it, it looks like its mostly confidence over some of the more technical stuff and technique over the jumps which all comes with practice.
We were actually very surprised by his abilities Gabriel as he's a roadie who works in our office. He said he did some light XC riding (blue trails) as a young teenager but this was his first time on a downhill bike. Neil and the other riders were really supportive of him, and helped coach him before the race run which probably helped a lot!
There were a lot of features that Wilf and Louis either went around or tenderly traversed that Matt simply jumped over altogether. I'd argue that's probably where most of his time savings came from, even though his pure speed is just nasty.
Congrats Vale. Dont pressure yourself too much. You are a natural fast rider. Ride and have fun, you are slowly but surely defeating your demons. Once you finally beaten it, you will be unstoppable.
Is it just me, or has Neil seemed much more relaxed in the last 12 months? I'm expecting to see him singing 'Hacks and Bodges' with Martin and Blake soon!
This was a fun video! Great to see the runs side by side, not just the end times, but how each rider looks on the bike, and how they move with it or as a separate piece from it.
I've been riding places like Bedgebury Forest for around 10 years, have probably been around a fewhundred times and am pleased if I stay on the track let alone picking a line :D
The truth is, although the pros have a lot of riding experience, which undoubtedly helps them control the bike at high speeds and improves their endurance, it isn’t much more difficult than controlling the same bike at a lower speed on a track like this. The reason it looks this easy, is because it is. What they do have over the amateur riders, however, is the confidence to go that speed in the first place. The faster you go, the higher the consequence of a crash - which makes lesser experienced riders nervous. Take that anxiety away, and the times between the pro and the amateur would be much closer than the times in this video. Obviously, though, fear is part of the human condition, so unless you’re a robot, the only way to battle this anxiety is through repeated runs on the track. In the end, what separates an amateur from a pro is not so much their moves, as it is their confidence.
That was a good view. Matt was spot on on his time predictions. There is this short downhill section in Moab, UT that the top time is 55 seconds (circa 2010) and It took me a whopping 5 minutes.
You know what would be way more interesting than just the time differences? How they tackle features. The different techniques of getting down and getting down fast, from beginner to pro.
This video was fantastic, just as you think it is done, we get a funny switch to Niel and then a nice run by him. Whoever wrote the plot for this did a really good job
I had a shock last year in Morzine, giving it everything going down the Pleney Black line going as fast as I could when I heard someone behind me, I pushed even harder, and he was still behind me, but not so close as I could let him pass. When I got to the bottom I was a wreck! I’d set my fastest ever time but it took everything out of me to do it. Then they guy behind popped out... I asked if I’d held him up and apologised if I had, he was calm, cool and said “nah, that was a lot of fun” It was only Matt Walker!!!!! I definitely held him up, but he was so cool about it... top bloke
WOW!!! We have the Pal Vallnord downhill park here in Andorra at a couple of kms from where I live. As a roadie I've never tried it. I think I'll give it a go!!!!
Unless you have a serious physical disability, you can totally do it. This “beginner” is not a typical beginner. You just start on easy trails and work up, bit by bit.
4:23 was a total radar lock/target fixation. The tree is centered in the screen, which means it was also squarely in his crosshairs visually. His eyes drew him into it and he instinctively bailed, because being a beginner, he didn’t know how to get out of that tractor beam.
I think Louis did really well. I‘d like to see how much he could improve with a few days of coaching by Neil. I also would like to see a video what downhill racers do to keep fit off track. Maybe you could make a video about that.
I hate reality... they're all faster than me. It's a really fun video and you can tell levels right away. Roll the jumps, air out the jumps, scrub the jumps.
Well done to all three, I think the most impressive was the novice. As for me I would take my time enjoying the technical bits, probably in slow Mo. But it was thirty years ago I last did mountain bike racing. Always fond memories though.
Think if this would be done on Val di Sole or Champery......then we might calculate differences in hours. Pros are pros for a reason! But I like the fact that we mortals can atleast watch in awe and take som inspiration from them!
Nice ride gentlemen....very impressive! Matt just floats on the bike and the track. I'm curious if Louis or Wilf will continue to develop their downhill racing skills? Next year, gentlemen!
How do you think you would compare against a pro racer?
I would win...😁🤣😂
Crash 😂 trying to go faster
Next competition... Ferrari vs Skoda.vs my grandma.
