Downamics

Downamics World cup level data acquisition & analysis service available for every level of racer & rider who wants to go faster & find the optimum setup.

27/12/2025

The Chassis Dynamics Model has had a few developments over the festive period.

It now utilises all 4 .bike IMU sensors and their 6 axes along with suspension displacement data to model the dynamics of the chassis during a run. Previously the displacement data was shown as a graph and the animated model showed acceleration data. Now the animated model combines displacement, acceleration and rotational data to give complete analysis of the chassis dynamics during a run.

The GPS track map has real-time rider position and GPS ground speed colour mapping, giving crucial context to the chassis dynamics model.

The playback head can now be moved to any location during the run so that you can look at specific sections immediately rather than waiting for the playback to get there. This seems like an obvious thing to have but it took a back seat to some of the other modifications.

The playback speed can also be changed to help make analysis easier in noisier sections and to help understand behaviours at half or quarter speed.

The notes section allows for, as the name might give away, notes to be added. This is just a text box and doesn't save any notes at the moment, but a handy text box to have.

The setup sheet for the run you are analysing can also be loaded as a PDF to cross reference while analysing the chassis dynamics. This currently opens in a separate window so that it can be moved to another screen or just to one side if needed. This makes the assumption that you have PDF setup sheets saved and organised (which is what forces me to make sure I have everything organised otherwise I'd never find it😂).

20/12/2025

Stoked to be working with .mtb to put their Advocate brake through the testing process.

First impressions are really positive. The machining and build quality is exceptional, with the calipers housing 2 15mm and 17mm castellated stainless steel pistons.

The lever and master cylinder are bigger than most MTB brakes, coupled with a substantial bar clamp, this lever is solid, with no noticeable flex. There is also lever reach adjustment in the form of a 20 click rotary k**b.

The system comes with braided hoses which should be a standard in my opinion. The hardware for the hoses is really nicely made and slightly different to the typical olive and barb parts.

They run on DOT 5.1 oil and bleeding is easy enough if you follow the detailed instructions. A good bleed, combined with braided hoses and well made calipers and levers, help to deliver an incredibly solid bite point at the lever.
I have installed these with green pads and for now they're running on Hayes rotors. Once I get the Hel 220mm rotors to match their 203mm then I'll get these installed too.

I'll get these bedded in and put some laps on them before starting to get some data together and really understanding their performance. In the meantime, huge thanks to Hel for this opportunity and the brakes.

19/12/2025

I've wanted to put something like this together for a while.
Using .bike and I can now see how the bike is affected by the accelerations on all three axes, as well as seeing suspension displacement data.
Eventually I'd like to model the suspension dynamics as well, but this is a good start.

It can be modified in several ways to also exaggerate the influence of the forces to make smaller amounts easier to visualise.
The riders mass can be tuned in regards to position, weight and how much it is impacted by chassis dynamics. The riders mass is a simulated variable based on those inputs and the data from the IMU sensors, so it's a point of reference rather than a data point to measure.

Access to associated setup sheets for that run is also easy enough, with a single click, which helps in understanding why the chassis might be behaving in a certain way.

It's very early days but I can see a lot of potential in a tool like this.

suspension

18/12/2025

Still the best hand Dyno I've ever seen 😍
I do like my one but this is a pretty cool way to repurpose an old set of forks.

6 runs of PSD analysis - for no particular reason. All six runs are on the same track, same rider and same bike (with 3 ...
17/12/2025

6 runs of PSD analysis - for no particular reason.
All six runs are on the same track, same rider and same bike (with 3 setup changes).

- Slides 1 & 2 are from the same day with non-radial tyres and 2 psi lower pressures front and rear.

- Slides 3 & 4 are on a different day with a different fork and radial tyres with 2 psi more pressure front and rear.

- Slides 5 & 6 are on the same fork as 1 & 2 but on a different day and radial tyres with the 2 psi higher pressures.

