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I did not expect an XL Yeti to come with 465mm chainstays in the short setting.

Except Sram's 11 SPD is 42t max and comparing granny gears you have to take wheel roll out into account as well as a larger wheel is effectively a harder gear. A 30t on a 29er is about the same as a 32t on a 27,5 and a 34t on a 26 inch bike. I also said if your terrain supports it, there are places where it makes more sense to have a 28t in the front with a 52t in the back on a 29er than a 30t. Double so if you're thinking about going 165 mm or shorter...

That's not my understanding of an eCVT, based on my conversation with the engineers at Also. They made it sound like the two systems ran on separate motors and were only connected by wires, not gears. It's possible I'm an idiot and have misunderstood the engineer, but is it possible that the term "eCVT" can mean multiple things? I don't know if the Avinox system or Gobao's system is the same as Also, so I have no clue, but it seems to me that eCVT was an automotive term before it was a bike term, so I'm wondering if the...

What you are describing in regards to Also is a series hybrid like what the... Bolt from Chevy is. Or a diesel electric locomotive. Neither of which is the same as a Prius which is still a parallel hybrid.

Just to feedback on longer term performance of Mary Gravity Radial as requested... I have run Ultra Soft Front/Soft Rear on my DH bike (Trek Session) for the past two weeks at Tignes/Val, Pila, Les Arcs, Les Saisies, Chatel, Champery World cup track, and rounding it off with a 10km vertical day at Morgins. Faultless! The grip is sensational, it hooks up on lines where you wouldn't expect it to stick. It rarely burps (no sealant down the sidewall, hardly loses pressure after a day), and you can actually run at pressures similar to conventional tyres if you accept the...

I worked at a Specialized dealer when the Levo came out and we had to remind most customers to actually shift. Most of them would leave it in one of the highest 3 gears and just use the power modes as the "gears" when riding the bike. Steep climb? Just put it in turbo and pedal a sub-20 RPM cadence. Lots of snapped belts and replaced chains. The majority of eBike buyers are nothing like existing mountain bikers

Throwing this out here on the dedicated ebike thread, Jeff and I go deep on Avinox and Amflow on the Vital BS Podcast: https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/b-s-podcast-rise-dji-drones-e-bikes

I stopped riding my ebike and rode the natural short travel trail bike every day this week. It's just more fun. Less decent for the same amount of time. It's been glorious.

Is 100k actually a carrot? Hardware development is expensive, I'm certain Atherton didn't developed their gearbox bike for less than 100k. I feel like riding a winning platform is more valuable than the prize money.

(Edit) the silicone 20A / 25A compound versions are ready in 32mm and 34mm now! I’ve always loved having thicker grips and have been riding diety supracush for a long time which is a 34mm diameter. I’ve recently created my own grips in an effort to have my own larger grips. Two of these listed in the link are at 36mm and I use a rubber/foam mix to make them. Been riding them all season. https://mtbairgrips.com/collections/grips If anyone wants to try them in exchange for a review lmk or you can also of course buy them. I’m currently working on...

Little insight I got. July release for yeti Avinox cvt system is not 100% and far out from coming to the market. Apparently issues with the system auto shifting down when rider puts high watts combine with motor. Sounds like System protecting itself. Not sure if this is just a software or the system not being able to handle it. We’ll see. Some high ups in specialized are not happy. A nasty email sent to engineers/ product developers to step it up and motor/gearbox combo bike priority 1 Specialized has an unreleased bike the industry will get to see at...

All this drivetrain efficiency/Gearbox discussion is making me think about the joy I get from riding my singlespeed.

Everybody serving the gearbox coolaid and how ebikes are getting them and how that will trickle down to pedal bikes, remember that the Avinox and Gaobao or whatever they are called have a CVT gearbox using two electric motors. That kind of a "gearbox" (integrated variable transmission to be precise) is wholly incompatible with bikes that do not have batteries. The only viable gearbox option covering both ebikes and bikes is the Pinion which is, functionally (speaking in volumes), non existent in both camps. As @Shinook and @Uncle Cliffy have said, the future has been promised for years now with...

Gearboxes, the “fusion energy” of MTB.

I swear this is SRAM propaganda: "It just doesn't make sense to add a more complex, harder-to-maintain, more expensive option that's locked to your frame and that no one has parts for." More complex to maintain? The Pinion service interval is 6,200 miles — people race entire seasons without touching their gearbox. Meanwhile derailleur drivetrains need constant adjustment and eat consumables, especially on ebikes. Gearboxes will take over ebikes within a few years — the motor negates the efficiency loss, the weight is low and centered, and ebike torque destroys conventional drivetrains anyway. DH won't be far behind (less unsprung...