Nina Hoffmann's Santa Cruz V10: How Tech-Nin(J)a sets up her World Cup downhiller

Frame - flipchips wherever you look

I'm a flipchip fan. Because it allows me to adapt my bike to the respective route. Flipchip means: small change, big effect. I can feel such changes within one run. There is a variable headset shell at the front, with three settings (-8/0/+8 mm). I ride in the 0 position. I ride the position in the lower link in the low setting and the chainstays in the long setting. I did a lot of trial and error beforehand and the bike feels particularly balanced in this setting.

Nina - the technology nerd

I can feel the changes to the bike immediately. The biggest difference to the previous model is the rear suspension, which is now more linear. The shock is higher in its travel, which is pleasant when cornering, because the bike doesn't bottom out here, but works more sensitively. The pedal kickback is also lower, which helps when braking. The rear end is not as stiff and therefore provides more grip - especially on off-camber sections.

Cockpit - better aluminium for handlebars

I'm fussy about the cockpit. I swapped the levers on my Shimano Saint brakes for XTR levers - Greg Minnaar gave me the idea. They simply have better ergonomics. I started with a handlebar width of 780 millimetres, but I now ride 760 millimetres. That suits my shoulder width better. I have noticed that women in particular often ride handlebars that are too wide. Use the position of your hands during a push-up as a guide. It gives you a good indication of the handlebar width.

Suspension setup - fast at the front, slow at the rear

I ride the fork faster, the shock slower. Why? That's how it feels best for me. If I adjust anything, it tends to be the compression, but not so much the rebound. I pump 82 to 86 psi into the fork, with four to five volume spacers depending on the route.

Wheels - I trust in carbon

I know the horror stories of bursting carbon wheels, but I hardly ever have problems myself. It does happen sometimes on such angry routes as Mont Sainte-Anne. If I ever had a defect, it was just a crack in the rim. But I easily made it to the finish. I run 28 holes at the front and 32 holes at the rear. Advantage: more flex! Carbon rims are known to be very stiff - and that's not always an advantage.

Tyres - rotating mass is key!

Nobody rides inner tubes any more, not even me. I don't need inserts for extra puncture protection either, it just increases the rotating mass. I pump 1.4 to 1.6 bar at the front and 1.6 to 1.8 bar at the rear, depending on the route. Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR2, front: currently a prototype, otherwise the Assegai.

Cleaning the bike - only because of Ethan

I don't clean my bike after every ride, but sometimes leave it uncleaned for a few days. However, my mechanic Ethan is very meticulous. When I return to the team for test rides or the World Cup, I clean it meticulously so that I don't get any nasty looks from Ethan. But the guy always finds dirt somewhere.

Screws - no problem

I had to screw things together myself for long enough. Completely assembling a bike is no problem, even if it would certainly take a while. Bleeding the brakes - no problem either, just adjusting the gears, that never works for me. In the meantime, that's taken care of for me at races and I can concentrate fully on the race.

Name: Nina Hoffmann (27) | Weight: 71 kg | Height: 1.71 m | Status: Vice world champion (2022) and fastest German downhiller since Regina Stiefl.