March: Good Month or Bad Month?

Apr 2, 2015
by Mike Levy  


A lot can happen in a month, both good and bad, and this doesn't just apply to you or I. The mountain bike world has its ups and downs as well, and it's in the midst of slowly waking up from a winter hibernation, with the Taiwan Cycle Show, Boost hub spacing, Crankworx Rotorua, and yet another kinda new wheel size being pushed our way, not to mention a few other happenings. Some of that is great news, but it's not all rainbows and jellybeans out there, so here we lay out what gets us excited and what has us shaking our heads for the month of March. The third month of the year doesn't get special treatment, though, as you can expect to read about each month's winners and losers from here on in.


Pinkbike



Cost Conscious North Americans

YT Brings Consumer Direct Sales to America



The topic of turning to mail order instead of your local shop when it comes time to spend your hard earned coin is one that seems to get everyone's hackles up, but I think most of us can agree that better bikes for less money is a good thing. However, that can be a difficult ask when both a distributor and the shop has to take their rightful cut of the profits for their time and effort, which is why YT is bypassing both and, at least by the looks of it, passing on a lot of that savings to the customer. I'm talking about as much as a sixty percent savings here, folks, not just a few hundred dollars, and the ability to pick up a top spec downhill machine for 3999 EUR (apprx $4,479 USD). Cam Zink of I'm-going-backflip-that fame and his brother are handling YT's new North American operations, and it looks like the ball is going to start rolling soon. Local bike shops aren't going anywhere, and that's the absolute last thing I want to see - I spent more than a decade in the same small-town shop, by the way - but I'm also all for people having another option that gives them access to what looks to be some pretty impressive bikes at equally impressive prices.
YT TUES CF 2015





Eddie Masters' Humor

Gooning on the Fat Bike



Taking the piss out of fat bikes and the people that ride them is the sort of humor that's usually on par with knock knock jokes, but John Colthorpe's video of Eddie Masters finding his life calling as a fat bike rider is a ridiculously funny parody on what is otherwise a dead horse in my mind. Sure, an old pair of sweats stuffed with pillows, a few thousand calories worth of fast-food and a set of crocs doesn't exactly scream clever, but Masters and Colthorpe not only pulled it off, they might have also unwittingly nailed why these funny looking bikes actually do have a place on the mountain: they're an insane amount of fun. If you haven't seen the video, Eddie actually does send it decently large on the rigid fat bike he's on, but he also shows that the bikes are all about being a goon, not giving a shit what people think, and generally having more fun than the last time you were in the ball pit at Burger King.
Eddie Masters






Race Fans

Back Between the Tape



World class competition resumed once again with the first round of the 2015 Enduro World Series at Crankworx Rotorua, thereby bringing the long, boring winter off-season to an end for race fans around the world. The event didn't include last year's EWS overall champion, Jared Graves, who was out with what sounds like a nasty double shoulder injury, but the champ will be back soon. Proper World Cup action is only a few weeks away, and Sea Otter's cardio fest is coming up as well, but a handful of the best downhillers in the world lined up at both the Aussie National Championships and the Oceanias to help get up to speed before the Big Show kicks off - I have to admit that these pre-season races have me primed for some mega early mornings spent watching the World Cup live feed while drinking a big tea and eating a bag of Doritos for breakfast at 5am. We also had the absolute insanity that is the City Downhill World Tour in Valparaiso, Chile, which, if you haven't ever seen before, is basically a cross between a downhill race and a James Bond chase scene through alleyways, down flights of stairs, and over sketchy looking gaps.
Mons Royale Dual Speed and Style






Being Angry at the Mountain Bike Industry

Do We Really Need New Hub Spacing?



The mountain bike industry is a funny thing. One year, companies are touting their latest product as a game-changer, and the next year they've moved on to something else. Why the hell did they not just do the second one first? Or how about not doing either of them unless there's a real, tangible advantage to be gained? The debut of the Boost hub spacing a few weeks back seemed to upset people in a way that only finding out your partner has been cheating on you or animal cruelty might be able to, and, as of right now, there's well over five hundred comments on the Boost press release, none of them worded too nicely. And I totally get it: why the hell do we need a new so-called hub ''standard'' that allows the spoke flanges to be moved out a handful of millimeters on each side? We're told it's to allow for stiffer wheels, more room for wider tires, and advances in drivetrain layout, all things that do sound like they make a lot of sense. After all, designs have to change in order for bikes to improve, and if they didn't we'd still be riding around on rigid dinosaurs rolling on single wall steel rims. Regardless, I'd argue that Boost's proposed benefits are not worth cost.
Trek Remedy 29 Review

I've ridden a Trek Remedy with a Boost 148 back end, and while the bike performed well overall, I'm not exactly going out on a limb by saying that I would have been just as happy if it was sporting a 142mm width hub. Here it is: the very large majority of riders, if not all of you, will not be noticing any improved rigidity from a Boost fork or rear end. Yes, it will make room for 27.5+ tires while possibly helping the rigidity of such forks, and yes, it can make for shorter chain stays without clearance issues, but I don't see anything wrong with the spacing and hubs that we've been using up until now. SRAM may have taken much of the heat this month, but, because it's here to stay whether we like it or not - fork moulds have been made, hubs components machined, and frames have been designed - you can expect Boost frames and components from many companies in the near future. Are you ready for it?






Pinkbike



Pre-Production Test Gear

That Excuse Again...



You'd think that companies would only send the media test gear that they're absolutely sure is good to go, at least from a reliability standpoint. But no, that's not always the case, as was highlighted this month by my otherwise stunning Yeti SB6C test bike being felled by a cracked swing arm due to what I feel was a relatively minor rock strike. I wasn't alone, though, as another media outlet had to deal with similar issues, and we both got the same ''but it's pre-production'' reasoning in response. Yeti has since reinforced the carbon layup on production frames, I'm told. Don't believe that it's only frames that get sent out too hastily, though, as my DVO Diamond test fork was offering performance somewhere in the same bracket as a 36 and Pike before it decided to push one of its fork seals out of the casting. The root problem was likely a near-microscopic piece of dried of Loctite that caused a leak in the fork's air cartridge, which then exhaled into the casting and popped the seal out like a cork. And yes, you guessed it, the fork was off a pre-production pilot run. Those Leatt pads that failed during testing? Yeah, also pre-production.
Leatt 3DF Airflex Elbow and Knee guards-Review

Looking at it from another perspective, companies want to get us on the new gear as early as possible, often times due to me nagging them with one or seven e-mails a day until they send me what I'm grovelling for, so there's some real pressure on them to deliver whatever's newest as quickly as possible. On the other hand, it doesn't make much sense if I'm not testing the gear that you're thinking about buying, does it? Attention companies: only send us production stuff, please and thank you.




