(Kidding to show that nobody on the internet can have any say about when people are done debating about something :D )
But seriously, how can you be done with Gwin? It's like Alonso, Hamilton or Vettel going around shopping for a new F1 team with quite a few top options being open (there weren't any, so Alonso's shopping this year wasn't interesting). It gets talked about, analysed, speculated, he/they get interviewed, asked about it on social media, etc.
We will be done with it about a month after he makes his plans clear. No sooner i'd say.
[img]https://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2018/11/02/6899/s1200_Screenshot_20181102_171914_Instagram.jpg[/img]
Confirmed: The Flying Finn, Matti Lehikoinen, has teamed up with Pole on a full time basis for R&D as well as taking on the role...
Confirmed: The Flying Finn, Matti Lehikoinen, has teamed up with Pole on a full time basis for R&D as well as taking on the role as Team Manager for Pole's new enduro race team #SISU
Matti is still a young buck at 35 years of age next year. If he races in the Masters category, I don't see it as fair competition.
Yep, Tomac is a total farmer. Even his first signature tires were called ”Farmer John”. And he's father to one of the most successful MX guys...
Yep, Tomac is a total farmer. Even his first signature tires were called ”Farmer John”. And he's father to one of the most successful MX guys out there. Oh, and he's a MTB legend, doing product development and asked to coach every now and then. Including a certain, erm, (what's his name, I keep forgetting, nobody important...)... Aaron Gwin (there you go!). Anyway, Tomac,he's in charge with the crops, total John Deere aficionado.
EC is with Hyper. Check his IG for what he's doing. Just finished doing a riding camp, if I remember correctly.
Tomac was doing 7 figures in the early 90s, right? I'm sure he banked enough to retire on and the farming is just a hobby.
[img]https://p.vitalmtb.com/photos/forums/2018/11/02/6899/s1200_Screenshot_20181102_171914_Instagram.jpg[/img]
Confirmed: The Flying Finn, Matti Lehikoinen, has teamed up with Pole on a full time basis for R&D as well as taking on the role...
Confirmed: The Flying Finn, Matti Lehikoinen, has teamed up with Pole on a full time basis for R&D as well as taking on the role as Team Manager for Pole's new enduro race team #SISU
Has there been any speculation that instead of the Athertons signing a factory team contract for next season they just go it on their own? They picked up the Hope contract for the race season we just had which would mean if next year they decided to just pick whatever frame supplier they want they would have sponsors for everything else needed.
They have been around the block and raced a lot of different bikes... Maybe its time they just have their own team where they are in total control and a program that could also better incorporate their Atherton Academy riders.
Maybe we shouldnt be looking to where they are off to next season but more who they would like to have as a frame sponsor for next year.
Has there been any speculation that instead of the Athertons signing a factory team contract for next season they just go it on their own? They...
Has there been any speculation that instead of the Athertons signing a factory team contract for next season they just go it on their own? They picked up the Hope contract for the race season we just had which would mean if next year they decided to just pick whatever frame supplier they want they would have sponsors for everything else needed.
They have been around the block and raced a lot of different bikes... Maybe its time they just have their own team where they are in total control and a program that could also better incorporate their Atherton Academy riders.
Maybe we shouldnt be looking to where they are off to next season but more who they would like to have as a frame sponsor for next year.
Has there been any speculation that instead of the Athertons signing a factory team contract for next season they just go it on their own? They...
Has there been any speculation that instead of the Athertons signing a factory team contract for next season they just go it on their own? They picked up the Hope contract for the race season we just had which would mean if next year they decided to just pick whatever frame supplier they want they would have sponsors for everything else needed.
They have been around the block and raced a lot of different bikes... Maybe its time they just have their own team where they are in total control and a program that could also better incorporate their Atherton Academy riders.
Maybe we shouldnt be looking to where they are off to next season but more who they would like to have as a frame sponsor for next year.
What sense would it make? Commencal already has a team and they've put quite some effort building it. It's a team of younger people that already is pretty accomplished. Does anyone think money just floats around?
