correct me if I'm wrong, but this also applies to the Commençal, and Transition TR450. There must be others out there doing this as well. After all, it's a link-actuated single pivot.
Don't forget Danny Hart.
add Kona to the bike list and Bulldog and Steve Smith to the riders with a chance of winning races. great move for CRC and the Pulse is a very nice bike in the flesh,
Carbon & Ka$himaVery diplomatic Udi
I'd be interested in hearing which bike/shock combination you think is currently the closest to perfect discounting geo?
Danny is a consistent top 10 threat. As far as winning races, he will have to get lucky in the form of a few top guys having a bad day, or a torrential downpour. It's no secret he doesn't have the power of Gwin, Minaar, Atherton, etc. It's his technical skills that will get him there, but those guys listed have all the tech ability of Danny with the addition of being insanely fit and powerful. IMHO, all the Danny fan boys that think there will come a day/season where Danny will dominate, but looking at his peers he will be racing against for years to come, my money for the wins will not be on Danny. I honestly think the WC series is going to be absolutely dominated by Gwin for the next few years. I do cheer for him, and enjoy seeing an American up there. I certainly am no Gwin fan boy though, really can't stand his dull, bland, Christian character. DH was founded by bad asses, guys with attitude and personality. Guys like Napalm, Warner, CG, Peat, Hill. Gwins squeaky clean image and post race interviews giving all the glory to The Man really irks me. His personality is more like that of a tennis player or golfer, rather than a rowdy dh'r/motocrosser. Probably not much fun at the post race drinkfest. Out of the current crop of guys, my "favorites" are Smith, Brooke McDonald, and Blenki. Blenki is really going to have to get his **** in a pile if he wants to be a podium threat though, but I'd say Smith and McDonald are well on their way to having some more good results. If McDonald gets put on TWR, it will be interesting to see how Brooke's foot out flat out flat pedal style translates to the Session and if Gwin can impart any of his knowledge on him. Bernard Kerr impressed me last season, had some top 20's and has more balls and style than just about anyone. You see the footage of him at whip off worlds? How about that suicide no hander on the Windham finish jump? Worth a look if not. Would love to see him get an offer. He's probably pretty bummed his buddy Eliot Jackson won't be racing anymore, which i am bummed about too. Eliot is gnarly!
I read on Vital last week that he's not racing anymore.
This is true, saw a Facebook or Twitter post he made personally delivering the message to all his fans/friends. Not sure what his day job is, but I know he's a shredder on everything two wheels and I think he achieved his ultimate goals in mountain bike racing and is calling it a day.
You may want to look at some of Danny's results on pedally courses. I think he actually out pedaled a lot of those guys at Fort William this year on the final section. I agree those guys have power, but he can pedal for a smaller guy.
Danny is very fit. If you think otherwise you are very mistaken.
while I agree with a lot of what csermonet wrote, I have to agree with Norbar. And when you look at roadies [ducks for cover while the rotten eggs are thrown], Hart has the physique of the stronger overall riders. I acknowledge that DH is more like sprint events, and so bigger, more powerful and explosive riders will do well, but I think he has a strong base on which he can build. He's still young. He's going to need time to build that explosiveness. I have no doubt it will come, but I don't see him matching Gee, Minnaar, Gwin and Sam this year. Maybe later in the year? who knows.... Also isn't he working with Gee's trainer too? that guy seems to know what he's doing.
Nope ur not wrong but I was more pointing out the people saying that the bike will need to be redesigned completely for Sam. If it works it works and according to the big PB article with the Nigle Page interview Sam tried the bike with a lower static bb and then went back to the tried and tested one. If Sam wasnt happy with the bike and didnt think he could win on it they why would he move. I know CRC have deep pockets there turn over last year was something like £150 million but im sure Specialized or the other big teams out there were offering similar money. CRC arent going to pay him more than hes worth just to have him on board they will be expecting to see a return on there investment. Same obviously feels that the bike is right for him or pretty close to it and that the team structure is going to have him in the right position to win again. Im sure the paycheck had some bearing on his decision but it cant be the only factor
I agree with your speculation that this would be a tough position. I wonder how much that played a role.
i dont think it matters much for Sam, he won several wc, championship etc. His psyche is enough strong to withstand teammates. Look at Formula1 teammates in teams. Wow that enviro was such fierce.
Never said he wasn't fit, every one is at that level of racing. Power is what he's lacking. Gee and Greg are 6ft+ and like 200lbs. Danny is probably 130 soaking wet. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure Danny is lacking in overall power to those guys. DH is indeed a sprint sport, and the advantage swings in the favor of the bigger men.
Was that before or after he won Worlds?
Tell that to Nico V and his 10 world championship jerseys. Then again he was another "quiet" rider like Aaron Gwinn or Ricky Carmichael so you may not be interested in him. I have a word for those guys as well. I call them f**king winners.
Lighter people stay out of holes and shorter people are more aerodynamic.
