Hello Vital MTB Visitor,
We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
Five lucky people will be selected at random to win a Vital MTB t-shirt.
Thanks in advance,
The Vital MTB Crew
Mikayla Gatto on the YT Mob!
Why?
I imagine to ride their bikes and promote them if I was to just throw some guesses out...
🤣🤣 now I know!! 🇹🇼
Haley Batton kicking some ass in Spain. Way to go!
https://mtbdata.com/comp/shimano-supercup-massi-banyoles-uci-junior-ser…
Jordan Williams with the first win among some big names today in Portugal Cup, Valli 8 seconds over Veronica Widman
This season is going to be awesome, even more contenders for the win now with Jordan & Jackson
NZ National Results (Incl "Ghost Riders") https://www.sportsplits.com/races/torpedo-7-dhi-national-championships-…
Greenland and Goldstone going to be a really fun combo this year. It's gotta be slightly frustrating for Laurie to get pipped twice in early season by Jackson but in races that don't matter much it may not be worth Laurie to pin it all the way. I don't know where we should start posting 2023 race results/commentary, maybe new thread but I am following whatever is out there. As everyone has said, I am also thoroughly excited for this season. I think if Goldstone can keep his head where it has been and learn from a couple mistakes last year, he's going to be right at the sharp end. We have the full spectrum this year, newcomers gunning for the field, mid-career riders finding speed on new bikes, and old timers (Hill, Minnar, Gwin, etc.) looking to either find sharp end pace or maintain the sharp end. I gotta say, a really tough season ahead for everyone to stay up to speed. So many fast, established riders.
There's a 2023 race thread: https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2023-racing-talk
My bad. Thanks mate, posted there.
In another matters mire relevant to this thread, how is Goncalo Bandeira not listed in any professional team yet? He has been Potuguese champion several times and he has the pace for World Cups (placed 31 in Worlds at Lets Gets)
I have seen him in person and the man is so fast. Last year at Tarouca was spectacular, doing crazy lines towing Ronnan Dunne...
Team Press Release : PROPAIN Positive
The riders: From the left Giorgos Panagopoulos, Phil Atwill, Socratis Zotos, Marco Lamaris
The Athens-based Positive crew returns for 2023 with some exciting new changes to the team setup.
Phil Atwill stretching it out ‘for the gram’
Team owner and lead athlete, DH legend Phil Atwill will continue to bring his unorthodox and entertaining approach to the table across every genre of riding, including World Cup DH, freeride, bmx and moto enduro.
Socratis Zotos - stoked ‘till the end
Joining him for the second year running is first-year elite ball of energy Socratis Zotos looking to consolidate his place in world class racing for both DH and enduro.
Marco Lamaris - watch this space
Newly signed for 2023 is junior ripper Marco Lamaris – cool, collected and bringing all his momentum from an impressive 2022 season podium finish at the iXS DH cup in Europe.
Giorgos Panagopoulos chucks a barspin in the streets of Athens
Finally the team is rounded off once again with the street and freestyle shredder Giorgos Panagopoulos who will again be pitching his talents against the world’s best at Crankworx, as well as putting his unique style under the spotlight in several video projects.
Marco, Giorgos, Phil and Soc with a team spec PROPAIN Rage DH bike
The crew have been working hard during the off season to bring on a raft of new partnership brands, alongside some firm favourites from last year:
@propain_bicycles – Title sponsor and German premium quality bike manufacturer jumps aboard for another season with the gang.
It’s impossible for Giorgos not to barspin his bike…unstoppable
@weldtite – New collab for 2023, the northern English leading bike maintenance brand will be keeping the team ‘well lubed up’ with some exciting projects in the pipeline.
Team mechanic Jose Mendez buffs up the rear end of a PROPAIN Rage
@50to01 – No intro required, the rider-owned English kit supplier is on board with their steezy designs and technical apparel range.
The crew won’t lose Marco easily this season
@siltmtb – Silt are a Belfast-based high performance wheels manufacturer who like to put their products to the test. The team is happy to oblige! The wheels include an exclusive ratchet drive design that offers almost instant power transfer to the rear wheel.
