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Make it lighter would be nice.
But alas, it is now 130 up front and a heavier frame. But at least it has in frame storage... so thats nice?
Half degree slacker-65.5 with 130mm travel up front as standard, 625mm stack on medium, 1 degree steeper SA, guided cables, snacklebox or some such thing, 2 bottles on a medium, and hear me out, flip chip to run it as a mullet .....and lets throw in a reasonable price if we are making a wish list...
Man, wonder how much that's going to weigh. Iron filings in the fluid, the electro magnet, and the electronics to run it all.
The more important question should be what does it gain you. Magnetorheological suspension works with cars because you can set it soft for the street and hard for the track. Bikes more or less just work. And we also have the option of a lockout. Then there's flightattendant.
Other than marketing, what does it genuinely add?
Email from Unno:
"There is only one bike available for order in size S1, which is the UNNO Mith Pro Podium (it comes equipped with new Fox Podium Suspension), and it also comes equipped with the new DJI Avinox M2 motor...
The delivery forecasts for the UNNO are from April to June, depending on the production order.
We await your reply"
I heard rumors of the M2 Avinox over on Rob's ebike forum website, but it's almost here! Anyone know any juicy details?
Meanwhile the new sentinel is the same travel and actually dialed the geo back a bit.
Thinking the spur will stay 120/120. Geo and kinematic tweaks. New spec and colors. MAYBE have in frame storage. But that'll cost them weight with material, so maybe. Seems like flex stays have lost SOME of their....sparkle, so maybe they delete that one.
Don't know if this was mentioned. New tallboy is no longer VPP, 140 130mm
They are keeping the flex stay but it has a flip chip now. Frame storage is also confirmed, not sure on travel but I assume it stays 120r to differentiate from the smuggler.
Hopefully lighter, too! I really liked the Tallboy, but it weighed basically the same as my Hightower.
Vala style 4 bar? I thought I remembered hearing SC say the "weren't going to shift away from vpp" for their acoustic bikes or something like that.
Wow that’s brave of them. Dji have already cancelled an account for breaking embargo
Is there an XXL? Are the chainstays proportional?
haha yeah, mine is 35.5 lbs! Lighter would be nice.. but sure am stoked how burly and capable they are!
Considering asa has his chromed 40 crowns from world champs last season it's definitely still a 40
Seems like a weird choice given the Nomad prototype we saw at MSA is still VPP. Maybe VPP only on the longer travel options going forward? Crab link to save weight? Still a shame at the 130mm end though. I love my 5010 even though it's not light for what it is, but my definition of "downcountry" is something you'd actually ride at a bike park.
I don't get the move away from VPP, especially if they're going horst link like the Vala. I don't think the market needs another four bar trail bike, and SC prices are a little steep for selling what is effectively a smuggler with a swat box.
New overpriced crank from Atherton
https://www.athertonbikes.com/a-gr-ti-crank.html?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm…
VPP is 4 bar
Lets be frank here one of the biggest reasons they (and Intense) bought VPP was because Specialized had the Horst patent.
Maybe I’m drinking the marketing coolaid but I feel like you’re also paying for the R&D for how they tune their suspension and kinematics. There’s a lot of ways to configure a 4-bar so at a certain point it comes down to taste. Santa Cruz has a different suspension philosophy than Transition and some people care about that feel, others just want a bike that works.
What I personally find more annoying is the move to 4-bar had also moved to Trunnion so it means I can’t move any suspension between bikes if I have shock I really like such as a coil or a modified air shock.
Expensive, definitely. Overpriced, perhaps not, considering how they are made and the numbers they are making, same ballpark pricing as other titanium cranks.
I have some SLX cranks that cost me £50 with a chainring and are as good as I will ever need. Can't see me ever paying 18x that for cranks, but some folk will.
Do you know if they're going to have an XXL Spur this time?
Avinox m2 motor is the worst kept “secret” in the bike industry
I would not advise anyone to spend that kind of money on cranks, but they are slightly heavier and slightly cheaper than Eewings. I also trust Atherton to make a part that wont break. You also have to consider how freaking customizable the crank is. They go down to 150mm arm length, plus they have all the other configuration options.Lots of value there.
FINALLY, this type of product has a strong parallel with my Steam Library- I kinda view it like Patreon. I buy Steam games I know I'll never play. IDK, for many riders they see this as a way to support the most underpaid part of the Bike Industry- the racers.
Of those two, Transition's prices are much too steep considering the tech/fit/finish (warranty support is equal). Not a knock on Transition. I love their no BS "here is bike. bike ride good." ethos. I've owned 2 Transitions and 2 Santa Cruz. (current quiver is 2 SC 1 Tranny) and love Transition but would not drop the amount of money they are asking for their bikes today. Santa Cruz is selling bikes with lifetime warranty rims for $5.2k.
They used to make some really nice frames. Now it’s all made and designed so poorly. I can’t tell you how many things on the few I’ve owned that could EASILY have been improved or fixed with 5 seconds of thought. I could within 5 mins of unboxing my frame I found multiple disappointing features. It’s upsetting they charge premium prices for low grade quality. Still fun bikes if you get a discount but for full price you’re getting basically catalog frames with the lowest quality hardware. I went from a transition to a Santa Cruz (the frame cost 400 more than the equivalent transition) the quality upgrade made me second guess paying more than 1500 for a transition frame. They also have this really weird bro culture associated with them now.
I do have to say never had such fast or easy warranty or support responses but I’ve also never had so many.
I've heard that since Sentinel V3 Transition frames have really improved. No experience on my part just passing on. My OG Spire however keeps trucking on and an and angleset installed last summer to steepen the HA really breathed some new life into to boot.
I think a good way to rationalize a set of e-wings or these cranks, is that they really are a "lifetime" product. Those e-wings, for example, look even better with patina. The 3-bolt standard will be around for a long time, I'm almost certain you can get a DS arm with the updated 8-bolt pattern if you really wanted it, every piece on the crankset is serviceable and replaceable meaning that these can end up on a number of different frames.
It’s BS that eewings are so expensive and yet don’t come with a lifetime warranty IMO. If they’re billing them as a “buy it for life” crankset then they should back that up with a warranty.
I have heard of at least one person bending them.
I dented mine pretty decently, and the warranty response was a crash replacement price that wasn't overly inciting. Ended up selling them to a friend for cheapcheap when CC said they were structurally fine still, and moved to 165mm arms. That said, they're moving between bikes year by year and I've had a few crashes on both the old and new set that I'm fairly sure would have written off any hollow alloy or carbon crank on the market.
They're certainly strong, but indestructible they are not.
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