Throwback Thursday: 14 Custom Bikes from the 2012 Leogang World Championships

Oct 8, 2020 at 9:07
by Ed Spratt  
Mick Hannah hugging the fence in the final woods section of the track

Photography by: Vanja Kodermac, Colin Meagher and BK Productions

With the World Championships in Leogang this week we thought we would take a look back at the last time the Austrian venue hosted the biggest race of the year. While it may have been eight years ago, the weather and track conditions look pretty similar but how different are the bikes? With that in mind take a look at 14 custom bikes from the last World Championship in Leogang.


Steve Peat's Santa Cruz V10

Probably the most awaited World Champs kit.

Peaty timeless.


Loic Bruni's Lapierre DH-720

Greg Minnaar s World s bike.

Loic Bruni
Loic Bruni on his medal run.


George Brannigan's Devinci Wilson

George Brannigan with his Devinci Worlds Bike.



Joe Smith and Matt Simmonds' Nukeproof Pulse

Joe Smith and Matt Simmonds of CRC with their bikes.

Keeping it low Joe Smith skimming the tables on the way to second woods.


Greg Minnaar's Santa Cruz V10

Greg Minnaar s World s bike.

timed session


Bryn Atkinson's Norco Aurum

Bryn Atkinson with his Norco Aurum.

timing the DH Track for the masses



Josh Bryceland's Santa Cruz V10

...

Josh Bryceland
...


Manon Carpenter's Saracen Myst

World Champs Saracen Myst Team
Photo: Jacob Gibbins Photography for Saracen

Manon Carpenter
Manon Carpenter


Sam Blenkinsop's Lapierre DH-720

Blenky with his Worlds bike..

...


Holly Feniak's Cove Shocker

Holly Feniak

Holly Feniak on the loose.


Nick Beer's Devinci Wilson

Len from Devicni putting the first touches to Nick Beer s World Championship Devinci Wilson. No she s not carbon only Steve Smith is rocking that kind of bling on the Devinci squad. But she s damn sexy none the less.


Cam Cole's Lapierre DH-720

Cam Cole with his Worlds bike.



Brook Macdonald's Mondraker Summum
So many bikes here in Leogang have custom Worlds decorations that Brook Macdonald s mechanic on MS-Mondraker decided to do something special for Brook s bike...
While Brook didn't have a fully custom bike his mechanic did add something special to the bike just for Worlds



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63 Comments

  • 105 0
 #LongLiveChainsaw!!!!!!!!!!
  • 75 0
 Everything has changed, except Shimano Saint.
  • 2 0
 Wonder when they will revise it
  • 58 1
 I miss the Rat and Manon
  • 24 1
 I miss Holly
  • 4 0
 @ReformedRoadie: I hope she sees this, bro.
  • 2 0
 Yeah, I thought Holly Feniak was going to be big, but she only raced a few world cups and that was it.
  • 2 0
 @ReformedRoadie: Not long ago Tippie posted on IG that he is looking for a bike for her...
  • 1 2
 @Waldon83: she turn in a instababe ,clubbing in sexy dress.... so sad...
  • 1 0
 That’s odd, because a quick ‘unnamed search engine’ search shows she’s a realtor in Vancouver. Not some regular night club hussy
  • 1 0
 @Waldon83 @yoyo21 both wrong

www.linkedin.com/in/holly-feniak-9a0261198/?originalSubdomain=ca
  • 41 4
 26" wheels.... simpler times.
  • 25 1
 and Sponge Bob - happier times.
  • 19 6
 26 ain´t dead!
  • 9 3
 nothing "un simple" about 27.5 or 29. If you have those on your current bike, they don't change size. ;-)
  • 4 1
 @bman33: Stop don't give the industry any ideas!
  • 4 0
 Damn, from now on looks like they were riding bmx with suspensions... specially that first one from Peaty...
  • 1 0
 @PauRexs: Ha. I was thinking the same. Pratt dwarfs that bike by today's standards.
  • 3 0
 @PauRexs: Damn autocarrot.

