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Should be mentioned that Finn and Jordan were looking really on form in South Korea before both flatted. Both probably would have given loic a run for his money. Or you could go full conspiracy theory and say they gave loic better tires and after he was out said ok well i guess finn and Jordan can have the tires that don’t flat now.

Maybe a fraction of a step below, but I would include the current Commencal Muc-Off team. Amaury, Loris, and the two Alrans. The latter haven’t won yet, but I don’t think any of us doubt the day is coming for both and very soon.

First season of Nico on the team yeah? Could be an interesting conversation at the end of year. Great team, great bike, great riders. Comes down to resource allocation and having more time for the guys that are left. Some unconscious rider hierarchy bias probably comes into it. How good would it be for Jordan to clap back at Jackson the year after he has the season of his life? Those two still battling years after their junior fight.

The average rider does care about efficiency, most just don't know how to articulate it. They talk about the bike feeling slow, or that they're working really hard on climbs, and making improvements to how efficient the bike is (mostly by going to faster rolling, lighter weight tires since most are on traditional drivetrains) makes a huge difference to their ride experience. Can't forget the average rider isn't smashing wheels and ripping off derailleurs all the time, and shouldn't build their bikes up like a lot of us do.

Speaking for myself - it's not that I don't want a GB - it's that I don't want a worse drive-system than I currently have. If GBs get to the point where the weight penalty is small and efficiency is comparable, I'll be riding them. I think many of the folks you think are Luddiltes are really just people how value performance and don't break a lot of DRs (I've been riding since the late 80's, and I've yet to break one).

Gearboxes, the “fusion energy” of MTB.

The electronic suspension/high pivot/stand up and pedal convo is the dumbest thing to happen to tech rumors in a long time. Banal, illogical, myopic.

I don't think they answered a few peoples questions. I feel like a lot of people asked about chainstay/stack sizing and are the team members running the next size up chainstays.

100% made for Surrons.

Sure, 3 seconds may be enough for a marshal to raise a flag. But that marshal would need to be placed between the down rider and Troy. So to follow your argument, they should have marshals stationed every 2-3 seconds down the track. That works out to maybe 100 marshal stations for this track. Realistically, when riders are only 2-3 seconds apart, as they are during training, it is not practical to expect a marshal to be able to stop riders at absolutely any position on track within 2 seconds. The road crossing, however, is a different matter. They absolutely...

it couldn't have. was happening too fast for anyone too react. From the time of Jed's crash to Troy hitting is bike was around 3 secs.

32" Wheels also look shit. Banning skinsuits was done primarily to keep DH racing looking "Cool" (although these new one piece kits take the piss and look garbage if you look me) so I wouldn't be mad if part of their reasoning was to maintain the desired look for the sport. That stuff matters. While I am shouting at the clouds can we get the UCI to ban under the jersey body armour and long pants. Sam Hill 2005 is the desired aesthetic.

Personally I find the “We’re the next Honda” narrative a bit tired when Frameworks have proven that you really don’t need to overcomplicate things to build a winning bike. Add to that the fact that teams like Antidote and Aon aren’t winning races or selling bikes you have to ask what’s the point?

No no no, don't go there. We've been over this. Just let it go. We've had pages of trying to explain things back and forth with no success.

Damn that’s right huh! If you qualified ahead of the protected riders, you were still in. It was all gravy. For the viewers, at least. All the big names were in no matter what. I’m so anti-protection is overlooked that! (ooh baby I like it raw etc) I’m still anti-protection, especially with two chances. But I do wanna see it. Not naming names, but the old system undoubtedly helped a few riders hang on longer than their results earned…shit’s hyper accelerated now, we really need these feeder series to happen or else we’re doomed. (We are doomed.)

I would take that as it was good that the 2 guys that made finals managed to put it in the top ten.

Ya, "they" pronounce it correctly, unlike us in the US. Get over it.