I would definitely crash.
I know I would get top3 in this comparison 😉
Pro: gotta go fast
Amateur: gonna enjoy this
Beginner: gotta survive
Nil: I'm too old
LMAO! What is it when you're saying all three at once?!
@@rolypoly92 kickbuttowski
@@rolypoly92 progressing.
am not pro but i want go fast ;p
We amateurs get to enjoy the trail for 2 minutes extra
I can't disagree to this :)
Value for money haha
But the pro's can ride it more often during the day^^
One of the reasons to buy a XC bike is that the less fun parts (climbing) are shorter, and the most fun parts (descending) are longer. Its win win. Its also why i buy bikes for their climbing abilities, and dont care much about downhill abilities. Any bike with more than 3 inches of suspension is fun downhill. Its enough to keep you in control and not destroying your wrists.
Slower downhill is a feature, not a bug.
Mean while I’m hiking down the trail and take a snack break halfway thru.
See y’all tonight for Dinner!
Most impressed with Louis for a beginner...great stuff!!! Matt just looks ridiculously quick, good luck to him this season!!!
Agree I was most impressed that the beginner was only 2min back of the pro. I wonder what G's time is considering it's his families park.
Great for a roadie 🤣 We were really surprised by how well he did! Matt was warp speed 🤘
@@gmbn I think it's a testament to both Louis and how good modern DH bikes are.
Seriously impressive, first time ever on a DH bike, he did well.
Indeed -- from looking at it I thought the beginner would end up with at least twice the time of Matt.
GMBN's concept of 'begginer' is similar to its concept of 'budget bike' 😉
Glad i'm not the only thinking exactly the same thing.
Yeah... I was like.. Wait.. Mountain bike beginners don't do 'jumps' of a meter high..
@@gregft1979 to be fair it would have been quite irresponsible to shove someone who's never ridden a bike down the course😂
how is a roadie NOT a mtb beginner?
It will be beginner to racing not beginner to MTB , to start riding DH you kind of have to have some prior experience really...
Louis was the most impressive to be honest. For not riding a mountain bike before, or at least downhill like this, that was super impressive. You could see how limited his skills knowledge and experience is when doing drops, etc., but the fact that he actually did it and braved through it all is really impressive. Most beginners would've walked a lot of those drops. And only one minute slower than the local amateur rider.
Well said
Was gona comment about Neil doing it. I'm glad I watched till the end before I did.
He almost got him too
Lets see how man subs I can gain from this comment current: 318
@@lonelyburger2995 unsubbed because of this comment
Also Unsubbed.
I was just getting ready to come to the comments about it when it cut to his run! It's cool seeing him put a time down for this- it gives a sense of how much is skill vs fitness. Obviously, a pretty fair amount is fitness, and I'm sure Neil needs to brush up his skills anyway (says the weekend warrior who'd be lucky to beat GMBN's 'beginner'), but it's fun to see him out there. That goes for other presenters, especially but not limited to Blake, too.
Hey, can you do a video showing different sections ridden by all the boys right after another? So we can see differences in speed and line choise in certain sections. That´d be super interesting!
yea! are there any views from a static position, showing everyone going by? to put them side by side like this? ruclips.net/video/K2cNqaPSHv0/видео.html
Cathro Vision!
Used to binge gmbn but stopped watching for a while. This is the first gmbn vid i saw in 2021 and it's actually very good :) keep it up guys!
Great to hear you liked this 👍
Same
fr we all back haha
Tis the season
Same
Well done, Louis! For a beginner tackling some of that when it's wet, slippery and shale all over the place is dead impressive. I would have bailed from even doing it in the dry, let alone in that weather.
That means you're not a serious rider. Go play x box
@@theprinceofliberia6793 I would like to see your serious riding. Where can I find some stuff to see? I want to learn, I'm a newbie and I think you are the right guru to follow
@@theprinceofliberia6793 I prefer PC, ta la.
Great video and glad Neil did a run , you're still bloody fast Neil
He had to! 🤣
@@gmbn and he would of enjoyed it
Yeah, only 30ish seconds off the pro racer with considerably less training...if that's what being too old for that ish looks like, sign me up lol
The fade out on Neil's "excuses" was great!
As a 29 year old beginner mountain biker myself, I really appreciated that the beginner in this video is 28. Makes me feel like it’s not too late to start after all :’)
I started at 56. It's all good.
