The sample size of 29ers in DH is too small to give us any conclusions yet (though I'm confident they won't disappear).I cringe when I hear people say "well 29ers can't be that great 'cos Gwin won the WC series on 27".
He's Aaron **** Gwin, the most-dominant rider of his generation and soon to be the GOAT. We might never see a better DHer.
He's won in a bog at MSA and with no chain at Leogang, so I'm sure he can pull a few seconds back on a marginally slower wheel size.
When he gets a 29in Tues nobody else will ever win again (maybe).
So we've gone from 29ers will wipe the floor with 27.5 bikes - to....actually....it's skill that matters.
Who'd have guessed that?
He's won in a bog at MSA and with no chain at Leogang, so I'm sure he can pull a few seconds back on a marginally slower wheel size.
Yup, because the results this season have really indicated that we're talking about margins as great as a couple of seconds here.
In general, this years riders ended up where they were expected to be in terms of ranking. Two second gains would have resulted in some quite big upsets.
So we've gone from 29ers will wipe the floor with 27.5 bikes - to....actually....it's skill that matters.
That's not what I said at all.
Your teachers must have had a frustrating time with you at school.
Take a look at say Greg and his results, he has seen a boost on the 29r, every time he is asked he just says it's a bike that fits him thats what makes the difference
Man it was boring, course was either too long, flat or both. Either way I made 4 attempts to watch it and still didn't make it to the last 3 riders.
They have the split times all available as they happen - it's on the Tissiot Live Page for the race, we were watching them all afternoon.
That may well be but it doesn't tell us what's happening, only that they are up or down on time. The fact that the commentators are saying they are crashed becasue of some muck on the riders knee is cringe-worthy.
That was in response to somebody saying they didn't have the times till they were on screen. for every top rider we saw lots on screen where we were but I'm a little hazy on the details for some reason - dehydration was a big risk out there!!
Sorry if this question has been asked before, but why no dropper posts ?
The sight of so many of the riders pedalling furiously down the final stretch with their knees up to their chins seemed a bit odd to me !
Sorry if this question has been asked before, but why no dropper posts ?
It's DH - nobody has got a dropper post sponsor 😛
I think some DH frames wouldn't have a long enough seat tube to take a dropper. (interruptions from welds, pivot points etc.) But the thought crossed my mind.
I also wondered why more didn't try it on an Enduro bike.
But everyone has kept saying that 29ers are suited to less steep courses
No they haven't at all,most folk have just said "let's see"
Genuine question.
If Gwin is on a 29'er next year, will it be because he wants the best bike, or because YT want to sell a load of 29'ers (assuming they get a 29'er DH bike ready) to the small amount of people who buy DH bikes who already have the 27.5 version? How will we know?
Droppers made it in Ft William one year whent he motorway was longer and less MX jumps.
Though another thing to forget, Gwinn forgot to unlock is shock at one point - though it was termed as just a firmer firm option to his normal fairly firm setup
If Gwin is on a 29'er next year, will it be because he wants the best bike, or because YT want to sell a load of 29'ers
Look at the team that has got it right with the 29r (v10) they worked with Greg to get it right, it was driven together to develop the right bike. Looking at how analytical he is on every video that makes a lot of sense. If Gwinn want to put the time in then he could probably get there
YT won't make a 29er unless Gwin wants one.
I dunno if he'll want to race on one, but I'm sure he'll want to try one. He raced the Enduro 29er in domestic US DH races before IIRC, so he is aware of the advantages.
Anyway getting through the pics I may have forgotten I took... not posting the after party ones...
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Elliot practicing his faces
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Button was stoked
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Smiles for Miles
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Yeah shit happens
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Always like to be made to look short
MWS, you actually have a bit of the Gwin about you! 😆
if only the beer had been in shot would have cleared up any doubt!!
But hey got to love those guys, just wander in have a chat drink some beer and chill out.
Look at the team that has got it right with the 29r (v10) they worked with Greg to get it right, it was driven together to develop the right bike
Its a shame enve dont put the same effort into making wheels that keep his tires on. Its also not doing much of a job in promoting the benefits of all these inserts that are all the rage at the moment.
In general if you could say DH specific bikes are a small percentage of a brands bike sales.
Stupid question coming up:
Would the manufacturers sell more bikes if they raced with Enduro with marketing around "even capable in DH CUP"? What I mean is I guess they don't sell many DH bikes due to the very specific intended use? Or does it trickle down sales to other models in the range regardless?
I understand they wouldn't necessarily win with a less specific bike but being competitive for example top 10 or 20 would that be a massive sales pitch?
It's an awareness thing, this is massive marketing for these guys. See also SRAM & Shimano who had a massive presence there
I'm guessing another 500 Hightowers were sold just after announcing the DH 29er V10. It just removes doubt.
Disappointing race that I thought. It was great to see Bruni win again really chuffed for him but gutted for Sik Mick you could see he was gutted at the end getting another silver.
As for the women it's always disappointing when someone [i]lucks[/i] into the win. Hare and tortoise and all that. Felt very short changed that it wasn't a fast run that won it.
when someone lucks into the win
Seriously? are you unsure how this racing malarky works? 😆
I also wondered why more didn't try it on an Enduro bike.
Definitely this.
Would the manufacturers sell more bikes if they raced with Enduro with marketing around "even capable in DH CUP"? What I mean is I guess they don't sell many DH bikes due to the very specific intended use? Or does it trickle down sales to other models in the range regardless?
Possibly, I think at the moment aside from the ones who do it for the love of it justify WC DH partly as R&D (it seems a lot of new Enduro bike are scaled down versions of their WC bikes) and brand awareness.
As above though, how long before they meet in the middle - 170 even 180mm travel is becoming the norm for Enduro bikes, whilst the DH bikes are coming down in travel to accommodate bigger wheels. Will there be a time when they have the same frame for both and just a tougher build for DH?
Some of those pro DH bikes won't weigh much more than a run-of-the-mill enduro bike anyway, and there are still enough courses on the calendar where the travel and geometry will be a big help.
Coverage was poor on the BBC, mainly to the camera positions sorted by a local company payed by the UCI. I understand it's a literal jungle but surely as it's on BBC and HSBC 'sponsor' the british team to get more of the general population watching, but it was pretty dull, miss the first two thirds of the course, trees in lines of sight and then open pedal fest's. So many even amateurs MTB films have amazing camera work, drones, zip lines and what not. Does the UCI put some effort in for the world champs? Biggest possible audience for non road or track cycling event? Use a venue that gives good viewing possibilities even if it's a bit too bike park? Make it easy to watch?
No. FFS Canadians had to use a VPN to watch!
Good morning Scruff.
No. FFS Canadians had to use a VPN to watch!
This fake Canadian watched it on an on-line Danish TV channel! What a joke.
nickc - Member
when someone lucks into the win
Seriously? are you unsure how this racing malarkey works?
This was no Danny Hill style Champery demolition from a podium regular, it was 5+ seconds down at the first split pace and that makes me sad.
But as you say a win is a win whatever happens and she'll be a World Champ forever. Good luck to her. I hope that this gives her the confidence to start getting on the World Cup podium regularly.
Managed to get some unseen footage from the UCI while they were all at the bar Sunday night...
On a par with the live feed?
Would like to have seen a post race Wyn TV from this race too.
It's coming, he was out with the camera somewhere
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Sunday night had a few parties going on, think the Masters boys were in the other one....
