Video: Bike Check - Christina Chappetta's Trek Session

Jun 10, 2020
by Pinkbike Originals  

photo
BIKE CHECK
Christina Chappetta's
Trek Session


This winter, we welcomed EWS racer and all-round rad human Christina Chappetta to the Pinkbike team as a full-time presenter and race correspondent. While she's been travelling a lot less than expected this spring while racing is on hold, she's still been doing a great job at keeping us entertained and informed on YouTube, with interviews with professional mountain bikers, how-to videos, and more.

Christina moved to Whistler almost eight years ago soon after discovering mountain biking at the age of 22 when living in Colorado. She's started in nearly a dozen Enduro World Series races, with an impressive career-best finish of 6th place at the Whistler round in 2018. She knows her race lines and tech, and her infectious enthusiasm and on-camera demeanor have gained her fans from her day one appearance on Full Enduro.

We took a look at her Trek Slash earlier this spring, and now we're taking a look at her downhill rig.
photo
Rider Name Christina Chappetta // Pinkbike Presenter
Age: 31
Height / Weight: 130 lbs / 59 kg; 5'4"/ 162cm
Hometown: Whistler, BC
Instagram: @cchappetta1


photo

photo
Trek Session Details

Frame: Medium 27.5 carbon Trek Session 9.9
Fork: Marzocchi Bomber 58
Shock: Fox Float X2
Wheels: We Are One Agent rims + Shimano Saint hubs
Tires: 2.35 Schwalbe's DH Magic Mary w/ Ultra Soft compound
Drivetrain: Shimano Saint 10 speed
Brakes: Shimano Saint w/ 203mm rotors
Cockpit: OneUp 20mm rise handlebars
Supported by: Trek, Shimano, Marzocchi, OneUp Components, We Are One Composites, Schwalbe, Troy Lee Designs, Smith Optics

bigquotesI prefer a longer DH bike than trail bike as I’m riding in Whistler mostly and the trails here are steep and demanding, requiring more stability. I opted for the 27.5 wheels over 29 to keep it more controllable and fun when the bike park opens. The bike weighs 35 pounds built up, same weight as my Trek Slash with all tools and water bottle, so it's insanely light for a downhill bike! So far it feels amazing as is, but I plan to instal the Marzocchi Bomber CR shock soon.—Christina Chappetta

photo
photo
Christina rides her size Medium Trek Session in the Low setting for a lower BB and slacker head tube angle. She pairs that low BB with Shimano's Saint cranks in 165mm length, a OneUp Component chainguide and bash guard and OneUp aluminum pedals

photo
Christina is currently running the Fox Float X2 rear shock but is planning on swapping to Marzocchi's Bomber CR as soon as she receives the coil.

photo
photo
Shimano Saint brakes with 203mm rotors front and rear and a Shimano Saint 10 speed drivetrain.

photo
Christina's currently riding the WeAreOne Agent wheels, but she has a new set of Strife wheels she's building up now.

photo
photo
Christina runs her stem with no spacers and cuts her 20mm rise OneUp Components handlebars to 760mm. She's also running OneUp grips.

photo
photo
Christina runs 50psi in her Marzocchi Bomber fork with 4 tokens, 13 clicks of rebound and 4 clicks LSC. For traction, she uses Schwalbe's DH Magic Mary in the Ultra Soft compound and 2.35 width with 19 psi in her front tire and 20 psi in her rear tire.


Photos by Hailey Elise

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Videos Bike Checks Pinkbike Originals Sponsored DH Bikes Trek Trek Session Christina Chappetta


Author Info:
pinkbikeoriginals avatar

Member since Feb 15, 2012
1,002 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Final Results from the Châtel EDR World Cup 2023
80000 views
Review: How Canyon's KIS Could Change Mountain Biking, and Why It Probably Won't
59243 views
28 Handlebar & Stem Setups of Enduro World Cup Riders
45437 views
Kona Announces New Aluminum Process X
43189 views
Bike Check: Gee Atherton's AM.170
42044 views
Tech Randoms: Châtel EDR World Cup 2023
37340 views
Flat Pedals Still Win Medals, Consistent Top Performers & More Things We Learned from the Châtel EDR World Cup 2023
34253 views
Review: TranzX EDP01 Wireless Electronic Dropper Post
30339 views

