INTERVIEW
DOWNAMICS DATA ACQUISITION AND RACE ENGINEERING
“THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT’S GOOD TO BE A WEIGHT WEENIE”
Interview by Robert Johnston
Photos by Rae McKenzie & Downamics
THE LOAM WOLF: WHAT IS DOWNAMICS, AND HOW DID IT COME TO BE?
Downamics is a data acquisition and analysis service for mountain bikers run by me: Nick Lester (NL). It offers the most in-depth and comprehensive insight into bike performance, rider techniques and the relationship between the two in order to get the bike set up in the best possible way and understand how the bike/rider system can be improved to help the rider go faster. It goes into a lot more detail than just looking at how the suspension is working, we can look at a wide range of data streams such as axle G-Forces, lean angles, corner arcs, weight distribution, brake pressures, oversteer and understeer, suspension travel and velocities and more.
This level of data comes from the data acquisition hardware which in this case is the Stendec Data system which was created by the late genius Dave Garland.
Downamics was born out of a need to improve my own performance as a racer. I also have an unhealthy obsession with data and how it’s used to drive changes rather than guessing or trial and error. Having paid a lot of attention to this developing technology in mountain biking, I wanted to see how if it could be used to help my performance on race day and quickly decided that it would be a huge extravagance for a grass roots racer, but I saw a gap in the market to offer this as a service to help other racers improve their results too. It doesn’t just benefit racers though, because using this technology we can get your bike set up improved massively and give you an idea of how your riding can be limiting your potential too.
TLW: WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE YOU STARTED DOWNAMICS?
NL: Before I started Downamics I worked in the paper industry for 15 years. Working shifts meant plenty of time for riding and racing and I learned a lot of valuable lessons and tools that I’ve been able to apply to my own business. At the paper mill I covered several roles from starting as a temp to being a team leader, so it’s served me well and helped me a lot with everything from people skills to managerial skills to time management and more. The appreciation for data also came from there as well as my interest in F1 and how data is used to drive decision making and fact-based conclusions.
TLW: YOU’VE OBVIOUSLY GOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF DATA TO WORK WITH. IF YOU’VE ONLY GOT A DAY WITH A RIDER, WHERE WOULD YOU FOCUS YOUR ENERGY TO FIND THE BIGGEST GAINS?
NL: In a day you can address most things. Getting the bike working properly is the priority, and during that process I’m giving the rider feedback about their braking and cornering which can be worked on each run, and it brings awareness to issues with technique that the rider will then be thinking of more consciously each ride after. Bike set up is instant as it’s mechanical changes but changes to technique require the rider to practice after the days testing. Then there’s areas in between the two like weight distribution which can be a mechanical adjustment (e.g., bar height, lever angle, reach etc.) and/or technique, such as bringing the elbows up and out or dropping heels more.
The braking feedback offers the biggest gains because it’s usually very clear where braking is incorrect or in the wrong place on track, and that unlocks a lot of speed. But getting the bike balanced and performing properly gives the rider a lot more confidence because it’s predictable and composed. So, combining all this inevitably makes for more speed, more grip and a more confident rider.
TLW: IN TERMS OF BRAKING TECHNIQUE, WHAT ARE MOST PEOPLE DOING WRONG?
NL: The main problem with braking is something every rider is guilty of, and that’s braking in the wrong places. Sometimes it’s a necessary evil, other times the rider might have got off-line and most of the time it’s just muscle memory, so the hardest part is unlearning those bad habits. This is what takes practice and requires the rider to focus on it well after our days testing, but at least they’re now aware of it and they’ve actually seen it happening rather than leaving it down to perception or thinking “they might have been dragging the brakes there”.
Also showing a rider the effects of braking, not only in the wrong place, but braking as an action anywhere, is very valuable too. You can show a rider the weight transfer, frame movements and effects on lean angles, so for example we all know braking in the middle of a corner is bad, but I can show you why this is bad and the effects of it. This really helps the rider properly understand it with graphs, and most people respond better to a visual.
TLW: HOW DO PROFESSIONAL AND “AMATEUR” RIDERS DIFFER IN THEIR RESPONSE TO YOUR SERVICES? IS EITHER GROUP NOTICEABLY EASIER OR HARDER TO WORK WITH?
NL: Both are usually very receptive to the feedback and good at taking onboard what’s happening and making changes. Professional riders tend to make changes to their inputs to the bike quicker than an amateur and a professional will also recognize and adjust to set up changes to the bike easier as well, but this is to be expected really with the amount of time they spend on their bikes.
When making changes to braking for example, it’s best to slow down and apply the change on the next run then build up speed after that which an amateur struggle to do, and I’m guilty of this myself. It’s hard to go slower in order to go faster but it’s essential.
