The DH World Champs...

concorde
concorde Posts: 1,008
edited June 2013 in MTB general
How many of the top ten are running spds?

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    I give up, but you could probably manage to count that high on your fingers and let us know.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    World cup or World Champs. Maybe two or three in the top ten but that depends on the course and conditions.
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    World champs hasn't happened yet.
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  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    World cup then, whatever it's called. The one that was on today in Italy. I thought it looked like more were running flats.
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    Isn't almost everyone clipped in these days... Sam Hill used to run flats, but I think he's now swapped. They won't all be SPDs - some on Mallets for example.
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  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Looked like most were on flats to me yesterday, especially out of the top ten qualifiers, but could be wrong?!
  • angry_bird
    angry_bird Posts: 3,786
    Concorde wrote:
    Looked like most were on flats to me yesterday, especially out of the top ten qualifiers, but could be wrong?!

    Well if you want to know for sure I suggest you google image them until you get good clear photos of their pedals.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    Gee was wearing spds for sure
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    A Mallet will look like a flat.......
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  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    That's true. Just wondering out of interest. A few dabbed but then they could have been unclipping to dab.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Many riders switch depending on the course.
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Many riders switch depending on the course.

    Yeah I'd imagine they do. It was very rooty/bumpy there yesterday, was interested to see what they were using as people tend to say a con of flats is feet bouncing of the pedals on the rough stuff. Well it was rough there so I was expecting the vast majority to be running spds/mallets. Still none the wiser to whether they were or not.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Ask some of the riders on twitter or something.
    They'll know better than anyone here.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    The majority of riders are clipped in these days, even renowned flat pedal guys like Josh Bryceland and Stevie Smith are clipped in nowadays. Just looking at the top ten to my knowledge they were all clipped in. It takes a split second to unclip and put a foot down, so dabs would be no problem at all. I can't really see the benefit of flats anymore unless it seriously steep like champery or if its seriously wet.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Ooops, I strongly suspect that the OP was trying to make a point and has just found that what he's asked doesn't actually support his point.

    Most of the top ten ride, as has been said, Crank Brothers Mallet DH when they want to be clipped in (most of the time) and flats when they don't.
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  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    IIRC Brook Macdonald was the only top gun on flats at Fort William. I guess the pros use whatever they're happy with/what they get paid to use. Some of them even use DHR Minion IIs f&r FFS
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Ooops, I strongly suspect that the OP was trying to make a point and has just found that what he's asked doesn't actually support his point.

    Most of the top ten ride, as has been said, Crank Brothers Mallet DH when they want to be clipped in (most of the time) and flats when they don't.

    Wasn't trying to make a point at all, was simply asking a question. Was interested as they looked like flats at first glance but was probably because they were running mallets as said (helpfully) above.
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    .blitz wrote:
    IIRC Brook Macdonald was the only top gun on flats at Fort William. I guess the pros use whatever they're happy with/what they get paid to use. Some of them even use DHR Minion IIs f&r FFS

    I agree with this though, the majority wear what they get paid most to by their sponsors etc.
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Rubbish. When it comes to things like pedal choice people ride what they want. Likewise with tyres. They have to pick from the sponsors range, but again they run what they want to.
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  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    benpinnick wrote:
    Rubbish. When it comes to things like pedal choice people ride what they want. Likewise with tyres. They have to pick from the sponsors range, but again they run what they want to.
    This, sponsors won't make a rider run flats/clips.

    Also, as above, I believe the only rider in the top 10 (probably even top 30) running flats was Bulldog.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Crank Bros and Shimano both make flats and clips so sponsors wont care what they use.
    I know Brendon Fairclough and Sam Hill usually run flats but both used clips at Fort William to help with the long flat out pedals.
    I have used clips and flats for DH. Clips are better for me even though im slightly less talented than some world cup DH racers.