Sometimes I think that we are reaching the limits of innovation in terms of mountain bike gear tech. We’ve got every possible suspension design out there, incredibly adjustable shocks and forks, a vast selection of high tech materials to choose from, and even tires with three types of rubber in the tread. Let’s face it, going from 9 to 10 speed isn’t exactly innovation.
But I’ve spotted a few things lately that show that innovation is still alive. There are still more dropouts to be designed, unthought of suspension concepts, and cool paint jobs…like these:
Look at the elegance of this adjustable dropout on a Black Cat hardtail:
The disc brake moves with the drop out via just two bolts (OK, well three). Black Cat frames are truly works of art, fillet brazed and immacuately finished. Check them out here: http://www.blackcatbicycles.com/
My next true innovation does not have the simple elegance of adjustable dropouts. Rather, it’s quite complex, involves seven pivot locations, and looks borderline garish. It’s the Lapierre prototype downhill bike than Blenky has podiumed in every World Cup it’s ever entered (OK, only two).
(Picture credit: Pinkbike, full article here: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/lapierre-pendbox-suspension-2011.html)
The single pivot with a linkage driven shock is not innovative. The integral bump stops and seat post clamp, along with internal cable routing are mildly innovative at most. But what’s going on around the bottom bracket is definitely innovative.
This design is intended to improve pedaling performance by manipulating the chain tension (or chain induced anti-squat). The BB is closest to the rear axle at the sag point, and the suspension manipulates the BB away from the rear axle as you get away from the sag point, increasing chain tension. So if you’re on the gas, it’s going to naturally seek the sag point. Remember the S-shaped axle path that Santa Cruz tried to market on their VPP bikes? Well, it works a little like that would, except the axle path is a conventional arc and they move the BB instead. It’s pretty clever.
Let’s step away from the tech and just marvel at this super paint job and color combo.
(This is a VitalMTB exclusive, check it out by clicking on the picture.)
That is Tammy Donahugh’s Superco with a “Wonder Woman” paint job – blue sparkle with gold and red accents throughout. It’s just stupidly stunning.
And finally, being a tire guy, I couldn’t let this thread go without an tip of the hat to new tires. How long has Maxxis cornered the market for downhill tires? We’ve been riding around on the same three tread patterns for years. But thanks to Schwalbe, Continental, Michelin, and Specialized, we’ll soon be spoiled for choice. My favourite new innovation is the “dry spike” tire:
(This photo is poached from Sicklines, read the full article here.)
World Cup pros have been running cut spikes for intermediate and variable conditions for years. For them, it’s either their dry tire (usually Minion DHF or Highroller), or a cut spike if it’s wet. Full spikes only come out in very muddy conditions. Last year it seems like there were more cut spikes than ever. Well Specialized and Sam Hill-billy have teamed up and created a spike you don’t have to cut, and I think it will find good use for a load of different terrain. It will be interesting to see how often Hill and Fairclough use these compared to their dry tires. I can’t wait to try it.
So there you have it – innovation is alive and well.
Got some more innovation? Reply in the comments!
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