Bike Checks from the Australian DH Team

The Australian downhillers, like the downhillers from any nation, have been waiting patiently in Lenzerheide. The track walk was done on Wednesday, and on Thursday the riders finally got onto the course – and to be honest that's when the carnage began. Spare wheels being brought into use after being cased in the rock garden, riders crashing, bits and bodies being broken and twisted.

But at the same time, plenty of riders are buzzing on the course. It's got a mix of high speed sections, that big old rock garden, huge drops and fast berms.

It's a course that suits a 29er Danni Beecroft reckons, and we took a look at her new Pivot.

"It's a prototype 29er and it has a different linkages to the carbon 27.5" model," said Beecroft in Lenzerheide. "We'll see how it goes this weekend, but hopefully we can get this thing in carbon because it runs so well. With how the linkages work, it keeps the bike really centred."

"I find that the 29er is getting through the rock garden so smoothly, it's like the rocks aren't even there. There are plenty of things I'm getting over that I'm sure a 27.5" wheel would catch on,"

Beecroft has some NoTubes Flow 29er wheels with yellow graphics, with Schwalbe Magic Mary tyres setup tubeless – with Stan's Sealant of course. Beecroft doesn't run any pool noodle rim protection, just plain tubeless.

"On the fast section the bike just pulls away – I'm really happy to have chosen a 29er for this race." The tyres use Schwalbe's Ultra Soft Addix compound. It's pretty race specific, but should mean Beecroft has the mix of traction on the wet sections and the dry. "These tyres just grip! I run them all the time – I love them."

Fox Factory suspension looks after the bouncy bits, with a DHX Air on the back and a Fox 40 on the front.

"With my suspension I run it the same for nearly ever track – I ride it really soft. Even for the slalom at Crankworx, I didn't change anything. Unless there is something dramatic like a big drop where I'm bottoming out heaps, then I put the air pressure up."

There's a 36t chainring on the front driving a narrow range cassette out the back with a Shimano Saint group set.

Braking is handled by Saint, with 203mm rotors keeping Beecroft in control, front and rear.

The Shimano Saint pedals are Beecroft's choice to put the power down, and Beecroft is well-impressed.

"They are so sick – they are awesome. This is the first year I have run Shimano pedals, they grip so well. Even if you don't clip in you don't slide – there is so much security with them," said Beecroft.

It's become something of a norm for downhillers and top XC riders to get special bikes for the World Championships. They'll have custom paint jobs, and fresh builds just for the Champs. It makes sense too – there's a lot on the line.

We caught up with Intense Factory Racing's Jack Moir, as his custom Intense M29 was being built up in Lenzerheide in green and gold livery. Dean Lucas had his own M29 being built up looking flash at the same time.

The Intense M29 graced our cover last year, as Jack rode one of the prototypes in Fort William. Since late 2017 they have been on the full-carbon model.

"The first time I got on this was in Whistler last year, then raced it in Val di Sole and Cairns. Before that we went through 3 alloy prototypes for the 29er – I've got a bit of time on the carbon one now," said Jack Moir.

"We only chnaged little things going to carbon. Most of the changes were done in the alloy models. The suspension was a little more sensitive off the top on the carbon – and the bike is a lot stiffer."

The course in Lenzerheide is a bit of a mixed bag – but Moir isn't really changing a whole lot to his stock setup.

"I'm not really changing much, I normally run the same setup with just a few suspension setting changes. The biggest change I've done this year is in La Bresse. I put a offset headset in to shorten the wheelbase as there were some super tight corners there. I've got it back to normal for this weekend – there are some tight corners but mostly it's pretty fast."

The team have fresh ENVE rims built up, with custom graphics too. Probably ready for the carnge in the rock garden.

"It's a really gnarly rock garden here. It is more exposed with more dirt gone than usual, so we'll wait and see how it goes. Lines wear in and it gets easier to ride."

Jack's bike has plenty going on, beyond green and gold. And we have to wonder – what's it like rocking up to such a big race with a fresh rig?

"It's pretty sick having a bike built up just for Worlds. We look forward to this race all year – there is so much custom stuff like pedals, the frame, wheel decals, Fabric do us a seat. It's just crazy that all the sponsors come together and do it for us."

Kona's Connor Fearon is coming into World Champs on a fresh rig, with a sparkly green and gold paint job.

"It's a brand new bike and a brand new paint job. Impact Design has done it the last couple of years for us, and he's outdone himself again. It's hard to update it every year but he's done it again. This year might be my favourite," said Fearon.

BUt surely rocking up to the World Champs and having a custom bike built up must add a bit of pressure to the biggest race of the year?

"It's sweet. World Champs is different anyway," said Fearon. "I feel like there is less pressure anyway, you just go as hard as you can and there is only one shot. I'd rather just go my hardest. There's really only two outcomes – go your fastest or crash."

"Overall I think I have less pressure, even with the custom kit and components and bikes. It's just cool to show off and I feel very lucky to have it."

With a SRAM Blackbox drivetrain and a 36t ring pushing the 29" wheels, it's a testament to how fast the course in Lenzerheide is. 

For slowing down, SRAM Code brakes take care of the important task. ODI are keeping the grips fresh!

As for anything that makes the bike uniquely Fearon's?

"The flat pedals are the main thing, not too many dudes on the World Cup are running those. Apart from that everything is really run of the mill – what you'd buy from the shop."

As for bike spec, there's nothing crazy going on according to Fearon.

"Not really, I don't tend to change my suspension too much. Since I've got here I haven't touched it. No particular changes for this track. I have my fork lowered to 190mm but that's something I always do – I like it a bit lower."