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Nigel page on the pinkbike comments says they’d love to have him but they already have Sam hill so have no budget for another big rider so that’s nukeproof out
So why was he reading the thread then? Eh?
Bit like me when I'm definitely not buying a new bike.
I do hope I’m wrong but I do wonder if there will be a reduction in the number of teams and spaces for top riders. With COVID and the relatively small numbers of dh bikes that get sold I do wonder if all the big brands will want to continue to invest at the same levels inthe future
The Credit Crunch was horrific for Downhill, Honda pulled out, Iron Horse went bust, Bike Radar pulled out etc etc etc. Lots of top riders found themselves looking for a new employers almost overnight.
I don't think Covid will be the same though, the Bike Industry has boomed through this, and I don't think there are many people in the business of Downhill to sell downhill bikes, it's the F1 of Mountain Biking, it's a test bed for new technology and marketing through brand awareness.
DH's biggest asset though might be the fact Endruo is so hard to make a TV spectacle of.
Nigel page on the pinkbike comments says they’d love to have him but they already have Sam hill so have no budget for another big rider so that’s nukeproof out
I'm sure if he just wanted a frame sponsor they'd be able to help him, but they haven't had a DH team for years, Hart deserves a 'factory' team.
That’s embarrassing. His Dad has always been an absolute loaded weapon, I think that’s common knowledge. I’m from that part of the world and I’ve witnessed him in action a few times.
Yep - his old man is, and always was an absolute whopper.
To the extent how he evaded a massive punch up at a BDS years ago was a miracle.
Yep – his old man is, and always was an absolute whopper.
Correct me if I'm remembering this wrong but didn't he celebrate Danny's WC win by tying a giant flag to the front of their house in Redcar announcing 'Danny Hart downhill world champion' etc... Then they were promptly burglarized and all of Danny's MTB's and motocross bikes were swiped.
He's quite clearly not a bright spark. I haven't seen him for years but the last time was at a local race where we was crawling all over the ground with about 5 grand worth of Canon gear trying to get shots and shouting at anyone whose legs got in the way.
When he was on Mondraker every other bike at Hamsterley was a Mondraker and you'd still see plenty of Giant Glorys knocking about as well.
I hear he's after a career in cyber
... (he just doesn't know it yet)
Successful DH riders are always indebted to their parents, by definition
The parents become invested and entitled to share in the success, pretty soon they're obsessive monsters and cut the brake cables of rivals at the top of the hill, allegedly
Blimey
madisonsaracen
@lorieng7 just the end of our journey together. We loved having him for 3 years and wish him all the best.pauljameshart
@danfranksims you couldn’t make it up. Even I have to be carful what I say as,no bull they will take it out on Dannypauljameshart
@dj10dj100 you wouldn’t believe how unprofessional they are. Danny has done nothing wrong. The management is a joke.pauljameshart
@lorieng7 thank you. The truth will come out. Seriously he is better off out of such a toxic environment.pauljameshart
@lorieng7 absolutely nothing to do with money!pauljameshart
@madisonsaracen tell the truth
Well, that's not going to make things awkward in the Saracen pits for the remaining races now, is it!? 😲🤣
The season hasn’t even started! I know it’s not a typical year but seems odd to announce it now and not in 3 weeks time?
Unless they were pre-empting Hart Snrs posts...
Well, that’s not going to make things awkward in the Saracen pits for the remaining races now, is it!? 😲🤣
From what I'm reading on Pinkbike (well known as a place of knowledge and levelheadedness) Hart has been travelling separately and using his own team for a while, that's not to say he's not set-up in their pit, but it doesn't sound like they're all one big happy family at the moment.
Blimey
lol. Can't imagine why they want rid.
What a dick, tbh it raises serious questions about Danny's character if he allows his dad to do this bollox. Just STFU.
I'm taking sides! I'm on Team Will Longden
Mr overbearing parent needs to get involved in US beauty pageants or something
Sam Dale alluded to the same type of atmosphere at Saracen in his HKT podcast interview
it raises serious questions about Danny’s character if he allows his dad to do this bollox. Just STFU.
This has been the case for more than a decade, though. It's not going to change now.
