Sure, there are more niches or subcategories than ever, but bikes are also _so much more versatile than ever_. This is good news - we can have more fun, in more places, on fewer bikes. My gravel bike does road better than any of my old road bikes, and does boring Mt. Tam singletrack better than my overgunned enduro bike. My overgunned 170mm enduro bike pedals better than any of my old trail bikes, and does downhill almost as well as my old DH bikes. The newest gen of 150mm, slacked out trail bikes are even more versatile and basically can ride anything off-road from rolling XC to DH park, and still make it fun (if not competitive).
It's pretty easy to have two bikes (say, a rigid Grizl and a Stumpy Evo) and be able to have fun and keep pace on any surface in the world (short of snow or sand). That's rad.
Side note - the ski world has paralleled this. My 108s can cover everything from railing groomers to powder in the trees and are light enough for BC. Still need two pairs of boots/bindings to get what I really want both in resort (boot stiffness, safety) and BC (lightweight, articulation), but can ski essentially the same planks x 2, so I'm never having to relearn.
June 11, 2022, 3:44 p.m. - ohio
Sure, there are more niches or subcategories than ever, but bikes are also _so much more versatile than ever_. This is good news - we can have more fun, in more places, on fewer bikes. My gravel bike does road better than any of my old road bikes, and does boring Mt. Tam singletrack better than my overgunned enduro bike. My overgunned 170mm enduro bike pedals better than any of my old trail bikes, and does downhill almost as well as my old DH bikes. The newest gen of 150mm, slacked out trail bikes are even more versatile and basically can ride anything off-road from rolling XC to DH park, and still make it fun (if not competitive). It's pretty easy to have two bikes (say, a rigid Grizl and a Stumpy Evo) and be able to have fun and keep pace on any surface in the world (short of snow or sand). That's rad. Side note - the ski world has paralleled this. My 108s can cover everything from railing groomers to powder in the trees and are light enough for BC. Still need two pairs of boots/bindings to get what I really want both in resort (boot stiffness, safety) and BC (lightweight, articulation), but can ski essentially the same planks x 2, so I'm never having to relearn.