I agree with you for the most part. We've done a lot of tweaks in manufacturing process and materials for some weight reduction, and a lot of reinventing of the wheel. When I see downhill mountain bike races, however, and the speed at which they come flying over large drop-offs, I'm fairly convinced that they couldn't be doing what they do on the original 80's Stumpjumpers. I suppose the long-travel suspension technology is only really a game-changer for those who are crazy enough actually make good use of it.