Braking Analysis from Two Runs
TLW: WE’VE SPOTTED YOU PLAYING WITH FRAME WEIGHTS AND MENTION THAT YOU THINK SOME BIKES ARE TOO LIGHT. WHAT IMPACT CAN A “TOO-LIGHT” BIKE HAVE OUT ON THE TRAIL? ARE PEOPLE GOING WRONG BY SHAVING WEIGHT OFF THEIR MACHINES WITH THE FANCIEST PARTS?
NL: For me it’s about having the weight in the right places. There are places where it’s good to be a weight weenie and there are places where you really don’t want to be losing weight. This applies to gravity-based riding mostly though. Ebikes get a lot of praise for how planted they feel and how well suspension seems to work on them, and a lot of this perception is down to the extra weight and its location. Now, I’m not suggesting we all strap 7kgs to the bottom of our bikes but adding small amounts in key locations will help the bike work better in terms of grip, carrying speed and helping the suspension work more effectively. It’s a tricky subject, like counter balancing wheels, there’s a lot to consider and experiment with but there are advantages to be exploited in this area. You don’t want a bike that’s so light that it struggles to hold a line or position on the trail and that makes the suspension’s life even harder than bike suspension’s life already is.
It’s a tricky balance to get right but a bike that’s too light is as much of a problem as a bike that’s too heavy.
TLW: HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH AN ENDURO AND DOWNHILL RIDER DIFFERENTLY WHEN PROVIDING YOUR SERVICE?
NL: In reality they don’t need a different approach. The important part of Enduro is the same as Downhill – getting from top to bottom as quickly as possible. So, in that respect, the demands and requirements of the bikes are the same.
The Enduro rider has to be able to pedal up to the top, but with lockouts and climb switches this doesn’t mean sacrifices have to be made when getting the bike in the best position to descend quickly. There are some tweaks we can make with regards to the bike’s balance if that’s a concern of the rider. Each case is different of course.
Braking Analysis from Two Runs
TLW: WE’VE SPOTTED YOU PLAYING WITH FRAME WEIGHTS AND MENTION THAT YOU THINK SOME BIKES ARE TOO LIGHT. WHAT IMPACT CAN A “TOO-LIGHT” BIKE HAVE OUT ON THE TRAIL? ARE PEOPLE GOING WRONG BY SHAVING WEIGHT OFF THEIR MACHINES WITH THE FANCIEST PARTS?
NL: For me it’s about having the weight in the right places. There are places where it’s good to be a weight weenie and there are places where you really don’t want to be losing weight. This applies to gravity-based riding mostly though. Ebikes get a lot of praise for how planted they feel and how well suspension seems to work on them, and a lot of this perception is down to the extra weight and its location. Now, I’m not suggesting we all strap 7kgs to the bottom of our bikes but adding small amounts in key locations will help the bike work better in terms of grip, carrying speed and helping the suspension work more effectively. It’s a tricky subject, like counter balancing wheels, there’s a lot to consider and experiment with but there are advantages to be exploited in this area. You don’t want a bike that’s so light that it struggles to hold a line or position on the trail and that makes the suspension’s life even harder than bike suspension’s life already is.
It’s a tricky balance to get right but a bike that’s too light is as much of a problem as a bike that’s too heavy.
TLW: HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH AN ENDURO AND DOWNHILL RIDER DIFFERENTLY WHEN PROVIDING YOUR SERVICE?
NL: In reality they don’t need a different approach. The important part of Enduro is the same as Downhill – getting from top to bottom as quickly as possible. So, in that respect, the demands and requirements of the bikes are the same.
The Enduro rider has to be able to pedal up to the top, but with lockouts and climb switches this doesn’t mean sacrifices have to be made when getting the bike in the best position to descend quickly. There are some tweaks we can make with regards to the bike’s balance if that’s a concern of the rider. Each case is different of course.
TLW: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE FROM DOWNAMICS MOVING FORWARD? ANY ADDITIONS TO THE DATA ACQUISITION REPERTOIRE, OR NEW AREAS YOU’D LIKE TO MOVE INTO?
NL: As well as the data testing and bike setup with riders, I also provide race engineering services, applying data acquisition to a race scenario to help that rider/team be as competitive as possible by closing gaps and going after the marginal gains.
There’s always new tools and ways to analyze the data that I’m developing which helps with getting the bike and rider in the best possible position to go as fast as possible. It’s definitely a case of continuous improvement and chasing any advantage possible and by doing that I find myself on this ever-changing learning curve which you won’t find me complaining about.
To learn more about Downamics or book yourself in for a session, head to www.downamics.com
LEAVE A COMMENT, WIN FREE SWAG!
Want to win some free schwag? Leave a comment and vote up the most thoughtful comments and each month we’ll pick a winner. The person with the smartest and most helpful replies will earn some sweet new gear. Join the Pack and get the latest news and read the latest reviews on the top mountain and electric mountain bikes.