its just the possibility of a gearbox based frameset that COULD be cheaper than most/any of the top end DH frames out there right now.
and as long as we don't really know anything, may as well hope for the best :biggrin:
Honda RN01 frameset
- Thread starter wujj
- Start date
and as long as we don't really know anything, may as well hope for the best :biggrin:
yeah thats fair. The Gearbox has me curious for sure. THe deraileur in a box seems the smartest way to go without a doubt. As for the rest though, it just doesn't seem that exciting.
Strange how Petespeed seems to have dissapeared, and the Honda is seemingly similar.
Strange how Petespeed seems to have dissapeared, and the Honda is seemingly similar.
Letting Petespeed die was a giant fvckup on behalf of whoever owned the patent. That system is a little gem. Would cost sweet fvck all to make, uses a whole heap of parts already prevalent in the industry (and as such, you keep major players like Shimano and Sram happy, because you're still using their shifters, cassettes, chains) and better still, is totally user serviceable. But unfortunately, it'll probably just get relegated to some seedy corner of the patent office. Its the system I am copying for my gearbox.
The Honda is a great idea though, and their gearbox isn't so different to petespeed. Just bigger. Plus, it looks way sexier than B1's petespeed silver-turd that Mr. DeBeaver had to haul around
Wasnt the Petespeed design bought by Hayes?
Yup it was bought by Hayes.
here is the b1
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/article2245.html
Here are some more pictures etc of the petespeed one all the info is in http://sicklines.com/petespeed_translated.html
It was dropped because of the Honda patent.
That and they couldn't make it work.
That and they couldn't make it work.
A friend who is a SHOWA engineer said that building that fork would be cheaper for SHOWA than buying a FOX 40, or RS WC!
Ahhh the Lahar here in Oz is cheaper than any top end DH based frame,and that's including Saint cranks,DHX,rear hub,Rohloff gearbox,chains,sprockets,and headset.I'm fairly sure that'd be the case accross the globe.
considering the amount of work that aaron puts into them & the parts they come with, i think they're underpriced. he can get away with it because he's a one man show, but i think scaling up production would require a price increase, unless some of the bits were re-designed more cost effectively.
do you think gearbox also makes that bike cheaper? no. it's cheap because there is no middle man, no shop, no one else to pay.
You can buy one dirrect,no middle man. Over time it becomes much much cheaper as your not buying as many drivetrain parts thanks to yes the gearbox.The parts you are buying are cheap anyway,chain,BMX cog,etc,no deraileurs or cassettes.
Don't get me wrong,it'd be great if Honda bought out cheap DH bikes,but I doubt it. They've Patented the competition out of the market for a reason. Even if they do cheap bikes,they should be boycotted for doing their best at killing gearbox progression. Would be good to get Showa into the market though.
aren't rohloff hubs like $1200?
x9 derailleurs cost 90.
besides that, lahars still need chains (2!) and bmx cogs wear out just as fast as a normal cassette (but cost half as much).
my point is that it would take a long time for me to make up the difference in prices by smashing derailleurs, and by that time the bike would probably be all old and obsolete.
anyways, i think the lahars are badass and i'd like to take a test ride someday.
The Rohloff will outlast your ridding days and if not,I'll swap it for a new one.
Your saving from the start,it's as cheap as any decent DH sled includes Rohloff and more in price.
The chains won't wear as fast, as they're running straight,you need one and a half not two(save half). Smashing deraileurs and time spent f***ing around with them,what a waste of riding time.
One new cassette+Chain+Deraileur+freehub body
Vs
less frequently i.5 chain,25ml oil,BMX sprocket and no random expense due to crash damage.
Not missing any riding=Priceless.
The Lahar won't become obsolete. It will still be competetive with a bike in ten years for sure,Mark my words.`
how much are lahars anyhow?
I want one with all this talk.
I want one with all this talk.
$6500au here in Australia.
http://www.laharbikes.com/
http://www.laharbikes.com/
eek.
nvm.
I dont think I can afford over 5gs for a bike.
they are nice though.
nvm.
I dont think I can afford over 5gs for a bike.
they are nice though.
Half a bike. Frame,shock,Rohloff gerabox,headset,rear hub,chains,sprockets,rear BMX cog,Saint cranks,and bottom bracket.
You need to purchase your own brakes,forks,front wheel,rear rim?spokes,tyres,pedals,bars/stem,grips and seat and post.
So close to $10K when everything is done and said!
wow, damn. They were 3500 us to your door at one point. I'm not sure I'm sad or happy that I didn't buy one.
that websites atleast that old
my m9 came to about 4300 cdn (i guess the price has been bumped a bit since); factor in the price of the rohloff, hs, bb, cranks, chains, chainguide, and very trick carbon hubs, and the frame ends up cheap compared to other top dh frames - not factoring the value of a bombproof transmission that will last years.
just got back from a great ride, and i have to say i'm loving this bike. such an elegant & effective design. definitely a keeper. i'm so done with derailleurs. nice work, aaron.
just got back from a great ride, and i have to say i'm loving this bike. such an elegant & effective design. definitely a keeper. i'm so done with derailleurs. nice work, aaron.
Three Hondas were on this race. Argggh...
http://www.bicycle-photos.com/07/fujimi/dh-mf/index.html
http://www.bicycle-photos.com/07/fujimi/dh-mf/index.html
The Head Honda PR guy I talked to last time I did a story on this is tight lipped this time. Apparently there is a major official announcement coming in July in order to quell the rumours. I couldn't find out which way the announcement would go however.
Spoke to the honda (motor) bike importer/distributer here in NZ....
He said;
[bad german accent] I know nothink, NOTHINK! [/bad german accent]
My thought is that if Honda are going to run these alongside their motorbikes... a frame set just ain't gonna cut it. It'll have to be a complete built up bike. Established motorbike dealers aren't gonna want the hassle otherwise.
I bet even giants like, um Giant and Specialized are ****ting themselves right now - IF Honda step into this game it will totally change the situation
He said;
[bad german accent] I know nothink, NOTHINK! [/bad german accent]
My thought is that if Honda are going to run these alongside their motorbikes... a frame set just ain't gonna cut it. It'll have to be a complete built up bike. Established motorbike dealers aren't gonna want the hassle otherwise.
I bet even giants like, um Giant and Specialized are ****ting themselves right now - IF Honda step into this game it will totally change the situation
If it were just a rumour I would think they would squash it and would tell all their distributors/importers that they're not selling (there wouldn't be a need for anything official and long winded)... time will tell
That isn't how they operate. In my experience with them EVERYTHING is very calculated. It wouldn't surprise me if they took a month to make an announcement saying there was no announcement type thing.
If there was something huge they needed to squash in a small division or special project like this, it'd still take 2-3 weeks to get to the proper person etc. You aren't dealing with a 3 person bike company, and the guy i talked to is head of Honda PR. As in, the entire company. They are busy people and a bike program is probably WAY down their list of daily crap to deal with.
Yea that sounds pretty valid and I could see that. Hopefully they enter the game fully.
I don't think honda would ever undercut the competition...they know they've got an awesome bike, they know where the competition has their bikes priced...it'll come in at the upper end of DH frames...especially with all the gear. The demand is there, they just need to produce.
I'll wait 'til Suzuki and Yamaha enter the fray . . . .
I seriously doubt they are worried right now.