Good Month / Bad Month: Racing, Affordable Carbon, XTR, Illness & Injuries - January 2019

 FUCKYEAH! the world is cheering you on ACC!

 Ive had no problems with my eagle setups. Havent touched my limits or b tension in 2 years

 I like my eagle setups. But they are highly sensitive to flexible and/or fragile derailleur hangers.

 Blows my mind that any time the shimano fiasco comes up, people somehow talk shit on Sram. The misplaced ire is absolutely hilarious.

Anyone can argue back and forth about what drivetrain they want, but for once can the fanboys just admit Shimano f*cked up and actually criticize them for it? Sram has nothing to do with what happened to Shimano, and we can all admit it's a shitfest.

 Ironically I sense negativity in your comment too

 @Mattin: I give you upvote to balance out my negativity

 @generationfourth: Haha loving the positive vibes!

 Glad I read this before I watched it now, don't wanna be hearing bones break * shudder *

 Two words for january cycling: Mediterranean sunshine!

 No way! We had an Amazing January in the Calgary area. Temps above freezing, all the snow disappeared, many rides on dry dirt. Today it's -30F, but it's February, so it's expected.

 @pinkrobe: Oh, only -30F.
Bhhhhrrrt

 If anything they will be ironing out the bugs with xtr so probably no.

 Yeah I'm bummed they're leaving metal bikes behind. Cool they are growing though as I don't see the carbon bike market shrinking. Just wish they could have kept both in line.

 Affordable is relative to income and expenses. It's silly to knock something because your finances can't handle it, especially when it is less expensive than every comparable option (which sell like crazy), all while being uniquely manufactured in a place that pays first-world wages.

 @kmg0: I think if they had the capacity, they would. Being small is a blessing and a curse. They were certainly at capacity with their alu frames - 12 week wait at one point for the Smash in M and L - and I’m sure they’ll do really well with their new frames. You gotta think they could streamline their alloy front triangle manu process, especially given that the new bikes all share the same front...

 @sspiff: You're missing the point. The point is you can buy a brilliant whole bike that would probably ride just as good as this for the same money. Carbon is a decades old materiel and is as common as metal and that fact that bike companies are charging ridiculous money for this stuff needs to stop. If the buying public saw sense and stopped buy this stuff do to price you watch the price on this black stuff plummet. So would all the wild claims about how much better it is than metal. Time to wake up and see sense.

 @Matt76: I don't think I am missing the point. I just don't necessarily think it's correct.

There is barely a premium for GG's carbon frames relative to a north-American manufactured metal bike (Reeb Squeeb is $2.6k with shock, Devinci alu is about $2.2k). Hell an overseas-manufactured sentinel alloy is $2k for the frame. GG is $2200 without a shock.

If you had red GGs announcement you'd see that while carbon is a "decades old material," they are using binders and processes brand new to this industry. They say it's about 8 hours of labor now. Consider $100/hr for domestic skilled labor. Factor in another grand or so to keep lights on, grow the company, purchase raw materials and tooling, account for warranty, etc. It's not like they're rolling in profit, and if so, then good for GG!

 @sspiff: If carbon costs so much to make then what's the point? Despite what the 'industry' has told everyone for decades the fact is carbon really no better than a metal bike. Its just an alternative. If metal costs a lot less to produce then stay away from the cloth and glue.

 In what way is a stiffer, lighter, more durable frame "no better than" the alternative? Nobody is going to knock you for enjoying alloy bikes, but come on dude, carbon definitely builds a superior frame in so many ways. At least be real.

 @Matt76: Looking at this link in the bike frame context I don't understand how you come to the conclusions you do. Also, it doesn't take into account carbon with thermoplastic vs. resin binder which is critically important to GGs case.

Sherbet is right... You can love aluminum for other reasons, but the fact is that carbon is the better frame material from a performance perspective. I hate to do the internet engineer thing, but I am a PhD level materials scientist; you're not going to get anywhere here.

 @scvkurt03: Yeah, you can't always do everything. I waited a good second for my MT. I wish them great success

 @sspiff: Smack down!

 I have to agree with @Matt76 on this. I have seen so many cracked carbon frames because yes they may be stiffer, stronger etc but they cant take an impact during a crash or from a rock flicking up, at least not the same way aluminium can. I have ridden alloy bikes for years bashed them off everything and always they came back for more, (I am not saying they are unbreakable because they are but they are definitely more resilient to objects hitting them) I bought a carbon frame, it fell against a rock and frame cracked within a few months of owning it. Needless to say I will be saving my money and buying alloy from now on! Plus the environmental effects of the manufacture of carbon fibre are questionable! To me it is not worth the extra money!

