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I don't keep track but my gut says a little bit less, mostly because bikes and parts have gotten so good, I feel a lot less tempted to upgrade. That said, I just did get new brakes for both my bikes. But I mean, a lot of other stuff just lasts longer... Conti tires last about 3x as long as Maxxis did for me, T-type chains last years, my bikes/wheels don't need new bearings every 4 months like the last 2, etc.

whoa, thanks! glad i'm not crazy. i'll pass on the pics 🤣

There is not much space for sustainability/environmentalism in a high consumption sport like mountain biking. As far as equipment goes, the most sustainable thing you can do is buy a bike that will last you more than a season or two, and avoid driving a lifted Tacoma to the trailhead.

Im all about cost, my last 2 bikes came with transmission and they were discounted so i got back a heap of money back swapping to XT. was cheaper in end than the lower spec with XT lol. for NZD sake, I dont need $2000 worth of drivetrain hanging off the side of my bike. However, dont get me wrong, the Transmission/AXS works amazing, its just purely a cost problem.

Soooo how easily can you just swap the gearbox for a motor?? We need more downhill e-bikes. Intense—be the change you want to see in the world.

They could've excluded the being a Ford Bronco ambassador part, it's superfluous. She's a good rider that competed at the top level, no need to boast her credentials with her other sponsors; unless, it is part of her Bronco sponsorship....

Laurie and Jackson course preview

Is it to late to add an "indifferent" option to the vote? It's kind of lame enough not to give a shit either way.

There is definitely an art to it. I'd say second week of January is ideal. I don't think being the last to announce is best. Its like making a mix tape. "You gotta kick it off with a killer, to grab attention (Daprela). Then you have to take it up a notch (Minnaar) but you don't want to blow your wad so you gotta cool it off a notch (all enduro signings). There are a lot of rules."

If he can stay healthy and keep air in the tires, he's still dangerous. Some flashes of his typical brilliance in 2023 and hoping he can repeat. Having said that, we're all surprised that he went for a mullet and high pivot when it seemed like he was the driving force behind a lower pivot design and 29" rear wheel at SCB. IS IT RACE SEASON YET?!?!

Hoping it's more like Brady's three years in Tampa.

Bike of the year is the bike already in your garage for most of us.

Bike of the year in 2023 is sort of like the Time Magazine cover that was a mirror. The real winner in 2023 was the consumer, with prices falling across the entire range of mountain bikes and performance (actually) plateauing the last few years. While this may be bad for companies, its incredibly good for the consumer who was often able to purchase at dang near shop-employee pricing from a myriad of companies. There really aren't many "bad" bikes out there these days, but there are better bikes than others depending on what you are trying to do, and there...

Or this...

This is such a good question, and I would add to it: Does anyone actually think this looks better? Because the integrated stem LOOKS SO WEIRD to my eyes. It looks like the monster from The Goonies. [Edit: A friend pointed out to me that "The Goonies didn’t have a monster. It had Sloth, who was a normal person who was severely beaten when he was a child. It’s really sad actually." Agreed. You could say the real monster in the Goonies is inside of the people, and everyone has the choice to be brave or become a monster. I...

don't XC riders want some fit customization though? everyone has different torso lengths, arm lengths, shoulder widths, riding styles etc.

GCN+ won't work for you if you're based in the US - or in any of the countries listed above where there is a T V rights holder i imagine. It will Probably work if you're based in say Azerbaija N though

To be pedantic, in theory, damping shouldn't affect sag because an (ideal) damper is supposed to resist changes in velocity rather than position. In practice... It is recommended to measure sag with compression wide open. The problem I have with sag measurements is seal stiction. On the fork I just eyeball it and then see if it bottoms out when I do something stupid.