Who is behind this creative masterpiece? Where did the idea & inspiration come from? What does Anime have to do with bicycles? We took the opportunity to talk to the involved people behind the creative process of the Anime 'IZZO'.
Creative Concept & Design: Andreas John, YT Industries Agency: SHIFT Active Media Production Company: The Line Animation— YT Industries
@eh-steve: Haha, totally! And he dusts them on the uphills too =P. Tofu deliveries on his bike is a viable storyline...food delivery via bike is very common now in Tokyo and Japan. I was just thinking about the potential for a real anime about this sort of underground MTB — especially as there’s a big underground DH scene in Japan...particularly as many Japanese cherish older / vintage bikes (and cars) and ride 15 to 20-year-old DH bikes on their local semi-secret trails (including on Mt Haruna in Maebashi, which is the mountain and road Initial D is based on...my MTB racing buddy lives there, rides the mountain, and also took me up / down it in his car, even dropping his wheels into the rain gutter around a corner in his Toyota, just like the show =). Would love to see an episode about a kid on a 26” first-gen YT DH bike smoking dudes on new bikes from other brands...total underdog unknown giant-slayer. Happened at a pro race here in WA too — a dude showed up on a 26” 2003 M1 in 2014 or 2015 and smoked all the pros on 27.5 new bikes, haha.
Give me some adjustment spacers under the stem which cost nothing , oh dear they just lost my 5k . , doing things there way . Without giving a thought as to customers may not want the front end slammed . Ask them if this is possible to do , and was simply told no they can’t do this . I even offered to pay for the spacers . Shocking service
@clink83: it’s not a mail order issue. It’s a brand’s decision that makes the stack unadjustable. I don’t get it either. You leave a little extra on steerer tube, and add a couple spacers. Why leave out such an easy way to give people some adjustability?
I bought a cheap Marin Rift Zone and it came with spacers.
Its what mail order brands do, they decide a spec and send it to you in a box, ready to ride. Thats one of the reasons NOT to buy a mail order bike. While I do agree its not the best idea, it's kind of silly to complain about it, esp when there are ways to fix it without freaking out about it.
@clink83: Commencal, Diamondback, Canyon, Guerrilla Gravity, Vitus, Motobecane... I couldn't even find another mail order bike that doesn't at least have one spacer. Most had several.
No one is freaking out about it. We are just voicing an opinion. The only easy way is to buy another bike, or fork, if you really want the YT. Simply, it seems like leaving a little extra steerer and spacers would be better than loosing a few customers.
Not a huge deal, yes. But really is a stupid idea to remove one of the easiest and cheapest way to adjust a bike's cockpit.
Can't you get a bar with a higher rise and a stem with a degree of rise. YT probably won't but could they not send you the bike with the fork not installed.
@Bedede: bingo...freaking out on the internet about a mail order bike having a cut steered when you can just swap a stem or bars is kind of weird. If you want a custom cut steerer perhaps an LBS bike is a better choice. The primary downside of buying a mail order bike is that you dont get stuff like that, you get what the maker thinks is best. OmG ThE SteErEr Is WrOnG GiVe YT iS At FaUlt
You could also swap the upper headset for a Cane Creek Slamset and have a ton more steerer tube available for flipping a stem to get the cockpit position you want, but what do I know.
@clink83: you must work for YT! Who in their right mind would not pay an extra dollar for YT to not cut down their steerer to a minimum and include three or four spacers above the stem (giving it the exact same setup they want but with the option to raise it if you are an inch taller than YT thinks is perfect for their setup). Your argument that people should pay a couple extra hundred dollars to set up the bike correctly for their height is unfathomable given they are a direct sales brand and a shop isn't there to size the bike for them.
@clink83: You are not going to get steer tube length options at a local bike shop either. You get what the Manufacture provides on the bike. Once the bike is at the bike shop, the steerer is what it is.
Once again, no one if freaking out. Just having a steer tube conversation here. No one is using all caps or exclamation points.
Yes, you can get a different headset, stem, or bars. Spacers make the adjustment free.
@PtDiddy: I have bought new bikes at a shop, shipping with plenty of steerer tube, where they asked me if I want the steerer cut down. I'm tall, so I always say no.
@Rubberelli: Correct. When you get a bike from a LBS they put it together and cut the steerer, make sure everything is good, and true up the wheels and tune it up. . When you buy a direct to consumer bike it comes from a factory in asia put in a box to whatever spec the manufacturer speced, and you have to fix what they screwed up or specced badly. Its almost like people on here are asking for LBS service without paying thousands more for the actual cost of dealer support. lulz.
@clink83: You still don't get the point, do you? It has zero to do with LBS vs mail order. It has all to do with the mfg's decision on how much steerer to leave. 99% of shops don't cut steerers on new bikes, but those that do, can only do that because the mfg - not the shop - made the decision to leave a longer steerer and use spacers. Lots of mail order brands do that, like Commencal, Canyon or Vitus. YT doesn't. Imagine for a second that Trek or Spec decide to cut steerers to the minimum like YT. How would it help anyone that they are sold through LBS? What would a shop do? Swap the steerer for longer? Swap the CSU? What's so hard to grasp here? It seems like you think bikes don't arrive at LBS in the exact same state (in a box, ready to assemble and ride, to whatever spec the mfg specced) as mail order bikes to the end user. They do. And if you think for a second that your LBS does anything more, you're naive. You saying LBS 'trues the wheels' on bikes they receive is absolutely hilarious. I don't expect everyone on PB to have worked for a bike shop and seen it first hand, but come on, let's cut the fairy tales.
