Comments on: Team “NASA Niner” Win Honors In Italy http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy 29er Bike Reviews, Rumors and News Fri, 25 May 2012 08:09:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tim Allen http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/#comment-59566 Tim Allen Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:20:20 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2675#comment-59566 Ciao from Canzo Italy, What a pleasure to read all the comments on this blog! Thanks to all, for the compliments! After the race in Finale, I continued my holiday throughout Italy. I brought only my single speed One9 and my girlfriend. Every town that we visit, I meet mountain bikers that are shocked when they see the bike I am riding. The ask me if I like it and I smile and nod my head! 29 Molto Bene!!! Then I explain that I'm from Arizona, USA and that Niner sent me to Finale to compete in the 24 hour race. I enjoy trying to translate my love for the big wheels. It is interesting to me, the different reactions to the Niner. The most common response from bike shop owners and fellow Italian racers was that in Italy, weight is very IMPORTANT because the level of racing is very high. They explained that adding bigger wheels simply meant a heavier bike. Then I would tell them to pick up my bike;) They couldn't believe how light it was! I am stoked that Niner is bringing the Big revolution to Europe, and I am honored to be a part of it! I hope to return to Finale next year! Grazie mille to Chris, Mauro and all of my teammates! Ciao Niner Bikes are the FUTURE! Ciao from Canzo Italy,
What a pleasure to read all the comments on this blog! Thanks to all, for the compliments!
After the race in Finale, I continued my holiday throughout Italy. I brought only my single speed One9 and my girlfriend. Every town that we visit, I meet mountain bikers that are shocked when they see the bike I am riding. The ask me if I like it and I smile and nod my head! 29 Molto Bene!!! Then I explain that I’m from Arizona, USA and that Niner sent me to Finale to compete in the 24 hour race. I enjoy trying to translate my love for the big wheels. It is interesting to me, the different reactions to the Niner. The most common response from bike shop owners and fellow Italian racers was that in Italy, weight is very IMPORTANT because the level of racing is very high. They explained that adding bigger wheels simply meant a heavier bike. Then I would tell them to pick up my bike;) They couldn’t believe how light it was! I am stoked that Niner is bringing the Big revolution to Europe, and I am honored to be a part of it! I hope to return to Finale next year! Grazie mille to Chris, Mauro and all of my teammates!
Ciao
Niner Bikes are the FUTURE!

]]> By: jimmythefly http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/#comment-59429 jimmythefly Wed, 27 May 2009 23:39:03 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2675#comment-59429 Ha! See SRAM XX as exhibit A? Ok, probably not, I know XX has more to it than just the 10th cog. Thanks for the perspective CrestedB Ha! See SRAM XX as exhibit A? Ok, probably not, I know XX has more to it than just the 10th cog.

Thanks for the perspective CrestedB

]]> By: Crested B http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/#comment-59425 Crested B Wed, 27 May 2009 17:13:37 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2675#comment-59425 :-) No, they are just scratching their heads!!! Last year we had 4 Niner riders having a first look at the event. They won the category by far, arriving on the third step of the absolute podium. For italian it have been a SHOCK to see SS going soooo fast. They was not even considering ss as serious MTBs, just because the culture about singlespeed was almost zero. Only a pair of groups was riding ss and normal bikers was considering them as 'eccentrics', you know, like bikers riding with a kilt. I had a ONE9 for test at the booth. Maybe one guy asked for a test. This year the NASA Niner team won the absolute, taking the lead immediately and not giving a single hope to other teams, including 12 people multigear teams! Well the One9 for test have been the MOST requested bike by far. Everyone was asking to test it! They was just surprised and they know now that 29er can be fast, VERY fast! ;-) even SS. I had people really shocked by the speed they have been passed by Tim Allen, Fuzzy, Dejay, Jake and the other team members! without speaking about Rebecca, an amazing rider everyone now is respecting so deeply here for her courage and determination. This is just helping them thinking and understanding that there are other ways to go FAST! At the end of the race no one of the 1500 racers and the 12.000 presences attending the event in three days was still thinking that 29er technology is a 'joke'! :-)
No, they are just scratching their heads!!!
Last year we had 4 Niner riders having a first look at the event. They won the category by far, arriving on the third step of the absolute podium.
For italian it have been a SHOCK to see SS going soooo fast. They was not even considering ss as serious MTBs, just because the culture about singlespeed was almost zero. Only a pair of groups was riding ss and normal bikers was considering them as ‘eccentrics’, you know, like bikers riding with a kilt.
I had a ONE9 for test at the booth. Maybe one guy asked for a test.
This year the NASA Niner team won the absolute, taking the lead immediately and not giving a single hope to other teams, including 12 people multigear teams! Well the One9 for test have been the MOST requested bike by far. Everyone was asking to test it!
They was just surprised and they know now that 29er can be fast, VERY fast! ;-) even SS.
I had people really shocked by the speed they have been passed by Tim Allen, Fuzzy, Dejay, Jake and the other team members! without speaking about Rebecca, an amazing rider everyone now is respecting so deeply here for her courage and determination.
This is just helping them thinking and understanding that there are other ways to go FAST!
At the end of the race no one of the 1500 racers and the 12.000 presences attending the event in three days was still thinking that 29er technology is a ‘joke’!

