[Closed] Bike trends you'd like to see the back of

but the other two are just being plain disrespectful.

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Seriously? I mean, I wouldn't have the balls to pull a K.O.M. Jersey on, but my team liquigas jersey looks pretty cool, and I have vague but legitimate reasons to like the team. It matches the team [s]colourway[/s] [s]colourscheme[/s] [s]livery[/s] paintjob on the bike though which I admit is pushing it a little...

Lycra is not a trend, its what people have been wearing on bikes for decades

So its a trend thats lasted for a while...but I still dont wanna see some middle aged blokes tackle on display, keep it for the ghey roadies...cameltoes are however very pleasing.

Dougal - Member
Gimptards who wear replica team or TdF jerseys.
THIS!

Locally we have...

- A guy who commutes in full 2009 Euskadel-Euskadi kit.
- A guy who wears full British kit.
- And a guy who were's full Paolo Bettinni - Quick Step - World Champs kit. Gloves, helmet, the works.

The first guy looks daft, but the other two are just being plain disrespectful

Get real, replica kits are sold to be worn - if stuff like this really concerns you, then something is not quite right.

the idea that more = better when it comes to gears.

15mm front axles - we've already got a perfectly good front axle standard; 20mm. 15mm is completely pointless and we're all paying for it.

ahwhile I'd forgot about that, yes +1, was really [s]pissed[/s] annoyed when Rockshox decided to conform and start using it, daft, just utterly daft.

This thread makes me sad. But still, i'd like to add: people who think each and every one of "[url= http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/ ]the rules[/url]" is serious.

I'd like to see the back of restricted access to public trails (i.e. footpaths)

I'd like to see the back of disrespect between different groups of trail users.

I'd like to see component companies invovled in design and development of products, rather than just adding a logo and 'colourway' to an off the shelf product from the Taiwain bicycle catalogue. More development and true innovation please!

Ride what you want, where you want!

So its a trend thats lasted for a while...but I still dont wanna see some middle aged blokes tackle on display, keep it for the ghey roadies...cameltoes are however very pleasing.

Haha, the traditional 'ghey roadie' MBUK argument. Ghey roadies know what works for cycling and wouldn't put up with half a kilo of extra zips and flaps for the sake of trying to look down with the freeride kidz. 😉

15mm bothers me in the same way - it's no improvement on 20mm, so why bother?

Tapered steerers I'm ok with, since you can still use the old forks with just a headset swap - I had a 1.5" for, it was awful. And weighed TONS.

142x12 I'm sort of OK with too - if everyone adopts it. I bet they won't.

As for Giant's new, tapered-but-ever-so-lightly-different headtube, well - they need a kick in the face, frankly.

Good post gravity slave.

Rusty have you tried a droppper post with remote? they are quite good, admittedly still too pricey, heavy, unreliable yet, but I may be persuaded to get one eventually.

Lockon grips are brilliant, hairspray was OK but not 100% reliable in the rain and a pita if you wanna mess around with controls bars etc.

HT2 BBs, quite easy for fitting, no getting medieval on 8mm allen keys to stop creaking but yes rubbish bearing life, greaseports please.

15mm dropouts? Well the fox/shimano one is quite good, better than QR, quicker to use than 20mm and presumably lighter. If 3 types is too many can we get rid of QR?

Lycra is very good stuff you may complain about people wearing it on the outside if you wish or you could just stop eyeing up the mamils instead....

Folk strewing themsleves and their dross across trails, nattering, generally after nice fast sweeping bend.

That's what caffs are for, or the sides of trails if you simply can't wait.

how is a 15mm maxle quicker to use than a 20mm maxle?

😕

[being reasonable but possibly incorrect] wasn't it just a way for fox to sidestep the maxle patent?[/being reasonable but possibly incorrect]

how is a 15mm maxle quicker to use than a 20mm maxle?

wasn't it just a way for fox to sidestep the maxle patent?

29ers.

What bugs me is the millions of different "standards" out there.
Wheels and forks in particular
26", 29" (both in Lefty, QR, 15mm and 20mm variants so that's 8 of basically the same wheel. (Yes, I know you can get adaptors to swap between QR and 15mm for example...)

The forks to fit them (QR, 15mm, 20mm, 26er or 29er variant, straight and tapered steerers). The headsets to fit the forks and frame, upper and lower cups.

How many different versions of BB's are there now?
Square taper, Octalink, ISIS, BB30 all with different axle lengths available as well.