@bananowy: I was going to avoid the fit discussion, but if you feel the need to add spacers under the stem this bike is not for you. With the steerer cut the way it is and the stem flipped up the handlebars are already almost above the saddle. Raising them more will put too much weight on the rear wheel, which will make the bike climb like dogshit.
@bananowy: and you're clueless if you think your lbs isn't truing wheels and cutting steerers. Wheels get bent in shipping all the time, derailleur hangers get bent. It's almost as if you're clueless about what bike shops actually do.
@PtDiddy: couldn’t agree more, it cost no money . There is less waste too . My only point was this is a deal breaker for me as I can’t afford new forks when I buy a new bike. The only way for me is to do a bespoke build just the way I like it . ????
@clink83: Dude. I worked at a bike shop but go ahead and explain to me what they do. I'm telling you again, you're naive and you don't know what you're talking about. You live in la la land if you think any bike you bought from an lbs had its wheels trued or even checked before you took it home. The fact I worked in a (quite decent actually) shop is the exact reason I don't think the majority of them bring much real value to the end user.
@bananowy: I don't know man I work part time a buddies bike shop putting new bikes together and some of mid to upper end bikes with one by's on them either have the rear mech off or are locked out with a small piece of shifter cable so you have run the cable and adjust everything. All wheels get a spin to check true with the tried and true frame/thumb method. O and all fasteners are check even the ones from pre assembly.
I feel like this got them more publicity than a mid pack racer they could afford with that money. Also, what discipline would they race on the Izzo? It's not exactly a WC XC bike and that's not YT's target demographic anyway. Marathon races? Barely get any coverage.
I also feel like it was their money and their call
No offense to the creative team and all the hard work but when I saw this post, I said to myself "oh yeah, YT launched a new bike with an anime video". However, I remembered absolutely nothing about the bike. Not even if it was a trail, enduro or what. I literally had no memory of what this bike was.
I appreciate the artistry and work that went into the video, and it just didn't speak to me. That's fine, different strokes for different folks. The Christopher Walken Jeffsy ad was gold, pure gold. I let it run through all the way every time it popped up on my Youtube videos
Maybe YT is trying out a new PR/marketing firm??? But seriously, I'm surprised by some of the negative comments here. I've only heard good things from my friends that have YTs. I am seriously looking at the Izzo myself, but "stories" of quality issues and tedious warranty support are a no go for me, if true. Guess I'll go back to looking at the Unno... not!
I'm looking forward to the Making of the Making of the YT Izzo Anime Launch Edit, possibly followed up by a Behind the scenes of the Making of the Making of the YT Izzo Anime Launch Edit.
I like the look of this bike. I don't like much travel on the rear, I got legs for that. Looks quick, poppy and do most of what I want. Nukeproof have brought out something similar. The reactor
Last time I check most MTB companies make an emtb. You must be one of those silly people that held on to their flip phone until 2015 and is now making TikTok videos on the latest iPhone.
Creative masterpiece? I hate everything about anime culture and think it's for losers who would prefer to stay inside. Doesn't deserve any awards and replacing the e13 garbage on YT bikes with Shimano would be more impressive than creating a mid travel bike with a handlebar lockout or a video designed for young Japanese teenager wannabes.
Cool dude, but have you considered maybe they aren’t playing to your tastes and are trying to sell to a younger audience? Anime is one of the fastest growing genres in The US. Not to mention that making a more diverse ad that peaks the interest of non mountain bikers (instead of just another shredit) will help to legitimize our sport and get more people into riding.
Can buy them on eBay ????????
I bought a cheap Marin Rift Zone and it came with spacers.
No one is freaking out about it. We are just voicing an opinion. The only easy way is to buy another bike, or fork, if you really want the YT. Simply, it seems like leaving a little extra steerer and spacers would be better than loosing a few customers.
Not a huge deal, yes. But really is a stupid idea to remove one of the easiest and cheapest way to adjust a bike's cockpit.
OmG ThE SteErEr Is WrOnG GiVe YT iS At FaUlt
Once again, no one if freaking out. Just having a steer tube conversation here. No one is using all caps or exclamation points.
Yes, you can get a different headset, stem, or bars. Spacers make the adjustment free.
I also feel like it was their money and their call
makes this look like daisies in the wind : )
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g1IO0tvVKM
It’s almost like a short, animated version of Black Mirror. Which is also a series I love.
Doesn't deserve any awards and replacing the e13 garbage on YT bikes with Shimano would be more impressive than creating a mid travel bike with a handlebar lockout or a video designed for young Japanese teenager wannabes.
already legitimized sport...lmfao!