14 Custom Painted World Champs Helmets - Lenzerheide DH World Champs 2018

 post of the day right there

 That´s why somethimes I miss Ireland :-) :-) :-)

 Blenki's sign marker pointing to Wellington way the heck in the distance is pretty funny. +1 for off beat Kiwi humour.

 Glad someone else has the same opinion... add in the bulldog, the tribute on top... stunning. Brook's does it for me... but all are awesome. I had to pick my jaw up a few times lol.

 indeed. love the bulldog on the back

 @mtbikeaddict: Just curious, who is that a tribute to? I'm a tad out of the loop (but plenty loopy!)

 @EastCoastDHer: His grandfather that passed away this year i believe.

 Agreed! Reece's lid is ace! I want one.

 Wyn has matching shoes painted up too. Add that to his bike, and it's a bit too much silver fern...

 Wyn with the DeWalt & GT stickers.....stickers.

 Reece's helmet is embarrassing! Why not go the whole hog with the stereotyping and cover it in thistles and haggis and maybe Irn Bru...

 @endlessblockades: He puts them on after it's painted - I don't use stickers in place of paint.

 Cuz f1 drivers arent as cool

 Disagree with that ???? Depends who’s helmet it is. That’s what I used to love about racing Karts, saving up and getting a new custom lid. I blew 20% of an entire years budget on one, so worth it.

 Reece helmet is the same as Coulthard's, which is sick!

 It depends how you define cool I guess. In my opinion, £37,000,000 is a lot cooler than £100,000.

 Probably a plain pastel crayon...... looks like all his gear is just.........potato

 Looks like Luca is going with the old Yamaha “YZ’ theme...

 His whole kit and lid is Waffle House inspired-as requested by Luca.

 @stikmanglaspell: I'm pretty certain he called my store for Dollar General stickers....

 I wanna know, but I'm definitely not googling that at work.

 @Connerv6: I dare you www.monkeys-sauce.com

 I like it too. Everyone has ugly events in their history, it’s just what you choose to focus on and celebrate. The biggest battle ever fought in New Zealand was between indigenous people before Europeans came. I’m not justifying ugly past behavior, but the idea that any particular group of people messed up an otherwise peaceful and tranquil existence around the globe isn’t accurate. There are things in US history I’m ashamed of and others that I’m very proud of. All We can do is try to make decisions that my descendants can be proud of too.

 @BiNARYBiKE: well put. Nice to hear a bit of nuance and subtlety regarding one’s home country. No country is innocent, and no one has made no mistakes. Ignoring them makes it way harder to learn from them.

 @BiNARYBiKE: The biggest battle fought in NZ was between Maori and European settlers when the European were forcibly taking land, look up the New Zealand wars

 @HairyYeti: Thanks. I'm sure the New Zealand Wars were bigger overall and I will defer to a local on the history, but if you google it, the Battle of Hingakaka (between natives before the europeans arrived) is known as the biggest single battle (according to The Oxford companion to New Zealand military history). Anyway, my point is that indigenous people in various lands weren't free from tragic or ugly events prior to colonialism. Again not excusing the behavior of colonials. And side note, New Zealand is top of my list of places to visit someday. From what I can tell, it looks dang near perfection.

 @HairyYeti: I think you are both wrong. The most casualties were in the so-called Musket Wars when iwis (tribes) that acquired the musket's first from the Europeans went off on Utu (revenge) inspired rampage's and supposedly killed around 20 000 other Maori in the process. 'Only' around 3-4000 died in the NZ wars and in the pre European wars no one really knows but its hard to kill too many, at one time, in thick bush with clubs and spears.

 @45Sox: your point shows how hard it is to make broad historical claims. I said “biggest” battle, which can be measured in multiple ways, not just casualties. And the Musket Wars were a whole series of battles and skirmishes. In any case they prove my point as well. I’m suddenly learning a lot more NZ history than I ever planned!

 so sick. pre production 2019 d3 I hope. love, love, love Bob Hannah black and yellow.

 Didge-Bong. Sick.

 agreed

 Hey man, most painters are small one or two man businesses. Some just paint, others design and paint. I started out as a graphic designer so I do both parts

 @properp: Please don't start with that talk.

 @endlessblockades: whole thing is getting out of control... I just read in the news that some wheelchair basketball players refuse to stand as well...

 @properp: isn't America all about "freedom". Meaning people should have the freedom to stand, or sit, or kneel during the anthem? You think it should be law to stand for the anthem? sounds like something a dictator would enforce.

 @properp: respect ideas like freedom and equal rights. It’s the ideas that people died to defend and its these ideas that athletes want to bring awareness too because some people forget. It’s these ideas that should be respected.
Flags are just colorful logos for geographic boundaries.

