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She’s off the bike, actually rumored to be on a bench

"We know our e-bike customers don't care or even know what VPP is so here's a bike that says SANTA CRUZ on it." (Am I too cynical?)

The real reason for in frame storage....

Hmm, not sure why you assume I’m “not running proper equipment.” My bike is built for riding in legit terrain where shit can go sideways. Thankfully, it rarely ever does - exactly because I “run proper equipment” - but if/when shit does happen I want at least a fighting chance of riding my bike out of the woods. I’ll take the minimal weight penalty of some bits and pieces rather than hiking out.

Fun fact it’s actually illegal to ride clips on any of his trails. You go straight to jail

The median income of Vital’s readers has almost doubled in that same time! Even adjusting for inflation that’s a lot.

Go look at inflation, high end bikes have always been expensive. In 2004, an SWorks Enduro was $4800. (Around $8500 today). In 2009, an SWorks Epic was $8800. (Approximately $13,000 today) I don’t understand why everyone suddenly thinks the sky is falling. Next everyone will be complaining that $250,000 for a Huraćan is insane because a Countach used to be $100,000. It’s not like you were going to buy one anyway.

I can confirm that the Elite Men's field has a very robust list of top WC pros alongside all of the Domestic Pros from the US. The Women's field is by far and away stronger than any North American race I've ever seen outside of the World Cup rounds (Mont St Anne, Windham, Snowshoe). Way more stacked women's field than Crankworx Whistler. This replay show is going to be a must watch!

I'm trying to think of a clever quip about the price and appearance of this stuff... But honestly nothing's coming to me. I just feel dumb and poor and a bit confused, I guess. Welp, back to the clearance store to buy more Adidas running clothes...

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.

Couldn't agree more, so many people getting angry about misinformation and conjecture. World Cup racing has been in flux since it's inception. This is just the next change in a long line of changes. Seems to me that the main source of anger on the forums and comments sections is that it's no longer "free" to watch DH racing. But for those of use who have paid to watch the DH racing (especially the womens) has been some of the best ever. What I gather from this forum is that the World Cup should be free to enter for anyone...

So many drama queens. The sky is falling. I think the changes will be good in the long run. Maybe it's because I have been a fan since before the Freecaster/ RedBull days. I think the GCN app was good as it bundled all cycling racing into a single source and I didn't mind paying for it.

It's not just you, they really just don't break. I swapped out the 15 gram UDH that I carry on both of my bikes on the trail (don't even carry the bolt, but just the plastic) and this 11 speed just continues to shift lovely. Also, 11 speed X01 weighs about .6# less than GX Transmission. I've had both, maybe it's in my head but it feels like the rear suspension just works better on the 11 speed. It also has better clearance, has all steel cassette & is quite affordable.

agreed. the first 2 years i rode DH i went through probably 6 derailleurs a season, then i learned to pick better lines and not smash the hell of out things.

Hold up… You carry a spare derailleur when you ride?!? Are your trails on Mount Doom or something?

This is an absolutely acceptable (for me anyway) derail of the thread. I'd say we all appreciate the technical knowledge, and actual working experience in your post. Its the "Shimano is the only good brake out there, screw all others" type of opinionated garbage that most arn't interested in. Thank You

I’ve been running a CounterShox on my bike for a month or so. I’ve also tested in a motocross bike. On my DH bike I have one mounted to my seattube and fork. Heavier on the fork, lighter in the middle of the bike. Feels like a good balance from wheel to wheel. The countershox is set up in a way that dampens square edge and braking bumps the most. Think sharp high frequency spikes. Jumping the bike has less pop and is super stable off the lip. Really mellows out the kick. There are negatives, on the fork it...

I've still got random hardware sitting in my drawer from about 10 years ago for playing with the idea, including a pile of lead fishing weights! I started making something for inside the headtube but never got it on the trail. Had good results with fixing brake vibration on my Transition with 200mm rotors though

Shake weight science: