Another Crank Recall, Stages and Kona go Bankrupt and Elitewheels vs QVist Patent Dispute

[@Hambini]

A lot of people have been asking what I have been doing. As explained in the video, I have been investing heavily in my own manufacturing and intend to release some new products shortly. I also applied for journalist accreditation, I am not sure I will get that, but we'll see. And I've also been busy with my day job!

[@DoctorSalazar84]

Is your "day job" a hairdresser funker 🙄

[@Spartan_-du9wi]

I just assumed it was something to do with keeping your hairdresser satiated! I just passed the time watching some of the old videos! Still get a chuckle from them and learn something! FYI: The BB is still smooth as butter! Cheers

[@paulschulman8131]

Someone call CPS as the parents are making a 5yo work near heavy industrial equipment

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

Can't wait to see Galahad the Pure booth at trade shows! I will read the Absolute Crap Gazette for sure 😁

[@treyquattro]

Hambinii to the Sun!

[@andyeunson270]

BMC is an acronym. Built in Mainland China.

[@7XFF]

My Twostroke has a “Made in Taiwan” sticker

[@slidey1788]

I was informed it's " bring me cheese"

[@Hambini]

Bike might crack

[@pamo7261]

​@@Hambiniim off to annoy bmc owners in yt shorts😂

[@channul4887]

Also "Badly Moulded Carbon", allegedly.

[@savagepro9060]

FSA lawyers: "Dear Hambini, it's a 'minor' injury depending on your age. In your case, 5 years old, that would suffice!"

[@Jacob99174]

The savage returns!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Lets be honest, well over 2% of people have no value.

[@mikekubes7163]

I.had filed for a US Patent for an item. A US patent application publishes about a year after it is filed. Before it will be issued. Around a month later, my IP search showed a Chinese patent for my item. All they did was copy and paste our whole application and file in China. We had filed OUS, including China. They have absolutely no regard for IP there.

[@nigelliam153]

As found out by BMW , Mercedes, Range Rover, Makita, every bike manufacturer etc etc

[@mikewells1070]

Patent applications are published 18 months from your earliest filing date.

[@jaysparc]

How did they get their hands on your patent application?

[@systemsbroken]

Dont worry, the Biden admin is all about protecting US Business...

[@diehardbikes]

This is true. China can make essentially whatever they want. They can cut all the corners, and we suffer for it. The best thing that a US President could do for international trade that would be for Americans, would be to make it so they have to pay something to sell it here. Something to raise the prices. Something to level the playing field between other companies and Chinese fake companies.

[@sum1majik598]

ROOKIE mistake clicking on a Hambini video with my volume still on 95%

[@PRH123]

Did that once with my headphones on…

[@oldcyclist5880]

All this talk of Hambini bottom brackets being expensive ignores the life cycle cost. I bought a BB386 EVO to Dub Hambini bottom bracket and after about 9000 miles I replaced the bearings. A local industrial supply house that is a certified NTN distributor supplied a set of bearings for $30. I'm now looking for a BSA to Dub bottom bracket and have researched Chris King, Ceramic Speed, Cane Creek, Wheels Manufacturing, and BB infinite bottom brackets. They all use custom bearings, and some of their replacements are outrageously priced. BB Infinite wants $150 for a set of bearings. I can do the math on how many bearing replacements it takes for a Hambini bottom bracket to become economical. I am now on a Hambini waitlist.

[@KeithHeinrich]

This is the correct answer. Sometimes a crap component is considered acceptable because of the cost and its application on a lower tier product. But when something needs to work properly either for safety, performance, longevity, serviceability or a combination of these things, then the price is justifiably higher because of better design, materials and manufacture. When things are both terrible and expensive, well that's deservedly something that will end up in one of Hambini's powerpoints.

[@CoreyGolphenee]

And this is something skateboarding learned a long time ago.

[@E.T_rode_bikes_As_well]

Wow… the Hellllooooo part made my neighbours crank fail 😢

[@chestercountycyclist2036]

The FSA recall is a joke. I purchased a Canyon Grizl in 2023. The groupset on the bike is GRX. The cranks were supposed to be GRX but Canyon had a disclaimer stating that the bike may arrive with a substitute crank due to low stock issues. Well, guess which crankset came on my bike? I say the recall is a joke because...Canyon is washing their hands of any responsibility and emailed me a link to FSA's recall page. FSA says you have to take your bike to a bike shop and they will work with the bike shop to get a new crank installed. They won't directly send you a new crankset nor reimburse you for the faulty crankset. Firstly, I don't want my bike sitting at a shop for who knows how long whilst FSA and the shop dick around with each other...I can replace the crankset myself in 10 minutes. Secondly, I don't want an FSA crankset. Thirdly, what about the people who don't have a bike shop within a convenient distance from their home? I told FSA & Canyon to fuck-off and I purchased a GRX crankset which I will be installing myself.