 @michibretz: Our flag is also the symbol for those ideas

 @mtbikeaddict: right, so what's more important? honoring the ideas of freedom and equality for all humans ? or honoring the symbol over all even if it means to a abridge the very values you argue it stands for?

What some people do when the kneel down during the presentation of this symbol before a sporting event is trying to remind the public in these very values. Trying to remind you that all humans should be treated equal independent of race.
but some other people think that no one should have the freedom to choose how to honor the idea of freedom and equality and that frankly is BS.

And even if you think the symbol is more important than the idea, how is kneeling down in front of it disrespectful? you are supposed to kneel down in front of the queen of england, your are supposed to kneel down infront of the cross in the catholic church... kneeling down in general is something to show the uttermost respect.

 @michibretz: My, my... a little triggered, aren't we? I'm not even gonna pretend to get into this mess. All I said was that the flag is not valueless. Nothing more.

 @mtbikeaddict: exactly what is said when you replied to me?!

I am just curious why some folks get upset if some practises the very right this symbol stands for?

 @michibretz: www.pinkbike.com/photo/16324080

 Luca and Wallace are Troy Lee Designs paint shop

 Most of them have the painter's logo on, except Reece's and Marine's from what I can see.

 Don't know, but I like his statement respecting their culture.

 NZ riders always use maori imagry

 Yep Churchill on the top of Matts lid

 Churchill on MW, and Brook on Brook

 Does anyone have trump on their lid?

 I think it's Brook's grandfather.

 @onemind123: I don't think I saw any orange in there

 @onemind123: this

 @BrigadierBuege: late grandfather

 It's walker who has the Churchill portrait.

 Except Churchill was 50% american

 oops

 Interesting enough, but I have to disagree with you since is my favourite kit and bike.

 If there has ever been a year to hide the US flag, 2018 would certainly qualify*.

*Most other years too, but that's another topic.

 The question is - are these athletes at the World Championships primarily to represent their countries, or are they there primarily to compete as individuals? Personally, I lean more toward them competing as individuals first, who are representing their countries second.

 Is there anything more American than a Waffle House themed bike and kit? (Besides a red white and blue kit, of course)

 @jbravo: For sure. Individual first, country second. Just my opinion regarding color scheme, each to his own. Gotta love all the custom stuff to gaze regardless!

 @kcr138: awful house

 I think the bike/helmet combo is awesome, but I kinda agree it was an odd choice for world's. Still, when most of the riders have red/white/blue (in some combination) bikes it's a nice change

 Edit: I didn't realize it's legitimately waffle House inspired, just thought it was yellow. Pretty dope. Lol.

 @Broth-Ratchurch: You could always start with the little flag you have next to your name. I mean, if you wanted to be consistent and all. Or you could just do what people like you do and complain about this country while enjoying all it’s benefits, and never have the courage to take your own advice and go find the greener pastures you think exist. But don’t worry, either way you still have a First Ammendment and Freedom of Speech, even if used against the country that provides it.

 Pulling for Shaw, but would love to see a little red white and blue.

 Been there done that, we are glad Luca wanted to go Waffle House theme, without being overly blatant.

 @Broth-Ratchurch: amen to that

 @jbravo: individuals i'd say, especially knowing USAC does not do anything for the riders to get there.

 @dtm1: genuine question here, not trying to aggravate. Imagine this will get downvoted to oblivion, but here goes.

Is it really that bad to think one’s own country could be better? My country is generally looked upon with somewhat favourable opinions globally, but I can’t imagine thinking we were immune to or undeserving of criticism. While differing on politics of the day is expected, I can’t see how believeing one’s own country can be better than it currently is could be viewed as being against that country. The most patriotic thing I can imagine would be to fight and claw to be better, not to settle for what we have, but strive for more. We see this in a very visceral sense with some of the middle eastern uprising of a few years ago, or for that matter the tea party and occupy Wall Street groups in your own country (opposite ends of a spectrum many would argue, but rooted in the same establishment frustration. Was the shame implied in the OP’s comment the offending aspect? As a person who has studied social norms, I am intrigued by this. Sorry for rambling. I might have hit that koala bong that other dude posted about...

 @VwHarman: no it's not. Anyways I don't see french people complaining about loic s bike (being gold/silver instead of blue white red), because they don't have this stupid mentality "my country's colors are the best and if you're not waving the flag you're a traitor". Another point isn't that the colors that symbolize one country are not mandatorily the ones on the flag. An Italian could have a blue bike and it would be official national colors.

The only thing that should be discussed in here is how mondraker didn't make a proper custom bike for brook and Laurie although they are some of the best riders out there. It's embarrassing for mondraker