Bike Check: The Privateer is Going to Finale on a New Bike

 How'd that get in there?

 @MisterJones: Steve knows how many spacers you are running by staring at you.

 The suspension question for this episode this is going to be how long does it take to overheat that tiny little inline shock

 @tcmtnbikr: they sure seem to sell a shit ton of Sparks and geniuses, so apparently somebody likes them. Have you ever ridden twin loc?

 The Bachelor is called The Bachelor even though the goal of the series is to not be a bachelor. Same for The Privateer.

...did I just make a Bachelor comparison? I need to reevaluate my life.

 @brianpark: Why couldn't I come up with this answer for the whole year? It's gold haha.

 Can Pinkbike “force’ Adam to legally change his name to Adam The Privateer?

 I think the Privateer is way better than most of the seasons of The Bachelor. Although, season 13 with Jason and Melissa is *really* hard to top because their connection was, of course, very special.

 Count me in as the advocatus diavoli mate!

I guess it's an understatement to say that Mavic wheels are not that popular down under. It's down to the distribution, their products and the lack of parts in workshops. In the workshop I run, ditching Mavic was one of the first things I did. You have to have few yellow binders full of parts and it's a complete nightmare. Can't remember how worth a mavic binder is here but when I worked in Europe it was 1500 or AU$2500 each.

But in Europe and in North America Mavic is in charge of its own distribution. And their race support -the famous "service course"- is second to none. Pro athletes or privateers they will have your back covered. So maybe it was not too bad of a choice if it was a choice.

 @hifiandmtb fair, I removed that caption. That said, Adam did have input in putting together his bike.

 Yeah: go get them Adam!

 I heard he gets 3ft of air.

 He wouldn't even be going to Finale if it weren't for the sponsors... Plus I would bet money that as a privateer he is pretty stoked about getting a top shelf bike that you can't even buy yet...

 It has nothing to do with the sponsors or being stoked about getting free stuff. I'm sure he appreciates it. But he spent all year fine tuning his bike to exactly the way he rides on the exact conditions he will be riding in the finale. You get used to the small stuff, the sounds it makes when you put it under certain stresses, how it responds, etc... There's a bond you build with a bike when you've spent hundreds of hours on it. Being a "top shelf bike that you can't even buy yet" doesn't mean squat. To switch his bike now is like starting over. So unless he spends another hundred hours on this new bike before the finale, he's banking on hoping that this new bike will perform exactly like his old bike - which it wont.

 @NYShred: some of you people are unbelievable, cry at support, cry at no support. its amazing Scott is supporting him and giving him a great new bike.

 I had that thought to, but you can get a bike 95% dialed in a few days and that with the added gains of the new bike could be enough for even better improvement. Even the psychological improvement of a new bike should make a difference.

 I believe I saw him on Instagram on the podium of a smaller level enduro race with him commenting about how good the new bike is. So, while I agree you generally shouldn’t ride a new bike blind at a major race, I think he’s got some time on it already. Besides, the new rig looks a lot better for EWS than his old Genius.

 its a miracle Richie Rude was able to win the last EWS on a brand new bike...... :/

 It's the full pro experience, where your frame sponsor forces you to ride their new bike for marketing reasons.

 "Don't punch a gift shark in the mouth."
-Rick Sanchez

 @NYShred mid-season bike changes are always high risk—if I were his team manager and he were in the hunt for the overall I'd never let him switch bikes.

That said, he's been putting in time and feels fast with the new monster-truck; sometimes changing bikes up can be a mental advantage as well. Plus, this is more about his experience doing the whole international racing thing for the first time.

 Have to make the point that often new dishes are good, as judges will penalize for unoriginality. Granted, a scenario like this/that is a gamble(r, or would that make Adam a Gambler?) (sorry! ), but it could pay off big.

 Adam you can't get any more PRO than this! A new bike, traveling the world, adoring fans saying good things about you and your gifts. Soak it in brother. Keep a journal of these great experiences.

 @whambat: yup a couple weeks back in Wa at Tiger MTN. He got second.

