what is your guess of latest greatest bike thing?

[cnighbor1]

what is your guess of latest greatest bike thing?
we 11 cogs in the rear
Electric shifting
Carbon fiber every where
Wheels so light they nearly float
so what is your guess of next innovation in the bicycle world.
I can't think of what would be next
Charles Looking forward!

[oldpotatoe]

what is your guess of latest greatest bike thing?
we 11 cogs in the rear
Electric shifting
Carbon fiber every where
Wheels so light they nearly float
so what is your guess of next innovation in the bicycle world.
I can't think of what would be next
Charles Looking forward!

The things you mentioned aren't necessarily 'innovations' and in some cases, market driven steps backward, IMHO.

How about safe roads everywhere with a 'lane' or at least fat spot on the side, kept clean for bikes or breakdowns for cars??

Fantasy land.

[MattTuck]

The NEXT thing?

Wireless shifting
More safety innovations
A new and entirely unnecessary 'standard' that is lighter/more aero/better q factor/stiffer/etc.

[cfox]

Is your question what will actually be the latest/greatest, or what we are told by the industry is the latest greatest? In the case of the latter, disc road bikes.

[fiamme red]

The most important bicycle innovations over the last few years have been in LED lighting.

[bicycletricycle]

I think suspension on road bikes might be sweet

[ultraman6970]

The next greatest bike thing could be having all the car drivers that run over a cyclist to force them to ride a bike for at least a year as a punishment, and a big banner in the DMV offices where the driver license test is taken that says... "always respect the lighter vehicle, even if you are in a hurry. If an accident happens he will lose all the time".

[ultraman6970]

Already done and many years ago... serotta and klein had them.

I think suspension on road bikes might be sweet

[bicycletricycle]

Ya, but what I mean is lightweight super awesome suspension

[Lewis Moon]

The L&G thing I'm interested in has already started: Gravel road racing. With it harder and harder to get roads closed or even made a bit safer, I predict that gravel road racing will really begin to take off.

[ultraman6970]

Well if you put it like that :D

[wooly]

The things you mentioned aren't necessarily 'innovations' and in some cases, market driven steps backward, IMHO.

How about safe roads everywhere with a 'lane' or at least fat spot on the side, kept clean for bikes or breakdowns for cars??

Fantasy land.

You mean "Fantasy Island"?!

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/a8/e5/6ca8e531b20f96cb98f67563e9e3b024.jpg

[redir]

Automatic transmission?

[TBDSeattle]

The L&G thing I'm interested in has already started: Gravel road racing. With it harder and harder to get roads closed or even made a bit safer, I predict that gravel road racing will really begin to take off.

+1 to gravel.

I'm not partial to racing any more, but I love the ability to ride for days without sharing any space with cars.

My wife and I rode the Iron Horse Trail last year with touring gear, and I want to make that an annual event.

Iron Horse is a 110 mile gravel road that runs over a pass and through a 2.4 mile long tunnel that connects western Washington with eastern Washington. In my opinion a "must ride" for cyclists in the Pacific Northwest.

Link to trail... (http://trails.evergreenmtb.org/wiki/Trail:Iron_Horse)

To give you an idea of how awesome this gravel trail is... below is a photo.

http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/xx192/tbdphotobucket/Ironhorsetrail_zps1feceb94.jpg (http://s755.photobucket.com/user/tbdphotobucket/media/Ironhorsetrail_zps1feceb94.jpg.html)

[54ny77]

i appreciate seeing things made in new and unique materials, if only for the technology aspect/pushing the envelope.

figure it wasn't that long ago that titanium and carbon fiber was the super secret stuff of the sr71.

[Tony]

I think helmets will see change, it just makes since. Digital technology that will enable the user to see forward, around, behind while deep in the drops?

[bluesea]

Its about that time for a stronger, lighter grade of steel.

[54ny77]

http://blogs.sacurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Zoolander.jpg

Its about that time for a stronger, lighter grade of steel.

[bluesea]

^ Your poeticism impresses. :D

[moose8]

Helmets that are better at preventing concussions. I'd pay more.

[Lewis Moon]

Oh yeah, HUD cyclometers. Like Google Glasses.

