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Atherton S.200 aluminum DH bike now for sale - https://www.athertonbikes.com/bike/s200-downhill.html - 3 builds £6,299, £5,650 and £4,165 (according to their website on this particular day) - 12 standard sizes and the combination of Atherton’s “perfect-fit" sizing - mixed wheel configuration - 200 mm travel front and rear. - DW4 suspension platform - single-piece CNC'd rear triangle S.200.1 build below

But can you stand on it?

I've got some bad news: it doesn't matter where the added stack height is located, it's still added stack height. A 180mm post with 20mm of added stack height for a battery and motor at the top of the seatpost is just as tall as a 180mm post with 20mm of added stack height at the collar. At least if the added stack height is integrated at the very bottom of the post some people will be able to slam the post all the way into a deep-insertion seat tube. But for most people, it's probably just added stack height.

Seems like the only reason for this to exist is to save on labour costs in installing the post in the factory. Another innovation I can live without.

Enough with the chainstay and transmission discussion - We have something else to scold Sram for. Some really clear pics from ESMTB of the electric dropper we discussed about a few pages back. I see why they did it, but it still looks terrible. But having the battery be a part of the collar, probably greatly decreases the stack height of the whole dropper, which is positive at least. https://esmtb.com/asi-es-la-canyon-lux-world-cup-cfr-de-jenny-rissveds-…

Personally, I find their sizing wonky - new Oso, Ripley, and Ripmo included (read the full post and I'll also explain why their geo might make sense too). While obviously some people who always ride large frames will continue to order the size they normally do without looking at the numbers, I'd wager plenty of people who test ride are sizing down - at least as far as labeled size goes. I looked into the new Ripmo as I searched for a long travel trail bike, but between a long reach (by labeled size) and the not-so-super-steep seat tube angle...

The ziptie the lever overnight trick works because of increased pressure (not vacuum). The pressure squeezes any air bubbles which allows them (being smaller) to more easily rise up past fluid in the hose. Conversely, bleeding with a vaccum may actually make the bubbles less likely to rise. Flicking the levers does something similar - shrinking the bubbles momentarily which can help them to detatch from the hose wall (and start moving or pass into the reservoir). IME the weakest link when trying to vacuum bleed a brake is where the barb on a bleed fitting goes into the clear...

There's a "piston massage" process that seems to be important. Dario mentions it on the pinkypod. Two other reviewers in the mtb-o-sphere mention disliking the brakes with one mentioning "a bleed (from SRAM) that didn't seem to get all the air out." After bleeding with the piston massage those reviewers liked them a lot. Worth looking up the process (it doesn't seem to be a time-heavy step, just important) and giving it another try, probably!

They could put a belt on in place of the short chain and scoop up the belted purse no problem with Loic on the bike.

Fox gearbox patent from the other site https://www.pinkbike.com/news/fox-factory-granted-patent-for-a-gearbox…

New Specialized DH prototype on the Pinkbikes homepage https://www.pinkbike.com/news/spotted-specialized-downhill-bike-with-tw…

This is getting dangerously close to a brake forum comment, but I think the reason you wouldn't see a vacuum bleeder for brakes is that the seals are designed to seal against positive pressure, but not against significant negative pressure. I've been testing Mavens and DB8's for the last 6 months and, even though the official SRAM mineral oil bleed procedure recommends drawing a vacuum using the Pro Bleed Kit syringe, I've stopped doing that part of the bleed process because I'm able to draw basically an endless amount of air out of my lines, at the lever or at...

Ironically, for the cost of 1 electronic dropper, you could buy 3 normal droppers and wouldn't need to swap anything. Bikers will buy the most stupid sh*t and electronic droppers is at the top of that list.

It looks just as terrible as the Fox Version, Why do we need such a big 'wart' Looking thing halfway up the seat tube..... I want a wireless dropper but i dont want either of those 2 ugly things, especially because i want 240mm drop and the ability to slam the post.... Im happy to pay those prices when a brand can actually design one that doesnt look terrible.

Perhaps unsurprisingly it's been tried!

That looks real nice. Any idea on price... If its designed with at home servicing in mind, then hopefully it won't be as expensive as the "pro" ones.

Some eye candy from Germany: https://www.mtb-news.de/news/fracebike-getriebe-dh-bike/

Hoping @CascadeComponents can chime in on what they think @CascadeComponents are up to...

Nobody saw Cascades instagram post yesterday? https://www.instagram.com/p/DGCEWu1Sy7m/

I see your size-specific chainstay lengths and raise you – size-specific wheelsizes! 24" XS, 26" S, 27.5" M, 29" L, and 32" XL.