[toodles]

That was sorta my point. These reviewers are paid to put in major miles.

Imagine showing up to a job interview as a cycling magazine reviewer being 100lbs overweight and trying to convince them you're not only an avid rider but experienced enough to pick up on subtle product differences.

At least the lizards could bribe you with donuts and beer to overlook glaring problems.

 

[rideit]

“My saddle hurts, and I don’t know why”

 

[jonKranked]

That was sorta my point. These reviewers are paid to put in major miles.

indirectly. they are paid for reviewing bikes. the miles are a byproduct of the need to ride a lot of stuff to assess it.

 

[FlipSide]

Most of them are pretty good. Some are just stupid though, trying to go against the grain for the sake of it. Like advocating using HG cassettes, for some convoluted reason. HG was and is an awful standard. I do not miss having to hammer cassettes off the freewheel because the splines deformed under load. HG+/MS is not much better.

I agree with you and I am not planning on going back to HG cassettes.

That being said, I do appreciate his effort to demonstrate how the HG driver flexibility can be helpful to fix your bike in the current situation of parts shortage, or to improve the chainline on your bike. Even though it is not necessarily for me, I much prefer such tinkering articles to the boring spec-sheet regurgitation often found in "Technical articles" on most mtb websites

 

[toodles]

indirectly. they are paid for reviewing bikes. the miles are a byproduct of the need to ride a lot of stuff to assess it.

What a waste of time. Just post a pic of the product on RM and we can tear it to pieces without even riding it.

 

[jonKranked]

What a waste of time. Just post a pic of the product on RM and we can tear it to pieces without even riding it.

we do that regardless

 

[slimshady]

we do that regardless

I DEMAND TO BE PAID IN BURRITOS AND BOOZE!!!

 

[jonKranked]

I DEMAND TO BE PAID IN BURRITOS AND BOOZE!!!

+rep

 

[Muddy]

“My saddle hurts, and I don’t know why”

Because - you bashed your L Knee into three stacked-levers on your handlebar? Sure, that'd be this marvelous setup going full-tilt-boogie 'in action' but what'd be the equal-but-opposite reaction?

Sore butt from craptacular ergonomics?
Sore wallet from being told outdated craptacular ergonomics updating to electronic blip-boxes being your only option to avoid raspberry on the kneecap??

UCI needs to reign in this outlaw and renegade approach to competitive cycling. XC Racers just can't have the option to have a suspension bike somehow revert back to a hardtail and expect to be taken seriously.

 

[Jm_]

To be fair, the cause of that is soft freehub bodies and cassettes that separate into single rings. It doesn't really happen to one piece or pinned cassettes or steel freehub bodies.

XD cassettes are easy and simple to install and remove, but god damn they are expensive. I'd go back to HG if it wasn't slowly falling out of favour. I don't care about having a 10 or 9 tooth gear.

I did some calcs and my X01 is still cheaper than an SLX, based on how long each lasts for me and cost/year.

 

[jonKranked]

What a waste of time. Just post a pic of the product on RM and we can tear it to pieces without even riding it.

we do that regardless

guys, maybe we should rethink doing this for free. ridemonkey+ subscriptions anyone?

 

[jonKranked]

Imagine showing up to a job interview as a cycling magazine reviewer being 100lbs overweight and trying to convince them you're not only an avid rider but experienced enough to pick up on subtle product differences.

counterpoint: anytime i read a review that says x component is plenty stiff or too stiff, and the review was done by a 160lb rider, i take it with a grain of salt. or maybe 50lbs worth of salt.

 

[Westy]

counterpoint: anytime i read a review that says x component is plenty stiff or too stiff, and the review was done by a 160lb rider, i take it with a grain of salt. or maybe 50lbs worth of salt.

We need people to review bikes the way they are actually used. 200lb riders on under sprung long travel bikes ridden slowly on short 5 mile xc loops and flow trails.

 

[Andeh]

We need people to review bikes the way they are actually used. 200lb riders on under sprung long travel bikes ridden slowly on short 5 mile xc loops.

Or only ridden to the bar / liquor store.

 

[iRider]

counterpoint: anytime i read a review that says x component is plenty stiff or too stiff, and the review was done by a 160lb rider, i take it with a grain of salt. or maybe 50lbs worth of salt.

The mtb-news.de webpage has at least two testers that are 185+ cm and 85+ kg (whatever this is in non SI units). They often actually write that their "regular" testers could not fault the stiffness of e.g. a fork, but their big boys did experience flex.
On the other hand, there is still the bias that most testers are above average riders. That just comes with the territory of riding that much I guess.

 

[Westy]

Or only ridden to the bar / liquor store.

Or just for talking about and impressing others at trailhead parking lots.

 

[jonKranked]

get your tinfoil out.

Specialized and Outside (Pinkbike, Beta etc) Share Same Investment Company

via some tweets, came across this website https://zone5ventures.com/#what_we_do says - "Zone 5 Ventures is an early-stage investor with Specialized as our sole limited partner..." https://zone5ventures.com/#portfolio scroll down the page and...

www.vitalmtb.com

 

[Leafy]

counterpoint: anytime i read a review that says x component is plenty stiff or too stiff, and the review was done by a 160lb rider, i take it with a grain of salt. or maybe 50lbs worth of salt.

Same when I hear the 180 lb rider that's running the suspension full open that the ride is plush.

 

[jonKranked]

The mtb-news.de webpage has at least two testers that are 185+ cm and 85+ kg (whatever this is in non SI units). They often actually write that their "regular" testers could not fault the stiffness of e.g. a fork, but their big boys did experience flex.
On the other hand, there is still the bias that most testers are above average riders. That just comes with the territory of riding that much I guess.

good to know. can't say i've ever checked them out for their reviews, but i'm inclined to do so now.

