Fort William World Cup
and one of the big issues this weekend is 29 inch wheels.
There's like 10 pro bikes here with this new prototype bike
that's got 29 inch wheels and it could be a big advantage
on a track like this at Fort William.
So we're gonna take a look around the pits,
ask some questions, get the views from some pros
and some privateers to see if it's a big advantage
or is it something that we just don't need.
Is it a good thing, is it a bad thing?
How do they feel?
What's your view?
- I'm enjoying riding mine,
so yeah it's a good thing for me.
It's faster, makes it easier I guess a little bit,
so that enables you to go a bit faster.
- I mean, you're a racer.
You want the fastest equipments
so I totally get your point of view,
but I guess I've been speaking to some privateers
and they obviously feeling like
how are we ever gonna keep up?
Is it like an unfair advantage
or is that just the evolution of the sport?
- Finally change from 26 to 27s.
- He's hard to argue with ain't he?
Brendan, simple question.
- No. - I haven't asked it yet.
29 or no?
- In my opinion, I think that we should,
the XE boys should have their 29s.
Give them that, we'll have the 27s
and the slope styles guys can have 26.
I'll give you my two cents.
I think we all get 29s, say it is fast.
We don't know yet.
We're all gonna be the same positions we are now
but two seconds faster at the end of the track.
And it's gonna be the same set of thing.
I do agree that we're like the formula one of mountain bike.
We need to be as fast as we can go.
I do agree with that but then also I think that
buying a bike these days is so expensive.
You have to put wheels, tyres, rims, forks everything
and these poor people have bought a six grand bike.
And now, we're saying now you might need to go
and get a 29er as well.
So in my opinion, I think we should stick on 27s
but with the way it goes.
I'm not gonna say I'm never gonna ride a 29
'cause if it is faster, I wanna be on it.
I'mma race, I wanna move as fast as I can go.
- I mean you must be sick of being asked the question
but what's your view on it?
- I think there are benefits for sure,
just with the wheel size.
With the traction, going over rougher stuff.
I think there are certain benefits but at the same time,
it's a whole new bike so you'd have to test
and really get ready.
I feel like we have an awesome bike with YT
and I feel like we can compete with those guys still.
So I'm kind of just focused there right now.
- For me, I reckon it's a step back in the sport.
I mean it's not good for kids coming up
through the sport.
You'll have parents trying to chuck him
on 29 inch wheels too early and it be hard especially
for smaller riders like me and younger kids coming up.
I think in the whole it will be a native thing
and it's pretty crazy this weekend.
You've got people recently,
I don't know if you notice bemoaning
about tracks being too easy and stuff.
Wanted it to get more technical
and then here we are this weekend.
Tracks got real technical and good
and you got some 650 B riders doing well
and everyone's moaning like.
- For me, I feel more centred on the bike
so it make sense.
Actually, I haven't gone back to back on 27s.
Actually once i made my mind up on the 29 inch wheels
I haven't gone back.
So it's a lot of working parts
that need to happen to have a 29 inch bike.
Need a four which fox have available now.
Wheels, rims, tyres.
Those are the little things that took a bit of time to get
and took a bit of work.
In the bike that is no problem
but there's no point pulling a bike without any wheels.
It's surprising what such a little change in wheel sizes
has created such a big whinge from all these guys.
- And is it a whinge or is it like, for the pro guys
I guess you guys wanna be on the fastest thing, I get that
but for the privateer out there.
Someone who's come to Fort William this weekend
to try and have their moment.
Have they got a big disadvantage to these bikes?
- I don't think they do, no.
We use different suspension than they do anyway.
It's a apart of the game.
We at one end trying to push technology
and the companies can't afford to spend
hundreds of thousands giving everyone the same product.
- Do you wish you did have them?
Do you think it's an advantage?
- I don't know.
I haven't ridden one so I can't say yes,
can't say no.
Obviously they're gonna roll faster.
Bigger wheel.
Maybe they're gonna suit me more I'd say
'cause I'm a taller rider as well.
So I don't know we'll have to see.
We'll have to wait and see.
- Feel different to ride.
Does it feel really quick?
- So actually it is quite the opposite
'cause I'm pretty sure it's a bit quicker
and easier to ride 'cause it's smoother.
