Mic Williams is one-third of Trinity MTB, a somewhat new mountain motorcycle producer that has garnered a lot consideration over the past yr or so following the release of its debut body; the Trinity Gravity. Whilst Mic is an integral a part of the Australian outfit, bringing highly-innovative drivetrain answers to the desk, he’s additionally the founding father of Williams Racing Merchandise (WRP).
In 2019, the UCI abolished the rule of thumb that motorcycles should have the similar entrance and rear wheel measurement for Downhill International Cup. Again then, Mic noticed a chance to fabricate suspension hyperlinks to make the now ubiquitous mullet configuration conceivable. WRP made a reputation for itself by way of supplying mullet hyperlinks for DH frames, and later enduro frames, sooner than the trade began generating mullet-dedicated motorcycles that have been designed from the bottom up. That is WRP’s bread and butter, and cash made out of the sale of those hyperlinks is poured again into the corporate to expand new, and much more revolutionary parts for performance-oriented mountain motorcycles.
Certainly, Mic and WRP are concerned with way over suspension hyperlinks. A born innovator, Mic is continuously tinkering with new concepts, a few of which can be mentioned on this interview. From an electronic-shifting cassette-based gearbox(es), to in point of fact drag-free hub internals, and pedal kickback answers, Mic has his fingers in an ideal many pies.
And, as you may consider, Mic’s roles inside of Trinity MTB and WRP very a lot move hand-in-hand, with Mic contributing concepts and engineering-based answers to the present (and long run) Trinity mountain motorcycles.
Bikerumor: What was once it that first of all attracted you to the Trinity DH motorcycle mission?
Mic Williams: The chance to paintings with the opposite two guys concerned. I all the time concept a functionality gravity body was once out of my league, and on my own it’s, but if the dialog began with Chase and Nigel I in an instant had religion in our little staff that lets make one thing particular occur.
From a design viewpoint, the very first thing that stood out to me was once the VHP (Digital Prime Pivot) platform and mixing that with an i-Monitor loafer design. That was once an excessively new concept that Chase had delivered to the desk, and it supplied a kinematic and likely coefficients that in an instant had me hooked at the mission.
Editor’s Be aware: See above how the loafer pulley strikes on the subject of the ground bracket and rear axle because the linkage articulates. This side of the Trinity Gravity motorcycle’s Digital Prime Pivot linkage is patented by way of i-track. This offers impartial regulate of the anti-squat function, permitting it to be tuned independently of axle trail and different kinematic houses.
Bikerumor: Will Trinity keep on with DH frames, or are there plans to make motorcycles for different varieties of mountain cycling?
Mic Williams: The body we’ve on be offering now will also be configured as both a DH motorcycle or a big trip Enduro motorcycle. The body has a turn chip wherein the buyer can change between a 205mm x 65mm surprise (175mm trip) or a 225mm x 75mm surprise (200mm trip). Bearing in mind the kinematic we’re ready to succeed in with the mix VHP and i-Monitor, we’re ready to get a superbly descending motorcycle that still pedals very successfully.
Bikerumor: It’s cool that you just guys be offering each conventional drivetrain and gearbox choices for the body. Kinematically, are there any giant variations in how the 2 motorcycles experience?
Mic Williams: Kinematically, no, because the chainring sits in the similar relative location in both configuration. Assuming identical measurement chainrings, kinematics would be the identical. The gearbox possibility gives a special experience function, then again, because of the centralized mass (and diminished unsprung mass of the cassette and derailleur) and the reality the chainring can roll ahead because of the inherent nature of a gearbox’s snatch.
Bikerumor: We all know you’ve been operating on a gearbox of your very personal design for a while now. Are you able to let us know somewhat about the way it works, and the way it’s really useful over present gearbox choices available on the market like Pinion, for instance?
Mic Williams: Yea, certain factor. I’ve been operating by myself WRP field for a short time, which has similarities in idea to the Honda gearbox within the RN-01 from ~two decades in the past. So it makes use of a normal chainring, chain and cassette that’s simply reconfigured to mount within the BB space (equivalent to a Pinion or Effigear).
I’m a large fan of present gearbox manufacturers, however the goal of this design is to succeed in much less drag that’s inherent in present gearboxes because of their meshing gears, and a design that may be shifted below load – every other problem with present gearboxes. With the WRP field weight must even be so much much less making an allowance for it doesn’t should be immersed in a tub of oil and there is not any “derailleur” as such. It’s additionally totally digital.