Portland's Mountain Bikers

Local Riding Area Bans Mountain Bikes



The city of Portland, Oregon, is often thought of as being pretty damn bike friendly, but it turns out that might not apply to mountain biking. The truth is that there are very few places to find legal trails in or near the city itself, and the now closed River View Natural Area was the only real option for city dwellers who didn't want to drive out of town. That zone was closed down this month due to a familiar concern - the environmental impact of bikes - but while none of Portland's mountain bikers are out to harm mother nature, the story isn't as simple as the city looking to protect the area... I'm told that local cyclists had been working with the city for a couple of years to come up with a game plan regarding trail maintenance and the impact of mountain biking, and it sounds like the complete closure comes as a shock to every one involved except the city. The battle for trails might not be over, though, as local riders are howling at the outcome and planned a protest ride as a response. Now, I'm obviously not exactly an impartial observer to all of this, but the choices made by many local councils often seem a bit rash when you consider that ol' Mother Nature can turn everything upside down with a good storm or (heaven forbid) natural disaster, quickly erasing a foot-wide path through the forest. I've always been of the opinion that we're not really in charge, and that the over-protection of land that people could be enjoying is a real shame. I've taken a lot of heat for that view, and I know that it doesn't apply to every situation, but it's surely relevant to a lot of them. Here's hoping a solution is soon found to Portland's woes.
Pinkbike




FOX's Public Image

New 27.5+ Fork Brings Unfair Criticism



There's nothing like like a newly proposed wheel size and axle standard to cause a shit storm. Here's the deal: 27.5+ wheels are coming, and not just from niche brands welding up odd but beautiful steel frames in their garage, but from major manufacturers as well. I'm not going to use this platform to tell you whether this is a good thing or not - I don't have enough time on 27.5+ bikes to make that call right now - but I am going to use it to come to FOX's defence. Why? Because FOX was absolutely roasted by commenters when the press release for their 27.5+ fork went up in mid-March, but the truth is that they are only making these damn forks because frame manufacturers are asking for them. FOX is not fuelling this wheel-size fire, and they obviously knew very well that the general public was going to be barking mad when that PR went up on websites around the world. But imagine for a moment that you're making the important calls at FOX and multiple large bike manufacturers come to you looking for thousands of forks for their new bikes...
2016 Fox 34 Float

What are you going to say? You're going to say that yes, you'll sell them a load of 27.5+ forks, and you're also going to try to make them perform as best you can. So if you really want to fire your hate cannons, aim them at the bike manufacturers debuting 27.5+ wheeled rigs in the coming year, not FOX or any of the other suspension companies that will obviously be debuting 27.5+ forks of their own at some point soon.





Taipei Cycle Show Coverage

Yawn-tastic Product Coverage



If you've been paying attention to any of the new and exciting products being shown at this year's Taipei Cycle trade show you'll know that what I just said doesn't make any sense because there was almost nothing of any major interest to report on. Sure, there was a new set of pedals here or a new GPS computer there but, with the exception of X-Fusion's Roughcut damper and Praxis' 11 - 40 tooth ten-speed cassette, this year's show was about as exciting as watching the Home Shopping Network in slow motion. The days of never-before-seen bikes and gear being debuted at trade shows is likely behind us, but it shouldn't really come as a surprise: would you want your brand new product, something you may have spent years working on, to be debuted to the world during the same three days that every other company is doing the same? No, you'd want your own little gig and every media guy's camera focused on your baby, not a quick little blurb and a sub-par photo that gets drowned by so and so's new $30 ''technical socks'', that handlebar that's the same as everyone else's handlebar, or
Taipei Bike Show

stuff that you already saw at the last show. To be fair, we are still going to show you those socks and that handlebar, but don't get too angry at us when the only other things to see are 27.5+ tires and questionable bikes out of the Taiwan made-to-order catalog. At least we got the scoop on the wind-powered handlebar light!


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163 Comments
  • 328 2
 Digging this style of article. Keep it up pinkbike!
  • 57 2
 Yeah, highlighting the controversies of the industry, being honest about them, and then taking a strong opinion on them makes for an interesting read. In a similar way that internet bike companies will be taking over the industry, Pinkbike has become the most credible source of information in mtb. Sometimes it pays to step on toes.

I agree with most of it, although I'm doubtful about seeing many 27.5 bikes with 3" tires on the trail. The bike manufacturers who demand this standard forgot that most mountain bikers are weight weenies who aren't excited to jump on a slug and pedal it up a hill. That's probably why Master's fat bike edit had so much appeal.
  • 19 1
 I think it's funny they imply that we have a moral obligation to keep distributors super profitable. Sure, supporting an LBS I can agree with, but in what examples has the distributor ever watched out for the consumers' best interest? Or for the LBS for that matter?
  • 8 6
 @cuban-b : "but in what examples has the distributor ever watched out for the consumers' best interes."

QBP is the best distributor and they do some good things for the sport:

www.qbp.com/page/values

They and most distributers mainly deal in parts so distributor's won't take a huge hit. If this direct-bike-sales continues to catch on, its the lbs that will take the brunt of the blow, since a big chunk of their profits are from high end bike sales. One end result might be higher labor rates at bike shops for repairs.
  • 20 0
 What about that it is April and my trails are covered in snow. That's even worse than boost hubs!
  • 12 1
 @Protour Bike retail will be fine, as far as I can tell. I spent 2010-2012 and 2013-2014 working in two shops, and kids' bikes and commuters made up the vast bulk of both shops' profits. We'd be slamming 700c, 3x7 speed, fender-and-pannier city bikes out the door as fast as we could build them, and maybe get one or two high-end mountain bikes out a month. It wouldn't have made a real difference to the bottom line if those two bikes hadn't sold at all - I would have just sold another couple commuters and a 20-incher that afternoon and made up the loss.