]]> By: Cloxxki http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/#comment-59424 Cloxxki Wed, 27 May 2009 16:51:43 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2675#comment-59424 How are people in Italy responding to the singlespeed bikes going fast? Do they just prepare to mount even more gears, in hope it will help? How are people in Italy responding to the singlespeed bikes going fast? Do they just prepare to mount even more gears, in hope it will help?

]]> By: Crested B http://twentynineinches.com/2009/05/25/team-nasa-niner-win-honors-in-italy/#comment-59423 Crested B Wed, 27 May 2009 16:35:14 +0000 http://twentynineinches.com/?p=2675#comment-59423 There are several interesting points. Take Italy for example, that probably is the european country for now where 29ers are doing better, also if I think other countries will catch soon. 1-Cyclocross here is not so big. I know is surprising, but in Italy Road Racing is the king. Triathlon, Ciclocross, Track are just tiny compared to road racing. CX is seen mainly as the winter way to stay fit for roadies, also if there is a group of CX professionals. Very poor people if compared to road racing pros. 29er are taking up quite well anyway. It needs time, as in USA. The point is that as usual 29er started earlier in USA and now the american wave is reaching other contries, with different speeds. Resistence is created by difference, everything that is not standard is seen as 'odd', and a lot of bikers are not very technical. They simply see the big wheels as 'strange', so they prefer to buy something that is 'accepted'. Another big implication is commercial. Dealers prefer not to stock them to avoid the risk of 'not predictable sales' and to avoid stock of special 29er parts. A big win like this one at 24 Hours of Finale is doing a lot since it's giving credibility to the standard and is moving 29er technology on the front end of MTB development. It is good. I think that the 29er movement needs other two years to became really accepted and to speed up diffusion as it is happening in USA now. Maybe less with the involvement of big names like Santa Cruz (very powerful for image) and Giant (very powerful for distribution). The addition of these names to the 29er bandwagon, already pulled by great horses, is probably speeding up the acceptation of the movement worldwide. What is really going to change the scenario will be Sauser and Absalon racing 29ers. If this is going to happen in Europe the 29er movement will explode: racing exposure is very important here. There are several interesting points.
Take Italy for example, that probably is the european country for now where 29ers are doing better, also if I think other countries will catch soon.
1-Cyclocross here is not so big. I know is surprising, but in Italy Road Racing is the king. Triathlon, Ciclocross, Track are just tiny compared to road racing.
CX is seen mainly as the winter way to stay fit for roadies, also if there is a group of CX professionals. Very poor people if compared to road racing pros.
29er are taking up quite well anyway. It needs time, as in USA. The point is that as usual 29er started earlier in USA and now the american wave is reaching other contries, with different speeds.
Resistence is created by difference, everything that is not standard is seen as ‘odd’, and a lot of bikers are not very technical. They simply see the big wheels as ‘strange’, so they prefer to buy something that is ‘accepted’. Another big implication is commercial. Dealers prefer not to stock them to avoid the risk of ‘not predictable sales’ and to avoid stock of special 29er parts.
A big win like this one at 24 Hours of Finale is doing a lot since it’s giving credibility to the standard and is moving 29er technology on the front end of MTB development.
It is good.
I think that the 29er movement needs other two years to became really accepted and to speed up diffusion as it is happening in USA now. Maybe less with the involvement of big names like Santa Cruz (very powerful for image) and Giant (very powerful for distribution).
The addition of these names to the 29er bandwagon, already pulled by great horses, is probably speeding up the acceptation of the movement worldwide.
What is really going to change the scenario will be Sauser and Absalon racing 29ers. If this is going to happen in Europe the 29er movement will explode: racing exposure is very important here.

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