Applesauce profile

Interesting take on the superiority of DOT fluid stemming from its inherent, essential propensity for water absorption.

Any idea why Hayes has (almost) always put the reservoir UNDER the MC bore? Despite the counterintuitive placement of the reservoir and bore ports, they’ve always seemed to work anyway. But I’d love to know the design. When the rep came to my shop he seemed not to understand the question at all...

I prefer a hub that doesn’t require frequent service, by the user or his/her shop. Even 350s will get multiple seasons from the rear driveside bearing - the only one that lacks a degree of user-serviceability.

After almost two decades in a shop, I haven’t seen a freehub mechanism more durable than DT’s. Yeah, I’m not crazy about the ubiquity; I like variety. But they work, and I like the ease of selling that fact. And you can use their other “user serviceable” side to your advantage if you own multiple bikes, and interchange wheels, end caps, and freehubs all willy-nilly.

I like RF/Fox/Easton’s current effort at rebranding (OK, not so much Fox’s effort...). But I’m pretty sure I have yet to meet a durable Raceface product.

Looks almost as good and only slightly more expensive than WR1 Insiders on DT350s.

Lower spoke counts don't require a lower number of crosses, assuming fairly normal hub and rim dimensions, until you get to 24h wheels. Reserves are 3x, for instance - and the vast majority of OE wheels on SC for years have been 28h and 3x (I've been selling and servicing SCs for a decade). I have even built a few 24h wheels with 3x, though I'm straining to remember what...I think DA 9k hubs will permit 24h 3x on the driveside rear, assuming a fairly shallow rim.

The long and short of it is, 28h does not automatically require 2x, and in fact will almost always support 3x, especially on a 29er wheel.

That’s because it’s all still perfectly good! I run a shop (working mostly out of an 800-lb 60” 1980s Smiths Falls Gray box...that’s red).

Tool junkies are unreasonably rare in the bike-wrenching world. We don’t use our tools very hard, in the being scheme of things, but it’s still nice to have nice ones.

Nice toolbox, Jeff.