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In the economics thread didn't we conclude Specialized is moving away from apparel l?

So from 1 to 10?

Another covid deal gone sour. The writing was on the wall for a while but it seems like they ran out of options. https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/bikemaker-accell-starts-ins…

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but: On these SPD test rides, have you tried thinking about something other than your feet? If you focus on your feet while you're in clips, they're going to feel weird if you're used to flats, and weird is likely going to progress to bad and then terrible the more you think about it. I remember my first few rides on clips, coming from flat pedals. Those first few rides were on Shimano SPD pedals that felt icy exactly like you describe. But then, over next few weeks, I did...

IMHO Shimano forever, for both pedals and shoes. Agree about the skake-y feeling being a particular shoe interacting with pedal problem. What makes a good shoe or pedal is incredibly individual though, so take my opinion for what it is, just an opinion. Crank brothers feel good, but require 10x the maintenance of Shimano. I used to be die-hard CB but I broke so many wings and the bearings need replacing sooo much more than Shimano. Shimano bearings rarely need adjustment and never need replacing. Shimano use the same cup and cone system they've been using for 30+ years and...

Read through your whole post and would still recommend the XT Trail pedal. Your float issue seems like more a shoe/pedal combo thing than a XT pedal thing. Maybe I'm just less sensitive to it but I swap back and forth between flats and clipless with frequency. I've recently run 5.10 and Shimano shoes and they have worked well together. I'd also recommend the new Shimano MT001 cleats and would strongly discourage using the SH56 cleats.

Much different casings and a lot more going on with the new DH vs DD. The butyl insert in the new DH is waaaaaaaaaay stiffer than the old one or what’s found in the DD casing. It also has different geometry-thicker at the base near the bead and tapers as it goes up the sidewall. I believe it’s also taller than the insert in DD so it extends higher up the sidewall. And then the sidewalls are topped with a layer of EXO for additional cut protection. I’m no longer at Maxxis, but I was working on this launch up...

DHR2 for sure rolls faster then an assegai or hr3. The maxx grip dhr2 as a front tire does many of the same things well that the hr3 does well, to a slightly lesser extent and a faster rolling feel. I know it sounds crazy, but the 2.4 mg dhr2 is a slept on front tire for a 150ish trail bike. Now that the g2 dissector is out and available in mg... it would be tough to make a case for the dhr2 as a front, but if you're committing to side knobs well, the dhr2 will bite better once...

Elbow pads are tough to size. Like @ebruner says, they can be a real problem if they're too tight on the forearm leading to arm pump. I have large forearms for my build, which makes sizing hard, but if you're skinny you probably have more options. The new Chromag ones work great for me and are true to size I'd say (I wear medium shirts and shorts and their medium elbows fit me). I would skip anything with a velcro strap because it'll just get in the way. The GForm X4s are less GForm-y (have a single continuous pad) and...

Go checkout Maydena and Derby. You don’t get chair lifts, but the trails are world class.

I do not disagree that income inequality, housing costs, weak local economies, and the erosion of discretionary spending make it harder to sell expensive recreational products. I have been making that argument for a while, and it fits directly into the “barbell hypothesis.” That said, invoking homelessness, smartphone addiction, Strava, cul-de-sacs, and the broader failures of capitalism does not demonstrate that independent bike shops are unbankable or that cycling culture is broadly collapsing. This conversation has taken a relatively narrow discussion about dealer economics and expanded it into a sweeping cultural diagnosis that is difficult to respond to directly, though...

Welcome to the thread.

Stop using AI for frivolous shit.

Ah, got it. So shops were opening entirely new brand accounts to gain access to Avinox inventory and capitalize on the hype. That is materially different from an established dealer in good standing being required to fund inventory before taking delivery. Most of my finance work is one step upstream from the retailer, but every outdoor company I have worked with offers qualified dealers terms. Cash up front is generally reserved for new accounts, weak credits, or unusual demand situations. The Pivot example sounds less like a failure of dealer financing and more like shops making a speculative inventory bet...

Anecdotally, I have noticed multiple shops this summer that are down on stock of things like helmets, stems, pedals, gloves etc. because they frantically tied up their free cash pre-ordering Avinox equipped bikes... that still aren’t on the floor… in that brief period before all the Eeb-talk went Gobao and E-cvt shaped. This is all pretty much exactly what Richard Cunningham predicted when he resigned from Pinkbike a few years ago. A horsepower-driven race to the bottom.

Am I the only one that thinks using a bike diaper to hide pretty basic suspension is kinda lame. I guess it gets the people talking though.

Horst Link Knucklebox

Giant Syncdrive motors are not produced in-house. The center drive motors are rebadged Yamaha units and the hub-drive likely bafang produced . I would describe the product development as “semi-custom” with unique user interface, software and tuning. Having them branded as a Giant product has advantages for the consumer as they become the source for tech and warranty support and distinguishes the product from other companies offerings. This is similar to what Specialized has done with Brose and Mahle made products.