2016 is quickly on its way out. With everything over but the end of the year rides, as we look forward to the new year many of us also like to take a look back. It was a great year for Bikerumor both from a coverage stand point and the riding perspective, which is what it’s all about right? When it came to the coverage though, some stories were more read than others. Some, a lot more. There wasn’t a single story that could touch the announcement by Cannondale that XC is dead. Dead, dead, dead. But XXC, is very much alive as proven by the top three stories for the year…
1.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/04/20/cannondale-says-xc-dead-teases-new-xxc-mountain-bike/
2.
Cannondale may have secured the top spot by declaring XC dead, but Scott was close behind with the launch of their redesigned Spark XC machine as well as the new Scale hard tail.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/06/25/new-scott-spark-scale-redefine-lightweight-mountain-bikes/
3.
Number three comes from the launch of the new Giant Anthem for 2017. Like the other two, the Anthem got slacker geometry with a bit of extra travel but also went from 29 to 27.5″ wheels for an attractive take on XC XXC.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/06/30/2017-giant-anthem-gains-travel-shrinks-wheels-updated-trance-xtc-and-fathom-mountain-bikes/
4. & 6.
It’s probably safe to say that 2016 was the year of the Eagle. Or at least the year of 1x. The selection of 1x drivetrains has never been better, and groups like SRAM Eagle XX1 and X01 have taken it to the next level with 10-50 gearing and 12 speeds. Posts on the SRAM Eagle drivetrain took the #4 and #6 spots for this year’s top 10.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/03/24/sram-eagle-12-speed-mountain-bike-groups-let-you-soar-far-and-wide-complete-tech-overview/
https://bikerumor.com/2016/03/24/sram-xx1-x01-eagle-specs-actual-weights/
5.
The #5 spot featured Tyler showing off the results of his American Ninja Warrior training and the actual weights of the 2016 Cannondale SuperSix EVO and CAAD 12 line up.
https://bikerumor.com/2015/07/09/2016-cannondale-supersix-evo-caad12-road-bike-lineup-actual-weights/
7.
Post number seven is a simple comparison between the gear ratios of 1x and 2×10 drivetrains. Obviously, there are quite a few new gearing set ups to consider, but the popularity of the post just serves to highlight how many people are interested in 1x drivetrains – or at least how they compare to 2x.
https://bikerumor.com/2014/03/28/gear-ratios-comparing-2×10-versus-1×11-mountain-bike-drivetrains/
8.
Want to live that #vanlife? You’re not alone. The eighth most popular post is actually a story from 2015 which highlights a few custom Sprinter 4×4 creations from Outside Van. You’ll need some serious cash for any of these builds, but it’s a great place to start for some inspiration…
https://bikerumor.com/2015/05/31/new-2015-mercedes-sprinter-diesel-4×4-is-the-dream-vehicle-outside-van-makes-it-real/
9.
Not surprisingly, one of the most read stories of the year came from some patent digging. This led to some speculation for the newest version of Shimano’s Dura Ace which was unveiled later in the year.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/01/26/shimano-patent-shows-silent-ring-drive-hub-internals-that-could-be-the-next-dura-ace/
10.
And coming in at number ten? That would be Trek’s entry into the world of full suspension fat bikes. This time though, Trek did it their own way with 27.5″ fat bike wheels which apparently drew a lot of eyeballs.
https://bikerumor.com/2016/04/15/soc16-trek-farley-ex-full-suspension-27-5-fat-bike-crushes-seasons-hardtails-get-lighter/
That’s it for the top 10. What were some of your favorites for the year? Anything you would like to see more of for 2017? Tell us in the comments below.
Happy New Year!
