UCI XCO World Cup 2020 -2021 Season

[DieselnDust]

 

 

 

 

The key issue with Tokyo is the higher average temperature in summer coupled to the humidity.

Cape Town also experiences high humidity is summer for brief periods so when JBR says it didn't feel to different I would assume that going from a summer in CT to winter in Tokyo or vice versa would feel the same.

There are many places in Europe with similar humidity and temperature that compares well to Tokyo so I can't see why it would such a big deal. The weather is the same for everyone when they're there. None of the athletes seem too concerned about the weather, only the commentators and chat forums

[DieselnDust]

6 minutes ago, Headshot said:

A rather inauspicious first race for the new Scott bike... wonder if we will see Schurter back on his old bike in France?

N1no lost his Spark. Even with a new one he can't get the fire going. Let's hope that he can get the fire going in Tokyo as it would be a shame to see a great champ slump out of the race and fade

[OVERDRIVE]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

N1no lost his Spark. Even with a new one he can't get the fire going. Let's hope that he can get the fire going in Tokyo as it would be a shame to see a great champ slump out of the race and fade

Valentino Rossi has been doing it all season. He’s either on the floor or almost last, and keeps saying how it’s coming and he has a good feeling. But-Nino finished tenth from where he was, so maybe it was a blip and he’ll make the turn. 

[Jbr]

Rossi is nowhere, N1NO probably won't win again but doing a top 10 starting from the 4th row is a decent job in comparison !

[Headshot]

i just wonder how a 120mm bike even with lock out is working for the Nino. 

As for this track - really hard but very smooth. I'd like to see XCO raced on more gnarly tracks - you know as rough as the Tokai jeep track where the rocks are sticking out. You could use a gravel bike on most of the track bar the slithery descents which are bum puckering. 

[DieselnDust]

44 minutes ago, Headshot said:

i just wonder how a 120mm bike even with lock out is working for the Nino. 

As for this track - really hard but very smooth. I'd like to see XCO raced on more gnarly tracks - you know as rough as the Tokai jeep track where the rocks are sticking out. You could use a gravel bike on most of the track bar the slithery descents which are bum puckering. 

Quote

Even with TwinLoc in Descend mode, the suspension is very stable and generates only a gentle bob as you power up the hill. If you’re hunting for KOMs, the lockout is your best friend. When changing from a gravel path onto an uphill trail, the Traction Control mode provides enough traction over small obstacles and at the same time remains drive-neutral, thus allowing you to negotiate steep and technical climbs with ease. On very steep climbs, however, the front wheel tends to lift off the ground. The Traction Control mode changes the dynamic geometry of the Spark only to a limited extent which means that you still have to actively shift your weight forward to keep the front wheel tracking. If you do so, however, you’ll be able to negotiate narrow and steep switchbacks without any problems.

Above taken from the enduro-mtb.com review on the new spark...

I've found the same on two other long "XC" 120mm travel bikes. The rear suspension just settles too far into the travel so you have to engage a full lock out on the rear to keep the front tracking predictably.  I'm sure the SCOTT SRAM team are limiting the rear shocks movement even more and this could be seen both on Friday and during the race while N1no was hammering up the hills seated or standing. There was a fair amount of movement in the fork while the rear was just motionless indicating that there was more restriction on the rear unit than the fork.

The best rear shock unit that offered two different travel modes was the DIYAD fitted to the Cannondale Trigger. That thing was effectively two completely different damping circuits sharing a portion of an air spring. Conceptually its probably what's really needed to offer two effective modes

[kosmonooit]

Durbs is more of an apt comparison in terms of summer heat and humidity.

Also its typhoon season that time of the year (often super typhoons) which build up in the equatorial Pacific and spin up  storm heading west, often take a turn up due north towards Japan. Generally this means lots and lots of rain.

[BaGearA]

21 hours ago, Headshot said:

A rather inauspicious first race for the new Scott bike... wonder if we will see Schurter back on his old bike in France?

I will literally cry 0f laughter 

[BaGearA]

Is it like some fanboi thing where people HAVE to type it as N1NO ??

[Jbr]

4 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

Is it like some fanboi thing where people HAVE to type it as N1NO ??

nope, not a fan at all, it's just so you don't get confused with Alaphilippe's son.

What happens if he wants to ride a hardtail on a course now ?

Edited June 15, 2021 by Jbr

[kosmonooit]

21 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

N1no lost his Spark. Even with a new one he can't get the fire going. Let's hope that he can get the fire going in Tokyo as it would be a shame to see a great champ slump out of the race and fade

XCO is like so full-on, it seems to me that there is a peak during your twenty-somethings and then its downhill, think about moving to the marathon races. Although with the ladies the longevity seems to be longer ie GRD.

Sort of the same thing with sprinters on the road. Age is the enemy and its inevitable.

 

 

[Long Wheel Base]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

nope, not a fan at all, it's just so you don't get confused with Alaphilippe's son.

What happens if he wants to ride a hardtail on a course now ?

I think JA couldn't decide on a name. So he said the last race he did was Tour Swiss and who is a fellow rainbow band wearer that is Swiss. Nino. Ok sorted.

[Headshot]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

nope, not a fan at all, it's just so you don't get confused with Alaphilippe's son.

What happens if he wants to ride a hardtail on a course now ?

Who is Alaflppy?

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, kosmonooit said:

XCO is like so full-on, it seems to me that there is a peak during your twenty-somethings and then its downhill, think about moving to the marathon races. Although with the ladies the longevity seems to be longer ie GRD.

Sort of the same thing with sprinters on the road. Age is the enemy and its inevitable.

 

 

testosterone production slow down

[Shebeen]

On 5/27/2021 at 12:24 PM, amac said:

Congratulations indeed. Selecting Candice over Mariske must have been a tough call.

olympic selection is always tough when there are two close candidates going for one slot - did we have a policy with selection criteria, (that was then followed) or is it subjective? Candice went to London 2012, we sent no one in 2016.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but on current form the top ladies are quite a bit ahead of all of our riders. 

[Danger Dassie]

On 6/14/2021 at 8:01 AM, Long Wheel Base said:

I know times are tough, even for the worlds best and their teams but I wonder how often they change their chains? Also, not like Alan rides for a small team working on a budget. 

These things happen, regardless of how perfect the mechanics of the bike. Some years back two riders snapped their chains on the start line. It happens, it’s not always a case blaming someone.