All

Things I loved this year: I'm not a gearhead, so my biking loves are pretty much about experiences: 1) YT and the YT Mill Bentonville crew: it was great until it wasn't. We had a lot of fun hanging out there, and it really felt like something special was happening all the time around the place. It wsa a pretty big bummer once rumors started flying of things going south. 2) The Monster Pro Downhill Series: being from Arkansas, I never thought we'd be traipsing coast to coast for DH races, but here we are... it was a great time...

Thanks for all the love Vital! My goal is to continue a career that allows me to contribute to another 1000 pages of the tech rumour thread.

stoked to watch loic vid! also, here's some killer #USDH going on in TN right now (POV from Wildside)

Scribing arcs 4” away from every bolt, the battle scars of a hero home mechanic. The first Park tool we get, the first one we reach for, the first we should forget. But we will never stop wielding this glaive of the garage. Magical.

Thanks for the question. Long story short if the rim is unsafe to ride, it's immediately retired and the hub is re-laced to a new rim. I also have to consider the massive loss of time if I send my rider up on a rim I'm not 100% confident in. Not only do we lose a practice run, but it takes me 40-50 min for one wheel build(including taping and insert/tire mounting). I could easily be halfway through a fresh wheel build in the time it takes my rider to do one practice run so if I have any doubt...

4 riders...I stopped counting at 13. LMS only did 5 all week, but I've got some secret sauce to keep air in the wombat's tires😉. Point being that it's the nature of the track.

Yup they will reduce your travel around a few of mm, and your ohlins bumper will compress most of the way down. Its stiffer than most but they are quite good, when they are too soft they don't absorb enough energy which gets transferred to your frame and thats really bad. So they are kind of supposed to prevent you reaching the very end of the travel because its impossible to stop it compressing at the very last fraction of a mm in a smooth way that wouldn't feel harsh. You really shouldn't and don't need to be using those...

Friendly reminder that pro athletes are psychos. Known for competing with fractures and shit. I'm actually confused why people are so hung up on Loic on skipping podium lol. But I've never been one for professionalism or 'decorum'. In fact, in particular regarding the UCI, I think riders should avoid it as much as they please. Loic has the rest of his life to congratulate Jackson. I think both riders will be fine if it doesn't happen 'at the correct time and place according to authorities and some fans' I dunno

Dante Silva seems like one of the most relentlessly upbeat guys in downhill. I truly get a kick out of him every time he's interviewed. I was so happy for him when he qualified in Q1 at Lake Placid and went 16th in the finals. He's had a great 2025.

they liked the pictures though, could have cut the cameras off but didn't

vital raw is here. everything looks so fun and kinda chill until you see dak, loic and gwin's slams. just body slammed. crazy how fast it can go wrong!

photo pit bits from jack rice - https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/pit-bits-2025-world-cup-downhill-lake…

Yo, I am actually on the crew that is building the course, and we rode the track T -> B last week on trail bikes...

Yo, also on the trail crew. Not really down to get into the mud with all of the environmental permitting stuff which is really above my dirt-shaping pay grade, but misinformation about the crew test riding our own course build is where I draw the line. We rode it last week on trail bikes and will be riding more this week. T>B

North America's "Biking Capitals"

Until we get some good team rumors, Race Locations 2026 is what we get...

Never said it wasn’t valid. Said take it to a different thread at this point. Just like CS length talk in tech rumors.

forgot how nuts that was. also how is that so long ago

Video PIT BITS from Lawlor