Total stock nightmare for shops.

the 14 million standards for forks / headsets / bb's

'hydration packs' and the lack of bottle bosses on frames...

I dont want to carry a backpack full of fluid that add's weight to my already screwed shoulders when i can have a handy bottle on my bike frame..!

Apart from the frankly ridiculous number of 'standards' for different thing (pick one, or two at the most, please?)which makes things tough for retailers and consumers, I'd rather spend my time riding than worrying about what folk are wearing or how many gears new bikes have.

Expensive tyres slightly confuse me as I can't see why an MTB tyre should be £40+ but then I just dont buy them.

I quite like all the variety out there something for everyone eh.

Can't abide mudguards that move around you'd think someone would have invented a decent rear FS mudguard by now so yeah mudguards that look OK but don't work. .

Some people slating stans rims, their quality isn't the best but who else is doing light tubeless rims? Mavic don't seem to have done anything significant with their xc rims since 217 days, wheelsets yeah rims nope, 819s are good and strong but DH weight. I'd quite like to see mavic take stans on at their own game, they'd probably do a better job for same or less money but they don't seem interested.

Uh oh! I've got press fit BB. From this thread it sounds like I should be worried, but what is it that's wrong with them?

Tyre fetishism.

They don't screw in and out nice and easily, like normal ones. And they wear out quickly, apparently (although mine's been fine so far)

...which leads me on to axles. Axles! Come on folks, why do we need a 15mm axle standard?

Anyone?

Dust.

Anyone?

Dust.

Shimano and Fox really thought that one through... I haven't seen anything which would properly explain why a 20mm axle wouldn't be a perfect choice for the job on a 32mm stanchion fork.

I agree with the pro team kit point. It's like the fat guy at the back of a road club ride wearing a yellow jersey. Then again it's amusing, so it can stay.

Just looked into the removal/installation of press fit BBs; looks quite heavy handed and a little agricultural. But it did remind me of a hub with cartridge bearings...maybe it's clunky but has potential?

Loads of people have re-iterated the standardisation issue too. I'd like to see bike weight fully discussed in metric. Lbs just don't stack up when you're shaving grammes on components.

-Fixies,
-Me too standards
-Forum non-experts
-prententialism on the trail

Ah, bottle bosses.... My SC bullit has them, but with little plastic 'bolts' presumably for weight saving? On a 9lb frame? 😆

I've started using cages and bottles sometimes (short-ish rides) for simple washing-up laziness, I'd rather wash 15 bottles than give my camelbak bladder a scrub, it's a right faff.

I think it's about time we had a new bottle boss standard. Like old bottle bosses, but further apart for at least 66.67% increase in cage stiffness. Perhaps with internal hydration tube routing so you can lean into your slammed stem (oooh, we haven't had a new standard for that for a while either have we?) and have a slurp of the latest energy/isotonic wunda-drink from it.

Right, just to question some earlier posts.

Dropper posts I think are generally disregarded by people who've never really tried one. Mine works perfectly well and I wouldn't be without it.

Downtube cable routing - my bike takes some knocks, but I can't say any of the three braided hoses/outers that run under my BB have ever shown any sign of damage.

Carbon frames - can't see the problem. These days they are as strong as Alu, yet lighter (and blingier 😉 )

Triple chainsets on 6" AM bikes? Why not - I use the highest and lowest gear on mine, ergo what's the problem? Tried 2 x 9 and it was crap.

Lock on grips are a no-brainer - and if anyone moans about them weighing a couple of grams more, I might go and kill myself.

I'm sure there will be some black anodising somewhere on my bike too - why not?

Mavic rims - they have served me well for 15 years and I won't be changing any time soon - tried some expensive Rovals and they were made of cheese - didn't last 2 months.

I'll check back and scan through for any more nonsense posted in a minute 😉

My bugbears? Hmmm, struggling - however other peoples riding habits, now there's another thread completely....

and dropper posts that will fail.

Great idea until they let you down.

no pun intended

Hmmm, not convinced that being able to remove and re-fit BB cups easily is that important. How often do you really do that? Only time I take mine out is to throw them away. Now, needing a new tool to do it I agree is a pain - but that's not unique to press fit. Over the years I've used cotterpins, square, hollowtech 1, hollowtech 2, and now pressfit - and every one has needed a new tool!

