Video: Steve Peat Races 2006 vs 2021 V10 Race Bike Down Le Pleney

 I'm that guy

 More like time to pull over and question all the crap the industry is feeding us

 When the edibles kick in.

 Lol

 HEHE reality always in question...

 Not really, Peaty would be faster than most of us on a Walmart bike.

 That’s cool that Ratboy is doing Peat’s mechanic work.

 26 ain't dead!

 Only 7 seconds and he styled every jump on the 26!

 @HaggeredShins: or all the crap people believe.

 Literally saw the guy drinking a beer at the top of the lift, fully dressed in that kit and the 2006 bike hanging beside him. Had to stop and get my head straight

 Is no one else going to talk about how they used the Parks and Rec theme in the video intro?

 @esporton: Everyone on here is that guy

 @mattg95: It's not the exact theme, just an extremely similar tune. I thought it was fun.

 @mattg95: yeah i clocked that too - sorta love it. cos thats what we do with bikes - go to (Bike) Parks ....

 @PHX77: lmao both of their accents are pretty similar, I wonder if they're from the same region in the UK

 @notthatfast: If it held together I think you are 100% correct.

 I was, that day.

 I mean, at that speed he’d have overtaken me 3 times. Lol

 Biopace 2.0

 I’ve got one or two in the garage if you’d like to pay extortionately for them?

 i was lol. neg responses must be the big guys (spec, cruz, dale)

 And dole out a bit more punishment!

 back in 2014 I set a pr on a segment of my local dh trail on a 26" alloy nomad (3:16 was the time, so a decent distance). Between then and 2018, I got 4 new bikes, all carbon frame/wheel jammies in either 27.5 and 29. The best time I ever did on that segment only improved by 8 seconds and it took an insane effort and a tiny change to the trail (not my choice) that probably accounted for 2-3 second all on its own.

 I have a 2013 Trek Slash (26") and a 2017 Rocky Mountain Slayer (27.5") and I regularly get Strava DH PBs on both bikes on the same trails. I find that how fast I am depends more on my confidence than how new the bike is.

 @Ritgut: definitely. also, if the trail is especially twisty or needs lots of short accelerations, a 26" wheel bike will accelerate faster (all other things being equal) on account of being effectively geared lower. the pr i mentioned above took place on a 120/140 29er vs the 170/180 i had on the 26er nomad at the time, so a totally different style of bike as well

 I agree... and I don't.
Last summer I rode one week in the Pyrénées mountains with my old 2008 RM Slayer, and even if it's enhanced and well equipped (170mm fork, short stem, wide bar, etc...) it was sketchy to ride on very technical terrains and in Lourdes' bike park compared to the aggro hardtail I mostly ride and which has a different geometry (Stanton Switchback w/160mm fork).
Wheel sizes aren't that different (27,5 Vs 26"), but the head tube angle (64° Vs 68°) makes a huuuuuge difference in term of confidence and commitment.
I used to enjoy to ride old-school (also because I'm 47, it fits well) but modern geometries and wheel sizes really make a big difference.
Currently building a 29er (Transition Smuggler) to replace my Slayer SXC... but still preferring to ride a hardtail

 Where’s that angry guy who’s always having temper tantrum’s about mullets in the comments? He needs to see this.

 100% true. However, the top riders vs. the top riders...every benefit counts when milliseconds are on the line.

 That's a hard one to guess though as the rider is Steve Peat- who is arguably one of the greatest racers of all time... and also one of the physically strongest riders to have raced professionally. I wonder if they had riders who were also very good, though not quite Steve Peat good, compare times on those bikes if the difference would not be more pronounced as, like Steve says, the newer bike makes the riding a bit easier and requires less muscling the bike around. The first thing I would keep in mind personally in taking anything from this video is... I am not Steve Peat. Very cool to see the old bike hold up so well.

 On the and half minute course that’s a lot

 I mean 3:30

 I mean the V10 in 2016 was insanely expensive already.

 The 'old bike' was the best money could buy at that time as well, that and take what ever variable for inflation, there isn't a $10k difference in the two bikes

 Am I the only one thinking that 7/8s on a 3min track is a lot?
Also, he was riding flats in the new bike and clips on the old one, depending on his style this might close the difference

 @Arierep: It is a lot. 7 seconds really are a lot, at the level Peaty is still riding at. And while 7 seconds might be almost nothing for the average rider, personally I‘m convinced the difference would be much bigger for Joe Average . I‘m 50 now, and just as fast or faster than I was 20 years ago on tracks around here, while my riding definitely hasn‘t become any better, and I‘ve become much more careful since crashing hurts for so long these days. Bikes have just become so much easier to ride, suspensions so much better. I wouldn‘t want to put myself anywhere near of where Peaty had to go on that 26 in the vid.

 @FuzzyL: Yup, completely agree.
All the comments acting as if "all these new tech only buy us 7s" seem to be quite removed from how big of a difference that is.
I think if people saw the actual lead distance they'd be astonished. Would certainly be a better visual reference

 @Arierep: The reality is, of all the new V10's I see in the lift line each weekend, none of them race the local series. So for $10k you get to go home and tell your wife you were 7 seconds faster for nothing.

