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@sspomer I totally get your decision from a web resourcing point of view. Things get really expensive really quick when you need to tack on more power. A lot of cloud hosting providers price exponentially instead of linearly. That being said, I think not pinning a v2 and keeping this way of chatting about rumors is a mistake. This thread works because it allows for banter along side rumors I wouldn't ever care about. Prime example is the Santa Cruz Vala, a bike I have negative interest in. However that did prompt the carcinization of bike suspension discussion (that prompted...

So after six years of Sspomer and other users redirecting non-tech rumour talk to individual threads (brake discussion, chain stay circlejerk, etc), Sspomer has now redirect ALL talk to individual threads. Damn.

I used to have a shitty bike rack you could pretty easily just steal off the car if you wanted, and I had to head into the shop. I was so proud of my idea to back up perfectly to a pole so I could lock my bike to the pole without having to take it off the rack. Came out of the shop, jump in my car and promptly ripped my bike off the rack driving away breaking the straps it was attached with and giving it a big ol scratch.

Unsure.. in downhill we went from 26 to 27.5 to 29, and then back to 29/27.5 - it kind of seems like we found the ceiling.

Mega Mullet is what I have heard Pon employees describe their test-mule frames as…

Just look at the comments to the podcast. Way more people praising yt and Marcus then the other way around. So no. I do not think the general consensus from the public is the same consensus that vital forum nerds are taking from it. We live in a world where misinformation is the norm. The idea of here is one side of the story and people can do their own research elsewhere is wildly irresponsible when it comes to anything that actually matters. Especially when you don’t explicitly tell the listener they need to do so. But better yet if...

How many people do you really think there are listening to Downtime that don't already know what's going on with YT? If you're nerdy enough to be listening to a mtb podcast with the owner of a bike company, there's a pretty reasonable chance you've already got a base level understanding of what's happening.

Crab everything.... in this case, claw-clip

Just got caught up on the forum tea. Amazing that Chris came here to comment. Thank you Chris! Big fan. Agree 100% with what you said, Jeff. Sounds like Chris approached this podcast with the same approach he brings to every podcast. In Chris’s defense, what you see is what you get. If you’re a regular listener, you know what to expect from his interviews. He gives everyone a platform and doesn’t put anyone on blast. For many of us, that standard approach feels like a mismatch for this particular situation because Markus does not appear to be a trustworthy...

I tried to make this clear in my follow-up audio note, but I’m really not trying to throw shade at @Downtime Podcast or Chris. Two things can be true: Chris is one of the best hosts in the MTB world, and the Markus episode missed the mark for some of us. No podcast hits a home run every time. Every show I listen to has episodes where I think, “not for me” or “this one whiffed.” That’s normal. And the same is obviously true for my own content. In a way, Chris let Markus make his own bed. Anyone who...

In honor of the 1000th page, we should vote on the best meme of 2025: 👍🏻 for “Crab” 👎🏻 for “6-7” edit: Carcinization is the antithesis of innovation. Maybe we should keep crab talk on the crab talk forum and keep this thread focused on MTB tech rumors and/or innovation.

Yeah, I know, it's weird. I will only buy bikes that I can source through my LBS and if I were to go off of that rule, there are only two brands that I would do so with RAAW or Frameworks. Truth be told, I've ridden a lot of crab bikes (haven't we all) and I have mostly no complaints... however I want to see what Santa Cruz's horst link pedal bikes would be like after spending time on the bullit. There is just something about the combination of fit, geo, kinematics and quality (lack of issues) that keeps me...

The Fluid is, in my opinion, a bike that was almost completely ignored by consumers when it really shouldn't have been. I reviewed it for another site and it blew me away, and indeed others who rode it. A former colleague and I still regard it as one of the best trail bikes we've ever ridden. So much fun to ride. I wanted to try something else so didn't end up buying one (ironic given my point I guess!) but it is genuinely a brilliant, brilliant bike. Perhaps the carbon one was a little expensive, but damn, from a ride...

Bike companies must be as frustrated as consumers wondering what system to buy. Maybe it's time to get a standardized motor mount going?

Aston and Cahal have their quirks but calling them mediocre riders is complete BS. Both of those guys rip. Also 435 chainstay on a modern XL mtb is a joke IMO. Especially for a frame that costs $4k.

If YT USA was in fact 50% of the company's sales, they could have kept the brand relevant and designs current while things got sorted out in Europe..

Giant will stop manufacturing bicycles and shift all R&D and manufacturing to pickleball paddles.

Banshee transition santa cruz

I think the tone on my comment must have been wrong. I agree with everything you said. This should be set up for riders. I feel it is unreasonable that these riders do not have that level of support given the risks they take. I am not privy to rider contracts but it seems like health insurance should be part of it. What happened to Silva is awful. I was only trying to convey that I wish athletes had a sufficient insurance to cover the inherent risks of the job. My apologies if my comment sounded negative. Also, Simcik does...

They don’t need a donation pool because the players already demanded one be created… NBA players receive between 49% and 51% of the league's "basketball-related income" (BRI). This percentage is guaranteed by the collective bargaining agreement and covers revenues from sources like TV deals, ticket sales, and merchandise. They also get comprehensive medical insurance funded by the league and players association for themselves and their families, both while they’re active in the league and after they retire. None of this was given freely to the athletes. These were demanded and fought for by the athletes through the players association and...