Team CRC/Nukeproof are proud to welcome legendary Australian rider Sam Hill onto the roster, joining Matt Simmonds and Joe Smith as they look forward to success in the upcoming 2013 RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season. A five time downhill World Champion and with numerous World Cup podiums under his belt, Sam Hill is widely regarded as one of the most skilful riders on the circuit, often showing disregard for and picking apart the most loose, steep or gnarly courses in the world.
Joe Smith, newly signed Sam Hill, and Matt Simmonds make up the Team CRC/Nukeproof roster for 2013.
I'm very excited about riding for team Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof. They are very positive towards downhill racing and I know they are going to put in 100% just like me. I'm really looking forward to getting to the races under the Chain Reaction Cycles tents and hanging with the team. 2013 is going to be a good year.
- Sam Hill
Matt Simmonds and Joe Smith, who both had their most successful professional season in 2012, are hoping to push themselves even further this year with the help of their new teammate. Matt said: “
To have a rider of Sam’s calibre on the team will be awesome for us! Placing 16th overall in last year’s World Cup was great for me and gives me the perfect platform to improve my times this year and get closer to podium finishes.” Joe Smith, who took 19th overall in last year’s World Cup rankings, is stoked on what the future holds for the team, saying: “
Finishing seventh at Fort Bill last year was a definite highlight, and to end up in the top-20 overall was fantastic. With the help of the team and some tweaks to my riding, this year should be amazing for us all.”
Nukeproof's 210mm travel Pulse at last year's Val D'Isere Word Cup stop. We have it on good authority that Hill we be aboard a SRAM-equipped version for the 2013 season.
Team Manager Nigel Page said:
| I'm delighted Sam has decided to join our team! I have been a big fan of Sam throughout his successful downhill career. He's had amazing results in the past winning five World Championship titles and is a fantastic ambassador for any company involved in downhill and mountain biking in general. We have worked hard on developing a great team and great bikes over the last five seasons and I believe having a rider of Sam's pedigree will step the team up to that next level and also bring on the results of Matt and Joe, who had very promising seasons in 2012. We are all really looking forward to having Sam on board helping the development of new Nukeproof products and hopefully helping Sam achieve his goals in racing in the next stage of his career. I can't wait for the 2013 season to begin! |
www.chainreactioncycles.com
So who does Matti liehikoinen ( spelling ) ride for now?
I love the off season rumor mill/new team announcements
Isn't the nukeproof team SRAM though? And therefore running rockshox?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO end of an era. Wish the world had ended now :'(
bring on the neg props
Could be a bad move for them though, because I know four guys who bought demos because of Hill, and that's in Taiwan where there are only about 300 MTBers.
As for Hill, good on you son, having kids isn't a joke. You're not going to win any more races anyway so it doesn't matter what team you're on. You've lived the dream, now it's time to chase the paper.
Three years ago Rossi was on 15 million euro, Lorenzo was on 6, something like that. Then Yamaha decided to offer Lorenzo 9, which meant they could only offer Rossi 12, so of course he went to Ducati for 30, even though he knew it was a piece of shit bike that no one could win on.
My guess is a similar thing has happened at Specialized. Brosnan is the future, he wanted more money but they didn't want to spend any more on overall salary. Hill was made a reduced offer to accommodate Brosnan's increase. Hill didn't like it so he went to CRC for more, even though the bike isn't as good (or is it?).
I think Sam Hill is awesome, I'm not bagging him iut, but I don't think he's got any more race wins in him.
still ride specialized
Rossi is going to be a force again next year, unlike Sam Hill who unfortunately is over the hill (no pun intended). He's got a kid and a shiela nagging at him to be safe. He can still get paid from the occasional podium and a top ten overall. If he was going to win again he would have done it this year. You get slower, not faster. Hill's time at the top is long gone. I'm a big fan of his, I'd love to see him win again instead of that boring bastard that's monopolised the podium these last two years, but realistically that's not going to happen. Very unlikely anyway.
Please watch this and then tell me people will forget him in 10 years.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=PWda0Ez7bGs&NR=1
If so, hopefully CRC/Nukeproof won't provide matching flat brims and douchy Michael Jackson jackets for them.
If someone has the photo of Hill and Jacy wearing the matching jackets, please post up. Think it was an old Mountain Bike Action pic from some stupid Troy Lee party out in Whistler.
Just like he was with the Sunday.
Now he'll be the 'name of' the Pulse.