So you feel slower like for sure
but in the same time.
To go fast on the 27.5, you have to push it
and the 29.9 is the opposite.
It goes fast by itself so you have to break it a bit more
trying to pull it in the corner
so it's a different way to ride but it's still a bike.
You just ride your bike and have fun.
- Bikes are bike I guess.
I mean how long did it take you to adjust to it
or did you get on it and think first ride on the 29.
What was it like?
Oh not sure about this or was it like,
oh my God, I'm going quicker.
It was kind of long for me to say okay the 29.9 better,
but the first time I rode it.
It was really good.
I felt good and after I went back to back
and that was really hard 'cause you'd feel so much faster
on the 27 but in fact, it's insane.
You like oh, I'm so good.
I'm wow but actually, the time don't show it.
So that was the other process and after that.
I chose the 29er
'cause we did some data acquisition and stuff.
- Okay, I'm in the specialised tent, the riders
are getting ready for qualifying.
They don't wanna talk about 29 inch wheels at all.
They just wanna get down to action.
Alright, it's definitely a controversial subject.
Now I get the feeling this time,
it's not something that's I should be bringing up.
I guess you guys have also got that job
that you wanna be on the fastest equipment
and you're suppose to be leading the sport forwards.
So is it a bit of a catch 22?
You've got to push this out.
- You've gotta push it.
There's nothing that's been out of the rules
and it's pretty black and white.
Wheels got to be the same size.
They could be twice as big as this if they wanted to
and we gotta do whatever's faster.
- Should there be a rule on wheel size?
- At present we have one technical rule
with regards to the bikes and that's the wheels
has to be the same size.
And I think as soon as we starting to introduce new rules,
we're just gonna get in trouble with the UCI
'cause they don't really know what's what
with mountain biking and if they start to get involved
then all hell will break loose.
- Right I think Ben's gonna have a bit of an opinion
on this too, so go for it Ben.
Let me just lean back while you give us this.
- Well, first thing I have to say is obviously,
if we can't beat them, we're gonna have to join them.
If it all goes out that way, we're gonna have to do it.
But for me personally, I think its the worst thing
I seen happen to mountain biking
since I've ever been involved in it.
I think for loads of reasons
like obviously there's the obvious ones.
I don't think it looks as right.
I think it's more difficult, it's more challenging
to fight with a 26 inch wheel bike through a section.
Obviously around 27.5, no
but we don't wanna make that even easier.
The tracks are getting more mellowed out already.
The bigger wheels are mellowing them out even more
and I also think the sport will begin
to land itself more to taller riders.
'Cause I think the bikes will fit better to taller riders
at the minute the sport's really, really cool
because you can have 5'7" guy on the podium
with 6'3" guy.
- Well that's what the pros thinks but why don't we find out
from some of the privateers and the smaller brands.
I'm back here at the secondary pits.
Let's get some opinions from these guys.
I don't know, I think you have an advantage
over a smaller wheel but in a year's time or whatever then.
You know everyone's gonna be on 29er
then there's no advantage at all.
But I guess the sport has to go progress and what not.
- Don't know if it's necessarily a good thing.
I feel like it would be good if the track
sort of went the way of slabbing and how everything
use to be like it seems like everything's sort of
starting to get a bit faster and which is all good.
It's good for watching and stuff
but it almost seems like everyone's focused on
how it looks for the camera rather than
how it looks for riders.
- It seems like the bikes are trying to go faster
and straight lines and the tracks are becoming faster.
Everything is higher speed in it.
It's hard, it's not like something to watch cause it feels
like it numbs it down and then it's getting the riders
at such a high speed.
If you go down, you going down big like world cup tracks
would soon be getting just faster and faster.
Rally have restrictions like how much power you can have.
How much down force you can have.
It should almost be the same in downhill
'cause it's almost like Formula One downhill now.
It's becoming that serious.
- What a controversial subject.
It's so divisive,
we've got riders who think it should be banned.
We've got riders who think
it's just the development of the sport.
We've even got one rider who's got the bike
and is not gonna use it.
It's incredible.
29ers has really found a cat amongst the pigeon
in downhill mountain biking.
Very interesting.
It will be great to know what you think about it.
Let us know in the comment section down below.
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