# Brian Lopes?



## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

I got my new Bell Drop helmet and the only cool color / pattern that would fit my bike and style was the Brian Lopes addition helmet. It's a pretty cool graphic but the only thing I don't like is that it has a NASCAR like number on the back of it, 55. I really wanted Matte Black but they are sold out 

Anyway, I did some research on the guy and he is a really amazing rider. He has his own website where he blogs about the events and trips he goes too. But man, he seems like a huge jerk. Which I guess you can be if you got the stuff to back it up and it seems like he does. I'm just wondering what everyones thoughts on the guy is and trying to see what else I can learn about him so I don't look like an idiot when someone says, "Hey cool, the Brian Lopes helmet! Isn't he awesome?!?!?!"

This was probably my favorite movie I've found of him:


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

He is not a jerk, but arrogant. He once raced some guy(and easily WON) on a Huffy kids bike for the guys entire paycheck..about $600. Not cool...


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

What made me think that way is the one blog he posted about road bike racing:

http://www.brianlopes.com/archives/000361.html

DH/4x/BMX racing is way different scene and experience than road bike racing. Everyone should know that, especially a pro rider of any discipline.

About the guy losing his check, that was kind of silly. I would NEVER race a champion of anything on any bike, even if it was a 12". Screw that. But if the guy he raced didn't know who he was, then yea, that's kind of lame.


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## 9.8m/s/s (Sep 26, 2005)

That's just an athlete being hyper competitive and trying to get in peoples heads. Any way he can psyke out the competition is to his advantage, so why not? They all know he has a mtb/ bmx background and probably has much better bike handling skills than them, so why not make your competitors loose a little sleep over it? 

Go read the story about Lance charging up a mountain stage and spending extra energy to show everyone he wasn't hurting. It broke everyone else in the race because they all decided he was super human after that effort.


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

xDetroitMetalx said:


> What made me think that way is the one blog he posted about road bike racing:
> 
> http://www.brianlopes.com/archives/000361.html
> .


makes sense to me, and sounds fair and sporting. its not like hes saying he throws sticks into racers spokes.. hes got a good point too, hes taking the front pull and the drafters are benefiting from his work, they should at least pay attention to the road.


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## EDizzleVR6 (Oct 4, 2007)

when you can race dominantly at anytype of cycling race, i give the man props


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## treetop (May 8, 2009)

4 words:

Krylon Fusion Flat Black.


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## ronnyg801 (Oct 4, 2008)

Wait, Ive never followed cyclecross but are there always obstacles to be bunny hopped?! You think all the upper level guys he was riding against would learn how... To me its ridiculous that theyre getting off their bikes, hahahahha


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## stevo92 (May 2, 2007)

Cyclocross is cool in all but I would be sketched out as hell to bunny hop one of those bikes......if its anything like a road bike?


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

treetop said:


> 4 words:
> 
> Krylon Fusion Flat Black.


I've sprayed a helmet before, it looks like balls. I like how the Brian Lopes helmet looks I just don't dig that it has his number on there.


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

ronnyg801 said:


> Wait, Ive never followed cyclecross but are there always obstacles to be bunny hopped?! You think all the upper level guys he was riding against would learn how... To me its ridiculous that theyre getting off their bikes, hahahahha


The cross bikes can take a fair beating. Those barriers were pretty tall, like knee height. I don't think most of those cycle cross riders would know the correct technique to bunny hop that height.


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## markf (Jan 17, 2007)

good cross racers sure as hell do, but the barriers are often so close that there's virtually no set up time to land and ready for the second jump. look up todd wells and cyclocross. he's nuts.

//edit: not wells but matt white. check out how close together the barriers are.


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## joelalamo45 (Aug 3, 2006)

I dunno... most bmx kids I know could take a cross bike and clear that stuff first or second time through.


