No matter how good the suspension is (on an enduro bike) it's never going to be as good as a downhill bike, and yet you're riding similar sorts of tracks. So I think the geometry has to be absolutely perfect, tailor-made for each rider, you have to feel really comfortable on that bike, because the geometry is what's going to get you through, not how well the travel is working. For me personally I like a slack head angle and a low bottom bracket, maybe even as slack as 64 even on some tracks, that comes from the fact that enduro pretty much is a downhill race, but you have to ride to the top. - Dan Atherton |
The rest of the year is looking like pretty specialist enduro schedule. I'm going to be doing all the Italian Superenduro stuff, a lot of the Megavalanche stuff and some of the races out here in America like Downieville, stuff like that. It's another challenge I've done a lot of things in my career and enduro is going to be the next kind of stage for me. - Dan Atherton |
I think as far as enduro goes as a sport it's very young, and it hasn't kind of identified itself yet. When people race downhill you really know what the fastest products are on the market, and you really know how to set your bike up. But with enduro all the races are different... and with that comes a massive range of bike setups. Some races you'll be running single ply tires and another race you'll be running full on downhill tires. It really does depend on the track and the riders preferences. - Dan Atherton |
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by the way, is it really the GT sanction or force coz it says force on the top tube of the bike?
btw call me old school but since when did 150-160 become "short travel"? hehe
2nd btw is Rachel's bike going to be white too? I hope so.
It's all relative, sure he's only got one world cup win to his name - but he was regularly in the top 8 at 4X world cups! Sometimes it's easy to see somebody not winning and think they're not very good, but you need to take a step back and actually look at the results, not just the wins.
When you've beaten him in a single DH, 4X or enduro race, come back and we might value your opinion.
Dan was competing in 4x and DH at world cup level at THE SAME TIME. Not only that but he was doing well at both. I don't know many professional riders that could compete at both for a full season at a high level, let alone achieve decent results to boot.
I'll bet he's better at all of those disciplines than either of you are at any single one too. His sponsors seem to think so.
And all this after almost paralysing himself from the neck down. Don't know if I'd get back on a bike as quickly as he has, or to the same level!
Show some respect for one of MTB's top athletes, in MULTIPLE genres.
I'd rather have white than a clusterf**k of crazy fluorescent colours
Keep the white GT's!
K.I.S.S.
"...clusterf**k of crazy fluorescent colours" -- that made me laugh; thank you for that.
He's no longer stuffed into his skinny jeans.
p.s.: I ride a GT, so I'm really looking forward to them this season as the guys riding for the brand..
I am am looking for new clipless shoes to use with candy pedals for AM/Enduro and those just look awesome!
HELP?
so stoked to see dan shredding again!
and why is he riding without neck brace?
"Dan also got a chance to ride his new GT hardtail, and as with Gee no comments as of yet, but we'll let you know what they think after a few more rides...
"...
make you think this...
"GT needs to make the most of any marketing opportunities and as part of that strategy we haven't decided quite what to tell the Athertons what to say yet.."
As consumers we are facing an ever increasing myriad of choices over components, frames and set-ups; some may say (and I am one) that there may even be too much choice for the amateur to make sense of. I have trouble here in Japan because there are precious few Demo days over here and we rely on reviews heavily.
In all honesty, there is a relentless barrage of copy that the sponsors, pros and the media are in the business of creating to fill the space demanded by the readership. It is a tough job trying to both create content (your end!) and filter through trying to decipher what is reliable and what not (our end!).
I find Pinkbike does a better job than some other outlets I have used in giving their honest opinion in a constructive way (See the latest WEEZE chain guide review as a great example of telling the consumer, and product developer, what they need to know). However I think it would be verging on naive if we failed to ask if what we are being told by the various outlets be reliable, objective journalism.
As you say, pros are here to represent their sponsors products...a relationship open to.....manipulation should one choose to. I am glad to hear from you that you haven't seen the sponsor - pro relationship descend into something less than honest from the pressures of the relationship.
www.gtbicycles.com/2012/bikes/mountain/all-mountain/2012-force-carbon-sport
Riding is ok too
I can't wait to see him winning all the enduro's.