[@jesseladd6864]

It’s being handled like any cheap product recall. Canyon is DTC and could care less about helping you once they sell you a bike for fractions less due to them being dtc. Also canyon isn’t responsible for FSAs shit Crankset. If you want a brand to help you, choose a brand that has physical dealers and decent warranty’s lol. Kudos to getting a proper crank tho

[@chestercountycyclist2036]

@@jesseladd6864 Yes…in all honesty it really isn’t Canyon’s problem and according to FSA the CPSC set the rules for the recall as far as requiring a bike shop to be involved…which I understand why. However, as usual with situations like this, it’s the consumer who gets caught in the middle. FSA said they’re working on other options with the CPSC but right now there is only one.

[@ernesto782]

Always better to not buy a complete bike. Do your mechanic by yourself everything is available on the internet. Modern cycling industry is full and mostly shitty things. I never had a problem with my bikes and I'm riding mostly pr 2000 stuff

[@stefanomazzocchi7490]

You Made both FSA and Canyon happy doing like this because you Made them save some money

[@aitorbleda8267]

@@jesseladd6864 They certainly are responsible for the bikes they sell. It being a FSA crankset should be irrelevant for the customer.

[@RadianIndustries]

Damn the QC, Full Speed Ahead!

[@savagepro9060]

Twisted German: Shimano ist Cranken-House

[@Jacob99174]

#2 comment

[@nigelliam153]

That was so close to the surname of a kid I went to school with.

[@Velodictorian]

Hambini must be getting bent over by Elite because his argument about Qvist is so hypocritical it’s fucking laughable. Hambini says that his BB is expensive but rightfully so. It’s “a bargain” he says. Then 3 mins later, he says Qvist’s hub is expensive but “forget it” no will buy that.

[@timshelhamer7374]

Hambini could really ream himself if he has some sense of self awareness.

[@psnSupergrobi10]

Can Shimano pls buy Stages and use their powermeters?!

[@Roadmannerism-cc]

Giant already did, problem is no One wants giant logo 😅

[@amazedat1771]

Filing the patent in Germany still gives Qvist protection in China. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) lets you file first in any member country, then use that priority date for your patent in any other. China and Germany are both PCT members.

[@PeakTorque]

And it should have come up in Elite's prior art search even at application stage

[@philipk4475]

​@@PeakTorque patent attorney here - you're not quite correct. Patent applications are treated confidentially for 18 months after filing/priority date, so the qvist application would not have shown up in any prior art search. If the qvist specification is broad enough and discloses whatever elite's patent wants to claim, then qvists application can, for overlapping territories and once it's public, retroactively be considered prior art (so-called secret prior art in the US), or prior art under Art 54(3) in Europe.

[@PeakTorque]

@@philipk4475 thank you for the correction!

[@eto2352]

@@philipk4475 Elite says they licensed the patent. So, does that mean Elite does not own the patent but paying to use the ip?

[@T_Mo271]

@@eto2352 Yes.

[@Nephye]

We have bikes with FSA gossamer cranksets in our shops. For now, no de-bonding, but half (if not more) have a wobbly chainring on new bikes...

[@thispod]

Wobbly or outright bent? I got agiant revolt in sept. 2022 and it came with a 2x agx+, the biggest chainring was so wavy it would rub on the front derailleur on both sides. The shop told me 99% of the crank sets arrive like that because the chainring is so flimsy it gets damaged in transport so I'd be better off with them pulling it back as square as possible that waiting for a replacement only for it to arrive damaged anyway

[@markj.a351]

I bought a bike back in 2017 that had ultegra with an FSA crankset. That damn thing dropped the chain constantly. I know the cult following here are obliged to hate absolute black but their chainrings made that thing usable.

[@Hambini]

The Qvist design looks like it has used Chris King for "inspiration" See here kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2OaXmCgadCSl68 A few updates: Elite have released a lengthy statement on the patent allegations, if you ask me they've acted a lot more professionally than Qvist, you can read it here www.elite-wheels.com/company-news/investigation-into-patent-issues-regarding-the-drive-helixs-helical-dual-ratchet-system/ The initial outcome of this is elite are not going to sell their wheels with these hubs in Germany. And Stages are being sued by Giant (who made their bikes) for not paying bills and Giant have also poached a few of members of their management, So Imagine a Giant Power Meter is about to come out.

