Is there a real upgrade path from the current "top end" bikes?

[Halo1]

I thought it was just me that found the feel of the XT 11 speed stuff pretty disappointing. I have a combination of 9 and 10 speed set ups running on the family’s fleet of bikes and recently went XT 11 Speed. I do prefer the 1x set up and the gear range is good but the clicks are just not what they use to be as it shifts.

The Sram x9 9 speed has had the best feel for me so far. If only someone would make a wide range 9 speed cassette, I would have it back on the bike in a flash.

I value upgrades in terms of how much more fun it will make my Bike(s) and in some cases going backwards to a ridged fork on my HT made it a different kind of fun

Going 10 to 11 speeds really made no difference. The fork and shock upgrade on my bike made a huge difference in the fun factor.

I am not convinced things like electronic shifting will make a bike more fun but it will perform better I guess.

After riding a Spesh Levo at a recent demo day I think pedal assist will be the next big thing once the batteries and motor parts can lose a bit of the bulkiness. The bike was just a different kind of fun and will open up the sport in a huge way.

Sorry in advance if this opens up a can of worms. There will always be a rusty single speed for all the pure traditionalist out there.

 

[Asininedrivel]

Cracked record here...

when they sort the bottom bracket mounted gearbox... mountain bikes will rise up from the derailleur dark age.

Mmmmm yes. The idea of hanging your bike's gearbox off one of the most vulnerable parts of the bike doesn't seem all that smart.

When you look at how much the mtb industry has evolved in the last 3-4 years, I think we've got several years of fairly substantial changes to come before everyone calms down. Suspension and frame design will continue to hurtle along, perhaps to the point where we're all getting around on 60 degree HA bikes that pedal perfectly well and even slice through the twisty stuff, whilst still annihilating anything vaguely descendy in an orgy of fun.

More immediate and incremental improvements will probably be with wheels - I think there's a lot further we can go there if the likes of Bouwmeester Composites are onto something (and by all accounts they certainly appear to be). Perhaps a more widespread use of coil shocks too...

 

[The Duckmeister]

Probably, I often wonder if we are in control of that path or is the intent of the people designing it for us 'good'? Dunno. Then I wonder what's the % of people who actually need the upgrade vs. aspirational rider, pointless questions but I'm guessing pretty low. E.g. Maybe BNG (bold new graphics) would do for 75% of people or an equivalent easy sell on the benefits of the new model, until the industry decides what new direction to take us on if not already decided.

I have to agree with just about everything said.The bike industry truly is capitalism at work.

It isn't limited to the bike industry. Any technical industry whose purpose is to make stuff needs to continually develop new stuff to remain competitive and viable in their chosen field. Whether those developments are actually useful, necessary or even "better" (the last point being particularly subjective, as different people will have different ideas of what's good or not) is a moot point.

 

[schred]

It isn't limited to the bike industry. Any technical industry whose purpose is to make stuff needs to continually develop new stuff to remain competitive and viable in their chosen field. Whether those developments are actually useful, necessary or even "better" (the last point being particularly subjective, as different people will have different ideas of what's good or not) is a moot point.

Well said, although I'd argue it's presently more sales and marketing based than technical; 99% of time things are not sold on their properties or qualified performance but rather what impression the buyer thinks it might do for them. There's something immature about the mtb industry given the cost of these bikes and speed of changes in non-specific performance improvements that feels like it needs an awakening moment to say people this isn't sustainable. Maybe a decline in sales YoY for a few years to mark the peak will be the catalyst, but until then.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Whether those developments are actually useful, necessary or even "better" (the last point being particularly subjective, as different people will have different ideas of what's good or not) is a moot point.

It is just different and helps sales people sell the same thing as before just 'better' which is sales speak for 'different' many times.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Well said, although I'd argue it's presently more sales and marketing based than technical; 99% of time things are not sold on their properties or qualified performance but rather what impression the buyer thinks it might do for them. There's something immature about the mtb industry given the cost of these bikes and speed of changes in non-specific performance improvements that feels like it needs an awakening moment to say people this isn't sustainable. Maybe a decline in sales YoY for a few years to mark the peak will be the catalyst, but until then.

