The Bikes of the Bratislava City Downhill: Part Two

This is what the pros, semi-pros and privateers were riding on the demanding track of the Bratislava City Downhill.


Tracey Hannah and her Polygon DH Prototype

The only girl in the race could be distinguished not only by the blonde hair waving from under her helmet, but also by the pink graphics on essentially the same bike her teammate Fabien Cousinié was riding save the rather tiny size. Just like the rest of the Hutchinson UR team‘s, Tracey’s bike was equipped with some nicely CNC’d e.thirteen components and Mavic Deemax wheelset shod with some of the new Hutchinson (duh!) Squale tires. 8 inches of travel courtesy of a dual linkage system with a floating shock was set up extra stiff with a much slower rebound even for the light Australian.



Tom Matthews and his Yeti Cycles 303 WC

One of those arriving by car was Tom Matthews of New Zealand. Along with Ed Masters and Matt Walker (who got second), they bought a beat-up van titled „The Marae“ by the cunning use of duct tape and some black spray paint, to live their World Cup dreams. Just like Eddie, Tom also trusts a New Zealand bred company thrashing a Yeti 303 WC on the stairs of the capital of Slovakia - the first downhill bike from Yeti in years not to feature a rail system in its rear suspension... (Just kidding, it is actually just pretty well hidden out of sight). On this shot he is trying to blend into the wall of the main castle gate in the most blinding outfit of all.



Marcelo Gutierrez and his Giant Glory

The winning machine was interestingly shod with some Schwalbe Hans Dampfs – a tire that is aimed more towards the enduro crowd than downhill. However, the 2,35“ size on offer is plenty wide in real life and to question the choices of such an urban downhill veteran would be simply foolish. They certainly did no harm, as the Colombian got first, more than half a second up on a minute long track, on a chrome Glory with a full SRAM build and DT Swiss wheels that interestingly didn't need truing once. Check out the replay of his winning run here on Pinkbike to see how it worked for him.



Austin Warren and his Pivot Cycles Phoenix

Being a teammate to Bernard Kerr who took third, Austin Warren, the only delegate from the States, rode the same Pivot Phoenix to sharing the sixth spot with Ed Masters with the exact same time. A junior World Cup regular and a little brother to perhaps a bit more famous Cody Warren lost his urban racing virginity in Bratislava on a custom colored glossy black frame decked out with a full SRAM DH build, Spank finishing touches, an X-Fusion fork up front with a "way heavier spring than usual“, and +20 psi in the tires to withstand the massive G-outs from the steep landings.



Matej Vitko and his Rock Machine Whizz

Although urban dictionary might convince you otherwise, the sole purpose of the Czech brand’s bike’s name is to generate speed. And generate it did, until Matej Vitko, a Bratislava local, crashed in the tight stairs sections heavily after coming up just a tad short on the transition, ripping the skin on his forearm open, but sucking it up and finishing the race. Riding these stairs for almost all his life and living just a few pedalstrokes away from the castle, his ambitions were high. Having ridden down to the site on the Whizz trailing his enduro bike right next to him, he decided on riding the bigger travel just like everyone else who had a choice. Some aggressive-threaded Cedric Gracia signature Panaracer tires, Avid Code stoppers and a Shaman Racing chainguide completed the steed’s build.



Bernard Kerr and his Pivot Cycles Phoenix

The UK national of Pivot Factory DH Team got a great 12th spot just a week ago in Val di Sole and continued with the great finishing streak with a third in Bratislava. Bernard rode his stealth Pivot Cycles Phoenix with just over 8 inches of DW-Link sprung rear suspension and interestingly an X-Fusion RV1 fork that stood out in the rows of Fox and RockShox forks. Coming at swelte 6,4lbs even with bolt on carbon fiber guards of the magnesium lowers, the air-sprung fork is one of the first from the company to be aimed strictly at racers. Just like most riders, Bernard didn’t downscale the thread of his tires a bit, and went full metal jacket with some Schwalbe Muddy Marys pumped up like there was no tomorrow. Universal was also the addition of a bit of rebound damping to the suspension for the slower speed hits.



Mitch Delfs and his Evil Undead

The "Straya“ national took the straightest line possible and arrived to Slovakia right after the Val di Sole World Cup spending a fun week with his team mate Filip Polc and his family relaxing in a Roman spa that sponsors Filip and getting his inner hedonist on for the first couple of days and partying in the capital for the rest of the week. Being a no stranger to urban DH racing in Valparaiso, Chile earlier this year, he rode an almost identical Evil Undead just like Filip (save that forks color) with yellow zombie stickers, that brought him ninth place. (Filip landed in fifth).