 @chriskneeland: The premise of the video was not to assess how much better the new V10 is as a casual daily driver at the park. It was to see how fast it was. And it is faster by a good margin.

 So the latest tech has made him on average half a second faster per year, I'd say that's not bad going.

 @Arierep: Faster by a good margin? Maybe if you're on the clock. But everyone who races already knows this. I was actually surprised it was as close as it was. Just proved that if you don't need to gain 3 positions in your local race series then buy used.

 @chriskneeland: 7s is a lot, considering a 3min track. If one's assumes he's going at 30km/h, a 7s difference means a 58m gap. That's a lot.

And I know nothing about your local race scene, but 7s generally means way more than 3 places

 @Arierep: Your acting as if 7s/ 58m gap is a lot. Only Cathro's gap to the winner on average this WCDH season was 14s and the tracks were on average 3:03 long. So 7s is about the difference between 1st and 20th (both extraordinary times) in the modern race. Its not a lot

 @browner: Surely nobody genuinely thinks anyone, no matter how good, could make it into the top 20 of a WC race on a 2006 V10, just because it lost „only“ 7s in this video?

 @Arierep: You are not. 7/8 seconds at the last WC was a difference between 1st and about 32nd.

 @Tormy: So the difference between a payday, photos or nothing.

 @FuzzyL: If that isn't the conclusion of this video - then send Peaty back up that hill to do it again.

 Yes. And if we do the math, by the year 2388, he should be able to ride the trail in less than 10 sec., providing he can afford a 101k$ bike.

 @nouseforaname: or if you are a mid-pack rider, it could be the difference if you qualify. I think 45th to 60th was about 8 seconds at the last WC qualifier, I could be wrong.

 @chriskneeland: Exactly, if you aren't a pro racer 7 seconds isn't impressing me much, just ride what you have as fast you can and have a blast. A 10k bike is going to be way more comfy though!

 @Jo-rides: seems legit

 I can't agree more, so good to see Peaty again, legend.

 Wasn’t it? Fun seeing the wrenching as well as the riding

 Yup, back when the V10 had 10" of travel.

 Nah, I had my GF on Nomad 1 until couple of years ago and that bike felt fine with modern day bar width when I rode it.

 @void: nothing wrong with that bike, but today's enduro bikes are really big and very easy to go fast on.

 This gives some insight youtu.be/JOlc0a2eVTo

 @Bro-LanDog: have you tried turning one?

 @Grosey: yeah, but I'm 6'4" and finally feel like I fit in a bike instead of being on top of it w/ 515mm reach and a 1285 wheelbase. Today's big bikes aren't for everyone tho.

 I dunno. I still have an 2006 Enduro in my garage with 150mm of travel that is surprisingly fast when I want to push it. Climbing not quite so much fun and it was a portly bike for the time but still lighter than a lot of modern bikes!

 @ChazzMichaelMichaels: I enjoy my older bikes but longer reach/wheelbase, slacker head angles, 1x narrow wide drivetrains, clutch derailleurs, droppers, short stems, and wide bars really inspire confidence when things get hairy. A lot has changed in the past decade and most of it for the better.

 @Bro-LanDog: And all but two of those things are on my 06! I mean shit, it's got new Super Tackys which are more grippy than the MaxxGrips on my newer Enduro!

 @ChazzMichaelMichaels: sure, after they've been upgraded. But then it's no long period correct, and geometry makes a huge difference.

 @Bro-LanDog: Oh I realise this. But the inference is that someone who owns a bike from then hasn't necessarily left it as it came from the factory. Yep there's nothing you can do about geo, maybe overfork to get a little slacker. But a lot of the 'modern' improvements can be added to old bikes. Hell I rode my 2009 SX on an hour long XC ride yesterday. What a hoot. 780mm bars, tiny DMR stem, fast rolling rubber. 1x with clutch. None of it original, though to be fair they only came as a frame.

 not really what there comparing but if you were to sprinkle on modern componets like brakes suspension ect youd probably find the times close up a bit more also. I get the feeling the modern 29r might be easier to go faster on but the difference is probably not as big as people would think once sizing and componets are more comparable.

 @McMeta666: what isn't really what they are comparing?
You might be surprised if they tested modern suspension against older suspension.
They are moving oil past a shim stack v moving oil past a shim stack up front. The old one is custom black box, the new one custom black box.

The newer bike will feel more "comfortable" at speed, sacrificing some "nimbleness" in corners.

Different tracks will yield different results too, arguably the plenny suits the bigger bike too.

What it did show is that, margins are small, the cost has been massive for the consumer for these gains.

 Would actually be interesting if he compared his Orange 224 to the current V10. The Orange geometry was much more "progressive" at the time compared to what Santa Cruz was making. Plus I doubt Peaty preferred the Avid brakes over the Hope brakes.

 @vinay: having raced a 224 for a season (224 and not 224 Evo). Of all the dh bikes I have owned, it was the one I really didn't like, not only was it slow, it rode terrible too.
My worst race season of results was on that 224!

