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Big Bike Brands Are All Changing, Here's Why! | GCN Tech Show 326
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- Опубликовано: 10 авг 2024
- BIG changes are coming for bike brands, we discuss what that looks like for bike companies and us! In HOT Tech this week, we discuss Storck newest bike, new ECO-friendly undied kit from AGU, titanium water bottles, and speedy tyres made from fish nets and soya beans!
Welcome to GCN Tech 0:00
Big brands are changing 0:34
Hot & Spicy Tech 11:11
Comments of the week 21:51
Bike vault 25:22
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What do you think about the range of bikes available these days? Confusing or something for everyone? 😵💫
Both. I think the websites should ask customer for what they want and give couple them couple options. That way we could still have alot of bikes and it wouldn't be as confusing.
If folks have money for custom paint, they probably have money for a modern disc brake equipped model.
If you look at automotive or tools (say hi to Si👋) you would find bike brands don't have that much of models. But there are definetely too few big brands and proper conglomerates besides PON and too many independent or seemingly independent manufacturers with shareholders in something way outside cycling or sport in general. Also, models are updated too often by too small of a margin.
Confusing. I'm trying to get into cycling again after a long time and anytime I visit a manufacturers website/shop I don't know what's what. Maybe I'm too much of a simpleton, but feels as complicated as ordering at starbucks.
Lesser models will reduce the costs and hopefully that shows off in the prices. If they also sell bare frames, people still can build a bike with the groupset and wheels they prefer.
Bike brands should lower the price for good entry level bikes and lower the price for mid tier bikes. Whenever i try to introduce biking for someone they all say the same, i would love to start but its to expensive. If the entry level to good bikes are lower more will start biking and then start buying the more expensive bikes. 15k for a bike is just ridiculous
It can be an expensive sport to get into. Have you ever recommended secondhand bikes to your buddies? A video like this might help 👉ruclips.net/video/W6jDWaruzZ0/видео.html
if people should consider secondhand as a entry level, its not a healthy model
@@gcntech yea, a second hand bike in Sweden is around 1k. My friends and I are in our thirties. I've been riding for years but for someone who just bought a house or is expecting a child it's still expensive if you just want to try it out and people would rather start with a new bike than an old one.
Decathlon is taking action 🎉
@@buggen819 I got in the industry in 2005. Entry level road bikes from all the big manufacturers were $700-800. They all have a $999.999 bike now, and they're significantly better than those $700 bikes. That's not much inflation in nearly 20yrs. They also barely made any money on those bikes 20yrs ago and make even less now
If I had to wear white bib shorts, I would literally dye.
(I actually appreciate that they are exploring more sustainable options)
😅
What is you won the world champs? 👀
Loved that one 👍👍
What colour?
Thank you Ollie for your proper technical and scientific evaluation of the undyed bib shorts at 14:30. You had the courage to utter what everyone was thinking.
Watching these two turn into Beavis and Butthead at the mention of "fishnet". He he he. 😆
Children! 🤣
Pricing is the main sticking point and marketing drives me mad claiming that don't stack up
especially when you that bikes 3x cost perform like cheaper ones, so its just elitist priced things. Even midrange things like bike with 105 groupset look like high-end thingy, the thing you should make effort to afford. Well. Have your warehouse full of bikes than
This is partly why Shimano bought out the CUES system one Derailleur and chain that can work across 8,9 and 10 speed, just swap the shifter and cassette. Simplifies the stock they need to hold and supply and ultimately benefits the consumer
Sounds like a great system 👌 Would you run CUES on your bike?
@@gcntechisn't the idea that they will bring out a drop-bar version to eventually replace Claris, Sora and Tiagra? I think it makes to simplify things and means the customer can easily swap components - e.g moving from 8 to 10 speed doesn't need a new deraileur. From what I've heard Linkglide greatly increases component life too.
Aka a mixed groupset. Nothing new.
@@EpeP-qs9xb no, it is different. They are making just one chain and derailleur that works across 9, 10 and 11 speed in the CUES system.
