yet another reason Escape Collective is worth reading...

[mstateglfr]

Originally Posted by Zackus

I saw James's post today as well. I'm really curious where he goes next. What does the PL Hive mind think? Product development for one of the big brands?

If he does go to a big brand to work on product development, expect to see bikes in 4 years without fully internally routed cables/hoses.

He can work for Trek and revive the Klein brand by producing a couple of quality but straight forward and affordable aluminum frame road bike models that have classic Klein paint jobs.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Zackus

I saw James's post today as well. I'm really curious where he goes next. What does the PL Hive mind think? Product development for one of the big brands?

This seems unlikely to me. Huang has been clear about what he sees wrong about the bikes big companies offer (fully internal cable routing, aggressive racing geometries on bikes for the masses), and I don't see either: Huang changing his mind; or big bike companies changing the products they offer. The conflict here is that Huang is committed to bikes that customers should want, but the bike companies insist on making the bikes that the customers do want (whether or not customers really should want them).

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

This seems unlikely to me. Huang has been clear about what he sees wrong about the bikes big companies offer (fully internal cable routing, aggressive racing geometries on bikes for the masses), and I don't see either: Huang changing his mind; or big bike companies changing the products they offer. The conflict here is that Huang is committed to bikes that customers should want, but the bike companies insist on making the bikes that the customers do want (whether or not customers really should want them).

There are lots of mid-sized brands, based out of Colorado, primarily focused on mountain bikes, that wouldn't have any of those issues.

[JWB475]

James announced it at the end of the latest Geek Warning podcast as well. No indications as to what it is next from him, he said he has no immediate plans. He said he put in his resignation a few weeks ago...

Honestly, he sounds like he is getting burned out and just really needs a break.

[Carbonita]

Dave Rome and James Huang's content was the only interesting part of EC for me. They have (had) fantastic banter on the Geek Warning pod, so that'll be a loss in my weekly stream. I've tried the race coverage pods, and even McLaughlin content, but those segments just don't keep the synapses firing. Also tried their discord community, which was too noisy and chaotic to even keep track of conversations. Just musing...

[kiwisimon]

James has been doing this so long totally understandable he feels burnt out, I would. Looking forward to who Dave Rome teams up with and TBH a new voice isn't necessarily a bad thing. Hope to see /hear from James later down the road.

[glepore]

Originally Posted by Carbonita

Dave Rome and James Huang's content was the only interesting part of EC for me. They have (had) fantastic banter on the Geek Warning pod, so that'll be a loss in my weekly stream. I've tried the race coverage pods, and even McLaughlin content, but those segments just don't keep the synapses firing. Also tried their discord community, which was too noisy and chaotic to even keep track of conversations. Just musing...

Me too

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

I know absolutely nothing about what's going on, but that seems possible. I could easily see him taking on a public-facing development/management role for a big company, especially if he's given latitude around speaking frankly. More lucrative and stable.

If I were a betting man, I'd hazard a guess that EC (and bike journalism writ large) can't pay everyone much. They posted a FT tech writer job a few months back that I think was listed for $50k in a 1099 role (read: No benefits/you get killed on taxes). I know they're pretty strident about not having any advertisers, but I'm not sure the largely American and Aussie road/gravel audience is large enough to support the work (and staffing) they do with subscription dollars alone.

They also went from 0-100 in a matter of weeks, that's a whole lot of payroll for a budding publication.

Wouldn't be surprised if James took one for the team.

[d_douglas]

Originally Posted by Llewellyn

You're right.............we don't

My Aussie brother in law would agree!

[vespasianus]

Meh. Honestly, I found there to be very little difference between them and a junket like bike radar - which is a shill for the bike companies.

And their knowledge on things at times was kinda sad.

The best part of that group to me was the series on the bike boom and the bike crash.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by vespasianus

Meh. Honestly, I found there to be very little difference between them and a junket like bike radar

Really? Thats a surprising take.

[KonaSS]

Originally Posted by vespasianus

Meh. Honestly, I found there to be very little difference between them and a junket like bike radar - which is a shill for the bike companies.

And their knowledge on things at times was kinda sad.

The best part of that group to me was the series on the bike boom and the bike crash.

Yea, I am not seeing this at all.