Aaron Gwin's World Champs YT Tues
The Downhill World Champs would not be the same if bike manufacturers didn’t give their designers the green light to go ahead and create unique frames for this special event of the season. The big show in Val Di Sole is YT’s first time at the World Champs and of course they want to celebrate this with a very own Special Edition World Champ TUES.
YT’s creative heads didn’t waste any time and started with the first sketches right away. After all, a special project far off from mass production triggers any designer’s artistic ambitions. The guys wanted to create something that sparks interest and happiness by just simply looking at it; a true collector’s item for fans and the riders.
The designers of Aaron Gwin’s World Champs bike definitely achieved just that. The focus was put into a subtle Stars & Stripes theme. No kitsch, no candy. Instead, fine details of the US flag can be found on the bike. The colors used are in a perfect harmony and the matte finish gives the bike a touch of understatement.
The flawless finish is one of the main highlights of the frame. Custom painter Adrian Flor from Dresden put in an insane amount of extremely accurate work: “Handmade in Germany” in its purest form. Every single detail on the frame was painted and Adrian is proud to have stayed away from using simple stickers. He spent over 50 hours on: grinding, priming, sanding, priming the base color, then masking the frame with tape, applying red paint, applying blue paint, adding the clear coating, then sanding it again and finally applying the matte paint. Of course, he had to wait quite some time in between each step. A crucial part was that the sensitive parts of the frame had to be protected and the edges had to be masked extremely accurately.
According to Adrian, the best moment of the entire project was when he applied the final clear coating and afterwards holding the final result in his hands. The custom paintjob for YT was the most elaborate project Adrian has ever had to work on. Just for this job he had to buy a special scale to make sure he would not exceed the weight of the paint. Every gram counted and at the end, Adrian stayed below the allowed 300 grams by just using 230 grams for the entire project.
Aaron’s World Champs TUES will feature the exact same setup and components which he has been riding during the World Cup:
Specs
• e*thirteen LG1 Carbon Cranks
• e*thirteen LG1 Carbon DH Wheelsets and Cassette
• e*thirteen LG1 Carbon Chainguide
• Onza Ibex DHC Tires, 27.5 x 2.40
• TRP Quadiem SL Brakes
• Renthal Fatbar Carbon Handlebars and Integra Stem
• Fox 40 RC2 Kashima Forks and DHX2 10.5 x 3.5 Shock
• SDG I-Fly 2.0 Seat and Micro Carbon I-Beam Seat Post
• HT X2 Pedals
• ODI Grips
• Cane Creek 40 Headsets
• SRAM X01 Derailleur and XX1 Chain
• Lubricated and cleaned with Motorex products
MENTIONS:@YTIndustries
Author Info:
Member since Jan 8, 2014
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Cam Zink's bike for comparison.
Huck Norris?
Simmons endoed off the edge of the second or third drop, which was one of the bigger ones. Until he popped up about 10 seconds later, we figured he was dead. It was terrifying. Face first off a 20 or 30 foot drop.
But no, I didn't realize that. I thought it was the founder's initials.
dirtmountainbike.com/racing-events/commencal-unveils-world-champs-custom-bikes.html
What is the difference between winning the world cup overall title, and winning the world championship race?
And are they both put on by UCI, or separate entities?
Thanks!
It is a bit counterintuitive, particularly when World Champs always follows the last World Cup race so closely. I'd assume that it's simply just more convenient logistically for the teams and UCI to do it this way. But I feel like World Champs in a way steals the thunder of the whoever wins the World Cup overall.
The other thing I think is cool about worlds is that the criteria to qualify and race are different, so you get to see lots of people from lots of countries who never qualify or even go to the World Cup events get to race on the world stage with the best in the sport.
Also, I think it's great that the riders race for their respective countries, and that others who can't race World Cup get the opportunity to race Worlds. But the truth is, and this is born out by the coverage, no one gives a s*** about anyone except the top 15 riders, who are (I'm making a big assumption here) are all World Cup regulars.
Worlds could stand some tweaking to separate the two in people's minds. Because obviously, it's not coming off the way it could to spectators as a "worldwide" all-inclusive race. I don't think it's just me.
I'm wrong, sorry.
Think about how unforgiving DH racing is; one qualifying run, one finals run, with no redos in the case of a mistake, a mechanical or an injury. Basically you have one opportunity to go flat out. This season Bruni did very well.. in the races he entered. Despite missing out on a few races due to injury, he still finished with a top ten number plate, something impressive even for someone who entered every race and had decent results. What Im saying is the cup/points format gives some margin for error. Get a flat in one race and you can still have a good season. Meanwhile in World Champs, there is a huge level of importance and pressure placed in that one race, that one run, so it can in some senses be seen as the ultimate representation of the downhill racing format.
I'll say it again...Worlds is awesome because we get to see all those low-ranked, unknown riders on the World stage alongside the best in the sport. It's awesome, they're awesome, and I "GIVE A S***." It sounds like you're just upset that the people who win the most aren't the most popular, and that people who never win aren't popular enough...and that is quite the conundrum...
Because up until this thread, I didn't really understand them. Thanks for participating and showing me the light!
I will say that my computer mouse can run for about two years on dead/flat batteries and I find cords to be annoying. That's also why I did away with my corded phone and other extraneous tethers.
@Albe23: It is an ideal mouse for me. The Razer Black Mamba! It has a charging port if you feel like going wireless and need to charge when not in use and also can run corded (my preference, generally).
I have a black mamba at home and at work. My home one I have had for something like 6 years and it is still working perfectly.
Can someone name the Photographer?
Wanna see spesh and others !