Modulating V Brakes Vs. Discs
04-20-06, 10:36 PM
#76
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Originally Posted by Maelstrom
I have to say, I do agree with this overall assessment. Again it comes down to what you use your mountain bike for. A mountain bike is built and designed to be ridden on trails. Ideally any trail rider I know avoids roads, fireroads and anything beyond a technical double track. Commuting on a mountain bike doesn't make you a mountain biker, it makes you a commuter on a mountain bike. The lack of eyelets isn't the problem of the manufacturer but a problem with the misuse of a product. IT does sound like you have cornered an uncreated market cyclo, someone who commutes with lots of stuff on trails and in the mountains. Kudos to you, but of the 100's of riders I know from dhillers to endurance racers, none feel the need to use anything beyond a camleback and most would like have the same concerns as Hank, the parts just wouldn't last on anything remotely rugged.
It would be like buying a f1 car and complaining there is no room for groceries.
That said, there likely is a market, but so small that manufacturers can't see a reason to make mountain bikes into commuters when there already is a commuter sub section of bikes.
Have you ever considered getting into manufacturing. I bet it would not be to difficult to engineer after market attachable eyelets to a bike. I still think there would durability issues but if you could make it work it could have a nice niche market to sell in.
It would be like buying a f1 car and complaining there is no room for groceries.
That said, there likely is a market, but so small that manufacturers can't see a reason to make mountain bikes into commuters when there already is a commuter sub section of bikes.
Have you ever considered getting into manufacturing. I bet it would not be to difficult to engineer after market attachable eyelets to a bike. I still think there would durability issues but if you could make it work it could have a nice niche market to sell in.
) I have no problem with riding roads, if I have to. If it gets me from one trail to another, all the better. I look at mountain bikes in a far broader sense than you guys do apparently. I view them as tools for adventure, not necessarily as a joy unto themselves. I get very bored with my club's rides in general because they only want to go to the same places over and over. I want to roam!And I'm sure I'm not in the minority there. Look, I don't want to carry a touring load. If I do, I use a trailer. But I also don't want to carry a lot of excess crap on my back either. I'd like something to carry a small amount of excess stuff (a few pounds at most). I've tried seatpost racks and those really don't work that well. They are too high and they put a lot of stress on the seatpost. They also look goofy and they interfere with the function of the seatpost, not that I raise or lower my post that much.
As for durability issues, I've used racks on all of my bikes - the ones that had rack mounts anyway- for 20 years and never broken a rack yet. Not a single one. Broken a few bikes but never a rack.
Finally, and I apologize if I am taking this the wrong way, but both you and Mr. Rearden seems to be implying that I'm not a mountain biker since I don't ride the way you do. I've gotten that kind of crap from roadie snob shops all my life. I am a mountain biker who commutes on a mountain bike. Two thirds of my commute (11 miles) is done on single track. If I want I can leave my work and climb up and over the 500 to 800 foot tall mountain behind my work, something I do on a regular basis. And I even occasionally take my bike out for fun on the weekends
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
04-20-06, 11:46 PM
#77
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Nope I didn't imply you weren't a mountain biker, but I do believe your situation unique which is why, the things you wish to be on mountain bikes, aren't likely to occur. As I said in my post, I think the commuting/touring you do is rare (not unique, wrong word) but definately rare enough to not get the attention of big bike manufacturers. The items you seem to want on a mountain bike, I don't imagine many mountain bikers would want. That was basically my point. I do believe we have argued this before. I did, then, see the point to eyelets (amongst other things) and I don't now.
Early mountain bikes had them, I believe they were removed because they didn't fit the mountain bike use.
Trust me, I think if you re-read my post, I don't claim you "aren't" a mountain biker. Just one who has needs that others do not.
And please don't take this the wrong way, it seems like you should be a mountain biker 15 years ago. You seem to believe everything you dislike about mountain bikes today is fluff or for show when in fact they have uses to a lot of use. Eyelets and v's have gone the way of the dodo to some degree because of performance and/or lack of need. Are they still useful, sure. I do think you have a market unto yourself and if some riders out there were more honest with themselves that market could expand so "some" riders do in fact have disc brakes for show and "could" use eyelets for racks etc, however thats just not the way the world turns. 80% (my stat not official) of the people out there will ride something because it looks good, has hype or is a fad. 10% of us will use the product because we need it and 10% will fight with all their might to keep things as is
Early mountain bikes had them, I believe they were removed because they didn't fit the mountain bike use.
Trust me, I think if you re-read my post, I don't claim you "aren't" a mountain biker. Just one who has needs that others do not.
And please don't take this the wrong way, it seems like you should be a mountain biker 15 years ago. You seem to believe everything you dislike about mountain bikes today is fluff or for show when in fact they have uses to a lot of use. Eyelets and v's have gone the way of the dodo to some degree because of performance and/or lack of need. Are they still useful, sure. I do think you have a market unto yourself and if some riders out there were more honest with themselves that market could expand so "some" riders do in fact have disc brakes for show and "could" use eyelets for racks etc, however thats just not the way the world turns. 80% (my stat not official) of the people out there will ride something because it looks good, has hype or is a fad. 10% of us will use the product because we need it and 10% will fight with all their might to keep things as is
04-20-06, 11:52 PM
#78
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
I look at mountain bikes in a far broader sense than you guys do apparently. I view them as tools for adventure, not necessarily as a joy unto themselves. I get very bored with my club's rides in general because they only want to go to the same places over and over. I want to roam!
04-22-06, 01:13 PM
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I'm not sure my LeTour brakes should count here. It seems no matter what i do to them, they aren't really effective stoppers. The bike has always been super fast - and coasts really fine, but stopping is another matter.
Purchased my Cannondale Cyclocross disc, and can say that nothing stops more surely than those disc brakes. They are cable controlled, however, not hydraulic. I have experience with hydro controls, and they are definitely more complicated and can develop persistent and annoying leaks - that will render the best braking system useless.
That may not be a major problem in the biking world, but, I'm happy with my cable/disc system.
Caruso
Purchased my Cannondale Cyclocross disc, and can say that nothing stops more surely than those disc brakes. They are cable controlled, however, not hydraulic. I have experience with hydro controls, and they are definitely more complicated and can develop persistent and annoying leaks - that will render the best braking system useless.
That may not be a major problem in the biking world, but, I'm happy with my cable/disc system.
Caruso
