I've put a lot of work into this bike and to see it sat on the top step of the podium twice now is surreal to say the least.
Stick a @heatherwilsonmtb on it and then the magic really happens. What a team.
I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve to put in place and squeeze some more performance out of the @mondrakerbikes Summum, but for now, if you need me, I'll be staring at it like a creep 😂
@sebastiansternemann caught me 📸
Rebuilt and ready for laps again!
Fresh @dtswiss wheels, new @renthal_cycling bars and stem, @schwalbetires rubber, @odigrips_uk grips and the @zirbelbike shifter for the @pinion.eu gearbox.
The Dorado crowns are also back on!
Is it worth doing a full bike check?
#datadrivendescents #gamux #sego #dh #downhill #mtb #mountain #bike #manitou #dtswiss #schwalbe #renthal #odi #pinion
The Dorados are probably the best fork out of the box that I've experienced. Very smooth and low friction. Mix that with the EXT Arma V3 shock which is also insanely plush and you have a set up that will provide incredible levels of grip and isolate the chassis from the bump forces of the trail.
I have big plans to develop the Dorado further but first I have to benchmark them as they come out of the box (with the titanium hardware being the only exception). The shock even compresses slightly when the fork is compressed which shows how supple it is.
It's worth noting that the frame bearings are due to be changed soon so this can be improved further and the shock and the fork have my settings/pressures in them, not tweaked to make the results of these clips look more impressive.
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#manitou #dorado #dh #downhill #mtb #mountainbike #suspension #ext #arma #friction #performance
Great day on the hill for our crew, this sport gets you and plants a seed deep rooted and just gets you. It’s as simple as that. I believe we have the best group of riders that have set serious goals for the future. That’s the difference, this team is a labour of love and it’s worth every bit of effort.#
A quick update for everyone who has already ordered.
Editing is taking longer than I planned. The honest reason is that every time I go back through a chapter, there's more to add — more detail, more precision, more refinement in the language. This is a technical book and it has to be right.
The word count just passed 100,000. The page count is at 481. That's not a number I set out to hit — it's just what happens when you refuse to leave anything half-explained.
I'm targeting June. I'll keep you updated as that gets closer.
To everyone who has already placed an order — thank you. Your patience and support genuinely means a lot, and I'm determined to make sure the book is worth the wait.
If you haven't ordered yet, the link is in bio. £95.
#datadrivendescents #engineeringspeed
Where do I start? What an incredible weekend for our full team. 4 Podiums from 8 Riders from Elite Male to Youth Female at the latest round of the British Downhill Series @anturstiniog promoted by the brilliant team @borderlinemtb . In only a few short years we are now working towards the sharp end at the highest level in the UK of this awesome sport. It would be unfair of me to single out riders as every one of them gave everything and some. Our @saracenbikes tuned by @downamics are absolutely ripping, we have a set up that puts a smile on every riders face. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and said hello, commented on the team, we appreciate it all. 🫶🏻 @nevisrange see you on the weekend for the @ixsdownhillcup . Parents and helpers… Thank you🫡👊🏻#mtb #team #racer #scotland #race
This weekend all roads lead to @borderlinemtb British National round at @anturstiniog deep into Wales. This venue is one that has been around for years, super quick efficient uplift🫶🏻 so plenty laps will be bagged by our full squad. Really looking forward to this one to see what Mike and his team have built for racetracks. Have a great weekend to all our competitors and keep it fun🎉🏴
Posted a story on these a couple of weeks back and the response was enough to justify a proper post.
This isn't a sponsored post, these are products I've purchased and found them so useful, I wanted to share.
Loobtoob syringes from @radarlaboratories . Sounds ridiculous. Works brilliantly. Each one labelled for a specific fluid — fork lowers, damper oil, suspension grease, grease for builds. Each syringe can have different attachments depending on how you want to apply the product, and they can have caps fitted so they're stored cleanly and avoiding contamination.
Whether it's a full bike build, routine maintenance, or a suspension service, having the right fluid pre-loaded and clearly labelled removes one more friction point from the process (pun intended). No rummaging, no cross-contamination, no second-guessing.
It's one of those small things that makes a surprisingly big difference when you're deep into a job and need to keep moving.
It's certainly better than the three old tooth brushes that I may or may not have been using previously.
#datadrivendescents #engineeringspeed #maintenance #mtbmechanic #workshop
A weekend training then back to the races. We are two Nationals deep. One North and one South of the border, 5 Podiums so far🫶🏻as we take a steady approach and do it different to years gone by. We are building slowly, welcoming new riders and getting that all important relaxed zero pressure approach dialled. The taps will be turned on when the time is right. We are all loving the positive vibes we are getting too. One thing that puts a smile on my face from ear to ear is our @saracenbikes bikes and set up! It blows my mind how good the bikes are and indeed our @downamics tuned bike set up is just insane🫡
Thank you!🫶🏻
The first of our uplift coaching days is in the books! Big thanks to @pearcecyclesludlow for the great venue and uplift.
This is the only coaching day where you’ll learn technical riding skills and how to improve your bike set up together! Perfect for riders looking to brush up on their skills, get their bike performing at its best and enjoy a day of uplifting… whether your getting dialled in for racing or just looking to perform better on the bike… this is for you🫵
This reel gives you an idea of the structure of the days and what to expect if you book on to one of our events.
Dm me or Nick @downamics to reserve your slot on future sessions!
#10TENTHS #downamics #mtb #dh #enduro
This contactless temperature sensor from @texensesensors is going to give me another channel of data to dive into.
Temperatures and heat management are factors of the performance of the bike which are probably the least understood and measured. This is especially the case with the shock, where damping characteristics can be compromised as a result of oil viscosity changes due to heat build up.
The braking systems are the other crucial component that changes behaviour as a consequence of heat saturation and management.
Putting numbers to this, analysing trends and quantifying thresholds in temperatures during a run can help to verify anomalies in performance and feedback from the rider which can otherwise seem inconsistent with other aspects of the bike's performance.
Thanks to @texensesensors for sending out the INFTS sensor!
You can't improve what you don't measure!
#datadrivendescents
#engineeringspeed #FactoryRaceProgramme
