Jared Graves stands with the Yeti SB 6c prototype that he used to win the Canadian EWS round. Graves uses a prototype Renthal chainring on a Shimano XTR crankset. Brakes are Saint calipers with XTR Race levers that don't feature Shimano's Servo Wave mechanism, and he runs a Thomson dropper post actuated by a modified front XTR shifter. Suspension is all Fox, headed by the new 36 and backed up by a Factory Float X shock.
Damian Oton's Devinci Spartan is covered in depth in Mike Levy's PB story on the front page. Suspension is a RockShox Pike fork, paired with a Monarch Plus Debonair shock - a last minute switch from the Vivid Air damper that he was practicing with. The drivetrain all SRAM XX1.
Remy Absalon's Scott Genius LT is suspended by the Fox Nude shock and a Suntour Auron fork. Absalon uses Scott's three-position remote shock control in the rear, but it is not connected to the fork with the Twinlock mech that the stock Genius uses. The one-by Shimano XTR drivetrain has a Race Face chainring and bash guard.
Justin Leov brought a 29-inch-wheel Trek Remedy to the battle, sporting a Fox Factory RAD Float X shock and 36 fork. The drivetrain and brakes are Shimano XTR, but Leov, like most EWS riders, runs an aftermarket chainring - Wolf Tooth in this case. The chain guide is an MRP. Wheels and tires are all Bontrager, while the dropper post is a Fox D.O.S.S.
Curtis Keene's story begins with 27.5-inch wheels. Keen's first EWS podium was earned on S-Works Enduro 650. Up until now, the American Dream has campaigned upon the 29-inch wheel version. Keene chose a RockShox BlackBox Vivid Air DH shock and a Pike fork for the brutal Whistler course. The SRAM XX1 drivetrain was fitted with a Quarq XX1 powermeter and an upper guide on the crankset. Wheels were the new Roval Traverse Fattie SL and Keen chose the DH-strength versions of Specialized's Slaughter and Butcher tires. The screwdriver looking device taped to the underside of the top tube is a plug system that can instantly fix a puncture from the outside of the tire.
Martin Maes' GT Sanction has a modified Shimano XTR left shift lever that operates his Fox dropper post. Suspension is also by Fox, with the new 36 fork and a Factory Float X shock. Maes uses an e-Thirteen chainguide and a Hope chainring for his Shimano XTR one-by drivetrain. The 27.5-inch wheels are also blacked out, but the rims appear to be Stan's Flow EX. Maes rode 2.3-inch Continental Mud King tires on the dry and dusty course, perhaps to take advantage of their grip on the many roots that are the dominating feature here on Whistler's back-country trails.
Joe Barnes' Canyon Strive CF 9.0 is close to the stock model, with a Fox Float X shock and 36 fork, Mavic Crossmax Enduro wheels and a SRAM XX1 drivetrain. Brakes are SRAM Guide and the tires are blacked out 27.5-inch Schwalbes - Hans Dampf (rear) and Magic Mary
Richie Rude rides the new Yeti SB6c shod with Maxxis Minion tires (DHR/ DHF) on 27.5-inch DT Swiss EX 1501 Spline 1 wheels. Seatpost dropper is a Thomson and the drivetrain is Shimano XTR powered and protected by an e-thirteen chainring and chainguide. Rude runs Shimano Saint brakes, presumably for their extra power. Suspension is all Fox, with a Float X shock and the 2015 36 fork.
Nico Lau fought his way to a second place finish on his Cube Stereo. Lau broke tradition, using a Shimano two-by drivetrain, that was hacked out from a triple crankset with the teeth of the outer sprocket ground off to create a bash ring. Lau uses a remote controlled Fox Float X shock and a D.O.S.S. dropper post that, when combined with the addition of the front mech, creates a traffic jam of cables funnelling from the handlebar. The fork is the new 36 and wheels are DT Swiss EX 1501s controlled by Shimano Saint brakes. Lau's tire choice is the popular Schwalbe Hans Dampf/Magic Mary combination.
Cedric Gracia's Santa Cruz Nomad showcases DVO suspension, with the new Diamond fork and Jade Coil shock. Wheels are Mavic Crossmax Enduro, shod with a Specialized Slaughter rear tire and a blacked out Schwalbe Magic Mary up front. Cedric's Shimano XTR one-by drivetrain appears to be powered by a Hope chainring with an MRP guide. Brakes are Shimano XTR.
Ben Cruz was reported to be testing some prototype damping internals that were recently developed for the 160mm-travel Lefty Supermax in the front of his carbon fiber Cannondale Jekyll. Cruz runs a SRAM XX1 drivetrain backed up with an MRP chain guide. Wheels are WTB Frequency Team with WTB 27.5 by 2.5-inch Breakout tires. Brakes are SRAM Guides and the dropper post is a RockShox Stealth.