My desire for any new bike is severely diminished by the industry abandonment of high end rim brake options, ...and all the other 'improvements' that make maintenance difficult.
Interesting, how about going for a high end second hand bike? 🚲 Some great rim brake bargains out there
Time still makes rim brake frames too. I think the brands that "know" that putting disc brakes on a road bike was just a marketing stunt to sell gullable customers a new bike, but a step backwards from an engineering perspective, are still offering rim brakes because they know that savvy performance focused customers will continue to buy them
If you want a great rim brake bike - you’re relegated to the second hand market.
There are more rim brake enthousiast than industry will admit
@@beeldpuntXVI if that were true - there would be more brands offering them because the competition amongst OEM’s is fierce.
One way bike brands can reduce costs is by not ramming new, unnecessary, incompatible, expensive, so called "tech" down our throats every freaking year.
What sort of tech do you think is unnecessary? ⚙
@@gcntech Mostly anything integrated and proprietary such as seat posts and headsets/stems, internal cable routing, hookless rims, any frame that doesn't fit a bottom bracket correctly or that needs to be sanded, grinded, bored out, or reamed to be able to get a component to fit, epoxy/carbon dropouts, disc brakes only, and to a lesser extent epoxy/carbon frames and wheels although that's more of a preference thing.
I deleted my dropper post a few months ago. I don’t miss it at all and appreciate the weight savings. (I ride primarily XC)
18:31 full Beavis and Butthead moment here 😂
A 'good' aero bike is lightweight, and somewhat comfortable - but not for 6 hours+. What needs to happen is mass customisation. Like options of bar width, stem length, crank length, tyre width, seat, casette......just as you said 🙂
That would be great wouldn't it, would that mean that shops have to offer free bike fitting as part of the purchase? 👀
@@gcntechwhat would be excellent is if shops could maybe charge for a bike fitting and then attribute some of that as a deposit on a new bike
I agree! I just had a bike fit and then bought a new Roubaix for $3500 and then had to promptly replace the stem, handlebars, saddle, and cranks (including the bottom bracket, spindle and spider… needed for my super-short cranks) to make it fit. Perhaps I should have just ordered the frame! 😅
@@gcntechA basic "fit cycle" shouldn't be too difficult, nor time consuming, to setup for a potential customer, in order to get a better idea of frame size and stem length/height. If a full blown RETUL fit is $300 (where I aggravated a knee injury on the first ride following), a bike shop could eat the cost of the time spent on a basic setup, if they're selling a $4k - $15k bike, vs. "just asking how tall the buyer is, and using the manufacturers' chart recommendations".
I don't buy a new bike just bought a new groupset recently as crank length, stem length and bar width need to be customisable to make a new bike worth it
The Gordon Ramsey menu reduction... brilliant analogy.
The tour aero test uses stationary dummy legs but no torso or arms.
Picking up from the comment by Anthony shared in this episode that "we once all road lower tier bikes", perhaps it can be a GCN video idea surrounding GCN presenters and their first road bikes. Would love to hear/see the bikes that each presenter started with and memorable stories from it!😊
What they say: To many options are overwhelming
What they mean: We miscalculated how popular riding, when you're not forced to, actually is and we need to recalibrate.
Riding is extremely popular. The US is the 3rd biggest market for it in the world. But keep in mind that people's wallets are hurting..... new people are definitely not interested when they aren't really into it much, and then see the high prices of something they aren't super into..... yeah no. Its a money thing.
@@diehardbikes exactly
@@Livlifetaistdeth you seem to be contradicting yourself
@@diehardbikes it's not a contradiction but you need to understand the reality of supply and demand, poor forecasting and business speak to understand what I meant.
@@Livlifetaistdeth I'm a business owner. My father is as well. Both of us made it through covid and my father actually grew quite a bit and had enough to buy a second house by the end of that year..... I understand supply and demand better than anyone. You have to understand how supply and demand works in a specific means to the bike industry, which is where as a business owner, pretty much ALL the brands have got it wrong. Especially on the higher end bikes.
