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Fort Williams 2018: The Lizard Rockgardening.

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
Did you hear Warner trying to explain the fucking protected/unprotected/self-protected rider gibberish? Even Claudio acknowledged he didn't get it.
I was actually referring to the "must re-enter the course at the point of leaving" rule. Which hisorically (since the 90s) has been ignored, upheld, changed, changed back, ignored, altered and upheld (today/yesterday).

But Yeah. The new seeding/protected/start order rules are retarded too.
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
Did you hear Warner trying to explain the fucking protected/unprotected/self-protected rider gibberish? Even Claudio acknowledged he didn't get it.
claudio probably doesn't get a lot these days. i'm not convinced his concussion and subsequent issues haven't caused more damage than people think.

i missed the conversation but i have a question. why are there only 19 protected riders listed in the quali start sheet on the uci site? regardless of whether masters was protected or not, there should still be 20, right?
https://chronorace.blob.core.windows.net/webresources/20180602_dh/fwil_dhi_me_startlist_qr.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-40,842

also regarding this : "A crazy twist of fate today for Ed Masters, disqualified for not returning to the track at the correct point after a crash. He wasn't too worried, assuming he was protected as the number 20 plate, but under new UCI rules that wasn't the case and his race is now over."

sounds like he assumed he was protected just because of his plate number without anyone taking into account that there can be protected riders with higher plate numbers, which seems to be the case here.
 

aaronjb

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2010
1,105
659
  • What happened to Greg Williamson? Bike issue, but not a flat?
  • Martin Maes 10th? Nice.
  • Blenki with another top 10!
  • Nice comeback for Bruni
  • Reece Wilson!
  • Will we see some retirements at the end of the year? Athertons, Minnaar?
  • Tahnee with an excellent win
  • Valli Holl is nuts
  • Claudio definitely almost got his number called with that fall in Croatia. That'll be the end of track walks for him, among other impacts I'm sure.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,190
media blackout

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
Pretty sure minnaar is a protected rider; he was out due to injury.

Edit: posted without checking the link. Try counting again? I saw 20.
minnaar is listed in the first 16. after that i only count 3 more - wallace, bruni, fayolle. i'll admit i'm a bit of a mathtard but who am i missing?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
With all the “technology” in the sport of DH, we can’t even keep air in tires, chains on bikes, and working brakes.
So basic.
Statistics from today would contradict that.

Also all those problems are from 29ers being forced out and not ready. Even the failures on 27.5 bikes were from just being near the damn things on the same mountain. It's a real problem.
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
I seemed to me they didn't cover as much of the track as they did last year.

I can't complain though, my second favorite sport is currently being televised by ESPN. Spike Ball FTW!
 

shelteringsky

Monkey
May 21, 2010
307
257
I found the Losinj race to be moar interesting to watch.
Have to agree. I mean, great result for Reece Wilson but getting such a great time early on in the race did kill some or the suspense. Plus all the mechanicals and people getting DQed arbitrarily didn't help. 6/10.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
A few thou
Which way?

claudio probably doesn't get a lot these days. i'm not convinced his concussion and subsequent issues haven't caused more damage than people think.
Yeah seems his previews are postponed indefinitely. Wouldn't be surprised if he's done with risking it.

  • Tahnee with an excellent win
  • Valli Holl is nuts
  • Claudio definitely almost got his number called with that fall in Croatia. That'll be the end of track walks for him, among other impacts I'm sure.
Look I'm as stoked for bikini girl errr... tahnee as much as anyone, but Myriam and Rachel both crash and Rachel bloody rolled a track with uphill sections and they both still put up competitive runs. Rachel's run was mental. Brilliant runs from all 3. Tahnee with the one-hander too. Legend.

Valli Holl is going to destroy the senior women's field soon by the looks.

Loris - so fkn close.

Troy's run with the scrubs and whatnot was just friggen sick.

Sucks about Claudio - I'd like Cathro previews brought in till Claudio returns or calls it a day.
 
