The Downhill Thread

[DownhillingKing]

WOW that sounded sore!!!

[Capricorn]

lol, i know it was a rhetorical question LDF: i guess i just dont really want to brake at that point But i am eager to play Follow Me down SH2+3.

[Capricorn]

Just met two DHers on SH, Alex and Paul. They didnt even know about SH2. At all. Took Alex down, he seemed stoked enough.

 

Then met two XCers on there 29ers. Neat bikes. Lead dude reckons we'd go twice as fast with 29inch wheels compared to 26inchers. Discuss?

[Capricorn]

Proto Leatt Brace:

 

Front:

 

Wider spinal support with air vents:

 

Longer locking lever:

 

Carrybag:

 

[craig82]

29inch wheels compared to 26inchers. Discuss?

 

29inchers roll over stuff much better, but what about center of gravity, need to keep that low.

Its a interesting subject for sure!

[Capricorn]

if i assume tire sidewall height stays constant, then the CoG only rises about 1.5" or about 38mm. Sure, it might roll over stuff nicely, but you dont DH in a straight line. what about cornering? BB height also goes up, which is contrary to the current trend of 2011 bikes where the BB is genuinely slammed to the ground. I was watching some footage from Worlds at MSA, and some of those guys coming off simple jumps were nearly hitting horizontal pedals into the ground!

 

but coming off SH2, those guys were pretty damn slow. I hope the 29'er lead rider noted the irony of his claim

[Capricorn]

from pinkbike, some very interesting setups from WC riders running Fox shox:

Justin Leov's Trek Session 88:

 

Bar: Fun Full On

Stem: Funn DM

Grips: ODI Ruffian

Cranks (length and tooth size): SAINT 165mm w/ 38T ring

Chain Guide: e.13

Shifter: SAINT

Rear Derailleur: SAINT

Brakes (Rotor sizes): SAINT w/ 203mm Front and Back

Seat Post: SDG I-beam

Saddle: SDG I-beam

Wheels: Bontrager

Tires: Cut Spikes

Tubes: Yes

Pedals: Crank Brothers Mallets

Cassette: 11-21 (9 speed)

 

Rear Shock: Fox DHX RC4

Spring Weight: 450 lbs

Low Speed: 12 clicks

High Speed: 9 clicks

Rebound: 6 clicks

 

Fork: Fox 40 Fit RC2 w/ Kashima Coating

Low Speed: 10 clicks

HS Speed: 13 clicks

Pre Load: Zero

Rebound: 12 clicks

Spring: Green

*Special Tuning: Custom Compression valve stack. If a consumer's valve stack is rated a 5, then Justin's is an 8 for firmness.

 

Gee Atherton's Commencal Supreme DH:

 

Bar: PRO Atherton Bar

Stem: PRO Atherton DM Stem

Grips: PRO Lock on grips

Cranks (length and tooth size): SAINT 165mm w/ 38T ring

Chain Guide: e.13

Shifter: Shimano XTR

Rear Derailleur: SAINT

Brakes (Rotor sizes): SAINT w/ 203mm Front and Back

Seat Post: PRO Carbon

Saddle: Proto-type

Wheels: SAINT

Tires: Cut Spikes

Tubes: Yes

Pedals: Crank Brothers Mallets

Cassette: 11-21 (9 speed)

 

Rear Shock: Fox DHX RC4

Spring Weight: 350 lbs

Low Speed: 9 clicks

High Speed: 7 clicks

Rebound: 5 clicks

 

Fork: Fox 40 Fit RC2 w/ Kashima Coating

Low Speed: 9 clicks

HS Speed: 14 clicks

Pre Load: Zero

Rebound: 12 clicks

Spring: Green

*Special Tuning: Custom Compression valve stack. If a consumer's valve stack is rated a 5, then Gee's is an 8 for firmness.

