Kyle

Going from 10 to 11 speed XT was a slight upgrade for me.  Going from 42t to 46t in the back makes it easier to run 170mm cranks to avoid pedal strikes.  Other than the range it feels identical.

This is a thing: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/first-look-microshifts-10-speed-advent-x-drivetrain-pond-beaver-2020.html

Then there's this article: https://cyclingtips.com/2019/12/the-best-bicycle-chain-durability-and-efficiency-tested/

Their tests show that 12 speed is significantly more durable than 11 speed.  These graphs are chain wear, but I think it makes sense to assume that the rest of the drivetrain wears at a similar rate since it's so enmeshed with the chain.

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7 hours ago, ATXZJ said:

No hijack but came across these pads for a good price and figured i'd post.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-J04C-Brake-Disc-Metal-ICE-TECH-Pads-for-XTR-XT-SLX-DEORE-M7000-M8000/183292266211

Fabrique Au Japon but ship from Guangdong.  Seems legit.

I've used "TruckerCo" brand knockoff shimano pads in the past and couldn't tell the difference.  They were super cheap too.

It seems like brakes got a lot more expensive than when I built my last bike a couple years ago.

If you want to ride a bike hard and expect great performance and durability you've gotta DIY.  There's really no way around it, unless you find that one unicorn mechanic who does a great job AND does all the work himself AND you don't mind putting his kids through college.

The problem with all the non-cycling safety glasses I've tried is that they sit closer to your eyes and fog up or catch dripping sweat.

You can also use a crescent wrench.

On 11/2/2020 at 12:03 PM, mack_turtle said:

real talk: if I ride more than 15 miles two days in a row, it literally chaps my ass. at the end of some long rides, I don't want to sit down. my ass ends up with a nice red abrasion on both sides. My shorts are kept clean and I use chamois creme. maybe I am not using enough of that stuff on my skin, I need a thicker formula, or a need some shorts that fit differently. what else could I be missing?

You probably need a different seat.  That, or a wet chamois covered in goop is causing more problems than it prevents.  

I'm over chamois.  I wear some kind of Hanes brand boxer briefs with synthetic fabric that dries fast.  For a typical sub 3 hour ride I think the dryness is worth more than the padding. 

If there's no fluid leaking from the system anywhere it has to be the seal on the plunger in the lever, right?  This kinda makes sense too.  All kinds of seals will leak at low pressure and then seat when the pressure gets high enough.

Both the Bible and the Constitution say they have the right to tell the cops to fuck off if they want.  

If they want to put cash on the line to scold the mall ninja commandos our police have become, bravo.

I think you should go back to the frame modification route.  Maybe a harbor freight scissor jack?  If that doesn't work, Taiwanese vise grips.

2 hours ago, 4fun said:

On top of what everyone else has added, I'd toss in a threaded bottom bracket tool. 

You're gonna need a couple of these, plus cup presses for the press fit versions.  You should probably just get a 3D printer while you're out.

1/4" Torque wrench

I've never used calipers on a bike.

Edit:  I take it back, I've used calipers to set the IFP depth in my somewhat ill fated attempts at servicing a rear shock.  

I had a saddle with almost imperceptibly bent rails that creaked no matter what until I solved the problem by throwing it away.

As soon as you loosen the seat bolts you're in uncharted territory.

18 hours ago, Kobra Kai MTB Guy said:

Riding questions:

 Back 40

I just got back today.  I wasn't on a bike trip but I managed to sneak away a couple days, and one of those I rode the back 40.

The deciduous forest views were great.  I really enjoyed the nature and scenery. 

The trail was just ok.  The terrain was great.  20+ miles with 100 feet of elevation per mile means it's as steep as the steepest trail systems around here, but it goes forever.  The way all the small streams and gulleys shaped the land mean there's a ton of hillside for winding trail.

The problem is that the trail is just uninspired.  Once you've ridden the first few miles you've pretty much seen every trick the builders have, and then they're just repeated over and over for 20+ miles.  There are basically no rocks, ledges, tricky roots, tight spots, or spots that we would call technical at all.  "The ledges" has some legit cliff exposure that made me half pedal a few times but it was over quick.  