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toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
Also, chain manufacturers and mechanics must be hiding after a couple of well publicized failures recently...
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
Are the chains actually breaking or are they falling off the front chainring on bikes ñot running a full proper chain guide, and relying on the clutch and narrow wide ring?
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
Are the chains actually breaking or are they falling off the front chainring on bikes ñot running a full proper chain guide, and relying on the clutch and narrow wide ring?
I'd say it's a matter of minimizing the chain length in order to be able to skip the chainguide. Most of the broken chains I remember happened when the rider was powering through chunder while in a low gear and with near bottomed rear suspension.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'd say it's a matter of minimizing the chain length in order to be able to skip the chainguide. Most of the broken chains I remember happened when the rider was powering through chunder while in a low gear and with near bottomed rear suspension.
So basically we are back to 2003 technical issues.
 

FlipSide

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,376
804
Sucks about Claudio - I'd like Cathro previews brought in till Claudio returns or calls it a day.
I had a vision while watching all the FW Cathro clips yesterday evening: RedBull should absorb Cathro Vision, give him a fat paycheck + expenses for his analysis (and lift the 3 min rule for him, obviously), ask him to do all the course preview and provide a proof reading team so the racer names don’t get messed up anymore.

Everybody wins! Yay!
 

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,208
581
Durham, NC
They snapped after the first ~1.5 ft drop, when they were pedaling IIRC (feel free to correct me if wrong). I still think it points to a chain too short.
Yeah, I should have been more clear. Not directly out of the start hut, but in the first few seconds of the track. No way they were in a low gear at that point in the race.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
v disappointed with redballs recently. They discontinued my smart TV app. Now I can't live stream the race while "paying attention" to my kids. I'd have to have my phone out the entire time, or buy one of the three devices they still support. Looks like I'm done watching races this season :(
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
v disappointed with redballs recently. They discontinued my smart TV app. Now I can't live stream the race while "paying attention" to my kids. I'd have to have my phone out the entire time, or buy one of the three devices they still support. Looks like I'm done watching races this season :(
HDMI cable + computer
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
448
v disappointed with redballs recently. They discontinued my smart TV app. Now I can't live stream the race while "paying attention" to my kids. I'd have to have my phone out the entire time, or buy one of the three devices they still support. Looks like I'm done watching races this season :(
Chromecast is like $30. Then you can stream from your phone to TV. Nice thing is, once it’s directed to the content, it no longer relies on your phone like an Apple TV.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
They snapped after the first ~1.5 ft drop, when they were pedaling IIRC (feel free to correct me if wrong). I still think it points to a chain too short.
In the broadcast, Rob said it looked like it may have happened after the first couple of pedal strokes, while the riders were changing into higher gears. In the Vital interview podcast, Rach' pretty much throws SRAM chains under the bus and Sven tries to save her some potential sponsor embarassement? (actually, I just checked, they're not sponsored by a drivetrain company... so they can pick and choose what they want?)

In the end, I think there is a solution: gear boxes!
 
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slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
I had a vision while watching all the FW Cathro clips yesterday evening: RedBull should absorb Cathro Vision, give him a fat paycheck + expenses for his analysis (and lift the 3 min rule for him, obviously), ask him to do all the course preview and provide a proof reading team so the racer names don’t get messed up anymore.

Everybody wins! Yay!
totally agree (see post #120):
I agree. But on the other hand, if he can produce tight content in that time frame; content that consumers and advertisers find valuable, then maybe, just maybe, Redbull might see the value in bringing him under their umbrella. That would be awesome. But you've got to start somewhere before "making it".... fingers crossed.
maybe some sort of petition could be started? "Cathro for Redbull?"
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
Dakota? and Rach's chains both broke while the they were powering down the first very short section before the first hip. (BTW there's no real drop of any actual consequence there). At a guess they'd have broken while shifting. Under normal circumstances ie. not a mech in the spokes etc. chains normally break when the pin is ripped from the plate (and the plate bends/opens rather than a plate snapping. I'd expect this to be the case here too.

What speed chain were they using?

As for a solution. go back to good old 8 speed sprockets/spacing/chains for DH but with a 5 or 6 speed cassette and a good chainline. There's absolutley no need for a clutch or even a chain guide on my 5 speed set-up. (Although I'd fit a guide for even more security/damage limitation if my wages depended on it)
 
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