[@theillegalimmigrant9314]

I agree. The Qvist owner's comment on the GCN video was likely fuelled by emotion and was not a good look. He may have a genuine grievance, but doing that is not the way to address it.

[@eto2352]

@hambini looks similar to the ENVE Innerdrive hubs as well.

[@richardhaselwood9478]

Giant already have an inhouse power meter. I can't remember who makes it, could be 4iii's or, it may be Stages already...

[@diehardbikes]

Speaking of Chris King: you are not the only one who waits for the materials to relax and has tolerances as fine as yours. Chris King does this as well. I am a fan of Chris King products, who is famous for the bearings that we make in house, which you said also can't be done..... do not claim things that destroy your credibility. I used to work for Chris King. I saw and operated almost all the machines they have. I do not advocate however, the products for no reason, as i am NOT a fan of the internal operations of Chris King. The company has some flaws. Personally they lost me as a customer for those flaws. So while i admit the faults of Chris King, they are not what you claim in this video as impossible. However, I can't help but congratulate you on your fine work. Your bottom brackets are great.

[@WanderingSword]

@@diehardbikes Chris King is overpriced. I've tested over 30 wheelset sets using Shimano, DT, CK hubs, and the best rolling ones are on DT hubs. But all 3 hub manufacturers are close, but so are any generic Chinese hubs on NTN bearings. My point? Just get Chinese hubs and replace with NTN bearings when it's time.

[@gmm9200]

I appreciate the fact that you're using Firefox

[@nickobec]

Kona - CEO of large outdoor water sports company buys Kona (at COVID peak) to diversify company. Said CEO gets fired for making bad decisions. New CEO decides to stick to core business and sell (financially non performing) bike business. Source BRAIN aka The Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, compulsory reading if you want to know what is happening inside the bike industry.

[@bengt_axle]

The issue with the Qvist patent if it was applied for in Germany in 2021 is that it should have been regarded as prior art in the Chinese patent (according to the publication date of the German patent), with Qvist having priority for a Chinese patent. But that issue aside, a defense of Elite may be that even if the prior art and patent priority exist, the Elite design may not infringe, because of the design is different or what is claimed is not being used by Elite.

[@PeakTorque]

Yes exactly. A prior art search should always include applications, not just granted.

[@fitz83]

I think you can see the madness of the bike industry in the Specialized sale. 50% off a kids e-bike, now £1750. There’s 2 things wrong with that.

[@Factoryseconds123]

Hambini, my FSA Gossamer Pro crank debondes while riding and I offered to send it in to you for analysis but you said you were too busy. I fully understand, there's so much shit product on the bike market that I'm sure you're kept super busy between your regular job and KZbin and bike stuff 👍🏻👍🏻

[@rothgartheviking858]

Stages made a good product. Sad to see them go.

[@Membrillo81]

Minor injuries, that's a good one.

[@bedathprop]

Not going to lie....I'm a bit bummed out about Kona..

[@deadreckoner5276]

I’ve owned a Sutra and a Unit. Great bikes, reasonably priced, lifetime warranty.

[@davidpalk5010]

Lost their way. Absolute top 5hit in the MTB boom of the early nineties. I still ride that stuff - first with slopy and longer top tubes. Should have taken the Surly route and ignored tech and trends. Steel is real. Also, should have stayed out of Halfords.

[@PRH123]

Me too…. love my Jake the Snake….

[@bedathprop]

@@PRH123 I always wanted a Jake the Snake.

[@davidpalk5010]

@@PRH123 Two Units, two Explosifs, and a Fire Mountain beater. All steel. All good. The industry will now reinvent simplicity and "back to basics" retro machines will be promoted. Surly already have the advantage.

[@ShawnStradamus520]

Sad news about Stages. As Far as I know, they were the only company to make a Campy 11 speed compatible carbon-fiber non-drive side crank-arm power-meter which sold at about half the price of the next cheapest Campy crankset power-meter option. Great accuracy, simplicity, elegance, and durability (no disintegrating crank-arms here!). A very nice piece of kit. They will be missed!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

As someone thats sold plenty of Stages power meters, they're certainly not terribly durable. Same thing goes for 4iiii.

[@whynotride327]

I have owned 3 of them and not one was worth the money. The numbers were WAY off reality on every one.

[@ShawnStradamus520]

@@whynotride327 I guess you’re wattage may vary! 😉

[@whynotride327]

@@ShawnStradamus520 No, the product was not good and there was no way to fix or adjust it. Glad you liked yours, me not at all. Glad I got rid of them.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@ShawnStradamus520 a lot of people didn't get any wattage readings😂

[@T_Mo271]

I really want to see Hambini's field reporting for the Reaming News Network.

