Steve Peat's Santa Cruz V-10

Fastest on the mountain

By Mikkeli Godfree

Nathan Rennie posted the fasted time in qualifying for the world Downhill championships and picked up the bronze medal on his machine on Saturday. Steve Peat finished narrowly out of the medals on his V-10, but was second on Thursday's seeding run.

Even if the V-10 bike doesn't win the World Championship, Peat is poised nicely to take the World Cup Series with an almost unassailable lead as the riders head off to the last round after the World Championships down under.

We talked to the Santa Cruz mechanics Ed Chavez and Matthiu Dupelle about the setups on both Rennie and Peat's bikes after the seeding runs. "The two greatest differences between the two bikes is the suspension setup, Rennie's is harder. Tyres also is a big area of difference. Peaty always goes with a little harder compound and a narrower tyre (a 2.2" on the back).

Nathan does a little adjustment to the upshift lever on the XO shifter and he also runs way wider bars, almost 20m wider - Nathan runs little extensions on them actually (little solid aluminium ones). Peaty doesn't use lock-on grips like a lot of other riders. The grip on them is better than most of the lock ons and he doesn't like the metal edge on the lock-ons.

"The greatest similarity between the bikes is that they both have Nathan Rennie stickers on them! Nathan likes Peaty's bike so much he put his sticker on it. Steve's got a sense of humour though so he just left it on. It does confuse people though!

"We'll probably keep the setups the same right up through to the race because it won't dry out too much and there is a lot of loose dirt up there and a lot of moisture, that and showers are forecast for Friday and Saturday's race day. "

Spec differences

The two greatest differences between the bikes is the suspension setup, Rennie's is harder. Tyres are also a big area of difference. Peaty always goes with a little harder compound and a narrower tyre (a 2.2 on the back).

Rennie does a little adjustment to the upshift lever on the XO shifter and he also runs much wider bars, almost 20m wider. he runs little extensions on them actually - little solid aluminium ones. Peaty doesn't use lock-on grips like alot of other riders. The grip on them is better than most of the lock ons and he doesn't like the metal edge on the lock-ons.

Photos

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Mikkeli Godfree/Cyclingnews.com

• The rear end with full SRAM throughout and Holzfeller OCT cranks topped off with MRP carbon chain device.
• Looking down the barrel of the gun on Peat's bike.
• The same setup at the front end as Rennie.
• Looks can be deceiving , Rennie has left his mark on Peat’s steed.
• Did I mention that Peat is patriotic? The grips and headset cups.
• SRAM XO short cage rear derailleur on Peat's bike - it's very short.
• The fastest bike in seeding at the ’06 World Championships - Rennie’s Santa Cruz V-10.
• Rennie’s bike with that lovely carbon mudguard , SRAM and some hard-worn cranks.
• Rennies bike has World Cup Boxxers on the Black Box programme - all business up front.
• Down low on Rennie's bike.
• A custom filing job on the XO up-shift lever for Rennie.
• Patriotic as ever - Peat’s Santa Cruz V-10 sporting the Union Jack design.