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These make interesting reading - what the mag guys/gals see as the bikes/kit to look out for. However, there is a definite enduro/DH bias to most of them so far. I know this reflects with the current popularity of enduro, but I wonder how closely it matches the readership of the mag/website. What % for example ride more xc/trail rather than enduro/DH?
Not a criticism, just an observation. Thoughts?
I'm so Enduro I've even got Enduro socks.
I ride more "Trail" than "Enduro/DH" but actually prefer a longer travel "Enduro" bike. Always have, even before the term "Enduro" became so trendy. I know quite a few like-minded riders, so I think it's fairly relevant to discuss "Enduro" bikes as general all-round trail bikes and not just full-on Enduro/DH weapons.
Perhaps I shouldn't have used the 'E' word 😉
To put it another way, no much focus on xc bikes?
Maybe it's a perception that xc bikes are more for racing than just playing around in the local woods?
Top 10s are words for an articles sake. What relevance do they have and do people take any notice?
I ride a 6" bike with Pikes and 1x10. Most of the stuff they're picking appeals to me.
I remember when you had a shit bike munrobiker ;o)
The top 10s are about new cool kit so they're always going to be biased towards the sector that's getting the most new cool kit, presumably- which is currently #enduro.
(probably also harder to get excited about new XC bikes- "Last year's bike was great, this year's has inexplicably smaller wheels")
I guess this is relevant too...
Interesting. So (of those that replied) 52% have not raced, 54% have raced in some form of xc (including marathon & 24hr) and 20% have raced in endure/DH.
Fair comment Northwind - xc kit isn't very exciting.
Dave, I still do. Nowadays it's a trendy shit bike though!
Clink - Memberxc kit isn't very exciting.
Oh I think it can be... Though, it seems like a lot of mags focus on racy xc stuff, at the expense of sensible everyday xc stuff, the bikes are often objects of desire, the shoes disco slippers etc. Which is aspirational but for most people makes not much sense.
But I do reckon the whole 650b thing combined with all this enduro racing malarkey has brought about a ton of interesting changes and new bikes or significant reinventions for enduro/am bikes, along with 1x10, excellent new forks etc... Lots of shiny to writ about, and a lot of it sensibly priced but still cool. And at the same time there's still a bunch of new 29ers too, doing things that til lately people thought 29ers sucked at. It's an interesting time.
Whereas mostly it's stagnated XC bikes with what amounts to rehashes of the same kit, and it's pretty dubious whether that's actually making better bikes.
All the R&D in this year's Anthem X, firnstance, was about making the wheels smaller. They didn't even have time to invent any new bullshit standards! How do you write 2 pages about that? "Anthem X- less fit for purpose than the old one, otherwise much the same"
Or: "Rockshox Sid- it's the same as what you already have but slightly bigger" vs "Rockshox Pike- it's a totally new kickass thing"
I've been thinking about this one a bit more. One thing you can say is that the current crop of "Enduro" bikes are less compromised all-rounders than they were only a few years ago. They actually make pretty fun trail bikes which may account for the recent bias.
When I was looking to replace my ageing 5" travel trail bike a couple of months ago I started off looking at medium travel bikes and eventually decided I may as well go large since the current 6" Enduro bikes are still miles lighter than my old bike and pedal better too. Short travel bikes don't really interest me at all, even though they would almost certainly be faster around most of the trails I ride.
Dave - Moderatorhttp://singletrackmag.com/tag/top-ten-for-2015/
More to come yet don't forget...
Good! So someone will get to the fatbikes! 😉
My xc bike is enduro bright yellow if that counts...
Top 10s are words for an articles sake. What relevance do they have and do people take any notice?
Well yes words make articles, you obviously paid enough attention to comment...
Bit pointless IMO, reads like a fantasy Xmas list.
Would be much more interested in reading experienced testers' choices of the top 10 products they HAVE tested in 2014.
[i]Would be much more interested in reading experienced testers' choices of the top 10 products they HAVE tested in 2014.[/i]
You mean like the annual Editor's Choice article that goes in the mag? 😉
In January we are publishing our Editors' choice of stuff we HAVE tested that we think is awesome. This is looking ahead to what we WANT to test next year. It's not one or the other and it can be equally argued that waffling about last year's gear is a bit pointless too.
But it's not. And neither is talking about what's to come.
chakaping - MemberBit pointless IMO, reads like a fantasy Xmas list.
I reckon it's good to hear about things once they're out but it's also good to know about what's incoming.
This is looking ahead to what we WANT to test next year. It's not one or the other and it can be equally argued that waffling about last year's gear is a bit pointless too.
But it's not. And neither is talking about what's to come.
Point taken. Sorry I shouldn't criticise when you're trying to do more online content. Others may be more interested than me.
Agree the article is very clear in its intent. It's not supposed to be a review, just a heads up as to what might be hot next year.