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Turn it down.
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I haven't done a turndown since 1994. My friends and I were riding a dirt hip, I cranked a half-assed one, landed sketchy, and broke my forks in half which shot me over the bars straight to my face. Luckily, it was in the dirt. I suffered no injuries, just the humiliation of carrying my bike home in two pieces with a dirt beard while passers-by honked at me in amusement.
Firstly, I miss being able to do that trick.
But more importantly, the point of this little question and answer is to celebrate the art of the turndown. Everyone does them just a bit different - but it's a timeless jib that when done well, looks absolutely amazing. The six interviewees below are those who I get the honor to travel with, and each person I've witnessed (on multiple occasions) crank em down. Here is a little insight:
1.Who was the first person you witnessed doing a turndown?
Joe West: Most likely Chris Doyle or Mike Aitken.
Conall Keenan: Probably Matt Hoffman, Props issue nine. It was the first video I'd ever seen. Smiley, also does a pretty sweet Cherry picker drop-in that video too.
Mark Mulville: The first person I remember seeing do one was Punjab. I can't remember what video, and in person I think the first may have been Jeff Harrington.
Tony Cardona: Well this one time, during an east coast OuTSIDR trip, in some sick soil, my friend WISHBIRD did one really good, and held it--3 pointer and then some. My brain doesn't remember the first. Actually, my friend Joe could do them, and I could do unlook-downs, and it was like a trade off.
Mike Saavedra: Well, I had seen a few turndowns at our trails but it wasn't until I went to a King of Dirt back in 2000 when I saw Chris Doyle do a real turndown.
Jared Eberwein: I'm not sure whom I first saw do one, and if I did at the time I probably wouldn't have known what it was. But if I had to say someone, I would say my friend lil Mikey. I do remember him doing them, and then he made me learn them.
Mike Saavedra. Turndown in the Amsterdam.
Mark Mulville, Big Turndown on dirt.
2.When you decided to learn them, where was it on and how long did it take to actually do one?
Joe West: I learned the basic movement up a roll-in however the first one I was psyched on was over a hip! Turndowns took me months to figure out but like most tricks, once you do it you got it!
Conall Keenan: I'm pretty sure I learned them at the Melwood Trails in Ellenton. It took me about a week. I'd do 1 good one for every 500 crappy ones.
Mark Mulville: It was on my trails in New Port Richey. I was maybe 14 or so when I tried and I could not do it for the life of me. Then one day it just clicked and its been one of my favorites since that day.
Tony Cardona: It happened all of the sudden, one day at the trails, and it took a couple summers to get them to FEEL good. The turndown might feel like taking a backwards dump on a urinal when first learned.
Mike Saavedra: After King of Dirt, I went home and started to put in work on that move at our trails. About 9 years later and I'm still trying to get it rite !
Jared Eberwein: When I first decided to learn them, I was trying them out of the big bowl at Jurupa to flat--The new foam pit learning zone nowadays. I think it took me a few days to a week at the most, not too sure.
Mulville, turndown gap in the PA.
Jared Eberwein. Turndown, post fly-out training facility. Jarupa, Ca.
3.Who, in the past or present, does the absolute best turndown?
Joe West: Chris Doyle hands down.
Conall Keenan: It's a tough choice. So many people do the trick well, but I'll have to say Joe Rich. Anybody who's been riding for a while remembers the legendary poster that came with Ride magazine of Joe Rich doing a 360 turndown at the old Primo ramps. This poster totally blew my mind. He over cranks turndowns but somehow they still look graceful.
Mark Mulville: That's a hard one, so many people now are cranking it past where it should be able to go. Doyle does some awesome ones in 360s, Joey Juaristi does them sweet too.
Tony Cardona: I have seen some turndowns, and I'd have to say it lies best in the underground, and there's a MURDER of them flying round the woods. GO DIG.
Mike Saavedra: This is a really hard question.....360 turndowns--its always going to be Doyle for sure. But with the rise of giant bars almost every one can crank a turndown. But my vote for best turndown would be for Mike Aitken. He can turndown in or out of any combo!
Jared Eberwein: I don't know who to say in particular, but there's a lot of guys out there doing those really, really cranked turndowns that look amazing. So I would have to say anyone that can really crank um, like POW!
Cardona. Athens, Georgia. Photo by Dolecki.
Cranked at the West compound in Springfield, Missouri. Photo by Jeff Brockmeyer.
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Article id# 780
| Added Oct 24, 2008 |
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