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
Does anyone else feel like we're on the cusp of everything getting a touch more aero? I assume it's a product of the racing times being so tight. My guess is we'll see frame covers before long if the aero mentality picks up momentum. For me personally, I'd hate to see it go this way. I don't care about how people look but racing results influenced by how well someone can tuck or who slippery their clothes or front triangle are would be lame. Perhaps tracks should get slower with more tech or something. I don't know.
I think that will be the case for companies in categories that are getting into the marginal gains territories (i.e. frame geo, kinematics, and materials are pretty well sorted so might as well see if you can make it more aero while maintaining ride feel). Off the top of my head, I see those categories as frames, clothing, handlebars, pedals, seat posts, and I’m probably forgetting another thing or too. However, I think there are still categories with significant performance gains still on the table that don’t have any reason to touch aerodynamics for a bit. I see these categories as suspension, tires, wheels, helmets (safety mainly), and brakes.
Helmets you say....
No doubt in 2024, the racers with skinsuits and/or electronic damping stiffening/lockouts are going to have a massive advantage over racers with no lockouts and baggier clothes. Times are so tight these days...Aero everything will be a big deal going forward. And electronic lockouts/pedal mode will be super helpful to shave a second here or there on pedals like at the Motorway at Fort Bill, or even the sprint to most every finish line.
Certain tracks maybe. But Val de Sole and Mont Saint Anne it'll still be suspension setup, courage and strength to smash through the chunder.
I think the tracks with big motorways, so Fort Bill, Lenzerheide etc we will see this matter, but I'd still say even with all that, if you don't have the courage to hit the turn at 55 it won't matter anyway
you only need them when you are fast though
Asa is on track! https://youtu.be/reJ6IQffhOw?si=sbpDV3RX8sb569-I
About to sign up for MAX, it looks like the sports package ad on is free for a promotional period of who knows how long. It seems as though if I get the version with ads the ads will not play during a live broadcast.
It says ads during live sports on the sign up page but on the FAQ it just references normal commercials so it sounds like it will just be whatever ads are on the actual live broadcast not the ads the streaming service runs which would be a crazy move during a live event.
Has any official word come from Fox on why they are not doing Dialed anymore? This was by far the best series to watch during the season.
If they'd put some tight, rooted 180 degree turns and some long off camber root sections, talent would separate times again instead of wind sheer.
World Cup tracks are just ski races on dirt these days. Turns & awkward off camber out of them is where times separate.
But I guess we've said no slow spots on DH courses anymore.
What I don't understand is they just not film the tight, narrow, switchback technical sections to split times up off screen and show the "zero pedaling" sections on screen.
It's Ft. William. It's always been fast and open since the mountain is relatively flat. Agree the tracks have trended faster but I think it looks better on screen- especially for a casual fan. There's a decent variety of tracks across the series- some do have the sections/feature you're looking for.
I'm excited to see the Poland track.
If you want tight and jank go watch EWS. hahaha
"If you want tight and jank go watch EWS. hahaha"
If only we could...
Generational talent.
I'm just gonna blame that on my lack of coffee...
Bro...I don't even know where I'm supposed to watch the World Cup now!
I actually find Fort Bill to be one of the more boring tracks as a viewer. Really any track with a 'motor way' is a yawnfest. I don't care how well someone can pump the backside of a jump. These things are just simply not interesting to watch, for me. I know BK and other riders want bigger jumps on track because i'm sure they're fun as hell but as a viewer, being me, i'm not interested in jumping.. if i was i'd go watch Fest series, which i really don't. That's just me though.
I have MAX. It's not listed anywhere on the app on my Roku. NOWHERE.
The UCI should apologize to everyone for not forcing the builders to make tight technical forested turns for the entire flat peet bog track.
Personally I think the tracks are the best they've been in a while. Many of them run a full technical gambit - good size jumps (yes, jumps are technical), good chunky technical sections, traverses for putting power on pedals. Really seems like a full gambit of things to throw at riders. I do personally think they could do more slow speed tech with tighter turns. Part of the reason why I'm excited for the Poland round.
Search for Mountain Bike
That's how I find it
Can anyone name a single 180 degree turn that has a long, technical lead in followed by a technical off camber exit?
It doesn't "need" to be on TV, but it should be in the courses. And a HARD SPRINT somewhere. Just a douchebag, speed killing, lung busting 5-8 pedal strokes.
Guys running 155mm cranks and no sprocket is getting too "coaster park" for me.
I really do hate the internet. I searched it with your suggestion as mountain bike...such a simple term.
Pulls right up.
The part that enrages me...the title of the video has the word DOWNHILL in it, which I searched multiple times for.
Thank you for having the ability to outthink the simple minded.
Made the mistake of trying to talk racing in pinkbike comments. It didn't go well. Anyway. Anyone know what happened in the junior girls timed training? Was it just way too early to send full runs or were there some logistics issues? Seems like only Erice got a full run in. After that it's literally like 10 min run, 15 min run, 20 min run, etc.
Yeah I did wonder what was going on there?
I mean Erice is fast, but surely not that much faster.
Are quali and semi runs not being broadcast anymore? Cant find them anywhere on the discovery plus app through my tv or phone?
Looking at discovery and Eurosport in Europe and it doesn’t look like there’s any coverage of the qualis or semis this year?
I thought the idea of Semi’s was more exposure for the teams?!
instead, discovery are taking us back the the dark ages of having to watch a live timing screen instead 😡
I've read that semis is on the UCI youtube live. But it doesn't look like it 😕
I'm fully on with this. Not sure why some peeps are getting downvoted for similar opinions.
I appreciate this is fort bill and that there are new "sections," but it's the same track. People have been riding this track for 15 years...it's why it will be off the circuit soon.
This is the only track where I like the "motor way." it is necessary down there. You want best jumpers to win, time Dark Fest.
If I had my druthers, I would just ask for more variety across tracks...widen the tape in some areas for line choice, narrow it in others for line percision.
Mostly, I would love to see more high speed flat turns that require a combination of braking skill, balance skill, and wats coming out of the corners....
Building tracks are expensive, but let's get to more of them....because they are out there!
I guess we need a gofund me to pay kids to stand track side holdng their phones in Snap to see qualis...is periscope still a thing?
I wish i was joking.
Post a reply to: 2024 Racing Talk