Component sizing all the way! It's been many cases I stopped a purchase because something was either proprietary (d-shape seat post on endurance ebike like rose backroad) or I would have been forced to spend another 500 euros to get the whole cockpit replaced, assuming the brand actually provides the sizes I need.
Every single bike I bought, I had to replace these immediately: saddle, seat post, stem, handelbar and crankset. Even at 105 level the total cost is around 400-600 euros.
For example here 10:20 it is not cool when they make the effort to provide 3 crank arm length options and all of them are super close to each other. It makes more sense if they provide 160 to 175 in 5 mm increments instead.
Loved the little Beavis and Butt-head moment with 'fishnet stockings".
Ollie seemed like he had too much coffee and had a hard time letting Alex finish a sentence. 😂
Great job Alex.
@drinkbivo makes stainless steel water bottles. Also, they’re great. The flow is the best thing about these. I drink a lot more water than I normally would on a run. #drinkbivo
That titanium bottle is the icing on the cake for a Ti bike.
Expensive? Yes, but you’ll not need to replace it for decades, at least. It’s a win!
The Camelbak Podium Chill insulated plastic bottles are nice but not up for the dead of summer, after an hour or so your water will be warm. We sorely needed a double-walled vacuum sealed steel bottle! This will keep your water cold for the duration of a day long ride. Is it a bit heavier? Yes... but the cold water is worth it imo.
Don't forget that TREK has had the opportunity to build up your own bike for quite a few years, Project One
Only at the top end.
True but it's very expensive 💸 We would love to see these levels of customisation on entry level bikes
Back in the day, when a man wanted a new suit, he went to a tailor, got measured up, chose the fabric, colour etc. and ended up with a bespoke product. Today, bespoke bikes are way beyond the financial means of us mere mortals, but the industry could help out here by taking the sting out of changing the stem length, adding spacers to the head tube or even offering a selection of saddles or handlebars to try out as part of the deal.
We would love to see sizing and fit becoming a real focus for new bikes 🙌 A good fit makes all the difference 👌
I guess I’m a bit old school in that I work with a local shop and spec out the frame I want and all the specific components to get exactly the build content I desire. Definitely not the route for a beginner or even for most seasoned cyclists but when you know what you want and get exactly that, it makes for a splendid ride. Not something I do often but on average, about once every 10 years. By no means all the bikes, just the halo ride in the stable. Have nothing against ordering a bike direct to consumer as that is how we got into gravel riding/racing with Niner rides this past year. And a ”custom build” approach does not have to be expensive… current build in the works is a CAAD13, my first custom was a CAAD4 from 25+ years ago and I just donated that bike to make room for this incoming ride…. The most important thing is to get out and ride when you can and enjoy every moment you do get.
@@wallygator2471it would be nice if people could just start off with a bike that fits. you know? instead of everyone being forced to ride 42cm bars and 172.5mm cranks
Hi. A little word of warning regarding the Camelbak Podium water bottles.
Being a big fan of Camelbak Podium water bottles and of titanium bikes, I just had to have the Ti bottles for my Ti gravel bike. After scouring the net, I ordered a pair €€€ of these. They are beautiful bottles, no doubt! But unfortunately, I had to send them back. The standard water bottle width (for the last 100+ years - including plastic Camelbak Podium) is 73mm wide. These new ones (Podium Steel and Ti versions) are 75mm wide, which might not seem like much but as they are rigid, they don’t fit correctly in many bottle cages. Impossible to fit in Silca Sicuro Ti cages (plus metal on metal = lots of scratches) and are very tight on Bontrager carbon cages (would be dangerous trying to pull them out one handed when riding). Even the “neck” of the bottle (standard is 60mm) is wider on these (65mm) so the lip in some cages pushes them away so they won’t sit flush inside the cage. In conclusion: if you have very soft/flimsy/flexible plastic water bottle cages they’ll probably be fine.. otherwise steer clear. If ever Camelbak release a v2 with “standard” sizing (73mm / 60mm) I’ll be the first to order them again. (shout out to hollandbikeshop for taking them back and refunding)
On top of that I want light bottles - I don’t need my water ‘cool’ so get rid of the vacuum, less material, less weight!