Having just read the actual press release, no matter what has gone on behind the scenes, that’s a pretty sad way to part with your main rider that’s won at least one WC and a load of podiums on your bikes.
Danny Hart being released was literally a few lines at the bottom of the announcement of them signing 2 new riders and an assistant.
It’ll be interesting to see what comes out once these races are done and dusted.
Sam Dale alluded to the same type of atmosphere at Saracen in his HKT podcast interview
I remember hearing that. Didn’t he get on the podium and no one seemed that bothered.
Yeah, I remembered hearing criticism of the management and atmosphere at Saracen, and it's obvious that Danny and his dad can be difficult.
Naive to try to put the blame for a falling out all on one side. Let's just enjoy the public beef shall we?
Let’s just enjoy the public beef shall we?
Hopefully Wyn catches up with him over the course of this weekend 😄
WHen he moved to Saracen I thought it'd be the part of a big brand push to really get them into the mainstream eye. That didn't really seem to happen, or maybe it did and failed- a bunch of very nice saracens ended up on ebay or in shops on massive discounts over the period too, like maybe they'd just overshot demand or something.
"Imagine how many Megatowers he’d sell"
Eh, he's about 5'7 and he rides a medium ariel, so maybe not that many 🙂 (his bio says 5'9, I doubt that very much, he's a fair bit smaller than me and I'm bang on 5'10)
TBH I can't see him on Santa Cruz. Not that he's not good enough, or not isible enough, or not got the profile, or any of that, it's just they're always quite glamorous and outgoing and filling the room with personality. Like, Peat and Minaar, you knew when they were within half a mile of you. Danny can sit in an uplift bus and nobody'd notice except that every piece of gear he owns has his name on it, he's not that sort of BRAH! FIST BUMP! WOOOOOOOOO and thank god, we've got more than enough of that.
Atherton bikes could use someone to get on the podium.
Love how everyone seems to be defending saracen, even though we have no idea what's gone on. Maybe Danny's dad has a point, and saracen are a bunch of ****s.
Or maybe it's a bit of both, and they just don't get on very well....
Everything I've heard about Danny is that he's a decent bloke.
Could cannondale be looking and a good fit?
They have the rat for the insta-yoof-jib crowd and been working hard on their dh bike a high achiever racer would be a great fit if their ambitions and budget matches
That insta post has a full on ‘pub car park fight’ vibe now, Danny’s Mrs is involved, lots of posters taking about (dis)respect. Fairly clear they’ve all had the same brief...
Looks like a clash of ego’s from both camps, (though not necessarily Danny himself) with one side thinking they are bigger than the other.
Love how everyone seems to be defending saracen, even though we have no idea what’s gone on.
When you're as much of a weapon as Paul Hart, it's no surprise that everyone jumps to defend Saracen.
As Tom said, Saracen are taking a pasting on their Insta post. Nobody is defending them.
And it seems they've deleted his dad's comments (which is not necessarily a mistake).
Thought about posting "Ur PR iz Saracin", but I'm not sure they'd get it.
The problem for Madison Saracen is that this has now completely overshadowed the announcement of the new riders on the team. Surely you’d do 2 separate press releases one saying thanks, goodbye and all the best to Danny then another one welcoming the new team members.
Every time I watch the top level DH racers, I can't help thinking how good they'd be on a motorbike.
And it seems they’ve deleted his dad’s comments (which is not necessarily a mistake).
Still showing for me.
I've done a bit of work in crisis management on social media.
This would be a tough one as the initial press release was ill-conceived and could be read as a bit passive aggressive once Hart Sr had pitched in.
But they can hardly answer his criticisms publicly now, so probably best to hunker down and let it blow over. Not the textbook approach at all, but a "teachable moment" for the future, as they say.
Still showing for me.
Maybe Insta on desktop's shoddy UX.
Every time I watch the top level DH racers, I can’t help thinking how good they’d be on a motorbike.
And I think some of them are, aren't they? I've seen photos of Bruni looking not too shabby on a motorbike, and Fabien Barel has done some national champs in France, I think. And not just DH racers - Julien Absalon is pretty handy on a motorbike, by all accounts (I think he started on motorbikes and stopped mainly because he was a bit full gas on them and injured or was scared of injuring himself).