The Athertons will obviously go to whom needs an image boost and values associating their image with them and I think they bring quite a lot to the table. And I also believe they are pretty good with product development too, which can't be everybody's thing. Some people like to give Gee shit for not being likable in their sense of perception (as if it matters what some internet douches talk), but the dude is really friendly and polite and his professionalism was never something to question.
As far as friendliness goes I can tell you this short story: back in '04 I was team manager for our national squad and we went to Les Gets and Livigno on a budget so low you'd think I am kidding you and which I'd rather forget. I also needed to handle technical shit, which basically meant begging mechanics at teams to service some of our stuff and most of them were really cool helping out; help I will never forget. We were in Livigno and one of our guys bent a bolt from the linkage of his M1 copy. I asked around everybody I knew, but no one had such a long bolt. At some point I was told ”Go ask the Athertons, they ride M1's, maybe they have one!”. The Athertons were up and coming back then, they rode for Muddy Fox and Gee wasn't on Red Bull yet, but already had a van sponsored by Animal. I never talked to them before, but I asked them for the bolt and they instantly started looking for one in their huge toolbox. We searched together for like half an hour and couldn't find anything. They were almost pissed they couldn't help me. Also, they could've told me to piss off and do whatever else they pleased. For me, it showed a lot of character. They are a class act and I tip my hat to them.
I am probably biased, but I like what the Athertons have done for the downhill sport and community throughout the years. Maybe this is why I still keep those PRO sticker sheets that have their cartoons on them...
Pole would not have that kind of money or size. Unless 3rd party title sponsors paid for it. As far as I understand, Pole will focus on EWS only, which makes sense.
Many were surprised to see him leave Specialized for YT bikes at the time. Pole has a unique product, they could also be the first to make Super Magnesium bikes using their CNC method. I think they could attract investors and grow fast. Signing Gwin and winning DH races would sure gain them a lot of attention.
I wonder if their CNC methods would allow them to evolve and manufacture their parts quicker, with less QC issues, less intellectual property theft issues compared to manufacturing overseas...like everyone else does it.
-could be advantageous to a race program
-most definitely for Pole's development
-could be a win-win
also, it's clear that they are a Enduro and DH focused brand, no road bikes....
Aaron believes in God.... one reason for leaving YT could be their marketing. Can't see him being into that creepy 'Return of the GOAT' (Baphomet looking dude) video... He doesn't come across as secretly being a Luciferian
Aaron believes in God.... one reason for leaving YT could be their marketing. Can't see him being into that creepy 'Return of the GOAT' (Baphomet looking...
Aaron believes in God.... one reason for leaving YT could be their marketing. Can't see him being into that creepy 'Return of the GOAT' (Baphomet looking dude) video... He doesn't come across as secretly being a Luciferian
Aaron believes in God.... one reason for leaving YT could be their marketing. Can't see him being into that creepy 'Return of the GOAT' (Baphomet looking...
Aaron believes in God.... one reason for leaving YT could be their marketing. Can't see him being into that creepy 'Return of the GOAT' (Baphomet looking dude) video... He doesn't come across as secretly being a Luciferian
Nah man, it´s pretty obvious.
Always better to go with the most likely scenario
(edited, thanks Primoz)
I wonder if their CNC methods would allow them to evolve and manufacture their parts quicker, with less QC issues, less intellectual property...
(edited, thanks Primoz)
I wonder if their CNC methods would allow them to evolve and manufacture their parts quicker, with less QC issues, less intellectual property theft issues compared to manufacturing overseas...like everyone else does it.
-could be advantageous to a race program
-most definitely for Pole's development
-could be a win-win
also, it's clear that they are a Enduro and DH focused brand, no road bikes....
Doubt it. A CNC machine costs pretty much the same in Asia as it does here, the operating costs are lower, but not that much lower. The main difference between different countries are the wages, so it makes sense to move production to 'cheaper' countries if you have a lot of manual labor.
If your production is decently automatized (CNC machining is a case of this), it hardly makes a difference as to where you produce stuff. Look at how many cars are produced in Germany, which has the minimum wage of something around 1500 € net per month (probably around 2500 gross per month, ballparking it here).
