Tech From the Pits - World Cup DH, Leogang

Matt Simmonds' Prototype Headset
We already showed you Sam Dale's Saracen Myst and his second generation prototype Shimano pedals, but there's yet more goodies to be seen on another Saracen, although not nearly as obvious as a set of pedals. Tucked into Matt Simmonds' bike's head tube is a special offset headset, which in itself isn't a new idea - we've seen Chris King's version for a few years now - but the headset in Sam's bike is a bit different. First, there are a few different offsets that provide either five or eight millimeters of additional length or the ability to shorten the bike's reach, all while also allowing for head angle adjustments.

Word is that Manon has gone with five millimeters of offset and a one degree slacker head angle, while the other Saracen riders have opted for eight millimeters and no change to the bike's head angle. Oddly, Matt has used his to actually shorten his Myst's top tube length, which is the opposite of what we usually see. No word on if Matt, Sam and Manon will be running these settings on race day, but they're tinkering with different setup options to see what works best for them.




What really sets this headset apart is how it mates with the Myst's head tube - it's a keyed interface to ensure that both cups are aligned exactly as they should be. That means that there's no measuring or eyeballing, but also that the offset cups will only ever fit these Saracan Mysts. Because Saracen, or maybe a partner of theirs, is taking the time to machine the cups, and the frames are being manufactured to match, it means that we'll likely see something similar to this hit production in the near future.

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The Patrol 871
Patrol is an Indonesian brand that's signed four riders - Andre Palmer, Popo Ario Sejati, Fitriyanti Cibenk and Toni Yuli Lopez - for their World Cup effort in 2015. The aluminum bike does appear to be relatively conventional, as does its geometry, especially compared to some of the carbon fiber dream machines being raced these days, but we'll reserve judgement until we get a chance to throw a leg over the 871.

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Check out all of our World Cup DH pics here.

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