 @NYShred: You can easily adapt to a new bike. It may take a little while to set it up, but he some of the best guys in the business to help him set it up fast. The Ransom is highly likely to be faster than the Genius.

 @NYShred: Totally agree with you. It’s not that Adam doesn’t appreciate the support. He completely does. Who wouldn’t? But that bond you get with your machine is quite deep. Yeah you know every little thing it does and how it does it. My main trail ride is an old bike that I’ve modernized and customized. My wife rides a 2016 CC Bronson. I’ve done enduro on both. Despite being incredibly underbiked on my old rig my results were better. Why??? In part because of how well you become tuned to your ride.

 @fattyheadshok: Good point. I do better at the bike park on my XC hardtail than my buddy's FR bike. Why? His feels weird to me lol. But then again, I'm sure someone with way more skills would be equally better at adjusting...

 @fattyheadshok: I'm glad some people actually still read instead of skimming through a comment just so they can find one thing to bitch about based off one sentence. It appears the highest "propped" in this conversation are those that quipped about the sponsor and support. Missing my point entirely.

Also, before I commented I didn't know that Adam has been riding this new steed for a while because I'm not an Instagram Creep like some on this forum. My point is/was - If you've ever competed before in any sport you know it's risky to try new gear/equipment/techniques especially during a final round in a comp. I learned that lesson a long time ago. Skated street and park for months on the same wheels and deck then entered a comp - I decided to get new wheels right before a competition but since the urethane wasn't broken in I was sliding all over the place and slipping out of tricks I would have normally stomped without a problem. Lesson learned. Don't change your equipment right before a competition.

I'd even go as far as saying that many athletes in this sport might have more consistent results if they just stayed on one damn bike through the season instead of getting a new one every race. This contributes to the on-going nonsense in this culture that the newest latest most expensivest bike will somehow miraculously make you a better faster rider.

 @NYShred: I get your point about feeling comfortable on a bike you have been on for years but that doesn't mean you can't feel instantly comfortable hopping on a new bike. I've been riding the same bike for about 6 years and have made many upgrades/changes. The past couple seasons I've been renting/demoing bikes in anticipation of purchasing a new one(plans got delayed due to a dog surgery). For me it went both ways, a couple didn't feel quite right but most were rockets from the get go and I never felt held back in the slightest. Yes my bike felt like an old pair of boots when I hopped back on it but that doesn't take away from how good I felt on the other bikes too. Also the psychology factor others have mentioned about getting a new rig is definitely a fair point.

In regards to my "quip" about the sponsors... that was a perfectly relevant comment. He wouldn't be traveling to Italy at all for this race if it weren't for them nor would he have had the bike he trained and raced on all season. Even if he isn't as comfortable on the new bike it is arguable that it is better to go with it rather than not be able to go to the race at all...

 Yep was gonna say, I would love to know where to get those.

 twin lock is on the top of the bas dude

 There's no factory support. He needs to do all his wrenching, travelling etc. on his own. Sponsors are helping mostly with parts and possibly small amounts of money.

 As far as I can tell privateer seems to be anyone who isnt on a works team being paid. I agree that calling someone with an armful of sponsors a privateer is stretching the term IMHO. To me a privateer is someone who has no sponsors and has to provide everything themselves. There is then a group between these 2 that is where Adam and many others sit semi-pro? Pro-Am? Supported rider? I dont know what I would call them

 that's what I was thinking ...

 *sighs* the whole project is about taking a privateer who didn't have sponsors etc. and helping him out and seeing how it helps him.

 @zephxiii: the answer being obvious to all. It helps a lot.

 Watch the video series!

 Even amateur racers have sponsors. Being sponsored has nothing to do with being a privateer. Also being sponsored doesn't mean that parts or bikes are free. A factory rider has factory support, is getting paid, and everything is taken care of for free.

 you missed the point, someone who works a full time job then races on the side is a privateer. This was a test to see if you took the bike out of the equation, how would the results change. Privateers usually dont have the best kept gear or the freshest of parts.

