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198'S TOP PICKS FOR 2008
Rock Shox - With the release of the 20mm 120mm travel Reba, SRAM has given the 29er crowd exactly what they have been wanting...a true competitor to the White Brothers fork. I can't even begin to tell you how many full suspension 29er riders that I have heard say..."this fork would be incredible with a little bit more travel and a thru axle." Rock Shox is going to do very well with this lineup.
Trek - The new Session 88 line looks incredible. Trek seemed to hit a slump over the past couple of years, but they have come back with a vengeance for 08/09. It will be very exciting to see what else they have in the pipeline.
Fox - As much as I think the 15mm TA is just a go around to the 20mm Maxle, it is still a great thing that the industry is getting away from QR's and moving towards lightweight thru axles.
650B - Everyone is jumping on the 650B bandwagon much faster than the 29er one from a couple of years back. I don't know if they don't want to be the last ones to the party like some were for 29er's, but there are a lot of products hitting the shelves this year for the 650B market. This will be the fastest growing market in mountain biking over the next two years.
Amoung the great product releases and races...there were a couple of things that didn't go over too well...
198'S MISSES FOR 2008
Mark Reynolds - The industry lost a great rider over the weekend. Mark, the owner of Wicked Racin, passed away during a dh run due to a heart attack. He was a great man that was extremely passionate about the sport of mountain biking, and he will be missed.
Avid Elixir - Honestly, I wasn't really moved by the new brake from Avid. The bland grey looks and what seems to be the same old brakes just aren't cutting it. As the hydraulic brake market continues to step up, Avid is going to need to look at where they are going as a line. Their brakes are ok, but they still do not have one that is on par with the Hope and Formula offerings.
CONCLUSION
I think we have some great things to look forward to over the next year. These releases should make Interbike very interesting. I expect to see even more 650B offerings along with complete lineup changes from the major fork manufacturers. For instance...what happens to the Rock Shox Pike now that the Revelation has a TA and 140mm? I guess we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, ride it like you stole it and try to nurse your UGI because there is no cure.
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