What The Pros Ride
What The Pros Are Riding
When you’re trying to earn a living as one of the top mountain bikers in the world, you need a bike you can count on.
-First of all, the bike has to have great handling.
-Second, the frame has to be built up light, but it can’t be flimsy.
-Third, you need the wheels to be as light as possible but also strong and reliable on rocky trails.
-Fourth, the tires have to grip the trail reliably without slowing you down until you want them to.
-Fifth, your brakes need to offer great stopping power without sending you flying over the bars.
-Sixth, the drivetrain has to shift gears smoothly, quickly and reliably without getting jammed or dropping the chain.
-Seventh, the bars have to position your hands in the ideal position for maximum control and comfort.
-Eighth, the bottom bracket needs to be high enough to keep your pedals from striking rocks but low enough to maximize your cornering ability.
To sum it all up, everything has to work together to offer the highest level of performance and reliability. Check out some of the riders we profiled in the past year, the bikes they’re riding and how they set them up.
KEEGAN SWENSON
Discipline: Cross-country
Frame: Pivot Mach 4 SL
Travel: 100mm, front and rear
Bike weight: “I think it’s 23.5 pounds with the dropper post.”
Wheel size: 29 inches
Head tube angle: 68.5 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 12.8 inches
Handlebar width: 720mm (28.35 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 9100, 12-speed
STEVEN WALTON
Photo by Travis Fant
Discipline: Downhill
Frame: KHS DH 29
Travel: 180mm, front and rear
Bike weight: 35 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches
Head tube angle: 63 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 14 inches (356mm)
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano Saint, 10-speed
AUSTIN “BUBBA” WARREN
Discipline: Downhill
Frame: Evil The Wreckoning
Travel: 180mm front/161mm rear
Bike weight: 32 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches
Head tube angle: 65.2 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 355mm
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: SRAM X0, 7-speed
LOIC BRUNI
Photo by Michal Cerveny/Specialized
Discipline: Downhill
Frame: Specialized Demo Race 29-650b
Travel: 200mm, front and rear
Bike weight: 39.7 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches/650b (27.5 inches)
Head tube angle: 62.5 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 350mm
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: SRAM X0-1 DH, 7-speed
MATHIEU VAN DER POEL
Discipline: Cross-country
Frame: Canyon Lux CF
Travel: 100mm, front and rear
Bike weight: 21.8 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches
Head tube angle: 70 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 327mm (12.87 inches)
Handlebar width: 720mm (28.35 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12-speed
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EDDIE MASTERS
Discipline: Enduro
Frame: Pivot Firebird 29
Travel: 170mm front/162mm rear
Bike weight: 33 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches
Head tube angle: 65 degrees
Bottom bracket height: Unknown
Handlebars: Renthal Fat Bar
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR, 12-speed
MARTIN MAES
Photo by Red Bull Content Pool
Discipline: Enduro
Frame: GT Force Carbon 29/27.5 inches
Travel: 150mm, front and rear
Bike weight: 34.17 pounds
Wheel size: 29 inches/27.5 inches
Head tube angle: 65 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 349mm (13.74 inches)
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano XTR, 12-speed
VAEA VERBEECK
Photo by Paris Gore/Red Bull
Discipline: Downhill
Frame: Rocky Mountain
Maiden Travel: 200mm, front and rear
Bike weight: 35.7 pounds
Wheel size: 27.5 inches
Head tube angle: 63.2–64 degrees
Bottom bracket drop: 9.5 to -1.3mm
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano Saint
RYAN “R-DOG” HOWARD
Photo courtesy of Trek
Discipline: Freeride/slopestyle
Frame: Trek Session Park
Travel: 200mm front/210mm rear
Bike weight: 35 pounds
Wheel size: 27.5 inches
Head tube angle: 63.6 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 14 inches (356mm)
Handlebar width: 737mm (29 inches)
Drivetrain: SRAM X0, 7-speed
KYLE WARNER
Photo by Matt W are/Fly Racing
Discipline: Enduro
Frame: Niner RIP 9 RDO
Travel: 140mm
Bike weight: 31 pounds
Wheel size: 27.5 inches
Head tube angle: 65 degrees
Bottom bracket height: 335mm (high position)
Handlebar width: 780mm (30.71 inches)
Drivetrain: Shimano XT, 12-speed
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Mountain Bike Action is a monthly magazine devoted to all things mountain biking (yes, that’s 12 times a year because we never take a month off of mountain biking). It has been around since 1986 and we’re still having fun.
