April 2018: Good Month or Bad Month?
Happy to start the season with the correct number plate, Gwin came out swinging, but he didn't win by a knock-out
Race Fans
Lošinj World Cup DH Opener
Lošinj World Cup DH Opener
Lošinj, Croatia's downhill course may well be the shortest on the 2018 calendar, but what a show. The mountain-to-the-sea track had enough rocks to restore a castle. Racers had to thread between and launch over stone walls at mach speeds and drift through cobbled streets to a sea-side finish. Brook Macdonald muscled his way to top qualifier, but crashed out of competition. It was Aaron Gwin who took the win, joined by Luca Shaw and a first podium for Dakotah Norton. The Women's race was at least as thrilling, with Myriam Nicole trouncing all - 3.5 seconds over Rachel Atherton on a 2.5-minute course. Fifth place was also an upset, as Cecile Ravanel, the reigning queen of enduro, put the hurt to the rest of the women's field.
Myriam Nicole was in a league of her own in Croatia.
29er Downhill Bikes
Almost every team has one now
Almost every team has one now
Sam Blenkinsop rode his 29er Norco Aurum to the podium in Croatia.
Last year, PB photographers were scrambling to get any spy shots of 29-inch-wheel downhill prototypes. This year we were mowing through press releases and fake spy shots "leaked" by their makers to decide which ones were most newsworthy. Pivot, Commencal, Norco, Saracen, Transition, Trek, Cube, Santa Cruz, Scott, NS Bikes, Mondraker, and Intense top the list, with more big-wheel big-bikes on the way, but the real story here is that racers are actually going to ride them this year. Four out of five on the men's podium at the Croatia opener were on 29ers. (The women's podium was all 27.5-inch.) It's a safe bet that the 2018 World Cup series will become the battlefield that will determine the outcome of Wheel War II.
Pinkbike
PB Celebrates its 20-year Anniversary
PB Celebrates its 20-year Anniversary
Pinkbike celebrates its first 20 years, beginning at the Sea Otter Classic, where we put together a timeline of events and historic bicycles that marked the crazy journey that began with free website and went on to see its membership become the largest mountain bike media channel in the world. Pinkbike was established in 1998 by Radek Burkat, as a medium for early-day freeriders to get together and show off pictures of their bikes and the features of their home trails.
Legend says that the name was decided upon after a lengthy dinner meeting, where Radek and his chosen ones brainstormed names for the startup-website. (Alcohol was involved.) Domain squatters
Legend says that the name was decided upon after a lengthy dinner meeting, where Radek and his chosen ones brainstormed names for the startup-website. (Alcohol was involved.) Domain squatters
Wade Simmons' RM 7.
Shuan Palmer's Intense M1.
World, according to Pinkbike.
had already begun to eat up every name in the English language that had to do with mountain bikes. So, it turned out that every powerful descriptor that the motley crew of freeriders came up with had previously been registered by one of those scum sucking cheaters. As a joke, one of the guys said, "Why don't we pick a dumb name, like 'Pink Bike' instead?" Of course, the lad was immediately slapped down, but after the effects of the previous evening wore off, "Pinkbike" was the only name that anyone could remember. Radek searched it and the domain was free. The rest, they say, is history.
Tracey Hannah
Big crashes in the season openers
Big crashes in the season openers
Tracey Hannah has never been faster than she has demonstrated during 2017 and coming into this year. How fast? Hannah was way up in the green, then crashed, midway down the course at the 2017 World Championships in Cairns. She recovered and still managed a bronze medal, only two seconds off the winning time.
Unfortunately, the Aussie superstar has suffered two big offs this year that put her out of contention: the first, at Rotorua Crankworx and the second, at the Lošinj, Croatia, World Cup. Clearly, Tracey has the speed and form to stand at the top step, but she'll have to keep the rubber side down if she wants to walk away with the number one plate this year.
