Tomas Slavik went down hard, injuring his ankle to the point he was barely able to walk, only hours before his finals run at Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo. He got up, brushed off the pain and laid down a heater of a run that secured him his third win at one of the most notorious urban downhill mtb races on the planet. Enough said.—Red Bull Bike
I'm in the camp of "I could make it down and do all of the features, but definitely not at race speed" No chance am I going all out down those stair sets. All of the jumps and drops seem fine so long as you can have someone tow you in to get the speed right.
The people that can do it are out riding right now... not sitting at a desk reading these comments while avoiding the work they're supposed to be doing.
@BMXJJ327: Same, I could get down, but now way I would dare to go down at race pace. And not jumping those stairs. No sir! Helmet cam looks insanely fast!
I'm curious. I always see these urban DH guys using MTB knobbies. Why use a knobby tire on a paved course? Something like a Schwalbe Big Apple would seem to give far better grip and faster rolling.
Perhaps knobs give them the ability to corner through a bit of a controlled drift. I have no idea if that would be desirable or not as all my context is built on dirt, but to your point a less knobby tire would presumably have more grip on the predominantly tarmac course.
Image and sponsorship I guess. Technically, they would also go faster in a spandex speed suit with shaved legs, but who would do something silly like that?
I don't think they make those tires wide enough, with strong enough casings and with sticky enough rubber. I'll bet a maxxgrip compound tire has better traction on the payment than a Big Apple. Plus without heaving casings, you'd have to run it rockhard and then have zero traction.
If they made a wide, DH casing Big Apple with a MaxxGrip or super soft compound, it would probably be amazing for these kinds of races.
Have you tried to go fast on Hookworms or Big Apples? They're fast on straights, but virtually no grip for braking and cornering. They're going downhill, so max speed isn't really a concern, control is everything. I used to have Hookworms on my slope bike and anything but smooth, dry, non-porus surfaces was sketch. Bit of gravel = wipeout. Bit of dirt = wipeout. Bit of dust = wipeout.
That's why. You'd want to be able to brake and turn. Slicks are for dragracing and curlybars.
@megatryn: Not sure if you understand an urban DH.
Per your own comments, these tires are bad for gravel, dirt,and dust but great on dry, non-porous surfaces. Sort of like the dry, non-porous, non-gravel, non-dirt surfaces they are racing on in Urban DHs. Hence my original question.
Oh, and actually, slicks are for high speeds on pavement, period. Ask any F1 moto rider.
familiarity with the traction.
They already do so much on those tires, they are very grippy for the turns, braking performance is known, double down withstands the jumps.
The maximum I would go is a minion SS
@Notmeatall: your probably right about familiarity factoring in significantly. Between that and the highly varying surface conditions and debris levels probably make the old familiar knobby tire the best all-around solution to the grip dilemma.
Can they please add some cushions/case pads to the backside of those ramp landings?? Looks like that could decapitate you if something when wrong... Amazing run.
I think he made up the majority of his time in the fast street section after the wallride. Watching the race replay he was still close at that section but then you could see how much faster he was going compared to prior runs.
Question: Why do urban downhill racers use downhill tires? Slavic here seems to be using an assegai front tire and in other races I've seen minions in use in other races. I would think that a semi-slick tire or some sort of wide road tire would benefit speed and traction, since the tire is in contact with a mainly flat surface.
Sorry but riding, espeically racing injured is just stupid.
Of course he was pressured into it by sponsors, media, money. Totally understand why he raced the finals and I'm not blaming him.
Still health comes before career. Thing is the corporate system will never give in on its own so we have to speak out change the way athletes are seen as disposable advertising space.
@toast2266: yeah, I double checked that time again how long the run was in the video too, some of the impacts and accelerations looked a bit weird to me, might be something to do with the camera stabilization?
Helmet cam looks insanely fast!
And i would not even have to use my bike!
Why use a knobby tire on a paved course?
Something like a Schwalbe Big Apple would seem to give far better grip and faster rolling.
Things that make you go, "Hmmmm?"
Bit of gravel = wipeout.
Bit of dirt = wipeout.
Bit of dust = wipeout.
That's why. You'd want to be able to brake and turn.
Slicks are for dragracing and curlybars.
High speeds, waaaaay cornering angles, NO KNOBS
Per your own comments, these tires are bad for gravel, dirt,and dust but great on dry, non-porous surfaces.
Sort of like the dry, non-porous, non-gravel, non-dirt surfaces they are racing on in Urban DHs.
Hence my original question.
Oh, and actually, slicks are for high speeds on pavement, period. Ask any F1 moto rider.