On the other hand, less mountain bikes going through shops means less wrenches who have a clue what all the bits in a bleed kit are. The person who I see suffering as a result of direct distribution is the newbie rider who just bought himself a Tues and rode it all winter, who has to send his Void to Europe to get rebuilt because the monkeys at the LBS can't remember the last time they unscrewed an air can.
  • 6 0
 Thanks Mike, good article.
  • 2 0
 @cuban-b National distributors often handle the majority of warranty replacement and servicing so you don't need to send your broken bike overseas. They often push their suppliers to develop products they see a demand for in their territories. Finally, they usually sponsor a lot of local race series, teams and riders and/or co-ordinate local sponsorships from their international suppliers.
  • 7 0
 Distributors like QBP and BTI level the playing field and really, drive the LBS out. When you can only buy SRAM or other parts from a distributor and your wholesale prices are just a few points below the online retailers price, you really cant compete. And I dont feel obligated to pay full pop for a set of cranks from my LBS because BTI has them in a chokehold. hate away
  • 5 0
 Good article Levy.
  • 5 0
 callin it how you see it. good stuff, mr levy.
  • 1 0
 I understand that distribution solves one main obstacle for retailers: accessibility. There was a time when manufacturers/brands didn't have a clear and obvious line of communication with retailers and consumers, due to geography and/or technology. I won't attribute all the changes in bike retail business models as a result of the internet, but it's difficult to argue against modern connectivity as a vehicle for the direct-to-consumer model (which is just a fancy term for selling your products on your own website). Distributors' profits depend on LBS for orders which depended on customer demand, so their intention to push a product in public (reviews, ads) is to sell to the next in line, the LBS. Distributors have to offer the services mentioned above in order to stay competitive and to present a good public image. I'm not judging them for doing so, as consumers benefit from this, just laying out the intentions. While I appreciate the small services that certain distributors can offer above simply shipping parts, I don't see the purpose especially considering online marketplaces are only getting more sophisticated in terms of offering that same accessibility without having to pay the higher prices of the classic bicycle distribution middle man. Now that I think about it, things like Amazon and Alibaba are becoming 'distributors' for vendors/brands, and not physical shipping, thereby driving down the cost while still offering the same level of accessibility.
  • 7 0
 @FlowMasterO nothing is worse than boost hubs, it can only be "as bad as" boost hubs. like pressfit.
  • 2 0
 Great article! Good to side with the general public and not the industry. It's not bad to bite the hand that feeds if they decide to feed you b.s. and think they can get away with it. 1 tip. Ignore protuoretts.
  • 76 1
 Bad month: UK dirt mag stopped printing.
  • 24 0
 One month left, hope for a big finish. . But yeah, that, Peaty's knee and Terry Pratchet died on my birthday, what a shitty month.
  • 7 1
 Also Zane Lowe's radio show, seems March 2015 was the month of good things coming to an end.
  • 46 4
 You can add TopGear to your list.... Frown
  • 4 4
 Maybe Steve Jones can take over for Jeremy...
  • 14 2
 No one can takeover for Jeremy
  • 8 1
 Ahw crap.... I logged on to pink to forget about the lack of GopGear, only to find it mentioned anyway. Hahaha Smile

Cheers pink for article, it was a good read!
  • 8 1
 the days of cutting out mag pics of huge dh lines are over Frown
  • 3 15
flag torero (Apr 2, 2015 at 13:45) (Below Threshold)
 Clarkson sucks
  • 4 1
 Lord Warner could take over for Jeremy.
  • 53 5
 It should also be noted that we are not powerless in this never-ending battle of new "standards" in things.

You wanna grab the industry by the balls and REALLY show them where you stand and who is really in charge?

DON'T BUY THEIR SHIT!

Buy a used frame, buy a used fork, buy a used bike for that matter and put some money in a fellow mountain biker's pocket instead of throwing fistfulls of money into the greedy hands of the Corporate Mountain Bike Industry.

But this incessant bitching about new "standards" and turning right around and buying those very products isn't getting us anywhere.

Sorry to pitch a fit, but I've been in this game for two decades and I'm just as tired of the Corporate Mountain Biking Industry as you guys.

Imagine what would happen if just 50% of us bought a fellow rider's used mountain bike for $2500 instead of dropping $7K on the latest plastic princess bike?

I'll shut up now. Flame me if you want, but this industry isn't out to improve your ride anymore, just their profits.
  • 16 0
 Exactly. The power to stop the insanity is entirely in the hands of the consumers. If no one buys it, they'll stop making it.
  • 5 2
 While I tend to agree with the points made above, I also wonder if the industry does bear some responsibility for the "standards" proliferation. The (perhaps overly cynical) thinking being: hey, sales are relatively flat...most of the new stuff out there lasts waaaay too long now, so consumers aren't predisposed to continually buy new stuff other than wear items. So how do we inject a little cocaine into our sales? I got it! Make new "standards" and/or products that actually no one is clamoring for, but we'll push it out with a big marketing effort and imply its better than whatever is out there now, and you need this sh!t. Yeah, it will reduce/eliminate our efforts to refine and improve current technology and products, but who cares...Our main goal is to sell new stuff and slowly abandon the old stuff so that people will have to buy new stuff due to availability or support issues, not because its actually worn out or noticeably inferior to our new stuff. Brilliant!

In some ways, I don't blame them if any of my tinfoil hat theory is based in reality. Companies generally like making money and selling new product lines. So I think it may be a combination of both consumer reaction and corporate shenanigans.

Btw, I'm officially going to steal the phrase "plastic princess bike". Much, much win.
  • 4 0
 Jackalope, I think it's the opposite. If sales are flat it means people aren't buying. I think the issue is people are buying like crazy and they know we are just itching for an excuse to drop some $, no matter how implausible. So they make the day bike rims a little less fat, and the fat rims a little fatter, and every time there are people out there saying "you know, my fat bike does roll slow, let's give it a try. What's $7k anyway?"

I wish the industry was more standard, sure. I bought a boutique bmx frame and a build kit with every other part and it all fit. It was amazing
  • 2 0
 Ha, good point, and it could very well be the case. I know in the winter when riding opportunities are few and far between, I end up buying more crap than I actually need: if I can't ride damn it, I will spend money on the the thing that I can't ride!
  • 2 0
 Some "new standards" are good, some are bad.

We should bitch about the bad ones. And no, i haven't bought a bike with a press fit bottom bracket. I'll be effing pissed if my current hubs won't fit the next gen forks and frames.
  • 4 0
 I bought a 2012 26" and I don't care because I love it but I know very well that its resale value is probably abysmal.

Maybe I'm not the average mountain biker but instead of having me buy more stuff, it just makes me want to sit on the sidelines even longer and see what actually sticks and becomes time proven. Ever since I bought my bike in 2012, there were tons of new standards and "innovations" to come out but very few have come to be real game changers.

