The latest round of news and rumors to hit the Twenty Nine Inches headquarters are found here. Enjoy…..
Carbon Fiber 29″er From Across The Pond: On One, the company that brought us the Inbred steel hard tail, (more about that in a minute), is working on its carbon fiber 29″er frame. The 26 inch version is already on the way. In the image above we can discern a couple of features on this new model.
It appears as though On One is going with a direct mount derailluer which allows much more freedom in shaping the seat tube, as you can see that they have taken advantage of here. Also it appears as though they are in the tapered head tube camp. One thing that isn’t yet apparent is whether this will be compatible with single speed drivetrains. Our guess would be that it will be somehow, perhaps with an eccentric bottom bracket. On One has a history of producing some fine single speed rigs and we would be surprised if they didn’t offer this as a bike that could be geared or set up as a single speeder.
On One says that sample frames will be going out to sponsored riders in about three weeks. Stay tuned for any further updates.
No More Inbred 29″ers? In a surprising announcement, On One reveals that its longstanding steel hard tail model, the Inbred, is no more. Apparently the frame failed to pass the much more stringent new CEN testing procedures. This news was particularly about the 26″er version, but it is unclear if it also pertains to the 29″er as well. It was revealed in this posts comments section that the Inbred will perhaps be re-designed to pass the CEN standards, but again, it isn’t clear as to what the fate of the 29 inch version will be. Stay tuned for any updates we may get.
More Carbon 29″er Goodness From Europe? That is what we are hearing. News has reached Twenty Nine Inches that a top level World Cup athlete is helping a Euro based brand develop new carbon and aluminum 29″er hard tails to be released later in 2010. Rumor also has it that more 29 inch projects are in the works besides the hard tail line.
This may be part of a growing trend we are noticing in Europe that signals a new acceptance of big wheels as viable trail bike choices. Not only that, but with the news of top flite athletes becoming involved in these projects, we have to wonder if it won’t be long before we see some of these athletes using 29″ers on some select World Cup dates in 2010.
Salsa Cycles Titanium: We have posted on the new titanium El Mariachi here before. Now we will be getting our first up close and personal look at this frame in a few weeks at Salsa Cycles parent companies open house for dealers called “Frostbike”. We will be asking about the rumor we have heard regarding the future single speed version and steel El Mariachi re-designs that we are hearing will use sliding drop outs instead of the eccentric bottom brackets Salsa has employed in the past. Stay tuned for more information on this and other 29″er news coming from Frostbike in February.
The current Inbred 29er will not continue in its current form. Both the 26 & 29er Inbreds will come back as they are a favourite…..For an exclusive interview you can contact me and I can clarify.
I’ve been trying to find out more about the CEN testing and what the Eu is attempting to prevent. Is this something all companies are going to have to conform to, ala ANSI/CPSC?
Titanium El Mar with sliders would be the Bees Knees
It is the EU catching up with the MTB industry, ie; MTB forks have recently got longer so the testing should be more severe. It is a good thing
Manufacturers can still sell old stock.
It would be really interesting (well….to me, an engineer, it would be anyways) to read about exactly what that testing involves. Anyone have a link? Future article possibly?
@dman: I don’t have anything technical for you, but I will pass on that for over a year now I have heard about the “new CEN standards” from engineers, product designers, and brand managers from all over the cycling industry. They to a person agree that they are far tougher standards than anything that has been applied to cycling before.
It can only mean better products will be coming out from this point on. Although some will be heavier, and probably more expensive, I think having the products be somewhat safer is a good trade off, even if it is an infintesimal amount over the old ways of testing. My feeling is that it is going to be a benefit to end users.
I agree – it is good for the long run. I’d just like to know exactly what they’re doing…I’m just interested in that kind of stuff.
I’ve had a few job interviews with a well known seatpost and stem manufactuer, and part of the interview was a tour of the plant. Getting to see their testing machines was pretty freakin cool (especially since they design and manufacture those themselves). Never thought I’d see a BMX stem twist that much!!
Steveo,
On One Carbon 29 needs to be SS-able. Without EBB. EBB blows, IMO.
El Mariachi steel with sliders….YES PLEASE…… and can you make it something other than red
@D
I agree wholeheartedly; EBB blows hard. It’s a reason I will never purchase a SS Niner.
@Ted
I disagree. If the CEN compliance should make frames more expensive and heavier, it’s not good for consumers. Bike frames have been around for over a hundred of years and have been performing pretty well. If a frame manufacture is not doing a good job they pay dearly by needing to repair and issue recalls. The bike industry has flourished and delivered value for a long time without a gang of European paper-pushers, siesta-lovers, that probably never set astrid a bike out in the mountains, imposing their draconian notions.
I hope the american firms will NOT follow suite.
The On One 29er is going to have “swap-out dropouts” for single speeder and geared options according to earlier posts on the On One website.
@D, @Kiwi: That is correct, eventually there will be a carbon framed 29″er with “swap-outs”, but it won’t be the one pictured here which is destined for XTerra racer Richard Ussher and will be a full on XC lightweight rocket.
I’ll have an update with a mini-interview with Stevo coming that will spill all the beans.
