Readers’ Awards – Best DH Bike – Santa Cruz V10c
The bike that took Greg Minnaar to his second World Championship, and Readers’ Award Winner 2011 is also your choice for big bike of 2012.
We caught up with the boys from Santa Cruz to get their take on one of the most popular bikes of 2012, and their thoughts on the growing trend in carbon fibre bikes.
Why do you think the V10c has stood the test of another year, and once again been voted DH bike of the year?
In one word – dedication. As you may have noticed, we put A LOT of our focus, time, and energy into our DH bikes. The SCB engineering team in combination with the Syndicate race program work together on a level that can almost be compared to F1 racing in that we strive for the highest level of performance possible. Input from the fastest DH racers in the world (Peaty, Minnaar, Bryceland, Gracia) is a key part of the process, and all the development we do at the race level, finds it’s way back into the production models. In fact for this 2013 World Cup season there is no difference from the V10 frames these guys will be piloting, to the production models the customers can buy. What we learn during this process trickles down the lineup into every model we make, so it’s not just the V10’s that benefit.
Pretty much every bike nominated for the DH Bike catagory was a carbon bike. Is carbon the future for racers and recreational downhillers, or should we expect to see aluminium fighting back in the recreational market?
It’s pretty hard to argue against modern carbon fiber other than on a cost level. For years lighter weight typically came with drawbacks. You could make an aluminum frame lighter, but the downsides were less strength and less stiffness. Now through modern carbon manufacturing techniques we can make a lighter frame that is stiffer and stronger than the aluminum counterparts. Impact durability has also improved greatly.
Yes, it typically comes at a higher cost, but in the high-end, high-performance market segment that we live in, it’s justified. Keep in mind that not all carbon manufacturing is created equal. Santa Cruz uses a proprietary carbon manufacturing process that we feel is unparalleled in the industry.
What can we expect to see on the DH bikes of 2013 and 2014?
Good question. Although wheel size is currently the hot topic of the moment across all mountain bike categories, 26″ still feels like the most appropriate size for DH racing at this point in time. Further refinement of air sprung suspension remains key, and the evolution of tyre technology is also important. Constantly striving for weight savings without compromising strength and durability will continue to be the name of the game in all areas.
http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/
