128 - Are Chinese Brands Disrupting the Mountain Bike Industry?

128 - Are Chinese Brands Disrupting the Mountain Bike Industry?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/fan_mail/new] If you've been paying attention to the mountain bike market lately, you've probably noticed some unfamiliar brand names popping up — and some surprisingly low price tags attached to them. Episode 128 is Josh and Dane's deep dive into the growing wave of Chinese brands entering the US market not as behind-the-scenes manufacturers, but as direct competitors to the brands you already know and ride. From complete enduro bikes priced well below comparable US brands to electronic drivetrains at half the cost of Shimano and SRAM, something is clearly shifting in the industry. What makes this episode worth your time is that Josh and Dane don't just point at the price tags — they explain the machinery behind them. Vertical integration, fee-on-fee cost removal, reverse engineering, government subsidies, and the post-COVID/tariff driven factory crisis in China all played a role in getting us here. They also call out the stuff you should actually be worried about — inconsistent quality control, after-sale support that's still figuring itself out, and software ecosystems that need work. Brands like Amflow/Avinox, XDS/X-LAB, Elite Wheels, Seekrun, L-TWOO, and others get specific attention, and Josh makes a bold prediction about DJI and the future of the AMFLOW brand that's worth hearing. Listen to Mountain Cog Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mountain-cog/id1645881089] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZFqhnZtBBN5pPr3HO23iF] Other Podcast Sites [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/share] Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.cog.podcast/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Cog-Podcast/100091618301382/] Email mountaincog@gmail.com

127 - Bike Shop Secrets: Upgrading Your Mountain Bike Fork - Which One, When, and How

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/fan_mail/new] Upgrading your mountain bike fork is one of the highest-impact changes you can make to your ride — but it's also one of the easiest ways to waste money if you don't know what you're doing. In this episode, Dane draws on years of suspension work in the shop to walk through when a fork swap actually makes sense, what to watch out for when buying used, and why the current fork sitting on your bike right now might be leaving performance on the table. Josh and Dane also cover the full compatibility checklist riders need to work through before pulling the trigger — steer tube diameter, boost spacing, axle standards, travel limits, fork offset, and brake adapter sizing. Dane then walks through the step-by-step installation process, the specialty tools worth owning, and a few post-install checks that most home mechanics skip. If you're shopping for a mountain bike fork upgrade, this episode will save you time, money, and at least one frustrating trip back to the bike shop. Listen to Mountain Cog Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mountain-cog/id1645881089] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZFqhnZtBBN5pPr3HO23iF] Other Podcast Sites [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/share] Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.cog.podcast/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Cog-Podcast/100091618301382/] Email mountaincog@gmail.com

126 - Shop Talk: SRAM's Quiet Overhaul, Brembo Brakes, & Why Reach Is Misleading

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/fan_mail/new] Shop Talk is back on the Mountain Cog Podcast, and Episode 126 is loaded. Josh and Dane open with the Avinox M2 motor conversation that's dividing the e-bike world right now — too much power, not enough regulation, or just the next evolution of trail riding? Then they get into something that didn't get nearly the attention it deserved: SRAM overhauling their entire non-T-type Eagle lineup and simplifying it down to three groups. If terms like NX, GX, XO, and XX1 are part of your vocabulary, you'll want to hear what's replacing them and what it means for anyone still riding a non-T-type AXS setup. The second half of the episode tackles Brembo's entrance into mountain biking with their GR Pro brake, which brings some legitimate motorsport engineering to the trail — including a three-position lever ratio system that lets you tune the brake feel from progressive to immediate. Josh and Dane give you the honest take without the hype. Dane also breaks down why he sees reach being misused constantly in his shop, and why a customer almost spent $350 on an unnecessary stem because an AI told him his reach was wrong. Spoiler: the bike fit perfectly once it was actually built and measured. Rounding out the episode are bang-for-the-buck picks for Reynolds aluminum wheels, WTB Volt saddles, and a quick fix for tubeless tires that aren't holding air. Listen to Mountain Cog Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mountain-cog/id1645881089] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZFqhnZtBBN5pPr3HO23iF] Other Podcast Sites [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/share] Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.cog.podcast/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Cog-Podcast/100091618301382/] Email mountaincog@gmail.com

125 - How Much Do Bike Companies Make? More shocking economics.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/fan_mail/new] Ever wonder how much money bike companies actually make? In this episode, Josh breaks down the real financials behind the mountain bike industry — and the numbers might surprise you. Using publicly available data from Giant, Merida, and Shimano, plus a detailed cost breakdown of a $5,000 acoustic mountain bike and a $15,000 e-MTB, we dig into what bike brands actually pocket after all the bills are paid. Spoiler: it's a lot less than you think. We also go deep on Shimano — why they financially outperform the other public bike companies, and what four Japanese business philosophies (Kaizen, Monozukuri, Keiretsu, and Genchi Genbutsu) have to do with their margins. Dane and Josh debate whether the bike industry needs to slow its product release cycle, and whether a more Shimano-style approach could actually make bikes more affordable in the long run. If you've ever complained about bike prices — or defended them — this one's required listening. **EPISODE CORRECTION**: Merida reportedly acquired somewhere between 19%-49% stake in Specialized in 2001 (not in 2022 which we suggested in this episode).  Also, it's been reported that the their stake is ~35% today and that Merida agreed not to sell Merida bikes in the U.S. as a term of the deal. Listen to Mountain Cog Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mountain-cog/id1645881089] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZFqhnZtBBN5pPr3HO23iF] Other Podcast Sites [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/share] Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.cog.podcast/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Cog-Podcast/100091618301382/] Email mountaincog@gmail.com

124 - Shop Talk: Another Bike Brand Fails, Motor Wars & Value Drivetrain Debate

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/fan_mail/new] Episode 124 marks the debut of Shop Talk — Mountain Cog's new recurring episode format built around four segments that cut through the marketing noise and get to what actually matters on the trail and in the industry. The guys kick things off with what everyone's talking about: Nolly Bikes has entered receivership, and Josh breaks down what that actually means, how it compares to what Rocky Mountain and YT went through, and whether Nolly's decision to skip carbon and e-bikes entirely may have sealed their fate. The Surron backlash, e-bike legislation, and the quiet aluminum comeback round out a packed opening segment. From there, Shop Talk rolls into what grinds their gears — trail gatekeeping, gravity bros, and the online parts-buying culture that's making life harder for local shops. Then Josh gives his honest take on the Avinox motor after riding an Amflow in Bentonville, and the guys debate whether the DJI hype is actually earned. They wrap it up with Bang for the Buck — a real-world budget drivetrain breakdown and fierce debate covering Shimano Deore & Cues, SRAM NX & Eagle 70, and Microshift Advent MX, priced out component by component so you know exactly what you're getting for your money. Listen to Mountain Cog Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mountain-cog/id1645881089] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZFqhnZtBBN5pPr3HO23iF] Other Podcast Sites [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2052531/share] Socials Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.cog.podcast/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Cog-Podcast/100091618301382/] Email mountaincog@gmail.com