The Future Of Mountain Bikes

[stringbean]

no derauilers (sp), hangers or cassets

single sided swing arms

wiehgt in frames will drop but the overall weight of the bike will stay reasonably the same for 2 reasons, 1) bikes seem to be at a good weight at the moment, around the 17-18 kilo mark, heavier and there to much to move around, lighter and the move around to much, dont stick to the ground over rough stuff and 2) overall weight will stay the same because new technology being introduced will initaly be heavier.

suspention technology will become much better, with the release of the new boxxers, other companies such as fox and marzocci will have to lift there game, and so then rockshock will lift there game and the cycle will continue.

protective equipment will (already is) becoming lighter and more flexible, check out POC for a great example. also the 661 evo range is a good example of this.

 

[CD24]

I think carbon frames will continue to be popular with manufactures for the next few years.

I won't be surprise to hear rumours of the electric XTR in the next 12 months.

Looks like 100mm of travel seen to be the ideal travel distance for XC until technology improves.

29ers to become more popular. Especially with the bigger rider.

 

[dhd]

I think:
Carbon frames will become more prevalent mainly in XC.
Everyone will realize DW link is a toss and there is many other versions that work just as well. (a cheap shot I know!)
GT will bring back an RTS frame that looks just like an M6.
Gearbox bikes still won't be popular in DH bikes.
6 inch XC bikes will be the norm with a longer top tube and shorter stem and slacker angles.
BILT will become the premier Australian bike brand.
"ISCG 09" will be released to "standardize" chainguide mounting.
1.75 Head tubes will become the new standard for Freeride bikes.
More high end bikes will come out of China than Taiwan.
There will be two manufacturers making carbon DH frames.
Next fad will be naked or raw finish parts followed by polished and then back to good old black.
Troy Lee Designs will strike up a deal with Big W and move into childrens lunch boxes, drink bottles and flamed fold up scooters.
Sam Hill will run for Premier of WA.
Bilstein will enter and take over the MTB suspension world.
Carbon fibre helmets will be developed that are soft fit until impact (See Batman movie) so you only have to wear them like a balaclava.
MTBers will be shot in the street for looking like burglers.
Is anyone still reading this?
FSA will release 850mm wide bars.
Stromlo will get a second DH trail.... But the gates will still be locked.
SRAM will bring out a limited edition Single speed Hammerschmidt crank set. Idiots will buy them.
Specialized will feature in K-Mart catalogues.
Steve Peat will win the Worlds.
Everything will get more expensive cause the Aussie dollar is worth bugger all....Oh hang on, that already happened.
Street and Skatepark legends will wear even tighter jeans and still hack on people wearing lycra.
Troy Lee's brother Ugg will quit his job as designer at SixSixOne and start his own label like his brother.

I'm tired now.....I think I'll go to bed......

 

[frenchman]

Riders will still be selling their now 10 year old orange 222 frame for $1000.

And people will still be paying $1000.

 

[RMB]

Electo magnetic brakes that recharge will you ride.

 

[jackedin]

What about 8 speed heavy duty internal hub to go with the hammerschmidt range to give you a single chain line, 16 gears and a thumb shifter.
AM 135 hub
FR 150 hub
And doesn't weigh a tonne and when you flick a gear it goes in.

 

[LTR]

taken from 2004... its so true... good read

remember that this is only 5 years.
I think that GBox will be in, and will be cheap enough for the average person to buy. GT IT1? Diamondback? B1? I still think we aren't far off internally geared frames, in fact when I buy a new DH frame, it will almost definitely be gboxx.
Duallies will all be able to pedal, including DH bikes so we can go up hills too. Recent shocks with things like propedal have definitely assisted dual suspension bikes in pedalling efficiently in recent years!
Hardtails will hardly be needed for use. I dont think I ever sell a Hardtail over $3000 these days. Only lower end bikes will be hardtails.
Bikes will all be 20% lighter. On average, true.
Super Monster T's will be phased out, because everyone knows we dont need em. Haven't seen one since 2004!
The large bike companies will have taken over 99% of the market, thus eliminating small companies in it for the profit. Still quite a few boutique frame manufacturers kicking about.
I will be this massive bike whore with like 80k worth of bikes, all wanky and pimped out to the max. True... haha
I will be a major part of the bike industry (i dont know how yet).I haven't done anything yet except teach as many people as I can about bikes, bike riding and fitness, but in the next few months I will be producing my own bike products!
MTB will be 30% larger, and the adverage person will be able to afford a good quality bike. Definitely more people on the trails.
Forks will be computerised for the pro's, like the old cannondale forks and forks will generally be smarter (lockout coming upto stuff etc). [/COLOR]Lockout is definitely common practice these days, electric gearing is being produced by Shimano, I can still see this happening.
Oz-Freerider will become pro. Never happened... oww
There will be indestructable wheelsets. I dont think there will ever be a reasonably light, indestructible wheelset. There are definitely different wheelbuilding designs getting about. (I9, Crank Bros etc)
More Ti frames around. Id say about the same get about as '04
Carbon wont be wanky anymore. Nah, its still wanky.
Mangenese will be 'the shit' I dont even know what this is anymore!
Pro riders will get paid over 1million a year. Riders get paid considerably more on average since '04
4X will get massive. Turns out Australian 4x just fell to bits
DH will be better and more accessible. Maybe so in other parts of Australia. Cant say I've ridden many new tracks in Victoria since '04.
There will be special shuttle cars that are automated. These will happen!
More MTB parks in the world. I'd say so.

