Troy Brosnan Talks About His New Canyon Sender

Jan 14, 2017
by Richard Cunningham  
Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender


Pinkbike's Ben Stevens ran into Troy Brosnan at round one of the Australian national DH Series and asked him about his new Canyon Sender - and how he was getting on with the bike and his new team since leaving Specialized. In the interview, we learned that the Canyon Factory Downhill Team's lead wrench is Nigel Reeve, one of the best - and the man who kept Stevie Smith's racing machine sharp. So far, the 2017 DH season is looking bright for both Brosnan and Canyon.


Ben Stevens: What’s your height and weight?

Troy Brosnan: I’m 175 cm tall and about 65 kilos.

Ben: What frame size are you riding?

Troy: A medium Sender.

Ben: Is that different than your Demo?

Troy: No, same as my Specialized.

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender


Ben: What bar width and stem length do you run?

Troy: I run a 5-centimeter Renthal stem with 38-mil’ rise, 740-millimeter-width bars.

Ben: Do you know how much the bike weighs?

Troy: No, I don’t. I think it’d probably be about 16 or 16.3 kilos – in between there.

Ben: Is bike weight important?

Troy: I think bike weight is a little bit important, especially for a rider like me. Being so light, you really don’t want a heavy bike. But also, going too lightweight, it won’t be very stable at the same time.

Ben: Do you run any spacers under the stem?

Troy: Yeah, I’ve been playing around with it, but it’s been hard to get the perfect height for every track. I’ve been going five mils’ up or down here or there at different tracks. I wouldn’t say anything is set in stone, but we are getting there.

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Brosnan says Canyon's MX Link rear suspension delivers more traction.


Ben: Do you run air or coil suspension?

Troy: I’m running coil suspension front and back. We’re trying a few different things with our suspension tech this year - and we got Nigel (who is Stevie Smith’s old mechanic). He is fully doing all of our suspension and making it all custom and pretty nice, so it’s been good.

Ben: Same air pressures?

Troy: Not really. It’s a bit different with the Mavic wheels and Maxxis tires. I’ve gone down in pressure from what I was running previously, and I’ve found a bit more traction - and a bit wider rim and a bit wider tire is helping a lot. It’s a bit different, but there are no set pressures yet, this year.
Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Coil-sprung RockShox on both ends

Ben: What chainring sizes?

Troy: We got a 36 on this, with a normal SRAM seven-speed cassette on the back.

Ben: What pedals do you run?

Troy: I run HT pedals - the X2 models.

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Stock SRAM, seven-speed drivetrain.
Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Rounded shift lever, with a rubber pad.


Ben: Do you have a specific chain guide that you run?

Troy: We got the e*thirteen - it’s the LG1, so it’s lightweight, but it still stops rocks from breaking your chain or chainring.

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Brosnan has used HT pedals since his days with Gwin.

Ben: Tire choices?

Troy: I’m not sure yet. I’ve been running the Maxxis Minion front and Maxxis Minion DHR II right now. It feels pretty good, but I’m kind of still swapping in between the two and trying different ones on the front and the rear, and seeing what is going to be the best for the tracks overseas, as well as for the tracks over here.

Ben: Do you run tubes or tubeless?

Troy: I run tubeless.

Ben: Have you worked out specific pressures yet?

Troy: I’ve been going a bit lower, so here, I’ve got 25 and 29. It’s a pretty rocky here and a bit loose, so I’m trying not to ding my rims and not get flat tires as well.

Ben: And, what wheels are you running?

Troy: I was running DT Swiss, and now I’m on the Mavic DeeMax wheels

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
Troy says his Mavic wheels and Maxxis tires are both wider than he used on his Specialized last season.


Ben: How much time have you had on the new Canyon?

Troy: Yeah, I’ve had a while actually. I’ve been kind of doing a little sneaky testing before the year started. I’ve been on it for a solid month of testing. It’s been pretty good, and I feel pretty comfortable on it.

