kramster

JejQ, did you know there are parts of the world (most of it) where people can't afford a computer. They can't even read, or type; let alone drink clean water and turn on some heat or air con. You are in the 1% and you don't even know it; so stop crying about not being in the 0.5% Ride a hardtail and get rad and be grateful that people were dropping $5K on crap 20 years ago to drive R&D on the deal of the century you are getting now. I had a $5K bike when I was making $7.50 an hour. What's stopping you? Feeling entitled much?

To all the young people that have no idea what they are talking about, bikes have gotten much cheaper. So quit your bitching on the internet and go to school and get a job so you can buy the bikes you want. My first real MTB was a hardtail, had a Manitou 3, caliper brakes, LX shitters (sp intended), and was a pile of shit. I broke the hanger which was not replaceable in 2 weeks, the fork filled with water, blew up elastomers, dropped the lowers off the rest of the fork and wore out the stanchions in a few months. The brake pads lasted 3 rides, the rims were warped in one. Tires were garbage, brakes were for show, shifting was awful after a week and needed new cables at least every two weeks. And this was just doing what would be considered mellow XC now. It wouldn't have lasted one day at Whistler. Cost you ask? $3K and I was making $5.75 an hour. My niterider was $450 and was 12 watts lo and 20 watts hi of blistering halogen that blew bulbs and ran out of power before the ride was done despite a battery that weighed more than a carbon XC hardtail frame does today. So if you think you're getting shitty deal now, pull your head out of your ass. You don't have to buy a $6K DH bike, or a $10K one either. Get a used one if you must. Or buy a killer $3K all mountain bike and go shred hard on it until you move out of mom's basement and get a job making more the minimum wage. Your complaining not only sounds ridiculous to people who have been biking for as long as you've been alive, but it grows very tiresome seeing it time and time again. You probably can't afford a trip to Whistler either but that doesn't mean it isn't good value, or that it should be made shittier and cheaper to fit your budget. /grumpy old man rant.

Nice work Roland!! Can't think of anyone I'd rather see this go to. Of course, now you have to suffer for it, but its a good kind of suffering :) Thanks for all the hard work you've done for our community.