[@GeorgeD1]

Fun fact - Qvist (pronounced [kvist] by the way, and also spelt kvist nowadays in Danish/Swedish/Norwegian) means...a twig.

[@BerndZeimetz]

Sad to see Kona being bankrupt. Bikes like the Kona unit are absolutely awesome travel bikes. You can ride them over the whole world and if they really fail, the next welding machine will be able to fix them.

[@_Zane__]

Fsa cranks seem to be crap, we had a notice at our job about fsa cranks that flex too much and hit the derailleur

[@DoctorSalazar84]

Where do you work? Sir

[@_Zane__]

@@DoctorSalazar84 just a store that sells bikes

[@edwinf9999]

I have several an never have had a problem yet, maybe the older ones were better.

[@neilbathe]

Locally to me, the Specialized dealer has Tarmac SL6, SL7 and SL8 on their books at the same time. Strangely, there are deals available on the SL6 versions... May explain the Specialzed sale in the UK, but may not!

[@gundam0083113]

Hey Hambini any update on the bike lube video?

[@bloopasonic]

Got a Scott for the road and a Stages SB20 for indoors... I sure know how to pick the winners 😢 Stages support used to be fantastic. About a year ago, it went to non-existent, I have 2 open tickets about a misbehaving PM that I never received an answer for. Bummer - the bike itself is basically indestructible.

[@Firby007]

So Qvist actually made another post about their production where they specify, that they manufacture all the parts except the bearings and springs for the hubs

[@Hambini]

Just seen that as well.

[@hmartinlb]

Damn. Didn't expect Stages to go bankrupt. What even are their expenses? The app certainly hasn't had an update in years. Their hardware works well in any case. Have their crank based power meter as my frame didn't have enough clearance for cheaper alternatives. Their bonded on pods are among the flattest on the market.

[@Henry-gv8gj]

You can't use them in heavy rain without needing to replace the battery the next day though. I would never recommend them to anyone other than a weekend warrior

[@tomasberka2124]

@@Henry-gv8gj I dunno, have had 5 of them on various bikes, ridden them all in shitty wet conditions, sleet, snow, salty roads, you name it. NEVER had ANY issue with them. Compared to 4iii, Garmin pedals (horrendous) and Power2Max...well, I could have just been lucky with Stages. But I doubt it.

[@Henry-gv8gj]

@@tomasberka2124 maybe I have been unlucky on all 4 of my bikes

[@JohnyWrozba]

Or, o-ring + batt reinstall is over skills ;-)))

[@Henry-gv8gj]

@@JohnyWrozba I should not need to replace o rings on a brand new powermeter. The batteries die every time it rains that is the problem with stages power meters. I'm saying I'm incapable of replacing the batteries, I just should not need to. Their lack of a good water seal from the factory is a fundamental design flaw. It doesn't need to be like this. They could have put a screw on seal similar to that of a sram power meter or completely skipped the problem by making it with rechargeable batteries like most brands have done.

[@cypriano8763]

thats a bummer for kona and stages. ive only had kona mtbikes since 2000, along with santacruz thry where the bikes any downhiller would have in the bc interior back in the day, real og's. as for stages, my power is like 8 years old and still going strong, i use gravel riding thru mud, puddles, whatever, its bomber.

[@bbarber6845]

Always blows my mind how short sighted the bike industry is; how long did bmx, mtb, road, fixies last? Gravel is on the down now and whatever pops next won’t last either. Oh well, I’ll snap up the fire sale stuff

[@Monkey_slapping_keys]

What do you mean gravel is on the down? It's apparently the fastest growing in the US at least and it's pulling from both road and MTB. Source, just American commentators.

[@bbarber6845]

@@Monkey_slapping_keysmaybe it’s just my area, we have no gravel and those who bought those bikes have relegated them to winter/rain/family ride bikes

[@kwisin1337]

Failure standards associated

[@savagepro9060]

Shimano sits at the helm, sipping coffee

[@neilbuckley5796]

It’s a shame about Stages. They were a great company.

[@chrisscott8362]

Giant should pick up the stages pieces and continue on.

[@larrylem3582]

I've had zero issues with my Stages gen 3 Ultegra left side crankarm power meter. I hope it lasts forever.

[@r.davies2702]

Merlin's are extremely slow getting stock in too lately. Not wanting to start unfounded rumours, but that's the way Wiggle/CRC went. I could be completely wrong, but these days not much surprises me.