Trying to strongarm me into to buying new shit will make me want to NOT buy it. Come out with something that actually fills a need (droppers, NW/clutches) and I will be rushing to the bike shop.
  • 5 1
 Plc07 I don't think you are an average mountain biker and especially not the target for all this new crap. 27.5+ is useless to someone who buys one bike and rides it until it's dead or there is something truly better. But it's a godsend for the n+1 crowd. Here in the bay area there are plenty of n+1 guys. They don't replace bikes, they add to the fleet. And to justify that, you don't need something better, you need something different.
  • 1 0
 Oddly enough, there are enough companies making parts in Portland that I could make a mountain bike out of parts made here in Portland... Except for the disk brakes!
  • 33 1
 Pinkbike is in a very unique position. You are the media center for covering what many people hold close to their hearts. Their passion. Mountain bikes. As long as we all keep the reasons we ride close to our hearts, the good will always drown out the bad.........unless there's another standard we are forced to swallow ;-)
  • 10 1
 Canadians are the sweetest. Smile
  • 30 0
 I've never understood how people can get away with stating that mountain bikes cause serious environmental impacts. Like Portland is a city for crying out loud... A city is probably the hardest thing on the environment, yet they are driving away people that help give a reason to keep forests around. Instead they should encourage it, that way our planet won't become one massive piece of cement. Besides other than a tiny amount of erosion (if the trail is built properly, it probably wouldn't even erode), how is mountain biking any worse than horse back riding or even walking?
  • 16 0
 Agreed. I'm a huge advocate of land protection, but the anti-bike argument is getting stupidly old... Especially with the damage human feet do in mud, horse hooves do in anything less than dust, and the damage that dog/horse/human feces does to an environment. We have so much incredible land here in Utah, and bikes are banned from wilderness with the anti-bike rhetoric, and yet I've never seen 100 bikes tear up a trail the way one 800-lb packhorse in mud can.

Growing up on a horse farm, I learned a lot about what animal feces can transport -- foreign and invasive species of seeds, chemicals from hormones that cause issues for native animals, and plenty of other damages (including wrecked native habitats, etc) that bikes will never cause.

I still don't understand the so-called 'logic' of most bike bans... Often, bikers make up a large percentage of the trail maintenance crews. Boggles my mind.
  • 5 0
 according to "the research," in many cases mountain bikes are no worse than hiking (obviously varies a lot and depends on many factors). Horses are unequivocally the champions of soil loss, no contest (except motos, of course). I've seen horse trails rutted so deeply that the horses' bellies literally drag on the sides. So, in answer to your question...it's not.
  • 5 0
 I do more trail work than 99.9% of riders and hate to say this... but yeah, bikes do tons of damage to trails. Horses do the most damage but bikes are much worse than pedestrians. The difference isn't even close.

What that justifies is up for debate but let's not lie to ourselves.
  • 1 1
 Thank you dfilter. That's very true. Bikes go faster and rely on a smaller contact patch then pedestrians. That all adds up to more force in a smaller area witch is not good.
  • 4 0
 Dfiler, while that may hold true for PA, desert dirt (like that here in Utah) will hold footprints year round if hikers are out during the wet, muddy spring, and there will be 2-3 inch deep holes.

It's true that opinions (and dirt) differ, but I don't think anyone is lying to themselves.
  • 6 1
 Like I said, it depends on many factors. I won't deny that bikes can do a great deal of damage in many cases, you're absolutely right. But in many other cases, no difference from hikers...I've read most of the peer reviewed research I could find on the subject (at least, as of a year ago) and very few papers find significantly greater impact from mountain bikes than hikers. Good trail design (and maintenance) and conscientious riders will minimize the difference. Bikes can "do tons of damage to trails," but they don't always HAVE to.

The greater difference is in trail density. A ten mile trail will entertain a hiker for day but a mountain biker for only an hour. Mountain bikers desire a much higher trail density than most other users which is of course a greater impact. Still, nothing irks me more than a manager who allows horses but wouldn't give a mountain bike club the dirt that's stuck on his shoes. In my opinion, if they allow horses, they just don't give a rip about erosion or treading lightly.
  • 2 1
 Well said, @ecologist. Thank you for that.
  • 3 0
 portland has restarted the public process for determining uses for riverview, I got got an email from the city that the first new meeting will be next week. all hope is not lost! thanks to imba and nwta for starting legal action in LUBA, which I bet had city hall rethinking things.
  • 32 2
 I am so tired of industry inventing new "standards" every other year. If new developments bring significant improvements, they will not draw heat -- and riders will actually appreciate and applaud them. But many of these are incremental only, and their price surpasses the added value by a mile.

Take 650B: A slightly better rollover, slightly higher traction, slightly less agile. But why buy a new bike, when even in professional reviews the difference is rated insignificant and sometimes even unnoticeable.

Just a few years and your bike will come with a best before date and stop rolling the day after.
  • 13 15
 You obviously don't remember when dropper posts were introduced: "This is bullshit" "why would anyone need this" "I can just use my QR and save a bunch of weight". Now look at a review of a trail bike which isn't specced with a dropper, see how the comments section looks. The riders will piss on anything, it is up to you to see through that and work out what is actually going to be good for you and your riding.
  • 15 1
 Yepp, however hub\wheel standards block's you from swapping parts betw bikes or finding some emergency backup of tire/wheel;
  • 11 1
 Nice one Vanguard, well said. I couldn't have put it better myself.
  • 13 0
 I don't recall hearing hardly any complaints about dropper posts. people we're stoked, and they've clearly been one of if not the greatest real innovations in recent years.
  • 12 0
 People adopted droppers pretty fast. Not many people whined about wider bars, NW rings and clutches once they proved to unequivocally improve the riding experience either.

I don't always like the "bipolar" nature of the internet but when someone makes a stupid move, sometimes I can't help to feel the lynching was deserved and hope it is going to serve as a warning.
  • 17 0
 Exactly, thats what is really irritating about these changes - they're insignificant in terms of performance and they cost a ton for consumers to implement. Even if you dont implement them, you lose. Good luck selling a 26" frame/fork/wheel now. And if you do fork out for all new gear, how long before that too becomes obsolete? Its great to clarify that this is driven by frame manus - when the boost bikes appear, I'll be sure to put those companies on the no-buy list for the future. Treks already there.
  • 5 0
 @BryceBorlick I tried to figure out why these new "standards" have been bothering me so much. I read your comment, and I couldn't have said it more eloquently. The changes are "insignificant in terms of performance and they cost a ton for consumers to implement". Hit the nail on the head. Thanks!
  • 15 1
 Not only are they "insignificant in terms of performance and they cost a ton for consumers to implement", but what I'm REALLY curious about is why SRAM chose 148mm instead of going a measly two millimeters wider to make room for a 150mm DH hub that could possibly be repurposed. 2mm is really that big of a deal, SRAM?? Really?