 

Aaron Gwin's Yeti 303:

 

Bar: Sunline Bar

Stem: Sunline DM Stem

Grips: ODI Ruffian

Cranks (length and tooth size): SAINT 165mm w/40T ring

Chain Guide: e.13

Shifter: SAINT

Rear Derailleur: SAINT

Brakes (Rotor sizes): SAINT w/ 203mm Front and Back

Seat Post: Thomson Master Piece

Saddle: WTB Silverado

Wheels: DT Swiss 1750

Tires: Schwalbe Dirty Dan (rear cut down)

Tubes: Yes

Pedals: Shimano DX Clips

Cassette: Shimano 11-23 (9 speed)

 

Rear Shock: Fox DHX RC4

Spring Weight: 400 lbs

Low Speed: 9 clicks

High Speed: 4 clicks

Rebound: 5 clicks

 

Fork: Fox 40 Fit RC2 w/ Kashima Coating

Low Speed: 8 clicks

HS Speed: 14 clicks

Pre Load: Zero

Rebound: 12 clicks

Spring: Green

*Special Tuning: Custom Compression valve stack. If a consumer's valve stack is rated a 5, then Gwin's is a 9 for firmness.

[craig82]

Thats good info Cap, thanks.

Things that stand out for me the most is the 165mm crank arms, makes so much sense. That length is hens teeth round here.

I have have 175mm arms, waaaaay too long, will keep them on till I snap them off on a rock or something.

 

Also I think its rad that they share actual shock setups.

[Capricorn]

Yep i too noticed the 165mm cranks. but it makes sense in the context of much lower BBs,and 38 - 40T chainrings. But i'm just guessing about the link between crank lengths and BBs and chainrings

 

Craig. how low is your BB when you off and on the bike?

 

and definitely gold info on the forks. I'm hoping the blackbox riders share theirs as well, as well as the Marzo boys. But the critical bit of info is missing: shimstack configuration. Without that, those clicks make almost zero sense.

I know i want to increase the compression on my marzo, as i've come to appreciate a stiffer fork especially in g-outs and landing nose first off step downs. I really hate the dive a standard fork setup has. But the shims are over 100 Euros EACH! WTF!

[craig82]

100 euros! That doesnt make any sense.

 

I have my bike setup with steeper geometry so bb should be a tiny bit higher than most.

Measure bottom of bb to ground, 33.5cm.

Im using 36 tooth hussefelt bash guard, bottom of that to the ground is 28cm.

 

How bout yours?

[Capricorn]

craig: must measure mine when i'm on versus off the bike. later today.

 

first though, some news that Nathan Rennie will be back to racing world cups next year, and just to highlight just how sickly talented this badboy is, njoi exploded berms (best berm slashing i've seen!) and a totally mental pirate line..

 

http://is.pinkbike.com/photo/3296/pbpic3296664.jpg

 

This vid is just so damn jawdropping..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzwFH_LQoL0&feature=player_embedded

[Capricorn]

another pic of rennie laying down the smack..

http://dhreno.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/nathanrennie.jpg

[Capricorn]

100 euros! That doesnt make any sense.

 

I have my bike setup with steeper geometry so bb should be a tiny bit higher than most.

Measure bottom of bb to ground, 33.5cm.

Im using 36 tooth hussefelt bash guard, bottom of that to the ground is 28cm.

 

How bout yours?

 

ok, just measured craig:

off bike: 400mm

on bike: 350mm

HT angle : 66 (off spec sheet)

 

and you thought yours was a tad high

 

I'm trying to play around with the rear triangle's settings (faux 4-bar horst) to get the BB lower. But eventually, I'm just gonna have to change the frame.

[craig82]

I thought mine felt a bit low

 

Rennie knows how to rail berms for sure, what a beast.

Have you watched "this is Australia"?

[Thermophage]

Just watched Red Bull Rampage 2008 the other night ... WOW WOW WOW

[Flowta]

flowta: i was told by the LBS the wirebeads tend to burp more in the gnar than the folding bead. Can you, or anyone else for that matter, confirm this?

 

I have the wirebeads on at the moment, in fact my "not so local" LBS suggested them over Kenda Nevegal folding beads.

 

Granted I haven't had a chance to really try them out properly.