Opening weekend of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, for many its a chance to dust off their trusty steed for its umpteenth season, or for others it will be the very 1st time that their brand new whip will have seen the dirt of this world class bike park. For us at Pinkbike, however, this means that the lift line is a wonderfully interesting place, where we get to see how you choose to kit out your rigs and spend your hard earned cash.
We opted for our usual dissection of 100 bikes for each category passing through the new RFID gates at the bottom of the Fitz chair and over the course of 2 days we checked out your Frames, Wheels, Brakes, Derailleurs, Forks, Shocks and Tires, then threw in some extra categories Male to Female ratio, Gloves vs No Gloves, Clipped In vs Flat and for those on dedicated DH bikes we even checked out your Wheel Size.
Rental bikes were not included in our survey <Deleted photo>
Frames:
| Specialized Demo | 17% |
| Devinci Wilson | 13% |
| Norco Aurum | 9% |
| Santa Cruz V10 | 7% |
| Giant Glory | 5% |
| Giant Reign | 5% |
| Rocky Mountain Flatline | 5% |
| Transition TR500 | 4% |
| Transition TR450 | 3% |
| Trek Session | 2% |
| Knolly Podium | 2% |
| Lapierre DH | 2% |
| Zerode | 2% |
| Cove Shocker | 2% |
| Kona Stab | 2% |
| Evil Undead | 2% |
| Intense M9 | 2% |
| Norco A-line | 2% |
| Kona Operator | 2% |
| Intense 951 | 1% |
| Specialized Enduro | 1% |
| Cove Playmate | 1% |
| Trek Slash | 1% |
| Foes Hydro | 1% |
| Norco Range | 1% |
| Banshee Darkside | 1% |
| Scott Voltage | 1% |
| NS Fuzz | 1% |
| Specialized Status | 1% |
| Banshee Rune | 1% |
| Morpheus DH | 1% |
Forks:
| RockShox Boxxer (all models) | 35% |
| Fox 40 (all models) | 23% |
| Marzocchi 55/66 | 9% |
| Marzocchi 888 | 7% |
| Marzocchi 380 (all models) | 6% |
| Fox 36 | 4% |
| RockShox Pike | 4% |
| RockShox Lyrik | 4% |
| RockShox Domain | 2% |
| BOS Idylle | 2% |
| Manitou Dorado | 1% |
| Suntour Rux | 1% |
| Fox 34 | 1% |
| Marzocchi Junior T | 1% |
Rear Shocks:
| Fox DHX (all models) | 28% |
| Rockshox Monarch Plus | 11% |
| RockShox Vivid Coil | 11% |
| Cane Creek DB Coil | 9% |
| Fox Van | 7% |
| Fox Float X | 7% |
| Fox Float RP23 | 6% |
| RockShox Kage | 5% |
| RockShox Vivid Air | 4% |
| Marzocchi Rocco | 4% |
| Cane Creek DB Air | 2% |
| BOS Stoy | 2% |
| Marzocchi Moto C2R | 1% |
| RockShox Monarch | 1% |
| Ohlins | 1% |
| Cane Creek Inline | 1% |
Brakes:
| Shimano Saint | 28% |
| Shimano Zee | 14% |
| Avid Code (all models) | 14% |
| Avid Elixir (all models) | 13% |
| SRAM Guide | 5% |
| Avid Juicy | 5% |
| Avid XO | 5% |
| Shimano XT | 3% |
| Hope Tech 3 | 3% |
| Hayes 9 | 2% |
| Formula RX | 2% |
| Shimano XTR | 2% |
| Shimano SLX | 2% |
| Shimano Deore | 1% |
| Formula Oro | 1% |
DERAILLEURS
Derailleurs
| SRAM XO | 21% |
| SRAM X9 | 17% |
| Shimano Saint | 17% |
| Shimano Zee | 13% |
| SRAM XO1 DH | 8% |
| SRAM X5 | 7% |
| Shimano XT | 6% |
| Shimano XTR | 4% |
| SRAM X7 | 3% |
| Shimano Deore | 2% |
| SRAM XX1 | 2% |
Rims
| SunRingle | 21% |
| Mavic | 18% |
| DT Swiss | 13% |
| Easton | 9% |
| Specialized Roval | 8% |
| Alex Rims | 6% |
| Stan's | 4% |
| Spank | 3% |
| Shimano | 2% |
| Syncros | 2% |
| Transition Revolution | 2% |
| Novatec | 2% |
| Bontrager | 2% |
| WTB | 1% |
| Azonic | 1% |
| Spinergy | 1% |
| Jalco | 1% |
| Giant | 1% |
| Crank Brothers | 1% |
| E-thirteen | 1% |
| Nukeproof | 1% |
Tires:
| Maxxis Minion DHF | 33% |
| Schwalbe Magic Mary | 25% |
| Maxxis High Roller 2 | 16% |
| Specialized Butcher | 7% |
| Maxxis High Roller | 6% |
| Maxxis Minion DHR | 3% |
| Continental Kaiser | 3% |
| Schwalbe Hans Dampf | 2% |
| Bontrager G4 | 2% |
| Maxxis Ardent | 2% |
| Kenda Nevagal | 1% |
Gloves On vs Gloves Off:
26inch v 27.5inch DH Bikes :
Check out our stats from the Whistler Bike Park from 2012.
