PaulB2 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:27 am I would say that a full sus with drop bars was jumping the shark but Niner already did that.

Indeed, that's what I was referring to.

Alpinum wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2020 10:08 pm Thinking back to the stir the Niner caused doing 'something like' that can only be good for a bike company.

Many put drop bars on DH bikes just for fun (one photo), but Niner was serious about this. Which is kind of admirable, but not really pioneering work. I remember seeing an old Bianchi in its classic colours with rear suspension, must have been from the 1980's.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:22 am Hmm. A lockdown project.

Aero gains on the Cairngorm plateau

Ritcheys ...

i dont see what "problem" it solves

Similar's been said further up by InReverse, I agree, I don't think bikes 'solve problems' in this context, they're not Bikes For Africa or cargo bikes for cities. They're simply offering an experience and that's not something you can evaluate with logic. Some like the experience of riding off-road on a roadie style bike. It's a seat of the pants sketchy experience at times. I like it, always have done - these days I like it usually until I hit the first fast, multi-line bombed out byway that counts as 'UK Gravel', then I wish I was on a bike that offered a more fun and capable experience but it's all fair compromises. I'd often not get out as far as many of those byways in the first place on my MTB.

For some reason, I'm reminded of this.

I wonder how much flywheel effect you'd get from that rear wheel once you eventually get it up to speed.

I saw a guy on a one fatty with drop bars - we were a minimum of 10miles from anything offroad that was not canal towpath - I was commuting and he appeared to be doing the Preston Guild wheel

I cannot think why he was doing this on that or what terrain that bike is best suited to

Alpinum wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:45 am I remember seeing an old Bianchi in its classic colours with rear suspension, must have been from the 1980's.

Johan Museeuw’s 1994 full suspension Bianchi, made for Paris-Roubaix and the cobbles:

On a related noted, this popped into my inbox from Planet X... https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/gra ... es/tempest

The final comment on the description made me smile - "The only thing Tempest doesn't have is limits!" I suspect I or anyone could find the limits on that quite quickly..... not a bad thing though, racer stem aside

htrider wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:33 am On a related noted, this popped into my inbox from Planet X... https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/gra ... es/tempest

The final comment on the description made me smile - "The only thing Tempest doesn't have is limits!" I suspect I or anyone could find the limits on that quite quickly..... not a bad thing though, racer stem aside

The 1:1 minimum gearing on all the 1x versions jumped out as a limit straight away.

K1100T wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:20 am

Alpinum wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:45 am I remember seeing an old Bianchi in its classic colours with rear suspension, must have been from the 1980's.

Johan Museeuw’s 1994 full suspension Bianchi, made for Paris-Roubaix and the cobbles:

It was a different design, the shock was top tube mounted and I remember it having yellow springs as we joked about it being the unstreched and original version of todays Öhlins from modern DH race bikes.

That's the photo I was looking for! Designed to go fast over a certain type of terrain, bit like the bike that started this thread. Obviously both of these Bianchi designs didn't actually work and were dropped after massive failures. I did ponder on yesterdays ride, wither the Niner MCR 9 RDO would be the perfect bike for the riding I do, i.e. going fast over lots of road while linking up chopped up byways / bridleways.

chris n wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:14 pm

Yup. Exactly that one.

But I was very wrong with the 80's. I can't remember seeing a RS fork on the Bianchi, however this looks like a broken (as they always were) - some may say travelled - Mag or Quadra and that's a component from '92 or so.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:53 am For some reason, I'm reminded of this.

Nice flat bars the same height as the saddle too

K1100T wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:41 pm I did ponder on yesterdays ride, wither the Niner MCR 9 RDO would be the perfect bike for the riding I do, i.e. going fast over lots of road while linking up chopped up byways / bridleways.

Interesting bike but I’d want more tyre clearance, in my fantasy dropbar world I’d have the back end from a Trek supercalibre grafted onto a cutthroat front end with a very light 100mm fork and a carbon version of the walmer bar to hang on to

BigdummySteve wrote: ↑Sun May 03, 2020 9:22 pm

K1100T wrote: ↑Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:41 pm I did ponder on yesterdays ride, wither the Niner MCR 9 RDO would be the perfect bike for the riding I do, i.e. going fast over lots of road while linking up chopped up byways / bridleways.

Interesting bike but I’d want more tyre clearance, in my fantasy dropbar world I’d have the back end from a Trek supercalibre grafted onto a cutthroat front end with a very light 100mm fork and a carbon version of the walmer bar to hang on to

Sounds like it would be a fun bike! I'd settle for a Moots Routt YBB with a Lauf fork, I think that would be pretty sweet.