[Alpha Kenny Body]

And where are we now? Suddenly, long-travel, single-crown forks are all the rage thanks to Manitou taking the lead in pursuing new freeride technology and creating the over-oversized 1.5” head tube. And true to form, Manitou was initially ridiculed for the move by those who boasted of having “real” freeride credentials, only to see the industry eventually step in line. Double crown forks (not “double-triple clamp” please) are fine, but to me (just like tandems) they limit the riding experience. And as the tried and true freerider I am, my goal is to always maximize each & every off-road experience not limit it. I will happily celebrate the qualified freeride credentials of someone who only rides a hardtail at Ray’s indoor freeride park in Ohio as I will the Whistler bound hucker on a ten inch bike.

Just read the NSMB article : http://www.nsmb.com/shore_news/zap_01_06.php then i read Zap's response to all the mag reviews on espinoza's blog: http://www2.trekbikes.com/us/en/Mountain/Zaps_Rant/Index.php and what i just saw was depressing, no professional at all, and racist.

I've never disliked Zap, one of the reasons is that i think freeride not only involves hucking and doing crazy stunts, but also i believe freeride is about taking your bike wherever you want to, no boundaries or restrictions, but it seems like zap colapsed when so many negative comments "touched" his eyes.
Sorry to say it, some of the comments made by the NSMB reviewers may be true.

 

[Kntr]

Zap should be Zapped

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

how can a double crown limit your riding experience ? Does it means zap thinks lefty or maverick forks limit their owner;s riding experience

 

[Kntr]

He is an idiot.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

they limit a riding experience because this is part of a riding experience:

Obviously...

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

is that yours?

 

[dropmachine]

Crazy? No. Arrogant as hell? Yes.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

zap is annoying, sometimes he has some good points other times he is just totally beat.

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

Crazy? No. Arrogant as hell? Yes.

I agree he is not crazy, also that he is arrogant, but how can you describe a man that uses his power to make such stupid comments.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

is that yours?

He|l no. I thought to myself "where can I get a picture of a SC fork broken at the steer tube?" Pinkbike. There's about 500 more on there if you want to have a look.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

I agree he is not crazy, also that he is arrogant, but how can you describe a man that uses his power to make such stupid comments.

He is neither crazy nor arrogant. He knows that in order to sell magazines he needs to create controversy. What he says and what he believes might be two entirely different things.

 

[Zutroy]

ummmm maybe I'm missing something here, but what did he say that was so bad?

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

ummmm maybe I'm missing something here, but what did he say that was so bad?

Double crown forks (not “double-triple clamp” please) are fine, but to me (just like tandems) they limit the riding experience.

 

[Bicyclist]

I don't really think that's an offensive or controvertial statement. It's just an opinion. He can run his SC while I happily rock my DC.

 

[Zutroy]

Double crown forks (not “double-triple clamp” please) are fine, but to me (just like tandems) they limit the riding experience.

Ok, but i gotta say i hate when people say double-triple clamp, also. I don't think his statment about them is bad, they do limit some of the things you can do, just like a tandem.

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

I don't really think that's an offensive or controvertial statement. It's just an opinion. He can run his SC while I happily rock my DC.

Its just an opinion I know, but how can a marketing manager have such a prejudiced mind towards the sport he's deppends on to live?

 

[Zutroy]

Its just an opinion I know, but how can a marketing manager have such a prejudiced mind towards the sport he's deppends on to live?

What's prejudice about liking SC over DC for freeriding?

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

The prejudice of thinking that first:
Bike Companies cares more about the money than the experience
How can a lefty or a maverick can limit your riding, both are light and stiff, i think zap needs to double check his comments before posting them on a big corporation webpage.

 

[Jeremy R]

Its just an opinion I know, but how can a marketing manager have such a prejudiced mind towards the sport he's deppends on to live?

Because he is smart enough and been around long enough to not let his opinion dictate how Trek specs their bikes.
Just because he dislikes DC forks, does not mean that Trek's DH bike will come with a singlecrown. He will spec and market the bikes to what the market wants, or Trek will stick their giant industry leading dong into his huge earlobes as they fire him.

 

[Zutroy]

Bike Companies cares more about the money than the experience

Pretty much all the large ones do is care about money...that's pretty much any company

How can a lefty or a maverick can limit your riding, both are light and stiff, i think zap needs to double check his comments before posting them on a big corporation webpage.

They can, have you ever tried riding super super tight single track with really tight switchbacks on a DC fork?

If your of the type of rider that like to hit big things and do bar spins and such while doing it....DC can't going to cut it.....

 

[stiksandstones]

 

[Alpha Kenny Body]

zap=gay?????????

 

[sanjuro]

I remember the first piece I read by Zap, he advised some woman racer she was making a mistake getting married to some guy. That kind of writing catches the eye.

