Fort William Downhill World Cup tech gallery

<source media="(max-width: 320px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=160%2C208, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=320%2C416 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=480%2C624 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=640%2C832 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 375px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=190%2C247, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=380%2C494 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=570%2C741 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=760%2C988 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 425px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=215%2C279, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=430%2C559 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=645%2C838 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=860%2C1118 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=295%2C383, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=590%2C767 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=885%2C1150 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=1152%2C1497 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(max-width: 992px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=136%2C176, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=272%2C353 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=408%2C530 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=544%2C707 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <source media="(min-width: 993px)" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=155%2C201, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=310%2C403 2x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=465%2C604 3x, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C806 4x" type="image/jpeg"> <img class="wp-image-308873 size-portrait_thumbnail image-handler__image image-handler__image--aspect no-wrap js-gallery-grid-src-image" src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60.jpg?quality=90&resize=295%2C383" width="295" height="383" data-crop-width="" data-crop-height="" alt="It wasn't to be Aaron Gwin's weekend, but he'll keep the Number One plate for next weekend" title="img_0138-1528199396475-1kqso7of9mord-7010f60" style="width: auto; height: 100%;"> It wasn’t to be Aaron Gwin’s weekend, but he’ll keep the Number One plate for next weekend Tom Marvin / Immediate Media

The pit area of any world cup race is a great place to spy interesting new bits and pieces that might make their way to full-scale production, or have a little geek-out at how the pros set up their bikes.

Criterium du Dauphine TT tech gallery The winning bikes of the Dirty Kanza We spent the weekend at Fort William in Scotland, watching one of the greatest shows on Earth (well, in DH racing at least), and took a bit of time out to nosey in and around the mechanics’ area, where the bikes were being set up.

Loris Vergier’s Santa Cruz V10 29er <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=4525,2545&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=1880,1057&background=white 1880w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=1456,818&background=white 1456w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=1112,625&background=white 1112w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=940,528&background=white 940w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,409&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,312&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,199&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,191&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,179&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="4525" height="2545" class="wp-image-308905 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="The new 29er V10 is almost production ready — the linkages don't quite look finished — presumably riders are still fine-tuning their ride" title="santa-cruz-v10-1528199396471-3wtbfe11o34o-5eeedad" data-source-name="James Blackwell / Immediate Media"> The new 29er V10 is almost production ready — the linkages don’t quite look finished — presumably riders are still fine-tuning their ride James Blackwell / Immediate Media One of the most anticipated bikes around has to be Santa Cruz’s 29er V10. We’ve seen the bike now a number of times, but at Fort William the bike looked as close to production-ready as we’ve seen.

Loris Vergier piloted his bike to the second step on the podium, behind Amaury Pierron, also on a 29er, cementing the bigger wheel’s place on the DH circuit.

Miranda Miller’s prototype 29in Specialized Demo <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=2604,1465&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=1880,1057&background=white 1880w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=1456,819&background=white 1456w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=1112,625&background=white 1112w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=940,528&background=white 940w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,409&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,312&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,199&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,191&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,180&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="2604" height="1465" class="wp-image-308944 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="The bike everyone wanted to get a proper shot of, but nobody was allowed to — Miranda Millers 29er Demo. It looks like quite the departure from the 27.5in bike" title="img_0073-1528199396502-rrr8y0zsbbf0-f5906c9" data-source-name="Tom Marvin / Immediate Media"> The bike everyone wanted to get a proper shot of, but nobody was allowed to — Miranda Miller’s 29er Demo. It looks like quite the departure from the 27.5 Tom Marvin / Immediate Media The other big bike news was that Miranda Miller’s proto 29er Specialized made it out in to the open. Specialized’s mechanics weren’t keen on anyone getting too close, so you won’t see many decent photos around.

It’s obviously a far more complex linkage than the current Demo, and on closer inspection it looks like the pivot locations will have flip-chips in, or they aren’t set in stone yet. Watch this space…

Data acquisition on Danny Hart’s Saracen Myst <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=3220,1811&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=1880,1057&background=white 1880w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=1456,818&background=white 1456w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=1112,625&background=white 1112w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=940,528&background=white 940w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,409&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,312&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,199&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,191&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,179&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="3220" height="1811" class="wp-image-308961 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="With winning margins getting tighter with time, data acquisition is becoming increasingly important. Danny Hart's mechanic has worked with an engineer who used to work in F1 and Superbikes to develop a subtle system to gain ride info" title="img_0055-1528199396515-8sz09w6r17k2-09d2723" data-source-name="Tom Marvin / Immediate Media"> With winning margins getting tighter with time, data acquisition is becoming increasingly important. Danny Hart’s mechanic has worked with an engineer who used to work in F1 and Superbikes to develop a subtle system to gain ride info Tom Marvin / Immediate Media With speeds getting faster and winning margins smaller, knowing exactly what’s happening under the rider is increasingly important.

While previous data logging tech has been pretty obvious with wires, control boards and suspension extension logging pistons clearly on show, the system developed for Danny Hart’s Saracen Myst is far more subtle.

His mechanic hinted that it might be commercially available next year, but that might be a step too far for most punters!

Gwin’s mysterious rear mech <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=2623,1475&background=white" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=1880,1057&background=white 1880w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=1456,818&background=white 1456w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=1112,625&background=white 1112w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=940,528&background=white 940w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=728,409&background=white 728w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=556,312&background=white 556w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=355,199&background=white 355w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=340,191&background=white 340w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/21/2019/03/img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609.jpg?quality=90&lb=320,179&background=white 320w, " sizes="(min-width: 992px) 940px, (min-width: 768px) 728px, (min-width: 576px) 556px, calc(100vw - 20px)" width="2623" height="1475" class="wp-image-308909 alignnone size-full img-container__image" alt="This definitely isn't Shimano or SRAM, and Box deny it's theirs too — could Gwin's sponsor e*thirteen be working on mechs and shifters? It does pretty much everything else in a groupset" title="img_0141-1528199396478-te3xjfx33gmr-a4dd609" data-source-name="Tom Marvin / Immediate Media"> This definitely isn’t Shimano or SRAM, and Box deny it’s theirs too. Could Gwin’s sponsor e*thirteen be working on mechs and shifters? It does pretty much everything else in a groupset Tom Marvin / Immediate Media The YT Mob might run SRAM gears on most of its bikes, but the mech and shifter hanging off Aaron Gwin’s Tues wasn’t SRAM, nor was it Shimano. Even Box Components is on record saying it’s not one of the company’s.

YT has a strong partnership with e*thirteen though, and with cranks, cassettes, chainguides and wheels already in its product line up, perhaps we could see something coming from e*thirteen in the coming years?