Fabien Cousine stands with his Polygon Collossus N9, with a Shimano XT transmission, powered by an e-Thirteen crankset and chain guide. Suspension is BOS, with a Kirk shock and Deville fork. The Shimano ten-speed cassette is enhanced with a 42-tooth cog. Its 27.5-inch wheels are by e-Thirteen, and are shod with a Hutchinson Toro rear and a Squale front tire. The dropper post is a KS LEV.
Mitch Ropelato chose a Specialized S-Works Enduro 29er driven by a SRAM XX1/X0 transmission and rolling on carbon Roval Traverse wheels. Tires are a 2.3-inch Specialized Slaughter in the rear, with a 2.3 inch Butcher up front. Suspension is a RockShox Pike fork and an Ohlins twin tube shock. The Specialized Command Post dropper is hooked to Specialized's new under-bar paddle-type remote.
Thomas Lapeyrie rides a Scott Genius LT 700 with a Shimano XTR one-by drivetrain powered by a Saint chainring with a Shimano guide. Brakes are Shimano XTR and suspension is split between the Fox-made Nude shock and a Suntour Auron fork. Thomas runs Michelin Wildgrip'r tires on both ends of his bike. Ergon fills out the cockpit and the dropper is a RockShox Reverb Stealth.
Alex Lupato, riding a Spicy Team, was the only Lapierre rider at the Canadian EWS. His SRAM X0 drivetrain is updated with an FRM 42-tooth cassette cog and crankset FRM also made the carbon chainguide. Suspension is all Marzocchi, with a factory-tuned 350 CR fork and a Roco LO shock. Wheels are by FRM and brakes are Formula. Alex chose a Maxxis High Roller II front tire and a Minion DHF in the rear. The cockpit is all FRM except for the RockShox Reverb dropper.
Yoann Barelli's Giant Reign 275 Carbon is the completely redesigned 2015 model, powered by a SRAM XX1 transmission and sporting a RockShox Reverb seatpost. Yoann runs an MRP chain guide and the 27.5-inch wheels are DT Swiss 1501 EX models, spinning a Schwalbe Hans Dampf rear and a Magic Mary front tire. Brakes are SRAM Guides and suspension is by RockShox, with a Monarch Plus Debonair shock, paired with a Pike fork.
Ludo May's Canyon Strive CF 9.0 is almost a carbon copy of the bike team mate Joe Barnes rides. Ludo ran a blacked out Schwalbe Hans Dampf rear tire, with a Mavic front tire on 27.5-inch Mavic Crossmax Enduro wheels. Both men are co-sponsored by Ergon, which explains the colorful and comfortable cockpit accessories.
Bryan Regnier's sharp looking YT Capra Pro features a carbon frame, with an aluminum swingarm. The four-bar suspension drives a RockShox Monarch Plus shock, paired with a Pike fork. The drivetrain is SRAM XX1 boosted by a Blackspire chainguide, and Bryan's wheels are Mavic Crossmax Enduros with a Maxxis High Roller II rear tire and a Schwalbe Magic Mary up front.
Mark Scott's Nukeproof Mega AM 275 Pro has a SRAM X01 transmission, driven by a Descendant crankset with a Hope chainring and an MRP chain guide. Suspension is handled by a RockShox Monarch Plus shock and a Pike fork. Brakes are Hope and the wheels are built up with Hope hubs and Stan's ZTR Flow EX rims. The rear tire is a Continental Der Kaiser and the front is a Conti Mud King. Scott's dropper is a RockShox Reverb Stealth.
Anne Caroline Chausson's Ibis carbon HDR prototype sports a BOS Kirk shock and a Deville fork. The drivetrain is all SRAM XX1, with a Truvativ chainguide. ACC runs Magura brakes and Mavic wheels, shod with a Maxxis High Roller II front and a Minion DHF rear tire. Her dropper post is the neo-classic Reverb Stealth.
Kelli Emmett races Giant's women's specific, 140-millimeter-travel Intrigue -1. The aluminum framed AM/enduro racer has a SRAM XX1 drivetrain and a trio of RockShox necessities: a Monarch Plus shock, a Pike fork and a Reverb Stealth dropper seatpost. Brakes are SRAM guides and the Giant rolls on DT Swiss EX 1501 Spline wheels and Schwalbe tires - Hans Dampf rear/Magic Mary front.
Women's winner Cecile Ravonel and her GT Force, with a beat up SRAM XX1 transmission, powered by an e-Thirteen crankset. The 27.5-inch wheels are American Classic AM hoops that sport Hutchinson Toro tires, front and rear. Brakes are by Formula and suspension is by Marzocchi, with a prototype, remote-controlled Roco air shock and a 350 CR fork.
