Sularma

@nurseben: Training is about more than just your lungs.

@speed10: Hand position and feet position are very different subjects and shouldn't be compared. And the foot has a narrow range to meet efficiently with the pedal. Hence the reason why you see the narrow range of adjustment on clipless shoes. Each pedal brings it's own adjustments as well. Comparing clips to flats is not a direct correlation. I ride SPD on road and Crankbrothers on MTB specifically because of the float each one offers. Clips and Flats both have advantages and disadvantages. But it's up to the rider to decide what best fits their body, skill, and style.

@MTB-Strength-Factory: I think part of it is the shoes. A cycling shoe will be much more rigid and transfer power better then a casual shoe. Like if your muscles are having to stabilize and transfer power one will suffer a little. But if you're not using that extra energy for stabilizing it can be used for power transfer or stored for longer output with reduced fatigue in the long run.

@tomhoward379: I see that you specifically mention 26" rims and nothing else. You can't build a wheel with only a rim. So lets try finding a 135mm QR hub with a shimano HG freehub body on your favorite site. Out of 47 hubs listed on their site there is only 1 that matches. It comes from Hope in a couple colors with 28 or 32 spoke options. Price is $199 for the hub only. There are one or two options from Spank that would require the use of adapters and changing freehubs, not a bad option if the adapters are available but that is not always the case. I've had experience with trying to track down adapters before. As for front hubs it's the same. One option available from Hope, one option from Spank (out of stock) with finding the required adapter. If you search for wheels there are 10 listings, only one could be a possible option. I say possible because it gives no information about the wheel and it's nearly $800 for only the rear... You also reference derailleur options, on CRC there are 8 choices. Only 1 is nine speed (BOX Components) and it's out of stock. Plus it won't work with a Shimano shifter if you are trying to replace a broken part so you would need to replace the derailleur and shifter. If you take a look at suspension forks on CRC there are no 1 1/8" steerer 100mm QR forks available, not even a listing for one. That's just one distributor that normally carries more options then others. This does sound like hard to find parts to me compared to whats readily available and sold. One or two options is not the same as an option from every tier level and from each brand.

@tomhoward379: 8 or 9 speed drivetrain parts are difficult to find. I just looked at two different distributors and both had limited options or no option. I'm not talking about going through Ebay and buying someones old parts. And, everything I did find was low end. Nothing available to replace any of the XT or XTR parts I had on old bikes. As for 26" wheels there was only 4 options, including 1 set.

@tomhoward379: Parts have to be replaced as they wear out. As the industry pushes new standards those parts change. After a few years it starts to get hard to find those parts. After 5-10 years it's extremely hard to find those parts and many LBS won't be able to find those parts either because the distributors stop stocking them. No one is forcing anything, yet... But this is the process. It's happened before. Someone wants to make a faster bike, a new standard gets created, an old standard gets replaced, and it filters through the industry because everyone wants to be the first to sell the hot new standard or bike that is winning so they can make money off it. I'm all for innovation, but not everything needs to change because someone wants a faster race run.

@Skooks: I do, but I had to buy a complete bike instead of just a new drive train or a new set of wheels because no one was making those parts anymore. The industry decided to go for what was faster because that's where they could make more money. MTB isn't all about racing... At the beginning it was never about racing. Racing brought money to the sport, now that's all they want to focus on.

@pacificnorthwet: Not yet. Just a matter of time.

@brianpark: Nothing at the moment. Just 2 years ago I got rid of my 26' and bought a boost 27.5. Now boost is obsolete and people are pushing super boost and 29... My bike isn't even sold in the same standards anymore. My wife is short, if you picked out almost any top of the line 29 trail bike for her, when you factor her height you're back with 27.5. These constantly changing standards are a tax on recreational riders. I don't want to be forced to change because someone else wants to chase a KOM.

They should just drop the bike and get a motorcycle and stop forcing the rest of us to change because they want to push a new standard on the industry.