Tech Randoms - Lenzerheide DH World Cup 2017
The teams have had little respite after a brutal weekend last time out in Andorra and mechanics have been focusing on rebuilds prior to the first practice session in Lenzerheide tomorrow morning. The sun is baking down, the track looks rough, and we've been for a snoop around the lengthy lakeside pits here in Lenzerheide. Here's what we found…
![Norco preparing for some F1 style pitstops this weekend.]()
![A small lead weight on the wheels in the Norco pits.]()
![There s three positions of adjust-ability to lengthen the wheelbase...]()
![... and coincidentally on the longest setting they fit 29 wheels we ll see whether Walker opts for them further down the line.]()
![The monstrous 6 pot brakes have been dropped with less of an emphasis on braking here.]()
![The team were surprised with just how well the brakes dealt with the long and brutal Andorran track. Not even reaching the lowest reading on the temperature gauge.]()
![Some fresh deliveries arriving into the pits this weekend.]()
![A fresh range on an e 13 cassette for the Polygon crew. A 10-20T compared to the old 9-21T for those interested...]()
![Fresh decals ready for Danny Hart s 40s.]()
![A fresh delivery of Maxxis rubber in the Canyon pits.]()
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 The sun is beating down here with the pits offering little shelter for the mechanics. |
Norco preparing for some F1 style pit stops this weekend.
A small lead weight on the wheels in the Norco pits.
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| Gee Atherton is back in business this weekend, mechanic Pete gets to work on a fresh rebuild. |
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| What comes off must go back on... The teams have a long day ahead of them after setting up the pits late last night and early this morning. |
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| Rachel Atherton's Session getting a little loving in the Lenzerheide sun. |
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| A fresh rear end on the Saracen Myst of Matt Walker. |
There are three positions of adjustability to lengthen the wheelbase...
... and coincidentally on the longest setting they fit 29" wheels, we'll see whether Walker opts for them further down the line.
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| The axle. The rear end is not production despite being carbon, they are still testing options but are enjoying the improved stability and efficiency from the suspension. |
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| Adam Brayton has gone back to the standard Hope V4s after last week. |
The monstrous six-pot brakes have been dropped with less of an emphasis on braking here.
The team were surprised with just how well the brakes dealt with the long and brutal Andorran track. Not even reaching the lowest reading on the temperature gauge.
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| Vibration dampers dotted throughout the frames in the Commencal pits. |
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| Smaller rotors waiting to be strapped onto Marcelo Gutierrez's Glory after last week's brutal test of brakes on the steep and long Andorran track. |
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| A stiffer tune on the shock of Eliot Jackson to help deal with the high speed nature of the Lenzerheide track. |
Plenty of deliveries arriving into the pits this weekend.
A new range on an e-thirteen cassette for the Polygon crew. A 10-20T compared to the old 9-21T for those interested...
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| Fresh prototype pedals in the Propain pits with a chunky plastic body. |
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| No other details but Phil Atwill said he was loving them. |
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| Harder compound rubber going on in the Transition pits to eek out a little more rolling speed from the faster Lenzerheide course. |
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| Danny Hart's mechanic Christian making sure everything is millimeter perfect. |
Fresh decals ready for Danny Hart's 40s.
A fresh delivery of Maxxis rubber in the Canyon pits.
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| The winning bike from last weekend, Troy Brosnan's Canyon Sender, ready to go again. |
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| Miranda Miller's shifter is cooler than yours. |
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• Rémi Thirion, several times winner at the World Cup 2016
• George Brannigan, champion at the World Cup 2016
Now imagine a 3D guitar string: it's a drum skin. The center of the drum skin has the highest amplitude and makes the most noise. The most useful place for a constrained layer damper, if it does anything, is at the point of highest amplitude.
I'm sure if you put that doohicky in the center of a drum skin it would noticeably lower the frequency, and the sound would go from "tonk" down to "thunk" or something. If you stick it near the edge of the skin though, the effect is way less. If you stick it to the fiberglass side of the drum... it might not be perceptible.
I'm suggesting is that the places on the bike they are putting these little squares of foil is like sticking them to the leg of the drum kit. Never mind that they look too small to do anything, they would have to first be located somewhere sensible-- the widest, thinnest, flattest, carbon'est parts of the bike. Front center of an oversized carbon downtube? Maybe it'll sound a little different like an aluminum bike to steel... but even that is being pretty charitable.
I need to get some of that heat? shrink cable managment that Miranda has; zip ties and velcro isn't nearly as clean or cool!
You can use vulcanizing tape, it hasn't got any glue, so your cables will come out clean but the different layers of tape will "melt" to each other to make a lasting bond. Won't look as tidy as shrink-wrap but it's a lot less work...
I still use it on my chain stay though. Works great for that.
What's the go there? Is this a weight saving measure or is the performance significantly better?
The two negatives:
1. the diameter of the cable is larger than a normal line, so sometimes things get tight, depending on your frame
2. you need to use good (Swiss?) cable cutters and a nice, sharp exacto knife when / if you shorten them to avoid frayed ends. You can work with number two with good tools, and number one ain't so bad.
It's really more bling (I think), I have not been able to notice a difference between steel braid and not, but I love the look. The theory would be, the steel braid removes any (if there is any) hose flex?
I love my Hope steel braided brakes. First update to any new bike.
Sram/Shimano brakes...
I think the best place is to have the mechanics use a vibration damped bench, or tune your suspension better or ride a track bike on a velodrome. Maybe Helium in the tyres?
Or do you mean damping?
This is the biggest load of bullsht that cycling has ever seen, it's technological homeopathy at work. A proof that racers are not normal people. They just aren't. Arguing about it is building an altar to stupidity. To finish and get my self out of this insanity: when you stare long enough into the void, the void looks back at you. Unbelievable, un-fkng-believable...
Been used on tennis rackets for years....