What's new in biking?

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What's new in biking?
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flag RhinoBiker
Posted: Apr 7, 2021 at 3:45 Quote
So I've come back to biking after around 6 years. I used to ride XC but mostly DH. I remember at the time, 27.5" wheels were just starting to come in, although back then they were called 650B and everyone basically laughed at them. 29" wheels were popular only in XC. Now 29" seems to be the norm for DH bikes?! My 2008 Orange 224 GBR DH bike with 2008 Rockshox Boxxers was getting a lot of attention because its 26" and fairly old. It makes me think I'm missing out on a lot of other things that have changed over the years whilst I've been away. Anyone care to enlighten me? Salute
flag Kidklayko
Posted: Apr 22, 2021 at 20:28 Quote
RhinoBiker wrote:
So I've come back to biking after around 6 years. I used to ride XC but mostly DH. I remember at the time, 27.5" wheels were just starting to come in, although back then they were called 650B and everyone basically laughed at them. 29" wheels were popular only in XC. Now 29" seems to be the norm for DH bikes?! My 2008 Orange 224 GBR DH bike with 2008 Rockshox Boxxers was getting a lot of attention because its 26" and fairly old. It makes me think I'm missing out on a lot of other things that have changed over the years whilst I've been away. Anyone care to enlighten me? Salute

29ers are the new thing, 26 is dead, and 27.5 is suffering. Mullet bikes are beginning to become popular where you run a 29er in the front and a 27.5 in the rear. It seems almost all the bikes in comparison videos from Pinkbike and other companies are all 29ers. Everything has become longer and slacker, except the seat tube angles which have become much steeper. Handlebars are wider, stems are shorter. Modern XC bikes are longer than most 7-year trail bikes. Also, coil shocks have made a comeback and new forks have gotten a lot beefier. Fox and Rockshox made a 38mm fork that is incredibly stiff. New forks have a crazy amount of adjustments. Fox bought Marzocchi and they now make cheaper products through them. 11-speeds with a 10-42 range are gone and replaced with 12-speeds with 10-50,51,52 range. Sram made a drivetrain that shifts wirelessly and electronically and Rockshox made a wireless dropper. Rims have gotten wider for added traction. All of the technology has just gotten better but those are the main new things. I might have forgotten a few things.
flag RhinoBiker
Posted: Apr 24, 2021 at 3:02 Quote
Kidklayko wrote:
29ers are the new thing, 26 is dead, and 27.5 is suffering. Mullet bikes are beginning to become popular where you run a 29er in the front and a 27.5 in the rear. It seems almost all the bikes in comparison videos from Pinkbike and other companies are all 29ers. Everything has become longer and slacker, except the seat tube angles which have become much steeper. Handlebars are wider, stems are shorter. Modern XC bikes are longer than most 7-year trail bikes. Also, coil shocks have made a comeback and new forks have gotten a lot beefier. Fox and Rockshox made a 38mm fork that is incredibly stiff. New forks have a crazy amount of adjustments. Fox bought Marzocchi and they now make cheaper products through them. 11-speeds with a 10-42 range are gone and replaced with 12-speeds with 10-50,51,52 range. Sram made a drivetrain that shifts wirelessly and electronically and Rockshox made a wireless dropper. Rims have gotten wider for added traction. All of the technology has just gotten better but those are the main new things. I might have forgotten a few things.

Honestly thank you so much for that!! Definitely brought me up to speed. The most surprising point you made was about the wireless drivetrain?! To me that's crazy, I can't even bare to think how much that costs or how much it would cost to repair. Think I'll just stick to my cables for now Wink
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