Vallnord DHI 2013...
- Thread starter slyfink
- Start date
You guys are funny.For fock sake, it's not the freaking bike lol.
yeah those World's championships (Hill and Morganne) and multiple junior ex world championships (Brosnan) are really working against them
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Well I think the internet is making a bigger deal out of this than it really is as I still see heaps of brand new Demo's rolling in the lift lines...Beside , Aaron seems confident he can win this. Now what the hec happened to Stevie, why isnt he at the top of that list like I had predicted ;-) ?Courses looks rad and Im very excited to watch this one !
I don't think there is ANY other explanation for the facts at this point. Hopefully speci will realize that leverage curve and CS length is way off. Maybe people will stop buying that overpriced bike finally.
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Im so tired of this old argument, BUDDY even I can tell when Im quicker on a certain bike compare to another one.Im not saying the Demo is necessarily a bad design ( I'll wait to see if Gwin can pull it off this weekend before I do so ;-) ) but come on !!!! This whole 95% rider 5% bike is BS if you ask me, and where the hell does that come from anyway? Every pro that I know seems to be very anal about their setups, every little details seems to be a HUGE deals for them...Personally , Ive had brand new bikes I just couldnt get along with ( coincidentally my last one was a Demo 8 ) and the minutes I jumped on a different bike I was faster...by some serious margin.If it makes THAT much of a difference for ME, surely in a world cup race where fraction of a second make a difference, having a bike you're not comfortable with would make a seriously big difference...right ?
the only heap of bikes i've ever seen was out of spec evils
I agree that the bike is a big part of the equation, but I also think it's important to note the distinction between the bike itself and how the bike impacts a rider's head. Given the fractions of seconds separating the top guys, the rider's perception and confidence have a huge impact on results. So yeah, the top guys can slay it on pretty much any bike. But winning requires more.
Also, although these guys have great mind control, and Gwin in particular acts like no fvcks are given ever, the pressure to deliver results must be pretty intense - especially with the dollars at stake.
Also, although these guys have great mind control, and Gwin in particular acts like no fvcks are given ever, the pressure to deliver results must be pretty intense - especially with the dollars at stake.
Had a funny experience last summer. Had a v10c which I felt and still feel great on, snapped a lower link axel, predicted that a warranty would take ages (took 1.5 months) so i bought a cheap Scalp frame on crc to ride in the mean time. Fast forward riding the scalp over the summer, 4 laps back on the v10 down my local 40sec track and I had knocked off over 3sec of the best time on the scalp.
So on same conditions on a very short and familiar track I took off a little less than 10% in lap time on the bike I really felt comfortable on. The thing is that I never really felt that uncomfortable on the Scalp or much more comfortable on the v10 it just seems like small subtle differences can make a difference or a given rider.
I was kind of shocked at the difference. So for me the Demo can actually be a vital part in Gwins performance this year.
Also if it is the rider that only matters and Gwin has dominated the last two years and has done the same off season training, I wonder what other big variable that is left to explain the severe lack of performance this year. He would have come to ft bill with more confidence than anyone so I doubt it was that either. I think the Gwin today is pretty much the same Gwin as last year, so what explains the problem. And we can see that he feels that the bike is not right for him. I havent seen any top five rider change both size and get such a radical custom geo change in such short time period.
To think that frame design and suspension kinematics don't play a significant part in a sport that is won and lost by 0.046 of a second is incredibly short-sighted. I've said it in these threads before.
But in more important news, our boy's back. F**k yeah!
But in more important news, our boy's back. F**k yeah!
gee atherton arees...oh wait.
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I think its the brows... Just look at those. Gnarly.To think that frame design and suspension kinematics don't play a significant part in a sport that is won and lost by 0.046 of a second is incredibly short-sighted. I've said it in these threads before.
But in more important news, our boy's back. F**k yeah!
I hope to god Sam doesnt do an 08 VDS kinda run this Sunday. At least not at the finish
Win it!!!
Damn. Growing a Steave Smith mustache is easy but eyebrows that make you faster? That's going to take some superglue.I think its the brows... Just look at those. Gnarly.
I hope to god Sam doesnt do an 08 VDS kinda run this Sunday. At least not at the finish
Man I hope Sam pulls it out for this win. Perfect course for him, and he's been working hard to get back up to speed. Gotta be one of the most down to earth and honest guys around, so I'll be rooting for him, as always.
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Back to the topic of Specialized.
I owned an original Demo 9. And god did I hate that bike. The things Gwinner says about his could come out of my mouth ten years ago.
One does not simply ride fast on a Demo.
I owned an original Demo 9. And god did I hate that bike. The things Gwinner says about his could come out of my mouth ten years ago.
One does not simply ride fast on a Demo.
So, if Troy Brosnan switched to Trek, would he be un-beatable?
ah yes, the old "if it doesn't work for me, it won't work for anyone" argument. nice.
