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Difference is the majority of Danny's videos are on Red Bull's YouTube channels (as producers of those projects). He started his channel in recent years only and isn't super active. Fabio and Sam produce/run their own channels and post regular content hence the larger following and viewership numbers which is what brands care about... and yeah a 1.58M sub YouTube channel is worth waaaaaaaay more than a quiet top 20 WCDH racer. Probably more than a top 10 guy.

Remember, every company has different ideas on what's important to them when it comes to sponsorship/ marketing. For some, YouTube followers could be more important that contests or race results.. But, at the end of the day, it's all about trying to sell more bikes and even if only 1% of those 1.5m followers buy a bike, thats a big boost for most companies..

36lbs is VERY normal for a properly equipped enduro bike. The lighter ones have parts that wont hold up (especially tires) and are expensive builds (most riders can't all afford high end cassettes and wheels that save weight). For most people, this is the actual weight of an enduro bike.

Looks like a fine lever, but "unparalleled adjustment" seems like a bit of a stretch.

How can anyone trust endorsements from pro riders. If the product they are using break's they just get it replaced with a new one. If you are a not a pro then you have to deal with getting it fixed or even worse dealing with a warranty department.

Wow that much write on a dropper lever.

Looks like Crank Brothers has made a new Highline dropper found on Valentino Rossi's E-MTB brand what looks like a 11 model, like most Crank Brothers parts the 11 model reffers to the brands most high end offering. This dropper post features a carbon stanchion & Titanium hardware. Claimed weight according to the Rossi's brand on the VR46 bike for a 170mm of drop with a 31,6mm diameter is 490 grams.

KEEP THE DISCUSSION TO TECH RUMORS.

Anymore tech rumours rather than Economics lessons…?

It's not just price of raw materials that's causing issues with bike pricing, it's the way the entire industry is set up. Every component has so many steps before it gets into the consumers hands that the price increases exponentially if there's an issue. For example, and please correct me of I'm wrong, Honda manufacturer's almost every part of an Enduro moto in house. They have complete control over almost all of their part supply chain other than raw materials to build that bike. They have all their engineers in house. They have all their testing in house. The only...

No one knows mountain bikes more than me. People are saying. I rode one in 1963 and it was just the most perfect ride, no better trail. And I'm not calling on you because you just ask nasty, nasty questions.

don't check the site in a week or so : )

Sam also has skills that brands find highly marketable. He can go to any car park in then world with a couple ramps and perform for a crowd. Lenosky did something similiar for giant for a looooong time. It’s a major reason why brands invest so much in trials guys and slopestyle vs downhill racing. It’s a great vehicle to get anyone exited about biking as opposed to try to draw market share from the people who are already invested.

I’ve heard the new lowers are 30g less than the previous version. Also heard the new lowers are made in Italy which is surprising as just about all major manufacturers use lowers made by SR Suntour in Taiwan.

massive youtube following.

Just a thought, Sam Pilgrim must be a sought-after rider for a big brand now.

1. Josh Bryceland Fuckin' 'ell I'd be bummed if he just fades away from the bike industry, especially because Cannondale and SC are owned by the same parent company now? Watching him in 2014 was insane: way up on splits at MSA and World Champs when it looked like he wasn't trying. Not to mention his other accolades and projects: riding Vans slip-ons to an EWS podium during "retirement", his Slice of British Pie segments, 50:01, etc... Obviously, he should do what he wants, and I hope he's happy, but it'd be cool for him to be around the industry...

Martha Gill has some Instagram stories about female riders and pay. "Offers" that include no salary at all.

Don't think so. It seems that Melanie Pugin would be due for a payday after winning the overall last year. Would be a strong compliment to Kevin Miquel on the mens side.

There's also this french guy who Won the overall World Cup season in pretty dramatic fashion this year, I forget his name though....