RichardCunningham

Something in your PB name suggests....

@ Shralpophiliac I got most of the statistics from PB Bike Checks

Definitely ride one and see for yourself. I spent more time on the GT during the test than any other bike. Some of those laps were spent fine tuning the suspension in order to correct the notchiness we experienced. When compared to a handful of others with similar travel, the difference was clear enough to make it an issue in the review. As I mentioned, in a different context, where the techy pitches were spaced between long, smoother sections of trail, the Sensor's shock tune and kinematics would be praiseworthy. Also, many prefer a super firm pedaling platform, at the expense of small bump compliance, you'll just need to keep your speed up. I did not confirm the anti-squat percentage, but (watch the boulder footage) the chassis does not rock rearward under large pedaling efforts, which is impressive, so the GT either has a significant percentage of anti-squat built into the design, or it has a combination of factors that provide the same effect.

https://www.supremenewyork.com/previews/fallwinter2018

@FatTonyNJ: I'll send you a pic when it starts looking more like an airplane than a pedestrian bridge ;-)

Bottom bracket...

@bluemonkeywrench: Good question. Mantis was much smaller than Öhlins, of course, but the commonality was that we were development companies. The focus was to innovate and try to stay ahead of the technology curve. There came a point as we grew where it was inevitable that larger brands were going to close that knowledge gap and Mantis would have to focus less on innovation and more on manufacturing efficiencies and gross sales to stay alive. To make the jump (for me) meant doing much less of the hands-on building and design part of the job that I loved in order to manage money and employees. The catch was (is) once you reach that decision point, you must go forward. Going back means downsizing and laying off the people who helped you get there. Selling meant I probably wouldn't make another bike again, but if all went well, the business and my crew had a better chance of success. Mister Öhlin founded his suspension company primarily for racing development and so far, all of his products reflect that high level of perfection. Mass production, however, is all about managing processes and making an endless string of cost vs efficiency decisions. Business people eat that penny pinching stuff for dinner. Innovative perfectionists like Mister Öhlin, however, don't thrive in that environment. For him, taking Öhlins Racing to the "next level" probably feels a lot like starting over. Unless you've built a manufacturing business from scratch, you probably wouldn't know how that feels. I do, and I wish him the best. If the hand-off is done right, Öhlins Racing has the potential to stand with Fox and RockShox some day. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.