165 Comments
  • 499 6
 Looks like a Gambler.
  • 10 0
 I’ll take that bet
  • 33 0
 pew-pew!! pew-pew-pew!!!!
  • 5 0
 but red...
  • 1 3
 Raw is more fun...
  • 8 8
 *Looks inferior to a Gambler
  • 11 1
 I clicked on the article just to see "Looks like a Session" hahaha
  • 4 0
 Came here for that comment.
  • 1 0
 @whiteboarder: Me three.
  • 3 1
 your mom looks like gambler
  • 1 0
 nailed it lol
  • 3 0
 Will Trek offer you a brand new Session ? Smile
  • 2 1
 Looks like a Gambler for real! Wink Will SCOTT-Sports giveaway a trek session to anyone?
  • 2 2
 What if somebody painted a gambler red and rebranded it? Would it be a session or would it be a gambler? I think it'd be a Sesambler
  • 45 5
 That's a rad red rig but it's never really interesting to look at a bike from a sponsored rider. I'd rather see a bike from some hardcore privateer and weekend warrior who had carefully selected every part of their bike.
  • 35 0
 I carefully select my parts through the buy/sell section.
  • 11 0
 @ryankxf: A true privateer.
  • 3 1
 Meh, people would still complain.

Example: I just bought a pro bike. It's a true, race winning bike. Came with full Shimano and Fox, as sponsored. Still prefer the Sram on my other bike. I'm sure people would complain about the Sram parts instead of the Shimano.

(I'm keeping the XTR, I'm not rich enough for XX1 for that 1% that I like Sram better)
  • 4 0
 @ryankxf: I built my custom gambler 100% from the pinkbike buy and sell. Only thing I isn't buy from there was the chainring
  • 14 0
 www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-taj-mihelichs-chromag-stylus.html
www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-isak-leivssons-homemade-steel-downhill-bike.html
www.pinkbike.com/news/the-four-year-story-of-fin-woods-diy-carbon-enduro-gearbox-bike.html
www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-9-of-the-pinkbike-office-staff's-personal-rides.html
www.pinkbike.com/news/the-rig-v1--self-made-hardtail-frame-with-a-pinion-gearbox.html
  • 30 3
 Ultra soft Magic Mary at the back too? Like burning dollar bills standing in a cold shower..

Nice ride though!
  • 12 0
 It's nice to be sponsored!
  • 2 0
 @FredrickWestman
Little Match boy rides Magic Mary.
  • 3 0
 Yeah especially if your Whistler is your local, incoming frequent swaps. Dat grip though.
  • 17 0
 That’s a good title, someone should create a YouTube series with that name
  • 18 5
 5'4" and she is running a medium sized frame? Trek need to have a look at their sizing
  • 37 0
 I've always run a medium dh bike actually, sound weird. However, there are shorter riders than me and they need something to shred as well. So keep the smalls for them :-) Had I gone 29r, probably would have stayed small.
  • 8 0
 I think sizing depends on the riders shape too, for instance I usually ride a large DH bike though I am only 5'8". I have short legs and a long trunk so with the low stand over height a large fits me perfectly.
  • 6 0
 Gwin is 5 10" and rides an XL. Some riders prefer the stability of a longer WB so they size up one. Myself included.
  • 1 0
 Curious what you would expect my 5' tall GF to ride.
  • 27 1
 @Bomadics: "Short legs and long trunk"

No need to brag mate, we're all friends here.
  • 3 0
 I'm 5'5 and the build of a 13 year old, and I ride a medium Trek Remedy, and even that is small
  • 1 0
 @Waldon83: Ha, nice profile pic! I do some work occasionally for Tianna.
  • 1 0
 Sizing seems to vary between brands, for sure. I’m 5’3” and have just gone from a small Orange Alpine 6 to a medium Transition Patrol, as the small Patrol felt too short.
  • 1 0
 @christinachappetta: so, once the bike parks are open, can we expect a video of the Session getting it’s shred on?
  • 11 0
 Imagine your hometown being whistler.
  • 5 2
 Yea, can’t imagine living in a tourist town.
  • 13 0
 @usedbikestuff: Actually, it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land." The French missionaries and explorers were coming here as early as the late 1600s to trade with the Native Americans. -Alice Cooper
  • 5 0
 @rockyflowtbay: A+
  • 6 0
 @rockyflowtbay: \m/ "we're not worthy!"
  • 3 0
 Pretty dreamy! Not easy living though so don't be fooled!
  • 2 0
 i'm not in whistler but i live in bc (vernon) and i used to live in banff so that was a tourist town and it was fine
  • 9 0
 Giving up already on life dream of waking up one day with pro skills and becoming a sponsored rider. New plan is win lottery spend all on bike stable.
  • 7 1
 Sponsorship sounds great, until you have to spend all your spare time talking about how wonderful components might be, even if you don't like them, just to keep the free/discounted parts coming.