51 here. Look after yourself, eat the right amount of the right things and get regular exercise. We will all have more active lives than the generation before us.
Its a good time. Started at 31, went down a volcano is Guatemala the same year. Was in way over my head. Was a blast. Ate it alot
Would hardly call Louis a beginner, he was rocking it!
I’d like to see Neil give Louis a few lessons and then we time Louis again, great effort from a beginner and great show more of it guys
As a 'low-intermediate' rider I think about how best to tackle each tricky feature (rock, root, rut etc.), and it always amazes me watching world class riders how they pick lines and get air to completely avoid most of the features that I would be stumbling through! Like, over a 50-foot stretch of trail they just bounce around so their tyres touch 3 flat spots of dirt! In this video it was also cool to watch the way Matt was scrubbing across the jumps so as to not get so much air and keep all the momentum going forward.
gotta go fast to go fast
Spoiler alert: faster than me
I was about to comment that lol
Still can have fun
@@gulfcitynd of course, always having fun with mtb 😎
Faster than you and you too
really good video guys. need to do one with presenters now, each gets a handicap bike for their own preffered area, ie doddy xc blake jumps neil downhill
Ashton would still win, ledge
Best GMBN video I've seen in quiet a while. Not just fluff and filler. Genuinely interesting content. Well done Neil and crew!
This event deserves more videos, at least one with insight into couching Louis for this race, cause that time was impressive!
For one, the beginner one looked more confident than most amateur bikers. His form, especially when he pedals. Good episode! Hats off to GMBN for such awesome episodes! Cheers!
Yhea not sure "beginner" means just got his first bike. That beginner looks like he's been riding a while just never actually rode DH. From his style and shape of body I'd say he's been riding road a fair while maybe just moved to MtB or quite possibly works for GCN behind the scenes and that's how they chose him?
@@itarry4 totally with you on this
Thanks for the kind words! Louis is a road cyclist and GMBN filmmaker 🤘
@@gmbn Sending love and gnar all the way from the Philippines!
Wow..Neil's time is still bloody impressive 🤘
I can relate to Louis starting off faster and getting progressively more nervous.. at first a downhill bike feels unstoppable. Especially coming off a road bike. But after a couple of runs you might start thinking 'what am I actually doing?' and then a little crash can have you overthinking it. Good vid. Final point. Don't mess with the Don.
Truly amazing, more of this please! Interesting that a retired Pro is exactly between Pro and Amateur. Just what you would expect!
i want this format at the olympics... at every event an amateur and a beginner should start as well, just to see how much of a difference it makes...
Or different categories. Just like we have men and women categories, there could be beginner/amateur/pro.
They actually do this in racing (ya know with cars)
@@DaanRacer motorsports. Ugh
More with Louis, we need more Begginer progression vids
It s so cool to see the « front wheel tweak technique » of the pro on the takeoff of jumps to stay low. Impressive and so efficient. It’s the top dog after all!
Had to chuckle at the fast talking excuses at the end. 😆
At last! I've always wanted to see a comparison like this. Brilliant, well done to all.... even Neil.
Wow, impressive results. I expected Matt to be at least twice as fast as Louis, but it was only 1/3rd - well done Louis!!!!
Almost forgot Neil excellent way of showing people the different skill levels on the exact same course to see all the differences that they choose and how they progress as they go
I instantly became nervous when Neil decided to put a time in 😂. That lad has no cut off.
Fair play to Louie. Very daunting track and he did well. Matt just looked like he was floating down the trail!
My brain doesn’t work that fast. I’d be flying off the side of the mountain thinking “shit, was that a turn back there?”
You gotta train your brain to handle the input. You can do it. Just push yourself a little tiny bit each time
Great video! Love to see some more Pro/Amature/Beginner stuff. If you do it again, could you do some side by side video showing the differences in line choice/decisions/results? Love to see how they differed.
That 16 year old is so smooth on that bike
Yeeeesssss that’s what I like to here 🤟
@@randomizer2281 I'm taking you're him?
@@consuminglight Yh go follow my insta @notorius_nutcase_
The thing is, kids these days are so freaking good at riding bikes its quite scarry actually, so many are fast and smooth and make everything look so easy...