[@two20john]

Pretty soon we'll realise that the very people who told us we need to spend £15k on a bike with heavy (and unnecessary) disc brakes, tubeless tyres (that they never install at the point of sale, I wonder why), and electronic gears, maybe worked for the industry. Now, the gravy train has not only stopped but is going back to steam, the market is imploding. Gravel, Fixie, power meter, £50 socks, you don't need any of this crap to ride a bike. Enjoy, we'll be better with these mega companies and go back to people who love the sport.

[@papalegba6796]

Shills everywhere, no joke.

[@RenghisKhan]

I can smell BS from miles away. And the whole bicycle world has become a big, expensive stinking pile of dung. Looking for an interesting '80s steel frame now.

[@philipk4475]

Patent attorney and bike nerd here. While I appreciate you covering these patent things, you're a bit off the mark with your analysis of the situation. Next time you cover a patent situation you should let me know, I'd be happy to go through it with you so you can sort out your show notes.

[@stevenjwagner]

As a former sponsored fsa rider their products are junk. Their QC is a farce.

[@cesarsaurasilva6637]

I use your bottom brackets in all my bikes and they are brilliant! 😉👌👍

[@stuartdryer1352]

I've had a left-side Stages powermeter for about six years. A decent enough tool for the price I paid. I'd be sorry to see them crash and burn. But oh well. There are plenty of options now.

[@KOL630]

Yea me too. Got one last year from wiggle so I am double f*cked as there’s nowhere I can go in the event of a warranty claim now. Oh wel 🤡

[@kylefelkner]

Elite posted an article this morning stating they have been in contact with Qvist and have, for now, suspended sales to Germany. I agree that this may not work out the way Qvist is hoping for.

[@Hambini]

I think this could have been avoided if they hadn't displayed their product to everybody at a bike show. I know at least 4 different vendors with the same hub

[@kylefelkner]

Displayed it before the patent was even approved, didn't they?

[@Hambini]

@@kylefelkner yep that's correct.

[@amazedat1771]

Patent protection starts at the filling date (called the "priority date") not at the granting date. They were fully protected to show it when patent-pending, as long as their patent is eventually granted.

[@mikewells1070]

No you only have a pending patent. The claims represent the exclusionary monopoly and are only in force upon grant. Typically the claims you file won't be the exact claims in a granted patent (if you are lucky to get a granted oatent).

[@freeforester1717]

Bring back cotter pins, and hammers in toolkits!

[@mriguy3202]

In legally required documents that are regulated in the US, such as a patent application, it's the general rule to avoid 'marketing claims'. That is, a phrase like, "does the job quick and easy" is not allowed. The characterization of possible injury as 'minor' is a marketing claim or akin to that, as you note. You can be concussed by falling off a bike, even with a helmet on and even if the bike is stationary. A reasonable scenario for the crank arm breaking is when the rider is at speed and pushing as hard as possible on the cranks, so if it fails it would almost surely lead to loss of control and veering off in a dangerous way. A good example of this principle is the US auto industry, no stranger to legally required recalls. The description of the fault is no-nonsense.

[@peglor]

I don't see what's patentable in the hub design in the first place. Anyone who's seen a Chris King or DT Swiss hub (Those are the ones that have decades of using a face ratchet style freewheel behind them that I can think of off the top of my head) has already seen that mechanism applied to make a freewheel. Shimano XTR hubs are also using it since they went to 12 speed. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that DT Swiss had a patent on the face ratchet style freewheels that was stopping other manufacturers using it (Not sure how this didn't affect Chris King) but it has expired now anyway. Making the ratchet 2 sided might be a patentable attribute if they're clocking the rings half a click off each other to give twice as many engagements per rotation as either ratchet ring has, but just making the rings with twice as many teeth and eliminating the mirrored parts is a cheaper, simpler, lighter option and will be more than strong enough assuming the rings are well made enough that all teeth carry the load evenly in the first place, which is essential if the hub is to last at all. I'm pretty sure this is the reason nobody has bothered with designs like this before. The other reason face ratchet hubs are not popular, is that the ratchet rings need to be machined very precisely to engage properly and also need a high degree of hardness, making them very expensive compared to pawl style ratchets, where the hard parts can be a lot smaller and are geometrically much simpler, so an equivalent performing and lasting hub with radial pawls will be cheaper. The massive downside of the face ratchet design compared to radial pawl style ratchets, is that if any contamination gets between the ratchet rings and they don't sit parallel, they pretty much don't engage at all and will skip with no chance of the freewheel catching a click or two later, while also probably terminally damaging the parts as part of one tooth at the far side of the ratchet to the contamination will catch and definitely overload if this happens. That is the one area where this design is actually good, as both ratchet washers have to be contaminated at the same time for it to completely loose drive, but having decent seals will more or less eliminate this as a problem worth worrying about for most people. Chris King designed their freewheel to mitigate this by having a helical spline driving the ratchet ring, so that the more torque it's carrying, the harder the rings are pressed together. This still doesn't help if anything big gets between the rings, but it's a much older and much cleverer implementation than the hubs discussed here - and the quality is almost certainly much higher though they do cost a little more. Of all the companies making rear hubs, I'd guess that Chris King have the highest percentage of the hubs they've made since they started still running on people's bikes though - with the bare minimum of servicing, they look to have the potential to last forever. Rohloff's 14 speed hub might be the only comparable product in terms of being able to last the rest of the life of the owner.