 @vhdh666 @SleepingAwake the point of the series is to see what happens when you give a privateer more support.

 @dualsuspensiondave: I know what it means to be sponsored, I was in a different sport for many years but I wasnt a pro. If you are being sponsored you have to behave as a pro, you are there to represent the brands that sponsor you in the best light. The only difference is the amount of sponsorship you get and thus how much time you are expected to give to your sponsors in return.

 @muletron: I'm disappointed the payoff wasn't bigger in Whistler--I assumed all the "what a great result" stuff was PR spin. You don't think so?

 @phile99: I don't know why he didn't think of just doing better.

For real though, with the amount the level of competition increases every year, we're beyond stoked with how Adam did in Whistler.

 @brianpark @SCOTT-Sports

 Made of plastic. Worked great untill a friend borrowed my bike and I noticed a crack in the parralelogram, (a metal part broke, not the plastic.) Still got 5 more rides even with it injured. I give it a good review if you are a smooth rider that knows how to keep from bashing parts on rocks.

 @Chonky13: The first generation parts wereused cast construction. Newer parts are visually identical, but are forged and are twice as strong. So far, we're impressed and I may spec Box shifters and derailleurs on our bikes.

 I am 6ft 4 and run 170mm cranks. Only to avoid pedal strikes

 went up in travel 10mm, 170mm 29er, i think hes got the room.

 @SnowshoeRider4Life: Bigger travel means more pedal strikes. You end up lower when cranking out of the saddle because of all the squish.

 @casman86: The twin lock really is a "genius" addition to a dually. In the mid firm mode, not only does the travel shorten, it also really firms up the shocks to pedal like an XC rig instead of a fluffy marshmallow.

 @Chonky13: Yeah the handlebar clutter is ugly but I could definitely use it at least on the rear. My Patrol doesn't let me sprint like my older shorter travel bike.

 @casman86: LOVE the nude shock. Wish they would ditch the "twin" aspect of twinloc and divorce the fork from the nude shock... There is no need to make on the fly adjustments to a properly set up fork. Whereas the on the fly adjustabililty of the nude shock truly makes a noticeable difference on the long travel bikes.

 he said he needs the rise for the steep trails around squamish

 @ThiloSchmidt-Werthern: makes sense, higher front end less chance of getting thrown otb

 I've asked that before but never got an answer. 50mm rise bars on a long travel 29er with spacers underneath the stem. It's the highest stack height I've seen on any enduro bike. Wondering his height and ape index.

 @casman86: not everybody likes a low stack height in the front... I always thought it was funny when you see people with the shortest headtubes, zero-stack headsets, upside down stems, #slamthatstem and then they wonder why their bike handles weirdly in steeper stuff

 @tgr9: Yeah... my issue has always been wanting more stack... tall guy + steep stuff = ...

 @tgr9: I'm definitely not comparing to low stack height. I'm talking about how he has a higher stack than anybody, ever. I'm 6' 3" and ride a 170mm 27.5 fork with 40mm rise bars and 20mm of spacers on a 130mm head tube. It's a tall stack. Adam's is probably at least another 25mm above that.

 @AidanWilson so he can do mid-race turndowns obviously.

 500mm reach on the xl is pretty good how tall are you ?

 @zyoungson: 1m98, should try to find a test bike, but that isn't so easy here

 Like someone said on another article, the day when enduro bikes will be heavier than DH bikes is coming.

 @nozes: Indeed, but then they do have to last more than 5 minutes. I do agree that I dont understand why bike manufactures can make DH bikes so light but not trail or enduro bikes.

 and the year after that on: "Hey, where did everybody go?"


Just kidding, Adam. Give 'er!!!

 I believe it is a plastic container of hydroxyl acid for rehydration purposes

 That's what they call a bottle of dihydrogen monoxide.

 This is the essence of sponsorship, and sponsorship is the point of the entire exercise.

 "So we could fly Adam to Europe--do you mind?"

 @hadibe: I've owned 14 Giants and then two Scotts. The Scotts are worth the extra.