It just smacks of greed, not innovation, which is why I think so many of us are so deeply upset by it.

When you're perched on the edge between trust and betrayal of bike and component companies (as a lot of bike consumers are these days), a move like Boost 148 can easily provide the final push over the edge and into betrayal. We all know that 150mm DH hubs and spacing are that wide to provide stiffness/strength/yadda yadda yadda, but SRAM didn't decide to jump to DH width -- they shot just under at 148, forcing companies to conform to the giant that is SRAM.

It's a corporate-level greed structure that, quite frankly, is just f*cking played out. When bikes are a source of sanity for us, it's semi-emotionally crippling to have the industry infected by such unadulterated shareholder profit bullshit.

Just my long-winded $.02.
  • 4 0
 they arguments - in order to use 73 BB, not 83, which make scene, however 148 rear and and new f**g 110x15 front end make no scene to me, cause 20x110 has proved as lightest stiffest wide spread setup...
  • 3 0
 I've been riding a fatbike with a 120mm BB... and no q-factor related issues. Seems like 83mm is not a problem on the type of bike that actually needs a stiffer rear wheel. Yeah, if you're mashing out 50+ miles a day and suffer from knee pain, it might matter. For the rest of us, 83mm is good. Taller riders might even find it preferable.
  • 3 0
 The amazing thing to me about the bottom bracket, chain line arguement is that I guess it's just a measly 10mm difference, or 5mm on each side. Look at how big 5mm is on ruler. It seems like there's a lot more variation in pedal shaft length than the 5mm that they are worried about for q-factor. As an aside, it seems like it would have more to do with hip width that overall body height or leg length. I suspect each individual has his/her own ideal bottom bracket width (and therefore final pedal width).
  • 5 0
 I know I always bring this up but the sam hill demo team replica had a 135mm axle for better trail clearance and the engineers said that the loss in stiffness going from 150mm to 135mm was insignificant (for downhill purposes, mind you).

So the question I have is: If 26" was plenty stiff and wheel stiffness is that much important for them... WHY DOES YOUR NEW STANDARD HAVE WHEELS MADE OF CHEESE?

I can't help but feel that 27.5" was the answer to a problem nobody had and now that answer came with a whole new set of problems. Also, the fact that they now "need" to change axle/bbs and all that stuff because its not optimal really pushes me to believe that they didn't think it through when they made 650b. In my mind this really reflects poorly on the industry as they look like they have a bunch of amateurs working for them.
  • 1 0
 @ambatt
So what if SRAM is all like "boost, boost"; but Shimano, Hope, Halo, E13, Transition, Santa Cruz, Diamondback(e.g. companies not locked into complete bike component contracts) decide that they will stick with making products around 135mm, 142mm & 150mm standards?

I'll tell you what will happen; Wheels Manufacturing will make compatibility parts for fitting into the bigger standards. Then will drop it after 5 quarters of no-one buying the 'spacers'!

I 3 Rockshox
  • 4 0
 Yeah I definitely won't be buying sram stuff again. Maybe they should pull the millions out of their marketing department and put it into making some brakes that are better than mediocre.
  • 22 0
 With 27.5+ and boost I'm just surprised there's not another new standard, for example a third type of air valve that's between the size of presta and schrader -- Schresta. Sounds like a soda but it's actually for bikes.
  • 6 0
 it exists woods/dunlop valve.
  • 9 0
 All the advantages of the presta valve screwy cap thingy with all the great advantagey things about schrader, all wrapped up in a valve that has a diameter exactly half way between the two original standards, and requires users to buy new pumps, rims, and puncture repair kits. Oh, and they cost twice as much... Sign me up. Haha.
  • 10 0
 The halfway size idea isn't good enough as you could just use a schrader rim. The base of the valve needs a funky shape like a "+" or something like that to make sure it doesn't fit in any existing rim.
  • 4 0
 " Schresta" --- Brilliant!! hahaha!
  • 3 1
 "advantagey things" imma start using that.
  • 23 0
 I can't imagine living it a place where they despise mountain biking that much.
  • 3 0
 I was riding Portland when it was an under-developed mountain bikers paradise, till about ten years ago... Richers moving in with developers have flipped or banned more that 75% of easy to reach multi-use public trail systems for bikes, that were mostly bike used. Damn near the last decade of Portland growth has shown that people with money and influence will use it to get their way with public land rights and access.
  • 17 0
 I reckon bike companies shouldn't feel pressured to release shiny new bikes with mindless/useless improvements to great designs at annual bike shows. I'd rather they took the time and release actual updates when they're ready. I don't see Cove or Turner releasing new bikes every 6 months, yet can any of you say they're no longer up to the task? When was the last time the V10 got an actual geometry update? Why feel guilty for selling a product which works without adding bells, whistles tassles and god knows what several times a year or claiming you've just solved all of mountain biking's limitations without any drawbacks....yawwwwn.
  • 2 0
 I get your point and I agree but the V10 geometry was updated not to long ago when they gave it bigger wheels.
  • 15 0
 Kind of surreal to see PDX making headlines for being bike-unfriendly. Guess the elders of the cycling town that burns with the smugness of a thousand Copenhagens have decided that there is only one path to heaven: it is paved in asphalt, & the faithful have no choice but to grind their way down the straight & narrow on fixies sporting deep-Vs...
  • 15 0
 "burns with the smugness of a thousand copenhagens"! haha nice one.

that reminds me of the South park 'smug cloud' developing over San Francisco, all because Kyle's dad bought a Prius. Its a slippery slope
  • 3 0
 @fingerbangextreme (great name BTW). All the parents sniffing and quaffing their own farts in that episode. Hahah!
  • 5 0
 It's super bike friendly if you ride a single speed fixie only on the road/path and fit in with the crowd at the local kale bar. /truestory. #mostoverratedcityI'veeverbeentoo #notmtbfriendly #lametown

Just travel up to Washington and enjoy the amazing forests they have. Some spectacular riding.
  • 1 0
 @atrokz
Tell me about it-- I live in Hawthorne and ride urban assault using two different styles of bike. I love the dirty looks I get.

