no thru axle on the pro's bike...stuff like that I just don't get...cause if it is all about weight, then why a Shimano XTR crank and Shimano stem and low riser Shimano handlebar and I know they race for a team etc but come on these bikes look so generic and boring, would that bike make it for the Race the Divide?
Well those are pretty irrelevant remarks... It's a non standard prototype frame with team sponsored components for RACING. It's a question of taste, but it's anything but generic. Catalog bikes can be viewed as generic.
I just do not see the point of critizising racing bikes for not being fit for a totally different purpose. It's as irrelevant as the regular 'how would you fix a tubular on the trail' whine. You run to the pits, that's how. If there is no pits, there are no spare wheels over there, or it's not even a race, you should have thought about what parts you bought for what purpose in the first place. It's the same as the complaint that your F1 car is not capable of riding over a speed bump.
Speaking of wheel changes: The QR is still the best way to ensure fast wheel swaps in the event of a puncture.
I would not want any MTB manufacturer to design their bikes for the Race the Divide. THAT would make them look boring in my opinion and way to heavy for racing use. If you want your bike to survive that, pick one that is designed for the job. It's that simple.
Sure, tubulars are ugly. The guy got 28th in a worldcup as a U23 rider opting to race elite cat. I doubt he cares and frankly: I think he thinks they look cool and make him ride fast.
The QR is dead. Last i checked a guy won the world championships last year on a bike with a thru axle rear. Giant is always late to the party. The same principles that make it a good idea for use in the front also work in the rear.
I'm fairly sure that Giant was one of the first, if not the first, to commit to 15QR on XC/trail bikes. What the athletes race is up to them and their sponsors.
As to the making sense on the rear, yes, if the rear needs it. The triangular, one piece rear on the Maestro platform does not have this need.
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