Cairns Bike Check: Julien Absalon's BMC Fourstroke

The UCI XCO racing has been dominated by two riders in the men’s racing in recent years – Nino Schurter and Julien Absalon. While Schurter has had an impressive build up for 2016 if his training videos are anything to go by, the Swiss style master still needs to do battle with Absalon, who won here in Cairns in 2014 when the World Cup last visited.

Absalon was slower than some to move to a full-suspension bike, and his BMC Team Fourstroke is a little different to the one we tested in Engelberg in late 2015. The mainframe is all pretty much the same, save for some equipment specifics for what the BMC Pro Team runs. The drivetrain is full Shimano XTR M9000 11 speed XTR. It’s also the prototype ring and guide we have seen before. The cassette is currently an 11-40 XTR unit.

Absalon is on a 1×11 setup with guide for Cairns.

The Fox suspension has had a bit of an update with Fox IRD electronic lock out, plus the new 32 SC fork up front.

Electronic lock out for Absalon.

The Fox DPS rear shock is electronically actuated, and internally routed for the cabling.

A few small things stand out though, one is the KS dropper post that Absalon runs. Asking him about it, he said he always runs one… although we haven’t seen one before. This is actually his training bike, and it has a 100mm drop KS post fitted, with a Southpaw lever.

Southpaw actuation for Absalon.

This keeps the lever actuation different to the movement of the IRD switch for the Fox lockout. Absalon’s race bike uses the shorter travel KS Lev Ci, with 65mm drop and a carbon post – the same model we are testing at the moment. It also has one of five carbon rocker links, for lower weight and greater lateral stiffness.

Absalon’s race bike, ready in the stand.

While much of the cycling world goes carbon crazy with wheels, Absalon doesn’t. His wheels are traditionally laced, with what look to be Stan’s Race Gold rims, to an XTR rear hub and unbranded sealed bearing front hub. Alloy rims are more compliant, and might assist with a more sure-footed ride for Absalon on the rocks of Smithfield. Tyres are Continental Race Kings 2.2″.

Alloy rims for Absalon.

With a Fox Kabolt up front, another bolt up axle is matched in the rear.

Absalon remains on the current indicator, with a 3T cockpit. Just one O-ring for his Garmin mount!

When you’ve got won the stripes, you get custom parts.

Absalon’s thoughts on the course

Speaking to Absalon, he is enjoying the course, finding the changes to 2014 making it much faster, given there is one less climb and one less descent. We saw him just before he started his course practice, and as he was making a short film for Shimano.

By and large Absalon’s bike is very similar to his setup for 2014 – save for moving to a dual suspension! But adding the dropper post too for a course that many believe is smoother than when he won in 2014, might show Absalon is feeling the pressure of having to race Nino Schurter on such a technical course.

We’ll see the results on Sunday.

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