.. These skinnies idiots also ride in traffic without a helmet and then yell at cars... Where is the bicycle safety corridor, but 2 streets north of the street they are yelling at cars on.
  • 2 0
 Credit where credit is due: I turned a quote from bikesnobnyc on its head: he originally said that as far a righteous cycling cities go, "Copenhagen burns with the smugness of a thousand Portlands." Having done a lot of riding in both towns (lived 3yrs in PDX and have family in Copenhagen), I actually think Snobby was onto something but got it backwards, so I turned the quote on its head: the bike-centric culture of Copenhagen may be more widespread, and more deeply ingrained, but it's far less "in your face" and self-righteous than Portland.
Don't get me wrong, I love the town, but no other cyclopolis can compete with the year-round "smug event" that hangs in the air over Portland.
Because they also love the town enough to study its madness & folly, the folks at Portlandia absolutely nailed it when they caught this "smug event" on film:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nMnr8ZirI
Bicycle Rights!
  • 14 1
 "the over-protection of land that people could be enjoying is a real shame." Word! Antarctica is warmer than new york city, Lake Mead that supplies Las Vegas is running dry, and city councils are worried about how the dirt on a trail might wash in a rainstorm.
  • 13 2
 Id like to see the industry do a product freeze for just a year so that instead of looking to the future all the time they could reflect, enjoy whats been created to far and naturally figure out what the next big step is. Im all fo shiny new bits as most of us are magpies to some degree but the continuous foie gras approach of the industry will also be its undoing.
  • 3 1
 You do that while the boys and I fill our pockets ehehehehe
  • 3 0
 Or unfill them lol
  • 1 0
 ........ya pretty much
  • 2 0
 @bootlegpegasus - I like that idea, kind of like an engine freeze in F1. Wishful thinking, though.
  • 1 0
 @mikelevy exactly like F1 mate, of course it wont happen whilst there are profits to be made and shareholders to appease, but at some point ( which i dont think is far away) supply will outweigh demand and only then will the big trenders take note. I used to be a rep for Transition in the UK and i think Kev and Kyles philosophy is spot on, upgrade when needed but focus on the point and that is to have fun on your bike.
  • 9 0
 The preproduction thing is so ridiculous and I'm glad you pointed it out. Personally I find it pretty hard to believe that they are actually pre production. I would bet they are actually production failures. And if they make a change afterwards then that's great and normal. But don't treat us like idiots with that pre production bs.
  • 8 0
 I clicked on this thinking 'what an odd idea for an article' but came out the other side thinking 'that was great!'. Well written and relatable, keep up the good work.
  • 5 0
 Please do a full review of the top tier YT Tues. I'm sure Zink wouldn't mind lending you one. I'm really curious about it and am particularly interested in BOS's downhill offerings. I know you did the first ride, but I want more.
  • 2 0
 dirtmountainbike.com/longform/yt-industries-tues-carbon-review#8JaMezg1GCCbxO5o.97

there are man of them, nowonder that it has been 2 years Dirt magazines bike of the year in DH
  • 2 1
 Dirt spent the same amount of time on it as Pink Bike did at the product launch. Only Dirt calls a couple of days riding a review whereas PB calls it a first ride. www.pinkbike.com/news/first-look-YT-TUES-CF-Pro-2015.html
That's why I put more stock in PB reviews, they don't call it such without spending some significant time with the product.
  • 6 0
 @psyguy - That's always the battle. We do lose out timing-wise on some reviews, but I'd like to think we do some of the more in-depth stuff out there. Glad you appreciate it.
  • 5 0
 Zero foresight from City of Portland. Love 'em or hate 'em, trail centres in the UK give a sustainable option for many riders and attract in loads of visitors to areas that benefit from tourism. Guess we're lucky.
  • 1 0
 Lucky, or politicians that actually support 'most all' of their communities(specially the ones that will bring tourist dollars)?
  • 6 2
 The people we can be angry at is Shimano for 15x100 and 142x12 - when those things were developed, 29ers were on the rise, their wheels were the first ones potentially needing increase in lateral stiffness. They wanted to introduce new standards back then, they could have made it with wider flanges right from the start, they ahd all the tech and reasons for it. It would be meaningful, now both things are meaningless, so as much as I like FOX lately, they just take sht for catering to Shimano in 2007
  • 9 2
 I remember 15x100 being a big failure indeed. The whole point of it was that it was supposed to be lighter than 20mm (and stiffer than 9mm). It was indeed stiffer than 9mm, but both all the 15mm hubs and all the 15mm axles were heavier than their old 20mm versions. So they created a heavier AND flexier version of the 20mm hub. But hey, what's the point in actually testing your products decently before you push them down everyone's throat?

For that reason I'm happy that my track bike (/fixed gear bike) is the main bike I ride. No BS from companies trying to push all kinds of stuff down my throat. Just a bike that is made to be as simple as possible. Love it.
  • 10 2
 Are your bars narrow enough Mattin? Is your seatpost correctly colour matched to your stem? Do you have the right number of white spokes disbursed among your black ones? Are enough parts ano gold? Is your chain half link or are you still stuck in the past with a standard chain?

Fixies might not have performance benefits from it but there are still people trying to sell you bullshit you don't need. At least with MTB there is at least the pretence of performance enhancement not just peer pressure. "your bike isn't cool enough, nobody is going to think you are a real bike messenger".
  • 3 0
 Gotta agree, Waki. New hub standard should have accompanied the new 29" wheel size from the start. Not only would it have saved people the pain of obsolescence now, but it would have avoided the whole problem/debate of stiffness in the larger wheels. 26" and 29" parts aren't interchangeable anyway, so it wouldn't have negatively impacted anyone. Instead, here we are....

