Specialized Layoffs

[cantunamunch]

I asked what's the diff between carbon x model and alloy y? A few lbs. I looked at these people and said look at me.

36er steel for you! https://www.36pollici.it/trentasei-36-acciaio/

 

[Tytlynz64]

I tried a dirty sixer....it was like a low level helo approach into an lz. Not quite flying better than walking

 

[Tytlynz64]

The handling out of turns is horrendous

 

[cantunamunch]

The handling out of turns is horrendous

Doesn't surprise me one bit. I suspect the Slovak TrueBike designs are a little, but only a little, further along.

The only people I would trust to engineer a 36er that's more than a testbed are bike companies who have already gone nuts designing forward geometry 29ers in super-small sizes - and who have then gone on to re-develop everything from the chainstay yoke back and from the fork up for the new wheel size.

I just wish there was actually more experimentation going on. Like back in the funny bike era.

 

[Tytlynz64]

Doesn't surprise me one bit. I suspect the Slovak TrueBike designs are a little, but only a little, further along.

The only people I would trust to engineer a 36er that's more than a testbed are bike companies who have already gone nuts designing forward geometry 29ers in super-small sizes - and who have then gone on to re-develop everything from the chainstay yoke back and from the fork up for the new wheel size.

I just wish there was actually more experimentation going on. Like back in the funny bike era.

Pole has done some interesting things Geo wise, though still a twenty niner. A guy I ride with built up a Taiva(?) hardtail and the geo and handling for us big guys is sublime. Pedals great. I got sucked into the full sus quicksand, and though it is more forgiving on aging joints it is likely overkill. First ride yesterday of the new year and having bounce on a cold damp day was welcome.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Agreed. In my case I kept being pushed to a carbon frame. I asked what's the diff between carbon x model and alloy y? A few lbs. I looked at these people and said look at me. A few lbs would be like tossing a few deck chairs off of the titanic. Yet to get a suitable fork and brakes you had to skip the entry level model.

What they should have told you is that a good carbon frame rides muuuuch better than an alloy frame on same tires.

I mean road bikes here.

 

[Tytlynz64]

What they should have told you is that a good carbon frame rides muuuuch better than an alloy frame on same tires.

I mean road bikes here.

I wouldn’t even begin to argue that. But I ride off road. The ride is “better” but not so much that I can justify the price difference. With good tires and properly set suspension, you can narrow the gap on a MTB. Where a carbon excels is in vibration control and rigidity in the ride and the weight Off road.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I wouldn’t even begin to argue that. But I ride off road. The ride is “better” but not so much that I can justify the price difference. With good tires and properly set suspension, you can narrow the gap on a MTB. Where a carbon excels is in vibration control and rigidity in the ride and the weight Off road.

I’ll take your word for that. My MTB has carbon frame but I spend on it 1/20 of the time that I spend on my road bike so wouldn’t know. I begin to shudder at the very mentioning of the word “suspension”. An alarm sets off in my mind that goes” Lost watts,lost watts,lost watts”

 

[cantunamunch]

. I begin to shudder at the very mentioning of the word “suspension”.

You know, they have shock pumps for that

 

[Tytlynz64]

I’ll take your word for that. My MTB has carbon frame but I spend on it 1/20 of the time that I spend on my road bike so wouldn’t know. I begin to shudder at the very mentioning of the word “suspension”.

Lol…it can be another wormhole in and of itself

 

[cantunamunch]

Talking of wormholes, I want @Tony Storaro to try cable spoked wheels.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Talking of wormholes, I want @Tony Storaro to try cable spoked wheels.

That doesn’t sound good…

 

[crosscountry]

eventually you run out of parts and have to allocate to the products you think you can sell at the best margin. That leaves fewer options in level where most people be best suited.

I think you nailed the root cost of the problem in the current market.

Companies may have many bikes on their web site. But they don’t have enough parts to build all of those models in all sizes. If it were my own business, I too would concentrate on the highest margin products given the limited supply of parts! That’s how we ended up with all these expensive high end bikes we don’t need and can‘t afford.

I realize I’m “lucky” in that I have several bikes already. So instead of dropping the big bucks to get a high end new bike, I can simply upgrade my current bike bit by bit. It won’t be the up-to-date functional bike I wish for. But it’s still reasonably functional, albeit a bit out of date. (Hint, I’m still riding 9-speed).

 

[Philpug]

Talking of wormholes, I want @Tony Storaro to try cable spoked wheels.

BOA wheels? They can adjust from a 26' to 27.5" to 29" and back again.

 

[scott43]

I think you nailed the root cost of the problem in the current market.

Companies may have many bikes on their web site. But they don’t have enough parts to build all of those models in all sizes. If it were my own business, I too would concentrate on the highest margin products given the limited supply of parts! That’s how we ended up with all these expensive high end bikes we don’t need and can‘t afford.

I realize I’m “lucky” in that I have several bikes already. So instead of dropping the big bucks to get a high end new bike, I can simply upgrade my current bike bit by bit. It won’t be the up-to-date functional bike I wish for. But it’s still reasonably functional, albeit a bit out of date. (Hint, I’m still riding 9-speed).

One big hit for me is the inability to run wider tires with rim brakes. So when I got to that stage, it's a big upgrade...

 

[Tom K.]

I’ll take your word for that. My MTB has carbon frame but I spend on it 1/20 of the time that I spend on my road bike so wouldn’t know.

A moment of silence and sorrow for Tony....

I begin to shudder at the very mentioning of the word “suspension”. An alarm sets off in my mind that goes” Lost watts,lost watts,lost watts”

On any given mtb training loop, I am fastest on my 26 pound 120 mm FS bike, second fastest on my 23 pound 60/120 mm FS bike, and slowest on my 19 pound hardtail.

Doesn't seem like I'm losing watts on the FS.

The hardtail is, however, fastest on the occasional gravel road climbing segment.

 

[scott43]

I think the FS is slower thing was disproven long ago. If you can afford it go for it.

 

[skibob]

BOA wheels? They can adjust from a 26' to 27.5" to 29" and back again.

Why stop there?

 

[Tony Storaro]

A moment of silence and sorrow for Tony....



On any given mtb training loop, I am fastest on my 26 pound 120 mm FS bike, second fastest on my 23 pound 60/120 mm FS bike, and slowest on my 19 pound hardtail.

Doesn't seem like I'm losing watts on the FS.

The hardtail is, however, fastest on the occasional gravel road climbing segment.

The key here being “MTB training loop” This is not what I am talking about

 

[cantunamunch]

Why stop there?

Wanna turn this into a Brompton thread?