Meticulously assembled by "Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team" mechanic Gavin Black, the team bikes are now standing around unemployed until they will hopefully be used this summer. One of them is Mathias Flückiger's Lightrider Worldcup - a bike with a good dose of Swissness.
This is already an eye-catcher in terms of color: otherwise in the usual Thömus red, the team frame wears the same color as their 2019 World Championship bike. In contrast to this, the new frame has been additionally painted, which makes the color shine more intensely.

Newly developed frame

A new frame, the Lightrider Worldcup, was developed especially for the racing season and with a view to the 2020 Olympics. "It meets the requirements of today's races even better. The chassis of the predecessor was already very good, but we have also changed details here," reveals Mathias Flückiger, who was involved in the development.

Lots of high-tech from Switzerland

A comprehensive supplier of the "Thömus RN Swiss Bike Team" is DT Swiss. The Biel-based company provides the wheels, suspension fork and shock as well as the dropper post. It is interesting to note that Flückiger is currently riding the new XRC1200 Spline wheels with 25 millimeter wide rims instead of 30 millimeters. He justifies this choice with the better interaction between rims and tires.
The rims are fitted with Schwalbes Thunder Burt Evo TLE tires in 29x2.25 inches - depending on the weather and ground conditions, of course. Flückiger selects the tire pressure between 1.2 and 1.3 bar.

On the other hand, DT Swiss' first version of the D232 One dropper post only has 60 millimetres of travel. Mathias Flückiger and his team colleagues are using it for the first time this year. In addition to its low weight, its smooth operation is a big plus point.

Magic on the bike?

No, David Copperfield was not at work here. As the Lightrider frame has no cable entries on the headset, the cables are routed through the headset cover and disappear into the top tube. No magic here, the headset cover is simply a proprietary development. The advantage is that the headset is stiffer without cable entries.

The Wizard Stickers - formerly Axxios - are "magical" but not magical either. Every material emits vibrations when used. These small embossed aluminum stickers ensure that tiring vibrations, which are perceived as vibrations, are inhibited before they can reach the rider. They are positioned at neuralgic points on the main frame, such as the dropouts of the rear triangle, on the main frame or handlebars. The latter, like the stem, comes from the German parts manufacturer Newmen. "Their handlebars and stems are light and yet very stiff. Exactly what you need in cross country," says team boss Ralph Näf.

Get into gear

The 1-12 XTR drivetrain not only adorns the Lightrider World Cup, it also ensures precise gear changes, even during unpleasant gear changes in hectic start phases. Mathias Flückiger relies on size 34 or 36 chainrings, depending on the route.

The power that the World Cup winner from Albstadt applies to the cranks is measured by the integrated Stages power meter watt measurement system and sent to the Garmin device.

Flückiger keeps his speed under control with the XTR Race brakes and 160-millimeter brake discs. For the brake pads, he opts for the organic ones, which offer more bite.

World-class bike from the farm?

Thömus advertises with the slogan "High-tech from the farm". The small brand is certainly not overshooting the mark. Their bikes have long been able to keep up with the best, and Mathias Flückiger and his team colleagues have proven this many times. However, the red rocket will have to spend some time in the bike cellar before it can be used for racing for the first time. But even then, the Lightrider Worldcup has nothing to hide - even less than ever.