[@princethumper]

What's the actual advantage of this style of hub?

[@peglor]

@@princethumper The main one is that drive forces are carried on a greater area of material than with pawl and ratchet ring hubs, so the material used for the drive washers doesn't need to be quite as hard, though that's pretty much completely negated by the tighter manufacturing tolerances and higher manufacturing complexity required to make them work well at all, and the higher overall weight. If the design is sufficiently better at transferring the load that they can move to Aluminium (Or titanium) from the hardened tool steels required for ratchet and pawl hubs, it is possible to make this design lighter than ratchet and pawl hubs. I don't think any face ratchet design has done this, not to mind done it reliably though. The other potential advantage is that the hub shell is not loaded radially by the drive forces from the ratchet pawls, allowing this part of the hub to be lighter (The spoke tension still applies a radial load to the hub, but this is a lot less than the drive ratchet) with the same torque capacity. There are plenty of trials riders who have burst ratchet and pawl style hubs, but this is very niche application and most modern trials bikes use a larger diameter freewheel at the cranks and a fixed hub instead of a ratcheting rear hub. With 29" wheels the drive torque seen by hubs in any given situation is higher than for 26" wheels, so modern hubs need to be stronger for normal riders too though, so this might be part of the rationale, but if it looks like marketing BS and sounds like marketing BS, it's probably marketing BS.

[@Martin-on2pp]

Question for mr Hambini. Ever done a video about shorter cranks? Which part is a hype and which part makes sense?

[@Hambini]

Best ask the hairdresser, she is good at anatomy

[@Alan_Hans__]

I thought the reply would be that she has more experience than others with shorter strokes ;)

[@Martin-on2pp]

@@Hambini And ergonomics?

[@62davelee]

The Bicycle Retailer and Industry News coverage of the Stages bankruptcy mentioned that the executives from Stages joined Giant. So glad they are going to be ok.

[@LDSArtspainter]

New Shimano clip on pedal adjustment screw thread stripped with one adjustment to high and low setting. They should have used harder grade or CroMo steel.

[@Mike-de7wv]

Genuinely sorry about Kona as they seemed like a decent company... although IIRC they were sold by their originators in 2022 to some probable vulture scumbags so arguably were already dead.. shame for the staff though. Pretty shocking if the others listed are also likely to hit the fan... although when they've been dining out on ten grand bikes for the past decade or so they fucking deserve it tbh. Specialized especially given their track record for grimey team-America corporate-cockend litigation-happy bully-boy bullshit..

[@lezc3733]

If you’re heaving on the crank when it falls off, a broken arm will be the least of your worries, especially if the missus was thinking she’d like to start a family 😮

[@nigelliam153]

Twice I had the seat bolt fail doing over 60kph on the flat and I think a broken arm would have been less painful. Your comment bought back some painful memories 😂

[@lezc3733]

I haven't had any big get off's since the Struggle Dales 2024, and that wasn't too bad, but I remember the seat slipping in my old Raleigh when I was a kid, and the rat trap chewing through my Achiles, I'm grateful for my SPD SL's these days 😅😅

[@psouthworth]

The Stages spin bikes you see in gyms are typically the SC1/SC3 models and as of almost a year ago Stages handed off support for those to Precor, so the question could be directed to Precor about whether they will continue supporting them. Precor was never involved in supporting the SB20 smart bike (not a spin bike) which is used by many indoor cyclists at home. I expect those people are screwed in the event of any problem, unless someone picks up the pieces.

[@decoherence926]

Tragic news with Stages. Got burned on their SB20 smart bike. Paper weight.