It is just different and helps sales people sell the same thing as before just 'better' which is sales speak for 'different' many times.

The car industry would be a prime parallel; like clockwork every four years they trot out a "new & improved" model, but really does it do anything other than distract the numbskull driver any better than something made 20 or 25 years ago?

 

[link1896]

The car industry would be a prime parallel; like clockwork every four years they trot out a "new & improved" model, but really does it do anything other than distract the numbskull driver any better than something made 20 or 25 years ago?

Worse now, mates in engineering at a few notable manufacturers tell me they are now engineering for even shorter life, and solving everything with electronics.

 

[wesdadude]

The car industry would be a prime parallel; like clockwork every four years they trot out a "new & improved" model, but really does it do anything other than distract the numbskull driver any better than something made 20 or 25 years ago?

Cars did get better through the early and mid 2000s in terms of becoming safer (much better for the occupants in the event of a collision) and more fuel efficient compared to much older cars. Newer cars however, don't seem to offer much of a worthwhile improvement, it's all big heavy living rooms on wheels these days.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Cars did get better through the early and mid 2000s in terms of becoming safer (much better for the occupants in the event of a collision)....

Really? Drivers are still killing people at much the same rate now as they were then. Although there's in all probability a distinct correlation between improving car safety and worsening driver safety..... But that's a topic for another thread.

 

[John U]

Next evolution will be smaller and more efficient batteries and motors for pedal assist mountain bikes (seat tube battery, bottom bracket motor). They will end up indistinguishable from non assisted mountain bikes. When this occurs the floodgates will open.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Next evolution will be smaller and more efficient batteries and motors for pedal assist mountain bikes (seat tube battery, bottom bracket motor).

Good points, but like most tech gadgets the battery is still the limiting factor. I'll put a pre-requisite in there that this will take off once battery technology reaches the top of its curve and hopefully less proprietary to suit a certain gadget / battery pack form factor as in the world of battery powered garden tools where every manufacturer looks to have the same but different.

 

[schred]

Good points, but like most tech gadgets the battery is still the limiting factor. I'll put a pre-requisite in there that this will take off once battery technology reaches the top of its curve and hopefully less proprietary to suit a certain gadget / battery pack form factor as in the world of battery powered garden tools where every manufacturer looks to have the same but different.

Did somebody just mention an opportunity for a new standard?

 

[Mr Crudley]

The good thing with standards is that there are so many to choose from

Sent from my PDP-11 with typos and bad grammar courtesy of Tapatalk

 

[rowdyflat]

As leaps in technology are fairly random, the future is notoriously difficult to predict.
However I have to agree with John U battery powered bikes are in the future.
Reason= everyone wants to go faster w less effort, they can be ideal for commuting and easily recharged at work and for countries with huge hills eg Switzerland people are already using them a lot for biking.

 

[Tubbsy]

I think digital interfaces, like the Di2 thing will make a fair bit of progress, and everything will end up wireless.

I know you can already get a wireless dropper (fugly) from Magura, but within the next five years I wouldn't be surprised if all shifting, and suspension, dropper adjustment etc will end up smartphone controlled.

With internal brake routing we'll end up with some pretty elegant, minimalist looking bikes.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Lets hope that they think about common bike interface protocols. It would be super if shimano shifting system only interops with shimano and likewise for Sram, campag and everyone else. I'll throw $50 on the table now saying it won't and we hear words like 'seamless' and 'experience' as the mantra to buy all of one system. All sounds good but have a charged battery as a prerequsite for a ride potentially sounds like a royal PITA.

Sent from my PDP-11 with typos and bad grammar courtesy of Tapatalk

 

[Paulie_AU]

The less shit I need to worry about being charged to go riding the better. I have no desire for electric shifting and have avoided it on last two roadie purchases.

I can see how great e bike can be for commuting for people who have a long commute or are unfit and want a more active lifestyle.

 

[golden path]

More durable lightweight tyres.

 

[Flow-Rider]

The less shit I need to worry about being charged to go riding the better. I have no desire for electric shifting and have avoided it on last two roadie purchases.

Me too, I'm sure it's got its place but not on my bikes.