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Vali Holl's New 29er DH Bike & Air Suspension

Mar 7, 2019
by Mike Levy  
Junior racer Vali Holl had the kind of season that dreams are made of, winning all seven World Cup races and a World Championship to boot. Oh yeah, it was her first season doing the World Cup circus, too, making it all the more impressive. With that kind of success behind her, you might be surprised to learn that she's making a number of major changes to her setup for 2019, including a move from 27.5'' to the 29'' hoops on YT's new Tues big-wheeler downhill bike.




Also worth noting is that Holl is going from the coil-spring that she ran for the entire 2018 season to an air-sprung damper from RockShox. This in itself isn't shocking (I'm sorry, that was terrible) but check out the air can on her bike that she posted on her personal Instagram yesterday; notice anything odd? The bottom end of the air can mushrooms out considerably, especially compared to a normal air can's shape, which has likely been done to provide her with a more linear suspension rate.

As we all know, World Cup racers are hitting things much harder than the average rider, which usually means that they're looking for more ramp-up through the stroke. Holl is far from a large and heavy rider, though, and she might not have been using as much suspension travel as she should. A more linear suspension rate from a larger air volume could be the solution. Differently sized air cans are hardly new - depending on the model, consumers can choose different sizes, and we often see World Cup and EWS racers using unreleased air cans.

This particular version is something that was spotted during last year's season before popping up on Holl's bike yesterday, and that testing could lead to a production version as well.
photo
The air can on the left sports an increased volume (see how it expands out at the top) compared to the standard air cans pictured to the right.


