A Look Back: 2009 Recap on Mountain Biking

2009 Recap: Mountain Bikes and Mountain BikingNow 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?

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