Good Month / Bad Month: DH Bike Reviews, Prototypes, Theft, & Litigation
DH Bike Fans
DH Bike Week was awesome
DH Bike Week was awesome
We had our first-ever 'DH Bike Week' here at Pinkbike, with group tests and more downhill bike reviews in a week than in all of last year. Two standouts from the week were the Canyon Sender vs. Specialized Demo vs. Cube Two15 vs. Commencal Supreme and the Fox 40 vs. RockShox Boxxer vs. Ohlins DH38 group test reviews, which crowned the Commencal Supreme and the Ohlins DH38 above the rest.
DH Bike Week also gave us a fun (and oddly difficult) quiz (because even the ones that look like Sessions can be misleading), an alluring throwback bike, and stats on the most successful downhill bikes of the millennium.
DH Bike Week also gave us a fun (and oddly difficult) quiz (because even the ones that look like Sessions can be misleading), an alluring throwback bike, and stats on the most successful downhill bikes of the millennium.
The Commencal Supreme DH 29-27 was named the 'best in test,' thanks to its speed, reliability, and value.
New Zealand Racers
The NZ brigade is racing a full domestic season while the rest of the world is locked down
The NZ brigade is racing a full domestic season while the rest of the world is locked down
New Zealand held its National Championships this past weekend, with Sam Blenkinsop and Jessica Blewitt taking the wins in DH and Anton Cooper and Sammie Maxwell leading in XC. New Zealand has been lucky in its ability to hold national races while many other countries are still being hit hard by Covid and lockdowns. (The exception to the Good Month designation here is Ed Masters, who unfortunately broke his pelvis in his National Champs run. We hate to see The Eagle injured, and hope hope he heals up soon.)
Before that, this month brought the 3rd and 4th rounds of the New Zealand National DH Series took place in Nelson and Coronet Peak, along with the NZ Open DH.
Before that, this month brought the 3rd and 4th rounds of the New Zealand National DH Series took place in Nelson and Coronet Peak, along with the NZ Open DH.
Versatile High Pivot Bikes
Dreadnought, Highlander, mystery prototype
Dreadnought, Highlander, mystery prototype
Forbidden made waves this month with the Dreadnought, the Druid's longer-legged big brother. The Dreadnought feels like a big bike but defies strict categorization, making it a versatile option for riders who want to hit the bike parks on their trail bikes.
Before any of us had the chance to forget about the Dreadnought, another brand came out with a bulked-up version of their high pivot trail bike: Deviate's Highlander 150, which uses a new rocker link to change the geometry and travel on the already-existent Highlander 140.
Which brings us to...
Before any of us had the chance to forget about the Dreadnought, another brand came out with a bulked-up version of their high pivot trail bike: Deviate's Highlander 150, which uses a new rocker link to change the geometry and travel on the already-existent Highlander 140.
Which brings us to...
The Dreadnought is named after a battleship. It seems appropriate.
Spotting Prototypes
Sneak peak at the future as well as a look at the past
Sneak peak at the future as well as a look at the past
We got a look at a new prototype that might be a Devinci, thanks to the sharp-eyed Pinkbike user Tonkatruck. The Split Pivot suspension design looks like recent iterations of the Troy and Marshall. Devinci first made a high pivot bike in the early 2000s, so it wouldn't be remotely shocking to see Devinci come out with this bike.
Going in the other direction, where the dust has settled and there's no more speculation, we also looked back this month at downhill prototypes that never made it to production. Those prototypes actually include Devinci's high pivot Wilson (another clue in the above prototype mystery) along with two Yeti prototypes, Cannondale's two-shock downhill bike, and the legendary Honda G-Cross RN-01. Those are bikes I wish I'd seen in person.
Going in the other direction, where the dust has settled and there's no more speculation, we also looked back this month at downhill prototypes that never made it to production. Those prototypes actually include Devinci's high pivot Wilson (another clue in the above prototype mystery) along with two Yeti prototypes, Cannondale's two-shock downhill bike, and the legendary Honda G-Cross RN-01. Those are bikes I wish I'd seen in person.
Looks like a... Devinci?