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52 Comments
  • 38 2
 Vali Hoooooooooooll! Vali Hoooooooool! We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
  • 2 0
 Is that a song from therion? Ahaha
  • 1 0
 @TheLongMan: nah that's Zepp man!
  • 30 1
 looks like vorsprungs corset
  • 28 43
flag WAKIdesigns (Mar 7, 2019 at 14:28) (Below Threshold)
 It is time to put on the corset darling...
  • 1 0
 Is it just me or does the crank look different from the standard x0 too?
  • 12 0
 @trippleacht: as in it isnt snapped?
  • 3 0
 @zyoungson: Oh snap!
  • 12 1
 the Tues has traditionally been a very progressive design, So making the air shock more linear doesn't surprise me. Another clean sweep for Vali again I think!
  • 4 2
 think vali is gonna start in the elite category this year, ben cathro mentioned it in a podcast. but haven‘t seen any confirmation yet.
  • 7 0
 @striveCF15: I heard that too, and hopefully she'll be listed for for a reasonable price in the fantasy league when it's confirmed. I see value there.
  • 4 0
 @striveCF15: I'd let her enjoy a couple more years on juniors to give the other girls a chance to beat her - I've no doubt she'll put fantastic results in elite but I wouldn't rush and cut her life too short
  • 2 0
 @Luis-Sc: maes jumped up early not hurt him, racers tend to want the challenge
Nobody wants to sandbag unless your vain ego driven wannabe
  • 2 0
 @Luis-Sc: She has competition in the juniors?
  • 2 0
 @enduroFactory: i'm not familiar with his race history and if he dominated ( or not ) his junior season like vali did - i believe staying would send a positive message to her fellow competitors, that there is more to learn in juniors and there is still an opportunity to beat her before she came and she was gone, absolutely untouchable - it's absolutely ok if she decides to move up the league and i'm sure she'll hit the podium sooner than later, that would be exciting to see - however, i still prefer to see a horde of experienced new blood hit the elite league and actually turn the scene around, than a single defiant gladiator thrown into the lions as soon as people think she's ready... ( wish i could express myself better than this, really - unless she really wants to move up and start beating records... in that case... elite class, here we go )
  • 1 0
 @Luis-Sc: She would of made a few podiums last year had she been in the elite category. Based off my fuzzy memory her times placed her in the top 5 or 6 in most races. Please correct me if I am wrong.
  • 1 0
 Ben stated that he didn't say that, the other guy on the podcast said something to that effect, but Ben said he thought that she was going to spend the season in juniors.
  • 7 1
 I only weigh 65kg and I constantly have trouble with the standard air shocks and forks. In every case I need to increase the negative air to get better small bump compliance while maintaining mid stroke support. I've achieve it in every case with the Vorsprung Luftkappe and Corsets. Bike manufacturers need to get with the program and start offering different suspension options with their bikes.
  • 1 0
 I have the same troubles. Its also impossible to get a fast enough rebound without messing with shims
  • 1 0
 Rocky Mountain bikes with their Ride9 tech allow you to use two different shock rates.
  • 7 0
 Clarification: increase negative air volume.
  • 4 0
 If I'd had a clean sweep the previous year I wouldn't let anyone touch my bike. I may consider letting my employer put 2019 stickers on it.
  • 6 0
 But if you gas a lead of about 20 seconds on average it might not matter all that much. Still, a little strange to swap a coil shock for an air version and then going to lengths to make it as linear as possible...
  • 2 0
 and that's why you would probably not have a clean sweep anymore - it's all about progression and development; if you don't your rivals will! It's like saying to Gwin and his team in 2011 not to develop the bike further because it worked.
  • 1 1
 @FuzzyL: sounds like Gwin didnt have enough time to help YT perfect the 29er so now they have to run in circles trying to figure it out on their own.
  • 6 0
 But yt said anyone under 5 ft 9 is too small for a 29er
  • 1 0
 Wow Lev-master, I am disappointed in your total lack of understanding of air cans. That was painfully wrong, please do your homework next time, so you don‘t spread false knowledge.
Again, for the hundredth time: bigger neg chambers make the spring curve more linear in the first 2/3 of stroke (more coil like), but lead to more ramp up torwards the end (more air inside to reach same sag). Not that difficult me thinko...
  • 1 0
 Can someone please explain how a larger negative spring volume makes an air shock more linear, well other than the fact that that the vacuum effect of the negative chamber is less as the stroke is utilised.
  • 2 3
 Larger negative volume just decreases the initial force required to start the stroke, doesn't effect ramp up
  • 2 2
 @Demoguy: wrong
  • 1 0
 @Vulhelm: please elaborate.... "wrong" doesn't help anyone.
  • 1 0
 The article didn't mention larger NEGATIVE volume, just a more linear spring rate from a larger volume.
  • 2 0
 Yoann seems to currently be running the same or a smillar air can: www.instagram.com/p/Buo4L5ygRvc
  • 2 4
 That‘s NOT an aircan he is running. But size an bulky part at the top make it seem like one Smile
  • 2 0
 @Lasse2000: its most definitely the same air can....
  • 2 0
 Do we still not even know whether she's planning to race Elite? Maybe I missed something?
  • 1 0
 I believe she said she will not.
  • 2 1
 Except that the extra volume you can see in the picture will not mean more linear travel but progressive because that is the negative side.
  • 3 0
 Wonder how tall she is? 29" is pretty tall for smaller riders...
  • 1 1
 According to Google, she's 157cm tall which is pretty short.
  • 1 0
 And many more I guess... She´s got an excellent mechanic who knows all the Hoooli secrets of being working hand to hand with Nico Vouilloz...
  • 2 0
 it would be nice if us mere mortals could get our hands on those.
  • 9 3
 She’s too young for you anyway... ohh, you meant the air cans?
  • 3 2
 It's a revolution, never seen before *cough* monarch debonair, fox evol. Sorry *cough*
  • 1 0
 I hope Vali gets the bike devs to start building stuff more suitable for shorter and lighter riders.
  • 1 0
 Interesting air can. Probably has to do with her weight. That new 29er Tues is drop dead gorgeous Drool
  • 1 0
 Magic mushroom suspension design. Bonkers!
  • 1 0
 aand now everyone is running 29" dh bikes..
  • 1 0
 Wow, that is such an EVOLution on the air sleeve......
  • 1 3
 Interested to see what stroke the is on that, doesnt look like a 67mm stroke
  • 1 5
flag constantly-broken FL (Mar 7, 2019 at 16:36) (Below Threshold)
 Correction, 89mm stroke. 2 weeks of course training has friend my brain, time for me to go and buy a cheap shitty bike and ride off Thredbo
  • 2 0
 @rabbit-Tbone: *fried







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