Oh I follow. But nothing earth shattering for 2020 or the near future I would assume.
We already have disc brakes, electronic shifting and dropper posts (wired and wireless), a big of selection shocks and suspension forks, Geometry designed around the type of trails that a person rides etc.
My best guess is someone might try and push wireless brake system. Personally I would stay away from electronic stuff on MTB. Don't want to rely on batteries or having to charge them.
The only innovative thing that I have seen lately in the bike industry is Spot's Living Link suspension design.
Have any of the developments year by year actually been earth shattering?
In my mind, earth shattering is something like the Trust fork, before that maybe the Lauf, but the ideas are old, it's just the presentation and function that made them better.
Longer and better droppers that don't cost as much as a fork (OneUp)
Carbon frames that are durable, locally made, and have good customer service (Guerrilla Gravity).
In terms of frame design and geometry, it's all just micro changes, nothing ground breaking. Same could be said for suspension design, pretty much tweaking stuff that already works.
The ability to change the headset position to increase/decrease ETT is pretty cool (Guerilla Gravity and some other company??)
I can't say the electronic components is all that, most folks won't spend more for a product that does the same thing, weighs the same, is more fragile, and can't be mcgyvered sans power.
Ebikes, if you're into that sort of thing, are evolving, getting lighter and more mainstream.
So yeah, biggest new thing for 2020: Colorways