[biker72]

i appreciate seeing things made in new and unique materials, if only for the technology aspect/pushing the envelope.

figure it wasn't that long ago that titanium and carbon fiber was the super secret stuff of the sr71.

There's got to be some new super light/strong material on the horizon that will replace carbon fiber.

[54ny77]

materials sciences is a pretty fascinating thing.

got a pal who went that route through college and doctoral work, and he's done some pretty amazing things across a variety of fields. he's also scary smart.

if i had the brain capacity, in hindsight i'd enjoy going back to pursue that. but my brain is small, i'm just a caveman consumer.

There's got to be some new super light/strong material on the horizon that will replace carbon fiber.

[TBDSeattle]

Helmets that are better at preventing concussions. I'd pay more.

http://www.hovding.com/

I've never seen one in person, but I love the idea.

[KidWok]

+1 OldP...true technological innovation has been few and far in between since the industry went to computer/FEA design for most things. That quickly pushed things to their material/mechanical limits and the rest has just been marketing hype. Short of making bikes out of spider's thread tubing and chains made out of everlasting gobstoppers, I can't see much in the near future that counts as true innovation.

+1 biketrike...anything that makes cycling more enjoyable is great and lightweight suspension on road bikes would definitely do that. For too long, new cyclists have walked into bike shops and been sold what the industry wanted to sell them...High-geared, low tire clearance, excessively stiff, low head tube, etc racing machines. I've been leading novice rides for years and cringe every time I see a new person come out with something like that. More often than not, they only ride one season. The new Ergon suspension post borrowed from Canyon and Specialized Cobble Gobbler will be welcomed by a wide range of cyclists. I've been wanting the Canyon design for years.

+1 TBDSeattle. I've ridden over Snoqualmie pass along the Iron Horse a few times now. A must do. If your bike takes 32's and has reasonably low gearing, try riding the Iron Horse out to Cle Elum for an overnight at the Iron Horse B&B.

+1 gravel riding...I almost launched a two day gravel charity ride in Sun Valley, Idaho last year. Would go there myself to ride sometime soon.

Tai

[donevwil]

$10/gal gas.

[TBDSeattle]

$10/gal gas.

ha!

+1

[TBDSeattle]

+1 TBDSeattle. I've ridden over Snoqualmie pass along the Iron Horse a few times now. A must do. If your bike takes 32's and has reasonably low gearing, try riding the Iron Horse out to Cle Elum for an overnight at the Iron Horse B&B.
Tai

Yes, that is an awesome ride. Last year we rode from North Bend to Cle Elum, then had pizza & Beer in Roslyn. We've got some family property in Cle Elum, so we stayed there that night, and rode back the next day. Loved every minute of it!

One of the best parts was running into some friends from Ballard that were on bikes with their two kids outside Cle Elum. Totally serendipitous, and a delightful surprise double date dinner.

[keevon]

Graphene everything. And 3D printing.

[OtayBW]

Latest and greatest:

1) Clif Bloks, Black Cherry, w/ caffeine
2) K-Edge bar mount for Garmin 500

I'm easy.

[seanile]

id like to see developments in making custom-molded shoes/seats/bar tape/shifter grips/helmets.
permanent comfort..swoon

[jr59]

id like to see developments in making custom-molded shoes/seats/bar tape/shifter grips/helmets.
Permanent comfort..swoon

+100

[bcroslin]

wireless everything is next

[rustychisel]

Graphene everything. And 3D printing.

this. 3D printing will inherit the world

[cnighbor1]

The next greatest bike thing could be having all the car drivers that run over a cyclist to force them to ride a bike for at least a year as a punishment, and a big banner in the DMV offices where the driver license test is taken that says... "always respect the lighter vehicle, even if you are in a hurry. If an accident happens he will lose all the time".

