Our Chipps has been scouring the pits this morning for sneaky prototypes and rider news scoops. He’s mostly met with quietly efficient* mechanics and focussed racers. In between, though, he’s found a few things to talk about. Join us for the virtual tour…
(* “Disturb me and I’ll stab you with a pedal spanner…”)
First up, is probably the best team car we’ve seen here. An old 1970s’ metallic poo-brown Mercedes. Complete with velour interior.
Bikes on the roof, bodies in the boot.
I feel a road trip coming on just looking at it.
The press room, powered by coffee, shortbread and dial-up speed internet.
Spotted in the Specialized booth. Jason McRoy’s downhill race bike. With Kamikaze sized chainring and extra long FSR travel plates fitted.
Now THAT, kids, is a downhill bikeLong travel plates take it up to – ooh, nearly four inches?Chain guides are nothing new. 52T rings are yet to catch back on yet.Why would you need anything more, right?80mm travel Judy DH forksonZa Ules grips (which ARE coming back by the way) and Gripshift sharktooth grippy grips
In order to hopefully comply with the UCI ban on helmet-mounted cameras, some riders are running cameras mounted under helmet peaks. This 1080p Hedcam (from headcamz.com) is £167.99 and comes with a laser pointer. Only 39g too.
Small, neat and hi-resThe Syndicate fleet being prepared.Mick Hannah’s mechanic prepared with rollers, spare wheels and toolkit for the top of the mountain
The qualifications being moved to Sunday has meant a compressed schedule and early starts for all. All the team mechanics were on site by 6am, with practice starting at 6.45am.
Early start for privateers and superstars alike.If you know where to look, there are always some secret things hidden in plain sightThe Valley’s own Niall Oxley has qualified in the juniors.Team dogs are there for security and petting.Grips wrapped in towels in an attempt to keep them dry enough to provide a few extra seconds of gripSyndicate team manager Kathy Sessler gets Greg Minnaar to help with the crosswordDespite the looks, organisers Mike and Lesley are delighted by all the fans lining the course up the mountain
With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)
Back when I was fit and riding My Kona Explosif in anger, Gripshift sent me some yellow shark tooth grips for nothing, just that I was using grip shift.
That Merc is Bike Bauer Thomas’ the Nicolai dealer from Germany, he runs a race team, supports some Nicolai riders, takes lots of photo’s and is a little eccentric!
Onza Ulles coming back? I REALLY hope so. Any idea when Chipps???
Yes indeed. Out by August, hopefully. In lock-on.
Sweet.
Back when I was fit and riding My Kona Explosif in anger, Gripshift sent me some yellow shark tooth grips for nothing, just that I was using grip shift.
That Merc is ace….
That Merc is Bike Bauer Thomas’ the Nicolai dealer from Germany, he runs a race team, supports some Nicolai riders, takes lots of photo’s and is a little eccentric!