State of the industry: a running thread

[synchronicity]

The retro grouch is strong in this one.

Some of the retro-grouches of today were the early adopters of yesteryear.

 

[d8mok]

Every March for the last maybe 10 years or so I’ve taken my summer bikes from hibernation, and got them ready for the upcoming summer. Usually this meant new brake cable inners , gear inners and maybe a quick grease of the bearings and a fettle round.

But now …. I just pump the tyres up and make sure the batteries are charged.

Gears and brakes work flawlessly, bearings are still smooth etc.

You can’t beat technology but you can moan about it

 

[bikeworkshop]

I find it interesting that it's rare for external forces (eg govt) to try to standardise the bike industry. Possibly, it is seen as too small.

The bike industry used to be a lot more standard - isn't this a theme on this thread?

Bsa bbs,
headset threads at 1", 24tpi,
tyre sizes, saddle fitting, handlebars, bowden cable pull, diameter,
plenty of it.

Small companies with engineering facilities made the components. they needed to sell their parts far and wide, and setting up production would have cost a fortune.

The history of bike standardisation is fascinating, mostly between 1890 and 1920.

There's still a lot of "standardisation", although we now see bikes with brand (and almost model) specific chainsets, fork, stem and seatposts.


Almost always high end
"dentists bikes"

 

[benjabbi]

At points in the past people moaned about 'new' technology and standards that they deemed unnecessary, that very same tech that the retro grouches hold dear now. It is what it is, stuff moves on, you don't have to buy it. Older stuff is still supported. Some seem desperate to hang onto the fact that it was 'better in their day'. Some of it probably was, some of it definitely isn't. One thing's for sure, you won't stop it by bitching on the internet. Just accept it, ignore what you don't like and carry on as you were.

 

[benjabbi]

There has and always will be proprietary stuff. It is what it is.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Mostly to be found at the top of the consumer tree.
Standardisation helps economy.
Proprietary helps the Showpiece.

Aren't we all guilty of being drawn to unusual components of the recent past?

I've got a cinelli arte stem for crying out loud.
And it's a 26.4 bar clamp
Non-standardisation that's so subtle.
That's what I like

 

[al-onestare]

At points in the past people moaned about 'new' technology and standards that they deemed unnecessary, that very same tech that the retro grouches hold dear now. It is what it is, stuff moves on, you don't have to buy it. Older stuff is still supported. Some seem desperate to hang onto the fact that it was 'better in their day'. Some of it probably was, some of it definitely isn't. One thing's for sure, you won't stop it by bitching on the internet. Just accept it, ignore what you don't like and carry on as you were.

That's far too sensible a post for the past few pages.

He's right of course

 

[synchronicity]

At points in the past people moaned about 'new' technology and standards that they deemed unnecessary, that very same tech that the retro grouches hold dear now. It is what it is, stuff moves on, you don't have to buy it. Older stuff is still supported. Some seem desperate to hang onto the fact that it was 'better in their day'. Some of it probably was, some of it definitely isn't. One thing's for sure, you won't stop it by bitching on the internet. Just accept it, ignore what you don't like and carry on as you were.

Nobody is stopping you from starting a "isn't modern technology wonderful!?" type of thread.

I used to embrace a lot of new stuff. A lot. Always got the latest number of speeds, bought the top kit in the early 2000's (record), then again more recently. Super record 12 speed levers + RD. But only the mechanical version.

But I look around at my bikes now, and it just seems I've been had.
I've got 650c wheels on one bike, my "best bike". I was an early adopter of a different standard. See what happened?
Where can you get 650c sized stuff now today? Good luck with that!

And then after that whole experience I thought: "AHA!! I've learned my lesson on new wheel sizes; stick with the majority 26" sized wheels! This 27.5er thing will never catch on!". And then look what happened. I got fucked over a second time. Try buying a slick folding in 26" today, try. Or even a decent knobbly tyre come to think of it. I don't think my local bike shops stocks anything in 26" anymore. Not a single thing. Hasn't for some time.

Now fair enough, 29" fits taller riders better than 26" wheels. Okay, that's true. But where can you buy a 26" new wheelset today for a small- to mid-sized rider? They aren't selling them! They used to BE the standard! It's ridiculous is what it is! And when I see 12 year old kids riding around on 29ers that just don't fit properly, well, it reminds me of my first bike, a hand-me-down mens 10 speed racer that was WAY too big for me to ride safely.

I'm not liking the whole 1x thing either. Worse gear jumps than before!
I never fully understood this when I was young, when faced with two cassette choices I always got the wider-range cassette.
Always wanted the smallest 11T sprocket. Didn't give a toss about what was in the middle of the cassette, only what was at both ends.
And that approach is fine for mountains. But for flatlanders, not so great.

So with that said, it doesn't make sense that even a lowly 6 speed corncob cassette had both 16T and 18T cogs, and most modern 12 speed stuff doesn't. Now I kind of entered the game at 7 speed and promptly moved up to 8 speed... so 6 speed is a bit before my time... but I won't adopt 1x on anything other than a downhill bike until they are at 15 speed. When I get my 16T and 18T cogs back. And I'm sure by then hub gears and gearboxes will be the in thing.

So with some things, such as modern suspension, I'm all for it. it is better.
But I don't really like the modern cassette choices.
Plus loads of stuff is more expensive, not made of exotic materials, AND it weighs more than before. No thanks.

 

[bikeworkshop]

I asked the Marin frame designer why 1x?
He said: 1x liberates frame design, relevant to full sus.

Gear steps aren't that important to offroaders.

On a touring geometry style bike there's a tube there already you probably don't want to get rid of, where you can easily mount a derailleur, so you can manage a wide range with smallish steps and cheaper components.
We usually set up custom touring bikes with a compact double and 11-40 on the back. Triple can still be done but offers a few niggles.

 

[benjabbi]

Shimano and SRAM 12 speed mtb cassettes both have 16 and 18t sprockets, in fact both of them have a standard 7 speed 12-28 cassette within those 12 sprockets. Shimano = 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-33-39-45-51