SRAM's Patent Lawyers
Fox has won a critical round in a series of patent battles
Fox has won a critical round in a series of patent battles
The U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board recently sided with Fox in a legal fight that has been ongoing since 2015, Bicycle Retailer reported. It started when SRAM sued RaceFace (owned by Fox) for two patent infringements related to SRAM's X-Sync technology. (Then, in 2016, Fox sued SRAM for several suspension-related patent infringements, though that suit is more or less on hold right now due to Covid and is only tangentially related to the chainring story.)
The technology in question pairs narrow-wide alternating teeth with teeth that are offset for better chain retention. While neither idea is new, SRAM claims that the combination brings a unique solution to a problem that needed solving. RaceFace disagrees and makes similar chainrings without licensing the technology from SRAM.
The technology in question pairs narrow-wide alternating teeth with teeth that are offset for better chain retention. While neither idea is new, SRAM claims that the combination brings a unique solution to a problem that needed solving. RaceFace disagrees and makes similar chainrings without licensing the technology from SRAM.
Based on the back-and-forth and the amount of money both sides have spent on the issue, we think it's safe to say the war is far from over.
Bike Theft
EWS racer Martha Gill had two bikes stolen in a van break-in
EWS racer Martha Gill had two bikes stolen in a van break-in
Martha Gill had two Marin bikes stolen by people who broke into her van while it was parked outside a store, took her bikes, and sped away on their mopeds with the bikes on their backs. The bikes are a Marin Alcatraz and a Marin Alpine Trail Carbon, and anyone in the Sheffield, UK, area is encouraged to share her post on social media to help bring the bikes home.
Unfortunately, Martha is not alone in having her bikes stolen, and there's sad data to show that bike theft has risen throughout the pandemic, likely due to a number of factors: First, there are more bikes available to steal. Second, there are more new riders in the sport than there were two years ago, and those riders may not know yet how to keep bikes safe. Additionally, the scarcity of bikes has driven up prices in the secondhand market, making it appealing for thieves to acquire bikes to sell.
Unfortunately, Martha is not alone in having her bikes stolen, and there's sad data to show that bike theft has risen throughout the pandemic, likely due to a number of factors: First, there are more bikes available to steal. Second, there are more new riders in the sport than there were two years ago, and those riders may not know yet how to keep bikes safe. Additionally, the scarcity of bikes has driven up prices in the secondhand market, making it appealing for thieves to acquire bikes to sell.
Martha's van after the break-in.
Remember to always note your bike's serial number, register your bike online if that's an option, and keep your bike in the most indoors/locked/supervised/painful-to-break-into place you possibly can.
Cyclists Falling Through Ice
Why do people keep doing this?
Why do people keep doing this?
Just don't do it.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I have access to a bicycle and also to some ice, but I'm planning to keep my tires on more solid ground. I recommend you do, too. The first incident was in January when two U21 EWS racers and a friend fell through, but this month a vlogger named Lucas Brunelle followed suit.
"I ride my bike the same way I trade stocks. It’s my nature to take high risks and high return," Lucas said of the risk.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I have access to a bicycle and also to some ice, but I'm planning to keep my tires on more solid ground. I recommend you do, too. The first incident was in January when two U21 EWS racers and a friend fell through, but this month a vlogger named Lucas Brunelle followed suit.
"I ride my bike the same way I trade stocks. It’s my nature to take high risks and high return," Lucas said of the risk.
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The primeminister is more worried about trying to change the country's name to aotearoa and all mauri
You haven't really got the full story either.
Oh, and we all have FREEDOM to watch sporting events, go to music concerts, not wear masks, eat in restaurants, go to the cinema... TBH I'm not missing international travel in the slightest.
Australia has a similar population to Canada, similar land size, yet around 30 times less covid cases from a quick google. It was policies that controlled the populace.
Not lecturing, but god that constant island excuse gets tiring when neither the USA nor Canada actually closed their borders.
@hambobet: Tits at the top in charge of a pandemic equals disaster !
are you really this ignorant of the reality of the US? this is all very easily verified with some quick google searching, idk why you are still struggling to understand. Is it a lack of caring or just a lack of critical thinking? You're literally just echoing what the establishment media says on a daily basis. You must love coolaid.