I will think of more later. :twisted:

Can't say I remember writing this, but it seems I wasn't too far off. One thing I never saw coming was the stupid colours that they do things in these days. Never seen such disgusting componentry slapped together onto bikes, where colours aren't even close to matching or complimenting other parts of the bike.

So in the next 5 years, I see:
Carbon Belt Drive to become quite prevalent.
More Carbon Frames, Forks and Componentry for all applications.
Gearbox still.
Electronic Shifting
11spd cassettes for MTB application
Remote Lockout on more suspension forks and frames
More 29er because its the future!

 

[MARKL]

the future...
electronic shifting...its only a matter of time...2-3 years max

AM bikes will have greater geometry adjustment - travel adjustment will be standard on am bikes - better going up and down...

Ironhorse will beat Specialized to Kmart - fwits I own both!

29er all mountain rigs...5-6 inch travel (adjustable travel/geometry), through axles everywhere, pedals, climbs - sub 30 pounds...nothing will stand in its way...and if your too short to ride it...well, get counselling your going to need it.

Fox and Shimano to part ways on the 15mm through axle and introduce 14mm and 16mm versions respectively..

GeoffR to either be World Drivers Champion or to prove the value of ABS by running up the arse of an "innocent" in a perfectly avoidable accident...my hero ...

 

[downhiller_1]

must also say... cassette hubs so 9 tooth rear

 

[axertes]

29er all mountain rigs...5-6 inch travel (adjustable travel/geometry), through axles everywhere, pedals, climbs - sub 30 pounds...nothing will stand in its way...and if your too short to ride it...well, get counselling your going to need it.

Looks like you only have to wait a few months.

Although, with the properties of 29" wheels, could you count a 4"-4.5" travel 29er as AM? In that case there are a few to choose from...

4"

4.5"

 

[Stredda]

Found this old thread. Interesting to read peoples predictions and what came true and what didn't.

What will be the future for the next 10 years?

 

[wkkie]

Hover bikes.

 

[pink poodle]

Hoover bikes.

As in the brand? Or do you just mean ride on vacuum cleaners in general?


A further shift towards comfort, convenience, and disposable. Combined with short life spans and repairs so expensive you may as well just buy a new bike.

Throttle driven ebikes... eventually into low powered emotorcyles.

And the deterioration of the middle market. A surge in junk and dentist only range.

 

[Jabubu]

Recyclable carbon

 

[Jpez]

Recyclable carbon

Is that like the ‘recyclable plastic’s’ theoretically possible to recycle but in no one’s financial interests to do so?

 

[silentbutdeadly]

What will be the future for the next 10 years?

- Big uptick in online gamification of MTB.
- Smaller & more efficient motor and battery systems drive eMTB into market dominance over pedal only systems.
- we all get ten years older and grumpier as we struggle to stay on the trail let alone on the bike.

 

[Scotty T]

- we all get ten years older and grumpier as we struggle to stay on the trail let alone on the bike.

The biggest and most predicatable change of all.

 

[Stredda]

Is that like the ‘recyclable plastic’s’ theoretically possible to recycle but in no one’s financial interests to do so?

There are some apparently recyclable reinforced plastic frames on the market so this could be the future.

- Big uptick in online gamification of MTB.

There's already MTB Zwift so this will very likely evolve from there.

- Smaller & more efficient motor and battery systems drive eMTB into market dominance over pedal only systems.

Yes, I reckon as battery tech improves, Ebike will be just a light and indistinguishable from a normal bike

- we all get ten years older and grumpier as we struggle to stay on the trail let alone on the bike.

This is a given and already true for some here.
[/QUOTE]
Electronics will continue to seep into bikes and I can see manufactures like Shimano and SRAM going to full integrated systems from one brand for brakes, gears, seat post and suspension making a mixed brand bike difficult.
Gearboxes will become the norm for Ebikes, unsure about normal bikes.
Maybe the big players like Shimano or SRAM develop a whole bike as they already make most of the components anyway, you really just need the frame.

 

[Mattyp]

Self-pedalling, self-balancing, automatic steering, un-crashable bikes will make helmets redundant and everyone will set identical Strava KOMs.

 

[Tubbsy]

Self-pedalling, self-balancing, automatic steering, un-crashable bikes will make helmets redundant and everyone will set identical Strava KOMs.

I predict that in ten years even Kmart bikes will have the KIS system.