But I also get the discussion that mountain biking is really f-ing expensive, no matter how it shakes out, and that trying to maintain your current aging machine is a challenge. But I mean, honestly, I'm not really sure what can be done about that. As you point out, its fairly unreasonable to expect manufacturers to continue to manufacture everything they ever have. Its unreasonable for anyone to stock eleventy-billion SKUs. And from an engineering standpoint, at some point you have to accept progress via change (which, yes, can be debatable. Boost, anyone?); a change that isn't going to be backwards compatible. At some point, you reach the limit of what can be accomplished by evolution, and have to go for revolution (see: USB-C, and ditching cables entirely. Which, if we're ever going to do, we need to move on from f-ing Bluetooth).
And are we willing to accept it? As much as people like to complain about new standards in comments on the internet, look at sales for your possibly unfortunate answer. I think its important to consider as well - does it matter? What's the environmental impact of buying a new bike every few years, vs taking transit to work instead of driving? And even that, in the face of industry, transportation pollution is a small piece of the pie. I'm totally onboard with "all the tiny steps matter", I feel deep self-loathing when I forget my coffee mug at home and have to grab a cup because I know it means I'm forgoing a lid, but I'd say thinking keeping your existing bike running for an additional 5 (or 10) years for 'environmental reasons' is broadly similar to thinking Vancouver doing away with drinking straws will fix the Pacific Garbage Patch.
Oh. And Apple didn't invent the tablet.
[https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-visual-proof-of-just-how-badly-microsoft-blew-it-with-tablets-2013-5](https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-visual-proof-of-just-how-badly-microsoft-blew-it-with-tablets-2013-5)
Sincerely,
Grouchy millennial who doesn't like avocados, or lattes. And hasn't had enough coffee today, apparently.
Nov. 2, 2018, 9:53 a.m. - Cooper Quinn
But I also get the discussion that mountain biking is really f-ing expensive, no matter how it shakes out, and that trying to maintain your current aging machine is a challenge. But I mean, honestly, I'm not really sure what can be done about that. As you point out, its fairly unreasonable to expect manufacturers to continue to manufacture everything they ever have. Its unreasonable for anyone to stock eleventy-billion SKUs. And from an engineering standpoint, at some point you have to accept progress via change (which, yes, can be debatable. Boost, anyone?); a change that isn't going to be backwards compatible. At some point, you reach the limit of what can be accomplished by evolution, and have to go for revolution (see: USB-C, and ditching cables entirely. Which, if we're ever going to do, we need to move on from f-ing Bluetooth). And are we willing to accept it? As much as people like to complain about new standards in comments on the internet, look at sales for your possibly unfortunate answer. I think its important to consider as well - does it matter? What's the environmental impact of buying a new bike every few years, vs taking transit to work instead of driving? And even that, in the face of industry, transportation pollution is a small piece of the pie. I'm totally onboard with "all the tiny steps matter", I feel deep self-loathing when I forget my coffee mug at home and have to grab a cup because I know it means I'm forgoing a lid, but I'd say thinking keeping your existing bike running for an additional 5 (or 10) years for 'environmental reasons' is broadly similar to thinking Vancouver doing away with drinking straws will fix the Pacific Garbage Patch. Oh. And Apple didn't invent the tablet. [https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-visual-proof-of-just-how-badly-microsoft-blew-it-with-tablets-2013-5](https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-visual-proof-of-just-how-badly-microsoft-blew-it-with-tablets-2013-5) Sincerely, Grouchy millennial who doesn't like avocados, or lattes. And hasn't had enough coffee today, apparently.