mountain bike news

Discount Parts, Exclusive Tips and General Randomness

Time to jump in and give you guys an update on where things are, where they are going and how it affects you. So here is some Bike198.com news to go with your morning coffee as we continue to unwrap this pedal propulsion obsession.

Ever since the move last month to the Bike198.com domain, we have been hard at work behind the scenes to really ramp up our offerings on the site to feed your habit, and…so far…everything is heading exactly where it needs to. As we move forward, here is what you need to look for in the coming weeks.

Discount Mountain Bike Parts

As you can probably imagine, the Bike198 parts bin is growing. We can not use all of it, so we will be giving it away and selling it to help feed the site with the necessary growth and capital to keep things rolling smoothly. So…where can you find out about all of these discounted parts that you can pick up (slightly used I might add…and I do mean slightly)?

I am going to make the list of parts available to newsletter subscribers starting next week, so if you are already subscribed…watch your email. Anything that is not sold to you guys is going to hit eBay and other online used retail outlets, so be sure to watch for the list as time will be limited. The price you are going to see to newsletter subscribers is going to be cheaper than the going rate anywhere else online as a thank you for continuing to support what we do here.

If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter…you can here.

Road and Urban Commuting

We are in the process of ramping up the content production over at Road.Bike198.com and Urban.Bike198.com, so we are looking for guest posters and other content avenues (reviews, news, etc.) to help get those areas of the site up and rolling. As of right now, this is not a paying gig, so here is the ideal candidate for submitting guest posts to the two sites.

• Someone who wants to help and be a part of the site.
• A bike shop or bike related company that wants more exposure through unique valuable content.
• Company looking for related product reviews in the respective niches.
• Website owner that needs quality links and targeted traffic through guest posting.

If you are interested or know someone that would be, please hit me up at rsutton at bike198.com and we will get things rolling.

Mountain.Bike198.com Newsletter

In addition to providing discounted parts to newsletter subscribers, the Mountain.Bike198.com newsletter is going to get a complete overhaul. The free newsletter is going to serve as an outlet for exclusive, premium content (still free), discount codes and continuance of discounted parts offerings. Even though it is free to subscribe, I want to create as much value as I possibly can to that email that hits your inbox. You will still get an update on the latest articles from Mountain.Bike198.com as usual, but be on the lookout for even more valuable content as time moves forward.

If you haven’t already…sign up here!

T-Shirts, Hats, Stickers and other Soft Goods

This last point is the one I am most stoked about. We are in the process of designing t-shirts for Mountain.Bike198.com. Now…these are not going to be your typical website t-shirts that just have my logo on them, these are going to be true 1 off, unique designs that cater to the different segments of mountain biking. We are going to do a pre-order launch once the designs are complete, so be on the lookout for this as we move forward with the process.

Thank You From The Crew At Bike198

Thanks again for supporting this site and everything we do here. Without you guys, the Bike198 sites are just words on a screen, so the continued support and patience during the domain move has been incredible.

Don’t forget to check out the new Community.Bike198.com when you get a chance as well!

News Image by Pragmagraphr

A Look Back: 2009 Recap on Mountain Biking

Now that we are all fat and happy from the holidays, we are looking back at 2009 as we look forward to 2010.

2009 was a huge year for mountain biking (of course…I say that every year!). The industry saw new innovations and the sport continued to grow as we saw even more new riders take on the stoke of ripping up sweet singletrack. With 2010 on the horizon, there are some trends hitting the industry that started to take the mainstream during 2009 that will have an extreme impact on riders as we continue to upgrade our stables.

As you hit up 2010′s rides, gear and other mountain bike related activities, what was it about 2009 that made it so special?

Mountain Biking in 2009

2009 – The Year of the Thru Axle

What started as a trend in 2008 really solidified in 2009. What used to be reserved for 160mm forks and above has now found its way into the 140mm and below suspension fork market. The front suspension fork thru axle is now officially mainstream for riders outside of the AM/FR/DH market. As more forks like the Rock Shox Reba (80-120mm of travel) see thru axles, cross country riders are going to get the benefit of easier to use and stiffer front suspension platforms. I would expect (and this is happening) to see even wider spread adoption of the thru axle in 2010 as everyone from XC racers to full out DH riders push the industry in this direction. With weight becoming a non-issue (and actually easier to use and maintain than a quick release these days), more and more mountain bikers are going to be installing thru axle forks on their mountain bikes in 2010.

10 Speed On A Mountain Bike?!

With 2009, we saw the first (mainstream) adoption of a 2×10 setup on a mountain bike with the introduction of the SRAM XX groupo. While some of you may not believe in extending the rear cassette setup on a mountain bike to 10 gears, I do like where the industry is heading with the two ring setup up front. There will always be a need for a 3 ring setup for mountain bikers, but I have been running a 2 ring (w/bashguard) for a long time. Word on the street is that XTR is going to make the switch to 10 speed in 2010.

Armstrong vs. Weins

The Leadville 100 saw a new winner for the first time in 7 years with Lance Armstrong stopping what would have been 7 straight wins for David Weins. This comes directly after a very strong finish for Armstrong in the Tour de France and the formation of the new Radio Shack team as Armstrong positions himself for another Tour win.

5.5″ Trail Bikes Continue to Dominate…but watch out!

The 140mm travel mountain bike market continued to be the crowd favorite in 2009 as more mountain bikers are finding the benefit of having a lighter bike with a little bit more travel. Hot on the heals of this trail bike is the growing popularity of the 29er and lightweight 6″ travel bike. With mountain bikes like the Trek Remedy Carbon and the Specialized Enduro Carbon, we are starting to see longer travel trail bikes weigh in under the 30 lbs range giving mountain bikers a bigger hit bike that can still pedal.

2009 also saw massive growth in the 29er category with even more component and bike offerings. What used to be a niche segment of mountain biking has now hit mainstream and more riders than ever are adopting this bigger wheeled platform.

Give Me More Volume!

Finally! More riders are screaming for lightweight, larger volume tires. The days of 1.8 tread are looking to be a past memory as tire manufacturers are answering the needs of mountain bikers with lightweight, high volume tires for your mountain bike. Even pure XC racers are running 2.25′s these days as the rest of us enjoy a softer ride, less flatting and more grip.

What did you see in 2009?

Before we head forward into 2010…what did you see as a great advancement or failure in 2009 for the mountain biking industry?