Video: How Madison Saracen's Bikes Get Tuned to Perfection

Chasing 0.3 is a video series following the Madison Saracen Factory Race Team through the 2019 season. It aims to show the thoughts of Danny Hart, Matt Walker, Alex Marin and their support team as they chase the fine margins that make the difference between winning and losing.

Episode one asked if it’s possible to go into an off-season chasing 0.3 of a second – and what the team does to bridge that gap. Episode two looks at using technology to go faster on the bike.

But where does measuring a faster product end, and the psychology of believing it’s faster begin?

A lot of people will sit in the pits trying to find the perfect bike rather than getting up the hill and seeing what feels right.

If you believe in your team and your process, then that is 90% of it.—Will Longden, Madison Saracen Factory Racing Team manager

Riders need a setup they can rely on, but you also need somebody that’s pushing for gains. This isn’t hard. We’re doing pretty basic stuff at the races. We’re aiming for top quality performance that performs consistently.

Where’s the line? Where do you get so laid back that you don’t make the small changes you should to make the ride faster?—Jordi Cortes, Head Technician, Fox Racing Shox

His motivation is so high. I’d finish a race and I used to love getting home and have two or three days to relax. He’s got that want to get on the bike five hours after a race run. I don’t know how he does that, that’s maybe why he’s at the top.—Scott Mears (Danny’s race mechanic), on Danny Hart’s motivation

During Ft William UCI MTB World Cup DH Round 2

I think that’s the biggest thing – that you feel confident and you feel like you know how the bike will react. If you feel like you haven’t ticked all the boxes then it’s harder for you mentally to take those risks in the race run.—Matt Walker

I often sit back and think after a race what you’re actually thinking when you’re doing it is just, there’s nothing there, it’s like a zen state.—Danny Hart

Photos by Jack Tennyson and Dan Hearn
Video by Creative Concept

Watch the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup exclusively on www.redbull.com

Posted In:
Videos Fox Factory Saracen Danny Hart Matt Walker Will Longden

Author Info:

SaracenBikes
Member since Sep 19, 2011
99 articles

5 Comments

BetterRide (Jul 2, 2019 at 12:35)

Danny, that Zen state is why we all do this! Mountain bikes are just meditation tools for the mediationally challenged. The tougher the trail the easier it is to shut off your over thinking mind which is a blissful state.

jaame (Jul 2, 2019 at 7:47)

I thought Scott Mears was a pretty handy racer in his own right. I didn’t know he was Danny’s mechanic now. What happened to that Dave lad from the West Country?

Patsplit (Jul 2, 2019 at 12:48)

Dave Garland has his own company (Stendec) trying to bring what he did for Danny Hart to the masses. You can buy a data acquisition system for your bike to make you a better rider.

www.vitalmtb.com/features/Can-Data-Acquisition-Make-You-a-Better-Rider-We-Work-with-Stendecs-Dave-Garland-to-Find-Out,2732

timbarnes (Jul 2, 2019 at 14:40)

Ahhh. 33:30 here www.downtimepodcast.com/will-longden makes sense now.

JonnyTheWeasel (Jul 2, 2019 at 14:26)

These are some sexy looking bikes.