UCI XCO World Cup 2020 -2021 Season

[Hairy]

26 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Lecomte is riding Massi bikes.... I think it's rad that a small company is getting this sort of air time.

Realistically though, these days there is less and less between 'modern' bikes. Anything made in the last 18 months using the latest angles and tweaks rides amazingly.

Gone are the days of huge performance gaps. 'Most' companies have checked the boxes in the last little while and bikes are really similar. 

An example is how absolutely similar the Titan Cypher looks to the Spaz Epic Evo. 

Top of the range vs not. Similar angles, lengths, suspension platform etc..... Start going back to 2019 models and earlier and one uses the term 'for it's age' if it ticks all or most of the same boxes. 

I don't think TP on a BMC is going to have BMC's walking off the shelf, just like I can't see anyone calling Massi bikes and asking how  much it will cost to import one to SA

you left out the one very vital factor .......... logic ......... expect the Massi and BMC brands to most certainly get more attention and more sales.

[ChrisF]

54 minutes ago, Hairy said:

you left out the one very vital factor .......... logic ......... expect the Massi and BMC brands to most certainly get more attention and more sales.

 

THIS ^^

 

Long long ago there was a unique brand with top class advertising, and that WON races.  And all the golfers just HAD to buy this very Spezial bike ....  Add a few years, and LOTS of marketing, and a good few more wins, and their bikes certainly are good, but every accountant now rides a Spez .... the real dentists NEEDS something unique, and ideally something with WINNING credentials ....

 

Sure, not like Spez is about to see an immediate and drastic drop in sales .... more like we may be able to identify the dentists on the trails by the new breed of bikes onto our trails ....

 

[Wayne pudding Mol]

4 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Lecomte is riding Massi bikes.... I think it's rad that a small company is getting this sort of air time.

Realistically though, these days there is less and less between 'modern' bikes. Anything made in the last 18 months using the latest angles and tweaks rides amazingly.

Gone are the days of huge performance gaps. 'Most' companies have checked the boxes in the last little while and bikes are really similar. 

An example is how absolutely similar the Titan Cypher looks to the Spaz Epic Evo. 

Top of the range vs not. Similar angles, lengths, suspension platform etc..... Start going back to 2019 models and earlier and one uses the term 'for it's age' if it ticks all or most of the same boxes. 

I don't think TP on a BMC is going to have BMC's walking off the shelf, just like I can't see anyone calling Massi bikes and asking how  much it will cost to import one to SA

Your last line is incorrect 

[WrightJnr]

Shimano drivetrains been doing really well. Hopefully many will now realise you don’t need to spend 10k ZAR on a cassette to win anymore. 

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

Your last line is incorrect 

hahahahahaha 

So? How Much?!

[Moult]

Iv eyed put those Massi bikes since lockdown and would be stoked to see a few in SA! My partner for TB is on a BMC and its a seriously impressive bike. I love to see the less known brands get some attention. Those Thomas bikes are also bloody good looking! 

[kosmonooit]

7 hours ago, dsw said:

During the years he dominated he also never had to deal with ridiculously talented riders such as MvdP and Tommy P. 

I doubt whether Tommy P will continue for much longer with XCO after the Olympics as Team Ineos will probably get much more value for their money by "forcing" him to focus on road. 

 

I think he set the terms of that Ineos contract    I am sure it provides for some mtb / XCO action, after all he brought that wrench with him from the Trinity CX team. Probably not any downhill though lol. Also a good move from Team Ineos if they did facilitate this, to allow him to have fun basically.

Remains to be seen if he will do any CX though, perhaps dip in and out like Wout did.

Olympics: The Brits men would get a spot if that Hungarian guy finished higher than 20 something, which did happen. Not sure is Tom is auto selected but maybe he still has to be chosen by the British sports selection team however it would be a travesty if he was not there.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by kosmonooit
typos

[Hairy]

46 minutes ago, Moult said:

Iv eyed put those Massi bikes since lockdown and would be stoked to see a few in SA! My partner for TB is on a BMC and its a seriously impressive bike. I love to see the less known brands get some attention. Those Thomas bikes are also bloody good looking! 

If you get he Massi and he rides the BMC, then the two of you should take the win!

[DJuice]

11 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

hahahahahaha 

So? How Much?!

Have search most of these bikes, Massi, MMR, Thomus, Allebike, Protek, Wiawis, Sunn...do not think there is any bargains.

Eur 6000 gets you a very nice bike.

Edited May 18, 2021 by DJuice

[Wayne pudding Mol]

8 hours ago, DJuice said:

Have search most of these bikes, Massi, MMR, Thomus, Allebike, Protek, Wiawis...do not think there is any bargains.

Eur 6000 gets you a very nice bike.