It could be so many things. Doing what he did before took a rare combination of multiple things going right, multiple times. So it makes sense to look at what changed. It's easy to point to the equipment, but we need to also look at the team dynamic, structure of his contract, pressure to keep delivering, etc. He didn't really have much to lose before but now it maybe a different story.
Or, we're reading too much into it and it's just a string of bad luck he had coming after avoiding it for so long.
So if Gee has an off day Sunday it has to be the bike right?
when he has one this year, let me know
http://theteamrobot.blogspot.ch/2013/03/this-is-amazing.html
Try to think for a second and tell me what the unchangeable differences on a wc bike are!
Even kinematiks could be changed if the manufacturer wants to. Geometry, ergomonics, suspension setup - everything is tweakeable and customizeable. Variable headsets, stems, bars, shimstacks oil etc. what remains is a fraction of a fraction. It could be that it affected gwin but it certainly hadn't the main negative effect on his riding. He's just not as fast/conifdent/whatever by himself this season and gee and the other guys stayed or improved on their level.
A bike wouldn't ride down a track more than 10 meters on it's own.
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Hart is like 5'9" or so, not exactly short. He's light which may make him look smaller.If one knows little about physics, it is obvious that the longer bike is, it gives more stability. Ask Chapman.
Thats why I'm more amazed of fast shorts guys like Hart. Imagine to put Hart's sould in Minaars body, God knows how faster he becomes.
Gwin is 5'10" and so is Sam Hill. Nico Vouilloz is 5'9", same as Hart. Between those 3 you have more world cup and World Champs wins than the combination of Peaty, Minaar and Kovarik (well known tall guys with wins to their name). All 6 are great racers and I'd love to blame the fact that I'm vertically challenged as the reason why I'm not fast but being the same height as Nico and Hart I don't have much to hang my hat on do I?
Except Gwin when he changed from Yeti to Trek. Pretty sure he won the first couple WC's that year.
Gee has shown he is capable of winning on his new bike, how many has Gwin won on his or even come close?
so brendan flatted and lost a bunch of time - rumor is loic crashed and lost 5-6 seconds as well.
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Andorra-World-Cup-Friday-Qualifying,22204/joebo,1905
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Andorra-World-Cup-Friday-Qualifying,22204/joebo,1905
Well, whatever it is, something doesn't appear to be working for Gwin. You don't drop from consistent 1st place finishes to struggling to hold a top 20 ranking without a major injury or change in bicycle. Heres to hoping the crash was a fluke and he can bring some competition again. I know everybody else is sick of seeing him win, but I sure am not.
But I am excited to see that Sam Hills career isn't over.
And also, remember when people used to think Minnaar couldn't ride the steep and difficult tracks, only the wide open fast stuff? That dude is a fycking monster.
But I am excited to see that Sam Hills career isn't over.
And also, remember when people used to think Minnaar couldn't ride the steep and difficult tracks, only the wide open fast stuff? That dude is a fycking monster.
This has NOTHING to do with a one off, come on man pull your head out of your ass and open you eyes !
Aaron left Yeti for Trek and DOMINATED for 2 years, thats right not just consistent or had a few solid win, HE DOMINATED.
Do you what that means ? It means it kill it for 2 years straight , made everyone look like noob and forced them to seriously bring their game up more than just a few notch.
Now he's WAY off the back and has been off for a while already, something IS GOING ON..Wether its the bike, the team, his head, whatever the reason is , its more than just being slightly off (and right now everything leads to believe its the bike ).. A bad day for Gwin last year would have been 5th, not 20th or even 8th for that matter.
That said, If he can pull a clean run come race day, it looks like he could take the win now with his "improved" chainstay.He was apparently on par with the top guys until he crashed but still , on the Trek he rarely was on par with the other.Most of the time he was smoking everyone and crashing during quali isnt something he did a lot before switching team...I think I only recall one time ? And still managed a decent qualification time If memory serves me right?
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toodles with the chewbacca defense
I would like to note here that (unlike Specialized Demos) Ironhorse Sundays have been known to ride the track without the rider.
So I guess that Iron Horse could win a WC race on its own. However DW didn't let them as that could have led to some pretty awkward explaining.
So I guess that Iron Horse could win a WC race on its own. However DW didn't let them as that could have led to some pretty awkward explaining.
You say that because you own a tues.
Yeah the bike doesn't matter. That's why Gwin first changed frame size, then spesh made a custom rear end for him. They do it to give us something to talk to.
So is everyone now in agreement that the Trek is so good, that it made Gwin look better than he actually is?
Just to get some perspecitve for the tech-hypey bunch. And those non-winning times were due to injuries (at least in minaars case) also: gwin yeti-trek. But I'll let you believe that the bike is everything that counts...