When I bought my last bike, there was a specific model I wanted. I looked at what was around in my price range and in a colour/spec I wanted and I bought it. Didn’t have to look at any of the other thousands of models at all, so very little choice paralysis for me.
Same for me.
I love those Oli interruptions 🤣🤣🤣
My last few bikes have been frame-up builds largely out of frustration with lack of customization. I don't like having to buy fresh bars, stem, bar-tape, seat, shorter cranks, and then having to redo cable housings just to get a bike to ride like a want. Getting a bike with a short pre-cut steering tube also disqualifies some brands (looking at you Kona).
So while my bikes are decidedly not top-end, they end up fit for my use with less frustration by going frame-up than trying to retrofit whatever the local bike shop could sell me. Bike brands also rarely sell anything but their high end frames, or only sell them at obscene price points. I've ended up being very happy with a couple cheap chinese carbon frames (one from ebay, one from AliExpress), which actually had fewer issues than the name-brand I bought (looking at you and your sheered off bolts Salsa).
I keep trying to get myself back out and just starting again, so a vid on the best ways to just ‘get going’ again would be great.
Enjoying the content
I surely hope that bike companies don’t cut sizes as a way to save money. As a short person, one of the reasons it took me so long to start cycling is because a too large a bike causes me a lot of pain. I’d try to ride my husband’s large bike and end up with a massive headache. Turns out I’m an XS
nice discussion of the phenomenon of choice overload as it applies to the bike industry. Good to see the big manufacturers are starting to see this as a problem
There should be one frame in maybe 5 sizes for gravel and road, then a slew of parts to customize your bike the way you want it. This saves on R&D.
Alex is the man! Love the demonstration of the self-emptying bottle 😂
"Looks like it's just been chucked into the forrest", that sounds like something Monty Python wood say.
if you take care of bottle it will last you for ages, just don't let sugary stuff go bad in it... I have camelback podium bottle for five years now and it is still good to use... Those bottles could be completely disassembled and cleaned so no issues with molding as well.
Plus if you really have to, you can get new caps, limiting the waste and new manufacturing
Bottle care is no joke, Ollie takes it very seriously 👉ruclips.net/video/0-GME8UMh04/видео.html 🍼
Metal bottles are greenwashing. They require so much more energy and raw materials to make, but get lost just as easily as plastic ones- look after yours and plastic will be far more eco-friendly.
Aren’t those nano kits made with polymers/synthetic fabrics?
The best buys in bikes today are in the used market. Yes to more specialization. Do what you do best and let others do the rest. I love to go to restaurants at which you walk in, sit down, and get served what you knew you were going to be served.
There really are some great second hand bikes out there! What do you look for in second hand bikes? You've got to make sure you look out for the pit falls 🧐
@@gcntech I guess you can call me a purist or a fuddy-duddy, depending on your own perspective. I look for rim brakes, fully mechanical gearing, rust-free high-end steel frames (usually double or triple-butted Reynolds or Columbus), and aluminum rims. I stay away from "collectible" framesets which tend to be WAY overpriced and stick to the less famous marques that are equally good. I suggest a novice buyer enlist the aid of a person who has some experience refurbishing older/vintage bikes. Folks like that (I am one) know first-hand what pitfalls to look out for. Don't buy a used bike that leaves such a person thinking about what a PITA getting that bike fit to ride is going to be. That said, always test ride the bike if you can, even if it has parts that don't work well (make sure it has at least some brakes). And don't buy an otherwise great bike that is the wrong size for you.
I’m all in on focusing bike brand lines on rider fit. This used to be easy due to standards like limited bb, seat post and headset standards. None of these very round standards seem to work in the aero world we live in, so I am all for brands making fit possible on initial purchase, but definitely a +100 for maintaining some back compatibility for a bit.