[@KOL630]

My personal opinion is a lot of these companies are charging too much for bikes, which, as you pointed out do not cost that much money to make and are mostly manufactured in the far east for not much money. It’s not sustainable. When you compare the likes of a Canyon to a similarly specced Trek/BMC whatever, the difference is vast. I understand there’s a direct to consumer model with Canyon but still, the savings are mental. Even Canyons are becoming expensive by comparison now too but still offer much better vfm than ALL other mainstream manufacturers (in my humble opinion).

[@ptz0n]

High end Stumpy at 50% off here in Sweden. Specialized is not immune.

[@andrewtownhill5838]

Looks like from what you say and others to, we will be lucky to have a cycle industry. Hardly anyone cyclescin the UK now. From a UK perspective, 2012 was peak cycling. Looks like the future is scooters😢

[@samuel8590]

Damn. Just When Stages released a Shimano Power meter that worked. SMH. Bike companies going bye, bye. They got greedy during the Pandemic. What goes around....comes around.

[@MrBaritonefreak]

Kona made some cool bikes, but man the current line up is just boring. My honzo ST is fantastic, I wish they leaned more into what made them unique than trying to copy the larger market. They will be missed

[@TheCharnwoodCyclist]

I longed for a Kona as a teenager in the 90s, they were about as cool as it could get!

[@aygwm]

Kona had a long slide to the bottom. Too many brands. Too little innovation.

[@davidmurphy9151]

Hambini suggests that people should be moderate and cautious with their comments.

[@EL-OH-EL-99]

Konas have been made in the far east since the 90s (apart from the small volume custom US built ones they used to do)

[@HarishChouhan]

Trek is growing in Asia. Not sure how sustainable this is, but we have 2 Trek distributors within 7 kms :(. Both of them are owned by friends so have to think carefully what I buy from which shop.

[@charleswannemacher2280]

Really enjoying the Hambini Show. Thanks.

[@craiggough3272]

Good show hambini

[@brianstranyak1049]

@hambini I"m not a fan of FSA. My CAAD 10 came w/ their SLK Light crank, and after 11 years the non-drive side pedal insert was loose in the carbon arm.

[@raulmarquez5485]

Holy crap Hambini, I fell off my chair with your intro! I will be contacting my lawyers regarding my injury from said fall. However, I am willing to settle out of court with you if you can provide me a Hambini bottom bracket for each one of my seven bikes! 😂

[@DrJRMCFC]

Stages Gen 3 on Campag Super Record is great. Gutted they’ve gone.

[@levifulop7283]

Its thursday btw

[@Hambini]

I'm five

[@11robotics]

For what it's worth, I feel sorry both for Stages and for Kona. They each brought to the market something people actually wanted and needed, and they were reliable and trustworthy. Unfortunately, they are the collateral victims of the global bike market fuckup lead by the brands everybody hates.

[@peteracain]

Stages were totally unreliable in the early years - lots of water ingress. Had 3 replaced on warranty. But yes, they did start the cheaper power unit for the masses movement.

[@11robotics]

@@peteracain admittedly, I only had a Gen3 and my father had a couple of those too, and I do recall having one friend having water ingress issues on a Gen2. Nonetheless, they genuinely tried their best.

[@Mickyrst43]

@@11robotics I have a stages on my roadbike and my mtb.I live in Ireland where it's always raining.Both my stages are over 5 yrs old and still working 100%.What I do is completely wrap the stages pod in electrical tape,thus keeping all the water/mud and grit out.

[@RICHARD.WRIGHT1]

You need a 5YR old's degree in Reeming, so let the REEMING COMMENCE!!!

[@naromsky]

When we getting a hambini hub?

[@nolansouthfield1493]

makes sense why stages wasn't calling me back about a replacement part. :)

[@grahamreeve5209]

My hairdresser said no😮

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

Pole's latest vids and posts have interesting comments from alleged customers who are waiting for their bikes. Idk if that's trolling by haters but some claims need to be investigated. 🤔🍿

[@tommy-trump-1967]

best intro ever😁😁😁😁

[@zwiftingwithdemonhunter]

I guess I better take care of my SB20 because Stages certainly won't. I'm beginning to realize the big mistakke I made in buying it.

[@RPaton]

What is a journalist? Everyone is a Citizen Journalist.

[@glennoc8585]

I had an fsa omega crankset for years on my old bike and it was a solid crank. Stages were for a place in time but better tech for the price came along and thry didn't innovate.

[@Fixingeverthingwithaengine567]

Over priced bicycles will do that to any company. 12 grand for a bike made for under 200 bucks in China. Same parts made in China and are copies of other brands and sold to the public. There is a lot of car parts are also copies but made with cheaper materials and poor quality. But there is two different areas of China that make parts. One is a counterfeit market. The other is the actual area of business.

