Tales and Tech From Behind the Scenes - Crankworx Whistler 2017
Fox athletes ready to meet their fans: Mark Scott, Iago Garay, Magnus Manson, Kaos Seagrave, Josh "Rat Boy" Bryceland, Josh "Loosedog" Lewis, and Kenny Smith.
This Fox Racing custom painted Proframe helmet was free to one lucky winner at Crankworx.
Airtrix painted the helmet to look like Whistler Mountain's infamous granite boulders (complete with lichen) and inscribed it with the park's most popular descents.
Hair by Josh Lewis: Rat Boy was showing off his new 'do...
...Alongside the very stylish Mark Scott. Let the judging begin.
R.I.P. the GLC Drop: Perhaps the most iconic rock drop on Whistler Mountain, the GLC has been bulldozed. The writing was on the wall as the park trail crew began to dumb down the once vertical rock huck that got its name from the restaurant next door, where park rat bravery was often rewarded with cheers and jeers from diners on the deck. The GLC was replaced with this finish-line step-up.
Happiest Nerd at Crankworx
Designer, inventor and nice guy Darrel Voss holds the swingarm of his Naild R3act rear suspension. Voss and the Polygon team were testing the new downhill prototype the week before Crankworx. When Tracey announced that she was racing it, Voss didn’t know if he should worry or celebrate. Only three prototypes exist, and they are still in the development stages. Tracey posted a second in the Air DH, first in the Garbanzo, won the Canadian Open and clinched the Crankworx series championship.
Darrell Voss
Happy Birthday Stephi Marth! Pinkbike photographer Nathan Hughes tipped PB that the DH and 4-Cross racer would be celebrating her birthday at Crankworx. Yes, she did manage to extinguish that last candle...but, she wouldn't reveal what she wished for.
What does a jet turbine helicopter pilot commute to work on?
A turbocharged Harley Davidson. What else would do?
Shred Class is in session: SRAM Women's Skills Clinic coaches Lisa Mason (left) and Katie Holden (right) assemble their charges in front of the Pinkbike Tower before they session Whistler Mountain. No smiles allowed.
Where did everyone go? I was riding with the Canyon Bike crew when we came across at least fifty riderless mountain bikes strewn around the trail head near one of the EWS race's finish lines. A trail worker told us they belonged to young riders who volunteered to help put the trail back in order.
Why Whistler’s DH trails are littered with bomb holes in two pictures:
Tire wear - rear
Tire wear - front
Troy Lee, founder of the world renowned design and graphics firm by the same name, was pin-striping and personalizing TLD helmets at his pop-up store Crankworks. It was a rare opportunity to watch the man in action, and the ultimate autograph for the lucky riders who lined up out the door with helmets in hand.
Pinkbike's most enthusiastic Britt suggested that the staff's two senior statesmen offer up a century of combined knowledge to passersby at Whistler Village. He even made us a special kiosk. I was proud to decorate it with some "excellent" portraits...
...Until I was owned by this quick sketch of Barbara Gordon's favorite anime character. Gordon was a Whistler recycling volunteer who actually is a cartoonist.
Two Stories about Hope Brakes
Speaking with Hope Components' production coordinator Woody Hole, I learned that Hope is faced with a wonderful dilemma: It seems that disc brake sales have far exceeded their expectations. So much so that they have been forced to consider deleting products from their range in order to keep up with production. As most know, Hope makes everything in-house and at present, their CNC machines are running at capacity. Woody says that the recent success of their six-piston caliper has made brakes their number one seller, by far.
Hope Production Coordinator Woody Hole.
Don't Try This at Home
Woody also races the EWS series, and retold a story about an unfortunate Hope customer who hit a tree on the Rockwork Orange stage of the Canadian Open Enduro and snapped her brake hose near the master cylinder fitting. Woody came upon the scene and the young woman explained her situation. The two agreed that she was not going to finish the stage without a front brake, but Woody had a plan. He simply cut the line, removed the damaged hose from the ferrule and then threaded the fresh cut segment back on the fitting.
When the line broke, however, most of the brake fluid was pumped from the master cylinder. Without spare brake fluid, the day would still be lost. Woody pulled the brake pads apart to send fluid back up the hose and flush the air out. He then filled the master cylinder reservoir with water. Oil and water don't mix, and the inner diameter of the brake hose is too small too allow the fluids to pass by each other. The brake worked fine and she finished the stage.
FSA was showing off their Gradient modular crankset. The 30-millimeter "BB392EVO" aluminum axle can be removed from both crank arms, similar to the Raceface Cinch design. This means that owners can pick and choose any axle width to match their particular frames.
A spacer can be inserted between the crank arm and the direct-mount chainring to adapt to Boost or non-Boost frames.
FSA Direct-mount chainrings have narrow-wide teeth and are fixed by a lock ring that fits Shimano bottom bracket spline tools.
Like SRAM Eagle, FSA direct-mount chainrings are machined with reinforcing webs for stiffness.