I’ve done a bit of work in crisis management on social media.
This would be a tough one as the initial press release was ill-conceived and could be read as a bit passive aggressive once Hart Sr had pitched in.
But they can hardly answer his criticisms publicly now, so probably best to hunker down and let it blow over. Not the textbook approach at all, but a “teachable moment” for the future, as they say.
Struggling to see much wrong with the original press release to be honest, I'd have happily signed off on it. Perhaps "chosen not to renew contract" was a bit ill judged versus "will be moving on", but not knowing the whole story you have no idea what input Danny may have had, it's possible that there was something in their agreement that meant Saracen were obliged to make it clear it was their decision and not his?
People move teams all the time, it's relatively rare it's done with much more than a thanks for everything type mention in a press release and this is no different. It's only been made an issue by Paul Hart wading into it.
Agree best just keep their heads down and let it blow over, nobody apart from Paul Hart will give a sh*t about it in a few weeks time.
Does feel like they were trying to 'get out in front' of Danny announcing he was off somewhere else. No doubt the Mum and Dad ranting would have been forthcoming even if they'd kept schtum until the end of the season.
People move teams all the time, it’s relatively rare it’s done with much more than a thanks for everything type mention in a press release and this is no different
Sums up my thoughts. I know that the Danny Hart supporters are a loyal bunch, but the reactions seems OTT, he's a rider out of contract, who knows (or cares really) what the backstory his. Hart will either set up something himself or get busy negotiating with a new team. Normally this would've been the off season, it's bad timing at worst, but if he's out of contract, what else can you do?
No doubt the Mum and Dad ranting
It's not mum and dad - it's dad and Danny's wife
Not that she's said much - just liked a few posts sticking up for Danny
Does feel like they were trying to ‘get out in front’ of Danny announcing he was off somewhere else. No doubt the Mum and Dad ranting would have been forthcoming even if they’d kept schtum until the end of the season.
Isn't the usual MO with this sort of thing the team make an announcement near the end of the calendar year, I guess with the Bike year starting in Sept they'll want their investment in the rider to pay off when the new models arrive. Anyway, they put a nice pic of them in their team kit on all the SM platforms, sometimes even a nice Shreadit, thanking them for all they've done for the team etc. Even a top 20, $50k on the Fantasy League level rider could expect that at least.
Then we all play the Team Rumours game for a bit, the rider 'accidentally' leaves a few clues in an Insta pic or something to get the mill going, they get spotted riding in a popular riding spot like BPW at the weekend (something I believe they almost never do) creating a bit of hype and they announce their new team in the first few weeks of Jan.
Whatever the issue between Madison and Hart, if there is one at all, saying a Double World Champion is leaving in the footnote of an announcement that you're signing a new rider is unusual in this Sport, and probably a bit disrespectful to Danny, even if his family's explosive reaction makes you think there's more to it.
Will Longden looking and sounding a bit defensive about it all, followed by a very telling long silence from Danny but
"the future looks bright" (direct quote!).
Danny Hart UCI racing team, anyone?
Whatever happened or didnt happened, it only serves to make everyone look bad.
Let the riding do the talking (which does seem to be the way Danny has always operated to be fair)
“the future looks bright”
He IS going to Orange then!
(youngsters may not get this)
I'm I reading to much into that 'future is bright' comment
Edit: beaten to it
Also I've not been keeping up with my Wyn TV watching, but that is the most relaxed and chatty I've seen Danny with Wyn.
In seriousness, he seems very upbeat there, like a man with a weight off his shoulders.
Or am I reading too much into things?
See... if I was Will Longden and I was going to be interviewed about a 'touchy' subject and didn't appear to want to look defensive about it, in favour of it's just 'business as usual, riders come, riders go etc'. I'd be sure not to spend the interview with my arms crossed and using such clipped sentences ha ha.
But that's just me.
Haha I'm not sure Danny himself is old enough for the futures bright to be a hint 😆
He IS going to Orange then!
He's probably old enough to remember it himself.
Maybe it'll suit him, if he's travelling to races himself, using his own people etc, but AFAIK Orange haven't had a WC DH team since Peaty left 15 years ago.