I'd be surprised if Spesh go for Brooky. I think he's awesome, but I'm not a bean counter, and I can't see them dropping big coin on someone from a country with a small market. I think they want a Yank, a Canuck or a Pom so they can shift more units. Having two Aussies would never have pleased the bean counters either I'll wager.
Will this mean that HILL will be seen in the UK racing more over the summer months??????
Does Intel build their processors anymore? Does Apple make their ipads or iphones. Does Chevy make their Camaros, Does Canon make their cameras, Does go pro make anything themself? It's capitalism. No one makes their own shit these days.
Only a few true companies make their own bikes these days. Intense, foes, BCM, and a few others. The rest are shipped out of house. Heck, rider owned means crap. Who cares if rider owned exists as long as they are sending their crap to Asia to be made. None of that means anything. Unless it says MADE IN USA, or MADE IN CANADA, or MADE IN ITALY etc, who cares if some rider baddass owns the company, because all it means is they are sending shit overseas to be made, rather than have the capacity to do it in house.
Now specialized is NOT a marketing machine only. I have been in their R&D shop, where they design all their stuff they get made cheap overseas, and it's on par with the aerospace industry. Top end. BUT, they don't go they 2nd step and have shit made here. Price this and that is bogus. There was a time cars were made entirely in the US and it was affordable. Inflation, and stupidity have caused everything to be made anywhere but here. Heck, even Tomac, yes, TOMAC is not made in Asia. Last time I would ever get even close to a brand that charges major money for their stuff. Demos...crap. Tomac... crap. GT crap. Why, because it doesn't help local families put food on the table each night. Sure maybe the ones designing, or marketing, but outside of that... nada.
Even still, point got mislead, Specialized is not just a marketing machine in the end, they design stuff, but that is not enough for most of us, which is what the above rant is for.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_manufacturing_sites
and yes GM still makes the Camaro in Canada
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshawa_Car_Assembly
So....yeah....
Anyhow, I do believe in that too...and just as we say in our country, is not the arrow or the bow...is the indian who makes the things worse or better....so, SH can even ride on a Huffy and still be a kickass rider, as for the marketing comments...well, is a company, if your company does not want to make proffits, then you should re-think your goals...that is where marketing is a one of the key elements on the companies...lets check for example GoPro in their early days, if marketing should have not being so awesomely good, then Nikon, Canon, Fuji,ect should had not (and still should not being) worried about...but with the excelent marketing done, plus their low cost geo assembly facilities and final product so amazing at such a low cost, Nikon, Canon, Fuji, ect are worried about the pocket action sport cameras, and not even going to the mobile......so then GoPro could have never made it to the point where they are...
Also, Spec is not only about gravity DH, they still have kick ass riders in their lines, the Claw rides a Demo as well, they road program is pretty big too, their XC lines are as well...so, loosing one rider does not mean their down the drain, and to be honest, Demo design will be as good as they are with or without SH....is now up to marketing to come up with something to keep this model in people´s head...
YEEEEAAAHHH!!!
On another subject. Stevie stay on the canadian made bike, please! Rep this country, don't be a sell out! (Devinci should put the money to keep him)
The second he signed on the Nooookproof contract I think you'll find he'll be using what he's told to use ... and that's marzocchi !
Basically they were fine on small bumps as they are renowned for but when things started to get a bit rougher and there were big hits it was like there was little to no resistance so they'd just blow through the travel (I weigh 150lb). I switched up to a harder spring and ended up on the heaviest spring available to me all this did was to make it harder to get it started into the travel but once it got going it'd blow through the travel as before.
I have no doubt with a bit of time and tuning, with oil levels and possibly the shim stack they'd be right for me but as I stated before the coating started to flake off. Maybe it was a one off occurence, I just don't want to take another chance with it.
"We have it on good authority that Hill we be aboard a SRAM-equipped version for the 2013 season."
Just to quote someone from ride monkey..: 'I've found in the past that all the adjustments in the world don't make up for a crappy fork'. I'm not the only one some guys are changing to avalanche cartridges but my coating f*cked up so I'm not taking another chance as I mentioned earlier.
Instead of worrying about what's Cool this year, get out on your bike and ride it.
You bunch of kashima coated knobs.
Go Sam kick arse in 13 and show he big boys its not about the bike but the f******n rider...yeah boi.
Specialized offered Hill $XXXXXX if he can win some WC races (i.e. money based on performance), and since the results weren't really there through the 2012 season, a deal from a team like CRC that might be less contingency and more salary seems like a better and more lucrative deal right now.
I'm sure CRC will benefit from the coverage, regardless of whether or not Hill is operating at 10/10.
- I love comebacks.
