As title.

I retire in 3 years and plan on treating myself to a nice new bike.

Is it worth looking at current new bikes or do you think that “Standards” will have changed so much in the next few years it’s almost pointless to try and compare ?

I’m still buying decent new parts for my 26″ bike….
It will be fine just probably avoid plus 😉

If you’re always worrying about what’s coming next you’ll never end up getting anything!

singlespeed compulsory in downhill

No such thing as standards, there’s options, which may be fewer…

We’ll all be on 20mm boost front and rear with some yet to be invented bottom bracket ‘standard’ with double chainrings.

Square taper BB’s, but different to the old ones in that the shaft (!) will be a slightly larger diameter
26.1 inch wheels
1.6 inch steerer with an internal external headset where you knock an external cup into the frame, then push another cup into it then press the bearing in.
Reverse bar ends..

I wouldn’t worry about looking at ‘standards’ until you’re actually ready to buy. Even then, I wouldn’t particularly worry.

Your Whyte 529 has a QR rear end despite being a 2017 model and having progressive geometry. You’ll still be able to buy parts for modern ‘high end’ bikes for years to come, though I’d avoid obscure things like Giant’s overdrive. Stick with an established and proven brand using establish and proven components. The rest will fall into place.

Pedal threads have remained unchanged for far too long. I have several sets of pedals in the shed and they all fit all of my, my wife’s and my children’s bikes. Surely someone can introduce a new thread standard to put the fun back into pedal selection.

Look at the oldest parts on people’s bikes that still work great to predict the next victim. I reckon it’ll be brakes next- via different diameter bars which are 3% lighter or 1.2% stiffer.

Specialized are moving away from 30.9 seatposts which hopefully is the beginning of the end for all that nonsense. Obviously the day if happens, Trek’ll introduce the 32.5mm seatpost.

There are at least two pedal thread standards.

30mm axles is my guess. The spin will be that you get a lighter axle, and a lighter stiffer wheel as the spokes can be shorter and roll better because of bigger bearings.

From the industry perspective that means they can sell new forks, new wheels and hubs, brake rotors for starters.

Its all going a bit mental really isnt it!!

The only change Ive ever noticed a difference on was the switch from a q/r front to a 15/20 bolt through.

I think the important thing to me to future proof a little bit is to be wise in your parts selection, so using Hope hubs for example, one set of hubs with different adaptors can run multiple different hub spacings and axle types.

large sized seattubes to accommodate built in droppers a la liteville.

@ scotroutes – BMX and everything else? I remember by BMX having a different thread and the original Shimano DX pedal being available in both standards. That didn’t fit with my facetious musings though.

Stevet1 – Member

large sized seattubes to accommodate built in droppers a la liteville.

I would agree, it would actually be a standard I could get behind – the Reverb has been around for 7 years, the Joplin 10 years and there were others before that, but stealth routing aside it still seems a bit of an after-market bolt-on upgrade. We dropped v-brake mounts within a few years of discs, front mech mounts seem to have disappeared on some bikes before the mechs did but we’ve still got seat tubes designed for static posts.

I’d also like to see integrated seat posts. The problem is that it forces frame designs to follow certain shapes to accommodate a ‘standard’ for integrated posts which compromises on geometry, tyre clearance or pivot placement, etc.- e.g.; Liteville has a straight ST, but a Whyte 129 has a heavily shaped ST..

I hope to god we are going to see proper hydraulic brakes replace these hybrid jobs, on many road/cx/adventure bikes.

I hope even more that cx/adventure bikes are going to be designed with tyre clearance for at least 700x38s, if not approaching the 29×2.35s I fitted to my Wazoo yesterday.

I’d like to see tyre clearance for at least 700×28 become common, I find it unreal that so many amateur road bikes are still limiting us to 25mm or even 23mm!

Bikes that come with tubeless ready wheels being sold to the customer in tubeless mode.

they are going to looking for a new wheel size soon.

I’d also like to see integrated seat posts

What are the advantages? How would a dropper work? if the dropper is integrated, then would you need to send the whole frame away when it inevitably goes pop?.

Klunk – Member

they are going to looking for a new wheel size soon.

I said back in 2015 – one day, soon expect “fun, chuckable, agile” being thrown around by industry marketeers about new 26″ wheeled bikes, only somehow designed to be slightly different to the old ones to ensure zero cross-compatibility.

What are the advantages? How would a dropper work? if the dropper is integrated, then would you need to send the whole frame away when it inevitably goes pop?.

You unbolt the whole unit and send it away (as per Reverb).
Advantages and more info HERE on PB
A few though;
– Large drop
– Reliability
– Setting up and adjustment
– Weight

I’m trying to think of things that haven’t been messed around with.

Given how wider is stiffer and better I’m suprised no one has messed with pedals yet – so a new standard thread there.

35mm diameter bars have been played with – I think that one could go further. “Torsionally stiff with vibration damping”

Brake mounts. Flat mount has appeared in the roadie world to accomodate tighter clearance and smaller rotors. I think we need an enduro specific brake mount to better withstand the braking forces and no standard larger rotors.

jonba – Member

35mm diameter bars have been played with

35mm’s really odd, it basically seems to have failed to gain traction because a load of people who’ve never used one decided it was too stiff, and convinced loads of other people who’ve never even seen one. They’re doing the usual next step of pushing it through OEMs now, well it worked for bloody stupid 15mm axles.

Integrated dropper, bloomin stupid idea. Exactly how do you fit a normal post to ride with when the post inevitably breaks and is away for weeks on a warranty job?

narrower than 22.2 handlebar ends. Allows grips of the same width to have more rubber in them whlist stil having space for the lock on plastic shenanigans.