2022 Mountain Bike Team Rumors

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jonkranked
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jonkranked 1/19/2022 2:35pm
1/19/2022 2:35pm
derelict wrote:
Call me crazy but look at the rear suspension. I think it looks different. The seat stays are very high and it looks like a rocker...
Call me crazy but look at the rear suspension. I think it looks different. The seat stays are very high and it looks like a rocker up top rather than the system they have been running.



Related: What is the final verdict on why Neko left? Was it the bike (interviews point at that)? Was it program/ sponsors as a whole (not a ton of crossover when he went indie)? His videos, granted they are all hero shots, show him flowing and in ways that I have not seen him in some time.
hogfly wrote:
I mean, no one can really get inside Neko's head and say why, but I think it's pretty clear he didn't get along with the Intense...
I mean, no one can really get inside Neko's head and say why, but I think it's pretty clear he didn't get along with the Intense bike that much.

That being said: I think it's also pretty clear that Neko is a different breed and has a lot of interests alongside his racing. He definitely seems to have an entrepreneurial mindset and enjoys taking on diverse challenges. I know a lot of businessmen like him who are inspired by new challenges and new undertakings. So... while there may have been some negatives associated with Intense that inspired the decision, I think it' more about the positives associated with Neko's personality and growth mindset that led to this decision to create his own path forward.

in one of his podcasts he sort of mentioned that he's looking at where the next part of his racing career is going to go and what he wants it to look like. reading between the lines a little bit, i take that to also mean his post racing career. and this is just speculation - that he may be taking a page from the athertons - by developing and racing his own bike he'll have that as a business venture if he chooses once he decides his racing days are over (not that I'd expect that to be anytime soon).
1
bulletbass man 1/19/2022 4:11pm
1/19/2022 4:11pm
I think he believes this is his best chance at the best program for results this seasons and the best way to secure funding for him to basically run a team for just himself. Sure he could just buy a frame he really likes but then his program wouldn’t be as worthwhile to potential sponsors nor is that as fun. Sure I think it looking good on the resume was a reason to not reconsider but I don’t think it was really a goal. I think the goal is for his results to reflect his talent and set him up to do exactly this program for a long time.

MasterofStone 1/20/2022 1:37am
1/20/2022 1:37am
Anymore team rumor announcements left uncovered?
What about Bex Barona?
danposs86
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danposs86 1/20/2022 1:47am
1/20/2022 1:47am
Really looking forward to the Cathro video with his Pinkbike team.
3
Hyperpower! 1/20/2022 1:55am
1/20/2022 1:55am
djyosh wrote:
Getting close, I reckon...

Topperharley wrote:
Has a team ever 1,2,3 a WC podium before?
George Thompson wrote:
I’m not 100% sure that’s Angel. Gut feeling is that it might be Hugo Marini, the French youth rider who’s been smashing Junior times. Could be...
I’m not 100% sure that’s Angel. Gut feeling is that it might be Hugo Marini, the French youth rider who’s been smashing Junior times. Could be wrong though…


