photo by the multi talented Dan FrewI was lucky enough to make the trip from NZ to Canada for another biking season this year. Leaving the farm back home mid winter to ride my bike mid summer in Whistler, the decision was made pretty quickly!
Well Crankworx rolled into whistler town once again, a huge mountain bike festival that incorporates almost every form of mountain biking possible. What does this equal....well good times I must say! From a 15 minute DH race to a one minute dual slalom race to a slope style course there is something for everyone, unless of course you like lycra then you're shit out of luck really.
The races for me were the amateur giant dual slalom and the Canadian open DH race that must have been on one of the sickest DH tracks I've riden. Only having a DH bike the giant dual would be a challenge. Good through the corners but slow at the start gate and the first straight. To my surprise my seeding was good coming in with the second fastest time. The track was sick although at race pace some of the rollers turned into jumps to flat that you had to be very weary of. Having a fast seeding time allowed some initial easy races, gradually however the pace picked up and I found myself lagging a bit off the start gate but having extra speed through the corners that was enough to keep me in it. The final was going to be super tough and it was until about half way down the track when my opponent flew off a roller to flat slightly crossed up. What did this mean for him? A trip to the hospital is the answer and for me an easy win! Not the best way to win really but I think I may have had the legs on him anyway. For my efforts I received a rather large maybe fake gold medal and some free Sram stuff, good because whistler eats bikes parts and I needed some new ones.
The Canadian open DH race was on the last day of Crankworx. A new track with a mix of open fall line and tech off camber root and rock riding. A real DH track. Yea!! I enjoyed the track in practice and was riding well. I learnt the importance of having the suspension rebound and compression dialed in correctly, the difference of a click or two is night and day on a track like this. I had a reasonably race run, a ruff upper section, slipping a pedal and taking a bad line on a rock section. The lower section was much better and carried good speed through the tree section. The result was 6th and I was happy with. All and all a successful Crankworx.Defiantly recommend anyone serious about riding to check it out in years to come.
Would like to say thanks to Transition Bikes
Chris B.
Well Crankworx rolled into whistler town once again, a huge mountain bike festival that incorporates almost every form of mountain biking possible. What does this equal....well good times I must say! From a 15 minute DH race to a one minute dual slalom race to a slope style course there is something for everyone, unless of course you like lycra then you're shit out of luck really.
The races for me were the amateur giant dual slalom and the Canadian open DH race that must have been on one of the sickest DH tracks I've riden. Only having a DH bike the giant dual would be a challenge. Good through the corners but slow at the start gate and the first straight. To my surprise my seeding was good coming in with the second fastest time. The track was sick although at race pace some of the rollers turned into jumps to flat that you had to be very weary of. Having a fast seeding time allowed some initial easy races, gradually however the pace picked up and I found myself lagging a bit off the start gate but having extra speed through the corners that was enough to keep me in it. The final was going to be super tough and it was until about half way down the track when my opponent flew off a roller to flat slightly crossed up. What did this mean for him? A trip to the hospital is the answer and for me an easy win! Not the best way to win really but I think I may have had the legs on him anyway. For my efforts I received a rather large maybe fake gold medal and some free Sram stuff, good because whistler eats bikes parts and I needed some new ones.
The Canadian open DH race was on the last day of Crankworx. A new track with a mix of open fall line and tech off camber root and rock riding. A real DH track. Yea!! I enjoyed the track in practice and was riding well. I learnt the importance of having the suspension rebound and compression dialed in correctly, the difference of a click or two is night and day on a track like this. I had a reasonably race run, a ruff upper section, slipping a pedal and taking a bad line on a rock section. The lower section was much better and carried good speed through the tree section. The result was 6th and I was happy with. All and all a successful Crankworx.Defiantly recommend anyone serious about riding to check it out in years to come.
Would like to say thanks to Transition Bikes
Chris B.
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