 

[Lelandjt]

Not for long.View attachment 170595

Breckenridge is anti ebike. They're only allowed on dirtbike trails.

 

[iRider]

good to know. can't say i've ever checked them out for their reviews, but i'm inclined to do so now.

Johannes Herden is one of their big guys, can't remember the name of their second big guy.
Another tall rider, Jens Staudt, sadly left last year. He did an awesome series on trying to understand and communicate bike geometry. It culminated in prototype bikes he rode and tested his ideas with. He convinced Pivot to make them. Final article of the series is here: https://www.mtb-news.de/news/forschungsprojekt-mountainbike-geometrie-finale/ (you need to Google translate it, minus the interview with Chris Coccalis)

 

[Jm_]

Breckenridge is anti ebike. They're only allowed on dirtbike trails.

Like the snowboards.

 

[aaronjb]

Breckenridge is anti ebike. They're only allowed on dirtbike trails.

Pro-bike, more like.

 

[rideit]

Dear lord, it's not even April yet

 

[Jm_]

Dear lord, it's not even April yet

Oh yeah...that's way better than running panniers...

 

[SylentK]

Breckenridge is anti ebike. They're only allowed on dirtbike trails.

Being new to eBiking, but not new to Breck. How do they anticipate enforcing any eBike rules? I've never, never, seen any kind of "trail" law enforcement official anywhere in Breck. Have you? I'm actually serious and curious.

Police, yes, but trail USFS? No. It's almost like Moab and that poor girl on the news. I was like, "they have police in Moab?". Never seen one. But could have used one when a gazzilion side by sides where wrecking havoc at 2am by my campsite.

So let me ask you this, do you think I'd get in trouble for using my eBike doing the Peaks to Peaks trail? For example?

 

[Leafy]

Being new to eBiking, but not new to Breck. How do they anticipate enforcing any eBike rules? I've never, never, seen any kind of "trail" law enforcement official anywhere in Breck. Have you? I'm actually serious and curious.

Police, yes, but trail USFS? No. It's almost like Moab and that poor girl on the news. I was like, "they have police in Moab?". Never seen one. But could have used one when a gazzilion side by sides where wrecking havoc at 2am by my campsite.

So let me ask you this, do you think I'd get in trouble for using my eBike doing the Peaks to Peaks trail? For example?

All it takes is 1 ebiker to buzz a Karen and all the nimbys will band together and ban all bikes since they can't figure out how to tell the difference. That's how they'll enforce the new ebike rule, people will break it, Karen will complain, they'll realize the can't enforce it without banning all bikes and ban all bikes as a result.

 

[Jm_]

Being new to eBiking, but not new to Breck. How do they anticipate enforcing any eBike rules?

I would just put downhill qualifiers on every trail or fake charging outlets.

 

[iRider]

I would just put downhill qualifiers on every trail or fake charging outlets.

Maybe they have a way to create a local EMP?

 

[scrublover]

Companies making winter riding shoes/boots that have massive built up heal treads and bullshit around the forefoot/toe area. And no option to put in toe spikes.

Yeah, it isn't their main market for sure. If I'm having to use foot power in the winter, it's pretty much always on the uphill, or on icy shit. Where I'm up on my toes/balls of feet. Yeah, I get they need to have room for the cleat interface, but even then there is room to beef up the treads up front.

Flats and big boots? FTS. Those sorts of shoes sufferr the same issue.

It's why I resort to this kind of shit.

 

[Bikael Molton]

I appreciate this viewpoint and share it in some ways, but that is definitely not how USFS makes rule changes.

All it takes is 1 ebiker to buzz a Karen and all the nimbys will band together and ban all bikes since they can't figure out how to tell the difference. That's how they'll enforce the new ebike rule, people will break it, Karen will complain, they'll realize the can't enforce it without banning all bikes and ban all bikes as a result.

 

[rideit]

Oh yeah...that's way better than running panniers...

What makes me think it’s a joke is the ‘20kilo’ threshold. Imaging having 45 pounds on your head, let alone wiping out with that? Neck snap…

 

[iRider]

What makes me think it’s a joke is the ‘20kilo’ threshold. Imaging having 45 pounds on your head, let alone wiping out with that? Neck snap…

I already do not understand folks riding with a GoPro on their helmet.

 

[rideit]

Or even self contained lights.

 

[jackalope]

The Trek Allant, JM Signature Edition

 

[Andeh]

Or even self contained lights.

My self contained light is only a little over 100g (Outbound Lighting). Half shell with light is still lighter than my TLD Stage.

 

[SylentK]

All it takes is 1 ebiker to buzz a Karen and all the nimbys will band together and ban all bikes since they can't figure out how to tell the difference. That's how they'll enforce the new ebike rule, people will break it, Karen will complain, they'll realize the can't enforce it without banning all bikes and ban all bikes as a result.

Yeah, I can see that being the case at the local park system for sure!

Karen has to complain....

 

[SylentK]

The Trek Allant, JM Signature Edition
View attachment 170949

I can't decide if I want to destroy that bike, or love it. Maybe I'll steal it, and sell it for parts

 

[jstuhlman]

yeah, i have a self contained helmet light-it weighs so little i don't even notice it. but strap a pannier to my head? nope.

 

[jonKranked]

yeah, i have a self contained helmet light-it weighs so little i don't even notice it. but strap a pannier to my head? nope.

Fill it with tacos?