Also, the Machine is the niche of niche products and can take the price. Would i like to see it being sold for 2000 to 2500 €? Yup. Would I be considering buying it at that price? Much more likely than now. Currently it's out of my price range (I mean you can get the new Radon 29er for the same price with X01, Kashima everything and Newmen wheels!!).
I think you misunderstood my point. Nobody else is CNC'ing bikes like Pole anywhere else in the world. Most companies design their frames...then get them produced in Asia, then shipped.... Pole does it from design to finished product in Finland. New concept, load program into CNC, bam ! Not sure if it would really make any difference for a race team but maybe it could come in handy. I'm sure Pole would benefit from the development process.
Either way, Pole makes fast, stable, long travel 29ers. They also are the only ones who currently build frames in a way that could use Super Magnesium.
(Kidding to show that nobody on the internet can have any say about when people are done debating about something :D )
But seriously, how can you be done with Gwin? It's like Alonso, Hamilton or Vettel going around shopping for a new F1 team with quite a few top options being open (there weren't any, so Alonso's shopping this year wasn't interesting). It gets talked about, analysed, speculated, he/they get interviewed, asked about it on social media, etc.
We will be done with it about a month after he makes his plans clear. No sooner i'd say.
Bad pun aside, is Minnaar's contract with SC up this year?
Will he have a go at EWS Elites then?
Someone will always be willing to shell out for him, though, and he'll always be chasing that moto money.
Tomac was in multiple ads in each issue of the mags I read in the 90s. The Tomac name was a brand even before he had branded bikes.
They have been around the block and raced a lot of different bikes... Maybe its time they just have their own team where they are in total control and a program that could also better incorporate their Atherton Academy riders.
Maybe we shouldnt be looking to where they are off to next season but more who they would like to have as a frame sponsor for next year.
The Athertons will obviously go to whom needs an image boost and values associating their image with them and I think they bring quite a lot to the table. And I also believe they are pretty good with product development too, which can't be everybody's thing. Some people like to give Gee shit for not being likable in their sense of perception (as if it matters what some internet douches talk), but the dude is really friendly and polite and his professionalism was never something to question.
As far as friendliness goes I can tell you this short story: back in '04 I was team manager for our national squad and we went to Les Gets and Livigno on a budget so low you'd think I am kidding you and which I'd rather forget. I also needed to handle technical shit, which basically meant begging mechanics at teams to service some of our stuff and most of them were really cool helping out; help I will never forget. We were in Livigno and one of our guys bent a bolt from the linkage of his M1 copy. I asked around everybody I knew, but no one had such a long bolt. At some point I was told ”Go ask the Athertons, they ride M1's, maybe they have one!”. The Athertons were up and coming back then, they rode for Muddy Fox and Gee wasn't on Red Bull yet, but already had a van sponsored by Animal. I never talked to them before, but I asked them for the bolt and they instantly started looking for one in their huge toolbox. We searched together for like half an hour and couldn't find anything. They were almost pissed they couldn't help me. Also, they could've told me to piss off and do whatever else they pleased. For me, it showed a lot of character. They are a class act and I tip my hat to them.
I am probably biased, but I like what the Athertons have done for the downhill sport and community throughout the years. Maybe this is why I still keep those PRO sticker sheets that have their cartoons on them...
Mx
I wonder if their CNC methods would allow them to evolve and manufacture their parts quicker, with less QC issues, less intellectual property theft issues compared to manufacturing overseas...like everyone else does it.
-could be advantageous to a race program
-most definitely for Pole's development
-could be a win-win
also, it's clear that they are a Enduro and DH focused brand, no road bikes....
Always better to go with the most likely scenario
If your production is decently automatized (CNC machining is a case of this), it hardly makes a difference as to where you produce stuff. Look at how many cars are produced in Germany, which has the minimum wage of something around 1500 € net per month (probably around 2500 gross per month, ballparking it here).
Also, the Machine is the niche of niche products and can take the price. Would i like to see it being sold for 2000 to 2500 €? Yup. Would I be considering buying it at that price? Much more likely than now. Currently it's out of my price range (I mean you can get the new Radon 29er for the same price with X01, Kashima everything and Newmen wheels!!).
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