Mountain-biking: Alexx Zarr discusses new(ish) trends
The wheels are still round, the frame is kinda two triangles bonded together, there are still gears, and rubber-based tyres keep one on the dirt. Other than this there are constant innovations, changes and experiments happening in mountain biking (MTBing).
By Alexx Zarr
I am about half way through the introduction to what a MTB is (refer previous blogs) and the variety of options there are for building your perfect bike. Before I get back to that series of articles, I have decided to look at a few new(ish) trends.
Most of the innovation is on the margins of what exists as mainstream, rather than anything revolutionary. Although, I do find it difficult to decide where the dividing line is between the two, evolution and revolution.
Gearing:
In the beginning, as I know it, MTBs had three chainrings in front and nine or ten gears on the cassette at the back. This gave one 27 or 30 gear options in total. The range of gears was supposed to make it possible to ride at high speed on flats and downhill's, and then be able to climb the slopes of Mount Everest. The penalties for so many combinations include weight, complexity, duplication / unnecessary gears, drive-train wear and tear, and chain-suck.
The 2 x 10 gear range was introduced a few years ago and has largely overcome the disadvantages of the 3×9/10 setup, with few, if any, drawbacks. The concern that there 'are not enough gears' is largely a myth.
In the last two years single chain rings have made their appearance. The ratio is now 1 x 11 (one chain ring in front and 11 gears on the cassette). The further reduction in multiple chainrings is intended to reduce weight, improve simplicity, and decrease wear and tear and maintenance. I suspect that the swing to fewer gears has also been the result of the switch in wheel sizes, from 26inch to 29inch. The bigger wheels require less gearing than the smaller ones.
The single chainring is probably more of an innovation than the jump from three to two chainrings. There are massive differences between a 3 x 10 and a 1 x 11 gearing arrangement. The band of available gears is materially different, as are the other critical factors. The next step from here is to a single speed.
So what is the verdict? I am still on the 2 x 10 option, so I asked someone who recently made the switch for their impressions. Dirk Oerlemans is my guinea pig. Dirk is the founder and owner of the TorqZone specialist technical centres that service mainly MTBs. His responses to the key variables are as follows. He likes the simplicity that eliminates gear-train problems such as chain suck and chain-cross, and the reduced weight is a bonus. There is an initial price premium but he reckons with low wear and tear the cost may not be material.
What he failed to mention, no doubt because he loves his new machine, is that he struggles on the downhill's and flats when others are on 2 x 10's. It feels, to me, that there may be horses for courses, and chainring choice will be based on the nature of the route and what the other bikers are using.
Bike geometry or shape:
The other change I see happening is bike geometry or shape. The traditional two triangle shape is shifting each year, mainly for dual suspension frames. New technology is enabling manufacturers to reduce the weight and 'springiness' of dual suspension bikes by changing the way the bits of the frame fit together. Such changes also improve the stability of the bike.
While other innovations such as hydraulic shifting are making their way into mainstream cycling, there are a few revolutionary ideas doing the rounds (yep, excuse the puns). One of them is the 'ShockWheel' (ShockWheel) which is a variation of the Loopwheels idea (LoopWheels). These are wheels without spokes. The wheels themselves are able to flex, and could displace the need for shocks. I reckon it will take a while to see these on MTBs in your neighbourhood.
Innovations will continue to chip away at the margins of mountain bike design and various components, but it seems unlikely that there is any revolutionary change around the corner.