@Patrick9-32 you're absolutely right. Fixies and track bikes absolutely are not without hype and marketing. Anodized chains, colored deep v rims, mission workshop and chrome bags... Not to mention the compatibility issues that arise when you're trying to resurrect a japanese/french/english frame from the 1960s or whatever.
  • 2 0
 It is worth mentioning that Shimano produces hubs with higher flanges that they label as 29er specific. It's been all there when 15x100 was being pushed in.
  • 1 0
 Using a fixie as an example of 'simplicity' isn't a great argument, because it's a track bike you're riding on the street at a great cost of performance and safety. It's a trendy bike. trends = $$$
  • 2 0
 There's a problem with wheel stiffness? My tightly laced carbon hoops are possibly too stiff. Seriously, is this even a problem?
  • 2 1
 Well yeah but you had to pay for carbon rims so..... that's the problem. Wider flange is a WAY cheaper way to get a similar result.
  • 1 0
 Bkm303 - Not sure if sarcasm Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Lol, yeah, replacing fork, hubs, frame, and axles sounds cheap to me. Best part of that is none of your old stuff can be used, just get new everything and not have any swappable parts. Or... you know... just get carbon rims and reuse whatever of your old gear you feel like reusing.
  • 1 0
 atrokz a fixie is as simple as it gets. I built mine up for $150, and my friend was Abel to build one up for $70. There are 8 bearings total on my bike and my Handel bars have one brake lever and two grips, and I don't need the lever. No ratchet no shifting and brakes are optional. I would consider it very simple
  • 1 0
 29er specific freehubs... just saying.
  • 1 1
 Guess I should have clarified, it's way cheaper for a **manufacturer** to get that result with a wider flange. Cheaper for you? Definitely not. But I still don't see why any of you are shocked by this.

Manufacturers cater to people who SPEND MONEY ON NEW BIKES. If they can deliver a better product for the same cost, they eventually will. This is mountain biking; when is there ever NOT a changing standard? Your solution for getting a stiffer wheel is to buy a carbon rim. Mine is to save that $800, run my current gear til it's clapped out and then buy a new boost-equipped bike a couple of years from now. No big deal. Face it, if you're not buying new bikes the industry is gonna pass you by. It's always been that way.

Fact is, unless you total your frame or fork, there's no need for you to switch to boost anyway. And if you DID have to replace one or both of them you're already talking serious money. What's another $100 to buy a new hub and axle? Get a f*cking truing stand, crawl into your fallout shelter, and grumble about the corporations while you lace up your new hub.

We've all done this already when we switched from QRs to thru axles. It wasn't actually that big of a deal.

And yeah, @mikelevy, I think the best thing that could possibly come of this would be that 29ers get their own hub standard. That would actually make a ton of sense.
  • 1 1
 @Patrick9-32: you have a good point. With mtb it's both though, with fixed gear only the looks part. Look at all the fancy colors everyone is buying for their mtb's nowadays so it all matches together. From switching brakelevers to chainring bolts, to a new flashy handlebar etc, etc. This happens in every single scene of cycling. Personally I don't really care about the looks: the worse it looks, the less odds of it getting stolen. My bike might be worth +-€1500, but I rather make it look ghetto because the numbers of bicycle theft are super high here in Amsterdam.

@atrokz: you can divide fixed gear in two different scenes. The hipsters who buy shit bikes with a lot of flashy parts and only use it to commute to work 'in style'. And the racers who actually ride their bike as a sport, and train a lot for races (the first group is starting to fade away, but the second group is growing a lot since Red Hook Crit made fixed gear racing 'serious'). For performance riding fixed gear is actually a better training compared to riding a road bike. With a fixed gear you do 'interval' trainings all the time because you can't adjust your gears to the situation to have the ideal RPM. As for safety, it really depends on skills and attitude. I've been riding fixed for a couple of years now and never had a single accident. And I live in the street which is known for having the most (fatal) traffic accidents of Amsterdam, which usually involves cyclists.

But then again this is a whole off-topic discussion Razz
  • 2 0
 @bkm303: I agree with you that introducing wider hubs for a bigger wheelsize isn't a bad idea. But didn't we have these already? The through axle hubs for downhill racing? I would have liked it better if they would have kept those measurements and would have built specific (for example XC) hubs on that sizing. I do agree new standards can be a way forward. But one of the new standards was exactly the same as the older one, only 2mm wider. Is that really enough benefit to create a complete new size of hubs and frames for? For me that feels like introducing a new seatpost size, except here you can't buy shims to make them fit together.
  • 8 1
 Wait WTF is 27.5+!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to study all week and now theres a new wheel size?
  • 3 0
 ^^^stop to blink and you miss a new standard. serves you right for studying.......
  • 4 0
 Real shame that a city like Portland with so much potential and so many good riding areas is doing this. I've lived in Portland for almost 15 years now, and it seems like more and more good riding areas are being closed. I'm sorry if anyone objects to my actions, but I still ride many trails around town that are now off limits to mountain bikes. I'm always respectful when I come across hikers and whatnot. I don't destroy the environment in anyway. It's my backyard man, why would I hurt it? I just want to enjoy it like everyone else. What's wrong with that?
  • 1 0
 "What's wrong with that?"

It does not turn a profit.
  • 4 0
 Some thoughts:

What if -- what if -- bike companies and their engineers are not making innovations based on dark, sinister, backroom meetings focused on cynical ways to pick your pockets, but on a sincere desire to make their products better and give you a more enjoyable riding experience? Is every new innovation going to be a home run? No. But it's part of the process of evolution. It's how we got from there to here.

My guess is that the bike industry is full of people like us. They have a passion for the sport and want to make great products. The engineers probably take pride in their developments. Are they looking for a way to make profits? You bet. It's the carrot that spurs innovation. It allows them to innovate more. But is it their sole motivation? Probably not.
  • 4 0
 Hold on - you're not suggesting that the Pinkbike comment section isn't representative of the entire mountain bike industry? Somebody grab me my pitchfork!
  • 3 0
 I'd agree on your first point, but all I'm asking is that the ''innovations'' actually offer a worthwhile advantage. I'm not saying there isn't an improvement in rigidity/possible geo with Boost, just that it doesn't look like it's worth a bunch of new forks, frames and hubs.

I know many of the people responsible for the new ''standards'' that we see (and the older ones as well), and they literally just want to make stuff better. That's their goal. And bikes get better every year, but somethings are more of a slight shuffle forward than an actual step in the right direction.
  • 2 0
 We keep getting told that the biking industry doesn't make that much money. Assuming it is true, it means they have limited ressources when it comes to time and R&D. I think it is about time that instead of being pressured to make something "new" every year, they took the time to do proper research and testing to come up with actual innovations. Now it just seem like they're throwing shit to the wall and see what sticks. Frame makers redesign suspension layout every few years and I really don't see what's the hurry in releasing new frames if all it is going to change is half a degree or a millimeter here and there.
  • 1 0
 A 20% improvement; or change; of a product is still enough to register for a patent. Sell the idea as a product for a short time to the 'must have its' and make up some of the R&D cost. Then sit on the patent to license the idea if any one thinks of marketing it after it's been forgot about in the future.
  • 6 0
 Thanks PB, refreshing to see a good dose of rationalized skepticism in here. We need more of that!
  • 2 0
 Good stuff, but I'm not sure Ed Masters "unwittingly" illustrated why snow plow bikes are "an insane amount of fun". I took the whole spoof as a direct disparaging of the alleged awesomeness of snow plow bikes, and never thought "yeah, they do look fun...I mean sh!t, he crushed that big rock drop and it looked smooth and fun!"

