Video: Jérôme Clémentz is Back

Sep 19, 2014 at 7:43
by Pinkbike Staff  


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Member since Jul 22, 2013
3,465 articles

32 Comments
  • 24 1
 That switchback control is impressive.
  • 8 0
 I like videos like this as you see that their riding isnt all as slick and smooth as the really edited videos show. A lot of what they do is achievable with practice.
  • 6 2
 Keep telling yourself that... If it doesn't look slick or smooth when JC is riding it, I would imagine it's pretty damn gnarly and difficult.
  • 14 2
 Well if you watch the video you will see that much of what he is riding is actually quite smooth single track so no it isnt gnarly and difficult. I have seen pro level riders and a lot of the time they dont actually look much if any faster through sections than the good non pros. If you want to keep limiting yourself by imagining that the pros are supermen with unattainable skills then fine. Ill continue to work on mine and become as good as I can be.
  • 7 2
 ^^^^ that's the attitude we need to start having on this site. To many times we look at the pros as gods of this sport. With practice and persistence anything is possible.....
  • 5 0
 His teammates must be so jealous he has the right side.
  • 2 0
 Okay, let me clarify; I didn't really write that correctly. Yes, theoretically any skill level is attainable with the right amount of practice. Everyone can and does constantly improve.

However, the level of riders such as JC is absolutely insane, generally if they look like they're riding slow they either a) aren't, they're just very smooth and make it look easy or b) there's a reason they're riding slow - end of a long, grueling stage, returning from a season-long shoulder injury...

They aren't 'superhuman', but they ride on a level way beyond that of 99% of us, and even well beyond that of 90% of the elite field. The top pros are something else, and I'm quite happy to accept that I'll never ride at that level whilst still being motivated to improve my own abilities as a rider.
  • 2 0
 That is fine but it's putting people on a pedestal that makes people not even try. Everyone is shit at the start including all the top elites like Jared and Jerome. We may never get to their level but if we say it's unattainable we probably won't even reach our best.
  • 8 1
 Good to see him back. I suffered AC separation last week (only level 2) so it's giving me some inspiration. I will return but will stop watching PB videos before riding. Note to self, you are not Ratboy, you are 43 year old man and a table top is something you put your dinner on.
  • 6 1
 43 isn't to old to hit jumps
  • 3 1
 Dude that is Hilarious. At 43 (I am 44 now) I broke my arm up at Big Bear and was in a cast for 4 months with 2 months of PT. I came to the same exact conclusion.
  • 9 0
 43 isn't to old to hit jumps. As long as you knkw what you're doing. I've seen people who shouldn't hit jumps at 23!
  • 1 0
 Exactly
  • 4 0
 Not trying to get one up on anyone here but I just separated my shoulder for the second time in 4 months with also a suspected fracture/dislocation of the SC joint(the other end!) And I'm 48! Lol!
Theres only one way to get better at jumps............!
  • 5 0
 Maybe my humour was a little to subtle. I'm not giving up jumps, that's one step nearer xc and Lycra.
  • 2 0
 I ride with a guy whos over 50 now , he's f*cking fast , and hits all the big shit still !
I find it really inspiring to know I have at least another 20 years of riding left if I man up to it Smile
  • 3 0
 I'm 45 and agree you are never to old to hit jumps. Although with 3 collar bones, 1 wrist, 1 fibula and 1 tibula broken in the last 4 years I would certainly suggest you are too old to bounce
  • 1 0
 41 here, separated shoulder (grade 3, no surgery) 11 months ago and feeling good and riding hard. Having too much fun to stop. JC's comment about how crashing doesn't always have to have the really bad consequences, and getting your mind to understand that after an injury is hard to do for sure. But once you do get that, you can really start to ride back to your potential, whatever level that may be. Keep rocking it, old guys!
  • 6 0
 I really, REALLY would like a review of that 160mm lefty. Also the xfusion revel as well.
  • 12 0
 Here you go. I've been riding the Jekyll Team Carbon like the ones in the vid all season and it's simply a weapon. No, I'm not some Cannondale lefty dork I'm a dude who likes stiff, fast and relatively fast bikes. I spent last winter on a Pike mounted on a GT Force which was an amazing bike and the Pike is without a doubt the best traditional fork ever made. But I'm sad to say when you get on a 46mm carbon fiber dual crown "trail" fork like the lefty it simply changes the way you ride. You can straight line, land sideways, avoid deflection traction loss and most of all charge on that new Supermax 160 just like a dual crown big bike. Damping and airspring are pretty darn similar to the pike and essentially tuned the same. You can drop "pucks" in the Lefty just like the Pike to make it more progressive if you wanna hit hard; bummer Cannondale doesn't mention this to consumers.. No, the lefty doesn't have external compression but to be honest ALL people I know who shred set the pike up and don't touch knobs; myself included. If you ride hard you have to run more air than suggested just like the Pike. The main thing about the lefty is that it holds lines in the rough better than anything but a dual crown fork and it doesn't bind under hard braking or cornering forces like ALL bushing forks do - Pike, 36 etc.. The fork requires 1/3 of the maintenance a traditional fork does and to add oil you remove the top cap, put you bike upside down, drink a beer and put 15cc of fresh oil in there and you're good to go. It has a sealed damper that is easy to rebuild or Cdale can do it for you (like most people do w/ FIT dampers). Bottom line, the fork increases your cornering, straight-lining and tracking in the gnar, you just have to deal with the cavemen who think it looks "gay". Oh, the other cool thing is they do custom offsets for 27.5 (just like Giant has been boasting about on the new Reign) keeps the handleing quick and light with a 66 headtube angle. Sick fork, sick bike.
  • 3 0
 Anyone who says one sided doesn't work obviously hasn't heard of Ducati. If the back end of a crotchrocket can comfortably do approaching 200mph with a one sided swingarm, why would a bike doing a fraction of that speed need two fork legs?
  • 4 0
 Animal! How is he back already!?
Where's that dude that was cussing enduro riders for being lazy and copping out.. Jc would like a word.
  • 4 0
 Good to see Jey back racing.

@flaminx0r A week's singletrack riding in the Alps will sort your switchback control!
  • 1 0
 Yep, got to love that over the front, aggressive style. Way to go JC
  • 2 0
 Don't have any reason to 'sort' mine, I was just commenting on his technique. Smile
  • 3 0
 Good to see a good guy getting back on it!
  • 4 1
 Hey guys its Jared, don't listen this bullshit, he is NOT back! NO WAY!
  • 3 0
 Wow! Colour matched enve m70's on a carbon team frame!! Super jealous!!
  • 1 0
 Thanks for your impressions on the lefty, Gruntzmac. Why doesnt JC ride one if they are that beefy?
  • 2 0
 Because SRAM pays him a shit load of money. Marco Osborne seems to be kicking most American ass on a lefty.. Ya heard?
  • 1 0
 All money. Marco has taking two wins in the last few weeks for both enduro and DH on a lefty. Two of the Cannondale Factory dudes (XC racers for their day job) were in the top 5 of this race with JC and they were on the lefty. and those matching Enves....drool..
  • 2 0
 Welcome back Jey!







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