#!markdown
Are the ever-changing MTB 'standards' a measure of 'design maturity',
'tradition' or 'naïve consumers'? With the exception of the burst of bottom
bracket 'standards' a few years back, road bike design has remained relatively
the same - double diamond frame, 9mm QR. Granted, companies are now pushing
thru-axels, disc brakes and 1x drivetrains …. sounds familiar. Cyclocross is
an interesting case study - disc brakes are far more common in North America
but even US pros (who are quoted as pro-disc … looking at you J-Pow) ride
cantilevers when in Europe. Euros (for the most part - unless the bike
supplier no longer offers a canti option - e.g. Giant/Liv), are still racing
cantis. Rather than finding new customers, seems the current approach is to
shear all existing riders again for a 'necessary upgrade'.
March 24, 2015, 2:38 p.m. - YYC
#!markdown Are the ever-changing MTB 'standards' a measure of 'design maturity', 'tradition' or 'naïve consumers'? With the exception of the burst of bottom bracket 'standards' a few years back, road bike design has remained relatively the same - double diamond frame, 9mm QR. Granted, companies are now pushing thru-axels, disc brakes and 1x drivetrains …. sounds familiar. Cyclocross is an interesting case study - disc brakes are far more common in North America but even US pros (who are quoted as pro-disc … looking at you J-Pow) ride cantilevers when in Europe. Euros (for the most part - unless the bike supplier no longer offers a canti option - e.g. Giant/Liv), are still racing cantis. Rather than finding new customers, seems the current approach is to shear all existing riders again for a 'necessary upgrade'.