Shopping for a bike: overwhelming amount of choices. Si shopping for a drill: overwhelming amount of choices. Me shopping for a rain jacket: overwhelming amount of choices. HOWEVER, is choice actually bad for end users? I mean, it now takes days instead of hours to research and make a decision but in the end you have the right product for your needs.
I think more modularity of components would be very good for consumers. E.g., if you don't know what you want, you buy the midrange hybrid or road bike, and spec it out with the components you want as you grow as a cyclist. Shimano is moving this way with the cues line I guess! This way you stick with the same bike but you're able to spec it out Just So, as you understand what you want. Then big brands can offer custom builds etc for some customers/as it is cost effective for them.
So for consumers there are two options: buy the mid-range, good enough bike (for newbies to cycling), and slowly upgrade over time. This keeps the number of options - and decision paralysis - low for the average consumer. Then you could offer custom bikes (selecting frame + components separately) for a small fee. This would be cheaper and more eco friendly as it'd reduce fit-parts (wrong width handlebars) going to landfill, and better for the consumer as they get exactly what they want, if they know what that is. Don't know much about factory production lines, but it could also reduce stock requirements for the companies involved, as they'd build up fancy bikes from stock/existing parts in the shop that would also be used for repairs etc. This would be great for enthusiasts, as the decision making is both more modular (what level groupset, what size gears etc), but also simpler (no need to trawl the internet to find exactly what you're after).
I’d say you’re being a little kind to the industry with the “reduced options will help overwhelmed consumers” angle. It feels completely driven by streamlining to reduce operating costs for an industry facing some difficulties. Still, it’s the best way for them to reduce costs as a little less choice won’t hurt the customer, and it might produce some more good all-round/endurance options for those like me who click “Average” or “In good shape” rather than “Athletic” on Komoot.
i think we should have more options on the frame size and shape but other than that i don't think we need many type of similar bikes and i think they could even use like ai to help people pick good frame size and shape so it is simpler for the customer.
Would you like to see more brands adopting half sizes? 📏
also smaller road bike tires would be nice too. for me 28 inch is too big. for me 24 inch is ideal but the really aren't any good road bike tires that are that size except ones that are like 23mm wide which is way too thin :D
I like Giant bikes cos they have a cheaper option (Contend), a long long distance comfy bike (Defy) a thorough bread race machine (TCR) and an aero road (Propel) then any other options are just different specs and carbon lay ups but essentially the 4 main geometries and their website easily displays this :)
Another quality show and big shout out to that vintage Peugeot in the Bike Vault, Gorgeous.
In 1960, the year I was born, Holdsworth sold the Hurricane model, their top model. Reynolds 531 frame, Campagnolo Gran Sport gears and alloy parts. It was £35, 12 shillings and sixpence ( £35.62 )
Using the Bank of England Inflation Calculator, £35 12/6 would be £689.
I totally understand why the bicycle industry is in the brown and smelly.
I have a couple of 60s bikes that would fetch £700.
Of course, you're assuming the wages of the people making them and the raw materials haven't gone up at all in that time.
Cycling jerseys are not dyed. The colours are printed on. Printed on the outside...the inside is usually white.
In the new £1000 bike video, Alex seemed unsure if he stuck to the budget. Did he save a little due to having some DA cranks sitting on the shelf?
In line with your suggestion that less options are better, A visit to my LBS yielded a huge amount of unused floor space. They're a Trek dealer and are not purchasing bikes as there are too many options in the road bike categories. Domaine = 52 SKUs They cannot afford to carry an entire line.
if valve not closed on bottle whats to stop it splashing out as you cycle along
When I buy a bike the first thing I do is replace tyres, saddle and rear sprocket, so I have three things I don't use right away. And give me some pedals is an option. I will likely replace the stem as well because my legs are relatively longer than most men and my torso shorter. So a casual bike fit will always give me a too long reach, but if I get a smaller model I am stretching the maximum seat post height.
There is choice-bloat. TREK offers 15 different version of its Domane endurance bike (4th generation), priced between $1,000-$13,000. And they still sell several Generation 3 options.