Nukeproof Mega

Agree with the tour shirts, stuff like this should be banned

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Over biked? What a load of bollox! FFS ride what you want!

I'de like to see the back of generic, cheaply made products that fail which are just rebranded and painted pink or white or anodised the colour of sick to get people to buy them when there are better but less flash components out there..

ivantate - Member

-prententialism on the trail

You made that word up! Do you mean "pretentiousness" ?

Suspension.

I'd like to see the back of all snobbery in the MTB world such as the people who go on forums just to tell other people they don't they are idiots and that their own knowledge is far superior.

😀 oh the irony...

People who are obviously slower overtaking and stopping in front of me at the 2 sets of lights I do stop at on my inward bound commute.

Hammerschmit - a solution without a problem

Hammerschmidt at half the price would have been a massive success. It made a lot of sense.

Well, maybe half the price and two thirds of the weight.

I don't wear team kit but don't have a problem with it. Someone wearing a full euskatel team kit is no diffferent than going to a match with a replic ashirt on or turning up to a five a side game in full (Insert your favoutite team here) strip.

What get's my goat is ever increasing price rises in return for kit which will not last any longer than what went previously. I am not prepared to pay for 10 speed kit when nine speed seems to be a good compromise between longevity and price. Particularly with regards to road kit.

also do you need such low gears on your bike. How a bout you just harden the f"£$ up.

Caveat: I have been consuming beverages of an alcoholic nature so excuse me if tis makes no sense.
🙂

Most things made by Crank Brothers. Pedals and seat-posts seem to be made out of cheese.

Companies that present themselves as ethically driven but sell out to large multi-nationals. (Howies)

Companies that leave product testing up to their paying customers. (Microsoft)

Women only riding groups/skill sessions. (Why can't we just all ride together.)

I never understood the reason for Hammershmidt gearing to be so low. Marketed for free ride bikes that seem to be pushed up hills rather than ridden in the granny, surely the Hammerschmidt gearing would have made more sense to be equivalent to a middle/big ring rather than a granny/middle? Might have then been more useful on freeride/DH bikes?

The Hammerschmidt was a great concept, but was let down on three fronts:

1) Gearing, the high ratio was subject to noticeable friction, unlike the low ratio. Duh...as was said before, it would have made far more sense if it would have been a 34/36T equivalent with a step down to 22T where the frictional losses could have been easily hidden.

2) It was far too heavy...

3) It was far, far too expensive.

What I've never understood about hammerschit is why is it any better then a front mech. I've always thought that it's heavier, got more parts, more friction (probably marginal), coats more and does the same job. Happy to have my assumptions answered though

I think that's a pretty accurate assumption. The other selling point was that the Hammerschmidt system was much lower in profile and therefore less prone to chainring damage.

Oh, and because of this, suspension designs which worked around a 32T pivot placement didn't work properly either. The Marin Attack Trail frames necessitated a reprofiled suspension link in order to avoid excessive chain feedback.

D0NK - Member

15mm dropouts? Well the fox/shimano one is quite good, better than QR, quicker to use than 20mm and presumably lighter

Surprisingly enough, a QR15 axle is heavier than 20mm Maxle Lite (in fact it was heavier than the last version of maxle lite, the new one's lighter still) . And not faster than a 20mm maxle.

The only place you can find an advantage are in the hubs- with a smaller axle you can either build a smaller hub with the same size of ballbearings, for ligthness, or a same-sized hub with larger ballbearings, for reliability. But in practice most wheel manufacturers went with convertible hubs anyway so the advantage got wasted.

It's a joke standard. But seems to have won the fight 🙁 It'd be less annoying if Fox hadn't had a 20mm standard as well.

29er's although it seems the industry is more than embracing this "fad" and seems to be making it the new mountain bike.

Mountainbikes are 26" wheeled bikes, and will continue to be so despite this blip on the MTB history radar.

Skyline WTF is your problem?

Luddite? Moi? Mais non. I just like reliable stuff that works that isn't going to have me in tears when it breaks. I still happily run UN73 BBs as they last for years. Put simply, they just work and keep working. As for £700 odd for an Enve rim? Fools and their money is indeed the phrase that springs to mind. If you have the money, by all means spend it and be happy with your purchase. It's just not going to make that much of a difference at the end of the day. There's no number on the front of my bike when I ride so the perceived performance benefits from carbon are negligible.
As for Stan's, having seen two almost brand new rims bent or buckled beyond repair this week, I can fully understand why my local wheel builder doesn't stock them and refers to them as Stan So Flats. Ha! Ha! Personally, I prefer to buy rims that are in true when they come from the manufacturer. Mavic rims may not be on trend but rims like the Open Pro CD work and work well

Yup enve rims are stupid...I was thinking well priced rims that offer real weight savings at a reasonable price eg Planet X carbons.

