| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
ThingOne
Flogged
Joined: Mar 05, 2007
Posts: 2,336
Location: 172.20.0.151
|
 Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:44am Post subject: Olympic Riders Hardtails Vs Fully |
  |
|
Most of the olympic riders ride Hardtails however when we discuss fullys on vorb most people say fullys climb and descend better than hardtails , you will be faster on a fully, etc etc..
So why do the olympic guys generally all ride hardtails?
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Trail
Thrashed
Joined: Aug 15, 2008
Posts: 1,134
Location: Chch
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:49am Post subject: |
|
|
|
What was the course like? If it was a technical mtbike course there might have been more of them on fullies??
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThingOne
Flogged
Joined: Mar 05, 2007
Posts: 2,336
Location: 172.20.0.151
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:50am Post subject: |
|
|
| Trail wrote: | | What was the course like? If it was a technical mtbike course there might have been more of them on fullies?? |
A reasonable amount of tech in the course.
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thekiwi
Thrashed
Joined: Jan 06, 2005
Posts: 1,790
Location: 127.0.0.1
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:51am Post subject: RE: Olympic Riders Hardtails Vs Fully |
|
|
| ThingOne wrote: | Most of the olympic riders ride Hardtails however when we discuss fullys on vorb most people say fullys climb and descend better than hardtails , you will be faster on a fully, etc etc..
So why do the olympic guys generally all ride hardtails? |
I would have thought on a climb where traction isnt an issue a Hardtail would be faster? At the level of componentry these guys have available, Id hazard a guess that a Hard tail is going to be lighter?
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spokes
Wrecked
Joined: Nov 13, 2005
Posts: 5,784
Location: Skyway
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:51am Post subject: RE: Olympic Riders Hardtails Vs Fully |
|
|
| ThingOne wrote: |
So why do the olympic guys generally all ride hardtails? |
There not as smart as you and me?
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
radical_edward
Flogged
Joined: Mar 10, 2004
Posts: 3,894
Location: Bodymore, Murderland
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 11:57am Post subject: |
|
|
The climbs were pretty smooth on that course, and the 'tech' was mostly downhill.
XC races are not won on the descents 
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skint
Flogged
Joined: Jan 17, 2003
Posts: 3,347
Location: New Plymouth
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:00pm Post subject: |
|
|
I noticed that almost none of the women were on fs, and a few of the guys were - namely Scalpels and Specializeds.
I wondered if in that heat, on what seemed to be a relatively smooth course with a clean line around most of it, light weight was preferred to handling.
Bonus of a light bike is that you get to wave it round at the finish line, which a lot of the riders seemed to be doing.
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thekiwi
Thrashed
Joined: Jan 06, 2005
Posts: 1,790
Location: 127.0.0.1
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:04pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
If the course is too easy and you want to save weight, can alway take this approach:
|
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
84.07 KB |
| Viewed: |
947 Time(s) |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Colin
Scheming Dreaming about Singletrack
Joined: Jun 08, 2003
Posts: 5,121
Location: Wellitrack
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:10pm Post subject: |
|
|
Saw an item in a mag about Merida developing a new fully for their Olympic riders.
When the course was released and they saw how easy it was, they flicked over to a hardtail.
The fully (or a version of it) was / will be released on the market. Name like 96 blah (wasn't really interested, can't remember properly).
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skint
Flogged
Joined: Jan 17, 2003
Posts: 3,347
Location: New Plymouth
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:10pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Other random observation - all the women were on flat bars, all the men on risers.
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Flyboy
Destined 4 Disaster
Joined: May 13, 2005
Posts: 2,171
Location: Otumoetai
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:10pm Post subject: |
|
|
 hell yeah, none of that tyre nonsense for Canadians, all the better for railing corners!! 
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Butch
Wrecked
Joined: Sep 02, 2006
Posts: 7,669
Location: Clearing out the SPCA
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:12pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
You hoser!
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wgtngrl
Full time athlete in 3...2...
Joined: May 31, 2004
Posts: 11,127
Location: Hangin' out, gearin' up
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:19pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ThingOne wrote: | | Trail wrote: | | What was the course like? If it was a technical mtbike course there might have been more of them on fullies?? |
A reasonable amount of tech in the course. |
It wasn't technical - just a couple of little sections. The main aspect of the course was short, steep climbs where you want maximal power. Also, they were smooth and it was largely hard pack, so little advantage overall with a fully. Definitely a hardtail course IMO. You want fully for rocks, roots, uneven terrain etc.
The argument for fullys from my perspective is that in general you get greater advantage overall (particularly around these parts) so for those of us limited to one race bike, fully is the preferred option.
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bling
Dusty
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 45
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 12:30pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Also the top XC riders are generally fairly talented technical riders, Absalon etc, so aren't trading much off by not having fully's. The pros of lightweight and responsiveness outweigting any advantages of a fully. And like has been said XC ain't won on the downhill. That downhill crash(s) of Rosara's was awesome - but can't see how a fully would have helped, just needs greater technical skills . Looked a great course..
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jimmi
Scuffed
Joined: Aug 11, 2004
Posts: 384
|
| Posted: Mon 25/Aug/08 1:00pm Post subject: |
|
|
Aha. Ive been mulling this one over too. I did my first ever multi lap XC race the other weekend (1st round of the Auckland XC champs) and almost every bike was a fully. Then check out the olympics and almost every bike was a carbon hardtail.
As wgntngrl said I think most kiwi's have one do it all bike for epics, trail rides, and races. These elite and pro level guys might ride fullys, but their race bike is a 20(ish) pound carbon HT.
Based off the olympics (and imo) if you wanted to get uber serious about XC racing a carbon HT would be the only option. You guys mentioned it, and a good XC racer once told me, with a carbon HT you can smoke the uphills and flats, and you only have to survive the downhills.
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
