{"id":679876,"date":"2026-05-19T02:39:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T02:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/679876\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T02:39:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T02:39:19","slug":"54-the-uncomfortable-truth-about-modern-bikes-and-no-ones-talking-about-it-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/679876\/","title":{"rendered":"54 %: The Uncomfortable Truth about Modern Bikes. And No One\u2019s Talking About It!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t 54%. Seriously? More than half of buyers receive their bike without a proper setup, or even a real understanding of how it actually works. And that\u2019s exactly why we need your opinion today. Because we believe the biggest problem in modern biking has little to do with the bikes themselves. <\/p>\n

Where do you feel left alone? What frustrates you? What would need to change to make modern biking feel simpler, better and more meaningful again?<\/p>\n

Because the numbers from our latest rider survey are alarming: 54% of buyers received neither a proper explanation of their bike\u2019s features, nor even a basic suspension setup when purchasing their bike. Even more shocking: 70% have never adjusted their rebound settings. 80% have never touched their compression damping. And that\u2019s from people engaged enough to respond to a survey in a mountain bike magazine \u2013 the real number could be much worse.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where the real problem begins.<\/p>\n

As a scene, we obsess over new damper cartridges, tiny differences in motor tuning, or the last few percent of performance in technical terrain. And yes \u2013 that\u2019s exciting. It\u2019s part of our DNA and our fascination with the sport.<\/p>\n

\"Santa
\n\"Yeti<\/p>\n

But if a huge percentage of riders never actually experience what their bike is capable of \u2013 and nobody helps them unlock that performance \u2013 then something is fundamentally going wrong. And the industry still wonders why so many people disconnect from cycling after the honeymoon period is over.<\/p>\n

Nobody would ever hand a ski beginner a pair of \u20ac1,000 skis, send them alone onto the mountain, and simply hope they somehow figure it out. Yet that\u2019s exactly what happens in the bike industry every single day.<\/p>\n

People buy bikes for \u20ac5,000, \u20ac8,000 or even \u20ac10,000 \u2013 and are often left on their own afterwards. No proper setup. No real explanation. No guidance. No real understanding of what their bike is actually capable of, or how to fully experience its potential. For many riders, the biggest performance gain right now wouldn\u2019t come from a new bike. It would come from finally understanding how to get the most out of the one they already own.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s frustrating and damaging for everyone involved \u2013 riders, retailers and manufacturers alike. And then we wonder why so many buyers never truly become part of the sport. Yet instead of truly addressing the issue, the industry and retail often push responsibility back and forth: \u201cNot my job\u201c. \u201cNot my business model\u201c.<\/p>\n

\"Best<\/p>\n

Ok. But if the current business model leaves no room for a better experience, then the business model itself needs to be re-thought.<\/p>\n

Because that\u2019s exactly where one of the biggest opportunities for the future lie: finally positioning yourself beyond the technological arms race, and instead building real brand loyalty through emotional connection, trust and meaningful experiences.<\/p>\n

At our latest 41 Leadership Summit in Leonberg, Mayor Tobias Degode spoke about public administration, responsibility, and how people develop trust in a system. And while he was talking about public life and administration, you could easily think: he\u2019s actually talking about the bike industry.<\/p>\n

\"645
\n\"929<\/p>\n

\"575<\/p>\n

Because whether it\u2019s a city or a bike trail, citizens or cyclists \u2013 in the end, everything comes down to one simple question: Does it work?<\/p>\n

Citizens ask:
Does the bus arrive on time? Is my request handled quickly? Can I get help when I need it?<\/p>\n

Cyclists ask:
Am I actually experiencing the performance I paid for? Does my bike simply work \u2013 or does it constantly confront me with setup issues, problems, and unanswered questions? Do I get real help when something goes wrong, or do I have to figure everything out myself? Why is everyone talking about innovation, while barely anyone addresses the real problems riders face every day? And where \u2013 and how \u2013 can I actually use my bike (legally) today?<\/p>\n