Seems like it is Hugo Marini…
1
alvarohernandez2000 1/20/2022 2:31am
1/20/2022 2:31am
alvarohernandez2000 wrote:
Barelli on Extreme Shock
mtbstokes wrote:
I can't see how this ties in to the 'locally sourced' though, even if it's true. An Italian brand, granted they are amazing, but with everything...
I can't see how this ties in to the 'locally sourced' though, even if it's true. An Italian brand, granted they are amazing, but with everything else being so close to home.. puzzling.
At the end it's confirmed. Barelli on Extreme Shock
jackheat
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jackheat 1/20/2022 4:54am
1/20/2022 4:54am
MasterofStone wrote:
Anymore team rumor announcements left uncovered?
What about Bex Barona?
still to be covered
Bex to ????
George to ??? (own program?)
tuhuto to a big team
2
der5te
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der5te 1/20/2022 5:07am
1/20/2022 5:07am
MasterofStone wrote:
Anymore team rumor announcements left uncovered?
What about Bex Barona?
jackheat wrote:
still to be covered
Bex to ????
George to ??? (own program?)
tuhuto to a big team
Oisin?
trexyz
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trexyz 1/20/2022 5:40am
1/20/2022 5:40am
I think Oisin will remain on YT this season with some support based on his IG post.
3
JoseMPM
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AT
JoseMPM 1/20/2022 5:44am
1/20/2022 5:44am
Topperharley wrote:
Has a team ever 1,2,3 a WC podium before?
George Thompson wrote:
I’m not 100% sure that’s Angel. Gut feeling is that it might be Hugo Marini, the French youth rider who’s been smashing Junior times. Could be...
I’m not 100% sure that’s Angel. Gut feeling is that it might be Hugo Marini, the French youth rider who’s been smashing Junior times. Could be wrong though…
Hyperpower! wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2022/01/20/11894/s1200_4F28B50C_7FF9_4DED_8C83_E75894977026.jpg[/img] Seems like it is Hugo Marini…


Seems like it is Hugo Marini…
Definitely not Angel, so wtf is Angel going then? Seems to be staying on Commencal, but Dorval is full and 100% seems too?
Brevard_Bikewrench 1/20/2022 5:58am
1/20/2022 5:58am
MasterofStone wrote:
Anymore team rumor announcements left uncovered?
What about Bex Barona?
jackheat wrote:
still to be covered
Bex to ????
George to ??? (own program?)
tuhuto to a big team
Cant forget about Dante Silva...
5
Brian_Peterson
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Brian_Peterson 1/20/2022 7:08am
1/20/2022 7:08am
On the other sight, Brett Rheeder left Trek...
6
phillemaistre 1/20/2022 7:27am
1/20/2022 7:27am
Brian_Peterson wrote:
On the other sight, Brett Rheeder left Trek...
I don’t think there was any word of this one spoken here… I certainly didn’t see it coming. His experiments over the last couple years with different suspension options was very interesting, I’m super curious to see who the two-year contract is with.
5
malle
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malle 1/20/2022 7:44am
1/20/2022 7:44am Edited Date/Time 1/20/2022 7:46am
I see three options for Rheeder:
- YT - making use of that MOB money and going back to the brand roots of slopestyle and Freeride
- Specialized - getting a big name that can and wants to ride a wide range of bikes but definitely gets screen time at big events like Rampage and Joyride
Canyon - just because they dont know what to do with their money except spend it all


6
kcy4130
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kcy4130 1/20/2022 7:56am
1/20/2022 7:56am
Very unexpected. Seems like when it comes to freeride and slopestyle most on trek are lifers. Cam McCaul for example.
2
mntnmrtn
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mntnmrtn 1/20/2022 8:51am
1/20/2022 8:51am Edited Date/Time 1/20/2022 8:53am
I can't remember if it's been mentioned before, but I just heard that Kona has stopped their DH team and removed the DH bikes from their lineup.

In the Beyond the tape podcast, Mathieu Dupelle said that they ended their relationship with Kona since they wouldn't make a dh bike anymore. Hard to tell if they'll come back to it later on, but for now they're not on the website anymore either.

bikeparkmemes 1/20/2022 8:57am
1/20/2022 8:57am Edited Date/Time 1/20/2022 8:57am
malle wrote:
I see three options for Rheeder: - YT - making use of that MOB money and going back to the brand roots of slopestyle and Freeride...
I see three options for Rheeder:
- YT - making use of that MOB money and going back to the brand roots of slopestyle and Freeride
- Specialized - getting a big name that can and wants to ride a wide range of bikes but definitely gets screen time at big events like Rampage and Joyride
Canyon - just because they dont know what to do with their money except spend it all


He's going to whatever brand agrees to OEM spec Title components, that's where his earnings are coming from now, not being a rider. Seems like Trek wasn't in to it and moved on. With Storch gone from Rocky that could be a spot as well, but they are deep in bed with Raceface which could pose some issue.
2
mtbman99
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mtbman99 1/20/2022 9:12am
1/20/2022 9:12am
mntnmrtn wrote:
I can't remember if it's been mentioned before, but I just heard that Kona has stopped their DH team and removed the DH bikes from their...
I can't remember if it's been mentioned before, but I just heard that Kona has stopped their DH team and removed the DH bikes from their lineup.