Nope, I'll stick to a day job, riding the parts I want, and not having to lie about my preferred setup *cough* blacking out tire brand *cough*
  • 4 0
 @JSTootell: Not to mention exercising off the bike. Blech.
Lifting up and dropping heavy things repeatedly is not worth the discomfort, even if the end result is looking like Chappetta.

And no more triple scoop sundaes and IPA as post ride meal.
  • 2 0
 @JSTootell: you know that you don't have to accept a sponsorship
If you absolutely hate shimano and they offer to sponsor you that doesn't mean you must say yes
  • 1 0
 @Bikerdude137: I like my XTR. But don't feel like announcing to the world that it's the greatest when I also love the GX/XO1 combo on my other bike. I think they are both great systems.
  • 1 0
 @JSTootell: yeah but if you were to get sponsored by them you can say that you like their products you don't have to say they're the best
You just can't point out what you don't like to people
Also if you don't like what the company is doing you can tell them you don't want to represent a brand that does what they do (just an example but it's a possibility)
  • 7 0
 That advice in lubing the pivots,and greasing is the best advice that everyone one should do ,cause if you don’t you might get a f*cking loud creaking bike ,nice job
  • 9 1
 That bike looks awesome with the 58 on there!!
  • 6 0
 Great vid, so polished. Be interested to know where she got that stick on shuttle frame guard at the end there, that thing is mint.
  • 5 0
 www.ridewrap.ca/products/shuttle-armor
  • 3 0
 RideWrap !
  • 3 0
 @jomacba: Brilliant
  • 7 0
 Kudos for building your own wheels!
  • 4 0
 Between this and the Gambler I'm not sure which frame I like better, they both look so good. If only the red Session frame set wasn't $3,999...
  • 7 1
 35lbs!? My 2020 enduro is running 35lbs with a coil shock.and pedals...
  • 10 1
 39lbs*
  • 4 1
 Saint cranks are heavy.
  • 49 0
 Well if you notice on the last pic, you can see shes not running the presta valve caps, so its pretty obvious how she got it so light...
  • 6 0
 @jomacba: hahaha all about the grams baby!!! not really, but I am impressed with the weight for sure!
  • 5 0
 @Kitejumping: true but rumor has it no one has ever broken a set of saint cranks. source on that Cam zink
  • 2 2
 @christinachappetta: It definitely helps that the session frame is one of the lightest DH frames on the market. Your build isn't particularly light weight either. You could shave another pound or two off of that (I would'nt).
Here's to hoping Whistmas comes early!!!
  • 5 0
 DH bikes don't require as much crap on them: dropper, huge cassette. My V10 was getting crazy light before I sold it.
  • 2 0
 @rockchomper: Indeed, smash them on rocks all the time and not worry about it, bombproof. They get a nice look when the sides get all polished up by your shoes too.
  • 2 0
 @Kitejumping: Starting to describe my Turbines.
  • 4 0
 Pretty sick that you built your own wheels, and it’s referenced you’re building a set of Strife. Maybe a video on wheel building? Oh yeah, sweet bike ????
  • 7 4
 I was all jazzed, then I saw saint and separately got super sad that shimano hasn’t updated that group in a decade.
  • 10 1
 If it ain't broke...
  • 4 8
flag usedbikestuff (Jun 10, 2020 at 10:00) (Below Threshold)
 @sjma: if it ain’t new, no one is buying it. Spesh, Trek, Devinci, Scott, Santa Cruz, transition, canyon, intense, commencal, Yt, no of those companies have Shimano DH builds. A vast majority of people aren’t swapping to shimano systems when a sram component breaks from dh usage. Zee and Saint are great for budget builds but

Saint is dead.

Pivot and Norco are the only two with builds and you can’t count Pivot because Cocalis has been in bed with fox and shimano longer than most pinkbikers have been alive.
  • 5 0
 Saint is Dead!!!??? I cant wait to scoop up some cheap drivetrains in the PB buy/sell.
  • 1 0
 @rockyflowtbay: last shimano product plan I saw didn’t have saint on it ????, but what do I know... ☺️
  • 2 0
 @usedbikestuff:
Sender CF 8.0
Mondraker Summum Pro Team
Saracen Myst
GT Fury
Intense M16 and M29 comes with Saint Brakes

