Ask any American to name some typically German traits and you’ll probably hear the words: efficient, disciplined, driven, and perhaps even boring. But who said efficiency and dedication are synonymous with boring? Daniel Häberle, the MTB brand manager at FOCUS Bikes disproves any ties between those traits!
Being 184cm tall, Daniel chose to ride a large frame.
Daniel wanted to build an individual bike without costing him a year’s salary, one that was both lightweight and capable of holding its own on pretty much every terrain. The result: a beauty of a custom build bike that exceeds his expectations.
The scale tips in at just about 13,4 kg.
While the SRAM X.0 cranks do their bit to keep the weight low, the E*thirteen Lightguard keeps the chain high.The SRAM GX cassette costs less than the X0 – and only weighs marginally more. Add in the X0 rear derailleur and shifting is just as crisp.
The Maxxis HighRoller II at 2.4″ wide dish up tons of grip.Hämmertime! The Stuttgart riding crew, the Stuttgarter Härte love shredding and scrubbing their awesome local trails.
Putting grip tape on the Reverb’s remote lever is nothing groundbreaking but it’s definitely a worthwhile, practical touch!Daniel swears by DMR Death Grips and SRAM Guide Ultimate.
The ACROS prototype carbon wheels aren’t cheap, but they’re built to last and keep the weight down to a minimum.With a lightweight SA-spring, the RockShox Vivid Coil was only ever intended to be a trial, but its performance won Daniel over!The tried and tested RockShox PIKE gives the suspension alongside the more wallet-friendly RC damper.German Engineered: The Focus SAM C is proud of its origins.
Don’t forget your roots: Daniel pays dues to his preferred local trails! Sticking to budget: the Analog Joystick bars and Hope stem are made of aluminium.If you’re out shredding the local trails around Stuttgart then it’s highly likely that Daniel has already got you in his sights!
Who is Daniel Häberle?
Daniel is MTB brand manager at FOCUS Bikes. His key tasks are marketing projects and brand building activities. He’s been on the bike most of his life and started embracing enduro style riding long before it became the buzzword of the industry.
In our new series “Industry Bike Checks” we take a close look at the personal bike builds of industry insiders and show you how they run their bikes. If you enjoy the format, check out our bike check overview page.
Text & Bilder: Noah Haxel
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