Ben: What sort of stuff have you been riding to get your base settings?

Troy: Definitely the stuff at home, like my local tracks. The downhills there, I know so well - I know the tracks rock by rock, and it’s really easy to get the bike dialed in - and that’s what you have to focus on, rather than learning a new track.

Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
SRAM Guide levers...
Troy Brosnan Canyon Sender
...Paired with Code brake calipers.


Ben: Has there been a much of a learning curve or any big changes since coming off the Demo?

Troy: Yeah, for sure. I’ve learned a lot, actually, going to Canyon. And, also through Fabien and everything he’s taught me in a short amount of time. The Sender’s geometry is a lot different. I’m running a longer chainstay, and it’s a bit slacker as well. A few little things have changed here and there – I haven’t really had to change my riding style as much, but I’ve had to change the way I’m more aggressive on the bike. Getting used to it is the main thing.

Ben: What would you say is the biggest difference between the two?

Troy: The way the Canyon works. The suspension with the MX link feels lot more supple and has a bit more traction towards the ground - and a lot better ramp-up as well. The Specialized did pedal well, and it worked when you really made it work, but this bike feels easy to go fast on and I believe that it’s got the potential to go faster again.




MENTIONS: @Canyon-PureCycling / @SramMedia / @benstevens



Author Info:
RichardCunningham avatar

Member since Mar 23, 2011
974 articles

151 Comments
  • 277 15
 #longlivechainsaw
  • 145 4
 If we don't see a galaxy themed sender with matching kit next season, I'll be pretty upset
  • 12 62
flag RedBurn (Jan 15, 2017 at 0:06) (Below Threshold)
 You mean same graphics as ken block ? We ve seen more beautiful
  • 27 2
 @RedBurn: ^^ go back under your bridge now.
  • 18 12
 Ken Block graphics they are the most crappy trash I've ever seen.
  • 3 2
 @RedBurn: what's a ken block?
  • 61 3
 I'm really interested to see how these bikes perform on the world cup. Last year was deffinitly the year of the Mondraker and it showing how well it tracked the rough sections. Yes the riders deffinitly had something to do with it but you watch some of the Vital Raw videos watch that Mondraker in the rock gardens, the wheel is doing a lot more rolling than bouncing. Being a massive bike geek when a bike with a different take on rear suspension link design and that whole dissengagment thing makes me really curious to see how well this bike tracks and how well it performs in the nasty rock gardens. WC season just start already!!!
  • 8 0
 How i felt when the new gambler design hit production... Cool to see companies that arent usually focused on WC dh get serious about their bike design before starting the series
  • 29 0
 Well Troy just won his first race in the Sender just today, must be pretty happy with it!
  • 17 1
 Mondraker yes, but the fist time show up and win of YT was no slack performance either, and then taking the overall is pretty darn good for a first season appearance at the WCs. Love to see Troy kick it on Canyon.
  • 25 0
 Quite interesting seeing him to run a coil damper, whilst Canyon pretends to have an air-spring optimized rear suspension design...
  • 9 1
 Well I think everyone that can run coil, does run coil. The guys running air, they aren't doing it because they want to, it's because they have to because if their bike's kinematics.
  • 10 3
 @jaame: I heard a rather informed and educated opinion about Sender and Float X2 being the bees knees. The opinionee tried it with a coil shock as well.

So the answer we all fear is: it dependsBig Grin
  • 5 10
flag jaame (Jan 15, 2017 at 6:17) (Below Threshold)
 @WAKIdesigns: I think it depends on, are you going to be riding round flat turns with small bumps on them.

