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With the introduction of Hope’s new $2000 brakes I’m feeling increasingly correct in my assessment that the bike industry (or at least the western bike industry) is capitalizing on growing wealth inequality and is increasingly relying on a small constituency of rich fanboys* to keep the lights on, while increasingly high quality, low cost Chinese products capture the low dollar part of the market. *non-derogatory

New rumor. Canyon has a press release (which was revised afterwards removing MG) that at eurobike they'll have a long travel mtb with a prototype Avinox labled 'MG'. Might be a gearbox motor combo.

I put some time in designing some 3D printable bar ends. Went through quite a lot of trial and error but now i'm really happy with how they turned out. Currently being tested by myself and a few local riders. So if you or someone you know owns a 3D printer, and you find it hard to justify 50 dollars for the wolf tooth ones, or you're waiting for them to restock maybe check out https://cults3d.com/:4581834 Total cost for a pair is somewhere about 5ish bucks including my file, filament, bolts and nuts. If you brake them, that's a few...

Don’t hate the tool. Hate the “tool.” Utilized in the proper context, they are loads of fun. It’s unfortunately too easy to act the fool on one.

You'd be surprised. The Surrons around here are decked out in Fox factory, EXT, etc suspension, anodized MTB parts, TRP DHRs, etc. The overlap in customers is significant.

Marc Beaumont has done a remarkable progression, it's night and day.

Frameworks, is the first team of the year to win in both elite categories, impressive for being a little team and big win for Neko and obviously Newkirk, plus Asa on the podium in mens. Not only is the north American streak somehow still going but Newkirk being the first American to take one in 20 some years is also impressive. Who thinks Finn is possibly on a Bruni streak now? Specialized has to be stoked and with Bruni out I'm sure he's getting all the tricks and treasures of being number one rider on the team.

If it’s ever happened it hasn’t been since the mid 2000s. In the years the French men weren’t at the top there has always been at least one woman winning races.

Always with the pertinent questions, you. I look forward to your posts after every event. PS, pretty proud of this screen grab:

Opening Champagne is all about the twist! I should be a World Cup Champagne coach/trainer.

Vali Höll's 10th place finish today was only the 3rd time she's finished 10th or lower as an Elite World Cup rider and the 7th time she's finished below 5th. Last year she finished 14th at MSA due to a flat after leading through the first 3 splits. In 2023 at Les Gets she crashed in the first turn and finished 10th.

FINNNNNNNNN WINNNNNNNNN Stoked for him.

JONTY!!! What a whip/scrub, with the front wheel bonk...unreal shit this!

the best part is when their splits aren't all that similar and still end up on these times. i wish i could make the split screen gopro videos i used to make but gopro copyright struck my YT channel and then started doing them instead lol (but they still don't do it nearly enough, takes 10-15 minutes to do... they oughta do em more)

Pinkerton's obviously on one based on Q1 times, but for me the dark horse USA rider is Dylan Maples. I think he's due for a big result sometime soon.

sorry to keep bringing up how close things were in quali, but... waite and introzzi .001 apart - at 30mph, that's .5" / 1.27cm dak and troy were .003 apart - at 30mph, that's 1.5" / 3.81cm finn and craik were .008 apart. That'd have put Craik off a podium by 4.2" / 10cm

So which North American male rider is going to win this round? . I only kid, but it would insane if somehow the streak kept going, even crazier if Dak or Pinkerton take it as a first timer, which they're both in a good position to try for.