What did you think of our findings on opening weekend here at the Whistler Bike Park? Let us know what you ride below.
303 Comments
(company introduces a new standard or tech)
"STUPID f*ckING COMPANIES! WE'RE ABOUT HAVING FUN NOT BEING THE FASTEST! WE DON'T GIVE A SHIT!"
That's pretty much what went through my head reading your posts, haha.
Do you really think that manufacturers thought of every possible future situation when they created standards?
They would be smarter if they were to grow the range of available products thus increasing the chance of a sale.
The issue you all have is that people are buying the shit your hating on, and these manufacturers don't have the capital to support production over such a wide product line. So what you need to do is get off Craigslist and go spend you're money on the products you want to see produced in a shop brand new. Online or in store doesn't matter but used stuff does not support new production.
You Should really have paid more attention in economics class my dudes!
26" bikes. Minion DHF tyres. Sun Ringle rims. Flat Pedals. Saint brakes. Boxxer forks. RC4 shox.
Park riders seem to know a thing or two about a thing or two. Tried and true.
This being said the difference between both is too small to create a whole new wheelsize for in my opinion.
There's nothing wrong with riding 27.5", but the difference is so small that it's just not worth throwing 26" away for.
I do think 29ers have benefits on some type of trails (mainly fast xc trails).
Just 27.5" seems like a bad reason to replace your tyres, wheels, fork and frame for. That's an expensive joke for a difference that is nearly nothing.
Also with recent geometry trends, turning a 6" trail bike into DH bike with 2" less travel (current Enduro bikes have head angles and wheelbases of 2010 DH bikes or even longer), you do not need to sell your DH bike to ride Enduro (in sense they tell you what Enduro is). Buy CCDBair with climb switch, a dropper post with setback and a seat with long rails. Install post backwards and push the seat forward as much as you can. You should be able to reach seat angle of around 71 degrees. Done! I should sell it as a conversion kit.
Having 2 or 3 options on the market where before 1 was enough raises development, mold, production, logistics and marketing cost as well as inventory risk for companies.
So in business sens it is a bad decision to diversify the market. From a purely economical point of few it would be best to have 1 product to work for everyone. (see Apple phone or the early days of Ford or Volkswagen)
Multiple options in the end only raise the retail price of a product and someone has to pay for that.
Of course in a market where a brand has competition this does not always work.
Someone needs to offer something new at times to stay in business... and that really is the only reason for different wheel sizes.
Some brand will do it to catch the attention of a potential customer and if more people are paying attention to one of these things than more companies will follow and we have a new trend!
Sorry to break the news but it has nothing to do with what YOU like or what would be better for you, it has to do with what marketing story the guy from the shop thinks the guy with the cash will be able to falls for easiest... and that is not cycling exclusive, that goes for phones, snowboards, cars. anything really.
If trek (i'm partial to them and familiar with their bikes so i'll use them) made the session in Carbon and Alu, 26 and 275, in 203 and 180mm they'd cover almost every DH need, and they already have the Slash and Remedy to take up the AM markets, and they're both incredible. then you have their Superfly uber XC, they're Fuel EX as the more laid back XC, their Farley as the playful fat bike and the Stache needs to drop this 29+ Bull and just stick to a 29/275 AM ripper
TFreeman - buying force does not know what they want, and so most of people calling themselves "informed". Design in all forms in all areas of life is much more often proactive than reactive, and if it is reactive it is often an answer to follow/develop existing product that already caught on (Apple?). Current trend in Enduro geometry will backfire because "Joeys" (like it or not: the buying force)don't need such long wheelbases and slack head angles, it plays at their disadvantage almost everywhere. Joey can utilize slack and long geo on fast straights, especially on rough, but everywhere else, he will muscle with the bike more than with his "old" bike, short and steep bike. Slack head angles are no problem on uphills for those who climb standing, but they are terrible for those who sit through tech sections. + wheel sizes are fantastic for Joeys because they make riding easier, more grip, more stability at all speeds. They roll slowly but who cares if you can uphill some rock garden in wet that you would not clear before within your skill set?
