vpergoot

I can guess a few reasons why the bike industry is in the slump it is. For starters, it does remain an expensive sport with the participants not always being your doctors, lawyers etc. I earn a decent living, but I’m not out there looking for the next new bike or frame. Also, the rapid progress you saw a few years back in terms of geometry, seems to have peaked. You can’t make bikes longer and slacker forever. Unfortunately this was bound to make life harder for niche brands such as Deviate. Why spend more money on a bike just for that subtle change in geometry? Brands such as Trek, Specialized and Canyon can keep on selling road and city bikes. We’re pretty much all on 29er or MX slack frames which can last another 5-10 years. I wish for these small shops it wasn’t so, but it does seem the big boys will pull through with niche players just struggling to survive.

@zmums: You're most likely right on the feel front, but more material is required for a wider bar to maintain its strength due to higher leverage being exerted. Sure, it probably only shaves 20 grams or so, but you're still riding a 780mm bar that was designed to be 800mm. If these arguments don't hold, then there's the fact that you're chopping away at a non inexpensive item. If it's carbon, you have to buy a special saw blade as well. Fork steerers aside, I like to avoid "customizing" the items i buy if I can help it.

I love what Garbaruk is doing. A lot of their products make sense, such as an 11 speed 50t cassette etc. There's so many pedals, steerers etc etc. I know the investment is much higher, but it was about time a new entrant cut his teeth on a drive train. Lets see if it will be any good.

You’re right, but I do applaud them for 3D printing it. Low cost of production with little capital expenditure. There will always be someone who’s extremely anal about their bikes who will buy this.

@linden44: I believe he’s referring to GDP per capita, in which the US is not first. Best not to look at metrics such as health, equality, shootings, road deaths etc. Bottom line, yes you’re the most powerful and in pure economic terms richest country on earth, but does that make you the best country to live in?

@litany: This here for me is a perfectly viable reason and an actual answer to my question :). I had 3 reverbs in the past that all turned into suspension posts but no issues with OneUp. I guess MTB components are still a roll of the dice at times.

Rockshox has certainly helped MTBing move forward. Narrow wide single chainrings, good suspension products to compete with Fox, UHD, etc etc. I just can't see how my riding would become more pleasant having their wireless mechs or this seat post that costs double a OneUp dropper.

Coming soon to a pizza delivery service near you!

The fact that they have to make this statement says enough. It is beyond me why threaded BBs aren't universally used. Brands can keep going on about small, incremental benefits, but which biker would ever notice? On the other hand, threaded BBs are just easier to install and replace for anyone with an ounce of handiness. I'm probably the minority that builds up his own frame, but headset cable routing and press fit BBs are hard "NO's". Not sure yet about superboost...

@jeff-lenosky: I like the answer. Maybe I don’t notice because I only spent a short while on bikes with front derailleurs and less than pizza sized rear cogs (Millenial). I guess the hubs I’ve had have always had decent engagement.