UCI XCO World Cup 2022 Season

[SwissVan]

5 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

I've had my go at XCO racing and with today's standard of courses there is no chance in hell I could get through even 1 lap without walking and that's on both the steep climbs and the technical downs ... as my mate Wayne says if I wanted to walk I'd get a dog!

And for the 'everyone can learn' experts I've put in enough effort but there comes a time when you realise you just don't have the talent or 'balls' ...

So for me I love marathon and endurance riding/racing, but as usual it's probably just me ....

Sadly these are the reasons XCO race entries are so low, people on average don’t like to suffer the way you do in xco., and then the technical stuff also puts them off.

I did my first xco race at rockhoppers honeydew quarry and I was absolutely broken, even tho I was triathlon fit (age group Transvaal provincial colors fit)., could not believe that a race could be so hard…. and I’ve done all sorts of racing.

We were mostly riding fully rigid bikes (no suspension front or back) and rim brakes in those days, making it even harder…. But it was the most fun I have ever had racing / riding a bicycle, I’m not exactly a skilled technical rider and have carried my bike on many technical sections, but overcoming those challenges adds to the fun…
 

[OVERDRIVE]

On 4/10/2022 at 9:20 PM, babse said:

Man those new lightweight Aspens are the business 🤭

[OVERDRIVE]

9 hours ago, love2fly said:

Worst broadcast I've ever seen. Too many overhead shows of thick jungle. Switching to a camera that has no riders in shot for what seemed like ages. Focusing on 4,5& 6 positions in the last minuted when it wax all happening in the first three. I think the director was watching Brazillian football at the same time. Absolutely shocking. At least we're back to Europe soon...

It was really, really horrible. I really can’t remember the time I last saw such a poor production, and this includes kids plays I’ve watched. The worst part is a production never-do: have dead air, where there’s no action. They could even not see what  part of the race was Where 

['Dale]

Hard work setting this up by the local champ

['Dale]

Another show of powerful emotion. Awesome pic by @mmondini_photo.

[Headshot]

Whaat, no chatter re this weekend Albstadt round of the WC?!? - Looks like a wet weekend and we all know how that track is in the rain... should be a good one, despite the relatively boring track. 

[DieselnDust]

Good to see Pidcock and Koretsky back from Road to participate. Thats going to make it a bigger fight for the win

[DJuice]

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-885kg-orbea-oiz-race-bike-1.html
 

[Spafsack]

2 minutes ago, DJuice said:

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-885kg-orbea-oiz-race-bike-1.html
 

Flip thats light for a dual. Wonder if those wheels are much lighter than normal carbon ones. What a machine!

[DieselnDust]

21 minutes ago, Spafsack said:

Flip thats light for a dual. Wonder if those wheels are much lighter than normal carbon ones. What a machine!

weigh is bout the same asmost high end wheels around 1350gr for the set

seatpost

bars and stem

brakes 

saddle

are where the main weight loss has been applied

[SwissVan]

25 minutes ago, DJuice said:

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-885kg-orbea-oiz-race-bike-1.html
 

How to make a nice looking frame look ***

Damn fugly looking wheels, spoked type wheels liked that have been around for eons, yet they don’t seem to become the standard, or popular.

Of course it’s a matter of imo

 

[DJuice]

49 minutes ago, Spafsack said:

Flip thats light for a dual. Wonder if those wheels are much lighter than normal carbon ones. What a machine!

As always the Pinkbike comments is taking over. The wheels are not the lightest.

BikeAhead rim with Dynamee spokes and some exotic hubs below 1000, the Roval is in the region of 1247.

 

[NotSoBigBen]

37 minutes ago, SwissVan said:

How to make a nice looking frame look ***

Damn fugly looking wheels, spoked type wheels liked that have been around for eons, yet they don’t seem to become the standard, or popular.

Of course it’s a matter of imo

 

I'm with you on that, looks like an oversize 80's BMX bike

[babse]

56 minutes ago, SwissVan said:

How to make a nice looking frame look ***

Damn fugly looking wheels, spoked type wheels liked that have been around for eons, yet they don’t seem to become the standard, or popular.

Of course it’s a matter of imo

 

 

[Jewbacca]

I dig those wheels and I think that bike looks like a race bike. Ann Terpstra has been rocking something similar for a while re wheels.

If you're racing to race, you don't care what your bike looks like if it's performance and marginal gains you're chasing. 

You even forego comfort and occasionally long term reliability. 

Looks are probably 29th on the list of importance when it comes to racing.

Couch critics seem to be obsessed with how things look as opposed to how things perform for 90 minutes. For us, it's probably important as a bike you like is a bike you want to ride, but for these guys they will ride regardless and their race bike is almost definitely not their favourite bike.

It's their fastest bike

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, SwissVan said:

How to make a nice looking frame look ***

Damn fugly looking wheels, spoked type wheels liked that have been around for eons, yet they don’t seem to become the standard, or popular.

Of course it’s a matter of imo

 

you're absolutely right,.... that bike needs more gold!