Bikes for Downhill..

[Skott5]

Rapelato and Smith were unlucky in the final - that's racing. They were quick as phuck in practice.

 

Talent first - Team support second - wheel size somewhere down the list.

 

People are reading too much into this wheel size thing - AGAIN !

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Rapelato and Smith were unlucky in the final - that's racing. They were quick as phuck in practice.

 

Talent first - Team support second - wheel size somewhere down the list.

 

People are reading too much into this wheel size thing - AGAIN !

 

Oh absolutely. And Sick Mick's run was super impressive. The speed he carried into those tables

 

He had to squash them in order to land in the transition zone. Flying!

 

As has been said before - the bike does definitely make a difference, I mean the Yeti would have been better at the pedally sections for sure. But the tech sections - that's where the long travel and slack angles make all that time back.

 

At the end of the day, rider condition and skill (not to mention luck on the day) make a bigger difference than wheel size. Bike selection also plays a bigger role than wheel size.

[Guest Omega Man]

As has been said before - the bike does definitely make a difference, I mean the Yeti would have been better at the pedally sections for sure. But the tech sections - that's where the long travel and slack angles make all that time back.

 

Slack head angles actually help for high speed stability and keep your weight back on the steeps. In "tech" tight stuff it's actually a hindrance cos the bike doesn't like to turn.

 

On a side note. It would have been interesting to see Crashaloto hitting those monster tables at speed with those 2 sails underneath him in that crosswind.

Edited September 2, 2013 by Omega Man

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

@omega - yeah. But then the big bikes don't really pedal well do they?

 

As for the tech bits - was more referring to the big hits and rock drops / gardens etc where every bit of travel helps.

 

Agreed on the tight n twisties though. Can you imagine the way the sb66 must have been able to accelerate out the turns compared to the v10?

[Guest Omega Man]

@omega - yeah. But then the big bikes don't really pedal well do they?

 

As for the tech bits - was more referring to the big hits and rock drops / gardens etc where every bit of travel helps.

 

Agreed on the tight n twisties though. Can you imagine the way the sb66 must have been able to accelerate out the turns compared to the v10?

Ah ok. Ja for sure.

 

It's quite interesting that a similar thing happened in 2009 in Aus when Steve Peat won. everyone was fiddling with bikes and running air this and shorter that. And Steve Peat came out and won on the bike he'd been riding all year and Greg came 2nd by .05 of a second. Both were on V10's running full travel.

 

On the sb66 thing. Jared Graves is a beast. I honestly think he's the best all round cyclist in the world right now. BMX finals at the Olympics, 4x World Cup and World champ, Killing it in Enduro and then to come 3rd at worlds. The only other rider that is that multi talented in my mind is Caroline Buchanan

Edited September 2, 2013 by Omega Man

[niterider]

The only other rider that is that multi talented in my mind is Caroline Buchanan

 

Don't forget Anne-Caro!

[Capricorn]

 

 

On the sb66 thing. Jared Graves is a beast. I honestly think he's the best all round cyclist in the world right now. BMX finals at the Olympics, 4x World Cup and World champ, Killing it in Enduro and then to come 3rd at worlds. The only other rider that is that multi talented in my mind is Caroline Buchanan

 

did you just cheat on Jill, in public???

But i like what Gravey said in a vitalMTB interview: Enduro and DH racing is so different, but he was happy that he could manage to switch his mind set from one format to another. So totally agreed about his multifaceted talents. Thing is though, Greg did come 3rd was it not, in one enduro event? If he spends as much time as Graves does, who do you think would nail it? Greg's a total mentalist when it comes to being an athlete.

[Guest Omega Man]

Don't forget Anne-Caro!

Oh. Yes true.

[nigelhicks]

I don't think he would consider it at Val de Sol though.

 

Actually ..... As he said in a couple of interviews - he tried his DH Bike at Fort William and hated it - he said he would have rather ridden the little bike there too as its what he is used to ....

 

So its not really the track as much as what you are used to .... Ropelato said the same thing

[Capricorn]

 

So its not really the track as much as what you are used to .... Ropelato said the same thing

 

that subjectivity is always true, however, I'm still of the opinion that when it comes to being best, you have to use the right tool for the right job. Even Graves had to forego his normal enduro tyres because they were too squiggly under the big hits. I'm keen to see what else he changes if he decides to attempt Fort Bill with the smaller bike.

 

 

funny thought: as Minnaar's wheel was deflating, he was going faster than Mick up until the finish line. Moral of the story, the smaller the wheel, the faster you go..

 

[ZION]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10035894/p5pb10035894.jpg

[r.hendrix]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10035894/p5pb10035894.jpg

this really creates more questions than it answers... looks a trip.

[Ryanpmb]

Too much talking and not enough photos in this thread. Bleh.

[r.hendrix]

Too much talking and not enough photos in this thread. Bleh.

 

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Last-Day-Randoms-Eurobike-2013.html

 

head on over to the last bits of Eurobike....

[Hairy]

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10035820/p5pb10035820.jpg

[Super_mil]

Moved to the correct forum heading

Edited September 3, 2013 by Super_mil