Bikerumor: Will your gearbox design help you do one thing kinematically fantastic with the Trinity motorcycle that you just can’t do with off-the-shelf gearboxes?
Mic Williams: The twin-directional CentreHub will in the end be within the WRP gearbox, so 0 pedal kickback will have the ability to be completed (and the choice of moving whilst coasting, too). Opposite to standard trust, an loafer does no longer do away with pedal kick-back, simplest is helping mitigate it.
Bikerumor: Your gearbox prototype for the DH Motorbike is 6-speed. Will you additionally expand a equivalent gearbox for enduro motorcycles with a much wider vary cassette?
Mic Williams: Sure, one with ~500% vary is within the works.
Bikerumor: The gearbox isn’t the primary piece of drivetrain era you’ve labored on. The CenterHub was once one in all WRP’s first actual merchandise to hit the marketplace. And now, it kind of feels you might be operating on Gen 2 of that product. Are you able to let us know what the brand new CenterHub gives that the unique was once missing, and when are we able to purchase it?
Mic Williams: Sure, as discussed above we’re operating on a CentreHub V2 that may rotate bi-directionally. The CentreHub V1 was once made whilst I used to be at uni and realistically the catalyst for me beginning WRP. It’s an ideal product that I (and many of us all over the world) run on non-public motorcycles.
For its supposed goal and unique design scope (to supply moving whilst coasting), the V1 is incredible and couldn’t in reality be optimized. So, it doesn’t lack the rest per-say; however in conventional model of design development I contemplated the theory of whether or not it was once conceivable to make it move backwards as effectively – to do away with pedal kick-back. The prototyped V2 is a product that may move each techniques and have interaction with very restricted pedal hole (so anti-squat isn’t affected). We don’t have a difficult liberate date at this degree.
Bikerumor: Are you operating on every other new drivetrain developments these days that you’ll be able to percentage with us?
Mic Williams: Other folks can have observed some particular DT internals we’re operating on. Can’t give an excessive amount of else away.
Bikerumor: We see you’ve been trying out out a steerage damper from WP. Do you are feeling there’s actual justification for the use of any such damper in DH?
Mic Williams: Yea I believe so, surely. They’re clearly used extensively in motocross and off-road motorcycling, and the reaction we’ve had from skilled racers and groups short of to check it’s been overwhelming. From my very own non-public check knowledge the adaptation (and possible in building) has been profound, particularly relying on course kind (prime velocity with rocks that attempt to clutch your entrance wheel, for instance).
Bikerumor: We additionally see you teased some stiffness knowledge for an USD fork with a linkage. Is that this in regard to a brand new product you’re operating on?
Mic Williams: No no longer in regard to a brand new product (but, a minimum of). My present intern, Mitch, got here to me with the theory for his Bachelor of Engineering Thesis. I assumed it had some actual legs (excuse the pun) making an allowance for any other concepts we’d thrown round about how you can track and building up the torsional stiffness of a USD fork.
Bikerumor: What do you assume DH motorcycles of the long run will appear to be, and the way will WRP be part of that?
Mic Williams: It’s exhausting to crystal ball the rest, however taking a look at contemporary developments and cross-disciplinary I believe is essential. I believe that present motorcycle tech so far as geo is anxious is excellent. Should you examine to motocross, whilst there has clearly been updates to era, the fundamental geometry of the system has been pretty-well forged for the final two decades as all manufacturers in reality settled on what most nearly fits the biomechanics of a human – I believe we’re coming near the similar level with MTB geometry (perhaps even long past somewhat too some distance in recent years).
So, I don’t assume we’ll see massive developments in geo, however more-so in tech and that’s in large part the place my focal point is at with the gearbox, and so on. So far as how WRP will probably be a part of it; I like motorcycles and am no longer going anyplace.
Bikerumor: Are there any present UCI laws you are feeling are restricting innovation within the MTB area that you just’d like to peer abolished?
Mic Williams: Now not that I’m conscious about at this degree. I believe the relinquishing of the similar measurement entrance and rear wheel rule in 2019 was once an ideal factor. I do admit I would like to take a look at the newest rule-book although; there may all the time be an ideal thought proper under-the-nose of the principles.