Anneke Beerten's S-Works Enduro 650 runs a RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair shock and Pike fork. Wheels are carbon Roval Traverse Fattie SLs, with the Specialized Slaughter/Butcher tire combination found on the standard models. SRAM fills out the drivetrain, dropper post and brakes with XX1, RockShox Reverb Stealth, and Guide. Beerton's stash of spares fixed to the top tube includes a tubeless plug kit and a cycling computer.
Tracy Mosely's Trek Remedy Nine Eight 29 was one of the few big wheel race bikes at the race. Her drivetrain was a Shimano XTR two-by-ten, with a lower roller guide. The shock was a Fox RAD Float X, while the fork was the new 36. Wheels were aluminum Bontrager Elite models with prototype Bontrager tires. Brakes were Shimano XTR and her dropper post was a Fox D.O.S.S.
Ines Thoma rides a Canyon Strive CF with Mavic Crossmax Enduro wheels, a blacked out Schwalbe rear tire and a Crossmax front tire. The dropper is a RockShox Reverb Stealth, and the drivetrain is all SRAM XX1 and the Strive is anchored by Guide brakes. Suspension is Fox, with a Float X shock and a 36 fork.
Rosara Joseph's 26-inch-wheel Yeti SB66c is powered by a Shimano XTR one-by drivetrain using an e-Thirteen chainring and guide. Wheels are the very popular DT Swiss EX 1501 Spline, with a Maxxis Minion DH rear tire and a Minion DHF up front. Brakes are XTR and the dropper post is a Fox D.O.S.S. Suspension is also by Fox, with a Float X shock and a 36 fork.
Lars Sternberg's aluminum-framed 2015 Transition was running a Shimano XTR drivetrain with a handmade prototype chainring. The 27.5-inch wheels were a mix, with a WTB i23 rear and a KOM up front, while both tires were WTV Vigilantes. The four-bar rear end was suspended by a Fox Float X and the fork was a Fox 36. The dropper was a blacked out RockShox Reverb Stealth.
Dan Atherton's GT Sanction is a Shimano XTR-powered beast, set up with an aftermarket 40-tooth cassette cog and a Hope narrow-wide chainring, with an e-Thirteen guide. Brakes are Shimano Saint, and the wheels appear to be blacked out 27.5-inch Stan's ZTR Flow EX, mounted to Continental Mud King tires with hot patch numbers that indicate that they are prototypes. Suspension is all Fox, with a Kashima Float X shock and 36 fork.
Jason Moeschler's Cannondale Jekyll was sporting secret Shimano parts - a prototype Deore XT drivetrain and brakes that duplicate the new XTR in many ways, including the wide-range 11-speed cassette. Jason was also running proto carbon WTB wheels. More on this later today, but while PB prepares the story, look closely at the photo. Reportedly, Jason's 160mm Supermax Lefty also has some secret internals.
Matt Slaven was rocking the new Kona Process and Bell's two-piece enduro helmet. Suspension is all RockShox with a Monarch Plus Debonair shock, paired with a Pike fork. The Kona's transmission was SRAM XX1 and the brakes were Guides. Matt's wheels appear to be blacked-out carbon Enve AM models, with a Maxxis Minion DHF tire on the rear and a High Roller II up front.
SRAM's Duncan Riffle walks the walk - racing the toughest EWS race to date on a Giant Trance Advanced, sporting a SRAM X01 drivetrain with a proto chainring and bash guard. Check out the rear derailleur too. Wheels are SRAM Roam 50s with a Schwalbe Hans Dampf rear tire and a Magic Mary front. Suspension was handled by a RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair shock and a Pike fork.
Charlie Sponsel's Felt Compulsion is suspended by Fox, with a Kashima Float X shock and a 34 Float fork. Wheels are a mix of WTB's Frequency i23 in the rear and a KOM up front, mounted to Maxxis High Roller II tires all 'round. The one-by drivetrain is powered by an FSA Gravity crankset and guide, with a Shimano Saint rear mech and ten-speed cassette.
Rene Wildhaber's Trek Slash 9.8 runs a SRAM XX1 drivetrain boosted by an e-Thirteen upper chain guide. Brakes are SRAM guides, while the wheels are Easton Havens mounted with prototype Bontrager tires. The wild man with the Red Bull helmet runs a stock looking RockShox Monarch Plus shock and a Pike fork, and his dropper is a Reverb Stealth.
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"Pre narrow-wide, single-chainring drivetrains required a chainguide to prevent the recurring disaster of derailment. When XX1 began showing up on bikes in early 2013, there was industry wide speculation that narrow-wide would not live up to expectations. By the end of the year, chainguides had all but disappeared on trail and all-mountain bikes" - RC, December 2013.