all from their respective manufacturer's website

And your comment about people not swapping to Shimano when their stuff breaks is maybe your anecdotal evidence. Almost everyone I know with a DH bike has Saint brakes on it, a lot of them the drivetrain as well (which is just my anecdotal evidence though). A lot of the out of the box bikes I see at the parks here are usually lower end models with sram spec and rock shox suspension, but I assume that is because of the low price of the complete set from sram.
  • 5 0
 I only ride park
  • 23 23
 Can it also be used as a human shield? Saw that brand on the streets with the boys in blue using them as shields checking folks. Just sold my Trek. Great bikes, John Burke CEO's statement on continuing to support police a bit weak, however.
  • 6 8
 Link: www.cyclingnews.com/news/trek-statement-expected-on-police-bicycles-used-against-people-in-us-protests
  • 28 5
 I wish people would keep the politics out of this. Christina is just showing off her bad@$$ bike. If you want to sell your Trek because you feel what the company represents doesn't align with your views--good for you. You don't have to advertise it and toot your horn all over PB like some self-proclaimed social warrior.

Should people stop buying the VW or Porsche because Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche were behind the VW Beetle? If they decide to do so, I'm sure they don't go on AutoTrader or whatever auto forum to vent.

P.S. I know there's a difference between present day VW and Porsche and their beginnings...but would they have gotten to where they are today without that launching point. *end rant* Good day to all.
  • 6 11
flag bman33 (Jun 10, 2020 at 13:04) (Below Threshold)
 Lots of virtue signaling going on. Wow.
  • 7 2
 Technically if its a bike it can't be used as a human shield. It would then be a bike shield. For humans. Or inhumane humans, as the case may be.
  • 3 1
 @Baoas:
Robo captain, do you not realize
That by destroying the human race
Because of their destructive tendencies
We too have become like, well it?s ironic
Because we
(Silence, destroy him)
  • 6 0
 People tend to get upset over the politicising of things...until it's something they agree with. Then suddenly it's okay to burn your Nikes or shoot your Yeti coolers.

Though, personally, I have no intention of shooting my E29 (rather spend my money on parts than more ammo), or burning my Saucony's which will just wear out as normal anyway.
  • 7 0
 @bman33: i think when someone comments about virtue signalling they are just virtue signalling their own virtue signalling that they are anti-virtue signaling?
  • 1 2
 @Dogl0rd: inflection like Big Grin
  • 2 1
 @clink83: I see what you did there! And I approve. FOTC FTW!
  • 2 3
 @sngltrkmnd: nobody f**king cares
(Apparently negative actually)
  • 3 0
 @christinachappetta props for running the Bomber...Trek and Zocci together is a great thing.
  • 4 0
 Photo with the waterfall looks dreamy.
  • 4 0
 I’m jealous, I want a new bike too.
  • 2 2
 So is her Marz stuff different than the off the shelf stuff? Fox is top end so wouldn't it be a downgrade to the Marzocchi suspension? I have a cr and it's nice but im a joe blow weekend warrior. Im sure its all custom tuned so that makes a big difference.
  • 3 0
 ***sponsorship***
  • 1 0
 Just swapped to the coil shock and I'm diggin it! I had the option of air and coil and I decided to revist the coil on the dh bike and I'm quite happy with the result! With rebound and compression on the Bomber CR, it's all I need really.
  • 4 1
 I need a 35 pound DH bike.
  • 2 0
 I dunno man, I had a 2016 Maiden that was just about 36 pounds and the thing was a serious lemon. Everything broke all the fucking time.
  • 5 2
 Everybody thinks a light bike is better for DH until you ride one. Had a bike built up at 34.2lbs... Not a fun or comfortable ride. Current bike is 37.5lbs. It's perfect.
  • 3 1
 @j-t-g: I have a 16 Maiden, mine weighs in at 34 lbs, and it's been bullet proof. Love that bike. Just curious what the problems with yours were? Components or frame?
  • 1 0
 @sledMXer:

Frame crack x2 (both stays at different times)
Constant rr end bolts coming loose despite locktite
Blown fork bushings at 1 month old
Constant broken chains

This was all during a single season. I got that shit outta my life before the parks closed in the fall.
  • 4 0
 @jomacba: Depends on many things of course. I don't weigh a whole lot, and tons of little shredders here would benefit from a lighter bike. I still love taking the trail bike down A-Line and everything. Light and nimble but with strong wheels is my best combo!
  • 3 0
 @j-t-g: Riding style sometime can contribute to problems, I watched a kid on an old hardtail once follow a friend of mine off of a 10' drop to flat grass. My buddy was on a $10,000 DH rig and bent his crank arms on the landing, the 14 year old kid did the drop three times in a row with no issues.

Now this buddy was hard on gear, he used to take two spare crank sets to races as he would go through two or three sets a season, the warrantee people loved him!
  • 3 0
 I think part of it is that I'm huge and get quite a bit of park time each year.