Well, you don`t need those 2 or 3 bikes, buy an allrounder instead, but for the price of those 2-3bikes😆
I enjoy high tech bike stuff and the "105 for the people" concept that you cover. Both keep me motivated to ride on. Thanks Olex and Allie!
We'll continue to cover every corning of the cycling tech world 🙌Thanks for being part of the Tech community!
Also if there is less bike models they can keep more stock of parts that correlate to more bike models. So if something like a frame cracks and you need warranty replacement maybe you won't have to wait a long time for a replacement they could already have availability.
$100 for an 18 oz 240g Ti bottle vs the $5 24 oz 85g recycleable plastic bottle from the LBS that has lasted at least 5 years and still doing fine......decisions...decisions....
Having fewer model options cuts down on production lines / costs and distribution logistics / costs as well as stock levels / costs in shops.
Trying to give the customers multiple component options for each model does add to the cost at the retailer end, but that is probably where the added value should sit.
What about size options? Is there a smaller range of sizes compared to prior years?
9:50 i dont know about this one. when were talking about making it easier for customers to chose a bike and reduce the amount of overwhelming options i think it would be conterproductive to increase the number of options on the contact points. i think that would only be an advantage for enhausiasts that have dug into their personal best fit, which also only benefits them cause they dont have to spend extra time or money to find the fitting piece and sell the original one. if a person that is currently overwhelmed even by the amount of frame sizes, i dont think theyll be better off chosing singular parts. therefore i think the science on what fits best for most that the bike brands have already researched is the way to go.
I like that you focus on mid-range bikes, but you need to showcase top-of-the-range bikes and gear. It is so nice to hang on to the development.
We're all about celebrating bikes of all styles 👌
I have a tech question regarding tyre pressure. I live at 900m altitude and when I use the silca tyre pressure calculator it gives me a value (5.2 bar for example) that I can never reach(max 4 bar for example ). I've looked for more information online but I can't find any. How much will altitude effect tyre pressure
Titanium water bottles; my only issue is I had a klean kanteen bottle, still do actually, lasts years, but I retired it from my bike as the rattle was annoying. Just something to bear in mind, some electrical tape etc may help this.
So glad you guys didn’t put the mics
It works for Cade Media, it won't work for GCN.
Hi GCN, thanks a lot for the show. It’s been (and still is) a great introduction to road cycling for me.
You’ve mentioned that the ability to have multiple options for contact points (saddle, stem or crank length, etc…) is something that should be offered more often.
It’s definitely great and you get a bike that exactly fits you. Some manufacturers offer such options for their whole line (Origine Cycle, Shimano Neutral Service’s bike provider, being one of those).
Smaller manufacturers can afford assembling on demand, I’m not sure that most of the bigger ones can. So I guess that would not help reducing stocks.
PS: See, you can be both French AND pretentious ^^
Need more options for frames with shorter reach/top tubes. Going down (2) of a companies available 5 or 6 sizes, sometimes only results in a reduction of 1-2cm or reach/top tube. What's the point in those situations?
The titanium and steel bottles should also reduce the risk of black mould forming in the bottles. The plastic podium bottles are always having recalls for valve issues and are terrible for cleaning leading to mould forming.
Who will be first to offer full and true a la carte bikes?? I'd love to spec each bit exactly as I want!
It would be an interesting study to see what areas of an aero bike are more affected by the rider. Forks, for example would likely be minimally affected but what about the rest of the bike? Are we wasting efforts on aero seat stays? Perfect assignment for Dr. Ollie!
I am an American, and I was fortunate to spend 3 months living in England long ago. I think Ollie's American impressions are funny in general. However, I literally laughed out loud when Alfonso said, "You're just gonna make people hate us," to which Ollie replied without hesitation, "I know" and you both laughed with satisfaction. Then again, an English friend said I have a very British sense of humour, which I took as a great compliment, so I may not be the typical American viewer.
(Apologies to Alex for making yet another joke about viewers' identity crisis regarding him.)