Local Legend
Blackcomb Helicopters routinely drops mountain bikers off the top of Rainbow Mountain across the valley from Whistler to descend the trail by the same name. “Rainbow” is a stunning, hour-long roll that begins on bare rocks and glacial ice, traverses alpine meadows, and finishes with rock rolls and a steep-as-you’d-want luge-ride crescendo. Dan “Danimal” Swanstrom is the man who created the Rainbow Mountain trail and a number of similar gems in the zone. Dan says he used his trials motorcycle to work his way from bottom to top. Sadly, Parkinson’s disease now prevents him from wielding the implements of his craft. “I can still hold onto my moto,” says the Danimal. “I can’t cut trails anymore. Thankfully, for now, I can still ride them.”
Blackcomb Helicopters routinely drops mountain bikers off the top of Rainbow Mountain across the valley from Whistler to descend the trail by the same name. “Rainbow” is a stunning, hour-long roll that begins on bare rocks and glacial ice, traverses alpine meadows, and finishes with rock rolls and a steep-as-you’d-want luge-ride crescendo. Dan “Danimal” Swanstrom is the man who created the Rainbow Mountain trail and a number of similar gems in the zone. Dan says he used his trials motorcycle to work his way from bottom to top. Sadly, Parkinson’s disease now prevents him from wielding the implements of his craft. “I can still hold onto my moto,” says the Danimal. “I can’t cut trails anymore. Thankfully, for now, I can still ride them.”
Dan "Danimal" Swanstrom
Gully was pumped on Five Ten's new Sleuth Slip-Ons. Still holding out for Five Ten jandals though!
Two colorways.
Lots of grip.
Dustin Adams, Canadian DH legend and man behind We Are One Composites, had some fresh wheels on his ultra clean Scott Spark.
All of their products are made in Canada, with a full machine shop in-house to make all of the parts that go into their molds.
Anka Martin's Strega was looking dialled, and dusty enough to know she's been getting some laps in too. She was up helping with SRAM's Women's Clinics—teaching suspension setup and doling out tech wisdom.
• Juliana Strega - size Small
• SRAM Guide brakes with 200mm rotors
• Truvativ Descendant stem (40mm) & bar (750mm)
• Juliana grips
• SRAM XX1 Eagle derailleur with 32 tooth chainring
• SRAM XX1 Eagle Powerlock chain
• Santa Cruz Reserve 31mm carbon wheels
• SDG Allure women’s saddle
• Crankbrothers Mallet E11 pedals
• Rockshox Lyrik RCT3 170mm fork
• Rockshox Super Deluxe RCT rear shock
• Marsh Guard
• Maxxis tires front and rear
• Rockshox Reverb Stealth (125mm with new lever)
• SRAM Guide brakes with 200mm rotors
• Truvativ Descendant stem (40mm) & bar (750mm)
• Juliana grips
• SRAM XX1 Eagle derailleur with 32 tooth chainring
• SRAM XX1 Eagle Powerlock chain
• Santa Cruz Reserve 31mm carbon wheels
• SDG Allure women’s saddle
• Crankbrothers Mallet E11 pedals
• Rockshox Lyrik RCT3 170mm fork
• Rockshox Super Deluxe RCT rear shock
• Marsh Guard
• Maxxis tires front and rear
• Rockshox Reverb Stealth (125mm with new lever)
Clean bikes are for dorks.
Dainese's "Ribbo" technology allows you to snip a bit of ribbon and slightly enlarge each piece of apparel. It's like having a piece of armor that can go up a size. Pretty cool. Now they just need to make an adult version that lets you get away with gaining and losing that wintertime beer-gut.
If the Italians can figure out how to do that, they'll sell a million of the things... Dainese's Scarabeo grom gear meets the same rigorous safety certifications as the company's adult gear. It also makes your kid look like Spiderman, which is kinda cool. One of those things that's endearing at age 7 and just creepy-lame when an adult tries to pull it off at age 37.
If the Italians can figure out how to do that, they'll sell a million of the things... Dainese's Scarabeo grom gear meets the same rigorous safety certifications as the company's adult gear. It also makes your kid look like Spiderman, which is kinda cool. One of those things that's endearing at age 7 and just creepy-lame when an adult tries to pull it off at age 37.
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Member since Mar 23, 2011
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www.brakeforceone.de/en/bfo-h2o
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid
All liquids are compressible, but it's technically negligible.
So it might make a come back some day if everybody drags their brakes i defiance of the machines.
Unless your name is Ameil Cavalier and you sent it to complete flat like an insane person.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=xmEAeYcoPMk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE59MMDGW2Q
Given your lofty high end pimped out expectations for a rental experience, does it entitle you to trash a new business that's probably doing its best to succeed in its first season? I'm sure you never made a mistake communicating with someone at your own job, or had something break at an inopportune time. Is that license to start trashing you online?
Yes, do everyone a favour bring your own bike next time.
Summit. Summit has been my home form 11 years and we are rad ???????? @Powderface:
Her injury was more distal than mine. They say the more distal, the better the recovery.
The suspicion is there's a reverberation through the back of the bike due to the ABP pivot and hollow carbon rear end. Bontrager have developed a damper that bolts onto the calliper mount that helps this but have not released it commercially.
Wrapping an old tube around the non-drive side seat stay has helped with this issue this season.