The session and Aurum HSP I've had after have been bombproof though (both substantially heavier).
  • 1 4
 @christinachappetta: True, but I would be hard pressed to call A line a true DH track. However, I can agree that having a bike that's cumbersome isn't good either. My son is just getting into downhill. He's 6 years old. I don't think even a 35lb bike would be good for him.
  • 1 0
 @Bomadics: Purely speculating, but I am guessing that not only was it helpful that the kid was light, but also being light means he can more easily suspend his body, taking some of the shock out.

Being a large person means your limbs have to do a lot of extra work suspending you.
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: i LOVE the aurum hsp it rides so f**king well!
  • 4 2
 I'm digging the revival of Marzocchi, though I wish it was the real Marzocchi and not a fox rebrand..
  • 2 0
 Thought I was going to be clever with “looks like a session” but @SCOTT-Sports beat me to it big time.
  • 3 1
 “Work less ride more” it says... how does one accomplish that when their job is riding bikes?
  • 6 0
 It's a good situation when you don't have to pick!
  • 3 1
 Phat Wednesday Destroyer!
#Worldcupwednesdays
  • 3 0
 Cool build video
  • 3 0
 Yes! Very good angles and editing!
  • 1 0
 thanks!!! It was a fun one to create and I'm stoked on the editing!
  • 1 0
 Has anyone ever decided to run in the high setting? I’ve never heard anyone do it.
  • 3 1
 19 and 20 PSI??? Come on! no way! I would blow up those wheels!
  • 2 0
 I'm pretty light, but ride rough terrain, and still never blown up a carbon wheel! **touching wood right now
  • 3 0
 She is kinda shredded.
  • 1 1
 Dumping the air out of the shock like that can result in Suck Down. Always let it out slowly. You find this one out the hard way sadly Frown
  • 5 5
 sweet does it come with auto stem tear gas right into your face? perfect weight to body slam 70 year old bystanders to the ground? eat a dick trek
  • 2 4
 Nobody wants to read about stupid f*cking politics when we're reading about bikes
How about you do exactly what you said?
  • 1 0
 Something about this looks just super weird. Like, completely off. Is it the head angle maybe?
  • 2 0
 Seat tube angle. Trek Session and Santa Cruz V10's have crazy-slack seat tube angles.
  • 3 1
 Sick sunglasses.
  • 3 2
 Looks like a session. Arf. Now where's my bike?
  • 2 0
 I liek red
  • 1 0
 If her dh bike weighs that why are trail bikes so heavy.
  • 5 0
 Because everyone puts the same wheels and tires on both bikes and needs a 200mm dropper on trail bikes. By the time you swap that for a rigid post on a dh the bikes are pretty much the same.
  • 3 0
 My bike as a big cassette, since I climb on it. A dropper, since I climb on it. Heavy aluminum wheels as I ride it hard, and would rather rebuild those than warranty carbon. Coil front and rear.

So yeah, my trail (Enduro) has a lot more, heavy parts.
  • 1 1
 @JSTootell: it doesn’t have actual triple crown fork and wheels heavier than a dh bike?
  • 1 1
 @usedbikestuff: why? The whole point of a trail bike is to be light and agile. If it’s not then you might as well ride a enduro race bike all the time
  • 3 0
 @CM999: I’m just pointing out that dh bikes got a whole lot lighter and that people seem to Overbuild trail bikes to do everything including putting way too heavy of tires on. I don’t get it I am a firm supporter of the 23 pound trail bike with 100 mm of travel
  • 4 0
 @CM999: we have different definitions for a trail bike. My trail bike is a 29", 170mm bike. The Epic I raced last season was 23 pounds, and I would bottom that suspension multiple times in a race (back of the pack pro). It would not be able to handle the trail riding I prefer to do.
  • 1 0
 @JSTootell: moar spacerz
  • 1 0
 The bike build scenes in the vid have some serious ASMR potential.
  • 1 0
 That red bike must be hard to ketchup to.
  • 1 0
 !!!! Not ????
  • 1 0
 Looks like a gambler
  • 1 0
 Looks like a gambler
  • 1 2
 They called the volume spacers tokens
  • 1 0
 Is that wrong?
  • 1 2
 Full Seize Ahead with that headset. Sick build though!
  • 1 2
 WC DHs are being won on alloy bikes but the herd is still stuck on carbon.
  • 1 2
 Trash bike ok rider
Below threshold threads are hidden





Copyright © 2000 - 2023. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.047143
Mobile Version of Website