Rachel Atherton’s Trek Session looks to be all new, with a non-floating shock linkageTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Manon Carpenter’s CarboCage chain guide looks light, with a reinforced carbon bash and alloy rollerTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Data acquisition equipment on Faustin Figaret’s RadonTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Various speed and suspension data is collected from riders, with the aim of providing feedback later in the seasonTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Precision on one hand, brute force on the other; a torque wrench and hammer sit on the workbenchTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Brendan Fairclough’s mechanic gets tyre pressures spot onTom Marvin / Immediate Media
What else would you do when you’re bored?Tom Marvin / Immediate Media
Commencal are another team looking at collecting data – the lower linkage has been shaved to prevent it hitting their equipmentTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Custom light tune for Myriam Nicole’s suspension. She’s also using custom carcasses in her prototype Hutchinson tyresTom Marvin / Immediate Media
No, Commencal aren’t racing their e-bike here, but we wonder what SRAM and Shimano think about running an EX1 group with a Steps motorTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Tahnee Seagrave has the new Mallet DH pedal with the pins ground right down and the thicker plate in place – she finds it easier to clip in with this set-upTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Mismatched organic and sintered pads, there to tune heat management and powerTom Marvin / Immediate Media
This Cavalerie enduro bike had an interesting spring contraption on the down tubeTom Marvin / Immediate Media
This Nicolai DH bike allows a Effigear gearbox to be used with a standard SRAM shifterTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Agata Bulska is riding an Antidote Dark Matter custom carbon bikeTom Marvin / Immediate Media
The suspension linkage looks to get the benefit of a high pivot point, with idler, without the associated brake jack due to the floating rather than fixed pivot pointTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Big data is everywhere these days, even on the bikes of world-class downhill riders. As the UCI World Cup kicked off this weekend in France, data acquisition sensors were found on many bikes. Some teams talk of using the data to compare suspension and gear setups; others aren’t quite sure exactly what to do yet with all the measurements of frame-mounted accelerometers and gyroscopes.
The pre-race hype was all about 29ers, but there weren’t actually all that many on hand in Lourdes.
Commencal are another team looking at collecting data – the lower linkage has been shaved to prevent it hitting their equipmentTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Check out the gallery above for a closer look at the data acquisition setups, plus some unique bikes and brake-pad configurations.
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Keep an eye out for more in-depth pro bikes from Lourdes in the coming days.
Rachael Atherton’s Trek Session looks to be all new, with a non-floating shock linkageTom Marvin / Immediate Media
Riding since the age of 13, Technical Editor Tom has ridden hundreds of bikes over the past few years, from aero race bikes to EWS-ready enduro rigs, with a fair few others in between. Most likely found in the woods practicing his scandi-flicks.
