jmiklovic

The only pleasure I get out of reading PB reviews about bikes in this price range is knowing that the technology employed will be accessible to me in about 3 or 4 years. Even the lowest grade Rock Shox forks today will smash a Judy SL from yesteryear and the trend will likely continue. So for all of you, like me, who think you'll never have a bike like this... just give it a few years and you will. Then again, they'll have you believing it is outdated junk at that time. For you kids out there who want really nice stuff like this, pay attention in English class. You have better odds of getting free bike stuff as solid writer of reviews than you do by your great riding skills. Seriously. Pinkbike writers do a good job, they highlight product to a big audience, we lap it up, and it only cost the company one bike. I am sure the authors here have stables full of great bikes.

I don't think any of our bitterness has anything to do with performance or preference. The bottom line is that some of us cannot afford to upgrade frame, wheels, and fork simultaneously.

I wonder if its still worth it in any of our sport's disciplines to design events with onsite spectators as a primary consideration. It seems to me that spectating is something we do mostly online now. If I have a whole Saturday free I am going to spend it riding my own bike, not watching someone else ride theirs. I say let XCe die, and for the spectators focus instead on remote cameras and wilder more remote trails. In other words go the opposite direction of XCe. Maybe have bike mounted video streaming, heart rate or wattage feeds, stuff like that. Then when we get to work on Monday we will all tune in to the past weekend's race instead of doing our work. Sponsors get their product seen, XC is shown for what it really is, we get relief from the Monday blah and everyone is happy.

The charity of people who want to get this kid a nicer bike is cool to see, but doesn't it kind of miss the point? He doesn't need another bike, in fact the moment you replace his rig is the moment the message vaporizes. If we all had more fun in 'those days' why take those days away from him by entering him into the unending rat race to have the latest gear.