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## Yanner (Dec 20, 2006)

joelalamo45 said:


> I dunno... most bmx kids I know could take a cross bike and clear that stuff first or second time through. I wouldn't classify it as nuts. It's called bike skills, which most roadies/cross guys at the highest level don't really have. Some do, but most do not.


Cleaning something two feet high when you're just goofing around and having fun and clearing the same thing 45 minutes into a 90 minute race (at race pace efforts) are very much different.


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## RideFaster (Dec 18, 2004)

"Brian Lopes is a dick"
http://www.site.hbcutthecoursein1990.com/Announcements.html


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## joelalamo45 (Aug 3, 2006)

Yanner said:


> Cleaning something two feet high when you're just goofing around and having fun and clearing the same thing 45 minutes into a 90 minute race (at race pace efforts) are very much different.


True, true...


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

RideFaster said:


> "Brian Lopes is a dick"
> http://www.site.hbcutthecoursein1990.com/Announcements.html


The guy that wrote that seem like he's a bigger dick. There is absolutely nothing he wrote backing up his claims. My search continues!


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## joelalamo45 (Aug 3, 2006)

I've met him a couple of times at events, once about 15 years ago when I was doing some shows for Mongoose at Mammoth Mountain at a NORBA event, and at Crankworx Colorado last year. I dunno, I'm kinda lukewarm on the guy. He didn't seem too be a dick, but at the same time, he didn't seem to be super nice either.


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

Meh, I liked the helmets graphics and that's what I bought it for. To bad Bell doesn't show off the number 55 they slap on the back of it or else I probably would have picked the more generic graphic. *shrugs* At least it's more original I suppose.

If Brian is really a jerk or not I guess everyone here can agree that the man is really great at what he does.


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

Many of world class athletes aren't super nice outgoing people. Of course, there a few that are down to earth. I always thought of it in terms of looking at what goes into the mindset of a world cup level racer.... They strive and give their all to be better and faster than everyone else out there. Going fast and winning are what they bust their a$$ for, not just going out to have a good time on their bike shredding with friends. To each their own, but it's not a place to find super cool, laid back people just wanting to have fun. Again their is always a small exception....

Regardless if Lopes is a cool dude or not, he is a very accomplished bike rider so no one can take that away from him. Still, everyone can be a little nicer and outgoing though.


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## RideFaster (Dec 18, 2004)

JGill said:


> Many of world class athletes aren't super nice outgoing people. Of course, there a few that are down to earth. I always thought of it in terms of looking at what goes into the mindset of a world cup level racer.... They strive and give their all to be better and faster than everyone else out there. Going fast and winning are what they bust their a$$ for, not just going out to have a good time on their bike shredding with friends. To each their own, but it's not a place to find super cool, laid back people just wanting to have fun. Again their is always a small exception....
> 
> Regardless if Lopes is a cool dude or not, he is a very accomplished bike rider so no one can take that away from him. Still, everyone can be a little nicer and outgoing though.


I agree. It is their job to perform at their best and the stress could be a little impeding of their kindness.


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## Axis (Mar 11, 2004)

I have met Lopes many many times here in Cleveland. I am fortunate enough to be able to ride and be behind the scenes at the local events. 

Ya he isn't super outgoing but he isn't a dick at all. He rides to win... and that is what he does. Even when JD barely beat him on in the pump track he wasn't a dick about it. At his age he is still a monster competitor.


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

wasn't brian lopes one of the first people getting coverage for jumping mountain bikes and was regularly on mtb magazine covers ? like all through the 90's....


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## xDetroitMetalx (Mar 19, 2009)

Probably, he's a way big name.


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## bloodfart (Apr 30, 2009)

stevo92 said:


> Cyclocross is cool in all but I would be sketched out as hell to bunny hop one of those bikes......if its anything like a road bike?


come on cyclocross will never be cool and fixies will turn back into rollerblades by 2012


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## Maestroforlife (Sep 5, 2008)

Well, 2012 is almost over and fixies have not turned back into rollerblades, but both are lame as ever, and Brian Lopes is still a a-hole!


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