 @Farry: Thank you. The thing that infuriates me about carbon is how it being sold as better in all ways than metal which it just isnt, it really isnt. Then charging a fortune for this stuff is beyond a joke. I never have done and never will trust a carbon frame or component....ever! Metal will always win for me and I will never ever change my mind on it or will I be convinced otherwise. In the process of that mindset I will save a fortune on future purchases. Happy days!

 @sspiff: Couldn't give a sh*t that you are a PHD whatever, not a flying fook. Nore can anyone else on here! So don't big yourself up too much pal!

 @Matt76: Your mentality actually speaks loads here. You don't care at all what people educated on the topic say, you're hoping for some circlejerk of like minded people to prop you up and give you an echo chamber. You're not going to get that. You are wrong. Learn from it.

 @sherbet: Don't bother, dude. IT's like internet 2 stroke dorks who can completely ignore the fact 4 strokes win races every single day because they're too cheap to pay for the performance. As someone too cheap to pay for it, I understand, but dealing with reality isn't most people's strong suit.

 @kmg0: The issues with Carbon fibre is that its strength is directional whereas aluminium and other metals have a unidirectional strength. This means that yes carbon fibre is exceptionally strong in one direction and in that direction much stronger than its alloy counterpart. However, it is not when the direction of force is outside of that direction. On top of this damage to carbon does not present itself well so internal damage to the frame tubes may not be evident when looking at it and requires specialist techniques mainly ultrasound and xray to determine if the frame is damaged or not. For this reason I personally would never buy a second hand carbon bike as you have no idea what internal damage it has. in addition to this you have to be more careful with torque settings as it can easily crack from overtightening. It cannot take impacts the same ways as metal can and there is potential the resin that holds the fibres together can degrade over time. yes there are advantages to it and if I was sponsored and getting a new bike every race/season then id probably ride it but I am not and as a consumer I want my kit to last and take a few knocks.
Also if carbon is so much faster, is the current world cup winning bike not alloy?

 @Farry: I didn't read your post cause I could not care less what bike you own or ride

 @sspiff: But it IS NOT less expensive than any comparable options. $2500 for a hybrid carbon/aluminum hybrid is about the same of the few hybrid offerings on the market. You can buy most full carbon frames for $3000.

 @duzzi: What are some other options at that price?

 @matt76 Whatever, man. Materials scientists/chemists have probably done more for your quality of life than just about any other working body of the population. Your access to metals, plastics, electronics, fuels, agriculture... Yeah, you've got us to thank. But stop listening when it doesn't suit you. It's cool.

@duzzi: This isn't really that relevant, since all of those previous comparisons were to domestically manufactured aluminum bikes. Can you name a domestically manufactured carbon (full or hybrid) bike within $1000 of GG? Unless you are saying that there's no value in domestic manufacturing, but that's not a carbon vs aluminum discussion.

 its just a remote that works with any cable operated dropper. they announced it the same time as everything else

 www.pro-bikegear.com/global/en-gb/mtb/seatposts/PRO_SP_KORYAKDSP170INT

 the remote has a nice feel to it, though i still like my wolftooth remote more!

 Yes Shimano already makes a dropper under their PRO cockpit and component brand.

 And yet so many fanboys have a twinkle in their eye about it while shitting on the drivetrain systems that were actually able to make it to the market. Somehow, no matter what Shimano does wrong, fuck Sram.

 How much do you know about the Gear Wars?

 @slovenian6474: I hear it wasn't actually about the gears at all

 You mean #gnarwars

 Any month shimano has a 12 speed set is a bad one for sram, cant wait to get rid of these eagle plastic gears.

 @slovenian6474: They started a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

 So $3000 USD for the kit yo suppose?

 @bman33: told ya.

 @mitcht: $2000...less than expected honestly

 Impact resistant and stronger are the same thing?

 @freeridejerk888: Not exactly. Impact resistence in engineering terms is toughness. You can have a strong material that isn't ductile, so it won't be very tough. This metric increases in the new frames due to the thermoplastic bonding media as opposed to conventional resin.

 Maybe you mean resilience? But still, it's quite a bold statement...

 

 But he knows where all the bodies are buried from both sides of the House.

 As a lot of other "carbon" bikes.