2012 predictions

ilovedirt

As northwind said, a million new, 'better' and 'innovative' standards will be launched, none of which i will buy into because:
a) they're under-developed and still crap
b) they're not even a good idea, let alone better
c) they're better, but the differences are so minute, only a pro racer will really notice the difference
d) if it aint broke, don't fix it. I'm happy with my 20mm front hub, my 1.1/8" steerer, my external headset, my 6 bolt brake rotors and my 135mm wide hubs.

supersonic

d) if it aint broke, don't fix it. I'm happy with my 20mm front hub, my 1.1/8" steerer, my external headset, my 6 bolt brake rotors and my 135mm wide hubs

While I agree (and I use 9mmqr!), people were saying the same about 1 inch threaded steerers, canti brakes and 126mm spacings lol. How day they bring V brakes out?!

Anonymous

Nobody EVER said Cantis were fine, or that quill stems were great. We just didn't have any option. I remember actually thinking that both were a load of crap.

supersonic

There were a few camps that did when threadless and Vs come out lol. Remember this even as late as 1998 when I started at a bike shop. Generally beardies though hehe.

Anonymous

Can I just add "sane" into the first sentence of my post then?

jay12

saint will probably go 10 speed, probably won't change look wise

i can see more 1x9 and 1x10 drivetrains as standard to buy and on bikes

marzocchi look like they will impress like they did back in the good ol' 07

more 29ers

more dh races and courses

hope and superstar will extend their range

choosing bike parts will get so confusing that people will want to buy off the shelve bikes more often

as said before more "standards" which are really not needed

Shaggy_Dog

Bars will get wider, stems will get shorter.

100-120mm bikes will get stiffer and move away from old school XC geometry, becoming the go-to travel category for skilled riders.

29ers will grow big-time in the UK, in the states there will be more all-mountain 29ers. No-one will have the balls to import them.

Everything will have a tapered head tube.

Many independant bike shops will be forced to close down because of fierce internet competition

supersonic

I've heard RS are going to push the SID further - more travel seems on the cards, with a 29er option.

I just don't get it. While the Rev is 150mm at the min, it is no heavier than a Reba... so why not lighten the Reba and keep the SID like it always was: a superlight, race fork.

More is better it as it has been for ages with forks, but the RS range will get even more confusing it seems...

P-Jay

I'm going to also add:

Hope will realease a pedal...


Mostly because they tweeted a picture of one being machined by them..

Anonymous

P-Jay wrote:

I'm going to also add:

Hope will realease a pedal...


Mostly because they tweeted a picture of one being machined by them..

And maybe a transmission.

RevellRider

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

Many independant bike shops will be forced to close down because of fierce internet competition

They will if the government scrap the CTW scheme

allthegearnoidea

RevellRider wrote:

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

Many independant bike shops will be forced to close down because of fierce internet competition

They will if the government scrap the CTW scheme

has been recommended by a couple of the government tax department that cycle to work Is kept,

fingers crossed!!

Herbie The Dog

MBUK/MBR/WMB will try and persuade us to all buy new bikes because the ones we have are crap as the bars aren't wide enough.

Crank Bros will release more really good looking kit with one major flaw...it will need servicing after every 3 mins of use.

CRC will continue to sell components cheaper than the LBS's can get them at cost.

ATB/Whyte will sort out the supply (and graphics) issues affecting the 146.

Someone somewhere will come up with yet another BB size/variation.

I will take the plunge, give up the office job and coach/guide full time.

thisuldo

Herbie The Dog wrote:

ATB/Whyte will sort out the supply (and graphics) issues affecting the 146.

Think you might have to wait till 2013, but don't forget the world ends in 2012....

bluechair84

thisuldo wrote:

Herbie The Dog wrote:

ATB/Whyte will sort out the supply (and graphics) issues affecting the 146.

Think you might have to wait till 2013, but don't forget the world ends in 2012....

I'm willing to bet the end of the world coincides with the second crashing of the BR forum

mac_man

yeehaamcgee wrote:

P-Jay wrote:

I'm going to also add:

Hope will realease a pedal...


Mostly because they tweeted a picture of one being machined by them..

And maybe a transmission.

They should make a Union flag design pedal. That would be mint. Only available in red white or blue :-).

Apparently Hope have given up on building a complete bike (for the time being anyhoo).
They don't do tubing in-house so wouldn't be able to control the product quality as they would like. Ditto bars and seat posts.

I would love to see them doing a full transmission and control set. All nicely colour co-ordinated. Mmmmm....

Thewaylander

Hope quality control? fricken shocker! i didnt realize they did that :P

RevellRider

mac man wrote:

They don't do tubing in-house so wouldn't be able to control the product quality as they would like. Ditto bars and seat posts.

No seatpost?

http://www.hopetech.com/page.aspx?itemID=SPG69

mac_man

LOL... my bad. I was only repeating some of the stuff my local shop had told me. They'd been talking with the guys at Hope recently. Dey musta got confuzzled. Or i did. They were basically saying they wouldn't be doing formed tubing. I guess seatposts are a bit simpler :-)

supersonic

Hope don't forge parts, nor can form tubing. What they do do of course is CNC bits.

cooldad

supersonic wrote:

Hope don't forge parts, nor can form tubing. What they do do of course is CNC bits of cheese.

FTFY

Anonymous

supersonic wrote:

Hope don't forge parts, nor can form tubing. What they do do of course is CNC bits.

Hence the CNC crank arms.
I don't care how blingy they are though, it's going to take a hell of a setup to convince me to switch from Hollowtech II

bobpzero

hope wont be doing centre lock hubs and rotors anytime soon. so the end of the world will need to be put off for at least another 50years

jay12

yeehaamcgee wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Hope don't forge parts, nor can form tubing. What they do do of course is CNC bits.

Hence the CNC crank arms.
I don't care how blingy they are though, it's going to take a hell of a setup to convince me to switch from Hollowtech II

true that. especially shimano saint! *drool*

Anonymous

I have Saints and SLX, Jay. But it's not that they're droolworthy, it's just that they are so very very well designed.

legin

steve peat will retire from competitive downhill
long travel hardtails will become more favourable as the budget cuts in
carbon frames will become more popular
gee atherton will win the downhill world cup

Northwind

legin wrote:

gee atherton will win the downhill world cup

You missed a prediction there, before that can happen you need "Sam Hill will spend half the season injured"

bobpzero

Northwind wrote:

legin wrote:

gee atherton will win the downhill world cup

You missed a prediction there, before that can happen you need "Sam Hill will spend the 2nd half of the season injured"

fixed it
and greg minnaar will have to crash, on his practice run.

Shaggy_Dog

RevellRider wrote:

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

Many independant bike shops will be forced to close down because of fierce internet competition

They will if the government scrap the CTW scheme

Arguably CTW is more trouble than it's worth

bails87

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

RevellRider wrote:

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

Many independant bike shops will be forced to close down because of fierce internet competition

They will if the government scrap the CTW scheme

Arguably CTW is more trouble than it's worth

Who for? Companies, employees or bike shops?