Like Tranny's clunker bike, the whole concept seems like a gag, and something that's fun to clown around on after a few german sodas, but not much else.
  • 2 0
 Awesome article format! Mike Levy's writing is pretty much always on point too!

Try and incorporate an industry wide/racing/rumor 'By the Numbers' article in your rotation every month - sort of like this article, but include numbers that were significant in relevance to major news/results/developments in the industry every month as a recap. This was a popular page for me in magazines like Transworld Motocross (I'm 99% sure on that - it might have been another MX mag).
  • 2 0
 I don't think anyone is really complaining about the 27.5+ concept, its the execution of a new 15x110mm front hub spacing standard when a superior 20x110mm front hub spacing standard has exist for over 15 years with no issues.
  • 6 0
 Good article!
  • 1 0
 Ditto! Nice one Mike & PB
  • 1 0
 Almost a decade ago I said to myself that one day DH and XC bikes would meet in the middle of the mountain, which would bring an era were all my love would be shared with just one bike[well, other than the 3 of my DJ bike, but that is technically not a mtb]; and then came the Endurance(enduro) FS mountain bike. Which helped lead a change in hardtail geometries to bring about the all-mountain-hardtail. Though, I found that my love must be split between FS and HT, or I'm only receiving half of my desires... So, three bikes it is!

I love this sport!
  • 3 0
 Lol at the CoP erosion worries, watch Gold Rush and see how those greedy bastards are Fucking up.the planet .
  • 2 0
 Good month for MTB - more light (at least in the northern hemisphere), tacky hero dirt (at least here in the PNW). None of the other stuff really matters.
  • 1 0
 its funny how people ask why companies change things up year to year..they are for profit companies.they love your money..it was a bad month cause i wasn't skiing spring pow in the northwest and now I'm in tears
  • 1 0
 I'm sure the 27.5+ forks are a simple response to a lot of DH bikes becoming 27.5" wheel size. Once you have a DH bike with 27.5" rims, you are probably want to have a 2.7 or a 2.8 or even 3.0 tire size
  • 2 0
 Talking about boring Taipei Show, pinkbike made it even more boring by covering only hub sizes
  • 2 0
 There was a single article about the SpeedRelease system, and even that actually uses the same hub spacing, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. You mean the new hubs from American Classic? The ones available in a bunch of current sizes as well...?
  • 1 2
 I will have to disagree on blaming the frame manufacturers for new fork standards instead of fork companies themselves. It's the fork companies who pushed tapered steerertubes down everyone's throat, forcing frame manufacturers to hop on the tapered-bandwagon, or else no one will buy their frames because it won't be possible to buy new forks for the frame.
  • 1 0
 SRAM owns Rockshox you know? Wouldn't be hard for SRAM to push their daughter company RS into the 'new standard'.
  • 1 0
 Don't know about the xc/enduro/dh scene, but in the dirt scene it was very obvious that all the fork companies (Rock Shox, Manitou, etc) have switched to tapered forks, not making 1 1/8" options anymore after a while. As soon as they stopped making the 1 1/8" versions, all the frame building companies (Deity, Dartmoor, NS etc) switched to putting tapered headtubes into their frames.

Maybe it's different if you look at the big giants like Specialized, who as far as I know have something to do with Sram (not sure what though). But looking at the companies that most street/park/dirt riders follow, it was clearly that the fork companies pushed the tapered steerertubes, and not the frame manufacturers.
  • 1 0
 Thanks anyway bike Industry I have all the bikes I need for the next 7+ years. So you can go reinvent the wheel 3.5 times until then.
  • 2 0
 Loving this format, Mike (and the writing too)! Looks like the start of a great series.
  • 2 0
 If I lived in portland I'd still ride those trails, screw the city council if they think bikes are that harmful.
  • 3 0
 Good article Mike Keep up the good work. What is up with Portland?
  • 2 3
 As a guy who use to be fat, like 300+ pounds fat and worked my ass off to lose it I personally found the Ed Masters video a bit offensive and I'm not one that even gets easily offended. I know lots of you thought it was funny, but it hit me where it hurt. But, its all good. Humor is humor.
  • 2 0
 How about bad month for Santa Cruz, or two of its rider anyway. Bummer
  • 1 0
 No doubt. They could/should have been included as well.
  • 2 0
 Im excited for more of these in the future, great article!
  • 3 2
 I bet Yeti shit a brick once people pounced on that cracked frame issue. Surely they'll lose some bike sales because of it.
  • 1 0
 interesting read. even the comments are interesting. brings the best in everybody, haha.
  • 1 0
 Thats a cool way of thinking about trail erosion and environmental impact. I'll be noting that one down...
  • 3 0
 We humans have such little control over things. I'd say get out there and enjoy it but just don't an idiot.
  • 2 0
 @mikelevy
"just don't an idiot"

New internet meme. Thanks Mike!
  • 1 0
 Can't wait for the wind powered light review. That should brighten up my day.
  • 1 0
 I don't get it. Why the hate on 27.5+ wheels and forks? It was bound to happen and I see no obvious flaws in the concept.
  • 1 0
 No coverage of NAHBS. There were a good number of mountain bikes and a ton of fat bikes.
  • 2 1
 GST in Malaysia kicked in.
  • 2 1
 Bad month - the lift accessed bike parks are still covered in snow
  • 1 0
 That's the opposite of the parks up here...
  • 1 0
 How I envy you.... I can only ride so much XC
  • 1 0
 How is having to get out my snowboard make for a bad month? I even get to break down my horse for a thorough cleaning!
  • 1 0
 I snowboard too, but i'd rather save the money for a summer full of park riding.
  • 1 0
 Great read! Still not getting a fat bike.
  • 1 0
 Great Article more of this please
  • 1 0
 YT FTW!!!!
  • 1 0
 More of this please.
  • 7 0
 They'll be one at the end of each month.
  • 1 0
 Fantastic. Thanks Mike. Keep up the great work.
  • 1 0
 Mike levy rocks.
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