MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation

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Splayleg
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Los Gatos, CA, USA
1/22/2024 6:28am

Do you know any engineer that has podiumed at a World Cup? Not sure a degree is better than tires in the trenches

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26
TimBud
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GB
1/22/2024 6:32am

Cesar Rojo?

22
1/22/2024 8:23am
Splayleg wrote:

Do you know any engineer that has podiumed at a World Cup? Not sure a degree is better than tires in the trenches

Fabien Barel

15
bstens
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Seattle, WA, USA
1/22/2024 9:11am Edited Date/Time 1/22/2024 9:12am
brash wrote:
Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you...

Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you do that? Modular BB shell? I suppose STA doesn't mean a lot in DH but still, bold claim cotton.

smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

Let's just call Greg's interview what it was - all sales /hype - whereas Neko has pretty much shown he isn't trying to bullshit anyone. Reminds me of when Syndicate went from SRAM/RockShox to Fox - "oh it's the best thing out there!" Steve... Didn't you just say like last week how incredible your suspension was performing?

19
1
Losifer
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Fantasy
1/22/2024 9:33am

I'm less of an engineer than Neko, but from listening to many interviews from both him and Greg, it sure seems like the thought process behind the Frameworks design is to prioritize reliability, confidence, and durability. Remember that Frameworks was definitely a semi-privateer venture last year, while Norco has actively recruited top engineers with a budget far greater that Neko's checkbook!

 

7
AndehM
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El Granada, CA, USA
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1/22/2024 9:50am

Neko also has been very concerned about being able to manufacture these frames on a small scale while still hitting the required tolerances.  I think a lot of the stuff the Norco proto has in it will be incredibly tight for tolerances (like the eccentric machined BB area, the front shock mount, etc.).  Neko was having issues with just getting the swingarm to align well with the main triangle, which is why he went to carbon.  Every one of those adjustment features built into the frame adds a lot of complexity and demand for strict tolerance.  And besides this being an issue with durability, alignment issues can cause real issues with suspension performance.

I've got a bike by a big name with lots of adjustment built into it, and honestly, I'd rather they spent the time getting tighter tolerances.  The angle adjust headset cups are really picky about preload and being packed with grease otherwise they creak.  The rear end loves to move the linkage bearings, I'm speculating due to a tiny bit of misalignment between the rear and front.  But it's nothing obvious enough that I'd be able to win any warranty claim.

13
ERGue
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Sedro Woolley, WA, USA
1/22/2024 10:24am
smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

Yes but as I recall one of Neko's primary motivators was that he wasn't constrained by the same things a normal manufacture usually is like profits, marketing, legacy technology, etc etc,  and could focus solely on making the best performing bike possible. Norco seems to be in a position to take a similar approach as Neko's, just with considerably more resources, and experience. Their layout is complicated, but it seems to me that being able to isolate and alter each characteristic as independently as possible, will lead to bikes will becoming more refined and reliable in the future.

3
haen
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USA
1/22/2024 10:50am
smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

ERGue wrote:
Yes but as I recall one of Neko's primary motivators was that he wasn't constrained by the same things a normal manufacture usually is like profits...

Yes but as I recall one of Neko's primary motivators was that he wasn't constrained by the same things a normal manufacture usually is like profits, marketing, legacy technology, etc etc,  and could focus solely on making the best performing bike possible. Norco seems to be in a position to take a similar approach as Neko's, just with considerably more resources, and experience. Their layout is complicated, but it seems to me that being able to isolate and alter each characteristic as independently as possible, will lead to bikes will becoming more refined and reliable in the future.

Neko is building the Frameworks brand to sell bikes. Profits and marketing are very much a factor. 

1
15
1/22/2024 12:01pm

Neko's flip chips are named "Frank The Welder"

7
1
nskerb
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Kelso, WA, USA
1/22/2024 12:11pm
smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

Neko also had an article on PB a little while back stating basically there was no reason to run a mullet and they were objectively not faster than full 29 on a DH course. He’s rad but not everything he says should be taken as irrefutable truth. 

8
7
1/22/2024 12:33pm
Nico_Hrndz wrote:
Loosedog teasing a new build. Double crown seems a bit overkill for a regular 4060LT, so might be a bigger rig to be revealed from Scor?

