Leogang Worlds: Steve Smith’s Carbon Devinci Wilson

September 5th, 2012

By Factory Jackson in Tech

Of all the bikes in the pits at Leogang, you’d be hard pushed to pick one that truly stood out. This was especially true with all the custom ‘worlds’ bikes from Santa Cruz, Nukeproof, GT and Lapierre, to name just a few and what if the custom S-Works Demos hadn’t been delayed? Yes, they were on their way, but hiding alone in the Devinci Global Racing pits was something very special indeed. The Devinci Wilson was always a marmite bike, or at least I thought so, until I saw this incarnation and oh my…

Photos: Nathan ‘Nate Dog’ Carvell & Burgtec’s Dave Barton | Words: Olly Forster

This bike was surely meant to be made from carbon fibre, there’s no two ways about it. The seamless lines and the sick paint job – not to mention all the BlackBox stuff dripping off it! This bike was simply legit on and off the course.

Oh Canada! Devinci’s corporate colours coincidentally match their homelands flag very nicely and with a red and white bike in the catalogue most years, plus the carbon Wilson being in the ’13 catalogue (not sure about colours though…) who knows, we might see a bike like this at your local track very soon?

Full Sram – check the fork bumpers!

We are big fans of the RockShox Vivid here at FJ, but do you notice anything unusual about this Vivid shock? This is still a BlackBox prototype and most likely a 2014 product, which if so will hopefully translate to a release next summer. The new shock doesn’t just have new dials, it’s completely re-worked internally with more adjustment.

Opposite side of the new shock. Check out the downtube protector and how it sits away from the frame to offer a degree of flex from impacts. Neat huh? The red BB shell is a BlackBox ceramic offering and although available to joe public, will set you back nearly £200! Thankfully that black thing hanging off the seat-tube won’t cost nearly as much as that’s just a piece of inner tube to keep the shock clean from roost.

If a factory bike doesn’t have a ti spring it’s saying something! We didn’t have any scales and neither did Nigel (Stevie’s mechanic), but experience tells me this beast was around the 37lb mark. New Crank Bros Mallet DH’s too – easily the best looking clips on the market… Nearly as there not quite available yet.

Check out the paint-job detail!

Another close up of the new Vivid and what’s that circular black thing at the top of the spring? Looks like Sram are experimenting with thrust bearing in the rear now too – they’ve had them in the top of the coil sprung part of the new BlackBox World Cup Boxxers all year, which although still technically an air fork, have a spring now too. Also: see where the shock bolts to the frame – carbon bikes just look amazing!

The aluminium chainstays are the last part of the bike not to go carbon. Nigel stuffs tissue in the holes when he cleans the bike to prevent water and dirt getting in their and a bag over the caliper to keep any foreign objects or oil based crap from getting in there. Factory shit right there folks! Check out the alternative caliper mount too…

Most of the Sram guys were running the new 4-Pot X0 Trail brake and it seems that it’s being specked on quite a few complete production DH bikes next year too. Not having tried them yet and still testing the new Code brake, I have heard these are a tad bighty for trail use, but DH, where weight is important, could make these the ones to look at. Notice anything else? 8 speed block and a carbon guard/spacer. When will Sram and Shimano realise that DH riders, A – want what the pros have and B – don’t want or need 10 gears. Time will tell on that one…

You know when you’ve made it when Odi laser etch your name into your grip collar!

Nigel mods the e*thirteen LG1+ with some high grade industrial velcro – this is the same stuff I keep recommending to you guys as it rules. Chainstays, replacing the velcro in your Leatt or helmet, etc… This stuff is pretty much just the bollox, but pricey at around £13 a roll and available in most UK hardware stores.

Devinci made a custom carbon Mucky Nutz /Marsh Guard (who does have the patent for this product out of interest?) style front fender, but apparently it just wasn’t thick enough to support the amount of mud and crud the track was spitting at the riders leading up to finals.

So, what do you think?

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