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Vallnord DHI 2013...

DMdh

Monkey
Oct 26, 2011
131
6
Galicia
aside from the inanities of post 17, anyone know what Gwin's been up to in the past few weeks? Haven't seen any race reports that mention him... In an interview a while back he mentionned not having the terrain close to home to train at WC levels (a fact which was roundly contested by certain monkeys); so I'm wondering what his strategy to get back on form has been.

I'm stoked for this race. It'll be cool to see the battle heat up again between the current front-runners and to see whether Gee is on a "Gwinning" streak, or whether others will rise to the challenge.
Gwinn was today at vallnord training.. :think:
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
So a few runs today on the DH track... on a trail bike, in a TLD A1... and It's ridiculous. Mellow and flowy and fun up top and then all of a sudden hang on. Steep, ruts, awkward off camber corners lots of deep (today muddy) dirt and by the bottom you're wishing you rode the jump trail instead. Brought a ballpoint pen to a gun fight.
 

Huck Banzai

Turbo Monkey
May 8, 2005
2,523
23
Transitory
what is the I for in DHI? What happened to DH, XC, AM - someone decided they needed to be 3 letter acronyms? DHI, XCE, XCO, AMWTF, OMFG....
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Course walk isnt even until tomorrow. A small rain storm is putting it mildly. It was a cluster**** of BIG hail and monsoon like rains all afternoon.

Going to be an epic track to watch racing on and will evolve big time over the week.
 

bismojo

Monkey
May 5, 2009
271
39
1. GeeTee
2. Greg
3. Loic
4. SikMik
5. GwingArm

So excited for wc weekend.. Cant wait :weee:
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
schedule for the week:



andorra is GMT +2, so it is +9 hrs from the west coast USA and +6 hours from the east coast...

currently the weather looks to be sunny with a chance of thunderstorms on sunday...
 
Apr 25, 2011
32
0
Pacific Northwet
He better fvcking win with this bike! :drool:


From Pinkbike Photo description

"Aaron Gwin made a few changes for this week following a round of testing back in the USA. He is back on a medium frame but with a custom longer swingarm to better suit his off-the-back style. It arrived just in time, as the track here in Andorra is steep and almost out of control in some sections, so it will definitely be to his advantage. The color is a 2014 model, available soon at dealers near you! Gwin is also running another Blackbox derrailleur and shifter setup, based on the XX1 XC gruppo. And before anyone asks, no, it is not a 650b bike."
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
looks a bit steep..
can't be that steep if they're holding on to course tape for support.... that stuff's weak!

also, :rofl: to jackalope's post. I'm sad to say I get those references. I think I spend too much time on teh :monkey:

edited to add: must spread rep b4 giving to jackalope again...
 
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Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
From Pinkbike Photo description

" with a custom longer swingarm to better suit his off-the-back style. "
He said in that long Dirt TV interview that he doesn't like being off the back of the bike that he likes being centered....

Wonder if he had someone work on his suspension.....did he piss off Fox too in the off-season......?.....
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
He said in that long Dirt TV interview that he doesn't like being off the back of the bike that he likes being centered....

Wonder if he had someone work on his suspension.....did he piss off Fox too in the off-season......?.....
I thought that as well (regarding the off the back). I guess you have to remember that this is a reporter making a statement, not a quote, so the explanation could be off.

I think it's obvious that he did not look off the back on his Trek..but, on the demo that is where he found himself. Lengthen the chainstays and that same position is relatively more centered. We'll see if any of this makes a bit of difference. One thing is for sure, Gee has momentum and confidence and Gwin surely has lost some of that coming into this season.
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
i hate you guys for making me have to do this : from the manufacturers websites...

medium demo (longer cs) :
WB: 47.64
CS: 17.32
TT: 22.83
HA: 64*
RE: 16.93
ST: 23.35

medium session 9.9 (slacker setting) :
WB: 46.61
CS: 17.36
TT: 23.15
HA: 63.6*
RE: 15.51
ST: 23.86

medium fury :
WB: 48.46
CS: 17.00
TT: 25.47
HA: 63*
RE: 17.24
ST: 23.78
 

Tomasis

Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
681
0
Scotland
interesting that reach/wb is so small there on Sesion frame that Gwin could be on small Demo as well or any dirt jump bike. :D

Gee wins again. ;) I root on Hill though.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
who the **** said it was sh1t? everybody said "the helmet cams make it look meh" and then said "that looks cool" once pics came out. I don't think anybody called it before anything substantial came out, but I guess they're all morons for saying they hope its a better course then the helmet cams make it look (which it certainly looks like).

also, are you looking at a different listed geo chart then the one on their website? because all I see is 421mm (16.6 for those of you too lazy to look it up) vs the session at 17.2-3 which seems pretty significant. Maybe its not, but either way just based on the way I felt riding them back to back, I rode way more in the middle of the bike on my session and way further off the back of the demo I've ridden, and that seems to be mirrored in what gwin is doing to his demo.

I'm just hoping to see Gwin start smashing it again!
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
who the **** said it was sh1t? everybody said "the helmet cams make it look meh" and then said "that looks cool" once pics came out. I don't think anybody called it before anything substantial came out, but I guess they're all morons for saying they hope its a better course then the helmet cams make it look (which it certainly looks like).

also, are you looking at a different listed geo chart then the one on their website? because all I see is 421mm (16.6 for those of you too lazy to look it up) vs the session at 17.2-3 which seems pretty significant. Maybe its not, but either way just based on the way I felt riding them back to back, I rode way more in the middle of the bike on my session and way further off the back of the demo I've ridden, and that seems to be mirrored in what gwin is doing to his demo.

I'm just hoping to see Gwin start smashing it again!
i was referring to the internet as a whole. there have been comments on other sites about the track.

421mm is stock - 440mm is the proto rear end gwin is now running, hence me saying "medium demo (longer cs) : "