dh 29'ers

Posted by: tashi

Okay, you REALLY don't get what I'm trying to get across so you're making some pretty ridiculous assumptions. How angry and rude you are about it is pretty entertaining however.

Big fan of consumption taxes in general and yes we have an impact on climate change, not that that has anything to do with 29" DH bikes...

I'll stop poking the bear now for the sake of keeping things on track.

Don't be a coward and stick to your convictions.  Or concede. 

Pick one.

Posted by: tashi

[...] and yes we have an impact on climate change, not that that has anything to do with 29" DH bikes...

From an environmental context, should I be throwing out a bike per year, or should I strive to maintain the one I have now.

Posted by: Lowcard

The move to bigger wheels is to gain an advantage. That's it. It is no different than more powerful brakes or grippier tires. Once the whole field has to adapt to keep up (and they will), then the next advancement to shave time will sought out.

I would go as far as to say that 29'ers are best suited for downhill racing. Courses are fast and rough and that's where bigger diameter wheels excel.

exactly. i heartily welcome our large wheeled overlords.

also: danny hart now on board:

Posted by: tashi

• To me WC DH is best when they can go as fast as possible on the best bikes the industry can come up with. Obviously there need to be some technical restrictions but I don't think wheel size would be one of them. As a spectator I'll take 2017 DH over Kamakazie-era DH and I think the riders will too.  If they're faster on niners I wanna see them race on niners. 

• As a rider, for myself, I've been able to deal with the standards changing quite easily and still ride XT/XTR level kit. If I rode DH I'd have been forced onto 650b pretty soon if not already.   If I "actually rode" like 'ol Million Foot ReductiMat, I'd flip bikes every year before they loose value or require major service. Any maintainence items required over the year would be current. IME once you start putting on a certain amount of time on a bike it's a waste of money to go through major maintenance cycles - just flip frequently.

You make assumptions that every rider can afford a new whip every other year. From my groups of friends its certainly not the case. But I'm stoked for you that you are loaded.

not too surprisingly, gee is running one at bds as well:

There's another elephant that needs to be addressed, maybe via a separate thread.  Boost 20, is it a 20x110mm axle but with wider flange like Boost 15, or something completely different?

Surprised Danny doesn't look out of place on that bike

yep. pushing the flanges out 5mm each side, and moving the brake mount accordingly.

Loving how the big wheels look on these bikes.

Posted by: Kieran

Posted by: tashi

• To me WC DH is best when they can go as fast as possible on the best bikes the industry can come up with. Obviously there need to be some technical restrictions but I don't think wheel size would be one of them. As a spectator I'll take 2017 DH over Kamakazie-era DH and I think the riders will too.  If they're faster on niners I wanna see them race on niners. 

• As a rider, for myself, I've been able to deal with the standards changing quite easily and still ride XT/XTR level kit. If I rode DH I'd have been forced onto 650b pretty soon if not already.   If I "actually rode" like 'ol Million Foot ReductiMat, I'd flip bikes every year before they loose value or require major service. Any maintainence items required over the year would be current. IME once you start putting on a certain amount of time on a bike it's a waste of money to go through major maintenance cycles - just flip frequently.

You make assumptions that every rider can afford a new whip every other year. From my groups of friends its certainly not the case. But I'm stoked for you that you are loaded.

This is a strategy that worked for me when I was at my poorest, and at the same time riding the most. If you're destroying kit and riding a tonne you're either spending a bunch maintining for a few years or flipping annually. IME flipping annually costs less, when you're tearing through parts.

I don't agree. Flipping would be way more expensive for me. Total cost of running a bike over a season $400 max unless I was really unlucky.  You lose way more than that selling.

I bummed. I finally just got a new DH bike and now its worth way less in just over 2 weeks.

If you're pulling in a million vert feet a year no way $400 will get you through a season. A proper fork and shock service will run you to that budget already if not more.

My new to me fully/park bike is a 3 year old Norco, 26" wheels and all. I'll ride it into the ground because I bought it for so cheap, thanks to these new standards, and locals here especially of tend to love the latest and greatest. No skin off my back, I'll buy their gently experienced gear for pennies on the dollar.

UFO gets what I'm getting at.

You can actually make money if you luck into a good deal and sell pretty quick.

Hold and maintain works for me now, and with a bit of thinking the changing standards have been totally manageable.

Posted by: Kieran

I don't agree. Flipping would be way more expensive for me. Total cost of running a bike over a season $400 max unless I was really unlucky.  You lose way more than that selling.

I bummed. I finally just got a new DH bike and now its worth way less in just over 2 weeks.

Why is your bike worth less than before 29" race bikes hit the market?  I'd expect that 29" wheels will be an option, not a replacement for 650b, along the lines of what Specialized and Norco do for many of their bikes.