Regular, large or XL? Size never used to lose downhillers any sleep, but today’s timed run will have even the cocksure beginning to doubt that 26inch endowment between their legs. Yes the gloves are officially off on the wheel size scrap with a 650 and a 9er breaking the beam first. Does it speak louder than simply the nature of this course? If yes, should it have any bearing on the DH industry standard and the everyday riding of the masses? The debate is coming up to the boil and the deafening whistle from this kettle will surely kill dogs if Ropelato repeats his mighty performance tomorrow.
Today's format: Riders were allowed one lap on the freshly watered course, at the crack of dawn and it was then onto a single compulsory timed run to see who might have what up their arm covers. Technically it was timed training, but it was certainly a proper effort on track, unlike your casual world cup TT.
| Think the early start cost me in the timed run, guess I'm not a morning person cos I kind of got a good of kick up the arse out there today so I'm looking forward to bit of redemption out there tomorrow. - Andrew Neethling, Giant Factory Racing |
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| I've always been a racer at heart whether it's a local race or world champs...I have that same feeling of wanting to give the best you can so I'm sure it'll be no different tomorrow and I'll give it everything I've got- Jared Graves, Yeti Cycles |
| I felt pretty strong on track really. Not super sharp, but it was a bit early to really get fired up. Tomorrow I think that dust's gonna be back making it a lot more tricky to ride... That's what I'm hoping for really because the guys that are fast at the moment are the ones not on the full downhill rigs so maybe the more gnarly dusty sections at the top will help even it out a bit- Gee Atherton, GT Factory Racing |
| I skipped the practice run because I figured it was a waste of time to ride it slippery and wet with it drying up. I think people underestimate this track. It's the fastest on the circuit and takes a lot of precision to ride. It's the kind of thing I really like. Just need to get some sleep tonight, nobody sleeps before champs- Mick Hannah, Hutchinson-UR-Team |
| I felt good especially up top, and there's some time to be made up, so that's good to know. The jumps they've added definitely make the track faster but also more physical because you can't just sit down and spin through anymore- Greg Minnaar, Santa Cruz Syndicate |
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Skin suits though...they just look sh*t.
So welcome to the new world order where dh is xc/enduro and dh bikes become less capable and pointy nosed lycra crowd takes the "free" out of the sport.
DH is now XC...
Fat Guy in Lycra award.
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The B isn't a road term, its an old French category of tire WIDTH. And they didn't differentiate between road and non-road back then because most people did NOT cycle on paved roads, they weren't exactly that plentiful in pre-second world war france. A was narrowest, B was in the middle and C was wide (there's also a D but it was a late 80s/early 90s thing invented and used only by GT Bicycles). All 650letter tires had the same nominal inflated diameter, but they had different rim / tire bead seat diameters. Today the codes correspond to the wheel/rim dimensions only (a 700C rim is a 622mm bead seat diameter and it is this rim dimension that is used for 29er tires) and not to the actual nominal tire diameters or widths. This is actually how other industries refer to wheels also (for example cars and motorcycles the wheel size is the actual rim size, and you can have tall and short tires fit the same wheels by varying the tire sizes that fit those rims).
Also I'm no sheep, I've one of the sheppards who've been leading you flock folks for over five years now.
Vador : No, Luke, I am your father..
I don't know...