As for your stans rims "evidence", do you really think someone totalling a new rim makes it poor quality? Or that a whole 2 rims is a statistically relevant number? What about my 2 6 year old 355gm rims still running fine?
I thought you were intelligent and worked with numbers?

URT frames - i cant beleive that they still make these (even if it is on silly cheap bikes, its like there was a surplus of rear triangles made in the mid 90's)...
Coloured componenets - just because its something i'd not have on my own bike/s, i've not seen a bike that looks 'better' because of them imo.

Baggies when it's warm.
No one wears a t shirt then puts an expensive, non breathable plastic coat over the top .

"the Rules"
Mincing
People who worry about tyre choice... ffs just ride them, they'll be alright.

The notion that you can't do certain things with / without certain kit. ("You wont do that on your hard tail" / "You need 7" for that"). Skill up!

Lycra worn on the outside when off roading.

Why ? I usually wear lycra kit its so much more comfortable than baggy shorts flapping around

And whilst I'm at it lets be honest about the baggies thing. They are a pure fashion / appearance thing and add nothing to performance.

Put your hand up if you have ever caught lycra shorts on on your saddle on a tricky bit of trail?

I rest my case.

BTW I wear baggies. If you'd seen me in lycra you'd thank me.

Here here.

I'd like to see the end of 'skills' courses.

Mental skill set my arse!

I hate fashion over function. To me riser bars are the best example, although there are others. The hands can be put in the same position with less material using a different stem and an appropriately designed flat bar.

People driving to trail centres without exploring their local trails or getting a map out bugs me. They're missing something, losing out.

Euro - Member

I'd like to see the end of 'skills' courses.

So would I- bring on the day when I know all there is to know and there's nothing they can teach me, it'll be awesome.

Hammerschmidt - I rented a bike (Butcher) in Morzine this weekend, came with KS dropper post and Hammerschmidt crankset. I loved them both, we were touring around the XC trails above Les Get most of the time, the precision on the front shifting was a god-send on the steep ups....it's just "there". Liked the dropper too, used it all day long, didnt feel the need for a remote.

That Butcher is a decent bike, 14kg build, didnt feel that heavy, did plenty of climbing on it in 32c heat.

Blimey, waderider- churning out stuff Keith Bontrager said 10 years ago: [i]...riser bars...The hands can be put in the same position with less material using a different stem and an appropriately designed flat bar.[/i]

Here's Keith
[img] [/img]

The riser bar thing came from motorbike bars, at least it did with people I grew up riding with. A few lads started putting Renthal bars on their mountain bikes before anyone made proper mtb specific ones.

So yes, it may be fashion now, and I suppose it was then to some extent. However, I think the function came before the form, as they were wider and no bike manufacturers made them at the time.

Women only riding groups/skill sessions. (Why can't we just all ride together.)

Some women lack confidence and prefer to ride without men, who they fear will judge them and bemoan the fact they are slower.

Walking up what is clearly rideable... MTFU and ride it 🙄

People who say "£1,500 isn't a lot to spend on a bike". It's a 'king fortune to most people in this country.

Bikes that can only go downhill. WTF? If you can't ride it back up, get fitter or buy a proper bike.

People worrying about flexy kit when their wrists/elbows/shoulders/knees etc have more flex that you can shake a stick at.

Glad Bula hats are still considered cool 😀

+1000 for 15mm Axles. Other then Fox dodging a perfectly good standard what is the point.

Seatposts, can we pick a couple of sizes and stick to them. Say 27.2mm for steel frames and 30.9 for everything else. Do we really need all those different sizes?

I have no idea why 15mm axles exist, other than as a cynical marketing ploy to further differentiate the Fox 32 and 36 lines, in addition to helping Shimano sell more hubs.

But then I've already ranted about artificial "standards" which serve no purpose whatsoever other than to force people to upgrade because the old bits won't fit anymore haven't I Giant?

Seatposts are an area where a sensible standard should apply, but then someone like Giant will probably unveil a 30.75 standard that is claimed to be 15% better than anything else.

Bitter? Moi?