Louis was impressive for never had ridden a downhill bike and being a minute slower than an amateur rider, clearly has a natural talent for it and could really improve massively if he chooses to stick with it, it looks like its mostly confidence over some of the more technical stuff and technique over the jumps which all comes with practice.
Very humble comments on the part of Neil, given that he was fairly close to the pro.
How much of a beginner is Louis? Surely anyone who can go down a double black is no longer in that category?
We were actually very surprised by his abilities Gabriel as he's a roadie who works in our office. He said he did some light XC riding (blue trails) as a young teenager but this was his first time on a downhill bike. Neil and the other riders were really supportive of him, and helped coach him before the race run which probably helped a lot!
@@gmbn yeah I was gonna say. Anyone who could ride a double black is really good
@@gmbn Will Louis now ditch the roady stuff and go MTBing?
Speed makes it difficult.
I’ve been mountain biking for years and your beginner is better than I am... Not exactly a confidence booster guys!😩
I love the premise of this video! What about for future iterations, you show details like line choice and technique?
One of the best videos you guys have done for a while! Absolutely loved it, cheers!
I would love to see how a pro does with an entry-level hardtail vs an amateur with a top of the line bike.
I'd love to see full gopro footage from all 3 to see where the speed is really made up and the pro line choice
There were a lot of features that Wilf and Louis either went around or tenderly traversed that Matt simply jumped over altogether. I'd argue that's probably where most of his time savings came from, even though his pure speed is just nasty.
This was fun. And props to Neil for having a go and actually telling us his time. I reckon 29s off the current champ is pretty damn good.
First video in 2021 after a few years, content is still top notch.
Congrats Vale. Dont pressure yourself too much. You are a natural fast rider. Ride and have fun, you are slowly but surely defeating your demons. Once you finally beaten it, you will be unstoppable.
Is it just me, or has Neil seemed much more relaxed in the last 12 months? I'm expecting to see him singing 'Hacks and Bodges' with Martin and Blake soon!
Big props to Louie. Would have never thought he hadn't ridding a DH before. Well done lad
This was a fun video! Great to see the runs side by side, not just the end times, but how each rider looks on the bike, and how they move with it or as a separate piece from it.
I like Matt’s line choice at 9:03 missing out the slab , I’ll have to give this ago on my next DYFI adventure
I've been riding places like Bedgebury Forest for around 10 years, have probably been around a fewhundred times and am pleased if I stay on the track let alone picking a line :D
I enjoy watching the racing in the French Alps, Mountain Of Hell and all that. Those are some darn tough courses
MASSIVE respect for Louis, smashed it.Wilf too - what a dude. Really enjoyed that, Matt clearly set for big things in pro racing! Mega video.
It's how effortless the Pros make it look that amazes me! Be interested to know the difference in fitness levels and also who pedalled the most 👍🏼
The truth is, although the pros have a lot of riding experience, which undoubtedly helps them control the bike at high speeds and improves their endurance, it isn’t much more difficult than controlling the same bike at a lower speed on a track like this. The reason it looks this easy, is because it is. What they do have over the amateur riders, however, is the confidence to go that speed in the first place. The faster you go, the higher the consequence of a crash - which makes lesser experienced riders nervous. Take that anxiety away, and the times between the pro and the amateur would be much closer than the times in this video.
Obviously, though, fear is part of the human condition, so unless you’re a robot, the only way to battle this anxiety is through repeated runs on the track. In the end, what separates an amateur from a pro is not so much their moves, as it is their confidence.
OMG the technical quality of the video is AWESOME!!!
You guys should do a race between dh racers and enduro racers. One race on a enduro track and one on a dh track. Maybe changing bikes or not
9:45 Exactly! Thanks for reading my mind and doing the run!
One of the best videos recently! Thanks!
That was a good view. Matt was spot on on his time predictions. There is this short downhill section in Moab, UT that the top time is 55 seconds (circa 2010) and It took me a whopping 5 minutes.
Never been on a downhill bike and rides like that? Jeezus
More of this please! Its great!
You know what would be way more interesting than just the time differences? How they tackle features. The different techniques of getting down and getting down fast, from beginner to pro.
It's crazy what mountain bikes can handle. Well done Louis, looking good out there
Great video! Should do a GMBN presenters race 🏁
Good work. Overall Wilf Carey was 18% faster than Louis Belton, Mat Walker was 24% faster then Wilf and completely nuts 47% faster than Louis.
