It's been a strong 2017 so far for Emily Batty. Batty kicked off the season with a fifth-place result at Sea Otter and has managed top ten finishes in eight of her past nine races, including a win at the Canadian National Championships a couple weeks ago.
The Trek Factory XC rider, however, faces a new dilemma coming into this weekend's competition at Mont Sainte Anne: Which bike should she ride? Hardtail or full-suspension? Batty landed on the podium here last year after battling it out aboard her Procaliber hardtail, but this year the course is more than a little rough. Photographer, Matt Delorme, sat down with Batty and got her take on which bike might be the better choice this time around. | This year, in my opinion, is one of the roughest versions of the cross-country course. There’s a lot more roots exposed it seems, there’s so much chatter on each lap. |
So, Mont Sainte Anne is a little rougher—a lot rougher, actually—than it has been in year’s past. I understand you’re on the fence about which bike to ride:
Full suspension or hardtail?
I
am on the fence. Normally, in the past, at Mont Sainte Anne, I’ve raced the Top Fuel. But last year I really liked the ProCal, which was unusual because nobody was racing hardtails."
Why did you wind up riding the hardtail then?
I realized that the climbs were where that race was going to be won or lost—it wasn’t going to be decided by the technical sections. But, this year, the technical, absolutely is going to have a huge role.
The technical factor has gone up a notch?
Absolutely. This year, in my opinion, is one of the roughest versions of the cross-country course. There’s a lot more roots exposed it seems, there’s so much chatter on each lap.
You've been experimenting with both bikes?
Yeah, I did some laps on the hardtail this week and it wasn’t nearly as fun to ride [laughs], so I’m still up in the air as to what I’m going to race—the hardtail or the full suspension. I will probably decide once the weather settles out.
You mean if it rains you'll probably run the full-suspension bike?
Not necessarily. Sometimes when it rains I want
less of a bike. Because the speeds are lower. I mean the full suspension is hands-down the most fun to ride and it’s good for preserving your energy, but I race really well on the Procal.
What do you like about the hardtail?
It’s really light. And for me, I’m a 106 pounds, so the bike’s weight makes a very big difference. And the climbs are steep here. We’re doing about 145 meters of climbing, so I really feel the weight difference on a course like this.
If you want to look at hot chicks, there are other websites for that. The reason Emily is famous isn't because of her looks (though she certainly has no problem showing them off, and benefiting her career) but because of the reason we go to this website: bikes.
I think all I'm asking for here is people to show some respect for her as a rider and a person, not just as a female body.
Emily is a very successful racer who also happens to be very attractive. She's exploited both talents to gain financially.
The issue here is (I've only seen one example, but not read all the comments) is that 'some' feel PB is as welcoming of their horrifying boorishness as their mates down the pub. Well (I would hope) it's not! This is a public forum that anyone can view, mtbers or not. It doesn't really cast us in the best light if disgusting comments are tolerated. We all say stupid things from time to time not realising their full implications, but some statements are simply self-evidently wrong.
So I suggest, if not in life then at least on public forums- if you want to say something about a woman restrict it to the kind of comments you wouldn't mind hearing about your mother or sister. And if you still feel compelled to say disturbing things, then at least you know you need help.
So if I was to play along with your logic, The bottom line of it all is not the fact that guys like looking at hot girls. Guys can't cope with seeing an exceptionally attractive woman without saying anything and taking even tiniest subconscious action to appear to her. 99% of responses here (mine included) are strategies of chimp brains trying to pass genes or at least appear smarter than the other chimp
You're not a fan of "speaking of capitalizing on human traits in public", which is fine. I am, and I find the simplicity of the concept very helpful when making arguments to use that tactic. I'm sure Emily derives as much happiness, health and satisfaction from riding her bike as we all do, probably more, but those things don't help my point (or her bank account) so I chose to omit them. We agree on Gwin though, glad to see I'm not the only one.
I didn't say that at all. I'd lay off reading the indignant-monthly and victimhood chronicle.
Guys like looking at hot girls. Hell, girls like looking at hot girls! The vast majority of us can handle it just fine. A very small minority, for a myriad of reasons choose to drag the conversation down with disgusting contributions.
