Mic Williams is one-third of Trinity MTB, a comparatively new mountain bike producer that has garnered a lot consideration during the last 12 months or so following the launch of its debut body; the Trinity Gravity. Whereas Mic is an integral a part of the Australian outfit, bringing highly-innovative drivetrain options to the desk, he’s additionally the founding father of Williams Racing Merchandise (WRP).
In 2019, the UCI abolished the rule that bikes will need to have the identical entrance and rear wheel measurement for Downhill World Cup. Again then, Mic noticed a possibility to fabricate suspension hyperlinks to make the now ubiquitous mullet configuration attainable. WRP made a reputation for itself by supplying mullet hyperlinks for DH frames, and later enduro frames, earlier than the trade began producing mullet-dedicated bikes that have been designed from the bottom up. That is WRP’s bread and butter, and cash produced from the sale of those hyperlinks is poured again into the corporate to develop new, and much more modern parts for performance-oriented mountain bikes.
Certainly, Mic and WRP are excited about way over suspension hyperlinks. A born innovator, Mic is continually tinkering with new concepts, a few of that are mentioned on this interview. From an electronic-shifting cassette-based gearbox(es), to really drag-free hub internals, and pedal kickback options, Mic has his arms in an amazing many pies.
And, as you may think, Mic’s roles inside Trinity MTB and WRP very a lot go hand-in-hand, with Mic contributing concepts and engineering-based options to the present (and future) Trinity mountain bikes.
Bikerumor: What was it that originally attracted you to the Trinity DH bike challenge?
Mic Williams: The chance to work with the opposite two guys concerned. I at all times thought a efficiency gravity body was out of my league, and alone it’s, however when the dialog began with Chase and Nigel I immediately had religion in our little workforce that we may make one thing particular occur.
From a design perspective, the very first thing that stood out to me was the VHP (Digital Excessive Pivot) platform and mixing that with an i-Monitor loafer design. That was a really new concept that Chase had delivered to the desk, and it supplied a kinematic and sure coefficients that immediately had me hooked on the challenge.
Editor’s Be aware: See above how the loafer pulley strikes in relation to the underside bracket and rear axle because the linkage articulates. This side of the Trinity Gravity bike’s Digital Excessive Pivot linkage is patented by i-track. This supplies impartial management of the anti-squat attribute, permitting it to be tuned independently of axle path and different kinematic properties.
Bikerumor: Will Trinity keep on with DH frames, or are there plans to make bikes for different kinds of mountain biking?
Mic Williams: The body we’ve got on provide now could be configured as both a DH bike or a big journey Enduro bike. The body has a flip chip whereby the shopper can alternate between a 205mm x 65mm shock (175mm journey) or a 225mm x 75mm shock (200mm journey). Contemplating the kinematic we’re capable of obtain with the mix VHP and i-Monitor, we’re capable of get a fantastically descending bike that additionally pedals very effectively.
Bikerumor: It’s cool that you simply guys provide each conventional drivetrain and gearbox choices for the body. Kinematically, are there any large variations in how the 2 bikes trip?
Mic Williams: Kinematically, no, because the chainring sits in the identical relative location in both configuration. Assuming identical measurement chainrings, kinematics would be the identical. The gearbox possibility provides a distinct trip attribute, nonetheless, as a result of centralized mass (and decreased unsprung mass of the cassette and derailleur) and the actual fact the chainring can roll ahead as a result of inherent nature of a gearbox’s clutch.
Bikerumor: We all know you’ve been engaged on a gearbox of your very personal design for a while now. Are you able to inform us slightly about the way it works, and the way it’s useful over present gearbox choices in the marketplace like Pinion, for instance?
Mic Williams: Yea, positive factor. I’ve been working alone WRP field for a short while, which has similarities in precept to the Honda gearbox within the RN-01 from ~20 years in the past. So it makes use of a normal chainring, chain and cassette that’s simply reconfigured to mount within the BB space (comparable to a Pinion or Effigear).
I’m a giant fan of present gearbox manufacturers, however the intention of this design is to attain much less drag that’s inherent in present gearboxes attributable to their meshing gears, and a design that may be shifted beneath load – one other downside with present gearboxes. With the WRP field weight must also be rather a lot much less contemplating it doesn’t must be immersed in a shower of oil and there’s no “derailleur” as such. It’s additionally absolutely digital.