Air shocks quickly run out of answers to hard questions like "Lean over, bumps, a touch of brake, lean some more, can you handle it?"
  • 3 1
 @WAKIdesigns: There is no right or wrong, only thinking makes it so. We all have our own preferences.
  • 4 0
 He has Nigel looking after his suspension. He is a suspension wizard that will have custom hardware in those forks/ shocks. He'd be able to change any aspect of the suspension. No doubt that bike will be one of the best feeling on the circuit.
  • 12 5
 @Boardlife69: yes we all have our own preferences... and some of them are based on absolutely nothing Razz
  • 1 0
 @jaame: Everyone except Gwin. The YT is so progressive that they made a custom air can for Gwin so he could run it on the Tues frame!
  • 24 4
 I love these in-depth reviews.
  • 2 1
 Well only a few a BITS changed
  • 12 2
 It's not a review, it's an interview and bike check rolled into one.
  • 18 1
 I would be really interested in why he chose to run a coil sprung Boxxer?
  • 18 11
 Cos air springs suck in short.
  • 11 1
 @bxxer-rider: right! Just built myself a coil Pike.
  • 2 0
 @Muckal: I have been reading the coil Pike thread on Singletrack. Which system did you go with? How os it compare to air?
  • 3 0
 @fartymarty: i used a Domain 180mm Spring Shaft, Lyrik 26 Top Out Assy and a cut Lyrik Spring. Makes for 140mm of travel on a Pike 29.
Feels like home compared to SA when pushing down while standing. Can't tell you about riding though, sidelined with broken clavicle...
  • 3 0
 @fartymarty: got the idea from here: forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/pike-coil-conversion-986773.html

Soon i´ll be trying a Boxxer Shaft to get 160mm of travel for the Mega, there is no such thing like to much travel Wink The conversion as it is now (140mm) adds 200g to a Pike 29 Solo Air.
  • 2 0
 @Gweggy Theres new high performance Boxxer springs being released soon, nearly all of the top WC guys on Boxxers are already running them and were used all of last season too quietly
  • 2 0
 Lets start a Ti spring conversion company!
  • 2 0
 Coil is just sick!
  • 1 0
 @fartymarty: good news, a Boxxer spring shaft makes for 160mm coil travel inside a Pike 29 Smile
  • 12 0
 Seems like every sport has sort of a template for what's the bodytype most likely to be fast. Slalom skiers are generally much smaller and lighter than Super G and Downhill racers. What's the story in DH MTB? Seems like Gwin is reasonably big, as are Peat and Minaar? Troy is definitely more small and agile. I'd love to hear a bit more about how different sized riders at that level set up their bikes and tweak their technique in relation to their size/strength differences.
  • 1 0
 Good point, excellent idea
  • 2 1
 @Mieszko42: danny hart also he is 2016 champion
  • 9 0
 Sam Hill is not big. Gwin is on the tall side of average. The Syndicate riders (old team, anyway) are all well over 6ft. Gee is tall, but not so much as the SC team. Bruni is about Gee's height, but not quite as muscular. Hart and Bros are both fairly short and lightweight. They are ALL fit.

Having put some thought into this topic over the years, I think that the any advantage given by rider height and/or body type really varies from season to season. Certain frame geometries and tracks seem to favor one or the other, and both of these factors seem to follow trends over the course of several seasons. I don't think its as easy to generalize here as it is in ski racing.

And even in ski racing, those rules don't always hold true: Daron Rahlves is not a big guy, but won many speed events. Tomba was a horse, but dominated SL and GS.
  • 14 2
 He really said that he runs "a 50-centimeter Renthal stem" or it's a pinkbike mistake?
  • 5 0
 Says 5 cm now - maybe they amended it?
  • 7 0
 @hifiandmtb: Yep. Thanks Xandr
  • 51 1
 Almost funnier that it was corrected to 5cm instead of 50mm....ha
  • 18 2
 740mm bars, enough said.
  • 4 21
flag jaame (Jan 14, 2017 at 22:00) (Below Threshold)
 Is that still a typo? Rental don't make 5cm stems
  • 52 9
 740mm bars a 5cm stem... imperials confused with simplicity of metric system...Wait wait waaaait!!! He is not using 35mm stem and bars wider than 760? Hasn't he heard a bro saying that they bought 40 stem and 780 bar and never went back? Doesn't he read whay real bros say on Pinkbike? That shorter and wider is better? IZ BETTAHZ ON InTERNETZ!!!!