My suggestion was aimed at them. If it had the added benefit of encouraging others to take a stand against that kind of behaviour then more's the better.
@jaame: It's is in societies best interest to advise others on what thoughts and feelings they are allowed to have, otherwise there'd be chaos and we wouldn't know right from wrong. But taken to the extreme where speech is limited and thoughts are enforced is obviously wrong and bad for everyone.
I'm not saying don't have your thoughts, and don't express your arguments. I'm saying the manner in which you do so matters- if you choose a good analogy with obvious implications to the current topic it strengthens your viewpoint. Choose badly, or use derogatory and disgusting imagery and you alone are to blame for the failure of others to see things your way. And you risk taking those you are associated with down with you.
I had no problem with what you said- it was correct and inoffensive. WAKIs' reply on the other hand... who could support that?
So yeah. There's fast, and then there's World Cup fast. But the other moral of the story is that I first discovered Emily Batty after I went home and immediately googled "hot blonde mountain biker".
- That reminds me of a paradox I live with daily here in Diversityville. USA:
Celebrate Diversity (just don't point out that anyone's different)!
twitter.com/emilybatty/status/807613252620328960?lang=en
Sure, there's a line, but you need to check your pulse if that thought isn't going through your mind when you look at photos of Batty. Doesn't take anything away from her talents on a bike
It's a bit as if men felt a constant need to check their "female hotness criteria" with their peers.
It's not even "that bad" in itself on an individual level, but it becomes a problem when it's so "automatic", so common, when it's so "normal" that many don't see the problem.
I don't know, maybe talking about it with your buddies is ok but think twice before writing it on internet ?
Elaborating further, while many curse words lose their original meaning overtime, many come from a discrimination of a minority (either females, gay people, poor people, undeducated people, disabled people, colored people, different ethnics, and animals, etc). What I mean is the "majority" of a society defines the "rules" , it was once ok to call a colored people "n*gger" and to use him as a slave, then society evolved and it's not ok anymore. Right now it seems ok to constantly refere to women about how "hot" they are according to society's overall commercial appreciation scale of a "face + boobs + ass + weight" combo, and though it seems less "extreme" then the previous n*gger/slave example, it probably has some "unvisible" side effects like men/women pay discrepency and lack of self estime in many women who don't rate high enough on that scale.
But I agree it's difficult to know where to draw the line.
@drivereight after seeing the twitter video, I wouldn't love to carry her and take a 4-5ft drop.
"People who say you shouldn't be narrow minded are themselves narrow minded, because they don't account for the fact that there is room for all different widths of mind."
Diversity in the truest sense!
On a side note, that is on topic, ESI grips are absolutely fantastic as long as it is dry. Chunkies are the best grips that I ever had.
Only for the photoshoot. She's been running 190TPI Maxxis Ikons this year. You can even see them in the first picture with the logos blacked out.
Before anyone else leans in on this, I don't care about the wheelsize debate.
While looking for new bikes I tried an XL Trek Remedy but it felt like a little clown bike on me. Norco Range a comfortable fit for me though.
@hamncheez haha true, I just have a complex that complete strangers who I'll never meet think I'm a lard ass. Didn't know RR was 205. That guy is one giant muscle.
Although I think you meant full stop....
he told me the difference was a lower (almost too low) bottom bracket and the toptube was thinner (wall thickness) than the production model.
Whaaat ?
They make a thinner frame for brook ? And this guy bought a used bike from brook ?
My favorites are in this order though Yolanda/Batty/Pendrel
I mean, how many pinkbikes news on her ? And how many on Belomoina, Gunn Ritha, Langvad ?
Ow, sorry, they are not as pretty as Emily.
But she's not overrated.
Batty has potentional to turn her position into a similar position of Yana Belomoina
Batty seems to bring the speed late in a race, her career is just getting started.
What I don't get is that I got down voted for giving Batty a compliment. Saying she's adorable.
I guest those who down voted me just jealous that Batty is such good looking girl. lol....
Is there anything more attractive than a girl who rides bikes or works on cars or isn't afraid to break a nail or gets grease on her hands or has scrapes/cuts/bruises from being active?
You guys sure are a bunch of butthurt little kiddies.