Unfortunately, the Aussie superstar has suffered two big offs this year that put her out of contention: the first, at Rotorua Crankworx and the second, at the Lošinj, Croatia, World Cup. Clearly, Tracey has the speed and form to stand at the top step, but she'll have to keep the rubber side down if she wants to walk away with the number one plate this year.
Tracey Hannah has been screaming fast aboard her Prototype Polygon DH bike. She'll be a serious threat this year if she can sew together a series worth of top to bottom runs.
Future Bike Buyers
Asian-made products are going to cost more
Asian-made products are going to cost more
Bike prices are going up. Asian currency is gaining strength at a rate, especially against the US dollar, that cannot be absorbed by many bike brands. Specialized was the first to announce that it was raising its prices this April from one to 12 percent to offset some (not all) of the higher costs of importing bicycles and components from Japan, Taiwan and China. Other bike brands are secretly planning to do the same, so bikes are going to cost more soon.
Currency fluctuation is always a factor when importing and exporting goods, but this trend has been looming for a number of years. Reportedly, China has traditionally kept the value of its Yuan in step with US and European markets, but most indicators say that China will make an "adjustment" soon that will significantly raise the price of its
Currency fluctuation is always a factor when importing and exporting goods, but this trend has been looming for a number of years. Reportedly, China has traditionally kept the value of its Yuan in step with US and European markets, but most indicators say that China will make an "adjustment" soon that will significantly raise the price of its
If you want a new Stumpjumper, you are going to pay a little more than Specialized first anticipated as upward currency fluctuations have increased the cost of imports from Asia.
Claudio Fans
The most anticipated World Cup pre-show crashes hard
The most anticipated World Cup pre-show crashes hard
Much to the dismay of fans, Claudio Caluori's pre-ride video was not aired at the DH World Cup's opening round, reportedly, because his monstrous crash was deemed too visceral for the general public. Claudio, the master of disaster, is well known for shaking off crashes, precipitated by following champion DH racers down World Cup venues, often without the benefit of pre-riding the tracks.
His luck came to an end in Croatia, where he was hospitalized by the crash while filming the Lošinj course. Not to worry though, Claudio assured his public on a Facebook post that he would be back on the horse, wired for sight and sound, at Fort Bill.
His luck came to an end in Croatia, where he was hospitalized by the crash while filming the Lošinj course. Not to worry though, Claudio assured his public on a Facebook post that he would be back on the horse, wired for sight and sound, at Fort Bill.
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you are really buying what hes saying ?
Because he has an opinion you don't agree with ?
Doesn't that make it a bad month for you not him ?
Trump and Kanye are both cut from the same cloth in this respect. A couple others who readily come to mind are Gene Simmons and Evel Knievel. Watch interviews with these guys, and you'll see what I'm talking about. A lot of CEOs are this way, too. I find it fascinating.
Define slave: a person held in servitude as the chattel of another; one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence
Also, I'm no psychiatrist, but I've been close to people suffering from psychosis and he's exhibiting all the symptoms of a man with a mental illness who is not taking his medication. There are interviews in which he is articulate and insightful, then there are those in which he is talking absolute nonsense and rambling in a stream of consciousness. I find it fairly tragic that people are laughing at a man who is clearly unwell, whether you think he's an a*shole or not (as most of us do) is irrelevant.
Nailed it. I've seen it several times in the corporate setting. A few new executives are hired to stir things up, they spend 2 years making half-assed business changes that end up devaluing the brand and pissing off both customers and employees, and then they leave for the next gig with a fresh set of bullsh*t metrics on their resume about all the positive changes they made. Classic corporate america. No accountability, no loyalty, every man/woman for themself.
Thustleweiner back in the game! I love it!
Look up the LBJ quote about how minorities were going to vote for the next 200 years. Kanye is just realizing the truth.
Sorry, all I read was switch. Remember kids, the KKK supported Donald Trump.
