DirtTV:Mini Downhill Rippers

February 2nd, 2010 @ 9:30 AM | Author: billy

Rippers are the future of our sport. Young, keen and sensible enough to let their dads push the bikes to the top.
We caught up with a few rippers (10/11 year old downhill racers) at the recent MiniDownhill at the Forest of Dean.


More Mountain Biking >>

Tags: ,

22 Responses to “DirtTV:Mini Downhill Rippers”

  1. The only thing I hate about the groms is when they turn up at your trails & (cough COUGH) smoke us time served riders asses. Thats when I nip behind a tree let doon the tyre & play the game over puncture card & call it a day.

    Go groms, love it, Steve Peat watch your ass these kids are fast!!!

  2. Lave Dane game name
    February 2nd, 2010 at 4:23 pm

    Mint! my names milo and I’m er 11.. no 10.. Class!
    really good to see a young nipper ripper class.
    Cheers

  3. Brilliant, sounding like an old fart, but its good to see these kids doing something good with there time. I hope these boys stick with it.

  4. Steve Peat still inspiring the kids…

  5. Think I’d better get out a ride my bike a bit more….

  6. Quality!

  7. They’re the future !

  8. It’s a bit sad that these kids are clearly from the upper end of the social scale.. When I was a youf people used to razz DH on anything with wheels in jeans and an a team t shirt… Perhaps reduce the rippers category to a fiver and offer hire / test bikes?? I never used to ride with anyone called Archie or Milo… It was Daz P – still works in the chippie, Tyrone (my old man’s doing bird for blagging) and Jason (no teeth) Clarke. Don’t think there will be many more ‘Peaty’ characters in the sport at this rate..

  9. Great little vid Billy Boy, inspiring to watch these young uns razz down the same course as the rest of the field. Also big up to the parents for supporting these kids, it aint cheap you know. I can remember key people who helped/supported me on my way back in the day.

    Well done Mr Porter for having a Ripper class, shame you can’t make the entry a bit cheaper.

  10. The future of this sport is Bank loan, Bike, Race, Skint sell your bike and have little change after buying a fish supper…

  11. I agree fully with Ronnie’s point and would like to see it discused in dirt.
    After photographing a few SDA races it’s very clear it’s only kids with middle or upper class backgrounds that are winning or even competing. This sport really isn’t for anyone only for those kids with the middle class or better background. If the sport is to grow racing really needs to be made affordable.

  12. And who cares where the kids came in race. The question is are they having fun.

  13. I’m not having a go at these kids, you don’t choose your parents and they are better than me already. I would just like to see it made more affordable for kids who want to compete but can’t afford it.. Manufacturers could find some serious talent if they opened the sport up a bit, the kids on my estate are seriously fast when being chased by the police on pee wee bikes. The Gov’t don’t help with VAT and tax on kids bikes.

  14. I’m Archies dad, the lad in the interview, i’m interested in the comments re social background and racing. I’m fortunate enough to have a pretty good job but I still have to scour the internet for cheap parts to keep Archie and his brothers bike in usuable condition. Personally I would like to see some assistance with safety equipment, most of the lads riding only had full face helmets and some had knee pads, I feel that Archie and the rest of the lads should be wearing neck braces at least and preferably body armour, sadly I can’t afford it. Regarding race fees, I have two sons racing who also want to race XC, this is easily £100 a month in entry fees and this stops me from entering. I would gladly pay for myself but some reduction for under 18’s would be appropriate, even if this meant an increase somewhere else to cover it. Does anyone know how to download the video, I’d like to be able to keep a copy.
    Also a big thanks to all the organsisers, the race format works really well the whole family really enjoyed it. roll on February

  15. Ronnie I think you’re way off the mark on several points on your first comment. For example Milo was riding his dads old hardtail from years back (his dad being Hippy Rich who was riding a Blender in the Vets, I’m sure Hippy Rich would be the first to say that he is not at the upper end of the social scale). Jaccomo another lad was riding an old 24″ jump bike in everyday clothes, there were plenty of cheap bikes being ridden. Your point about names being linked to class is ridiculous.
    I do agree though that the sport needs to be opened up to more youngsters they are the future of the sport.

  16. Well i will say this because no one knows me i make over £50000 a year and i find the pricing stupid and hard to fork out for just for myself you can MX cheaper than you can Bike.

    I work in Fabrication and inspection and i tell you now the money we pay for what we get is shit.

  17. I was there and the kids seemed sound.. It costs a bit to do but the kids seemed like a mixed group. I sort of know Jake’s dad and he’s not a home county mountie, just really supportive and wants his lad to have fun.. As long as kids are coming up through the sport – who cares? You will always get people coming over from MX and BMX who come from all sorts of backgrounds as well. swwet event by the way – see you in Feb (on my 700 quid bike).

  18. Just on the cost of racing.

    It cost’s the same for 10 year old as it does for the Pro racer,
    i don’t get discount from the Forestry or Medics, insurance, trophies, etc etc its one fixed price.

    Race for Free
    If you want a free entry all you have to do is help out any any of the events and your child or anyone can race for free.
    There is marshal link on the website just fill in the form.

    Bikes, you can race anything you want, most people were on cheap hardtails and to be honest thats all you need.
    My kids starting racing on hardtails and used them for at least 2 or 3 years before they got better bikes.

    Dave on the MX comment,
    Yep pop along to any mx practice track and they let your ride for free? i dont think so!

    Go to any FC in the UK and you can ride your bike for free,
    that might be why there are guys riding round the forest on MX bikes causing all sorts of problems?

  19. [...] See the Dirt TV film from the race in January 2010 Dirtmag [...]

  20. [...] Dirt TV [...]

  21. Hi,I feel really upset by the narrow minded comments above.The comments imply that all the rippers were from well off families because of there name ???
    What a load of tosh !!!!
    My son`s name is Lewis.
    He lives on a housing estate in Partridge Green,East Sussex.
    He raced in the rippers at the FoD in december 09.
    He did`nt race in february as I was working.
    I bought his bike (Stinky 2-4) with the money from selling my house.No bank loan.
    We traveled 240 miles to get there and loved every minute of it.
    Please dont generalize about us and things you know nothing about.

  22. Downhill racing in the UK is expensive, not least because of entry fees and the cost of the kit but simply because of the problems in getting to the races. If you don’t have a car (I don’t), you’re faced with the problem of moving a bike which is largely unrideable on the road (40 lbs weight, hardly any gears, the wrong geometry, knobbly tyres) to areas hundreds of miles away that are not covered by public transport. Can’t think of a simple solution to this, but would welcome more urban downhills in towns with a mainline train station!

Tell us what you think

Categories

DIRT WEBSITE PARTNERS

Dropping the Bomb

Sign up to “Dropping the Bomb” to enjoy all the best features of Dirt and receive our free newsletter.


Latest Forum Topics