Same. 
RIP The Industry™
- Thread starter jonKranked
- Start date
Headline was clickbait.
He lost some sponsors, gained others, pretty standard "rider is no longer riding for e13, and instead on MRP and blahblahblah"
Im sort of both ways. Happy for them, but in the end we are paying for sponsorship through the price the products
So we are his boss. Like police officers…
Nah. That Dude is his own boss. and seems to work pretty hard at it.
sponsorship is simply one facet of advertising/marketing and I can't think of a single cycling product you could buy that wouldn't have had some sort of budget for that bumping up final retail pricing.
Can't say I begrudge him his $0.0000001 cut from the last Maxxis tyre I bought. There's not one other product Remy runs that I would so I certainly wouldn't be able to say the same
sponsorship is simply one facet of advertising/marketing and I can't think of a single cycling product you could buy that wouldn't have had some sort of budget for that bumping up final retail pricing.
Can't say I begrudge him his $0.0000001 cut from the last Maxxis tyre I bought. There's not one other product Remy runs that I would so I certainly wouldn't be able to say the same
Yeah, when you first see these YouTubers, it makes you think, man, I would love to make my living riding my bike.
But then I ran into a guy at Kanuga that has a successful channel. I did 4 runs in the time it took him to set up a shot,
and get a 10 second clip. Dude was out there for hours and hours to get a 30 seconds worth of video with no time to enjoy the ride.
Those dudes have to work their ass off like everyone else. I might sit at my job thinking about riding my bike, but when I on it, I can 100% focus on having fun which is the whole reason to ride in the first place.
But then I ran into a guy at Kanuga that has a successful channel. I did 4 runs in the time it took him to set up a shot,
and get a 10 second clip. Dude was out there for hours and hours to get a 30 seconds worth of video with no time to enjoy the ride.
Those dudes have to work their ass off like everyone else. I might sit at my job thinking about riding my bike, but when I on it, I can 100% focus on having fun which is the whole reason to ride in the first place.
I have had to make videos for work. For every 20 seconds of content there is an hour of me fumbling words the shouting fuck.
Several years ago, when my wife and I were visiting SLC we hired a backcountry ski guide. I was chatting to him about how he got into the work and whether he liked it, and it was really clear that he got into it like so many others because he loved the sport and being outdoors. In the summers he did rock climbing guiding. But it was clearly dragging on him having it being his job and how it basically consumed his personal recreation time / mind space.
I'd never want to have my income depend on my hobby because of how the stress and obligations of work could taint my enjoyment of it. I've had buddies ask why I don't do a podcast or YT videos on bike geekery, and that absolutely feels like it would ruin it for me. Like, I've thought about learning enough about suspension tuning and servicing to do it out of a garage (like @bullcrew ) when I retire but I'd never want it to grow big enough where I felt any obligations. Just something to do because it was interesting and a reason to learn new stuff, and keep busy between rides or between bike/ski season.
So yeah, there were a lot of crappy riders who started YT channels during Covid and I can't blame them for taking the money while they could, but it's never been something I'd want to do.
I'd never want to have my income depend on my hobby because of how the stress and obligations of work could taint my enjoyment of it. I've had buddies ask why I don't do a podcast or YT videos on bike geekery, and that absolutely feels like it would ruin it for me. Like, I've thought about learning enough about suspension tuning and servicing to do it out of a garage (like @bullcrew ) when I retire but I'd never want it to grow big enough where I felt any obligations. Just something to do because it was interesting and a reason to learn new stuff, and keep busy between rides or between bike/ski season.
So yeah, there were a lot of crappy riders who started YT channels during Covid and I can't blame them for taking the money while they could, but it's never been something I'd want to do.
Exactly the same for me. Was offered a shop twice but happily turned the offers down knowing that making my passion my job would kill it.
That's pretty much how it went for me, owning a bike shop to a large extent killed the love of the sport for me.
Selling up and getting out was the best thing I could have done for my mental well being.