HEAL UP CLAUDIO AND TRACEY
I would add that Gwin could have probably taken the win on a 29er as well. In Gwin we trust
Inter century anthems based off inner city tantrums
Based off the way we was branded
Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon
And at the airport they check all through my bag
And tell me that it’s random
The world's a soft place..
**edit** i am not involved in politics, but trumps an imbecile.
>Why does any North American bike company HAVE to import materials from anywhere but the USA?
because import is cheaper
Very good point! It is all about the money in the end anyways... I would like to point out though that just because more carbon frames are made in Asia it doesn't mean they have more know how... There is a reason the US leads the world in aerospace carbon manufacturing!
People really underestimate the value and cost of changing manufacturing locations and operations. It's a ton of work and go be incredibly challenging. We're also assuming that there is a great workforce in NA that can ramp up to speed here - its a much more competitive labor market in NA than a lot of Asian markets. Ask a company like BD about how moving manufacturing back to the US.
People whine a lot of about Asian manufacturing with some items/areas. Frankly, they are better and more efficient at making some things than in NA. in a production environment - its simply a fact. Just like with Aerospace Carbon manufacturing is better in NA. The xenophobic BS is a little old at this point.. It's not the late 1980s anymore.
Cheap labor was definitely the genesis for the transition and I am not suggesting that we aren't a leader on the a large number of the material technologies. I am trying to point out, albeit somewhat poorly, that there is a real manufacturing personnel and management deficit in NA that makes many of these Asian production lines a lot more efficient and effective. And in a lot of ways that is becoming more of a driving factor in manufacturing decisions that the cost of labor.
Building a product like a bike is two step process - you have the design and engineering of the product you like to make and then the design, engineering, and execution of replicating the product over and over again with minimal errors. The latter, in a lot of ways, is the real difference between companies. Its difficult to do. It's a constant management challenge for a product like a bike frame. NA's labor market here is challenging. The job is either too boring for highly skilled workers who command solid pay that is worth paying or we have cheaper labor that lacks discipline to guarantee quality that their Asian counterparts have. Wish there was more love for quality manufacturing jobs, but, unfortunately, its not the reality.
But importing goods is the only way many countries have affordable access to goods that they otherwise wouldn't.
Another random thought. Specialized dropped the price of the comp carbon stumpy from $4k to $3.5k from 2017 to 2018. Almost identical spec.
So 2019 comp carbon is $4.2k, just $200 more than it used to be (yes, but $700 more than last year), and that gets you a full carbon frame as opposed to carb f / alu rear with a slew of refinements, similar/better spec (i'd argue the suspension spec is now better as well as the brakes).
Still not "cheap" for what you get, but a nice package that's in line with the market (excluding d2c) and maybe one of the best trail frames out there.
GG do make some cool bikes..... hopefully they're at Outerbike in the fall.....
Also, but where would i store my massive burrito without a huge ass hole in my carbon downtube?
Unnecessary? The whole sport/industry is unnecessary when it comes down to it. Value is defined by the customer. Some want aluminum, some steel, some titanium, some carbonium, all for their own reasons.
We're consumers. Most shit we own is unnecessarily for us to live our lives, aka, a waste of resources and money.
All valid points. I'd don't know how often carbon frames are failing for trail/am/dh vs alu ones? I see that durability is very good these days but you're right, when they fail they fail. Yes, some riders care about the weight savings. Yes, some purport to prefer the "feel" of carbon better. Yes, some love their bling. I happened upon a favorable deal for the frame/bike i was looking for and it was priced about the same as a similarly specced alu model. Yes, consumers are now used to "high end" meaning carbon. it is what it is. I'm considering both the GG Smash and Knolly Fugitive LT as my next ride, both are aluminum. But Transition's bikes, for example (and Kona), are unnecessarily heavy (AF!) in aluminum to the point that I wouldn't consider a non-carbon version. Anyway, I don't have a bias either way but i'm not butt hurt by people having the money for carbon. Many models only come in carbon these days (i've learned to accept this). The merits of manufacturing all 4 materials can be debated forever.
