Why did they go … (Middleburn, PACE, onZa, IRD, Kirk, Bullseye, etc)

[hookooekoo]

Marketing and the fact that the overall cycling industry turned into some weird form of monoculture. Sure, there's still developments and new proprietary standards being pushed, but it's being pushed by big names who know how to solidify their products on the market, hence standard changes in the current industry are far more sudden and seems to sweep the consumers like a fecking hurricane. There's little time for consumers to actually develop a feel for the tech. The days of constant experimentation and smaller, independent product design are gone. Because the industry seeks to destroy it.

I suppose it could be argued that since Mountain Biking became a big thing in the world of cycling, there hasn't really been an equivalent seismic event since then. When a sport or a subdivision of a sport is new, then it's fertile ground for cottage industries to spring up with new ideas. Once the sport matures the big corporations take over everything, and you need a much bigger investment to make an impact.

I'm struggling to think of anything since the late 80s and early 90s that has had a similar impact to Mountain Biking:

Fat bikes? No, they were only ever going to appeal to a small niche
Gravel bikes? No, they just look like rebadged cyclocross to me
E-bikes? Perhaps, but I don't know enough about this area to know whether a cottage industry of e-bike parts is springing up. I suspect not, as the large manufacturers already seem to be all over it, and many parts probably come from China, where it helps to have financial clout and experience of striking deals and importing from China.

For me, the biggest surprise is that SRAM managed to become big enough to compete with Shimano. After Suntour's demise I thought it would forever be a Shimano monopoly. I guess SRAM must have had a lot of financial backing to make inroads into Shimano's dominance.

 

[Imlach]

I suppose it could be argued that since Mountain Biking became a big thing in the world of cycling, there hasn't really been an equivalent seismic event since then. When a sport or a subdivision of a sport is new, then it's fertile ground for cottage industries to spring up with new ideas. Once the sport matures the big corporations take over everything, and you need a much bigger investment to make an impact.

I'm struggling to think of anything since the late 80s and early 90s that has had a similar impact to Mountain Biking:

Fat bikes? No, they were only ever going to appeal to a small niche
Gravel bikes? No, they just look like rebadged cyclocross to me
E-bikes? Perhaps, but I don't know enough about this area to know whether a cottage industry of e-bike parts is springing up. I suspect not, as the large manufacturers already seem to be all over it, and many parts probably come from China, where it helps to have financial clout and experience of striking deals and importing from China.

For me, the biggest surprise is that SRAM managed to become big enough to compete with Shimano. After Suntour's demise I thought it would forever be a Shimano monopoly. I guess SRAM must have had a lot of financial backing to make inroads into Shimano's dominance.

Head on the nail or nail on the head?

Listen to this guy he said what I wanted to say, now... deep breath.... drink!

 

[Imlach]

The only place e-bikes are going is into the bin

(unless somebody wants to donate a very high end e-mountain bike to me)

 

[2manyoranges]

Yes all good stuff - but where are the Stories?? Any recollections of conversations as to why Keith B gave it up? Why Gary Klein lost it all? …

 

[LeeDevelopment]

Flipside..... there are some amazing tiny one-man bike companies in the UK right now; Rideworks, BTR, Coal Bikes are just three of them, and long may they continue.

 

[FluffyChicken]

You could watch Grayson Bain's YouTube videos and maybe the linkedin too, probably very similar for other companies, since most 'went' about the same time and well this was one of the earliest companies to startup BiTD

https://youtube.com/channel/UCOG7a1q0V_1O9-w4zbMuEig
Just a small insight...

 

[clubby]

Flipside..... there are some amazing tiny one-man bike companies in the UK right now; Rideworks, BTR, Coal Bikes are just three of them, and long may they continue.

In the case of BTR that might not be for long. Thread of Singletrack back in March saying no one had ordered a frame in 6 months and the build queue was down to 6 bikes.

 

[wynne]

https://factoryjackson.com/tag/rex-trimnell/
X-lite made some great products. I still use their skewers on my cross bike. As i understand Rex Trimnell was the innovator and when he died his son Alex decided to focus on cleaning products. A lot cheaper to make i guess and with some clever marketing hugely more profitable.