lkubica

Never, ever buy a bike which cracks shox bolts. This generally results from bad frame design (too much force in certain places, sometimes due to flex transfered to the shock) or faulty manufacturing (i.e. skewed, badly welded frame).

@paulclarke: I see no contradiction in being important from historical reasons and being hipster. There are many important historical vehicles which makes absolute no sense to use daily (and for bike transport).

Professional sport = show business with physical training. They want to go big, because this is the only way to make money. Sponsors want their products to be exposed and in order to expose them properly there must be some kind of a show. Sports like MTB cannot be separated from risk - more risk, more watchers, more money.

@WAKIdesigns: Why? (disclaimer: I don't own any of the above). Because you care what other people think about you? Rilly?

First world problems - first buy a hipster car and then spend even more money to make it actually usable ;) I know it's fun, but we all should come down to earth sometimes - so instead of buying boutique stuff, just buy something simple and ride.

The reality is that Knolly could not continue with 142, because it is considered extinct. No one would buy such a bike, at least not for money Knolly sells bikes for. So they could take 148 or try to make some "progress" on their own. Let's face it, going to 157 by a company which has only one mid-travel 29er bike does not make a lot of sense from engineering standpoint. Especially that Knolly bikes have rather flexy rear ends (and they still use 6mm shock bolts on many bikes). But it might work for them, since they are a butique brand and probably their customers will not mind more effort connected with building a 157 wheel. But for "poor" customers this makes 0 sens - they want to have a much interchangeable parts between bikes as they can. Obviously a 157 27.5/29 wheel is not common, you will not mount it to any other bike.

But brakes can also be wireless :D

Yeah, you will charge phone, GPS, light(s), rear mech, seatpost and a shifter. Ok, you may buy one spare and be so lucky that you will run out only one mid-ride.

1:35 - WTF?

Hey Michelin - kiss my 26" as*