Those are both some solid choices for a ride but I think I'm going to go with a Shred Dogg and run a 29 up front and 27.5 out back. I refuse to buy a Transition for different reasoning and this opinion is blasphemy where I live... they outsource everything including engineering and they only employ graphic designers, sales people, or warehouse personnel. In my opinion a bike manufacturer should manufacture something or at least do their own engineering! How heavy are the new Kona's? I can't find weights listed in the quick search I just did... I wish they would bring back the 111, it would be a tough choice with the Shred Dogg if that were the case!
Shred Dogg would be mint! Wheel size mismatch is intriguing.
Interesting point about Transition. I started a forum on the 2018 Smuggler, it has some weights for the alu models buried in the comments.
Fun fact, for less than the price of a carbon Smuggler or Sentinel frame ($3k), you can get a Guerrilla Gravity frame with a Push 11-6 shock. I'm still gonna swing a leg over both Trannys before i decide on my next purchase.
Don't know weights on the alu Kona but I demoed a Process134 back in the day and it was a pig, tho that was the low end build. I owned a Process111 for short period and loved the bike, but it gave up too much in the rough stuff. If i had room for 5 mtbs in my arsenal, it would be one of them. I was hoping for an update and a (gasp) carbon version but as you know Kona abandoned it, which to me makes the Smuggler the clear leader for aggro short(ish) travel 29er for trail shredding, flowing, and jumping.
The new Kona Process 153 Carbon weighs more than the old aluminum one by a few pounds. The carbon one is a bit of a pig.
I demoed a 111 last summer and had an absolute blast on it. I wasn't too worried about it being under gunned in certain situations since my plan after getting a trail bike is to build a FR/DH rig with a totem and wheelset I have on my current pig of a bike lol. To be honest the biggest turnoff to me was the press fit bottom bracket... I'm a picky SOB due to my nature and profession lol.
Happy 20th @pinkbike
She is such a great rider and ambassador to the sport and such an amazing inspiration for so many riders.
In my opinion they can’t build a podium high enough for Tracey Hannah!!!
ridemonkey.bikemag.com/threads/the-living-link-has-died-broken-spot-bike-creates-much-butturt.280098
"Mr. Trump explained why he is going after China on tariffs. On Thursday night, Mr. Trump announced he has directed the U.S. Trade Representative to consider an additional $100 billion in new tariffs on China, in response to China's decision to slap $50 billion in tariffs on U.S. imports. China's $50 billion was a response to the White House's announcement of $50 billion in tariffs on China. But Mr. Trump insisted that the U.S. isn't in a trade war — in the past he has called trade wars "good, and easy to win" — because the U.S. already "lost" a trade war.
"Well, fellas, we've already lost the trade war," the president said. "We don't have a trade war. We've lost the trade war because for many years, whether it's Clinton or the Bushes, Obama, all of our presidents before, for some reason it just got worse and worse. And now it's $500 billion in deficits and a theft of $300 billion in intellectual property. So you can't have this."
You will find your down voted comment down there, with lots of trolls coming to play.
Bad Month: Kuat NV bike rack was stolen
aw man I can't wait for brexit
I hope you've all got your sarcasm detectors on.
apart from orange (who's bikes are out of my price range AND I dont like the ride..)
Name me another british made company that is non boutique prices..................?
@metaam: Surely there's nothing the govt can do to prevent the Brexit bus hitting the brick wall 1000 miles ahead. Maybe stepping on the gas and closing their eyes will help.
With the state of the pound (which isn't likely to be getting much stronger any time real soon...) it probably represents an absolute bargain elsewhere, especially in the EU I would think.
In the UK We've all ready seen a set of XT brakes double in price in the last few years, for example
I'm now trawling the Bay for second hand Hope