I'm a beginner.
I would have died getting down that slick track.
Good job Louis!
"As you can tell, bit of a road rider." Why did you have to do him dirty like that, Neil? Damn.
This video was fantastic, just as you think it is done, we get a funny switch to Niel and then a nice run by him. Whoever wrote the plot for this did a really good job
Really rate this video, nice to see some comparison. Especially for those thinking of getting into racing. Keep up the good work!
Still got it Neil, thats a hell of a time up against a current champ. More interested in seeing how you'd fair in the masters category!
Well done louis. Never been on a downhill bike! I thought that was an excellent effort
Damn matt run looks insane! Also louis and the other guy did a fantastic job. That trail looks gnarly lol
I really enjoyed this. Great event - should be done more often!
Glad you did a timed lap Neil. Well done, great video.
I had a shock last year in Morzine, giving it everything going down the Pleney Black line going as fast as I could when I heard someone behind me, I pushed even harder, and he was still behind me, but not so close as I could let him pass. When I got to the bottom I was a wreck! I’d set my fastest ever time but it took everything out of me to do it. Then they guy behind popped out... I asked if I’d held him up and apologised if I had, he was calm, cool and said “nah, that was a lot of fun” It was only Matt Walker!!!!!
I definitely held him up, but he was so cool about it... top bloke
29 seconds!!! 😳 Neil...... You still got it buddy that's a storming time 👏
WOW!!! We have the Pal Vallnord downhill park here in Andorra at a couple of kms from where I live. As a roadie I've never tried it. I think I'll give it a go!!!!
Mountain biking is something I can only do in my dreams. But I had fun watching this video. Everyone is just damn cool.
Unless you have a serious physical disability, you can totally do it. This “beginner” is not a typical beginner. You just start on easy trails and work up, bit by bit.
4:23 was a total radar lock/target fixation. The tree is centered in the screen, which means it was also squarely in his crosshairs visually. His eyes drew him into it and he instinctively bailed, because being a beginner, he didn’t know how to get out of that tractor beam.
Great video guys. Neil still puts down a very respectable time against the pro. Your an awesome rider, Neil.
I think Louis did really well. I‘d like to see how much he could improve with a few days of coaching by Neil. I also would like to see a video what downhill racers do to keep fit off track. Maybe you could make a video about that.
GCN next vid: pro downhilleers vs Manon
They have done the next best thing with XC mtb and Nino Schurter (spelt wrong, sorry Nino)
That was a heroic effort from Louis. No way I'd have gone down there as a beginner!
I hate reality... they're all faster than me. It's a really fun video and you can tell levels right away. Roll the jumps, air out the jumps, scrub the jumps.
Well done to all three, I think the most impressive was the novice.
As for me I would take my time enjoying the technical bits, probably in slow Mo.
But it was thirty years ago I last did mountain bike racing. Always fond memories though.
Matt was impressive, keeping it low, no big airs - true pro.🏆✊
Crazy sick how fast the champ goes…Beginner looks pretty good.
Would be great to have some side-by-side footage of them riding the same sections for comparison!
The podium shot was perfect. The young un is a proper unit, nearly as tall as the pro up on the top step.
Now for some races between Neil and Rob Warner. 1 on modern bikes, 1 on retro bikes.
Think if this would be done on Val di Sole or Champery......then we might calculate differences in hours. Pros are pros for a reason! But I like the fact that we mortals can atleast watch in awe and take som inspiration from them!
Absolutely bananas sport! So exciting to watch
Nice ride gentlemen....very impressive! Matt just floats on the bike and the track. I'm curious if Louis or Wilf will continue to develop their downhill racing skills? Next year, gentlemen!
That's fantastic Neil! Good call!
Still making the stretch from dirt jumping from dh racer in Sprung 3 to this. I think the Don is most improved roadie on a DH track 😀
4:04 - amazing video framing 👍🏼👍🏼
Matt Walker seems like a very composed racer. Doesn't seem full of himself either. What about Matt Walker (UK) versus Matt Walker (NZ)?!
awesome vid, all along I wondered when nick would ride, nice one all of you
4.52 is pretty good dude, I know seconds are a lot but you should be happy with that neal
Just goes to show how cool this sport is. Everyone can have fun, just at differing paces.
Great video by Neil. Found this one to be really interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it!