The evolution of mountain biking

In my last post I discused the differences between my Sugar and my Hi Fi mountain bikes. They look roughly the same but are very different due to the ever advancing research and development to create bikes that ride smooth and will go over anything. When I first started riding over 20 years ago the technical innovation that we thought was fantastic was indexed shifters which allowed you to change gears without having to get the shift lever in the exact position. Just push with your thumb until you hear a click and presto you are in the next gear.
I remember my first rides at Kolapore when we had no suspension on the bikes and so going over obstacles was not a great option so you went around them. We used to end many of our rides around Blue Mountain by racing down Happy Valley (without suspension) and your biggest problem was visibility because your head was bouncing up and down so fast from the bumps that it was tough to see. We did it though because Jozo's and a cold beer was at the bottom of the hill. A fall was guaranteed to hurt. I first met Lori after a crash she had coming down Happy Valley and I don't think her shoulder has ever fully recovered so rest assured it was risky coming down there. I'm know full suspension bikes come down the hill much faster now but I doubt it is any more hair raising.
A few years later suspension forks came on the scene which help take some of the pounding and then full suspension bikes started appearing about 15 years ago but like any other innovation it has taken quite a few years to refine those bikes although in racing hardtails are still prevalent and winning. I think for most racers hardtails are lighter and because many courses are not that technical the hardtail is the choice.
With the new big travel suspension bikes has come a change to trails and the way they are made or maybe the bikes have changed because the trails are becoming more technical. A chicken or egg scenario. All I know is trails are getting rockier and more technical but because of these new bikes have so much suspension travel it's not much different than the riding on tamer trails with no suspension.
The sport of mountain biking has changed over the years and I don't think it's any better or more fun now than it was 20 years ago but there is no doubt about it, it's different.