"we instituted travel bans almost immediately" - False. They were merely travel restrictions that only prohibited entry by non-U.S. citizens, other than the immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled to China within the last two weeks from entering the U.S. Hardly the sort of policy that would have kept COVID out. Also, the virus was already in the states before those restrictions were implemented.
"it's pretty hard to close borders when even banning travel from certain places was met with accusations of being "racist" and "xenophobic"" - This statement lacks context. Specifically, the very racist and xenophobic Muslim Ban and Trumps insistence on referring to COVID as Wuhan virus, China Virus, and Kung Flu.
I could go through the rest of your posts and point out all the false assumptions and lazy thinking, but I have trail to build and you don't seem like the type to allow facts to get in the way of a good story.
And Idk what the rest of that statement even means, so you're admitting that because of previous travel bans, that other people were less accepting of the Covid related ban because of his prior "racist" remarks? That's ridiculous, so you'll actively avoid sound governance because you object to prior handlings of completely unrelated scenarios? And then you're accusing me of lazy thinking?
Cmon dude.
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/nancy-pelosi-visits-san-franciscos-chinatown/2240247 (in the video she clearly encourages people to go out and not be deterred by Trumps alleged overreaction)
www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/a-timeline-of-covid-19-travel-restrictions-throughout-2020/ss-BB1ccHXN#image=3 ( a timeline of the travel bans and their subsequent disapproval, and it's important to note that areas like California likely helped spread the disease by dismissing the legitimacy of its spread)
And here is an example of people calling Trump Racist after taking actionable measures to protect American lives (www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/opinion/trump-travel-ban-nigeria.html).
I can keep going all day, bub.
you're being a textbook farmed thinker by the main stream media, you're so focused on some trivial moral victories you're literally believing lies and ignoring facts.
And my point being, is that if there was so much opposition to the small amount of action that you have deemed "not enough", then how were we supposed to do anything more? This has been the logical farce of the left since day one, claiming "TRUMP IS RACIST, DON'T AVOID CHINA TOWN GO OUT AND SHOP" to "He didn't do enough, the blood is on his hands". Like cmon, have a little awareness and integrity, that flip flopping is easy to see and was an obvious political machination that should have only duped the most gullible of the population. You really are going to have to do better than this.
And Idk what the rest of that statement even means, so you're admitting that because of previous travel bans, that other people were less accepting of the Covid related ban because of his prior "racist" remarks? That's ridiculous, so you'll actively avoid sound governance because you object to prior handlings of completely unrelated scenarios? And then you're accusing me of lazy thinking?
Cmon dude.
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/nancy-pelosi-visits-san-franciscos-chinatown/2240247 (in the video she clearly encourages people to go out and not be deterred by Trumps alleged overreaction)
www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/a-timeline-of-covid-19-travel-restrictions-throughout-2020/ss-BB1ccHXN#image=3 ( a timeline of the travel bans and their subsequent disapproval, and it's important to note that areas like California likely helped spread the disease by dismissing the legitimacy of its spread)
And here is an example of people calling Trump Racist after taking actionable measures to protect American lives (www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/opinion/trump-travel-ban-nigeria.html).
I can keep going all day, bub.
you're being a textbook farmed thinker by the main stream media, you're so focused on some trivial moral victories you're literally believing lies and ignoring facts.
Judging by the car he's driving the returns aren't that great...
They cause to much damage.
Unfortunately its the 10 percent doing 90 percent of the damage. Giving everyone else a bad name.
Why do people keep doing this?
Just don't do it."
Then stop giving free publicity to it by posting the YouTube videos of it.
Digging resumes.
Didn't think that whole thread would remove.
Thanks for heads-up
Yes many inventors have many innovations, but they still each cost to research and develop. And the earnings from one invention would likely cover the costs of those that never get used.
People invent to make money(for the most part that is the portion that we are discussing), if they cant make money they will get a regular job and nothing will be invented. How many inventions are given to the public for free.
Actually, many people paint and or copy the Mona Lisa and make money off of it.
As for people invented lots before patents, I would wager that there have been more inventions since the patent than in all of history before.