Many argue that a highly skilled Bike Rider can achieve great results on any bike. While skill is paramount, the bike itself can be the deciding factor that elevates a rider to a podium finish or even a victory, especially at the elite level. To reach the top ten in a World Cup, a rider must already be among the world’s best, relying on their skill, training, and mental fortitude. However, within this incredibly competitive group, the bike’s performance can indeed differentiate between a top-ten finish and a win.
An experience from a press camp perfectly illustrates this point. During a test event for a new downhill fork a few years ago, organizers provided various downhill bikes for testing, all equipped with identical suspension components. Initially, I rode the Commencal Supreme. Riding alongside two other journalists, and being the most seasoned rider, I naturally positioned myself at the back of the group. There was a specific section of the trail immediately after the lift, a blue-graded path with numerous rocks and roots. It was a fast, flowing section with little margin for error. Following the other journalists through this part, I consistently found myself slightly braking, as the Commencal seemed to effortlessly generate and maintain more speed. This wasn’t a conscious effort to go faster, but rather the bike’s inherent ability to carry momentum while pumping and steering.
After lunch, we switched bikes. Remarkably, on the other two World Cup-caliber bikes I tested that day, I had to pedal slightly in that same section to keep pace with the others. While not a scientifically rigorous test, it unequivocally demonstrated that the Commencal could generate speed where the other bikes couldn’t. If you extrapolate this 300-meter section across an entire racecourse, the cumulative effect of this “free speed” becomes significant.
