New Bike Day!

The cover on MBA magazine reads "Santa Cruz Hightower: trail bike with downhill guts"

I haven't had time to read the article but I assume it's going to say the same thing that the other bike companies are doing: relax the HTA/ increase the travel.

Is this what bike companies call evolution of a bike model? Make it more capable than the previos model until one day, it's a full on DH bike? And doing so for the rest of the line as well, therefor creating an opening for a small travel new model? And what about the biggest/baddest existing models? Do they eventually get pushed out of the line up by the incoming new and improved model below it? Sounds like bike companies have run out of ideas now and this is what they are doing to fill the needs of the public who are always looking for "bigger and badder" in this weird world we live in.

 

I think it's more about how useful the bike remains or becomes all around while also being more capable pointed down. Mfrs are figuring out how to make rad bikes pedal well. Now they are applying the knowledge across the riding spectrum. Why not make a "XC" bike more fun to ride and not give up anything going uphill? Because it weighs more is not an excuse. MTB weight is about the most overrated bike criterium around. Off the scale it doesn't matter. I just saw it again this weekend – add two pounds and still pedal uphill better with a better design.

If anything gets pushed out of the line, it's the more traditional-geo bikes that are not as fun to ride DH and offer marginal uphill advantage. True DH/park bikes will only pedal and perform better. You'll always be able to find whatever geo suits your preference, but there may not be as many options as people realize there's no reason to not have more fun. *passes a bowl of modern geo over to Snake*

 

That is what the original backlash was when the HT2 was released.....it was too much bike. Too biased towards DH. That it lost it's perfect trail bike feel of the OGHT. That it gained too much weight and was now too heavy. Except that they got what everyone was asking for. They wanted a slacker HA, steeper SA. They wanted more travel than the 135mm....they got it. They wanted the low shock mounting. You can never make people happy.

Of course this came about shortly after the Megatower was released. So comparisons were to the MT and not the OGHT.....heard a lot of it's a mini MT.

I like my OGHT....don't feel the need to chase the Jones'. Plus I don't need to go any faster than I already am.

 

Going to test ride my buddies Evil Insurgent this weekend in Santa Cruz. He is selling at a phenomenal bro deal special. I have always wanted to ride one, so it may be a ride and buy. Will see

 

How much for the Tiki!?

 

He makes and sells them, not cheap though. He has a FB page called Santa Cruz Tiki shack and tribal pillars. He makes some great stuff. He makes them for clients when he sells them a house.

 

New bike week. I purchased a Santa Cruz Blur TR and built my Tallboy 4 replacement frame up with XX 1 components. The new Tallboy is a really fun bike and the Blur would be a great climbing bike if not for the rider

 

Awesome.....

But what did you do to the old Tallboy?

 

A lot of new bike, woohoo!

Are you saying the Blur is not a really fun bike???

 

I got to demo the Offering for a couple of days. Almost didn’t give it back. Big fan of that super complex looking Delta suspension.

 

Dave Weagle seems to know what he's doing...

 

I only get a few hours to ride it, but the Santa Cruz mountains is the best place to demo a bike. My current bike is a Split Pivot, another Dave Weagle creation

 

Not for me. Yet.

But in the meantime someone in our house was pretty happy on his 2nd bday..

 

That's awesome - but is the bike really called a "Woom?" Yikes.

Oh well, the 2 yo won't care. Many smiles as he learns the joys of two wheels!

 

It's an Austrian brand, so I think maybe pronounced voom?

The company has actually won a lot of design and innovation awards for it's bikes, came highly recommended in my search for which one to get. So here's hoping it lives up to it's reputation!

 

OK, so it doesn't look like a bike, but when I'm done with the machining in two days it is going to pay for my new bike.

For reference, that is a 12" diameter slug of bronze x 6" long. I'm making a replacement part for a high-pressure fire pump. I had to machine the original part off the shaft after a failure. The heat created by the parts rubbing together essentially welded them together. 30 tons of pressure wouldn't budge it.

I think it kinda looks like a Salsa......

 

Yep on the Voom pronunciation.

My Austrian neighbor has one for her daughter. They are well built bikes... Your little one will have a lot of fun. Does yours have the Dunlop valve? It took some Googling to figure out what that was when they asked me to put air in the tires.

 

That is badass!

 

No, it has the Schrader valve. Although the wheels and spoke configuration make it impossible for my pump to fit onto the valve.

And of course, it comes with schwalbe tires!

 

I am horrified that the tires were not show mounted. @doublewide will never let me live that down, even though I didn't do it.

 

That's your new ride?

 

Haha! Yeah buddy! Congrats!

 

PROPER! Time to venture back to Aliso!

 

Semi-matching beasties!

 

Ahhhh yeeeahhh. Congrats, dude!

 

Yes!! Glad to see you popped for the new hubs. And a wheel size worthy of your...torso length?!?

Enjoy the honeymoon!

 

Thanks Mike! Historically, I am anti-honeymoon on new bikes. My first few rides are underwhelming and maybe even disappointing. But then I get 'em dialed in!!!!

 

STOKED for you Sir Herz!

 

Congrats @herzalot ,sweet ride!