Also, didn't MacNeil make butted steel pegs years ago and call them "Park Pegs"? With Animal making butted pegs and Kink making aluminum ones, I'm not entirely sure what's going on. Vic Ayala and Troy McMurray need to come back and start a parts company with Sean Burns and call it FUCK YOU.
• Apparently the new S&M Dirt Bike, which I've written about twice already, will retail for $370. While that's $30 cheaper than the flagship LTF (and the Fit S3.5), it's still more expensive than the Sunday Second Wave or the FBM Maneater. Which is a bit of a disappointment. I thought the new Dirt Bike would fill the low-budget void left by frames like the Standard Cashius, the FBM Outsider, and yes, the original Dirt Bike. Although I suppose I should have known different when I saw "SuperTherm" and "five pounds". It's a bit like Honda producing a new $40,000 two-seater and calling it the CRX (which wouldn't surprise me either, actually). Unconfirmed word is that the Dirt Bike will replace the Black Bike in the S&M lineup, which means it's more of a name change than anything. Oh well, some things are just too good to be true.
(Then again, given the horrorshow that is the US economy, it's amazing that BMX frame prices have stayed the same for so damn long. I just picked up a 2001 Dan's catalog that was next to my couch—don't ask—and an S&M Call Girl frame was $370 way back then. How much was gas in 2001? Then again, the Dirt Bike Classic was $200.)
• I only became recently aware of the ever-sinking toptube of the Terrible One Barcode (which, by the way, is also cheaper than the Dirt Bike). Tragic. Jack! Rose! If only weight could have been trimmed in a different manner—say, by decreasing the diameter of said toptube. Or not worrying about weight at all. Which manufacturer will be so bold as to no longer list frame weight? (I'd also entirely forgotten that Taj was riding for Giant until I saw this bike check. I know it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but it's still sort of like Fugazi signing with Universal.)
• This has been bothering me for a while: Spanish or Mid, people. Pick one. Is it really necessary to maintain two near-identical, yet incompatible, bottom bracket standards? If one is truly superior, pick that one. And if it doesn't matter, flip a coin.
• Stop the madness! WWJSD?
20 comments:
Both t1 and s&m suck pretty hard right now.
"But I'm attracted to joe rich, and s&m used to be funny!"
It is sad as well that Solid is revising their AA frame to make it even lighter.
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The reason the bikes maintain their price is due to the need of less material. When you shave 3 pounds off what a bike used to be, you are using smaller and cheaper material, thus proving that the frames can stay the same price.
(Don't listen to a word I say)
albert, you're partially correct, but wrong at the same time. Butting and heat treating has to cost more than you basic, straight gauge 4130 tubing. yeah, everything might be smaller, but the quality of materials has gone up.
I think the real question is: why have Taiwanese frames risen so much? there's hardly a price difference these days.
Just a guess, but with the dollar tanking, those Taiwanese companies may be charging more in USD.
i just bought an SFA and i still love t1. sue me.
but 370 for the dirtbike is fucking horrible. i am saddened by this turn of events.
and don't even get me started on taj. i'll probably get yelled at by chase d. again. fucksake.
The dollar is in the toilet and raw material costs are up quite a bit in Taiwan. Competition has been keeping frame prices stable. I wouldn't be surprised if you see some price increases sometime in the near future.
I don't think T1 or S&M suck at all. Ditto for FBM, Solid, and anyone else who manufactures in the US of A in this day and age. They're all A-OK in my book (if a little insane).
However, a Barcode with a lowered toptube is like Gisele getting plastic surgery. Or something.
I still have 4 og animal pegs on my bike..
If you check this month's Ride Bmx (the UK version), there's a piece with a new bike company called UnKnown Bike Company (aka UKBikeCo) who are going to be releasing two frames that weigh 3.5lb and 3.7lb and have a lifetime warranty, and a complete with a 4.2lb frame.
They've not got a website up yet but I found a couple of photos and whatnot at http://forum.pijin.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&p=300#p207.
couple more details here - http://pijinbmx.blogspot.com/2008/05/ukbikeco-revolution.html
probably the worst frame ever made right there. 3.5lbs and lifetime warranty? Look forward to seeing how long that company lasts. Notice how they ripped off the seatclamp system on the strawberry that was apparently patented too..
Re: The Cost of Taiwanese frames.
Gas prices aren't helping costs. With diesel now costing 1 newborn male per gallon both steamship lines (which don't run on steam) and trucking lines are upping their gas surcharges like crazy. If you think your gas prices have gone up, imagine if the tank you had to fill up was the size of a small house(these are the things you hear about when your wife works in shipping).
perhaps they've licensed the seatclamp? or maybe it works slightly differently - enough that it doesn't infringe on the patent?
Oh yeah, the Honda CR-Z will go on sale in Europe with a price of 25,000 - 28,000 euros. Which at today's exchange rates mean, yes kids, we have a $40000 CRX.
I like what you mentioned about bottom brackets. I think it's hilarious that we've gone through 3 different BB variations since someone randomly decided that hammering in bearings was better than hammering in bearing CUPS, and now it looks like the winner is going to be the Mid, which is almost exactly the same as the US BB, regular 19mm bearings and all. Mid makes things a BIT easier to put together, but a well manufactured frame with a US bb isn't any harder to put together than a mid. Innovations just for the sake of them? Was anyone truly having problems with the US bb, other than the fact they were originally made for 1 piece cranks and kinda look clunky? How much weight could you save with a mid shell vs. a US shell? Aluminum BB cups weigh practically nothing....
i was, and still am a fan of the euro bb. i like being able to thread in my cups to my frame. but i can understand how beast-masters out there could blow out bearings. im not that tuff on stuff.
and to the 3.5lbs frame...it might have a lifetime guarantee, but the better question is will they guarantee my life? i am curious to see their warranty disclaimer if anybody can link it here.
I like how with mids, the sprocket bolt doesn't hit the bb, if you run your sprocket close to the bb..Like it did with American..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuSdU8tbcHY
That 3.5 pound frame is flat-out terrifying.
Those that get that nostalgic feeling from the Dirt Bike may be prepared to pay a bit more just in principle. But whatever the case may be... any company that is making their gear in the US has my deep respect. It's not xenophobia or even mere patriotism... but buying locally makes sense on so many levels.
I'm not an anti-import kook by any means, but when looking at options for a purchase... yeah, where the item is made is a consideration and being made in the US is a major plus in my book. Worth paying more for? Absofugginlutely.
But what about the other made in USA options that are cheaper? well that's where that fuzzy warm Dirt Bike feeling comes into play. Or not.
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