He's no bro... do you even 4 tokens in your Boxxer?
  • 1 27
flag jaame (Jan 15, 2017 at 1:11) (Below Threshold)
 It's a wind-up article. There's no way he's got a 5cm stem and 740cm bars. Renthal don't even make 3.8mm rise bars. What would be the point of such a small rise?

I think it's another smoke screen, like when they deliberately quote incorrect tyre pressures to throw the competition off the scent...
  • 4 0
 The spiritual leader of 264Lyf only runs about 740/750 iirc.
  • 18 0
 @jaame: 50mm stem 740mm bars with a 38mm rise whats so improbable?
  • 2 15
flag jaame (Jan 15, 2017 at 3:33) (Below Threshold)
 @juretunic: it's not 50mm, it's 50cm
  • 5 1
 @juretunic: yep @jaame, you need to re-read it
"I run a 5-centimeter Renthal stem with 38-mil’ rise, 740-millimeter-width bars."
  • 10 0
 @jaame: Read again, it says 5cm stem, as in 50mm.

They may be mixing units of measurement but it isnt that hard to understand, is it?
  • 5 0
 @jaame: so half a metre then?
  • 16 3
 @jimmythehat: 500mm. One and half stone of a foot
  • 2 3
 @WAKIdesigns: boom boom
  • 2 1
 @WAKIdesigns: You Swedes not aware of sarcasm then
  • 5 0
 @jaame: 50000 microns, settled
  • 4 0
 @jimmythehat: Waki is sarcasm
  • 3 0
 @ThomDawson: I missed that, I guess it's a second language thing, school boy stuff.
  • 2 1
 @jimmythehat: I got your sarcasm but how much would that be in parsecs?
  • 3 8
flag Calek (Jan 15, 2017 at 8:39) (Below Threshold)
 PB:What stem length do you run?
Troy:Same as my d!ck 50 cm.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: slightly less than 1 bro! Wink
  • 1 0
 @jimmythehat: Less than one bro sounds like Bros-none. It all makes sense now...
  • 11 4
 Little guy, narrow bar, way to go that's what I have on my bike! It's because of what kind of local trails I ride I have to have them. But being a smaller guy too couldn't be better! Bike feels way more agile and you move it around quicker!
Go Troy!!

P.S. when's he gonna start getting them custom painted like he did his Demos???
  • 12 1
 I see this all the time and i don't think its too much on height, mainly shoulder width. For example im about the same height as him but have quite wide shoulders, and i ride 780MM which feels comfy. I have tried, 740,750 and 760 and 780 is the most comfortable for me
  • 4 0
 @oli99: I have pretty narrow shoulders, and yet I also feel confortable on 780 (same as you, I tried a lot of different bar width before reaching this conclusion ^^).

ps : I'm sure troy would still be faster than me on a push bike, so you shouldn't consider my opinion.
  • 1 0
 @oli99: spot on!
  • 3 0
 @oli99: nailed it. I think the uber talented can run even a touch narrower than their shoulders dictate as well. A bit anyway. They can still control it and gives them more arm flexion for straightlining through huge holes
  • 5 1
 @won-sean-animal-chin: "straightlining through huge holes"

