NAHBS 2015: WTB gives new Ci24 carbon mountain bike rims a fat chance

As a person who has been riding for 20 years and has a current stable of four bikes, including an XX1 Pivot LES 29er, I find the bike industry’s complete abandonment of the 26″ size to be quite frustrating.

From a business standpoint I suppose I can understand. It costs money to tool up to produce each size of wheel, and with more OE bikes being 27.5 or 29 inch wheels, it doesn’t pay to try to supply a 26 inch wheel to a manufacturer.

But how many people buy a new bike each year? I have and still ride a Schwinn Homegrown along with a Cove GSpot, both from the 1990s. I also have a Blur LT C, all of which have apparently been abandoned by the industry.

I’m not going to stop riding. But if car companies stopped using 10w-40 (and they have) because bearing tolerances improved to the point you need a 0-W20 and Valvoline stopped making 10-weight oil, there would be a huge outcry.

WTB and everyone else – WT … ‘F’ill in the last letter.

Apparently the cost of Enve rims is within the “limits” of what people will pay for rims because
Eve doesn’t appear to have any problems selling rims. Oh well.

PSI- As usually you stalk my posts with weak counter arguments.
ENVE makes an excellent product, but their pool of buyers is the same Mercedes/BMW/Ferrari set of Dentists and Wealth Mgrs.. More power to them. But they easily lose interest and run to the next fad eventually.
I can justify an expensive frame and forks and shocks, but rims are wear items to me , like tires, cassettes,chains and brake pads. There have to be limits and a value equation assigned to the purchase of wear items.

“riders” not “rides.”