If you hold the three dots at the bottom and scroll left and right, you'll see the small changes, especially from slides 1 & 2 into slides 3 & 4, where, in the 100-1000 Hz range where the front axles trace shows an increase in energy and aligns more with the rear axle.

In slides 5 & 6 you see similar behaviours in the axles as we see in 3 & 4, however in the last 2 slides, both axles, although more aligned in regards to their comparable energy, they are both trending closer to the frames energy levels in that 100-1000Hz sector.

All 6 runs are pretty consistent in terms of average speed and times, with conditions being the most different on the day that the data from slides 3 & 4, with lower ambient temperatures, higher winds and more moisture in the ground.

It's interesting going through older datasets with new analysis tools, but it does highlight the importance of recording as much information as possible and keeping everything organised. If I wasn't so particular about that then I wouldn't remember the setup changes between the runs or the variables weather and track conditions.

Just a little post to keep you occupied 😂

14/12/2025

2026 is approaching rapidly and off-season performance gains are well underway for the
Part of the team's suspension has arrived to get the Factory Race Programme work started...and the suspension is just the start. Time to get to work!

Here's an example of what to expect inside Data Driven Descents. It's looking like it will be a hardback, 450 pages and ...
14/12/2025

Here's an example of what to expect inside Data Driven Descents.
It's looking like it will be a hardback, 450 pages and sooo many graphs.
The final touches are being out to it now and with pre-order support being incredible, I can't wait to get this out there!

07/12/2025

Phase 1 is ticked off...for the most part ✅

This is another monumental task I've decided to take on, but idle hands and all that!
I might go into more detail about this next step in the Downamics story on Patreon.

I posted a similar video about some of the design benefits of the Commencal Supreme suspension platform, but this video is showing something different, harder to spot though as almost all of the work isn't visible...but you might see a sneaky hint.

This is a jig I built at the end of 2022 to help measure actual geometry.Using this and laser levels it's possible to ac...
05/12/2025

This is a jig I built at the end of 2022 to help measure actual geometry.
Using this and laser levels it's possible to accurately measure real-world geometry numbers based on the actual set up of the bike.
Static geo figures quoted by manufacturers are dependent on so many variables that they rarely apply to a complete bike set up for a rider.
It's not cutting edge technology, but sometimes the simplest solutions are good enough.
It laid the foundations for a much better version that's going to be built.

The workshop is where I spend a lot of time, and although I do try to keep it looking like this, there's also several pr...
03/12/2025

The workshop is where I spend a lot of time, and although I do try to keep it looking like this, there's also several projects on-going and not enough space, which is a project in itself.
Fully equipped with pretty much every tool needed for any job...I just need to squeeze in a 5 Axis CNC machine 🤞🧞

We take on private work from suspension servicing and optimisation as well as product testing and development for brands.

2025 was a season away from World Cup racing for me, and although it's allowed me to refocus on Downamics and what it of...
02/12/2025

2025 was a season away from World Cup racing for me, and although it's allowed me to refocus on Downamics and what it offers, not being at the races has been tough.

I live and breathe racing so to watch from the sidelines has been a blessing and a curse.
Having time to refocus has given me the chance to figure out my strengths and weaknesses, which is always good...plus I've written a book, which I don't think would have been possible if I was racing.

There is a life beyond racing, which I didn't think I would have understood 12 months ago , having said that, 12 months is enough 😂

📷 tried to make modelling an option but even he isn't that good 😜

30/11/2025

This isn't suspension oil that can do it's job properly.

It's all too easy to let the servicing slide and put it on the back burner for a while, but I don't need to tell you what a false economy that can be. Not only is suspension performance severely compromised but components will be more prone to wear and tear and damage.

With winter starting to rear its head, this is likely to happen even faster, so if you need your fork or shock looking after, then check out the list of service options on the website and drop us a message or email to get yours looked after!

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