That was epic.
  • 1 0
 @oli99: just slapped some race face sixc 800mm with 40 mm stem..But I'm tall, long armed and wide shouldered...Feels good so far
  • 1 0
 @Aprilfisheye: I just remember Minaar in leogang carving a big sweeping turn through the nastiest part of yuge greasy roots and probably 10 holes I'd need a ladder to get out of. 1 turn like it was a massive fresh built berm. I would have turned 15 times. Those gangly arms and legs are up everything inspire of the 800 mm bars
  • 10 1
 I run rubes
  • 12 4
 "The Specialized did pedal well".... really?
  • 3 0
 Maybe in the sense of having the short chainstay snappy feeling? Certainly not due to the anti-squat levels
  • 4 1
 The specialized he rode was more progressive than the stock units.
  • 2 2
 @fantaman: apparently only 10% but it's more about the pivot being around the bottom bracket that gives it terrible peddling proficiency!
  • 3 0
 @Killrockstar: it didn't slowed down Gwin.
  • 4 0
 @fantaman: Didn't stop Bruni in the Cairns sprint section either!
  • 1 1
 @Killrockstar: Because the bike pedaled better for them because of the more progressive curve of the bike with a dialed shock,they would never done great on a stock consumers frame.
  • 1 0
 @Killrockstar: it has reasonable anti squat figures even though it has a BB pivot because the chainstay pivot is very low relative to the main pivot.
  • 2 0
 @fantaman: In all fairness, Gwin didn't do much pedaling on that bike
  • 7 0
 Résumé of this article Sender is better than demo .... marketing ...
  • 9 3
 740mm bars... Way to buck the super wide bars trend Troy!!
  • 10 4
 I couldn't even hold on to a 740 bar anymore. That's crazy.
  • 4 1
 fairclough uses 760mm bars
  • 61 2
 So, like, you guys realize men come in different heights and shoulder widths right??? ; )
  • 13 0
 @loopie: Yep, and yet with the trend there are small guys and even kids rocking 800mm bars. I think it's kinda refreshing to see a top guy running sub 780mm bars...
  • 1 2
 @Skootur: the trend for super wide bars passed long ago ;-)
  • 5 1
 One of my riding buddies has 710s on his giant trance and I think he's crazy, but then he out climbs and descends me. But he definitely isn't as cool as me, I have 740 like Troy, same bar actually.
  • 11 0
 Richie Rude, who's shoulder width looks pretty massive, was running 740mm bars.
  • 2 2
 I find it very personal. I can't get enough range of motion for my upper body over the front end if bars are wider than 760. On my local trails. 740-750 seems like the best option for me. On pumptrack i like 720, it is easier to corner for me. Perhaps in the bike park I could ride wider since turning arcs are bigger.
  • 3 0
 @Triber66: he said it's because of the tight courses though and it was hard to get used to. same with graves
  • 1 0
 @ThomDawson: Didn't realize it was a trend..I've been on 760 as long as I could remember and bitched then until I finally found iodine 785 like 5 years ago..Now just got on some sixc 800mm...Just works for me and my size..
  • 2 1
 @Triber66: but he's short ASF with less range of motion..That plays into it as well.
  • 2 0
 I wouldn't say 5'11" is short as f*ck and I would say that shorter bars generally allow more range of movement.
But I'm not the one with a size issue ;-)
Don't kill me I'm just kidding.
I wasn't the guy that first mentioned a 'trend' but you can't deny there was/ is one. That doesn't mean there aren't riders out there like yourself for whom wider bars work but that's why you see kids with 800mm bars down at the jumps. Not so much these days, see my previous comment.
  • 6 1
 His description of how a specialized bike handles is spot on!
  • 5 0
 Seems like people aren't too happy with it, Loris also said it was unforgiving.
  • 10 0
 @deeeight was right all along
  • 4 0
 Good interview. Bladed spokes on the Mavics. Interesting Guide / Code mix.
  • 4 0
 Check out the Guide RE. It's a Guide lever with a Code-derived, 4-piston caliper. I got a set for my DH bike this past summer, and have been really impressed. Especially since they retail for the same price as the base Guide R.
  • 4 1
 Bike looks Sweet. That kit he's wearing is eyewatering painful to look at
  • 1 0
 what kit is he running?
  • 4 0
 The specialized kits he had the last two years have been so rad, hopefully he'll be wearing some troy lee gear this year
  • 3 0
 No further details about wheels ??? It looks like Deemax Ultimate hubs and spokes with DeeMax Pro "wider" rims !
  • 1 1
 Seems like Troy is still growing. In a recent article they mentioned he is 171cm, which is my size by the way and thats why i was interested in what size he took his Sender.