You forgot the Specialized Allez which is an entry level bike. Aluminium but a dream bike.
Fully agree on fit components needing to be more customisable
SIX 6 Shorts, you put your 6 in the Six shorts.
As you're discussing the simplification of models bike brands offer, I like that you're discussing things from the perspective of the consumer. However, one aspect to keep in mind is that limiting the number of bike models offered actually saves the manufacturers a TON of money. Fewer SKUs mean lower production costs and lower marketing costs, allowing them to concentrate more of their capital on "all-rounder" models like the Tarmac, Super Six Evo, and TCR. If they're smart, the brands will pass these savings on to the consumer, allowing for less expensive entry-level models.
Always love budget bike videos from the used market. Does Alex have enough Dura Ace to go around?
Small correction needed, Tour Magazine is not testing the bike alone, they test the bike with a half body dummy that includes rotating legs to be as realistic as possible.
Yey! More tyres I cannot buy in 650b road sizes! Always fun.
Do you struggle for 650b road tyres? 👀
The bike industry is just a constant experiment of how much people will pay for tech lol
Could trigger lots of comments from me, age 69. But I want to promote a charitable project in Lewisham that reflects some features of the video
* Back in the day: Dawes made touring bikes. Colnago made race bikes. and so on. A lost the ability to read bike magazines about 15 years ago with the plethora of varieties and fashions and the market left my budget behind. I do like the move towards wider tyres and rims, especially in light of rutted roads. I gave away a few bikes during lockdown to folks who needed them. Few people have space for more than two bikes and most have space for one. Very few people now have a background of maintaining bikes from childhood and have no space to do it in their flat - hence the rise of local repair shops and even old bike shops ceasing from selling and focusing on repairs.
* Yesterday, I saw a shop in Lewisham Shopping Centre - it's a charity that rains ex-offenders to service bikes and receives bikes from police unclaimed bikes, strips them down, cleans and rebuilds. Wow! The shopfront is a total drool factory of classic bikes - race, commuter, mountain, etc. Glorious sidepull, eg one with Campag Super Record. Some with downtube shifters. A Boardman aluminium gravel type bike with fat tyres but immaculate that makes so much sense I asked if I could swap my Specialized Roubaix Elite 2018 bike for it and then upgrade the groupset on the Boardman to 105 - such a sensible bike!
* They also make up new bikes using orange frames that they buy in and each bike has the builder's code on the top tube.
* XO BIKES, Lewisham Shopping Centre. I wish I had a spare £2k to change my bike options completely: one urban, one classic race, one fixed, one all purpose fat tyre distance luggage and rough road.
I think it's odd that you can buy a frame a build it up with your favorite components for less than factory build options. 12 years ago, that was unheard of but it's pretty common now.
Not so long ago i got a not expensive gravel bike from a local brand. There's 2x9 transmission. I like that setup but would like to replace some components to higher quality ones but I can't. All options i have is Alivio, which is pretty low quality these days. Luckily I could find new old stock Sram PG-980 caseette. Lightweight, long lasting, perfect for me but very rare at this point. And I'm not gonna upgrade all the groupset. It would cost like all my bike.
One of the reasons this industry going bad is lack of AFFORDABLE options.
As someone who has a short torso and very long legs, I would love to see more emphasis on fit. Because of my long legs I'm entirely limited to the endurance option, and to get the fit I want I still need aftermarket stem and handlebar changes.
As someone who used to work in the industry as a bikefitter I’m not sure I agree that brands are slimming down ranges. Specialized for example currently retail in the UK
Road sector..Tarmac, Aethos (you forgot about this) Roubaix, Crux and Diverge. Also you forgot about the Pinarello X when talking about Pinarello.
Completely agree though that slimming down models would be a good thing. IMO all brands need is a
race optimised bike, endurance bike that doesn’t weigh as much as a planet and a gravel bike. Also completely agree and love what Pinarello and Orbea are doing with more size including smaller sizes and component size options from the factory.
Consolidating is much better for bike shops. Having to hold less SKU’s make it easier for shop to hold inventory needed to cover and not have a lot of bikes left over at end of year.