What has changed the game allot and biggest effect for anything below DH level, is with clutch RDs with narrow wide chainrings the "lower roller" chain tension support and guide, which was the key aspect of a guide as much as anything and also the biggest "weakness" to any chain guide with standard chain rings and non clutch rear Ds crud mud, wear of bearings chain etc and drag.
Is no longer required and all setups with NW clutch don't use this, only dual ring aficionados hanging onto the past and non narrow wide running std e13 or Shitmano rings require them!
End, lower rollers for DH only!
Btw 2years using XX1 no guide, will add an AMG though, Ive still not dropped a chain, and only one front ring replacement.
Still on same chain and rear cassette, allot of miles and extreme terrain.
Love the grip, hate the wear. Back to Maxxis for me.
I was pretty surprised by how many people ditched their sponsor for the Schwalbe. I know I love my Schwalbe's!
Dont get me wrong, it is great to have lots of bike checks on EWS bikes, but it would be even better to have them a little bit more in depth than "Atherton is running cranks with chainring" or "ACC has a wide bar and short stem on her Trek Bronson bicycle" type of checks.
I heard that Matt Slaven was riding a carbon Process 153 in Colorado and I see that he's switched out for the alloy model. Would you know why he's doing that? I also saw in the results at CO that he didn't finish! Broken frame perhaps?
Dudes
What are all you guy's opinions on coil vs air vs air w/ reservoir? What about for a heavier rider?
I've heard coils are better in almost every regard... with the exception of the few hundred gram weight penalty. Is this true?
they do the same thing but they do it differently. and whether which is right for you depends on your application and intended use.
all else equal (suspension design), there is more adjustability and modulation on an air shock just due to the design. A coils curve is predetermined based on the rate (again suspension design held constant).
The newer design on reservoir's for air has fixed a lot of the problems with frothing that occured previously under high heat and speed. But a heavier rider banging on a big track may still push an air shock to a point where coil is better.
weight is generally lower on air vs coil.
I 3D printed mounts that attach with zip-ties and it works really good on my sb66c but still looks very improvised if not to say ugly..
A typical water bottle you would carry weighs about 1.5 lbs. If the bottle is low down and near the center of gravity of the bike, manipulating the bike doesn't change the position of the bottle much, so it requires less energy compared to having the bottle high up, where it would be moved much further for the same amount of manipulation and require more energy.
They also would probably rather not rack their balls unnecessarily.
At least that's what was featured in vehicle dynamics 101 books when i studied transportation engineering back in the day and even if the big wheel fans insist, physics did not change in the last few years. You can see actually see that very clearly on motorcycles (how all the masses are concentrated around that line) or if you prefer i can look up the old ISBN number of my schoolbooks if you are interested in more details.
So considering this the bottle is not further away from the ideal position on the down tube than it is on the top tube. On most contemporary frame designs it would actually be closer to an ideal position in terms of not influencing the handling.
A typical water bottle I would carry on my down tube collects 0.5 lbs of dirt which i would rather not have in my mouth and if i ever end up down there, underneath my seat where top tube and seat tube connect, i would be happy to have some extra cushion of a soft water bottle because something must have gone terribly terribly wrong....
I won't disagree with you on the center of gravity line idea, that sounds reasonable. For motorcycles (which are less effected by the rider's body shifting around, and still have the center of gravity low and in the middle of the bike), but does it take into account forward and backward rocking motion, jumping, hard braking, and the incredibly steep angles the riders will sometimes face? Having the center of gravity too near either of the extremes (either the headtube or rear axle) will make the bike difficult to maneuver in other ways that road use vehicles don't typically experience. You would be over the bars constantly if the COG was at the headtube, and it would be wheelie city if it was at the rear axle.
Sure the effects are multiplied in motorcycles and are easier to feel as a part being not where it is supposed to be is usually heavier so the influence on handling is bigger.
Of course you would not want to have COG at the end point of this imaginary line.
btw, Husaberg did actually introduce an Engine on endure-motorcycles which had the piston in line with that line in order to minimize the influence of those moving masses on the handling of the bike a while ago. They switched back to use the regular KTM based engines though after a few years. It was really interesting from an engineering point of few (geek-alarm)
Anyway point is water tastes better without dirt on the mouthpiece of the bottle + plus i can grab it while pedaling up the hill. On the way down the bottle is empty anyway...
That giant reign for the win(too bad u have to buy too build for blu/blk), followed by slash, sanction,..
The way those konas sit (and ride) still enthrall me.
Looks like maes bypassed the stock derailuer cable maze on his force? (Eliminates friction)
"Thomas runs Hutchinson Wildgrip'r tires on both ends of his bike" I think you meant Michelin...
I'm still waiting for a 180mm Lefty to come out...
29 wheels = monstrosity
Cedric Gracia = no more Panaracer tires?
My head is shaken...
fotos.mtb-news.de/s/70200
www.pinkbike.com/photo/11299381