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The forum has spoken.. Dak truly has an international fan base of at least 1 person in many countries.. Your loss, Mondraker. You had a global star that represents the hard working people of the world and you dropped him.. So, besides a bike and sealant sponsor, we need to find Dak some outside the industry money.. I'm thinking he could bank with a good hair product care deal..
But, in all seriousness, I hope Dak finds a good deal for next season.
Dak should have a signature high rise bar for sure. Crazy exposure for anyone in a very crowded space.
Plot twist.. His next bike might not have a stack that measures in the negatives..
This is why he needs to ride for Frameworks. They literally built the chopper that Dak wants.
Dak to Deity!
About the only drawback on the FW for Dak would be the low BB would prevent him from running 50% sag...
Is that you, Deprela?
Maybe it was his choice of bars that cost him his ride.. It showed that the geometry might be flawed...
.. I'm thinking he could bank with a good hair product care deal..
My words!
Dak Head-and shoulders ambassador for life!
Didn’t he say he used to run the riser crown and spacers under the stem but hit his helmet on it so he opted for the high bar instead? He blames his short arms too. Most of the dh frames out there are pretty low on the stack side so it’s not a setup that would be unique to Mondraker.
He's gotta do what he's gotta do to make the bike right for him.. I was just in a smartass type of mood this morning..
So much chat about Dak, he’s 33, has had 5 podiums in his career (UCI DH) not exactly lighting the world on fire.
Lets face it we love him because he’s an under dog and his comeback this year was awesome BUT, his injury was his own fault messing about on pit bikes at his home, if you are a big team and your rider injures themselves like that messing about on pit bikes you’d be asking questions. Before coming at me saying all DH racers ride moto in the off season yes I know but a pit bike is fun and also DH teams aren’t exactly keen on moto just ask trek after the Reece injury. Paying for riders that can’t race due to activities in their own time isn’t smart.
I’m not putting him down but he’s older than most not got mega results his socials are full of mondrake team videos nothing he seems to do himself so not like he’s great for a sponsor being out there getting clicks.
I love Dak but I do recall Gwin saying how he’d have regular melt downs before racing and sponsors would say is he ok and Gwin said yeah he gets like this sometimes!
I think Dak on a US brand is the one and I really believe he’ll be on FW just by how Neko talks about him.
My 2 cents worth (remember it’s my opinion and they are like ass holes we all have one)
First things first, It wasnt on a pit bike. Secondly you can get hurt doing anything in life.. that’s life. And thirdly if you’d listened to any of his pod casts last year you would have heard him speak about the meltdowns himself and discuss how he has grown as a person and doesn’t do this anymore. Before you criticise the guy atleast have a small understanding of what you’re criticising.
Listen to you getting butt hurt because I’ve an opinion. He only specified MOTO in his statement but he has a massive pit bike track on his land that he rode every day in off season with his friends and when it first came out it was said he did it on a pit bike!
Yeah you can get hurt doing anything in life but a broken hip socket it’s hard to do so moto of any kind increases that risk and as I said if you are a big team and your rider gets hurt for most of the season unable to ride and you have to pay them is that good business??
His melt downs fair enough if he doesn’t do that anymore he says but we aren’t there in the pits to know, but it’s not criticism when that info is out there for all.
I said I like him he’s an under dog BUT in the grand scheme of things regards his team he’s older and hasn’t got a win in a UCI event as close as he may have been and doesn’t put out content. Also Pinky runs the US sleeve someone earlier in the thread said Dak did. Pinky has put himself into the convo as a potential race winner and is super young, Ronnie is arguably the most talked about rider in DH so a move for Dak would be good for him esp to a US team like FW in my OPINION!
Look maybe you have a point but chatting shit about Dak on Vital is just such bad manners. We don’t do that here
There seems to be some Intense conversation around Dak.
iirc podcast poked around with saying teaming up with someone he runs GoPro laps with
Joe Breeden seems to do a bit of that with Dak
Disclaimer I have no real clue
I encourage you to have an opinion, I just think if you’re going to scrutinise the guy publicly you should atleast be accurate in your reasoning.
I hope where ever he ends up it’s somewhere good, he is always the top of my list of guys I want to see win the race, intense would be a good outcome - he talks openly about how much he enjoyed that bike.
Spaniard here, love me some Dak. His insights on B-podcast play a big part of the World Cup season. For me he embodies the American Cool, the good things about the US. But I understand the criticism, he is indeed getting older for DH and perhaps doesnt have the dame appeal for young fans as other riders. still, I do hope he gets a good team, gets the elusive win and rides into the sunset with his girl and his dog.
How am I chatting shit I said I like him but I’m a realist and just giving my view, I want him on a good team and I think he should move and it should be the a US team. He’s a patriot and FM is the coolest fit for him with Neko, Asa and Anna, full US team I think they would do well in the team overall and I personally believe Asa will have loads to say about the overall for himself.
I could see him one a one year contract with intense for the named reasons.
Why should fW take dak?! They have a superfunctional, young and uprising team with a superstar that delivers. If i was Mulally, i would get Maples to invest in the future and stack up Vermettes income, if this has not already happened/is part of the contract.
If we're speculating, there's every chance he could be on the autism spectrum like me and plenty of other people in the sport. Meltdowns are just part of life when you're autistic, we all crash out every now and then 🤣
As much as I am a Dak fan, I'll agree with you that missing half a season due to an off season, off the bike injury isn't a positive thing in the eyes of a sponsor. It wouldn't surprise me if he ends up on a US based team with a focus on the US series that seems to be moving in the right direction.
As for injuries, I wonder what some of the injury clauses look like in these contacts?
Neko seems to be a massive Dak fan is my reasoning and they really get on. Maples is a top rider and I can see him staying on a commencal just not the main team.
Or, Norco. Team being managed by a legend that was the king of tinkering with frame adjustments until the day he retired. A team that has a F1 engineer. From and outsider perspective. I could see Norco being a good fit, logistically.
- Team that supports outside of the box thinking for bike set up, and the money to do so.
- Team that has $$ backing to support riders traveling abroad for long stints.
-When Greg started managing Norco, he brought Cathy back in to help manage all the logistics and take care of the riders.
Now, lets toss logic out the window.. think purely with the heart and screaming eagles
AG bails on Crestline, downsizes his 4+ houses and makes a significant investment in FW racing.
They bring on Dak and Dylan.
In addition, they pick up Aletha Ostgaard to round out the women's support
Redbull and Fox join forces to provide the most American race rig ever (cause Neko asked nicely) The team is rolling around the US and Europe in a 379 Peterbilt with a red and white Highboy in the back, just cause.
It would never happen, but cant a country boy dream?
I like the way you dream, but I find it funny how there is a perception that Red Bull is ”American”.
Mx
Redbull was less about being American.. and more about having the financial ability to support my dream. Ha.
Santa Cruz liked my comment about Dak.. That basically confirms Dak to SC by Team Rumors standards..
Eeeverybody on Santa Cruz Syndicate in 2026! 🤪
Is Santa Cruz the new Commencal?
And would that make Steve the new Max?
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