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I know I'm repeating common talking points that have been said over and over for years. But every so often it hits me, as I don't really follow regular mtb pricing too much anymore. But when I saw the tallboy release the other day, and it is a beautiful bike, all I could think was "How could anyone consider the entry level spec for 6k when a similar spec Amflow PR for 4,5k exists?" Apples and oranges, I'm not saying the ebike will be better for everything, but from a simple "add up all the parts on those frames and...

I feel like you answered your own question when you said " a ton of people already do it for SXS, boats, and motorcycles." If the SXS, boat, and motorcycle people are making money by financing their overpriced toys, why would high-end bike companies not want to get in on the action with their overpriced toys? Yes, financing a high-end shiny ebike is completely unnecessary, unwise, financially imprudent, all of that. But so are cigarettes and gambling, and they're doing great!

😂 If you thought dealing with becoming old was rough…add a little bit of becoming poor!

Or maybe it becomes like the car industry where leasing is one of the main forms of "ownership".

Just going off of 'site sponsors' for Vital and Pinkbike: Ari: Budget I guess? Cannondale: more road for PON Ibis: small, but maybe getting their lunch eaten by other 'small' brands. Intense: probably continues with USA focus. Seems like odd things going on there for the past while but they are still surviving. Kona: I would be concerned, but they were just bought back Mondraker: doesn't seem super big here in Canada Niner: RIP (pun intended) Norco: Oddly medium-sized, but they do own a distribution company in Canada so that may help with the budget Pivot: small enough Polygon: not...

mr Dave Weagle himself responded to a comment I left about the RMU Nighttrain, stating that the rear center does legitimately grow 30mm to 457.5mm at sag. I still don't believe it, especially because he's claiming it's "poppy and playful" but my range grows almost 30mm bottomed out and is not "poppy and playful".

Big if true

I'm saying that it's too early to tell from that result and that the Frameworks brand was built with the frame development in part as a marketing tool because it was covered and promoted explicitly from the very beginning for social media. I'm not criticizing it but it's just a fact that if you want to stand out as a racer today you're either competing for top 5 or 10 or you have to stand out in some other way via social media. And bike brands use racing as promo for their products so racers starting bike brands and promoting...

I can't speak for other countries, but I think distribution was the reason nobody bought GT bikes in the US, not the product. Everyone I knew who had a GT bike for the last six or so years seemed pretty stoked with it, but IIRC the only place you could buy one in most metro areas was through Dicks Sporting Goods, which is a great place to get an exercise ball but not a great place to buy a $5000+ mountain bike.

Not anymore but that is how he grew the Brand in the first place and that strategy obviously still works. Race results alone don't matter that much anymore in the age of fast paced social media. You need to constantly deliver content that people engage with and a 32 wheel dh bike is just that.

For context. Reece finished 7.3 seconds behind Hatton's winning time. Both are highly accomplished at Fort William. But Hatton's average World Cup finishing position in 2025 (when he made finals) was 16th. So 7 seconds slower than a racer who's at best a solid top 20 racer is not a great advertisement for Stemgate. Although, Fort William being flat compared to other tracks, I'd assume it's a track where the reverse stem would have more drawbacks than benefits. Very competitive time for Harnden compared to the men. But she had no competition for the win in her category. With Mille...