Phil giving his SILT rim a cheeky clean
@veetireco – The Bangkok rubber specialists join for another year with new and improved tread compounds and a dangerous affinity for Sang Som rum.
@trpcomponents – Tektro Racing Products continue to work with Phil and the team with their cutting edge brake and drivetrain products under constant development and backed up by decades of manufacturing expertise from parent company Tektro.
@odigrips – US grip specialists ODI continue to support the team with their fiercely grippy yet comfortable hand holds.
@sixpackracing – German components manufacturer Sixpack Racing keeps the bikes looking clean and fast again with their smartly designed cockpits, saddles, pedals and chain devices.
The Sixpack cockpit, TRP brakes and ODI grips make for a mean looking front end
@official_technomousse – The Italian moto and mtb tyre insert innovators return for 2023 to keep the wheels rolling and tyres inflated in the face of adversity.
@crankbrothers – The California-based legends continue their team partnership with shoes, tools and luggage.
The Crank Brothers Mallet is a race proven shoe
@extraproducts.tasoulis – Athenian Moto racing veterans and suspension wizards Extra Products have beefed up their relationship for 2023 to fully kit out the team bikes with premium Ohlins suspension.
@ohlinsracingmtb products - the best suspension damping money can buy.
The team calendar includes the Valparaiso urban downhill in Chile, a couple of international Crankworx festival appearances, World Cup downhill and enduro events, as well as the iXS DH-Cup, Enduro Greek Series (EGS) and more.
Keep tabs on the upcoming antics of the Positive Crew via their social channels:
@propainpositive
@phil_atwill
@socratis.zotos
@marco.lamaris
@giorgos.pan
Product testing!
official PR about rockshox/trek switching to continental tires
RockShox Trek Race Team switch to Continental’s Gravity range
Vali Höll and Tegan Cruz set to take on 2023 World Cup season with Continental
RockShox Trek Race Team join Continental Atherton, Continental Nukeproof, Pinkbike Factory and Pivot Factory Racing, as the premium tire brand increases its investment in mountain bike racing
27 February 2023 - Korbach, Germany: RockShox Trek Race Team has selected Continental as their official tire partner for 2023, with reigning Downhill World Champion Vali Höll (Austria) and frequent Junior podium fixture Tegan Cruz (Canada) both returning for a third season riding for the youngest and most exciting team on the World Cup circuit.
Continental’s Gravity range of tires was officially launched in April 2022, following three year’s development by Continental’s category-leading R&D team and testing by athletes across the Continental Atherton, Continental Nukeproof, and Pivot Factory Racing teams. A wide-ranging portfolio engineered from the ground up to meet the demands of every rider, the Gravity range was designed to instil maximum confidence on every type of trail.
This close relationship between athlete and engineering was proven with Continental-supported teams enjoying an exceptional 2022 season. Highlights included Continental-Atherton rider Andreas Kolb becoming European Champion, plus a mud-soaked UCI Downhill World Cup in Snowshoe saw podium finishes for Continental riders: three Elite men, where Bernard Kerr (P2), Andreas Kolb (P3) and Ronan Dunne (P4) posted career-best finishes, while Aimi Kenyon took P2 for the Junior women.
Oliver Anhuth, Head of Marketing TwoWheel Tires, Continental said: “In the wake of a standout 2022 season that saw Vali become the first Austrian Downhill World Champion in Les Gets, plus memorable podiums for Tegan, we can tell that RockShox Trek Racing are set to bring significant ambition to the Continental family for 2023. The addition of Vali and Tegan’s voices to our testing team will ensure we continue to bring every mountain biker a no-compromise tire set up, wherever and whatever they ride.”
Vali Höll, 2022 Downhill World Champion, Two-time Junior Downhill World Champion and multiple Downhill World Cup winner, RockShox Trek Race Team said: “Stoked to partner up with a German brand who pushed hard to develop the best tires possible over the last few years. Loving the Kryptotal rear for both wheels.”
Tegan Cruz, RockShox Trek Race Team, said: “Hopped on the Continental Kryptotal front and rear and immediately felt comfortable pushing in mixed terrain. Excited to work with a company so focused on future development."
