Slightly better!

Bojangle

Slightly! not a word that springs to mind when you are looking to improve on things, would you be happy if someone said ' yes sir get rid of your old bike spend £3500 on a new bike thats 'slightly' better than your old one!! We want 'it's miles better' than your old one. If we take the average mountain bike from the 90's compared to bikes today then they are a better, a lot better, you really notice the difference when riding them, so why are we now putting up with minute tweeks on bikes that are costing us riders lots of money for something that's marginally better. 27'5" is slightly bigger than 26" a 1x11 setup is slightly lighter!!! All of these so called improvements come with a compromise, not to dissimilar to a modern diesel car, yes they now have more performance but they mpg is lower and tax is higher! In a blindfold test (i know!) could we really tell the difference if we were riding 26" or 27.5"?, the weight of a bike with or without a front mech and triple chainset? If we were on a carbon or alloy full susser? i think maybe not. Nearly all of these 'improvements' are a cycle industry's way of saying 'we've hit a brick wall with ideas on how to take the next step, so lets make some stuff we don't really need and tell the public it's the next big thing'. Some people say that fashion trends come around again at some time (i'm still waiting for mens flares to come back!!) it seem's it's happening it the cycle industry as well, back in the late 90's we saw DH bikes with big 3" tires, dropper seat posts in the 90's albeit a lot lower tech and riders wearing day glo!!! It's all come back again. Let's not forget about why we all started riding, the bike we started on, it's all about the ride, the freedom, beating your best time or your mates, just being 'out there'. Don't be fooled by marketing,Love the bike your on and just ride!

JBA

Cool story, bro!

If you don't think new bikes are an improvement then don't buy one. No one is forcing you.

cooldad

My 1996 Kona Explosif, a pretty top end bike at the time cost around £2,000 trended for inflation. I can get a far better bike today for a lot less money.
I love it anyway, but for serious riding I ride a 120mm travel FS 29er. It cost me under £1000 albeit second hand (and basically unused - one of those ride once and park in the shed bikes). It is incomparably better and more competent.

Bojangle

JBA wrote:

Cool story, bro!

If you don't think new bikes are an improvement then don't buy one. No one is forcing you.

I agree with your statement but i WOULD like a new bike but i have lots of 26" and tubes that wouldn't be able to use anymore, and i have three other 26" bikes so would need to check my spare tubes before going for a ride. I'm only 5' 10" so a 29" is out of the question and i like to have a granny gear to go up and a nice big ring up front to get max speed on the downs or flats. So you can my situation! Plus it does feel like i'm being forced to buy a new bike because if the 26" wheel mountain becomes such an outdated bike it would be worth nothing.!

cooldad

Height makes no difference to wheel choice.

Emily Batty is about 5 feet and a ball hair high.

rockmonkeysc

How do you suggest manufacturers make big improvements?
It's the same with performance car and motorcycles. There aren’t big single improvements to be made anymore.
It's small tweeks to lots of different parts. If you buy a new bike every three years, all those minor tweeks combined add up to a decent improvement.
My 2014 Transition Scout is a massive improvement and massively more capable than my 2011 Giant Trance was.

JGTR

Lol I love it when people claim to have uncovered a conspiracy where we are all brainwashed into buying new gear by marketing. Fact is we can spend our money on what we want, we like buying new gear, trying new tech, it's a hobby....we're all aware that marketing is 95% twaddle.

I also think it's rare that people but new bikes every year - that's only sustainable if you earn silly money or get decent trade rate - most like me buy a bike, keep it for a few years, then upgrade - that's when you see the improvements and how all those small advances add up.