But is there a mistake with the stem description: They say 5 cm stem, they mean 50cm, right??
  • 1 0
 no mistake there, a 50cm stem would be... well ridiculously long?! 5cm aka 50mm is a fairly common length for DH stems i think you'll find
  • 2 0
 @JMBMTB: of course, i can see now :-) was like over-reading the metric there, just concentrating on the usual specs shown in mm.

Thanks :-)
  • 1 0
 I'm wondering if its like American football weight- always over-reported. 175cm is actually on the tall side of average, and in all the online photos I've seen Brosnan looks a tad short
  • 1 0
 I ran 580 mm bars for a decade and I'm 6 feet tall. It's true that wider bars are more comfortable and I'm sure they're better if you're not in tight trees but I'm still trying to get used to my 787s.
  • 4 0
 just saw a guy on a giant talon with 800mm riser bars. wtf?
  • 3 0
 *1st round of the Australian series...
  • 8 7
 So dude says he runs 740 bars and you don't ask any more questions about bar width?
  • 14 1
 It's because he is short and has narrow shoulders.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3MmP4fhmnw :2min 10sec
  • 2 1
 @Killrockstar: Yeah, saw him in the gondola line at Crankworx. Dude is small enough to make a great fighter pilot
  • 2 0
 I thought his height was sub 170 during Specialized time.
  • 13 0
 @chyu: It was, he's grown 5cm since leaving Specialized...
  • 3 0
 @chyu: yeah I was thinking that, 175cm makes him only just over an inch shorter than me! He looks way smaller than that.
  • 1 0
 @jenksy: lol ye, he can afford to eat now on his new payroll!
  • 4 1
 there are three errors
  • 66 2
 Uh huh:
there = There
errors = errors.
three = two
  • 2 0
 Shit didon't see him at the 2nd round of nationals yesterday?
  • 4 0
 Coils making a comeback this season
  • 2 0
 Not sure if rotor bolts are green and gold or just mismatched Smile
  • 1 0
 I think we need more of topic like this one. Really interesting to read pro's setup for their bikes !
  • 5 3
 Chainstay crack on the weld?!!
  • 1 0
 Zoomed in it kinda does look that way, eh?!

Could just be a reflection from the camera flash, though.
  • 6 0
 It is just a scratch on the raised part of the weld. Look at the battering the cranks have had .

Do you really think a good mechanic would miss a crack that big ????
  • 1 0
 Or if the weld is not flush with the base metal in that area there could be a tiny crevice for dirt to get stuck in.
  • 1 0
 Looks so badass. Best of luck Troy, can't wait for this season, teams look great
  • 2 0
 I can't help but read it in Troys voice
  • 1 0
 Is it just me or does his non-drive side crank arm have some severe impact gouges on it?
  • 1 0
 Heres to good things for Brosnan this season. He really seems to be a likeable guy.
  • 1 0
 Do the Maxxis DH casing tires seal up good?(tubeless of course) Anyone tried it?
  • 1 0
 Good luck on the upcoming season, give 'r hell !!!
  • 1 0
 Is it just me or did they ask about tire pressure twice
  • 2 1
 Good God, those cranks look horrible! Where has he been riding?
  • 2 0
 outside
  • 1 0
 Wow his kit looks almost... normal...
  • 1 0
 Now for a nice picture of just the bike!
  • 1 0
 Does not look like a Session... That bike is gorgeous!
  • 1 0
 Also Barimundi
  • 1 0
 Looks like an '08 BigHit
  • 1 0
 Mmmmm sweet ride
  • 1 0
 Lovely looking bike
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