Screenshot 2024-01-22-14-11-29-98 1.png?VersionId=cVF24C4OuhGik.H5di

Loosedog teasing a new build. Double crown seems a bit overkill for a regular 4060LT, so might be a bigger rig to be revealed from Scor?

Heard they were playing around with AL and longer travel, but wasn't expecting double crown stuff.

3
1/22/2024 2:02pm
Tim Horton wrote:

Neko's flip chips are named "Frank The Welder"

Or 5DEV

5
chriskief
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New York, NY, USA
Fantasy
1/22/2024 2:17pm
AndehM wrote:
Neko also has been very concerned about being able to manufacture these frames on a small scale while still hitting the required tolerances.  I think a...

Neko also has been very concerned about being able to manufacture these frames on a small scale while still hitting the required tolerances.  I think a lot of the stuff the Norco proto has in it will be incredibly tight for tolerances (like the eccentric machined BB area, the front shock mount, etc.).  Neko was having issues with just getting the swingarm to align well with the main triangle, which is why he went to carbon.  Every one of those adjustment features built into the frame adds a lot of complexity and demand for strict tolerance.  And besides this being an issue with durability, alignment issues can cause real issues with suspension performance.

I've got a bike by a big name with lots of adjustment built into it, and honestly, I'd rather they spent the time getting tighter tolerances.  The angle adjust headset cups are really picky about preload and being packed with grease otherwise they creak.  The rear end loves to move the linkage bearings, I'm speculating due to a tiny bit of misalignment between the rear and front.  But it's nothing obvious enough that I'd be able to win any warranty claim.

The latest PB podcast with Jessie Melamed goes into tolerance issues. Carbon frames coming out of the mold with minor differences (a couple millimeters here and there). And why two “identical” bikes aren’t riding exactly the same. Well worth a listen.

18
1/22/2024 3:14pm
brash wrote:
Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you...

Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you do that? Modular BB shell? I suppose STA doesn't mean a lot in DH but still, bold claim cotton.

smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant about not using a suspension platform any more complex than a 4 bar to reduce production cost and manufacturing complexity. Building a bike is harder than it looks and Neko did it without the big corporation money. Norco had enough money to design, develop, and patent a crazy new dh concept AND sign on Greg. Im sure we can convince Neko to develop a 6 bar bike for the next iteration. Maybe an 8 bar...?

8
2
monarchmason
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Nevada City, CA, USA
1/22/2024 3:56pm
the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant...

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant about not using a suspension platform any more complex than a 4 bar to reduce production cost and manufacturing complexity. Building a bike is harder than it looks and Neko did it without the big corporation money. Norco had enough money to design, develop, and patent a crazy new dh concept AND sign on Greg. Im sure we can convince Neko to develop a 6 bar bike for the next iteration. Maybe an 8 bar...?

Fuck it why not 10 bars? 10 bars. All oversized bearings. Internal shock. Titanium frame. External derailleur cable but internal brake cables through the headset. Proprietary pull shock. And uhhh… dang. I think I got Scott's next Gambler. 

38
nskerb
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1/22/2024 7:45pm
Fuck it why not 10 bars? 10 bars. All oversized bearings. Internal shock. Titanium frame. External derailleur cable but internal brake cables through the headset. Proprietary...

Fuck it why not 10 bars? 10 bars. All oversized bearings. Internal shock. Titanium frame. External derailleur cable but internal brake cables through the headset. Proprietary pull shock. And uhhh… dang. I think I got Scott's next Gambler. 

You forgot one thing. Suspension lockout wires through the headset.

4
Big Bird
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Oceano, CA, USA
1/22/2024 9:11pm

Why not just go full roadie tech and run everything through the bars and stem? I swear I've seen a photo.

4
Primoz
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SI
1/23/2024 4:22am
brash wrote:
Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you...

Greg was saying he could alter Geo characteristics without affecting another, say can slacken HTA but not BB height, STA etc.... how the fark do you do that? Modular BB shell? I suppose STA doesn't mean a lot in DH but still, bold claim cotton.

smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant...

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant about not using a suspension platform any more complex than a 4 bar to reduce production cost and manufacturing complexity. Building a bike is harder than it looks and Neko did it without the big corporation money. Norco had enough money to design, develop, and patent a crazy new dh concept AND sign on Greg. Im sure we can convince Neko to develop a 6 bar bike for the next iteration. Maybe an 8 bar...?