My best seasons on a V10.5. which I still have not changed but might do one day.

 @betsie: 224 Evo was bad

 No thank you.

 super mullet, aka the skullet

 I've wondered this for a while. The brief 69er XC fad has stopped a 26/29 DH / Park bike from being 'cool'. But there's some logic behind going with a 26er rear wheel, in terms of wheel strength, butt clearance on drops, frame packaging etc.....Hell bring back 3" Gazzas (or maybe another tire now....) for impact resistance and roll-over. I doubt the industry would dare go down this route at the moment when people are frothing over 27.5 / 29 mullets, but it'll be interesting to see if anyone dares buck the trend in the future.

 @trouble: aka the hulk hogan

 @wallheater: 3" Gazza, 26+

 @wallheater: You never know until you try.

 @recon311: the Billy Ray

 You've got a Racelink? So jealous, haha! I also really wanted a Foes Mono so much, but ended up settling for a Fly - still riding it to this day. As you say, can definitely have fun on the old bikes, especially with a few modern tweaks!

 @bmbracing: I do and I can't remember the last time I rode either but it was years ago.

 Apart from a flat why couldn't someone do a full run on the old bike? My 29er enduro is a hell of a lot faster and more stable than my early 2000's DH bike but I can guarantee that could hit everything on the old bike the new bike can hit and make a run at race pace.

 dude had strava back in 99' (i'm joking)
=

 @browner: Strava pioneer!

In reality I still have the Kona, it just doesn't get much use now

 Still got the retro Peaty Royal Racing jersey, and still occasionally seeing its intended use - the below photo was taken only a few months back! Complete with retro 661 helmet, MX pants and bike - sadly these are not Peaty-correct...

www.pinkbike.com/photo/21557992

 Ah yes! Finally someone catches on as well about balance

 … that day.

 If the point is to compare a top DH bike from 2006 with one from today, the sizing difference should count as part of the equation. One bike is what a top World Cup rider was on then, the other is what he'd be on now. It's not like there was any fundamental technology stopping them from building a larger bike in 2006. That was just the state of the art.

 @nattyd: Yeah, except that even the biggest bike from those days isn't really big enough for Steve Pete. So besides the older suspension technology, tires, etc, you have an added variable of ergonomics. I guarantee you, a shorter rider would be less uncomfortable on the old-school bike. Giving them one less excuse to be slower on the old bike, and a more accurate look at how old vs new equipment really compares.

 @nattyd:
There was nothing stopping them from building a bigger bike, true. For shorter riders though, they can size-up and have a bike that's almost the same size as the one they currently ride, except for bigger wheels/wheelbase.

 @Glory831Guy: But... that's not what they would have ridden in 2006. The question of "can you make a 2006 bike more like a 2021 bike by messing with sizing" is a lot less interesting than the direct comparison between then and now. And hey, let's be real - Steve Peat was one of the top riders in the world and if he had wanted a bigger bike, they could have made him one.

 That video is surely not meant to be „scientific“ in any way, it‘s just a fun exercise.

However, if rider height played that big a role guys like Peaty and Minnaar shouldn‘t have been so successful back then - taller riders should have become much better when bikes got bigger, and I can‘t see that trend, how tall is Bruni?

Whatever, this was great fun to watch.

 @FuzzyL:
Well, Greg Minnar is still winning despite being nearly twice the age of most of his competition. He was also quoted as saying something to the effect of 'this is the first bike that ever fit me right,' when talking about his XXL V10 with

 @FuzzyL:
I get yours and Natty's point about times changing, and that's what he would've been given at the time.

I still stand by my point of a shorter rider having a more competitive time on a 26" bike, and I would like to see that comparison done.

 @Glory831Guy: Sure a 29er with an ultra large frame is a better fit for someone like Minnaar then any off-the-shelf 26er frame back in the day.

But I don‘t see an immediate influence on results in a way that the early 2000s generation of bikes generally favored smaller riders, while today tall riders had a significant advantage…

 Those old Chromag Cut Block stems are bad ass! I would use one now it I could find one!

 The rear has "variable diameter" now. It's a feature.

 Syndicate has been using that all season... where you been?

 Energies in life repeat cause time is spiral... Josh astral energy it's on the DNA of the Syndicate seems...

 10s 60 riders, you nou qualify... It happened in Lenzerhide this season

 @PauRexs: exactly, people are making out like it’s not a big difference? We’ve seen races recently won by hundredths of a second…

Sure, if you’re not racing then who cares. Ride what you got, but I feel like the new bike also makes it a lot easier for people with less skills to go faster and feel safer and more comfortable doing so.

That 2006 bike was on the limit down there, I feel like the 29er still had more in the tank…

 @SonofBovril: thatsy excatly what I said more up... All bikes are good until you find it's limit....

 The one made of recyclable materials that costs at least 90% less?

 @lacuna: sure, but what was that bike worth in 2006, and what will a 2021 V10 be worth in 2036?

 @N-60: Why does that matter? This is about what you can go out and buy now.

 @lacuna: haha thx for the laugh . " i buy bikes cus they can be recycled"

 @quesoquesoqueso: Do you?