*Peaty
  • 1 4
 26" bikes in size l and xl look way faster than wagon wheels
  • 3 0
 @dh-corn: Sponge Bob ain´t dead!!!
  • 3 0
 I certainly don't miss those +30mm BB rises
  • 2 0
 @nhlevi: with 10 inches of travel it was legit, smaller wheels too
  • 15 0
 oooh Baby Loic :-D
  • 11 0
 Some of those bikes have aged better than others. A few look like dinosaurs while others were obviously trending towards modern rigs.
  • 11 0
 Everything has changed but Minnaar. I hope he wins! ????
  • 8 0
 Cove shocker! Awesome bikes.
  • 3 0
 I really wish they were still making bikes.
  • 4 0
 @harryhood: me too dude. I've got a 2013 shocker and I got 27.5 dropouts from cove last year. How rare they are makes them even cooler but I'd like to see more of them.
  • 5 0
 Best looking bike of the bunch (I like the pink)
  • 1 0
 @rosemarywheel: I think so too. The others are a bit boring and the same but the cove sticks out.
  • 1 0
 @frednewton: Yup. I do get a bit tired of everyone having the sort of bikes you and I don't afford... but that cove I can aspire to.
  • 1 0
 @rosemarywheel: I get tired of seeing the same bikes all the time. The money doesn't matter, a nice bike is a nice bike. The shocker rides rough stuff and jumps well too. It's way more capable than I am as a rider.
  • 6 0
 I still have my DH720. Peeps laugh at it in the uplift line - just adds to its allure.
  • 9 0
 You must be the only man with an uncracked DH720 haha
  • 6 0
 I can still hear rob warner chearing for steve peat... how I miss that name in the track
  • 6 0
 I just remembered... what happened to holly feniak?
  • 6 2
 Judging by a quick search she got a modelling career. Smmmmmmoke show
  • 1 0
 She was quite seriously injured at Fort William in 2014 (or possibly 2013) and decided to go back to the real world. Works for a real estate firm in BC now.
  • 1 0
 @Fix-the-Spade: A total bombshell babe, but hey, no one who's ever been downhilling ever will say that racing is a more secure career option than real estate (or modelling).

The fact that folks like Greg and Mick are still going strong is nothing short of incredible. This sport beats you up.
  • 7 2
 Steve Peat,Greg Minnaar and Josh Brycland's Santa Cruz V10 bmx's Those wheels look so tiny...
  • 3 5
 26" DH BMX BIKES, were somehow ahead of there time?
Hears what i was riding back then?

www.pinkbike.com/photo/10335423

But still think they are relevant NOW !!!!!!!!!!

www.pinkbike.com/photo/19373829
  • 2 0
 Is it only me, who's wondering…. why are the seatposts so damn up to the moon?!?
Peaty, Carpenter Cole even had setback#s mounted.
  • 1 0
 the bigger bikes with 26" wheels look so weird and ungainly now. The smaller bikes for the ladies, they look perfect though...
Wheel size based on height anyone?
  • 1 0
 oh my, bikes are totally different nowadays, but shimano stuff without any changesBig Grin
  • 2 0
 Manons bike looks killer. Doesn’t look dated at all.
  • 2 0
 Bryn Atkinson's Norco Aurum!
  • 2 0
 That Saracen is a damn fine looking bike, even for today’s standards.
  • 1 0
 Peaty's bike hands down the best one there, but we may be a little biased.......
  • 2 1
 Everything is so baggy. Just need some more plaid for nineties grunge.
  • 2 2
 How come they are all riding the brand new Saint drivetrain if it's 2012? Oh wait...
  • 2 0
 $&@# I miss Steve
  • 1 0
 Good to see Chris Pratt working on Nick Beer's Devinci.
  • 2 0
 26 ain't dead!
  • 1 0
 Was the Devinci Wilson that far ahead of its time?
  • 1 0
 Bryn Atkinson DH rig looks like a reverse mullet.
  • 1 0
 Is that first photo of the Aussie on a morewood Mitch Delfs?
  • 1 0
 We want the rat back!
  • 1 1
 The Cove please
  • 2 3
 HI HOLLY!!!!
  • 4 0
 Just FYI I think she was 16 at that time.
  • 2 0
 @j-t-g:
*insert Shocker joke 8 years later *
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