JT Evans, mechanic for Tegan Cruz and the RockShox Trek Race Team, said: “One of the Achilles’ Heels of DH racing – especially at the World Cup level - going back as far as I can remember has always been punctures and flat tires. In the past it always had to be a tradeoff between lower pressures for traction and enough tire pressure to support the tire profile and not destroy rims. I am blown away from our early season testing with the new Conti tires. Between the different compounds, casings and tread patterns there is a tire setup for every condition and every track. A quick glance at the results sheets from last season shows that they had done their homework and were onto something special. The whole team is excited to add Conti to our camp for racing this season. The new tire compounds are insanely grippy, roll extremely well and the casings seem to be just the right amount of suppleness and support.”
So nice to see a shift away from Maxxis. Maybe they will actually develop something more reliable?
Not sure about your reliability comment.. I've never had a problem in 10+ years using them. What would be nice is some innovation, think they got too comfortable. My next tyres will be conti as I'm well and truly sucked in by the marketing & reviews!
Warped casings out of the box are the only reliability problem I can think off
Contis are great, got on the DH super softs early last year and no reason to swap back. On the Trek factory side I'm very curious to see how (or if) Vergier & company get on with the Pirellis.
I’ve currently got 4 DH casing tires that are warped. 29 dhf and dhr2. They all started round but didn’t stay that way for long.
I’ve warped every conti/scwalbe/Maxxis tire I’ve owned. Conti is probably the worst of the three but since their casings are durable and grippy I still run them over the other brands short of a big sale. Folding tires warp easily. However unless you are riding at super high level it’s really far from a big deal.
using heavy inserts like cushcore pro help a bit. As does using a reasonable amount of travel for your riding style. But still all my tires start to wobble long before the tread is gone.
I’m definitely not that fast. 170/180 bike. Had the same issue with the wire bead super tacky 27.5 with Cush Core pro on my old DH bike.
Most people warp tires putting them on and not knowing how. Every time I see a 3c dh or Dd casing being put on with tire levers and that person's pushing too hard because they aren't pushing the bead into the rim enough, 75% chance that's coming out warped. You just see more maxxis because more people run them, like there were more broken Kona Stinkys out there back in the day because every hack hitting tree's at full pull had one.
I can't think of many times ive put a maxxis tire on a wheel in 15 years that had a warped casing when levers weren't used. Slight wiggle? sure, but full on warp, na.
Do you guys live in the desert? Storing your tires next to the heater or something? Weirdos.
Kinda? (Northern California). No to storing by a heater. Almost every Maxxis tire I've had in the last couple years has been or gotten warped, especially in the rear. EXO+, DD, and DH casing. No, I don't use tire levers to install, although I do remove them with them. In the fall I tried Schwalbe again, and only 1/4 of those tires has gotten warped (Super Trail Big Betty), so I guess that's an improvement.
I'm interested in trying the Contis also (from the reports of better durability and faster rolling speed), but finding an MX set in stock is rough. And having a hard time convincing myself that I need a DH casing for enduro riding. I've felt the sidewalls of their Enduro casing, and it's not very stiff at all.
I must be lucky I have warped one tire in 30 years of riding/racing. It was an almost new minion ss of all tires.
No tire levers needed here for the folding bead Maxxis stuff. Wire bead weren’t installed by me, came with the bike. No warping of Schwalbe, Versus, Specialized, Delium, Michelin or Pirelli tires.
Back on topic please
Tire swapping conversations in team rumors might be a sign of the times, silly season is wrapped up (??)
road bike action and electric bike action magazines nuked.
https://bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2023/03/03/hi-torque-closes-r…
I remember reading MBA for the pro bike checks circa 2009 (more detailed than any other pro bike coverage at the time). Don't think I ever knew there was a Road Bike Action. But looks like another casualty of the Great Outdoor Recreation Media Consolidation of the 2020s...
New media squidlet
That's awesome. Ziggy! Talk about being born into a rad set of parents.
More hair than 3/4 of the members on vital
Post a reply to: 2023 TEAM RUMORS