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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

Everyone knows gearboxes are currently less efficient than derailleurs. But with a gearbox sitting 2nd overall in the EDR, running on multiple competitive DH teams, and looking like the future of ebikes, the door is open for more mainstream options. We're at an inflection point whether you like it or not — this isn't the same gearbox talk we've had for the last ten years. It's actually picking up steam. Everyone fixates on efficiency, but what about pulling all that weight off the rear axle and putting it under the BB? For gravity riders that's a significant benefit. Efficiency is...

Just because it's patented doesn't mean it works or is a good idea.

I love that chris Canfield is dropping weird bikes all the time now . Titanium DH bikes with gearboxes ? I’m Here for it.

oo glad to see the base Clash is back in stock. when they did the re-release, I was worried about them not releasing a base model. I'm wondering if they are hoping to clear the rest of this stock before bothering with a base model of the new frame. at least I'm pretty sure a 5k model with a Zeb Ultimate is not supposed to be the base model going forward lol I'd probably just buy a Zink (as i am currently considering) over a Clash but yeah. Building out a frame can get you closer to ~4k, depending on...

Shut the fuck up about drivetrain efficiency. Holy shit. Go find a different thread.

I typically use the climb switch once per ride. I like to turn it on halfway up the climb when I remember I have it and might as well use it. I tend to turn it off halfway down the descent when I’m puzzling over why my suspension isn’t working. I suspect I am not in the minority.

Yes, but I think other people in this thread have clearly explained why those efficiencies don't offer any unique benefits to high pivot, gearbox, or idler-based designs. Yes, electronics would make high pivot, gearbox, and idler-based bikes more efficient, but at the same time they'd be making all the other bikes more efficient, too. If Dave has four apples and Lisa has six apples, and you give them both four apples, Lisa still has more apples than Dave. Now, I guess if you're saying that electronic lockouts give them both the equivalent of 100 additional apples, then I would concede...

On the Downtime Podcast, Chris Hall, Neko Mulally, and Olly Morris were speculating that Specialized can give just that little extra support. They only have so much budget to allocate, and when Loic is on the box every week, it makes sense to try and keep him there. Also, Jordan and Finn have both independently said that their mentality just sort of clicked this year. Finn finally got a strong training offseason this year after chronic pain in years previous. He then got the confidence to know he could do it. Jordan said he had some mental struggles previously, even...

Best review I've read in a long while, and I read almost all of them here and on Pinkbike. Exactly the aspects I always want to hear discussed. The conflicting feelings of harshness off the top and easy bottom-out is something I commonly deal with as well. Only real solution for me has also been adding progression, either through volume reduction or aftermarket links. Then some LSC props up the mid-stroke to prevent wallowing.

Cannondale’s Bad Habit is one of those bikes that sells the do-everything experience. It’s an enduro race bike. It’s an all-mountain adventure vessel. It's playful enough to rip a bike park. It’s ready to go for an all-day pedal. I generally appreciate bikes like this because if you can afford only one bike to serve most use cases, it’s often money well spent. However, striving to maximize versatility can lead to mediocrity. That’s the line bikes like the Bad Habit walk. When the bike launched , it caught my attention because it was spec'd like an enduro bike (minus...

those are youtube's auto-generated captions calling the R an SL. AI will save us.

We did a comparison test between Specialized's Levo 4 and Levo R to see what separates each bike. And selfishly, I wasn't really sold on the Levo R and wanted to see if Specialized was just blowing smoke or if it served a purpose. TLDR - both bikes ride really well. The Levo R could be made into a sick mini-enduro bike with some different components. Motor power/range is great, but I'd struggle to buy one knowing Avinox exists and offers more everything at a similar or lower weight. Like, comment, sell your soul to the devil 😈

The budget alloy wheel segment is a pretty competitive space at the moment. With plenty of wheels to choose from, like Tenent’s Coven or Reserve’s 30/HD , you’d better have your ducks in a row introducing a new wheelset. OneUp Components has a good track record of offering smart solutions to problems. Today they enter the wheel segment, and we spent the past few months finding out how good they are at organizing ducks. Highlights Intended use: Aggressive trail and enduro riding | eMTB tested and certified 6069-T6 aluminum rim with angled bead walls and bead retention tracks Front/rear...