It’s fair to say I’m not one to keep up with all the latest cycling tech trends, for all manner of reasons. Sometimes that’s money, already having the coolest bar tape on the market, or just being content with what I have (pah!)
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But, like many of us, I’m guilty of falling into a few “that looks cool, I want it” traps. And to be honest, is there anything wrong with that? Only sometimes, maybe. But anyway!
Sometimes things catch our eye at the right time. Say a frame has died a death, the wear on your crank arms is to the point where they need replacing before you find out that metal really can snap. Then you start poring through reviews, deals, and the often baffling marketing collateral, which means you end up with a drop bar, full suspension cargo Brompton that doubles up as a pedalo. Or is that just me?
Whether we like it or not, trends in cycling have informed how we ride, and style our rides; but is what has been before coming back with a vengeance?
What initially comes to mind from the last year or so is cantilever brakes, suspension stems, anodised everything, 9-speed groupsets, and hybrid crossovers that look like bikes I drew in primary school.
Out of all of them, maybe 9-speed chains and canti brakes were most upsetting to read… but it’s true!
With Shimano’s introduction of CUES recently, there has been an influx of interest in cost-effective and easily repairable drivetrain solutions, whether that’s 9-, 10- or 11-speed. These systems are going to be much easier and cheaper to get sorted when you’re way off the beaten track, and things go awry.
This was part of the reason that CUES (standing for ‘Creating Unique Experiences’) hit the shelves, which I am an advocate of. The huge roster of components that can all be dialled in together is incredible.
Sure, if you want a 9-speed, you can absolutely go and get yourself some vintage XTR parts, but you’ll have to buy in bulk (if you can) to ensure you don’t destroy a rapid-fire shifter, and find yourself in your own firing line for making stubborn decisions in response to chasing cool points.
Yes, drivetrain tech is way more reliable these days, and the 12-speed systems that are basically everywhere these days are pretty hardy; but if you’re stuck for a shifter, chain and/or cassette in a small village in Europe or the US, it’s far more likely that these lesser speeds are going to be good to go. Plus, they leave you with some change to enjoy a local hot chocolate and a sarnie while you wait for things to be fitted.
So that’s ‘going’ covered. What about ‘stopping’? Well, yes, I mentioned cantilever brakes, and while they still get a good bit of use on cyclocross bikes and touring bikes from the likes of Thorn and elsewhere, it’s not like anyone these days chases the rim brake dream on their machine. It’s not all doom and gloom for brands like Avid and Magura, though (both of whom still make the best canti mount brakes in my opinion), because Brother Cycles just recently announced its new do-it-all, have-it-all, roll-how-you-want klunker machine.
The Pinecone, which boasts compatibility for disc brakes, 26, 27.5 and 700c wheels, and also cantilever mounts, is a beauty of an idea. It essentially allows you to slap on whatever components you might have lying around the spares bin; a tried and tested way of building up a second bike that I used to do a lot before I started running things into the ground.
So if you can now build a bike with whatever components you fancy, whether that’s 30-year-old V-brakes, paired with the fastest off-road tyres known to humankind and a Brooks Cambium saddle with a one-piece cockpit, surely it needs to also pop with a bit of life and colour.
Well, fear not! I’m a huge advocate for sprinkling some zhuzh, and so are so many of you out there, along with so many of the component manufacturers that supply us with anodised EVERYTHING.
Thankfully, these days we can absolutely trust the build quality of the colourful gubbins to jazz up our bikes, as opposed to the risqué chainring bolts of old that would shear at the thought of putting a solid crank in.
That’s, of course, not to say this rainbow coloured accoutrement of top caps, seatclamps, nipples to hubs hasn’t been around forever. But recently, it seems like people are waking up to it a little more, and no longer settling for a stealthy neutral-toned bicycle. They’re getting on board with some retro flair, and I’m all for it.
Now, seeing as how I have a word limit, it keeps things in this column somewhat unfinished and leaves any points open to discussion. So don’t be shy, let me know your thoughts: what else has ‘come back around’, and what do you reckon will come next?
Before I properly close out, though, let’s just take a minute to remember that Futureshock from Specialized launched in 2016. Long before that, too, we had Cannondale helping our wrists and elbows out with Headshock in 1992, so now and again someone wants to help smooth things out… and whadya know, we have those squishy gravel forks now, and stems from Cane Creek and Redshift.
So, heaps of tech is coming back around, and while it may seem obvious to some, others may accuse me of reaching. You know what, you’d both be right, and that’s ok…
