Bike
MTB
A Streif run unlike any other as MTB star Fabio Wibmer thrills in Kitzbühel
Austrian ace Fabio Wibmer conquers the Streif with breathtaking tricks and a top speed of over 100kph. In this interview, the MTB pro talks about his unique run in Kitzbühel.
Even before the 87th running of the Hahnenkamm Races gets underway on Friday, the Streif has already experienced its first ride. That's because Austrian mountain bike star Fabio Wibmer, who is known for his extraordinary projects and breathtaking tricks, conquered the icy slopes of the legendary Streif on his bike.
With top speeds of up to 107kph, drop jumps with a height difference of up to 14m and a maximum jump distance of 36m, he pushed the equipment and himself to the limits in order to realise this ambitious project.
Read on to hear from the man himself about his spectacular homage to the most notorious downhill course in the world.
Fabio Wibmer гледа надоле накај Kitzbühel од сегментотHausberg
© Hannes Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
01
Wibmer on his Streif project
Hi Fabio, how did you come up with the crazy idea of conquering the Streif on your bike?
From the past back to the present: when did you start preparing for this unique project?
My team and I have been working for almost two years to make this dream possible. Now it's a brilliant feeling after conquering the Streif, every jump has worked out and it's become a really cool video.
Wibmer со неверојатен старт
© Hannes Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
Is it even possible to prepare for such an extraordinary challenge?
Of course, it's difficult to simulate all the details in advance. You have to bear in mind that there are special conditions on the Streif, a completely different hardness due to the prepared snow, which feels more like ice. There are hardly any slopes that you can test this on because nothing comes close to the Streif. But I trained a lot in the snow and we were able to test some of the jumps.
Special challenges require special equipment. How did you prepare your Canyon bike for this project?
This project definitely pushed the bike and me to the limit! Setting up the bike for these unusual conditions with snow, ice and cold temperatures involved many nuances such as suspension and the right tyre pressure. Then there was grip which I managed to achieve through special spikes. I created those in the summer together with ice speedway icon Franky Zorn in order to survive on this unusual surface. The temperatures of up to -10 degrees also provided a special stress test for the material. That's why it's all the more important to be able to rely on your bike – and I have a top partner in Canyon.
Екстремни скокови на Штрајф
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Салто наназад со поглед
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
You make jumps, descents and entire projects look so easy but it takes a lot of work. How do you manage to stay so relaxed?
At first glance, you don't realise how much work goes into every detail to make a project like this a reality. There were so many hours of preparation time that I can't even count it anymore. Together with my team, we worked on this project for almost two years and the last two months were extremely intensive. But every minute pays off and is needed because we only had a short window of time in which to deliver. Good preparation is the foundation, otherwise it wouldn't work.
Teamwork makes the dream work
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Which trick was a particular special challenge for you?
To be honest, every second from top to bottom on the Streif was a challenge. But the jump into the Mausefall was pretty heavy. I actually wanted to do it on the first day of filming, but I didn't feel quite ready for this extremely high jump. We then switched around and I was able to build up even more feeling with other jumps. The fact that it worked out and we pulled it off was a really cool thing for all of us!
Wibmer изведува "wall ride" на Штрајф
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
When I think back to the Hahnenkamm races, one of the most memorable moments for me was Bode Miller's so-called 'wall ride' in the steep slope exit
Are there any moments from the Hahnenkamm Races that you remember particularly well?
When I think back to the Hahnenkamm races, one of the most memorable moments for me was Bode Miller's so-called 'wall ride' in the steep slope exit. He was an inspiration to me. With his relaxed attitude, but also with the talent to be able to deliver a top performance when it mattered. It was precisely these unique moments that inspired me to create my project. That's why I really wanted to incorporate them into the video - and of course, my personal Streif wall ride on the bike was a must.
02
Wibmer's Streif Canyon Torque CF bike check
6 мин
Специјалниот МТБ велосипед на Fabio Wibmer
Октриј ги тајните на специјално дизајнираниот велосипед на Fabio Wibmer со кој се спушти низ ски патеката Штрајф.
Wibmer prepared intensively for this project. In addition to the physical strength and mental strength required for such a project, the Austrian's bike setup had to be perfect for the conditions he would be riding in. As mentioned in his interview above, special spikes in his tyres were needed for him to ride on the Streif and stay upright. In all, 288 spikes per tyre, in different lengths, were installed on his Pirelli tyres.
The spikes, which protrude up to 8mm from the tyre, naturally change the handling of the mountain bike and the feel that a biker has when jumping in the air off a jump. They also make the bike heavier, so Wibmer had to adapt to all these variables on his ride on the Streif.
Шилците
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
"I was able to adapt to it OK, but of course, you have to have a lot of respect to everything because spikes naturally limit the room for mistakes even more because you shouldn't get too close to them..."
A special mudguard was mounted on the bike to reduce the risk of injury from the spikes when Wibmer landed the bike.
In sub-zero temperatures everything on the bike becomes firmer, and Wibmer found this in relation to his Öhlins suspension, while the braking performance was also a worry.
“I was able to deal with that well because the bike gave me a lot back after the jumps," Wibmer explains. "If the brakes ice up, the braking performance decreases, so we had to be careful to bring them up to temperature before the tricks."
Wibmer pushed himself and his Canyon bike to the limit!
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
Setting up the bike for these unusual conditions with snow, ice and cold temperatures involved many nuances such as suspension and the right tyre pressure
See below for his bike and component set-up for his Streif mission:
- Bike/frame: Canyon Torque CF (27.5 front/rear)
- Suspension: Öhlins Suspension
- Wheels: DT Swiss
- Brakes: Magura MT7 Raceline
- Drivetrain: SRAM
- Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion
- Spikes: Custom made by Franky Zorn
- Handlebar: G5 (Canyon)
- Stem: G5 (Canyon)
- Grips: G5 (Canyon)
- Pedals: Crankbrothers Stamp 7