The Norco is a 4bar... 

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2
1/23/2024 7:55am
nskerb wrote:

You forgot one thing. Suspension lockout wires through the headset.

So 2023, lockout is wireless, just like the brakes. Processor for the ABS is in the frame.

1
noodlenosteeze
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Salt Lake City, UT, USA
1/23/2024 10:21am
Splayleg wrote:

Do you know any engineer that has podiumed at a World Cup? Not sure a degree is better than tires in the trenches

I think Jesse Melamed is also an engineer.

9
TEAMROBOT
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Fantasy
1/23/2024 11:33am
Splayleg wrote:

Do you know any engineer that has podiumed at a World Cup? Not sure a degree is better than tires in the trenches

I think Jesse Melamed is also an engineer.

I'm pretty sure Loic studied mechanical engineering in university, as well

3
1
Kusa
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CH
1/23/2024 12:31pm
PellyNH wrote:

New Ibis Ripmo AF and Ripley AF are live: https://www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/ripley-af

The only difference I see is UDH and new colors.

Damn i was hoping they will at least do something with that top tube like on HD6 🥲

4
1/23/2024 1:15pm

The only difference I see is UDH and new colors.

Looks like we won't be seeing updated full models for at least a year, more likely 2+. Ripley V4 dropped in 2019. If they're releasing this rear triangle without a whole new bike, V5 is likely at least a year off. Meaning 2025.... 6 (or more) years for a model, un-changed. You didn't ever see that from the ~2010-2022 timeframe when bikes were constantly being updated and changed with the latest and greatest. As I said, evolution is slowing down a ton. For engineering reasons, but also being made worse by the market hurting badly. 

 

4
PellyNH
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Location
Austin, TX, USA
1/23/2024 1:28pm

The only difference I see is UDH and new colors.

Looks like we won't be seeing updated full models for at least a year, more likely 2+. Ripley V4 dropped in 2019. If they're releasing this...

Looks like we won't be seeing updated full models for at least a year, more likely 2+. Ripley V4 dropped in 2019. If they're releasing this rear triangle without a whole new bike, V5 is likely at least a year off. Meaning 2025.... 6 (or more) years for a model, un-changed. You didn't ever see that from the ~2010-2022 timeframe when bikes were constantly being updated and changed with the latest and greatest. As I said, evolution is slowing down a ton. For engineering reasons, but also being made worse by the market hurting badly. 

 

I'm not sure.....supposedly, the updated Ripmo was already set to launch and they opted to hold it back. (likely to clear excess inventory)

Ibis currently shows 25% off factory sales on Ripmo, Ripley, and Exie. Normally, that would mean clearing the way for new models. However, these days I honestly don't know if it means anything...

 

5
1/23/2024 2:08pm
smelly wrote:
It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust...

It’s curious how Greg (Norco, really) and Neko are saying completely different things. Neko spends two years developing a race bike and concludes you can’t adjust anything independently, every change will affect something else. And complexity breeds its own challenges with marginal performance improvement. 
 

Norco heads in the exact opposite direction, highly complex suspension with claims of independent adjustability. Making those changes in isolation would be so time consuming. To slacken the head angle and keep bb height the same you’ve have to switch out flip chips for both. Changing HA alters your front center, unless you move the BB - which would then change the rear center. According to Neko, any COG changes affect suspension  and if you can’t trust Neko, who can you trust? 

on a personal level, bikes already require so much maintenance I can’t see buying something complicated for a marginal performance benefit I’m not talented enough to reap. As it stands my bikes need a couple full tear downs and rebuilds a year, which is like a half day job that would cost me $500 to have a shop do it all. Heaven forbid you’ve got headset routing.or more than 4 pivots. 

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant...

the complex 6-bar suspension that norco is using allows for more fine tuning due to different bars of the suspension controlling specific kinematics. Neko was adamant about not using a suspension platform any more complex than a 4 bar to reduce production cost and manufacturing complexity. Building a bike is harder than it looks and Neko did it without the big corporation money. Norco had enough money to design, develop, and patent a crazy new dh concept AND sign on Greg. Im sure we can convince Neko to develop a 6 bar bike for the next iteration. Maybe an 8 bar...?

Primoz wrote:

The Norco is a 4bar... 

you seen their latest prototype?

 

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