@RubberBoy: I hear ya. That is a valid statement that you make. However; carbon fiber frames, titanium frames, and in some respects, the new hydro-formed aluminum frames are all relatively new developments in the history of cycling. Some having less than 20 years of commercial availability. The materials technology being brought to bear on these materials is also cutting edge- not having any historical precedent. We don’t know if the applications of such technologies to these newer materials and ways of manipulating them is safely done. Therefore; the testing is good, with respects to swinging the pendulum away from being too aggressive with weight reductions without safety in mind.
In these cases, the testing like the Europeans are using will help ferret out the bad designs before they get into your hands, or mine. Riders do not like being test guinea pigs, and they shouldn’t have to be.
Tests are not the “be all-end all” either, but it is to be seen as an effort to at least weed out poor designs, and if that means those designs need to be revised and end up heavier and more expensive due to the R&D, then I say it is all good.
Other tried and true designs need not worry if they are truly exceptional. They should pass these tests.
That said, if manufacturers did a better job of self-policing the industry, these tests would likely not be necessary. Finally, the tests do exist, and if you want to sell in Europe, you need CEN certification. Europe is too large and lucrative a market for most American based companies to ignore, so they are going to submit to the testing. Those that won’t be selling in Europe won’t need to deal with this, as that is my understanding of the CEN thing.
You EBB haters are so funny…..
@Martini,
Yes, we are so funny, every time we pull back our sliders we dress up in clown customs…
In fact, sometimes when we are in the mood, we wear a wild curly hairpiece and even put on a false bulbous red nose…
On the other hand, my few friends with EBB normally curse and grumble…
@Ted,
Your point is well made and your arguments are valid–if the product was more than just a bike frame. I find the notion of imposing standards on such a simple product unsettling. The burden could be onerous and costly, and truly, what could be the worse case scenario? A broken frame?How many people got killed or harmed by a faulty frame? I surmise hardly any. Surely, a defect is inconvenience and unwelcome, but not requiring committees and governing bodies. Let the marketplace sort out the bad weeds like it has done so successfully in the past.
P.S.: it is not surprising the European have come up with “need” for such action. They must employ their army of bureaucrat some how…
@RubberBoy
It’s not just the frame, every bicycle component for sale in EU must have CEN certificate.
Here is a interesting link (I personally had no idea that there are different standards for different types of bikes):
http://www.youclaim.co.uk/product-liability-claim-law-for-bicycles.htm
@all…the CEN standards are wide reaching. During the recent Specialized visit I was shown the helmet testing rig-ups. Not only the shell is now tested, but the straps, buckles etc need to comply to certain specs that are pretty far reaching.
I am not in favor of the safety Nazis…case in point…the lead in toys debacle…but if the helmet ends up being better for it, I am in even if it means if costs a bit more in the process. Of course, a frame is not a helmet so some points raised are well taken.
Man, I still remember the roaring 90s when CNC machines were cranking up shiny aluminum bike parts and the purple anodizing vats were bubblin’ 24 hrs a day to keep up. Testing? Some of that stuff was good for a few rides before it failed. I don’t miss that at all.
grannygear
I want to second grannygear on everything. The nineties did suck, and lots of people got hurt. In fact, a friend of mine broke his jaw in 2000 when the headtube of his bike completely separated from the rest of his frame, and this was on a made in America boutique branded bike.
On the helmet standards: Europe used to have more lax standards than the U.S. for helmets and because of it many were unavailable here or were slightly heavier in order to comply with our laws.
On the whole I’m for improving the standards within reason. Being able to fully trust my equipment helps me to ride faster and have more fun.
Good points. I now recall why I bought myalloy GT 26er in the mid/late 90s… burly as all get-out. Not light, but not fragile.
I’m glad I didn’t have any money back then to get the “nice” stuff.
A steel El Mar with sliders… yes indeed.
As for the standards, I hope it does translate into more optimized (strength, weight) designs.
In regards to grannygear’s comment, I never got hurt physically, but I did blow two Precision Billet Pro Shift derailluers to smithereens just using them normally. And I mean they exploded into bits. At $250.00 a pop that really hurt!
As an engineer , I have seen a bunch of testing, some invaluable, some pointless. Whether we get a better bike frame from the test regimen depends a lot on how the tests are designed – is the correct part of the frame stressed? Do the tests, in fact, bring the frame to failure in real-world scenarios, doing the same things in the rig that riders would do to their bikes on the road or trail?
If so, then great – the extra expense means better bikes. But, if the CEN and the bound-to-follow US testing emulate some of the stuff mandated by aircraft certifying authorities (governments), then – meh.
Thanks GT. Looking forward to the Stevo ‘view. I’m already saving my pennies.
there is a link/docs to CEN tests bottom of here:
http://www.ragleybikes.com/2009/07/how-strong-is-the-blue-pig-frame/
GT, I noticed your subtle post about Yeti on mtbr. I too have well supported info. Any chance you can expand on rumour or provide pics?
@professed: I- like you it seems- just have some “well supported” info on the introduction. It is happening and I have been told to look for something at Sea Otter. Beyond this, I have heard no other information.
Of course, if anyone knows more and would like to share anonymously or not, just hit our e-mail link on the right margin and let us know.