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Red Bull Rampage 2013: Thomas Genon's Canyon Torque DHX

Oct 15, 2013

Red Bull Rampage, Utah

Genon's Canyon Torque DHX

Thomas Genon isn't a name that many would have recognized before 2012, but that has changed after a breakout year that saw the Canyon rider from Belgium step into the limelight thanks to wins at both the 26TRIX dirt jump comp and the prestigious Red Bull Joyride slopestyle during Crankworx. Those wins, along with a few other solid results, saw him finish third over in the 2012 FMB World Tour rankings; not bad for a rider who hails from a country not known for its mountains - the highest point in Belgium sits at well under 2,500ft. The relative lack of big bike terrain at home didn't seem to bother Genon, though, as an early arrival and plenty of practice time aboard his 210mm travel Torque DHX culminated in a third place qualifying run and a top ten overall in the finals. It turns out that Genon ain't no dirt jumper lost in the desert.

Canyon Torque DHX details • Aluminum frame • Rear wheel travel: 210mm/195mm • Wheel size: 26" • FOX 40 Float RC2 • FOX DHX RC4 shock • e*thirteen cranks, ring, chain guide • Hayes Prime brakes

Suspension: Genon's Canyon Torque DHX utilizes a four-bar suspension layout that offers either 210mm or 195mm of travel via an adjustable lower shock mount, dubbed 'TrackFlip' by Canyon, that also tweaks the bike's head angle between 63° and 64°. As you might expect, Thomas went with the longer travel, slacker steering setting for the steep and and exposed terrain at Rampage, and the bike's FOX DHX RC4 shock was fitted with a relatively stiff steel spring to deal with the hard impacts. A nifty sag measurement system is integrated into the non-drive side rocker arm, with alignment numbers that correspond to an anodized red aluminum locater on the frame, although Genon was likely running far less sag than he would when aboard his Torque DHX in a bike park setting.

While Thomas went with a coil sprung shock out back, he is running FOX's new air sprung 40 Float RC2 fork up front, with the 203mm travel fork slid to its highest position in the fork

crowns to both slacken the bike even further and raise the bars up higher. Much like out back, the fork is set up stiffer than usual, and its fair to assume that compression damping has been added for the same reason. Balance between the front and back of the bike is key, regardless of if that means a softer or a stiffer setup all around.

Components: Genon depends on a set of e*thirteen's LG1R cranks that, although weighing in at a very competitive 661 grams, held up just fine to the big terrain that the bike saw over the last week, and a 36 tooth Guide Ring and a LG1+ chain guide were mounted during his time in the Utah desert. This is a fairly conservative setup compared to some of the guide-less drivetrains that we saw used during the event, but it's also one that made a lot of sense given how far Genon traveled to compete in the Rampage... it would have been a shame to see him suffer a mechanical that could have derailled his run.

Thomas' cockpit consists of a 780mm wide, low-rise ProTaper handlebar from Answer, as well as their ultra low One direct mount stem that is bolted up in its shorter 50mm setting, with the 160 gram stem's 20mm of drop helping to compensate for the fully extended FOX 40 Float RC2 fork. A set of Hayes Prime brakes, complete with 8" rotors, kept Genon's speed in check.


www.canyon.com