Number29, genius comment!
The only question I have is the CRC team gong to be Monster CRC as Sam has only ever rode for team Monster, and the same question with Sram?
Plus some good sources have stated on this thread that CRC/Nukeproof will be running RockShox/SRAM next year. So that should quash the fork debate.
It will be interesting to see if the whole team change from a royal kit to a TLD Kit, Looking forward to seeing a TLD CRC kit. They all ran d3 last year as well so possibility.
One about that...
"Garden Of Eden. What do you think? Specialized trying to lure Aaron Gwin into temptation with the mighty dollar? Whatever, I think @Team Rumors has hit the Christmas sherry early, the quality of the artwork, the brush stroke, the subtle tone and definition of light and dark is lacking from his sterling original work."
If Hill is under contract with SRAM, then he uses SRAM, it's that easy. It's really not a personal choice as to what he wants to use , he is contractually obligated to use SRAM for forks, drivetrains, etc etc. if contract (deal) is still active.
If he used a competitors brand fork, then he would be violating his contract.
but who really cares?
for me, sam hill can ride a huffy bike as long as he will be shredding and winning like he did on his good days many moons ago.
and i am sure he will do good on crc nukeproof!
I owned Super-T, Junior T, Monster-T, 888 RC 2007, 888RC2 ATA 2009.......only the ATA really upsets me....
all other Italian forks are Maintenance free.!!!
I love Riding bikes...but not Fixing Bikes much especially Suspension and Hydrualic Disc Brakes....
Boxxers..? Yes I'm Using those Craps now...coz there no more support for Marzocchi here now.
in compare...Boxxers are punishing me everyride....it rarely bottom out but just becoz it got a "Dildo" in there among the spring...
Even the Extra Soft Spring...,.makes me feel sucks.....dont know if i am getting too old for Downhill Riding...
I think it'll go two ways with this move. He'll either be winning or it'll be his last season at the World Cups. I hope it's the former. Sam on form is insane to watch.
Pity it's so long until the 1st World Cup!
A: Contract is up, got a better deal
B: Specialized after dumping millions and reconstructing the Demo around Sam just out of the blue said, 'no contract for you'
C: Specialized dumping those millions and going into the red on returns for Demos sold Vs. money put into the DH program..share holders, not happy. Let's begin the DH phase out program..business is business, and DH is a tiny tiny sliver of the company. Why spend millions on R&D, Salaries/Teams if not enough people on pinkbike are not buying Demos.
D: Maybe, just maybe Specialized is actually a crappy company to ride for and at the end of the day, Sam just wasn't happy racing for them.
So to all the Sam haters I hope this upcoming season he puts Gwinn to shame and shows that, Sam is still the king. I ride a Specialized, but Sam is the greatest and my fav. rider, no matter who he rides for...kudos to you, and hope to see you back on top.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqokxyeHNC4
Look at the TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME
And theres no denying once Sam gets on the bike tells them what he wants changed and has jacy and sram do there thing this bike will be fast it looks fast already maybe its a case of the bike needs input from one the best people in the the industry.
530 comments in one day, this guy is a phenomenon, comes from the same bikes ...
perfect timing to hear he's with the CrC/nukeproof team
& he's a HILL woop woop so all's good
yesh my surname is hill haha
My psycholgist told me it`s the best thing I can do to overcome this kind of news ....
So stoked to have Sam on a Nuke .... this is gonna be great ..... !!!!!!
www.britishcycling.org.uk/events?search_type=upcomingevents&keywords=british&resultsperpage=30&series_id&fromdate=20%2F12%2F2012&todate&zuv_bc_event_filter_id%5B0%5D=7&series_only=0&online_entry_only=0&distance&postcode
That's the game sadly . You don't do good they don't want you.
I Could be wrong though.
www.downhiller.de/index.php/67-crc-nukeproof/428-sam-hill-faehrt-2013-fuer-crcnukeproof
The crc lads wear royal don't they??
is not Sam 2007.
Not a good return on investments anymore.
Fat..full armed tattoed...
Talks like a drunked hobo on a park bench...
Brosnan,thats an investment!
Ropellato yes,(Benedict or Skeen they are so fast and so kind).
so much experience and being so young,both of them.
Sam has been kicked out.
For sure.
Sam will team up with two guys that know's themselves they will never podium a w.c.
I am sad,always been a huge fan of Sam.
Never count without Sam in a race.
This deal with crc-nukeproof will be his last downhill
contract as a world cup contender.
I can only wish Sam the best.
What a rider he was.
I'd of thought he'd get a go in 13.