NSMB - 2023 - Hardtails Leaning Against Stuff Thread

The Egerie chilling post-ride.

New Atlas cranks after the SixC finally cracked after 7 years. Also found some Look pedals in matching bronze colour :)

I could use a suggestion for a drivetrain for a rigid bike I am building. I bought two frames from Marino a while ago and have been slowly building them up. I am almost finished with the single speed one and am collecting parts for the rigid geared frame. I am planning on using it for multi-surface rides, bikepacking and some gravel. I am planning on having a couple handlebar setups (one flat bar and at least one alt bar) and I run slip on grips so removing grips is a bit of a pain. I usually am a fan of less is more with the Microshift Advent drivetrain but there is no way to remove the shifter without removing the grips.

I see two options, Box 9 speed has a hinged shifter but I have never used Box (I was thinking mostly Box 2 parts) or I saw Ritchey makes shifter cable disconnects and I could just have a Microshift shifter on each bar and use the quick disconnect to change things around. Any suggestions?

Totally not what u are after but I just set up a Deore Linkglide 10 spd (11-43) derailleur, shifter and cassette and I’m very happy with the shifting. I’ve had microshift and this is far nicer. $200 cdn

I also use slide on grips and my trick (which u may know), is to use an air compressor to blow the grips off

Found the snow line last night. Makes for good hardtail leaning.

Posted by: 93EXCivic

Posted by: GiveitsomeWelly

Posted by: DanL

Posted by: BC_Nuggets

You guys have any recommendations for brakes? My old 2-piston SLX just aren't cutting it anymore (one of the levers has some concerning vertical play probably from crashies.)

Want something that's good bang for the buck for my OG rootdown. So many brands out now. Would prefer 4 piston, decent modulation and something that's fairly easy to bleed would be cool. My 180mm rotors are fine I think.

Dominions are really really great, easy to bleed - not as easy as Codes as the bleeding edge port is a really slick bit of engineering. Hope Tech3 V4s can be had for a lot cheaper these days due to the tech4s coming out and they are the easiest brake to bleed that I've come across. Spare parts can be a bit slow coming from the UK but I had to rebuild some calipers from the ground up, so there was a lot of special parts to order in.

Really interested in the need for 4 pot brakes for hardtails (each to their own, you do you etc) but I just replaced my old 2 pot Deores with the newer (2 pot) version.

Personally I don't want (or need) gobs of power on my hardtail (especially in rigid mode) as traction is a high priority and I clearly am too hamfisted and slow for anything else ha

I'll be honest I don't see any reason not to run 4 pots. I mean they are a tiny bit heavier but at least my Maguras or TRPs I can easily use them so they don't lock up.

Yeah as I said each to their own. For me getting 2 pots was as much about my heavy handedness/lack of finesse, the cost difference between 2 vs 4 pot models and the fact that I still have some 2pot pads that I'd like to make use of. 

What's become obvious in the meantime is that my Guide RSCs definitely need a service. The lever action on my new deores is waaay lighter than the SRAMs. 

Time to get a-cleaning and a-lubing...

Man, the cura’s are such a great feeling brake, nothing I’ve ridden feels as good, but the reason I’m not on them currently is the reliability. 

I had 2 warranty seal replacements, apparently they revised them (spoiler: getting the piston out is a nightmare). They had tiny leaks, just enough to ingest air and need constant bleeding.  I’ve got a new seal, new lines, and plan to chuck them on a bike, but it won’t be one with internal rear routing because I can’t be arsed re-doing that job if they unreliable again.

I’m currently on TRP Evo DH and they feel nowhere near as good.

I'm home for a few weeks, and it's been great to get back out on my Ice Cream Truck. I think I've found my upper limit for 29+ tire size though - I put a 29x3.25" Duro Crux on the front, and while it was fun to descend on roots and rocks, it turned the front of the bike into a boat anchor on twisty sections and uphills. I rode with some racer-y folks and I was cooked, HR was pegged at 175bpm the whole time trying to keep up. Back to the 2.6" Mezcals for me, maybe the Crux will find its way to my muni.

Pre-beer lean. It's that time of year when it's easy to have "meetings" on a patio across the valley. You get the meeting done plus there is beer, sunshine and a bike ride. Way better than meeting in an office or on Zoom.

Finding some forest lean opportunities on the way home.

Posted by: GiveitsomeWelly

Really interested in the need for 4 pot brakes for hardtails (each to their own, you do you etc) but I just replaced my old 2 pot Deores with the newer (2 pot) version.

Not a need but more power is generally better as long as you have modulation, which for every brake upgrade I’ve done has seemed like it’s going to be a problem, then it’s not. 

By better I mean more power when necessary, less fade/more consistency over long descents, and less effort at the lever, reducing hand and arm pump.

Posted by: Heinous

Man, the cura’s are such a great feeling brake, nothing I’ve ridden feels as good, but the reason I’m not on them currently is the reliability. 

I had 2 warranty seal replacements, apparently they revised them (spoiler: getting the piston out is a nightmare). They had tiny leaks, just enough to ingest air and need constant bleeding.  I’ve got a new seal, new lines, and plan to chuck them on a bike, but it won’t be one with internal rear routing because I can’t be arsed re-doing that job if they unreliable again.

I’m currently on TRP Evo DH and they feel nowhere near as good.

Sir Heinous, are you referring to the Cura2 or Cura4?  I keep reading that the Cura2 is more reliable than the Cura4 (which I find a bit surprising as I would think the only difference would be 4 slightly smaller pistons compared to 2 larger pistons but I'm no rocket surgeon.)

Posted by: Vikb

Pre-beer lean. It's that time of year when it's easy to have "meetings" on a patio across the valley. You get the meeting done plus there is beer, sunshine and a bike ride. Way better than meeting in an office or on Zoom.

Finding some forest lean opportunities on the way home.

Livin' the dream.  This is what life is about.

The 4

Swank.