Nobody judges the strategy. Everybody judges the experience. And that\u2019s where a massive gap currently exists between theoretical product performance, and what most riders actually experience in the real world. We call it the \u201ePerformance Gap\u201c . Most people don\u2019t want a technically superior bike. They want a better experience.<\/p>\n

This topic became one of the biggest discussions at our latest E-MOUNTAINBIKE Awards Night and 41 Leadership Summit, where industry leaders, product managers and riders openly debated the future of the bike world.<\/p>\n

\"744<\/p>\n

Read the full story from our 41 Leadership Summit here: We don\u2019t need better bikes \u2013 we need a better bike industry.<\/a><\/p>\n

The world\u2019s most successful products don\u2019t win because they have more features. They win because they reduce friction. They make things more simple, more accessible, and more intuitive to use. Need examples? Amazon. Netflix. The iPhone.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what the bike industry is often missing right now. As an industry, we still live inside a bubble of technical details, marginal gains, and isolated thinking. We talk about leverage curves, progression, and motor characteristics, while many riders are still struggling with the basics \u2013 not because they\u2019re stupid, but because nobody ever truly guided them into the sport.<\/p>\n

That famous \u201cAll the Gear, No Idea\u201d mentality therefore isn\u2019t the customer\u2019s problem. It\u2019s ours. Because we\u2019re happy to sell features \u2013 but far too rarely capabilities. The industry strives to keep building better bikes, yet barely makes an effort to teach people how to unlock their potential.<\/p>\n

And yes, core riders will probably roll their eyes at this point of criticism. But if we\u2019re honest, that reaction also exposes the arrogance of a scene that loves to present itself as open and welcoming, while harboring attitudes far more elitist than it might like to admit. On top of that, brands, distributors, and retailers often operate in silos, constantly pushing responsibilities onto one another, to the detriment of the customer.<\/p>\n

\"Best
\n\"Haibike<\/p>\n

We started to ask ourselves: Is the bike industry actually turning us into better riders \u2013 or just into better consumers? That\u2019s why we believe the next years won\u2019t just be about building better products. They\u2019ll be about making them more meaningful, and easier to experience. The last two percent of performance don\u2019t matter that much. The first eighty percent are what really make the difference. That\u2019s not a product discussion anymore: That\u2019s a culture discussion.<\/p>\n

Criticizing is easy. Actually changing things is much harder.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re working on right now \u2013 through events like the 41 Leadership Summit, but also through the major shift currently happening in our editorial work.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s why we want to hear from you:<\/p>\n

Where did you feel left alone or disappointed during the purchase, setup, or service experience?
\n When did a brand or retailer genuinely surprise you in a positive way, and why?
\n Where are you unnecessarily losing time, energy, or nerves while biking, even though things should be simpler?
\n When was the last time you thought: \u201cI spent a lot of money on this bike, but nobody is actually helping me use it properly\u201d? <\/p>\n

\"673
\n\"399<\/p>\n

Give us your opinion \u2013 send an email to robin@41publishing.com<\/a>. We can\u2019t promise we\u2019ll respond to every message, but we will read every single one \u2013 and use them as an important foundation for our editorial work.<\/p>\n

Simply making or selling good bikes is no longer enough.<\/p>\n

As long as the Performance Gap remains this large, producing better bikes will not solve the problems most riders are facing. What we need to offer are better experiences, more responsibility, and systems that genuinely help people unlock the full potential of their bikes.<\/p>\n

When that happens, it\u2019s not just riding quality, riding time, confidence, safety, bike culture and community that grow. It also creates entirely new business models, stronger customer relationships, and new opportunities for brand positioning and loyalty.<\/p>\n

The ones who will lose out are those who still believe the next technological leap alone will solve the problems of this industry.<\/p>\n

The ones who will win are those who finally start building better experiences, instead of just better products. And the greatest winners? The riders. And with them, the entire cycling world.<\/p>\n

The next evolution of bike brands starts now.<\/p>\n

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Diverse\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"54%. Seriously? More than half of buyers receive their bike without a proper setup, or even a real…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":679877,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85],"class_list":["post-679876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=679876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679876\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/679877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=679876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=679876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=679876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}