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Epic MTB riding skills - not a lot going round it seems :-)


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That suspension seems fairly efficient. I didn't notice the rear wheel lifting off the ground once. Brand snobs much be choking on their over priced, branded chain lube...

All about the rider in that clip dare I say it!

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If the Cape Epic was won or lost on the descents your argument would have been valid.  In XCM you spend more than 50% of the time climbing, so you gear up and set up for that, and tolerate your setup for the rest of the route.  In XCM and XCO, riders set their bikes up to be the best compromise for the route they will have to ride.  In XCO they go even lighter (high risk/reward) and in XCM they go a little more towards reliabilty.

 

The fact is, that even if Hermida could have gone 10 seconds faster down that descent with a dropper post, he would have to ride with a dropper post up each and every climb, on a route where the big margins are made on the climbs and not the descents.  In addition to this,  a dropper post is something else that can fail on a bike, and in XCM reliability plays a big factor.  These guys set their bikes up for the race they ride, and they use their skill to compensate for the shortcomings of their setup.

I don't disagree with you at all - as I said it may well be a waste of time using a dropper seat post on the Epic although if I did it, I'd put one on so I could have more fun on the descents...

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Nonsense, would've been able to ride like that on any of the other T :nuke:P brands like a boss... 

 

100%. Just Like Silverback winning the Prologue. I am glad that we agree that Merida is a top brand.....

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100%. Just Like Silverback winning the Prologue. I am glad that we agree that Merida is a top brand.....

Merida make great kids bikes  :ph34r:

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I flagged his KOM on Strava. Lets see what happens...

he hasn't uploaded his ride yet(maybe he still doesn't know how to use our slow interwebs). the fastest tracked time was actually from one of our longtime local pros...not one of the household names but a damn good XC rider who has bided his time.

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he hasn't uploaded his ride yet(maybe he still doesn't know how to use our slow interwebs). the fastest tracked time was actually from one of our longtime local pros...not one of the household names but a damn good XC rider who has bided his time.

If he uploads the ride he will be breaking the rules. He may not publish route info.
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It will never become that. It is a MTB multiday marathon event and it is possibly the ultimate MTB marathon. If thats your definition of MTB then perhaps it is the ultimate.

 

Whether its fun is another matter entirely. I have entered this event - Its smaller, costs less and I guarantee it will be more fun than the Epic (for me)

 

http://trans-savoie.com/

don't want to be a spoilsport, but here's my napkin math. 

 

(assumption - you live in the cape, as per avatar info)

cape-epic 2015 - entry R25k

 

trans savoie 2015- entry R20k (conservatively 1629EUR)  

flight+taxes - ct geneva-ct R10k

 

that's just a start, ovvius there will be more out of pocket expenses as a tourist in heidiland (lank cheap place, though). would love to see how you manage to do this event for less than even the schmepic.

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Agree, it is one stupid rule.  We can all see the route on the live tracker.  We that have ridden Oak Valley, Elgin and Welvanpas know most of the trails well anyway.

Edited by Moridin
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Roadie alert...  :whistling:

 

PS: Somebody should let Jose know about this dropper post malarkey...

He'd had overtaken those Olympic XC champions a whole lot quicker then  :blush:  :thumbup:

Did you hear him shout S T R A V A at about 1:03 ?

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