Taylor Vernon’s Zerode G3 downhill bike has been turning heads at the UCI World Cup this year and we caught up with the Brit and his machine at the opening round at Fort William.
Vernon’s Zerode is one of the most innovative bikes in its field, with a gearbox connecting to the rear hub via a Gates Carbon belt.
This has led to claims that it's the quietest bike on the circuit, with chain slap and gear changes almost silent.
Let’s take a closer look at Vernon’s Zerode G3.
Gnarly gearbox
With a Pinion Smart.Shift gearbox at the centre of the bike, the Zerode G3 is certainly a break from convention.
While this is new technology, it’s not the first time we’ve seen gearboxes used in downhill racing, with the iconic and somewhat mythical Honda RN-01 G-Cross proving the concept back in 2004 under Greg Minnaar.
That bike was kept under tight wraps and all existing stock was supposedly melted down after the season to prevent the technology being shared.
We now know the system was essentially a traditional derailleur being used within the confines of the front triangle.
Pinion’s Smart.Shift gearbox employs a different design that's more akin to the gearbox found in your car.
Spur gearing is used with two sub-units that are connected in sequence, meaning the individual gear ratios are derived by matching the two sub-units with various cog pairings.
This iteration of the gearbox is electronic, meaning shifts are faster than on previous generations.
Vernon says this enables him to change gear before entering a feature without needing to pedal, meaning he’s always in his preferred gear.
The system also moves weight to the bottom bracket area, giving the bike a lower centre of gravity and reducing unsprung mass by removing the cassette from the rear wheel.
This should make the bike better in the corners and faster to accelerate, although gearboxes tend to add resistance to pedal inputs – less of a problem on a downhill track.
A Gates Carbon belt is used instead of a chain, silencing the bike when going through rough terrain.
Belt drives also last longer than traditional chain drives, and thanks to the interlocking interface between the belt and belt rings, there's a reduced chance of dropping the belt.
Zerode has been able to incorporate this while retaining its high-pivot suspension design, which gives the rear suspension a rearward axle path. This should help the bike absorb impacts without losing too much momentum.
Vernon has specced his bike with a 200mm Fox 50th-Anniversary Factory 40 fork on the front and a Float X2 controlling the rear linkage.
He has also chosen to run Hayes A4 Dominion brakes, an increasingly popular choice for riders of downhill and enduro disciplines.
A Burgtec cockpit is used with a Ride Wide DH bar atop a Title stem.
The bike rolls on a mullet setup, with a 27.5in wheel on the rear and a 29in at the front.
Maxxis tyres find traction, with Vernon running the DHR II on both the front and rear of his bike for Fort William.
