Greg Minnaar's Prototype Santa Cruz V10 29er 14

Greg Minnaar and the Santa Cruz Syndicate have caused an uproar with the launch of their 29-inch wheeled downhill bike. The Santa Cruz V10 that they released for Greg a few days before the World Cup downhill in Lourdes, France, is a modified XXL frame that accommodates the larger diameter wheels, something that hasn't been seen on the circuit. Weighing 37.13 pounds, Minnaar's bike features a custom rear swingarm, custom rocker links and prototype Chris King components to make the geometry suitable for his needs.

Greg Minnaar in the audio

Greg has had 50 or more runs on the 29er DH bike and has not compared times back-to-back with his 27.5-inch-wheeled V10. Vital has heard rumors about back-to-back test run times, and if the rumors are true, it will be interesting to see how times from the race this weekend reflect the potential advantage of the big wheels. Greg believes the bike is not course-specific and that cornering is not an issue. He says there are ways to make the bike handle just as nimbly as the 27.5 version, like changing head angles or fork settings.

Greg's mechanic, Marshy, in the audio about what elements were created to make he 29er V10 happen.

ENVE came through with one-off wheels and Maxxis made sure the rubber was available for the experiment. Will everything hold up for the first World Cup of the season? Time and the clock will tell.

FOX and the 49. The 49 had a lot of interneters confused. The reference is not to stanchion diameter, rather a nickname for the prototype dual crown fork that accepts 29-inch wheels.

Photos and interview by @maddogboris

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