Bikerumor: Will your gearbox design assist you to do one thing kinematically advantageous with the Trinity bike that you simply can’t do with off-the-shelf gearboxes?
Mic Williams: The twin-directional CentreHub will ultimately be within the WRP gearbox, so zero pedal kickback will be capable of be achieved (and the choice of shifting whereas coasting, too). Opposite to common perception, an loafer doesn’t remove pedal kick-back, solely helps mitigate it.
Bikerumor: Your gearbox prototype for the DH Bike is 6-speed. Will you additionally develop an analogous gearbox for enduro bikes with a wider vary cassette?
Mic Williams: Sure, one with ~500% vary is within the works.
Bikerumor: The gearbox isn’t the primary piece of drivetrain know-how you’ve labored on. The CenterHub was one among WRP’s very first merchandise to hit the market. And now, it appears you’re engaged on Gen 2 of that product. Are you able to inform us what the brand new CenterHub provides that the unique was missing, and when can we purchase it?
Mic Williams: Sure, as talked about above we’re engaged on a CentreHub V2 that may rotate bi-directionally. The CentreHub V1 was made whereas I used to be at uni and realistically the catalyst for me beginning WRP. It’s an amazing product that I (and many individuals around the globe) run on private bikes.
For its supposed function and authentic design scope (to supply shifting whereas coasting), the V1 is unbelievable and couldn’t actually be optimized. So, it doesn’t lack something per-say; however in typical style of design development I contemplated the concept of whether or not it was attainable to make it go backwards as effectively – to remove pedal kick-back. The prototyped V2 is a product that may go each methods and interact with very restricted pedal hole (so anti-squat isn’t affected). We don’t have a tough launch date at this stage.
Bikerumor: Are you engaged on some other new drivetrain developments in the mean time that you’ll be able to share with us?
Mic Williams: Individuals might have seen some particular DT internals we’re engaged on. Can’t give an excessive amount of else away.
Bikerumor: We see you’ve been testing out a steering damper from WP. Do you’re feeling there’s actual justification for utilizing such a damper in DH?
Mic Williams: Yea I believe so, undoubtedly. They’re clearly used broadly in motocross and off-road motorcycling, and the response we’ve had from skilled racers and groups wanting to check it has been overwhelming. From my very own private take a look at information the distinction (and potential in improvement) has been profound, particularly relying on monitor kind (excessive pace with rocks that attempt to seize your entrance wheel, for instance).
Bikerumor: We additionally see you teased some stiffness information for an USD fork with a linkage. Is that this in regard to a brand new product you’re engaged on?
Mic Williams: No not in regard to a brand new product (but, no less than). My present intern, Mitch, got here to me with the concept for his Bachelor of Engineering Thesis. I assumed it had some actual legs (excuse the pun) contemplating another concepts we’d thrown round about learn how to tune and improve the torsional stiffness of a USD fork.
Bikerumor: What do you suppose DH bikes of the long run will appear like, and the way will WRP be part of that?
Mic Williams: It’s arduous to crystal ball something, however taking a look at current developments and cross-disciplinary I believe is vital. I believe that present bike tech so far as geo is worried is excellent. In the event you evaluate to motocross, whereas there has clearly been updates to know-how, the essential geometry of the machine has been pretty-well strong for the final 20 years as all manufacturers actually settled on what most closely fits the biomechanics of a human – I really feel we’re approaching the identical level with MTB geometry (possibly even gone slightly too far in current instances).
So, I don’t suppose we’ll see large developments in geo, however more-so in tech and that’s largely the place my focus is at with the gearbox, and so on. So far as how WRP will probably be a part of it; I really like bikes and am not going anyplace.
Bikerumor: Are there any present UCI guidelines you’re feeling are limiting innovation within the MTB area that you simply’d prefer to see abolished?
Mic Williams: Not that I’m conscious of at this stage. I believe the relinquishing of the identical measurement entrance and rear wheel rule in 2019 was an amazing factor. I do admit I would like to take a look at the newest rule-book although; there may at all times be an amazing concept proper under-the-nose of the foundations.
