After roaming around my house slowly becoming more more upset after not knowing what hub to use on my new rear wheel, I decided to make this post. Time and time again I hear people complaining about breaking parts and in the past year I haven't really broken anything besides wheels, but I have other problems such as bending bars for example. I like gaps, so if bars aren't strong enough, they bend. Recently I started riding bars, based out of Brooklyn, and they are way strong but sadly they are a lil heavy. My front end generally dips if I dont execute the gap almost perfectly. My question is, why cant there be someone to create a 3'' - 3.5" rise bar thats comes wide, is not too heavy, and looks super smooth? Why are so many companies popping up trying to make money off of fixed gear and just creating the same stuff thats in over abundance, frames. To be honest the Grime and Villan were the first (and pretty much only) two companies to make frames that re-innovate our riding capabilities, due to their higher BB. Some companies are coming along as well, but not many.
Beyond bars there is an even larger issue. Where are the hubs at? Is it really that difficult to make a hub that has longer stronger axels that appeal to peggers and non peggers a like? Iv'e heard numerous riders in the fam complaining about destroying hubs and although I haven't broken any myself, I do have a problem with finding a hub that is friendly to double axel grinds. For those that don't know, female axel bolts don't allow for any material to balance on while on pegless grinds. Generally I am on the drop outs but if I slip wouldn't it be nicer to have a bolt to catch me and hold on to that grind? Ive heard of a few companies coming out with 14mm fixed hubs, but are there really that little companies that care about the true demands of the riding that is going on? I would like to know something.
One day we will be able to bring forth pars that will be substantial enough for the shredding that is going on. If only the financial support that some other companies have were mirrored over this way. Have a good night.
I dunno man, before the Bruiser and the Scissor, there weren't ANY fixed freestyle framesets.
ReplyDeleteTrue to that as well.
ReplyDeletens district bars are great. really sexy curve to em and 3" rise. the new 2011 bars are 4" rise. I think the thing with the "big" companies is turnaround time, and consistency from the factories they get their stuff from. these companies need to think ahead of the game instead of keeping up with the game. Also look out for black market Molly Hatchet bars
ReplyDeletewell, first off the reason why bike companies dont wise up is because they target the dudes who are just starting out. to get to where new tech comes out and is being adressed, takes a long ass time- just like when skateboards were one tailed and finally someone was smart enough to make a double tailed deck. and think about it, progression cannot be made out of no where, it's got to evolve and then become common, which is why your grime frame and the villin frame you mentioned are made by smaller companies. the only exception to the rule would probably be the R&D slum and the wheeltalk crew is doing with specialized with the p.fixed line.
ReplyDeleteas far as bars go, i feel you. most of the stuff that's being churned out is cross bar crap that everyone has. and the reason is because of demand- kids want that, but dont know anything better which is REALLY unfortunate because off the bat, there are soooo many bars better than the ones being bought. in terms of the hub issue- it's bloody expensive for those types of hubs. for that reason, not alot of riders buy them, and not alot get produced.
i think the only way to solve it is time- riders have to progress to a level where the general riding public wants those types of products. then the companies will actually start making these products. but by then you'll probably be ranting about needing something far more advanced than i can imagine.
that's my 2 cents.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why don't you look into mountain bike dirt jumping stems and bars. They're going to be 31.8 diameter. That should be stronger.
ReplyDeleteyou scared me with the title. i almost thought you quit riding there. But don't worry torey were almost there to dialing in our parts and you desrve a good sponser that produces parts here in the usa and will handle your gnarly-ness
ReplyDeleteso true, there is an over abundance of the same parts, and not enough companies are meeting some obvious demands. On the other hand we have come a long way in the last year, maybe it will just take another year to get it all together.
ReplyDelete