Comments on: Extreme longboard freeride down a mountain road

By: Timmy Corkery

Timmy Corkery — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:50:00 +0000

Win.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:31:00 +0000

They were going about 25-40mph.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:28:00 +0000

Indeed. This run was filmed during a weekend-long event at which they closed off the road, put hay bales and volunteer observers on all the corners, and kept EMTs at the ready in case of injuries.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Believe it or not, at least one of these girls has a totally badd-ass custom leather racing suit. It was hot as hell on the hill last weekend, though, so almost everyone was riding in t-shirts by the end of the day.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:12:00 +0000

It is fun!

Believe it or not, that’s a pretty mellow hill for experienced riders. Most crashes there are the result of people getting too rowdy and running into each other.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:10:00 +0000

The pucks themselves aren’t meant slow you down, they just let you put a hand down for better balance. If you want to slow down quickly, you lean back on the glove and pitch the board sideways into a powerslide.

Most people just drag their shoe along the ground to stop at the bottom of Maryhill, as sliding wears your wheels out.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:07:00 +0000

The blocks of plastic let you put your hands down on the pavement while sliding the wheels to slow down. Most people drag a shoe to stop at the bottom of Maryhill, as sliding to a stop wears out your wheels.

By: Maxwell Storey Dubler

Maxwell Storey Dubler — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:06:00 +0000

Both of those girls actually have custom-made leather racing suits that are pretty badass. It was just really goddamn hot that day.

By: Jah-Fou

Jah-Fou — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:50:00 +0000

you can hear him kick with his foot on his longboard at the beginning – 2 people one board ain’t happening

By: devophill

devophill — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Here is an example of that (with shorter boards): http://youtu.be/2QJVDGtzvEE?t=23s

By: craniac

craniac — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:51:00 +0000

I have been obsessively watching longboard videos for a month. They stop the same way snowboarders do, by turning sideways and sliding. On turns they put a hand down, hence the slide gloves. If they have to bail they slide on their knee pads and protected palms.

By: skeptacally

skeptacally — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:45:00 +0000

I used to live in Lake Louise, Alberta (in the mountains of Banff National Park). I biked from the lake itself down to the villiage of Lake Louise a number of few times, . It’s a 3 1/2 km chunk of road that somewhat switchbacks its way down a mountain. Pretty similar to this.

I have to tell you, it was scary-ass-shit crazy on a bike. On a skateboard? You are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

Thankfully, these girls seem more brave than stupid.

All I know is this: a single piece of gravel changes everything.

By: skeptacally

skeptacally — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:35:00 +0000

and, at that speed, 3: flail, fall, tumble, bounce, skid. 4: bleed.

By: BombBlastLightingWaltz

BombBlastLightingWaltz — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:09:00 +0000

At the lest, there is confidence of no rubble/pebble/etc.. on the road surface that may complicate navigation or post-accidental careening treatment by EMS of said road rash.

By: BombBlastLightingWaltz

BombBlastLightingWaltz — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:04:00 +0000

Ripley’s will be seeking residuals for that remark.

By: StAlfongzo

StAlfongzo — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:03:00 +0000

That was a killer run!

Bomb Hills not People!

By: andygates

andygates — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Isn’t half the point of a longboard to damp out those frequencies?

By: Petzl

Petzl — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:44:00 +0000

UH. At least the girls were on a closed track. These guys are insane. No closed track. Staying on right lane? That’s for poseurs. Here we have civilian traffic going both ways. With all sorts of possible obstructions on the way down. Not to mention any rock on the road the size of a quarter will send them careening. There’s residences along the road, with which you can assume there are bikers, cars pulling out, children. Forget these guys killing themselves, what if they kill someone else? These guys are uncool.

By: Tim H

Tim H — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:49:00 +0000

And it actually is fun to play, believe it or not.

By: er0ck

er0ck — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:44:00 +0000

aka speed wobbles.

By: korvorn

korvorn — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:52:00 +0000

awesome video. it kinda reminds me of the “otters holding hands” video in that while i am sure holding hands serves some purpose, i can’t help but find it utterly adorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

By: Ludovic Pessot

Ludovic Pessot — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:42:00 +0000

My thought exactly.

By: curiousrobot

curiousrobot — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:48:00 +0000

Okay, how am I the first person to say

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

By: mandabunny

mandabunny — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:50:00 +0000

They are just really graceful. Almost balletic, and that is awesome. Being tough board chicks, and somehow exuding grace at the same time.

By: TheMudshark

TheMudshark — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:28:00 +0000

On the one hand I can´t help but imagine their unprotected bodyparts disappearing into the asphalt like parmesan into a cheese grater, on the other hand I really want to join them. This looks like so much fun.

By: Itsumishi

Itsumishi — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:27:00 +0000

@Kimmoth:disqus Having gloves with hockey pucks or similar and experience will allow you to stop a longboard pretty quickly. I’ve only been able to find one video quickly, and the guy isn’t going down hill, nor going as fast as these girls, but the physics is the same. Turn sharply, put your hands down, get the board perpendicular to the hill. You’ll stop pretty fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trkIc19O-EM

By: Kimmo

Kimmo — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:50:00 +0000

As I understand it, shoes, gloves and even knee pads could be helpful in that regard.

But yeah, more a matter of slowing, rather than stopping. Although I gather the road was closed.

By: Kimmo

Kimmo — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:47:00 +0000

I believe the expression I’m looking for is… off the chain.

Seen it before, but just as good the second time round : )

By: Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:24:00 +0000

Again, I wasn’t arguing with you, but as a competent mountain cyclist who through no particular lack of skill has slipped out on tarmac before, I look at the bare skin on display and cringe, especially on vehicles with no discernible means of stopping.

By: Kimmo

Kimmo — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:38:00 +0000

So you’re wondering if I’d say the same for folks who imagine any amount of ability can protect them in leiu of a helmet from the physics of crashing a motorbike?

No, I wouldn’t. There’s skill and daring, and then there’s Russian roullette.

But ask me about bicycle helmets.