Short time wheel sizes led to more sales but in a few years if you look back at the whole 2010-2020 period the overall sales number will be not and the way the markets developed will not be significantly different from what it was the decade before or does anyone seriously think that all those people did ride the same bike forever and finally bought 29ers (because suddenly they could see something is visually different from their clunker) last year would suddenly buy new bikes every year????
Nope, they gonna ride the 29er for the next 15 years because its sooo great but the companies still have to develop all thees different standards which costs and customers have to pay for it...
michibretz - I cannot either agree or disagree with you - because it is the history that judges which view is right
www.upliftt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/not-sure-if-fry-685x325.jpg
It is awesome to hear that you can ride freeride at your age, to me that is very inspirational. I hope to be able to follow your path with that. Although my back has already caused me so much trouble that I hardly ever do freestyle anymore, and just keep it 'safe' by riding on the roads and XC. I hope you can keep on riding bikes happily for many more years
@WAKI: Sucks to hear about your personal situation. Stay strong and don't let it take you down. Don't do anything stupid, things will get better in the end. Isn't there any possibility for you to catch a break in the winters to travel to Greece for example to catch some better weather during the winter months? I found that even just a short summer break mid winter will make the winter feel much much shorter. Try to take good care of yourself aswell, in the end that is the most important! You need to take good care of yourself in order to be able to take care of others aswell (else you can't help them either). Stay strong!
Either that or people live outta there cars or have a bunch of roommates.
Also please note, the pictures are taken in Canada (wealthy country as far as I know), plus at the opening of the bike park. So this is a compilation of people who are wealthy enough to travel all the way there to shred at the opening. This is not a view of the average rider, but the ones who can afford trips like this, and they can also afford the nicest bikes.
A third thing is deals. Mainly 2nd hand deals. You can build your dream bike for roughly 20-30% of the price it would cost if you would get it built in the shop. The secret: wait patiently for the great deals to come by. I once built a fully custom dirt jump bike for €400, of which the new price would have ben over €2000. It took me a bit more than a year to get it finished though. The fact that the bikes are worth that much new, doesn't mean they have actually spent that much on it.
Then again, it's always really fun to hear their excuses when they get passed by the guy who's bike sounds like a filing cabinet being pushed down a flight of stairs.
And yeah I can just imagine the bike you're describing.
26 aint dead
Thank you for this survey, pinkbike.
Check back next year. it'll say 20%.
Especially when you have 2 bikes it is nice to be able to switch around with parts to be able to create the perfect set up for the trail you are going to hit.
Thanks in advance.
I've Ridden FS fatbikes, no thanks
I really like having matching tire sizes front and back, especially when counter-steering (or counter pressure) on corners because it's more predictable for me. I only like having a tougher compound in back as a compromise for economic reasons, and most people do this anyway. Even Schwalbe recommends their Trailstar in front and their Pacestar in back. I'm surprised that Maxxis, the makers of the best DH tires in the world according to many, would do away with tires that are clearly still in demand. They make a 2.7 ST 42a, why not the others??? Isn't it the same molds anyway? A month ago, there were guys selling the 60a and 3C on eBay for $200, total price gouging because they had the last ones available. I pointed this out to Maxxis in my email and they gave the reply I stated above.
Maybe if more people emailed them and pointed out this article they would listen, because the money is there.
Do you want to ride like the FEST guys?.... or buy into the bullsh@t Mountain BIke Industry Marketing????
27.5" is just too small of a difference to create a whole new wheelsize for IMO.
I mean, a 26" wheel with a 2.5" tyre wheel is EXACTLY as high as a 27.5" wheel with a 2.0" tyre.
It just shows how minimal the difference is. That it is not worth replacing 70% of your bike for.
It's not like people are saying "I want my wheel to be exactly 681mm high at any costs", what you're suggesting