Currently the bicycle industry is struggling with too many models and options. A counterexample is the Tesla Model Y electric car, which has few options and became the world's best-selling car.
Pinarello had a K10 model as well. It went away, but you can make the argument that the new Dogma X is the successor to it. Both are “endurance” models, the X simply got rid of the suspension gimmick.
I think tour magazine test the bikes, with a moving, pedaling, lower human body, set up with reflectors and lasers to repeat the same sitting position on every bikes, not the bike only as mentioned here!
Two bike vault entries in a row with Praxis Zayante Carbon cranks. I'm a bit surprised that Dennis and Terry didn't notice this, given their obvious attention to detail.
Tour magazine do test with the dummie. It is just the waist down part as it has less margin for error (position wise) if they use it without the torso.
The mice in my shed are going to love soya tyres ,nom nom bang
The analogy of focusing on 'less on the menu' would also transfer to presenters on RUclips channels too!
We think we've got a pretty goo menu at the moment 😉
If Penerello made the 62cm (with the 670 stack) in the rest of the X series (not just the Dogma X), I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Re the saddle angle on that bile in the bike vault - it's an SMP saddle, so that angle would be normal
For us commuters on hybrid bikes Schwalbe make a Marathon Green tyre, which is made from recycled material
#askGCNtech thinking about insulated bottles, I can’t remember if you’ve ever covered water temperature on the channel.
Now that I think of it, a whole episode on how to drink water might be useful. How much? How often? Does rinse and spit do anything? Water temperature? In summer vs. winter?
I’d love to hear an expert talk about this.
Advancements in technology now enable aero bikes to be lighter and lightweight bikes to be more aerodynamic. Simplifying options could reduce costs for brands, ultimately benefiting customers. Lower prices would make purchasing easier for newcomers and those seeking their second bike. While I'm interested in a disc brake bike, the current pricing is a deterrent. I’ll stick to my trusty rim brakes for now.
Saying that manufacturers should not try being more profitable at the expense of the customer right after mentioning how people buy more discbrake bikes is so contradictory. People wouldn't switch to electronic shifting, tubeless, hookless or discs if the media wasn't pushing for this in favour of the manufacturers, at the expense of the customers.
Disagree.
Havent had a single flat since i tried and finally completely switched to tubeless. I run electronic shifting even on my winter bike since the mechanical was always acting up in the wet and grime. After commuting with a 7km decent for one winter on rim brakes i was a full disc convert. Switched to disc for this winter and its a difference like night and day.
so you will still riding with v-breaks if you have disc brakes available?
I haven't had a single flat in years, and I run inner tubes on all my bikes (roadbike with 23mm tires), disc for the travel bike and calipers on race bike. Had all sorts of Shimano and Sram mechanical groupsets, only acting-up was when something was worn out or damaged. The point is not that I don't like or use modern tech, the point is having a choice and having an option to ride and service older bikes and not pushing to make them obsolete and unserviceable. I like my 2015 tarmac, I don't want to be pushed into a disc bike if the rim brake stuff gets fazed out, and same with groups.
I hardly get through any bottles. I have changed the odd cap (well done Camelbak for offering spare caps), but why are people going through so many? 🤔
I believe tour magazine test with mannequin legs at multiple points of rotation. They don't use an upper torso, because it introduces to much variance.
@faracycling bikes allow each customer to select all contact points and spec on 3 specific models (Road, All-Road and Gravel) at D2C prices - Makes Sense!
Presenter challenge: Ollie lovingly builds a budget road bike for under £1000. Alex ‘finds’ an immaculate s-works in a book in his garage? 😂
Well that's the video plot out the window hahaha. I best have a re think
If you read the manufacturers press release. They are saying this because they still have inventory overload from the last couple of years (source cade media).
The metal bottle wont last too long if you are loosing it too often 🙈😂😂
I use my bidons with only water and only way to "throw it out" is when I loose it 🙈🙈 for my sugar and fueling I use those soft flasks 😊