Which did you hit?I spent time at 5 New England bike parks over the past week
at $8k a bike no wonder people can only afford one.I spent time at 5 New England bike parks over the past week. Highland seemed to have quite a few DH bikes, while most of the others like Thunder and Bolton didn't have many. Bikes are expensive, I can see why some only choose to own one. However, I do ride a lot of bike parks and I love having my DH bike for those days.
QC rejects? not good enough to met SRAM spec but instead the factory can send them to another company and sell them direct from ASPAC via alibaba or the like.You can't get a chain through normal channels for 9 months but there's plenty on the internet shipping straight from Asia.
Profit margins are significantly smaller in China/APAC than in any other geography. At this point I think they simply buy as a bike shop and sell over Amazon or eBay as a regular guy because their lower income local audience won't buy XTR chains day after day.QC rejects? not good enough to met SRAM spec but instead the factory can send them to another company and sell them direct from ASPAC via alibaba or the like.
Sorry it was 4, Highland, Bolton, Thunder, and Blue MountainWhich did you hit?
Blue in PA?Sorry it was 4, Highland, Bolton, Thunder, and Blue Mountain
sell it or scrap it. what do you think they're gonna do?Profit margins are significantly smaller in China/APAC than in any other geography. At this point I think they simply buy as a bike shop and sell over Amazon or eBay as a regular guy because their lower income local audience won't buy XTR chains day after day.
could also be done at the factory for the reasons previously mentioned.Most of the SRAM parts you can get almost at retail price on eBay will have the serial numbers/models filed/sanded/scratched off, partly so they can't be traced back to a distributor.
Believe me, I have seen several SRAM and Shimano so-called B-quality or sketchy components bought off eBay by me and my friends, and they aren't B-grade at all.sell it or scrap it. what do you think they're gonna do?
Yeah and almost killed myself, concussion and a very very sore body today.Blue in PA?
gimme a shout next time. thats my local park.Yeah and almost killed myself, concussion and a very very sore body today.
I'd totally rather not have a DH bike for how many times I make it up there. But rentals are just a shitshow, echoing your point about not being able to tune them adequately. Thus I have a DH bike now.all things being equal I'd rather have the DH rig...just their use is not frequently enough to make sense for most riders...most riders that prefer downs to ups even.
one bike to rule them all...never had it any other way, never can't keep up at either the local trails or the parks...suck it, industry.
Oh noway! It was my first time, crazy place, the rock in that area is really unique.gimme a shout next time. thats my local park.
where/how'd you crash?
yea, its shaley, but not like plattekill shale. beyond that what are your opinions? always curious to hear what non-locals think.Oh noway! It was my first time, crazy place, the rock in that area is really unique.
woof that's rough. heal up quick dude.So it's a bit of a story but I ended up needing a brake bleed on my Evil in Vermont so I had one of the shop guys do it while I was at Bolton. He did a great job but forgot to put the reverse thread axle cap back in my frame. I noticed and asked him for it, then threw it in my bag because it was the end of the day. FFW to blue, 3rd run down I think on boulevard I rode down some wooden roll in thing and hear a horrendous sound. Next thing I know I am flying through the air, smash into the ground grind myself to a pulp, smash my head and ruined my carbon d3 helmet. My fucking axle backed out and my wheel fell out, worst crash of my life. Totally my fault either I didn't tighten my axle enough or that cap is absolutely critical to prevent back out. Bike is largely ok, tweaked the hanger and snapped my derailure but other than that I am mainly the broken one.
I think the flow trails suck but the natural trails are great. Also they have a great crab cake sandwich at slopeside.yea, its shaley, but not like plattekill shale. beyond that what are your opinions? always curious to hear what non-locals think.
woof that's rough. heal up quick dude.
yea, even as far as flow trails go they are not well executed. decreasing radius berms and jumps that get too steep too quickly. but yes the natural stuff is good, they need more of it tho.I think the flow trails suck but the natural trails are great. Also they have a great crab cake sandwich at slopeside.
It saw your frame.This is the inside flap of a Shimano shifter I unpacked.
Even it looks sad at what the industry lizards are doing.
He's gonna mount the shifter over the crack so you can't see itIt saw your frame.
I still have my DH bike and I want to buy a new one soon. But at Creek you see fewer DH and more enduro. I think there's 3 reasons.This is one of my peeves this summer. Whenever I go to bike parks I'm almost the only one on a DH bike. The current obsession is how little travel you can have on a bike that can handle DH and park riding. Of course these bikes don't weigh any less than mine, have more mechanical issues, and make riding harder for their owners. I don't get the aversion everyone suddenly has for 200mm of travel. On the one hand DH dead. No one is buying DH bikes. On the other, DH riding is thriving. I see plenty of people at the bike parks.
A sure sign that I'm getting old is the world doesn't make sense anymore.
Is Stigmata still rideable? How's Ripper nowadays?I still have my DH bike and I want to buy a new one soon. But at Creek you see fewer DH and more enduro. I think there's 3 reasons.
-Too expensive to have 2 bikes.
-Most riders stick to the groomed runs.
-For that, the enduro bikes hold up.
I'll ride Tempest, crap chute, Greenhorn(all "groomed" trails) and the jump trails and see plenty of riders. But when I hit the tech trails like BMW, Slayer and Utah (@Creek), I'll stop to fix something or to find a better line and not see or hear anyone for 20 minutes. Every one rides the groomers but only a handful of people ride the tech.
I also think it depends on the mountain. At Platty, if you saw an enduro you knew they were only doing a trail or two. At Creek? I've seen people on rigid fat bikes.
I think it was closed for a while but was re-opened in the last couple years (someone correct me if I am wrong). Will always love that line it was my first big 'slab' before I got out to BC.Is Stigmata still rideable? How's Ripper nowadays?
It's reopened last year I think. Ripper is still the same till about 100' above the creek crossing. There's 2 chutes there now and they're both eroded badly. Other than that, those 2 trails are the same.Is Stigmata still rideable? How's Ripper nowadays?