I've built up a decent workshop at my house, and at some point I'll start doing a bit of repair work on the side because I still enjoy working on bikes & the spare cash is always nice. But I would want to keep it super small, like 1-2 clients a week to keep my personal space and sanity.
In the mean time I keep my hand in by doing things like working as the mechanic at the up coming NZ MTB Rally which will be a lot more fun than the shop.
I should have learnt the 1st time around with the craft beer industry!
Ahh well I have definitely learned the lesson now.
That's different. I don't know any unhappy trail builders.
That is a kick ass way to make a living.
which size shop do we talk here? dunno, i'm employed so i don't have all the biz worries, can talk all day about parts and bikes and get money for it. what killed the love of the sport for you?
So you're saying that being a doc is your passion ?
“Young man, anything is possible! Surely you can imagine this into existence with enough gumption and bootstraps!!!”
a fair point. I like doing something useful with my life... but if I won the lottery I'd put in my 6 month notice that same day
ftfy
Hard to be unhappy day-drinking and making rad shit.
Until the business goes with a $$$s/metre of trail model and starts doing machine built trail everywhere for best ROI and you end up well hated
I wish I could only build stuff that I like to ride. But I also have to pay the bills. After 3 years doing this I've been lucky to do interesting stuff most of the time. Next summer should be rad. Building a north shore style freeride trail.
Last edited:
We've got a company here in QLD that petitions all the councils to allow them to bring the trails "up to standard" (for a fee of course) and then runs over them with a machine. They not very popular with the core riders, but their stuff is insanely popular with the new riders and flow lovers so their stuff gets enough rider numbers to keep them in business.
I don't have a problem with them making new trails but fucking up existing good trails just to get money sucks.
Everybody that changes something on a trail that they haven't built themself w/o getting the OK from the original builder should end up as part of one of their new berms.hey, we have those fuckers here too, and they fucked things up for free!
I know, I know.....that sounds pretty bad and I should know better.....and I do: do not build berms from material that rots easily.
That's good rot.Everybody that changes something on a trail that they haven't built themself w/o getting the OK from the original builder should end up as part of one of their new berms.
I know, I know.....that sounds pretty bad and I should know better.....and I do: do not build berms from material that rots easily.
meh, not sure I fully agree. trails evolve. it's natural. people have different visions, styles, and preferences etc... I hate bermkake and flow trails as much as the next monkey. Out here, we had the land manager rebuild an old natural trail. bermkaked the fuck out of it. any attempt to cut out the switchbacks and ride the old line are promptly filled in with debris and branches by the retired people who have the time to go in and "fix" the trails. drives me nuts. your berms and switchbacks kill the flow. IMnsHO, if a new line gets ridden in, then there's probably a good reason for it. To be clear, I'm not talking about one-off strava lines, but fully burned in lines here.Everybody that changes something on a trail that they haven't built themself w/o getting the OK from the original builder should end up as part of one of their new berms.
I know, I know.....that sounds pretty bad and I should know better.....and I do: do not build berms from material that rots easily.
I can't remember if it was on Pinkbike or on NSMB a few years ago where a trail builder talked about that process of "gifting their trail to the world, but needing to accept that it might evolve and change from his personal vision of it"... I'll see if I can dig it up.
To be clear: I have nothing against naturally evolving trails. Heck, if you see that you get erosion on one part, it is only fair to do something about it. But a full-on rebuild needs to be agreed on, especially if the original builder is still around. If you do rebuild a trail, it IMO needs to stay within the same type as well. Changing a red technical trail to a green flow trail is stupid. Just build a green flow trail next to it if you think you need one.
Not sure I agree 100%. You can also build awesome trails, but you need to know what you are doing.
Normally when I'm finding a trail, its because of a rapid, unplanned and unexpected departure from the trail I was planning on riding. Not a huge fan of those moments
I will take a natural trail with great lines and minimal benching where required over a series of man made features any day. When a sharp corner cannot be avoided, a catch is much more fun than a berm.
Someone probably built that trail you found. Just sayin'.
Like when I have built trails?