reachdean
Observer
This post is meant to provoke conversation, so feel free to pile on if you think I (or the links I post) don't line up with your viewpoint.
I have to say, as someone who worked in shops as a mechanic, as the mechanic on a 12,000km across-Africa bike tour, and now as a bike journalist/writer, I'm confounded by the astonishing apparent lack of forethought in bike design these days. It seems that the multitude of new standards on bikes these days (wheel, hub, headset, drivertrain, take your pick) sort of negated the idea of standards altogether. I'm no opponent of progress, but I despise the way bike manufacturers are designing things that are obsolete within the span of a couple years. This stuff isn't cheap, and even though I work in the industry and can get deals, it still isn't cheap. My most modern mountain bike is a 2008 Devinci Remix. It's a 5&5 full squish with Fox suspension, XT/XTR drivetrain, and DT Swiss wheels. It weighs about 27 lbs. New, it cost just under $4000. It's almost impossible to find a modern equivalent within those performance, price and weight constraints. In part, I suppose that's because it's a 26" wheel, and the enduro craze is pushing development of beefier bikes. But the thing is, I'm 150lbs sopping wet. I don't count ounces, but I do count pounds on a bike. I'm also gentle on gear, so a lighter bike usually doesn't get punished by me.
I was just about ready to look at 650b bikes as a replacement for the Remix (though since it has no resale value at all, it's harder to justify shelling out for a new bike without some way to offset that cost). And then 27.5+ came along. Really?! I mean, I get the fatbike thing if you're riding on snowpack or deserts on a regular basis. But the problem to my eyes is that the bike industry is asking me to shell out $5000 for a new ride that may or may not have parts support in 5 years. So instead, I just won't buy anything. That's fine since it's more money in my pocket/more money for trips.
But here's the thing. Having ridden a variety of bikes, I get that some excel in certain key ways, but were talking about small percentage gains for huge costs. Having spent three weeks riding in the Sahara on an old 26" hardtail with 2.1 tires, I can safely say that it did pretty well, rarely bogging in sand, so I wonder, is it worth the pain in the wallet and the extra weight to get a bike that's better for deserts? For me, that's not my usual riding, so no, it doesn't.
I guess my take away to the bike industry is that yes, I'll spend $5000 on a new bike if you'll give me some confidence that I'll be able to maintain it for the 8-9 years I've kept each of my primary bikes. Right now, I don't have that confidence.
For further discussion, I give you the following links.
Innovation or Industry Scam
Don't Blame the Bike Industry
I have to say, as someone who worked in shops as a mechanic, as the mechanic on a 12,000km across-Africa bike tour, and now as a bike journalist/writer, I'm confounded by the astonishing apparent lack of forethought in bike design these days. It seems that the multitude of new standards on bikes these days (wheel, hub, headset, drivertrain, take your pick) sort of negated the idea of standards altogether. I'm no opponent of progress, but I despise the way bike manufacturers are designing things that are obsolete within the span of a couple years. This stuff isn't cheap, and even though I work in the industry and can get deals, it still isn't cheap. My most modern mountain bike is a 2008 Devinci Remix. It's a 5&5 full squish with Fox suspension, XT/XTR drivetrain, and DT Swiss wheels. It weighs about 27 lbs. New, it cost just under $4000. It's almost impossible to find a modern equivalent within those performance, price and weight constraints. In part, I suppose that's because it's a 26" wheel, and the enduro craze is pushing development of beefier bikes. But the thing is, I'm 150lbs sopping wet. I don't count ounces, but I do count pounds on a bike. I'm also gentle on gear, so a lighter bike usually doesn't get punished by me.
I was just about ready to look at 650b bikes as a replacement for the Remix (though since it has no resale value at all, it's harder to justify shelling out for a new bike without some way to offset that cost). And then 27.5+ came along. Really?! I mean, I get the fatbike thing if you're riding on snowpack or deserts on a regular basis. But the problem to my eyes is that the bike industry is asking me to shell out $5000 for a new ride that may or may not have parts support in 5 years. So instead, I just won't buy anything. That's fine since it's more money in my pocket/more money for trips.
But here's the thing. Having ridden a variety of bikes, I get that some excel in certain key ways, but were talking about small percentage gains for huge costs. Having spent three weeks riding in the Sahara on an old 26" hardtail with 2.1 tires, I can safely say that it did pretty well, rarely bogging in sand, so I wonder, is it worth the pain in the wallet and the extra weight to get a bike that's better for deserts? For me, that's not my usual riding, so no, it doesn't.
I guess my take away to the bike industry is that yes, I'll spend $5000 on a new bike if you'll give me some confidence that I'll be able to maintain it for the 8-9 years I've kept each of my primary bikes. Right now, I don't have that confidence.
For further discussion, I give you the following links.
Innovation or Industry Scam
Don't Blame the Bike Industry