selmtron

Planned obsolescence permeates modern industry. Although it kinda pisses me off that it feels like manufacurers are doing everything in their power to make sure your parts are useless after a season, it stimulates the bike industry... More new bikes are sold, tech gets better, bike companies make money. If everyone rode the same bike for 10 years, the bike industry would collapse. Just like the iPhone, you have to string people along and incentivize purchasing a new plastic rectangle that is measurably better. Key word- better. Sure, my garage is filled with obsolete parts, but they still have value to me-mostly the memories attached to them... We need bike companies, and companies need to make profit, so I'll grit my teeth and try to keep up with the new-new. It is the reality of modern business. I just need to learn to throw away my old components and stop hoarding...

I choose to live in a place where there are 2 lift access dh zones within a 1 hr drive, as well as 2 shuttle zones within 30 minutes. Despite setting up shop in what I see as a beautiful place to downhill, there aren't any dh bikes at the local shops... And there are no races outside of a chainless series. Enduro is winning the popularity contest. But, for a handful of trails, you can't beat 200mm. Downhill is a sport with substantial barriers and logistics to overcome just to ride, but for those who will not compromise, it is unbeatable fun! I definately don't just ride downhill, because 98% of bike trails would be left out. But I can't let go of my dh bike.

I had an Ellsworth id back in the day...I frankensteined some white bros inverted crown 7" forks onto it, and had a 16" high bottom bracket... It was like riding on stilts, but it sure beat not riding. Ellsworth can probably make a sick bike, but Brian Lopes is the man! I used his tires to win chainless races, his turning techniques to win dh KOMs, and his teachings let me bunny hop over meter-tall walls at full speed. It sounds like all these admirers were surprised that he is fallable and human, with emotions like ours. Give him a break, or walk 20 years on HIS shoes, and see how it feels to be pestered by strangers at every turn- strangers who hold him up to some impossible standard.

I cite the dodge vs ford court ruling. Corporations owe nothing to anyone- except their shareholders. They have no conscience, common sense, or emotion. If they start dropping prices, and paying their employees more, they can be sued by their shareholders for purposefully dropping their profit margin. Since then, (early 1900s) planned obsolescence has permeated most aspects of the economy. Bikes are no exception. The NewNew is like a car- they all have 4 wheels, but paying $50,000 more than the next guy advertises oneself as being a better potential mate for the gdhs out there. I like biking! I really like putting over- spenders in their place, riding setups that cost 1/10th the price, leaving them in the dust. Once again, there is balance in the universe.

Perfection is the enemy of good enough. Perfection=$10,000 carbon everything, hi/low everything, specd to infinity. Good enough=Demo alum that gets your foot in the door. I think springs, front and rear ride great...if the static coefficient of friction in the system is less, due to not needing high pressure internal air seals, the small bump compliance gets better. Thus, a rudimentary compression/rebound setup feels alright. It would be sick to upgrade fork dampers, though. Ti springs? Specialized managed to lower the pivots even more, great for the 27.5 platform. The chainstay pivots are large and strong. Clipping in on this medium frame, it felt very flicky and agile, not like a 40+ lb. tank. However, 7 speeds feels like a step back. So does narrower axle 27.5 rear. (Although, the need to not hit a bunch of rocks with the newly lowered carbon chainstay is present, and it's not like they would make drastic changes to the cheaper alum version of their sweet carbon bike.) When I was shopping, the YT Tues alum option was $700 more.

I bought one for $3000. I figured just 27.5 wheels would be enough to beat my best times around Jackson hole. I used a 2011 demo 8 ii this summer to win KOM on all the gnarliest dh trails around Jackson Hole and I'm going to be even faster with this. I DARE you to try and keep up... I'll let the doctors and lawyers spend their Monopoly money on carbon this and that, but they have a snowball's chance in hell of ever being able to keep up...it is with extreme pleasure that I let you all know that money can't buy skill. I'll leave you behind riding outdated, obsolete equipment... It's not the arrow, it's the archer. I am pumped to ride the poor mans SR-71!