UCI DH World Cup 2017 #1 - Lourdes 29-30 April

[Mongooser]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/fox-29-dh-fork-mondraker-29er-dh-bike.html

they say about 190mm for a 29er fox 49?

[Headshot]

Imagine how FFFFAAAAAAAAASTTTT they will go at MSA on the big wheels!!!

And maybe some more outbraking incidents like Gee's ball thumper a year or two back?:-)

 

Frankly I cant see the introduction of even bigger wheels making the spectacle any better, unless broken wheels and flats are what we watch for? Yes, I know there are pucker 29er DH tyres now and wheels are boosted and strong, but I think initially reliability is going to be an issue. Time will tell.

[Odinson]

And maybe some more outbraking incidents like Gee's ball thumper a year or two back?:-)

 

Frankly I cant see the introduction of even bigger wheels making the spectacle any better, unless broken wheels and flats are what we watch for? Yes, I know there are pucker 29er DH tyres now and wheels are boosted and strong, but I think initially reliability is going to be an issue. Time will tell.

 

Most of the top teams spend a fair bit of time in the off-season testing new kit, components and suspension.

 

If any of the big teams do decide to run a 29er, you can bet they'll be plenty certain that the wheels and tyres will be up to the challenge.

 

Considering that only Trek has unveiled a 29er prototype, I'd be interesting to see if any teams decide to chuck the FOX 49 on the front of their 650B bikes and run a hybrid, maybe with some custom liks/rockers to compensate for the changes in geo.

[NicoBoshoff]

And maybe some more outbraking incidents like Gee's ball thumper a year or two back?:-)

 

Frankly I cant see the introduction of even bigger wheels making the spectacle any better, unless broken wheels and flats are what we watch for? Yes, I know there are pucker 29er DH tyres now and wheels are boosted and strong, but I think initially reliability is going to be an issue. Time will tell.

Pretty sure with this being the F1 of mountain biking they would have tested the crap out of this seeing as people's careers are on the line.

 

 

Furthermore, I doubt it will be a wholesale adoption.  There will always be tight tracks where they may prefer a more agile ride.

 

Finally, the bigger wheels have proven themselves plenty on the EWS which you will have noticed consists of DH worthy tracks.  If people are winning on them there, why not on DHI?

[NicoBoshoff]

Most of the top teams spend a fair bit of time in the off-season testing new kit, components and suspension.

 

If any of the big teams do decide to run a 29er, you can bet they'll be plenty certain that the wheels and tyres will be up to the challenge.

 

Considering that only Trek has unveiled a 29er prototype, I'd be interesting to see if any teams decide to chuck the FOX 49 on the front of their 650B bikes and run a hybrid, maybe with some custom liks/rockers to compensate for the changes in geo.

At risk of repeating myself, the EWS is being dominated by big wheels.  It seems inevitable that it will migrate to the major leagues.

[Duane_Bosch]

unless broken wheels and flats are what we watch for? 

I still find it astounding the number of flats we see in WC races.

[NicoBoshoff]

I still find it astounding the number of flats we see in WC races.

Well with all the new tech this may be a thing of the past.  Huck Norris et al.

[Odinson]

At risk of repeating myself, the EWS is being dominated by big wheels.  It seems inevitable that it will migrate to the major leagues.

 

I know. I ain't arguing.

 

Long travel 29ers are now being marketed as specialist race bikes and with good reason - a lot of them are *** fast.

 

That being said, both the first and second rounds have been won by 650Bs. Callaghan is currently the only frontrunner on a naainer.

[Racestrong]

As far as I know the EWS top 10 is plus minus still 80% 650b at the moment. I think the bigger wheels will be under all the top teams at Lourdes, but whether the riders all choose those further down the line might not be the case.

[Stretch]

I still find it astounding the number of flats we see in WC races.

 

agreed..i would have thought by now we would have come up with some sort of lightweight, no liquid flexible foam to spray inside the tyre

[Eddy Gordo]

I think there will be tracks where the 29er will do well and tracks where its gonna struggle. Time will tell. If it is extremely rocky then the 29er will have an edge for sure, and even over long rolling sections.

Has any of the tracks been changed in route since last year?

[NicoBoshoff]

I know. I ain't arguing.

 

Long travel 29ers are now being marketed as specialist race bikes and with good reason - a lot of them are *** fast.

 

That being said, both the first and second rounds have been won by 650Bs. Callaghan is currently the only frontrunner on a naainer.

Well Moseley dominated on wagon wheels and Keene had a good season on them last year.  Not sure about Graves as he is jumping around but now that he's on the Stumpy and took some stage wins so far in pretty tight and tech terrain, I guess one can argue that the size has proven itself race-ready.

 

Also see Graves rocking a pimped out Camber for Sea Otter DH, Enduro and Slolem.  He won the DH last year on a Camber, which makes sense as it's a steeper version of G-Spot from the look of it.

 

Anyways, my point is just I don't think reliability is the issue anymore.  It's now down to personal preference and whether the numbers are there.

[Odinson]

Well Moseley dominated on wagon wheels and Keene had a good season on them last year.  Not sure about Graves as he is jumping around but now that he's on the Stumpy and took some stage wins so far in pretty tight and tech terrain, I guess one can argue that the size has proven itself race-ready.

 

Also see Graves rocking a pimped out Camber for Sea Otter DH, Enduro and Slolem.  He won the DH last year on a Camber, which makes sense as it's a steeper version of G-Spot from the look of it.

 

Anyways, my point is just I don't think reliability is the issue anymore.  It's now down to personal preference and whether the numbers are there.

 

Agreed. The technology is here. It's just now a decision of the riders to adopt it and make it wokr (if niners are their bag).

[Eddy Gordo]

Agreed. The technology is here. It's just now a decision of the riders to adopt it and make it wokr (if niners are their bag).

Yeah, I think alot of riders will be riding niners for marketing reasons.

[ichnusa]

 

Fox 29er DH fork...

[Headshot]

At risk of repeating myself, the EWS is being dominated by big wheels.  It seems inevitable that it will migrate to the major leagues.

As the other comments point out it is not being dominated at all. Hyperbole rocks until the facts are wrong. 

 

The riding standard at the EWS has been improving hugely but if you look at Graves, he hasn't done nearly as well since switching off Yeti where he rode a 26er and then a 650B.