[@JayLato]

Chuck Norris turns the volume up on Hambini videos.

[@painterQjensen]

Who took the back entrance first thou...

[@DMAN3000]

I know you don't really do mountain bikes but I would like to see what you think of the Atherton bikes frames and he construction methods, they use titanium printed lugs and carbon tubes bonded together and they recently released an aluminium lug and bonded tube bike.

[@christeschke9844]

I don't care who makes a product, just if it will not brake under my 100kg :) I love my shimano hubs, they will for sure outlast my shimano cranks and fsa cranks :) Will SRAM ever recall the first gen cranks they made with the Soft aluminum threads for the pedal :) I have so many miss matched Spline Sram Cranks :) It was always fun landing a jump with your pedal on your clipless shoe :)

[@KoreaRides]

Your comment about Qvist hubs being expensive is complete hypocrisy. I bought a bb30a race bb from you and it was expensive! Currently it's £312 or €364 excluding vat! How on earth can you say Qvist’s hub is expensive at €420.? I'm not defending them, but I also can't see how you defend your own pricing and condemn theirs in the same breath! Edit: I'm not allowed to answer your comment Hambini so I'm adding it here. I agree, you've never said your BB was cheap, but you are justifying its price even now. However, you dismiss Qvist hubs as overpriced, essentially saying their prices are unjustified. Surely, their prices are justified when a hub is more complex to make than a BB? This video stinks of someone shilling for Chinese companies. A nation that hasn't had an original idea in its entire existence!

[@Hambini]

I don't think I've ever said my bottom bracket was NOT expensive. It is. But I firmly believe it is worth that amount. As do qvist and their hub.

[@KoreaRides]

@@Hambini I agree, you haven't ever said they were cheap, but you have tried to justify their price and are even doing that in your reply to me now. However, in your comments about Qvist, you also dismissed their hubs as overpriced, essentially saying their prices are not justified. Hubs are more complex than a BB to make so surely their prices are justified too? This video stinks of someone shilling for Chinese companies! A country that is known for stealing the ideas of others and copying them. A country that thinks everything belongs to them and once they take it they ruin it. A country with absolutely no human rights. And their leader Kung Fu Panda is a bully and a baby rolled into one! They haven't had one original idea in their entire existence!

[@VH5150BAZ]

I remembered, turn the volume right down at the beginning, hearing still ok 😂😂

[@paronetti6192]

I have a question! nowadays lower tire pressures are recommended to go faster, does it also mean that if I drop the pressure on my sexdoll she will work faster

[@RenghisKhan]

Lower pressure does provide a smoother ride. I'd hesitate to overinflate the effect of the difference though....

[@Roadmannerism-cc]

It's not the doll that's slow. It's you , mat3 😂

[@paronetti6192]

@@Roadmannerism-cc Oh shit, now I understand what my ex always complained about

[@treyquattro]

if upheld then Elite are going to have an injunction against sales outside of China for that particular hub. The obvious short-term fix, if they can't get around it legally, is a different hub design. I wonder if GCN will have to find another wheel sponsor in the meantime? Probably not, but still not a great look. The patchwork quilt (*not cue-wilt) of patent organizations needs an update for the 21st century, at least.

[@volvo245]

Laughs in tapered square 😂

[@bradfitzgerald2856]

Absolutely can’t wait for more absolute crap content

[@simonm1447]

Before you could buy a Kona - now you could buy Kona

[@stephensmit3994]

I'm really curious about the 'Journalist application' 💁‍♂🤣

[@trentvlak]

I have zero interest in a ratchet hub but $400 for the rear is in line with other high end hubs.

[@smallbutheavy9664]

In the meanwhile Qvist asks 512,61€ for a rear hub….

[@dcv9460]

TRUTH Hurts! 😎💯

[@Coastal_Cruzer]

Inb4 Kona gets bought by Pon Holdings (Pacific Cycle)

[@lucywucyyy]

i hope you arent using the stock drivers for your wacom

[@BreakawayB]

*Heee’s BAAAACK!!!* 😂

[@event4216]

Agent Bond chases Dr. Evil who now goes by name Bonding Agent.

[@Insert_Screename_Here]

That these bike manufacturers still think they can get away with 9K bike prices, for frames that have been time and time shown to be seriously sub par (at best), they for sure deserve everything they get.

[@bradfitzgerald2856]

Also was that a real shot at Josh from Silca or just an example? lol

[@Hambini]

In my humble opinion, he would not last 5 seconds in a proper engineering industry.