Posts
7920
Joined
1/11/2016
Location
Tombstone, AZ
US
Edited Date/Time
11/24/2021 6:21am
They kind of half assed a 2021 line, haven’t seen anything for 22. Are they done or “reloading”?
What a wild ride Shift has had, went from the badass Emig gear to obscurity. Along comes Reed and completely revives the brand, then 10 years later back to being nothing.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
There best work!
Pit Row
Even his bikes looked good haha
But agree the Two Two era and Shift gear was a game changer. still some of my favorite gear of all time
Same goes for the gear. The TwoTwo gear was something everyone wanted but was really expensive and hard to get here (Slovakia). Since then I went through multiple Shift gear (some Fox as well) High-end or low-end...I can really see the changes in material this industry is going, which I am not sure about.
Yes the corporate stuff/marketing will tell you its progress, new materials, more durable?, tighter (compress - like feel) and bla bla... The only problem is, that these companies should really think who they are making the gear for. Sure all that light materials, and lack of proper leather at the knees area and all of that is probably great for top athletes. But I am not sure it will fit and last to the most.
I played Ice-Hockey for 14 years, close to reach a PRO level in a Goalie position here in Slovakia. I am prefectly OK having some crazy stuff on me while playing, for example my Carbon skates (sometimes it hurts as f**k its too rigid), and some other hi-end gear on me, which I am 100% sure would not be comfortable to majority of Lower level ice-hockey goalies. I am used to it, and I know what I want from that gear, because for the movements I do in the speed I do, I feel like its necessary.
Same goes for the MX gear. I am in the business of MX decals and recently (well its 4 years now) we are doing MX gear as well. We are low key company, but we really focus on quality to last. The research and finding the right materials, cut, and all necessary parts and time on that is CRAZY. And of course we've had all the gear from all major manufacturers in our hands looking at how they are doing things. And most of the lines even the higher-end go for a really questionable quality. it will last few races only. A PRO guy throws that away after a race weekend and few practices, but me, average, C Trial and MX rider I don't think this gear is for me. It just is not durable enough. Of course you have brands like KLIM and all of those hard core companies, but the price tag is just way to much, even tho you get what you are paying for.
Pete Fox in one of his interviews (can't find where it was) mentioned that they are going more for longevity and quality (sure, sounds like marketing bla bla) and one of the reasons why he lost interest while in Fox, was that the company started to produce gear more for a PRO level athletes rather than to focus on us, average Joes
I guess we are in that era of "2 year washing machine life-time" for all industries all around now, unless you spend crazy money on "quality"
One thing that I hate about current riding gear is the "athletic fit" trend. Skin tight riding jerseys and riding pants doesn't look that good on a weekend warrior in his late thirties... Plus getting tight pants over your knee braces is real pain in the ass.
I miss the quality of late nineties riding gear. Riding pants where so durable that you could use them several riding seasons. Today's stuff begin to show sings wear just after few rides. Old school Sinisalo riding gear back in the day was almost indestructible
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