Edited Date/Time
6/6/2016 2:08pm
We get a lot of kickstarter spam emails here at Vital asking us to check out the newest product or app that will make your life greater. So often the emails are about a "new, life-changing" product that's just a stock, existing item like a jersey or reflector or something, but the mission of this millennial-sensitive, break-through brand is to donate 2.7% of proceeds to a non-profit or charity (which seems to be the biggest marketing gimmick of the last 5 years). The other emails are for hiking boots designed by an MIT graduate or fashion watches "made from the same high quality materials as the big brands but at lower prices!" Once in a while, there are some pretty rad kickstarter projects, which we try to showcase, so it's not all piss and vinegar here.
One kickstarter campaign hit the inbox today and I dug into it a bit. It's for an app and piece of plastic that's supposed to help you setup your derailleur more accurately. I watched their videos (one is below) and couldn't help but think that this was completely unnecessary and it seemed like this process took 3 or 4 times longer than just adjusting your barrels and pressing the shifter trigger to see if your drivetrain is working. Is the hyper-accuracy for road riders and effeciency?
I'm a ham-fisted, sit-on-the-floor-in-a-disorganized-sea-of-parts-and-tools kind of "mechanic", but even I can install and adjust a derailleur cable so my bike shifts properly.
for thephoto dorks, i received this campaign from lensbaby and couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would desire a circular fisheye with horrible vignette for an extra couple degrees of view.
Are most of the apps, products and tools that come out anymore created for solving problems that don't actually exist? Obviously time will tell as the apps/products succeed or fail.
Show off some pseudo-technology you think doesn't really help your MTB experience.
And yeah, we know half of you will say something about X wheelsize being unnecessary and you uber-crusters will say "suspension" : )
One kickstarter campaign hit the inbox today and I dug into it a bit. It's for an app and piece of plastic that's supposed to help you setup your derailleur more accurately. I watched their videos (one is below) and couldn't help but think that this was completely unnecessary and it seemed like this process took 3 or 4 times longer than just adjusting your barrels and pressing the shifter trigger to see if your drivetrain is working. Is the hyper-accuracy for road riders and effeciency?
I'm a ham-fisted, sit-on-the-floor-in-a-disorganized-sea-of-parts-and-tools kind of "mechanic", but even I can install and adjust a derailleur cable so my bike shifts properly.
for thephoto dorks, i received this campaign from lensbaby and couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would desire a circular fisheye with horrible vignette for an extra couple degrees of view.
Are most of the apps, products and tools that come out anymore created for solving problems that don't actually exist? Obviously time will tell as the apps/products succeed or fail.
Show off some pseudo-technology you think doesn't really help your MTB experience.
And yeah, we know half of you will say something about X wheelsize being unnecessary and you uber-crusters will say "suspension" : )
And the refined version:
The patent thread is loaded with products and concepts that fit in this category, and I've seen an uptick in silly ideas in the past few years while wandering the halls of Interbike and Eurobike. It's as though people are throwing a ton of stuff out there until something sticks. Unfortunately for them, it's likely a costly process.
A pedal made for bike selfies, because finding a stick, rock, or friend is apparently too hard.
Post a reply to: MTB Apps/Products/Tools/Technology You Don't Need