WhateverBikes

@chrismac70: Exactly that. Everyone will have to invest and experiment, and then when it's finally refined enough to be an actual advantage, everyone will adopt it, and no one will have an advantage, just a more expensive, more complicated, uglier, heavier bike. And as a reaction to the better roll-over, the courses will become wilder and the obstacles bigger. So it will be just as difficult, but with higher speeds and more dangerous terrain. Progress!

I love articles like this. So nice to see all the high tech, expensive stuff that I don't have to deal with. You can keep your e-bikes and all their technical wizardry, while I'm happily ride on my own power.

The Triangle Wheels bike doesn't have triangle wheels.

@hamncheez: I'm Dutch, and didn't know the word had a different connotation in English. Did not mean to offend, sorry if I did.

@Kai-P: I'm afraid it's simply a logical result of the way mountain biking has become evermore extreme. I have no problems with downhill, enduro, dirt jumping etc. existing. I you like those kind of things, and are willing to accept te risks, go for it. But for me, XC has already crossed the line. It should be about racing mostly natural courses, not about tackling man-made obstacles like rock gardens etc. (not talking about crossovers etc., that's fine). It doesn't have to be like in the nineties, but it could certainly be toned back down a bit. For me, I'm 56y old, and I'm deliberately riding my 90s bikes. 26", rim rakes, full rigid. Makes even simple trails fun and exiting, and it feels like I'm riding super fast, but without the actual high speeds and risks associated with modern day mountain biking.

We should start using the word 'slant' instead of 'rise'. 20% slant means it has rise, -20% slant means it drops. The word itself is neutral, so the what's in front of it makes clear what you're dealing with.

You are a fool if you think it isn't.

Yes, I do. And I'm pretty sure many other people do. But even if it is quite marginal, whether you like it or not, XC is an essential part of mountain biking, and just for that reason alone Pinkbike should keep covering it.

@TimmyCheese: Stridsland has the Disc Tab Directory, a list with all known (to them) people/shops/businesses etc. who offer to do those conversions on steel frames. I'm fine with my V-brakes, but if you want disc brakes, it's certainly possible. https://www.stridsland.com/disc-tab-directory/

Strong performance by MvdP, nice. Promising for the WC!