Insane money - I like to  ask though - but if you think of a high end trek spaz or Scott, not that far off ...my life and lifestyle has changed so unless Massi are keen to sponsor and get coverage at the back of the local kerkfees 50km, not gonna happen 

[Shebeen]

10 hours ago, kosmonooit said:

 

I think he set the terms of that Ineos contract    I am sure it provides for some mtb / XCO action, after all he brought that wrench with him from the Trinity CX team. Probably not any downhill though lol. Also a good move from Team Ineos if they did facilitate this, to allow him to have fun basically.

Remains to be seen if he will do any CX though, perhaps dip in and out like Wout did.

Olympics: The Brits men would get a spot if that Hungarian guy finished higher than 20 something, which did happen. Not sure is Tom is auto selected but maybe he still has to be chosen by the British sports selection team however it would be a travesty if he was not there.

 

 

Romanian. Someone is updating this and seems to be doing it right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics_–_Qualification

Pidcock is a country mile ahead of the next Brit xc rider. Weird how bad they actually are, considering they have some decent xc ladies and no shortage of professional male cyclists

 

[kosmonooit]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

Romanian. Someone is updating this and seems to be doing it right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics_–_Qualification

Pidcock is a country mile ahead of the next Brit xc rider. Weird how bad they actually are, considering they have some decent xc ladies and no shortage of professional male cyclists

 

Thanks I stand corrected, Slav vs Romance is a non-trivial.  Talking Hungary, in the U23 Blanke Kate Vas (young CX & road star recently signed to Spez Works road team) took another 3rd.

I've also wondered and pondered as to why almost no UK Mens XCO, at least since I've been a fan, and what I think, as mentioned before, its more of a cultural thing: generally the lads are more into downhill and pedaling is scoffed at.  Although there has been notable slopestyle/freestyle Brits ... but XCO demands a very high level of fitness, and sacrifices of time, time that could be spent at The Pub. Pidders doesn't drink, so there we have it.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by kosmonooit
typos

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, kosmonooit said:

Thanks I stand corrected, Slav vs Romance is a non-trivial.  Talking Hungary, in the U23 Blanke Kate Vas (young CX & road star recently signed to Spez Works road team) took another 3rd.

I've also wondered and pondered as to why almost no UK Mens XCO, at least since I've been a fan, and what I think, as mentioned before, its more of a cultural thing: generally the lads are more into downhill and pedaling is scoffed at.  Although there has been notable slopestyle/freestyle Brits ... but XCO demands a very high level of fitness, and sacrifices of time, time that could be spent at The Pub. Pidders doesn't drink, so there we have it.

 

 

There are a heck of a lot of good British Road cyclists, so my guess would be the fit pedal Boets race the road scene while the barf pubber lads ride muddy ruts and big wet DH lines ALA Slice of British Pie..

CX bikes are generally cheap, cheap parts, cheap frames etc.. I can imagine keeping a top of the range XCO dual suss race ready is challenging in those conditions.

So I guess the weather plays a roll as well as the history/commonality.

Much like so many of our cyclists love Marathons and going the furthest. It's difficult to break the 'scene'

 

[dsw]

One reason for the lack of world class XCO racers in England is that British cycling spends much more money on the development of track cyclists as it offers them a much better return on investment in terms of medals at the Olympics. Something like 12 out of the 22 cycling events at the Olympics take place on the track. 

[Shebeen]

1 hour ago, kosmonooit said:

Thanks I stand corrected, Slav vs Romance is a non-trivial.  Talking Hungary, in the U23 Blanke Kate Vas (young CX & road star recently signed to Spez Works road team) took another 3rd.

I've also wondered and pondered as to why almost no UK Mens XCO, at least since I've been a fan, and what I think, as mentioned before, its more of a cultural thing: generally the lads are more into downhill and pedaling is scoffed at.  Although there has been notable slopestyle/freestyle Brits ... but XCO demands a very high level of fitness, and sacrifices of time, time that could be spent at The Pub. Pidders doesn't drink, so there we have it.

 

 

team GB cycling is huge. everything from track stars like Hoy to skinny climbers. maybe there just isn't a marathon distance racing scene at all, so if you want to ride cardio for longer than 2 hours, road is the only option. 

I reckon if they wanted to they could throw money at it and in by paris they'd have 3 guys in the top20.

edit: maybe they already started!

they have the 2019 junior champ https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/charlie-aldridge-world-champ-390374

and 4 riders in the top 20 at the u23 in nove mesto

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Shebeen

[Hairy]

13 hours ago, DJuice said:

Have search most of these bikes, Massi, MMR, Thomus, Allebike, Protek, Wiawis, Sunn...do not think there is any bargains.

Eur 6000 gets you a very nice bike.

SUNN Bikes are and have always been sexy bikes!