It gave me some perspective to see the skill and ambition that our trail builders have that make places like Walnut fun despite not having the terrain or budget that Bentonville does. 

So if you want to just ride along for a long time for exercise or whatever then it's great.  I would save it for last because it is a long ride with a lot of climbing.  Bring extra tires.  The type of rock there is flinty and sharp. I got a flat, and saw lots of them.  WEAR BUG SPRAY.  

Now is actually a good time for preventative maintenance.  Primary care has a lot of spare capacity since everyone is staying away due to COVID.

Does your multi tool not fit the valve?

I had a bad experience with one of those pistol grip style inflators.  It restricted flow so much that it wasn't useful for seating tires, which is honestly the only reason I'd bother using a compressor on bike tires.

15 hours ago, taco_junkie said:

Ahh crap now I've got some spare oil? Jenson!

Definitely just use the stuff in the kit.  Bath oil is truly not a demanding job for oil and I'd be shocked if PUSH got it wrong. 

I contacted MRP about bath oil and they were like "5-10wt, or you know, whatever."  I thought that wasn't specific enough and went down an oil research rabbit hole and it turns out the whole "wt" classification system has a ton of wiggle room.  One brand of 10wt may be heavier than another 20wt.  I've used Fox 20wt and Lucas 5wt in that fork and they were both fine, and I'm really picky about fork performance.

Another pro tip:  Use slick honey on the wiper seals instead of float fluid. (I actually don't know if fox still recommends float fluid in recent years)

I remember seeing sprinkler heads on southie trails as well.  Must be a somewhat common phenomenon.

On 4/18/2020 at 12:18 PM, Browndog said:

Pond Springs elementary.

Yep.  Good place to practice, and it has a sick downhill from the playground fence to the rocky drainage channel.  On the new bike she actually makes it all the way without putting a foot down so I have to run and catch her.  I always knew 16" was the superior wheel size, and soon toddlers everywhere will be abandoning 12" solid foam so buy tires while you can.

I'm thinking we might hit the Rattan park trail sooner than later.  She desperately wants to ride on the sidewalk but she's not so good at holding a straight line yet.

1 hour ago, Teamsloan said:

She looks happy! Well done!

FYI...Avid speed dial 7 levers are relatively cheap and are very adjustable for little hands. Both of my boys bikes have them and they work great. The v-brake calipers...eh, I'm ready to be done with them.

Thanks!  I'm going to give those levers a try.  Are the calipers important?  On the bike now they just say Tektro with no model info.

Well, great success.  I bought a Spawn Banshee 16" on Craigslist.  It took my daughter all of 10 minutes to get used to turning the pedals in a full circle and then she was riding like she had done it before.

The 16" bike is big but with the seat slammed she can reach the ground.  I'm glad I didn't buy a smaller bike.  By the end she was pushing off to get started without my help. 

I'm not entirely sure she's physically capable of using the brakes.  I tried adjusting the reach, but cable v-brakes aren't something I have much practice with.  Brakes are a bad habit anyway.  

I am attempting the craigslist route.  There sure seems to be a bright line between companies like Woom and all sorts of bike shaped objects.

My daughter is going to be 3 1/2 this month and I think she's ready for a pedal bike.  She's pretty much mastered a balance bike and now she's dragging her toes around corners destroying all her shoes.  

She's about 39" tall.  She's kinda in between sizes, but I'm leaning towards a 16" bike.   I have no experience with kids bikes but from googling stuff the Spawn Yoji 16 and Commencal Ramones 16 stand out to me.  I would definitely get the Commencal for myself if I were 3 feet tall, but I'm super jealous of people with childhood BMX experience, so the Yoji has appeal too.

I also wonder if instead of getting one nice bike I should get cheaper craigslist bikes in 12", 14", 16", etc as she grows so she's always on the perfect size and so we can move on cheaply if she doesn't love something.

I suspect this forum is full of middle aged people with kids, what did y'all do?

Anyone have an awesome tiny bike collecting dust to sell?