Professional Bike Test: Thibaut Daprela’s Commencal Supreme DH V5
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On a now dry World Cup Downhill Monitor in Leogang, Thibaut Daprela of the Commencal Muc Off crew will likely be seeking to higher the fifteenth place end he secured in Lenzerheide final weekend.
As a junior in 2019, Daprela took the win right here in Leogang, however his more moderen ends in the Elite Males’s area have been a combined bag. In 2020 we noticed him place eleventh at his first World Championship, and in 2021 he bettered that by a major margin, lacking out on the highest step by simply over a second to winner, Troy Brosnan. Final yr, a crash in finals put Thibaut again in 59th. Fingers crossed this yr he’ll keep on his bike; clearly the younger french man has unfinished enterprise right here within the Austrian Alps.
After deep dusty situations for observe, excessive winds and heavy rain put a halt on proceedings proper in the midst of the Junior Males’s Finals. By the point the Elite Males’s qualies rolled round, the moisture had taken its toll on some sections of the observe leaving riders with some unpredictable floor situations to handle. Regardless of such adversity, Thibaut produced a robust run, qualifying nineteenth for in the present day’s semi-finals, by which he positioned eighth – see full outcomes right here.
Forward of the large day, we grabbed Thibaut’s bike to study extra about his most well-liked settings from Commencal Muc Off head mechanic, Maxime Auguin.
Thibaut Daprela’s Commencal Supreme DH V5
At 177 cm (5ft 8.5″) tall, Thibaut Daprela is driving the massive Commencal Supreme DH V5 within the shortest potential attain place of 484mm, with the 200mm Fox 40 Manufacturing facility fork at a head angle of 63.5°. The air spring is pressurized to 85-90 PSI with 2 or 3 tokens depending on the observe.
The bike is a devoted mullet with rear-center size adjustable via 12mm through a three-position flip-chip on the dropout. In Leogang this weekend, Thibaut is working the bike within the center setting.
There are extra changes accessible elsewhere, making the Supreme DH V5 versatile sufficient for the complete spectrum of World Cup Downhill Tracks. A four-position flip-chip on the decrease shock mount permits for 2 potential development settings, and two potential backside bracket heights. In Lenzerheide final weekend, Thibaut ran the upper of the 2 BB positions, however has switched to the decrease setting right here in Leogang.
With an air shock within the type of the Fox Float X2, Thibaut prefers the bike configured within the extra linear of the 2 potential settings. Its air can is house to 255-260 PSI and three quantity spacers. Like the remainder of the Commencal Muc Off crew, Thibaut likes to run rebound totally open for an excellent quick return.
This weekend, the crew is working the 6-bar linkage seen on the manufacturing Supreme DH V5, however mechanic Maxime Auguin tells us they do have some not-so-stock hyperlinks ready within the wings, able to be switched onto the bike if the observe and situations demand it.
This being a excessive pivot design, an loafer pulley routes the chain near the principle pivot place to handle the consequences of chain progress on the conduct of the suspension. There are three potential mounting positions for the loafer; Thibaut prefers the setting that reduces pedal kickback however doesn’t get rid of it completely.
Thibaut’s bike is rolling on 30mm inside width carbon rims from Enve which might be nonetheless underneath growth. We’re instructed they strike an excellent stability between stiffness and compliance. These are laced to Chris King hubs through 28 spokes – entrance and rear. The rim of the entrance wheel has a weight secured to it, a hack that’s stated to enhance the bike’s dealing with within the air.
Seated onto these carbon rims is a “First Journey” tire from Schwalbe with an all-new tread sample. Thibaut runs the Tremendous Downhill casing entrance and rear, with a Tubolight EVO DH insert within the rear for much more safety. Populating the rear tire is round 1.7- 1.8 bar (24-26 PSI), with 1.5 bar (~22 PSI within the entrance).
Within the cockpit, Thibaut runs a 780mm vast Enve M9 carbon bar (with ODI grips). It has a 30mm rise. The Commencal Muc Off crew bikes are geared up with a prototype saddle from Fizik, with a brief rear finish and a ribbed design topped with a cheesy rubber to cut back slippage between rider and saddle. Mechanic, Maxime, tells us this saddle actually helps the riders have an excellent consciousness of their positioning on the bike.
TRP DH-R EVO Brakes maintain pace administration, with prototype 220mm rotors entrance and rear.
Good luck to Thibaut in in the present day’s finals run. Sadly, Thibaut is the one rider from Commencal Muc Off on observe in the present day with Myriam Nicole nonetheless sidelined with concussion signs, and the 2022 World Cup DH Total Winner, Amaury Pierron, out with a fractured C5 sustained in Lenzerheide final weekend – as revealed by crew supervisor Thibaut Ruffin in an interview with FullAttack.
We want each Myriam and Amaury full and speedy recoveries.
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