In the Beyond the tape podcast, Mathieu Dupelle said that they ended their relationship with Kona since they wouldn't make a dh bike anymore. Hard to tell if they'll come back to it later on, but for now they're not on the website anymore either.

It has been covered. Probably part of the sale that just happened. Dump any extra contracts/dead weight to make the sale.
2
Primoz
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Primoz 1/20/2022 9:13am
1/20/2022 9:13am
mntnmrtn wrote:
I can't remember if it's been mentioned before, but I just heard that Kona has stopped their DH team and removed the DH bikes from their...
I can't remember if it's been mentioned before, but I just heard that Kona has stopped their DH team and removed the DH bikes from their lineup.

In the Beyond the tape podcast, Mathieu Dupelle said that they ended their relationship with Kona since they wouldn't make a dh bike anymore. Hard to tell if they'll come back to it later on, but for now they're not on the website anymore either.

Connor is riding a Forbidden, this has been talked about for a few months now. Though I think it wasn't known the reason for that decision might be the sale of the brand...
2
bulletbass man 1/20/2022 9:21am
1/20/2022 9:21am
malle wrote:
I see three options for Rheeder: - YT - making use of that MOB money and going back to the brand roots of slopestyle and Freeride...
I see three options for Rheeder:
- YT - making use of that MOB money and going back to the brand roots of slopestyle and Freeride
- Specialized - getting a big name that can and wants to ride a wide range of bikes but definitely gets screen time at big events like Rampage and Joyride
Canyon - just because they dont know what to do with their money except spend it all


bikeparkmemes wrote:
He's going to whatever brand agrees to OEM spec Title components, that's where his earnings are coming from now, not being a rider. Seems like Trek...
He's going to whatever brand agrees to OEM spec Title components, that's where his earnings are coming from now, not being a rider. Seems like Trek wasn't in to it and moved on. With Storch gone from Rocky that could be a spot as well, but they are deep in bed with Raceface which could pose some issue.
Maybe it’s more just a fit thing. He doesn’t need an oem deal to be riding for a living for a long time. Emil is the new face of the brand. Brandon and cam are the old faces. Brett seems like the type to be highly motivated to express himself as an individual.

Norco would be a potential fit for a larger brand. But I think this is potentially the most exciting move besides neko this year.
5
mntnmrtn
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mntnmrtn 1/20/2022 9:31am
1/20/2022 9:31am
Primoz wrote:
Connor is riding a Forbidden, this has been talked about for a few months now. Though I think it wasn't known the reason for that decision...
Connor is riding a Forbidden, this has been talked about for a few months now. Though I think it wasn't known the reason for that decision might be the sale of the brand...
I know that the Forbidden move has been covered before, I just wasn't sure if it was known that Kona was dropping their DH bikes from the lineup.
Edthorne
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Edthorne 1/20/2022 11:36am
1/20/2022 11:36am
Primoz wrote:
Connor is riding a Forbidden, this has been talked about for a few months now. Though I think it wasn't known the reason for that decision...
Connor is riding a Forbidden, this has been talked about for a few months now. Though I think it wasn't known the reason for that decision might be the sale of the brand...
mntnmrtn wrote:
I know that the Forbidden move has been covered before, I just wasn't sure if it was known that Kona was dropping their DH bikes from...
I know that the Forbidden move has been covered before, I just wasn't sure if it was known that Kona was dropping their DH bikes from the lineup.
The Operator has seemed a bit behind for a while now to me. The last update to it was the switch to 29" wheels in 2019. I wasn't surprised at all when they axed the DH program or that they've stopped selling DH bikes. Though I am disappointed.
2
chacou
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chacou 1/20/2022 9:29pm
1/20/2022 9:29pm Edited Date/Time 1/20/2022 9:40pm
chacou wrote:
Is that Carson Storch pushing a GT with Maguras up at Freeride Fiesta?
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/21951145
Darkstar530 wrote:
Is the guy next to him Nicholi Rogatkin on a cannonade?
yeah, not Carson Storch on that GT... https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/21951087/
maybe I should get on IG and see that he's not riding a GT https://www.instagram.com/p/CY9oXf0hxnu/ :doh:
JBD
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JBD 1/20/2022 11:15pm
1/20/2022 11:15pm
Not sure if this has been mentioned here but there is a rumour floating around that Keegan Wright will be on a Yeti this year.
nucleardaisy 1/20/2022 11:21pm
1/20/2022 11:21pm
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has posted on Facebook saying "see you soon".
Is this just them getting excited about the season? Or has Intense switched to Vee?

