Downhill MTB as Retirement Career

Also, the womens class is no joke. Here's Nina Hoffman coming a few feet short jumping straight into a wallride at high speed:

How to do it:
 

They are all way to old at this point. There is now way to just jump in without a life of specific training riding and developing as a DH racer, same as it takes life long commitment to make it as a pro MXer. Local pro level is doable for sure, but no way as a career that pays. That’s funny

Most pro level gravity MTB racers also ride moto. And lots are really fast. 

But it’s hard not to mention Shawn Palmer, qualified for a SX and killed it in DH. LEGEND

I started XC mtb when I stopped MX and then thought I'd try enduro as "my MX techniques will get me straight on the pace, yeah?"

Entered the UK Gravity series and had a year of throwing myself down stuff I'd never attempted on a motorbike, and coming off worse. After that, I stuck to the XC. As other people have commented; mtb's are sketchy as hell compared to an MX bike (the lighter weight?), and the slightest wrong move ends up in a rapid earth/sky/earth/sky/ambulance scenario..

I have several EMTB's and ride quite a bit. I used to think jumping these bicycles would be a joke and easy. It looks so simple and the jumps are smaller than moto by far. (I'm talking rec riding...not pro stuff jumps). Getting these things to clear 10' jumps or 5 foot drops is fkng SCARY...it's 100% momentum and set up before you ever leave the ground. There is no blip on the throttle that is going to help on a MTB. And the fact that you can smoke into a tree or pile of rocks in the middle of the woods with nobody around makes you think twice I'll tell you that. These pros are no joke...they are friggin cookoo good on a bike.

It’s kinda funny, looking at a SX track from the stands is one thing. Same as looking at a real DH track, much different when you are trying to ride it fast without dying.

There is a thread just like this on Vital MTB right now, mostly the same opinions. I wish the AMA would not have stopped Bernard Kerr from racing SX, or trying to qualify. That guy has serious moto skills. 

Not a retirement career, but a mid-career switch is definitely possible, somewhat JMB-style (he didn't excel in MotoGP but he was no slouch either). Gwin is a perfect example.

Just this a month ago Todd Kellett decided to try an IXS Downhill World Cup round. Finished 21st at Fort William. Full-time MXer and one-off DHer. Not too shabby. If he chose to focus solely on DH, I'm guessing he'd start climbing the ranks pretty quickly. Granted it's not UCI, but Gwin didn't start there either.

I would love to see Kenny try and see where he stacks up. I think getting on pace with the current crop of DH talent would be a tall order though. Amaury, Loic, Jackson, Asa…. Just to name a few. There are some gnarly dudes on the DH circuit right now! Absolute freaks!!

Sorry but Kenny isn't getting close to these guys

Top moto guys would do better than anyone from any other discipline - it would be a great starting point but does not translate to World Cup level. 

Certainly not a retirement gig!

I think it easier for younger guys to transition from moto to mtb but I wouldn’t bet on Kenny not doing well if he really put the time in. He would have to really send it to bridge the gap. There’s some pretty phenomenal MTB talent that also have pro moto talent. First ones that come to mind besides the ones already mentioned are Carson Eiswald and Mike Geise. 

Disagree. Bmx is an easier transition. My dirtbike is nothing like riding a dh bike. Try trailbraking on a mtb and let me know how that goes. 

I think dh mtb is more of a hybrid of the bmx & moto. Skills are more bmx. Speed and line selection is more moto. Just my opinion. What do I know. 

Buddy threw an Oppo into a wooden wallride jump. What an absolute animal. 

Most of these highly successful moto guys would probably be best having a Mike Alessi "retirement", hitting up pro-ams and one-offs for gate fees and purses than trying to qualify in any other highly-competitve pro sport. 

Not to say they shouldn't participate in those other sports, but as far as a "career" -- whether we are talking off-road, cycle, whatever -- people at the top level in every pro sports discipline that you can make a decent living at are really good at that sport.