Bombproof Bike Project

The guys over at Blue Collar Mountain Biking have started the Bombproof Bike Project. The idea is to build a solid, worry-free mountain bike tailored to the new biker. I like this project for two reasons:

• Mountain bikes require a lot of maintenance and that can be daunting for the new rider. I'd had my road bike for almost two years before I did any sort of maintenance beyond fixing flats and lubing the chain. How long until I had to repair my mountain bike? Two months! It's just the nature of the beast. If you're going to ride on technical (read: fun) trails, your bike's going to take a beating. A tough bike is great for a new rider.
• Too much of the bike industry is style over substance. Why do we bike? Because it's fun! If you're worried about having the latest and greatest, you're missing the whole point! The Bombproof Bike Project is aimed at delivering a solid bike that will get the new rider riding, rather than worrying over his/her new $2000 investment.
  

They've got most of the bike already spec'd out. They've made some strange choices in components, like a rigid fork and 7-speed cassette, but by-and-large I think they've got the right idea. My only real criticism is the total cost: way too high to entice new riders when there are bikes on the market with greater bling factor, if less durable. If they chose a cheaper frame, they could cut a huge chunk off the price. (Nothing against the Surly Instigator - I'm sure it's bombproof - but it costs something on the order of $400, only $100 less than what I paid for my entire mountain bike.) Interesting project, though!

(Now if the shop would just finish my front wheel, I'd be riding instead of writing about bombproof bikes!)