Skilled Bike: Vali Höll World Champ YT Tues & DH RockShox BlackBoxxer Flight Attendant Fork
DH World Champ Valentina Höll obtained a model new TY Tues merely in time for the start of the 2024 World Cup season, so we thought we’d monitor it down for a Skilled Bike Look at. Nevertheless, it’s kitted out with all-new BlackBox Flight Attendant prototype gravity suspension from RockShox – a RockShox BlackBoxxer fork – so we couldn’t formally get the bike for a full photoshoot. As a substitute, we lurked throughout the World Cup pits, start line, and alongside the racetrack to get a greater look…
YT Tues adjustable carbon DH bike of World Champ Vali Höll
YT merely launched the latest evolution of their carbon Tues mk4 DH bike a number of weeks once more. And lucky for her, it already obtained right here in white to match her package deal. All she needed had been some rainbow accents. YT merely added a simple rainbow Tues decal behind the seattube. And RockShox managed to excessive it off with a specific World Champ BlackBox model of their not too way back updated Boxxer.
What makes a RockShox BlackBoxxer fork?
The white and rainbow stripes are good, nevertheless what about these 38mm gold stanchions? RockShox says that it’s actually the an identical precise low-friction arduous anodized coating that they supply to all Closing-level forks. Solely this time in gold for the World Champion.
For a lot of who’re questioning, it’s positively not Kashima. And side-by-side (on bikes cropped out of the an identical image), it’s clear that RockShox BlackBox gold has a barely additional yellow/orange tint to it vs. the bronze of Fox. Nevertheless the RockShox gold is inclined to maintain World Champ-only.
Colors are merely there to distract you from the reality that this RockShox BlackBoxxer is a Flight Attendant-equipped DH fork. It’s the first gravity fork to get Flight Attendant, given that path tune of the Zeb when Flight Attendant first debuted. We merely observed an all-new Vivid Coil and Vivid air shocks turning up with a model new computerized gravity-tune. So now it seems to be as if a Boxxer Closing Flight Attendant fork will spherical out the mixture for computerized digital suspension administration from XC to DH!
It’s moreover worth noting that Höll has the 2-button lefthand AXS controller on her bar that now permits for Override Mode to differ suspension modes if she needs one factor utterly completely different on the fly than what Flight Attendant is contemplating.
RockShox BlackBox Vivid Coil Flight Attendant to match!
We solely truly observed the title Vivid on a RockShox coil shock ultimate week, nevertheless we suspect that’s what’s hiding beneath the BlackBox stickers on Höll’s Flight Attendant coil shock. Rumor has it that this new BlackBox coil is additional tunable via customizable shim stacks vs. the Great Deluxe Coil. On the pores and skin they offer the impression of being remarkably associated, so I’ll be curious to review additional as quickly as SRAM formally releases them.
And naturally, as soon as extra we now have AXS battery-powered digital Flight Attendant computerized suspension administration to match the BlackBoxxer fork.
Quarq MTB DUB-spindle power meter?
One neat attribute we observed added with XC Flight Attendant earlier this spring, is that Höll’s bike wouldn’t desire a separate pedaling sensor, if it has an affect meter. And it doesn’t have the widespread pedal sensor inside the BB spindle. As a substitute, there appears to be the Quarq AXS transmitter from a DUB-Pwr power meter connected on the driveside crank arm. However, SRAM doesn’t however present a Quarq power meter spindle enhance for any of their MTB cranksets.
And there doesn’t seem like any Quarq electronics inside the non-driveside BB spindle.
So possibly, this Quarq AXS transmitter is barely a smaller, simpler reply for a pedaling sensor?
World Champion Assemble
Aside from the important thing RockShox BlackBoxxer stuff, Höll was racing the modern monitor with Continental Argotal tires mounted to alloy DT Swiss FR1500 wheels with Peaty’s valves and sealant inside.
She was working a mechanical SRAM X01 DH groupset with its 7-speed mini block cassette, carbon cranks, and Crankbrothers Mallet DH clipless pedals.
Her cockpit is a 35mm Renthal Fatbar with an an identical bolt-on stem, Ergon GDH Employees grips, and an Ergon SM Downhill Skilled Titanium saddle mounted to a Thomson seatpost. Ample stopping power comes from SRAM’s new strongest ever 4-piston Maven Closing brakes in splatter pink ano.
Highly effective luck in Poland, nevertheless a secure finish
Höll didn’t have among the finest luck on the Szczryk mountain monitor on the Bielsko-Biała DH World Cup. In her qualifying run she broke her chain on the start ramp, nevertheless as a protected rider didn’t ought to stress. Semis went correctly with a fast time that meant she was the ultimate Elite Woman to start out out the finals.
Then, completely devoted to a high-speed flip inside the increased portion of the monitor, Höll washed out her entrance tire in certainly one of many fast-changing moist ruts and ended up on the underside. Nonetheless, she stayed composed, obtained once more on the bike, and managed a secure sixth place finish.
Sufficient to take care of her in 1st inside the complete standings heading into Leogang in a pair weeks.
One different week with that #1 amount plate on her RockShox BlackBoxxer fork.