Things have changed I read that article (I think it was from a 1995 Xmas Mountain Bike). I know more about bikes and I am a better rider. One thing that has dramatically changed is you don't need to be collecting a paycheck from a magazine to have your writing appreciated by other bikers. That is one reason why I have 2,500 posts in just over a year.

Zap is a highly paid industry shill, and I congratulate him. He deserves it and he does a good job at it. However, his opinion is no longer "The Opinion". Even if he wasn't a PR man for the biggest road bike company, he has to admit that he is not the heartbeat of mountain biking, and he shouldn't write like he is.

The biggest stunts, the craziest moves, and the most innovative stuff are coming from guys under 25. Berrencloth, Strait, Paul B are all under 23. Zap writes about freeriding hardtail riders in 1989. Kyle Strait was 2 years old!!! And I bet those hardtail guys in 1989 were also 22 years old!

He debates about the definition of freeriding: climbing and descending, blah, blah, blah. I think freeriding is like jazz: you might not be able to describe it, but you know it when you see it!

When I see a guy is cruising down a sweet singletrack, that's great. I wish it was me. When I saw Kyle Strait pull a suicide, 60 foot step down at the Rampage, I knew that's freeride.

Freeride bikes rule the industry now. Does your trail bike have a 71 degree head angle, a carbon fibre seatpost, and 1.9 inch tires? The most popular bikes today are "trail bikes", with slack angles, overbuilt parts, and enough suspension to handle almost anything. You don't think you can throw on a "dual crown" on a Nomad, Coiler, or Six-Pack, and take to it the ski-lift? Hell, even bikes like the XLT or the Stumpjumper FSR can handle technical courses only a DH bike could do a few years ago.

I love guys like Wade Simmons and the rest of the old school, but after reading Zap's geriatric piece, now I have to agree there are too many exceptions are made for age, not beauty.

Zap should take notes from Patrick O'Grady. He doesn't write like he is the expert on road riding or the bike industry, considering he has columns in Velonews and the Bicycle Retailer. He writes like he is the authority about what he knows and does, and I respect him for it.

 

[Universe]

Zap licks the Devils Inch.

 

[James | Nada]

double-crowns limit your riding experience the same way that clipless pedals limit it; you can't have everything both ways. zap is a clown, and most people who ride enough to know what works for them realize that his job is to make money, and he does a good job of it.

 

[DHS]

always disliked Zap

love the blood stains on the 24 frame

 

[Cant Climb]

Zap's a hack on the DH race course.

 

[Westy]

Zap thinks tandems limit the riding experience? What a jerk.

 

[Echo]

Maybe that dillwad Zap should realize that there are people who enjoy both Whistler AND Ray's.

 

[bikenweed]

Wait, does anyone who can think for themselves really care about what Zap is ranting about?

He has some leverage in the industry, but not that much. Who cares. There are enough non-kooks out there to make sure the industry doens't crack out anymore. How is it going to personally affect you if he does not like dual crown forks? It isn't, so chill.

Oh, and btw, I think double crown forks are sweet, I wish I had 2 40's, one for my Enduro, and one for my Demo8.

 

[ChrisKring]

I suggest that Zap takes a walk and talks to his engineers at Trek to find out what is the best comprimise on weight, strength and "riding experience". The double crown fork will win out unless throwing down bar spins is a requirement.

He should go look at those Ducati's that he loves so much. What are they and every other motorcycle running (besides that POS Pastrana had at the X-games).

 

[BurlyShirley]

I hate that you guys are even talking about this nutsack. He's really not a great writer. He just had a pulpit for so long...

..but you know what? Who the **** rides a trek anyway? There brand is seen as yuppy crap by those who actually ride, and the addition of zaps stupid ass cant be doing anything more to sell bikes. I hope zap gets aids.

 

[SK6]

I have NEVER like him. He's a pompous arrogant ass.

Nuff said.

 

[renegade999]

i once saw zap on the mount snow nat'l course about 5 years ago. this was when experts didnt get race day practice. zap raced masters expert that season, but wanted nothing to do with mt snow's course that day. he wasn't racing, just taking pictures and hamming it up with whoever would listen/tolerate him. i asked him what he thought of experts not having practice on race day, and going in cold. he said that was 'kooky'. i told him he should say something because the powers that be would listen to him. next year experts got raceday practice. did this have anything to do with zap? maybe.

 

[dante]

wait, so is this "freeriding" thing that he refers to related in any way to Black Diamond Riding?

 

[DHS]

http://www.nsmb.com/shore_news/zap_01_06.php

wow definitly don't remember posting this one...

 

[dante]

http://www.nsmb.com/shore_news/zap_01_06.php

ummmmmm. ok.

(that link is in the first post)

 

[dhbuilder]

He is an idiot.

always was.

 

[Mattoid]

I cant beleive trek let that be placed on their website.

 

[dhbuilder]

and there you have it folks.