Are high-speed downhill sprints with a rolling start really the best way to improve explosive acceleration and top-end speed, or are they just a recipe for disaster waiting to happen, with riders recklessly throwing themselves down steep hills in pursuit of a fleeting adrenaline rush and a few extra watts on their Strava segment times?
Is it really worth the risk of serious injury or even death just to shave a few seconds off your time, or are there safer and more effective ways to build the kind of explosive power and speed that elite riders seem to possess in abundance?
And what about the role of rolling starts in downhill sprints - do they really make a difference, or are they just a way to give riders a false sense of security as they hurtle down the mountain at breakneck speeds?
Are we just kidding ourselves if we think that a few high-speed intervals are going to magically transform us into the next Aaron Gwin or Rachel Atherton, or is there more to it than just raw speed and aggression?
And what about the impact on the environment and other trail users - are we really just going to ignore the damage that high-speed downhill riding can cause to the trails and the ecosystem, just so we can get our fix of adrenaline and speed?
Can we really justify the risks and the environmental impact of high-speed downhill sprints, or are we just going to keep on pretending that theyre a necessary evil in the pursuit of speed and glory?