4
Topperharley 1/20/2022 11:25pm
1/20/2022 11:25pm
nucleardaisy wrote:
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has...
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has posted on Facebook saying "see you soon".
Is this just them getting excited about the season? Or has Intense switched to Vee?

I kinda would MTB switched to F1 rules for tyres. There's your set for the weekend, there is your dry, wet and inters. This is the brand everyone is riding, crack on.

I know marketing and all but i'd wager bad tyres hold riders back more than any other product.
15
metadave
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metadave 1/20/2022 11:37pm
1/20/2022 11:37pm
nucleardaisy wrote:
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has...
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has posted on Facebook saying "see you soon".
Is this just them getting excited about the season? Or has Intense switched to Vee?

I don't understand why Aaron Gwin hates good tires
34
Primoz
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Primoz 1/20/2022 11:51pm
1/20/2022 11:51pm
nucleardaisy wrote:
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has...
Ok, so this is pretty interesting. The owner of Vee Tire Co has started to share Intense Factory Racing news, and another employee from Vee has posted on Facebook saying "see you soon".
Is this just them getting excited about the season? Or has Intense switched to Vee?

Topperharley wrote:
I kinda would MTB switched to F1 rules for tyres. There's your set for the weekend, there is your dry, wet and inters. This is the...
I kinda would MTB switched to F1 rules for tyres. There's your set for the weekend, there is your dry, wet and inters. This is the brand everyone is riding, crack on.

I know marketing and all but i'd wager bad tyres hold riders back more than any other product.
In the current form it's a free market. If a rider/team prefers big bucks to big results, it's on them.

As for F1 (and some other series), it's done that way to prevent a spending war. Back in the Bridgestone-Michelin wars Bridgestone was essentially making tires for Ferrari and them only with other teams adapting. That worked in the early 2000s days where there was unlimited testing (which helps if you own your own race track right besides the factory, so much so that Michael Schumacher reportedly took a helicopter from Monaco to Fiorano to try out a different car setup in the afternoon either before quallys or between the quallys and the race), but wouldn't work that well these days.

Also, with MTBs it's a lot more down to the feel of it all with different riders running different treads (shorties, cut shorties, DHF, DHR, Dissector, High Roller II and Assegai just from Maxxis for different types of dry running) and not so much down to 'actual performance' whereas an F1 car at the time was designed for a specific tyre as Michelins and Bridgestones were VERY different in construction and thus behaviour. QED, Toyota HQ forced the F1 team to switch from Michelins to Bridgestones (because Japan) when the car was already designed to run Michelins. The results were disastrous, even on Toyota F1 scale.

Running spec tyres in DH would do very little, both in preventing costs (Le Mans has a limited set of tyres for the 24h race, but there's an additional allocation to cover punctures) and improving racing. At the end of the day, DH racing is not bad Tongue
5

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