Interesting in the DMV CA Drivers test there are at least 10% of the ?'s related to bicycles. You would never know it while riding in Ca

[cnighbor1]

Maybe we can do what western Europe has done Link all the hiking biking local routes into one complete integrated routes thru out USA. We all have local routes we take that are less traffic and fun to ride. Linking all those together would be awesome. than once out in the country provide some simple camping spots with toilets, water and a open shelter.
we could ride worry free.
http://www.opencyclemap.org/

[downtube]

The bike manufacturers need us to have a reason to buy something new. Carbon fiber has driven the retail prices into the stratosphere and I don't see people buying upgraded bikes as often anymore, I predict the end of carbon fiber, somehow they will get the world to embrace steel again, I know I have and am glad to be riding steel.
chuck

[cnighbor1]

this. 3D printing will inherit the world

than when they duplicate you what than.

[fogrider]

1. mo power with disc brakes and skinny tires which will lead to ABS braking!
2. lighter thinner helmets with built in flashing red LED lights,
3. also a chip built into your garmin or whatever so cars with vehicle to vehicle communications will "see" cyclist.

[Stephen2014]

953 to totally replace carbon is what i'd wish for.

[JAGI410]

The popularity of Fat bikes and gravel bikes prove that it's more about WHERE you ride, than WHAT you ride. We benefit from a new experience, and the market benefits from new toys to sell us.

[echelon_john]

I would like to make a 'De-Evolution' cassette body/retrofit axle/supplemental cassette cogs for Campy and Shimano hubs—heck, maybe even the hubs themselves—that would enable folks to run a 130 or 135 hub with 8-9 speeds but 10/11 speed SPACING, thereby gaining back better driveside spoke angles. Same modern shifters/derailleurs/chain/crankset, just a stronger rear wheel. Subtracting 2 cogs from an 11-sp setup and keeping the outermost cog in the same location buys ~10mm of dish back, enough to make a difference.

[Seramount]

The things you mentioned aren't necessarily 'innovations' and in some cases, market driven steps backward, IMHO.

How about safe roads everywhere with a 'lane' or at least fat spot on the side, kept clean for bikes or breakdowns for cars??


if bike technology stopped evolving right now, it wouldn't be a big deal at all.

my bike looks fine and performs admirably just as it is...I never get off it and say, 'man, that ride sucked...wish I had better wheels, brakes, shifters, etc.'

however, sometimes I do say, "I wish we had segregated bike lanes."

[tuscanyswe]

if bike technology stopped evolving right now, it wouldn't be a big deal at all.

my bike looks fine and performs admirably just as it is...I never get off it and say, 'man, that ride sucked...wish I had better wheels, brakes, shifters, etc.'

however, sometimes I do say, "I wish we had segregated bike lanes."

Thats the thing about evolution tho. Bet riders of 50 years ago were thinking the exact same thing.

[Seramount]

Thats the thing about evolution tho. Bet riders of 50 years ago were thinking the exact same thing.

I'd hesitate to say that there's a quantum improvement between a top-of-the-line bike from the mid-60s and today's machines. apart from the advances in materials science, it's not like new bikes are THAT radically different from older ones.

sure, there's lighter materials involved, more gadgety shifting mechanisms, clipless pedals...but, the essence of the machine and the cycling experience are still essentially unchanged.

you throw a leg over it, sit on the saddle, and pedal.

[tiretrax]

wireless shifting, cvt, thru-axles, more gravel/trail riding as the roads get more congested. Car crazy cities like Houston and Dallas will each have 200+ miles of trails in 10 years that connect neighborhoods and public transportation/light rail links. Of course, that's not a lot considering the scale of our cities.

[torquer]

"what is your guess of latest greatest bike thing?"
I've got two.
One is semi-serious: zippers on clothing that can be done/undone while riding. (Really.)
The other is, I know, a provocation: cyclists taking "advantage" of stand-your-ground laws. (Georgia, anyone?)

[therealpeel]

you throw a leg over it, sit on the saddle, and pedal.
If it were only this simple...


Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

[therealpeel]

"what is your guess of latest greatest bike thing?"
I've got two.
One is semi-serious: zippers on clothing that can be done/undone while riding. (Really.)
The other is, I know, a provocation: cyclists taking "advantage" of stand-your-ground laws. (Georgia, anyone?)

The whole stand your ground law really scares me.

Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

[Scuzzer]

Any chance that someone could come up with a hologram that makes me look like an Escalade when I take the lane? That would be useful.