craw profile

Evil released the Wreckoning with the same geometry in 2016. But it's nice to see Pivot rewriting the book on Enduro.

If your saddle is the right width and shape you shouldn't really need a lot of padding.

On one hand I agree. But once you cycle through a bit of gear you realize that buying the right thing once, even if it's a bit more expensive is actually cheaper in the long run. If it fits and works better it'll be better to use and you'll be less likely to want to replace it prematurely. The cheapest option is to buy once and run it into the ground. But you need to go through this process a few times to really appreciate it.

To really appreciate the value of some of that stuff you really need to go without. It's pretty easy to justify a pair of 5.10s over regular skate shoes or sneakers after a ride. Or getting some decent portable tools after you walk home with a flat tire. Just get out there with what you have, ideally with a more experienced friend or coach who can teach you some stuff. But yeah those are some good recommendations.

I'm riding a Sentinel now with the 44mm offset fork. It rides really well and so far I'm happy even though it's not quite big enough for me. It's super fun to ride, best cornering bike I've ever ridden. It's visually weird to see the front axle so far out front but it tracks great while climbing. I'm still trying to understand what's caused by the seat angle vs reach vs stack vs heat tube angle versus offset but it's interesting for sure.

Seems like entrenched old thinking. The same type of thinking that can't accept anything LGBTQ, pot legalization or renewable energy. Southern BC is arguably the best place to ride a mountain bike in the world and yet it's a constant uphill battle to build more trails to accommodate increasing demand and in many cases trailbuilders don't want money they just want permission. 

They say they want a legitimate trailbuilding process to curb rogue building  but then they make the approval onerous, lengthy and unlikely to succeed. It's almost like they don't like mountain bikers.

Rode there a year ago. The length and flowiness of the trails are unmatched. But after 3 days I was ready for gnar again. A highly recommended road trip stop.

A key factor not often mentioned is the non giving a shit factor. By this I mean that you're more likely to ride your alloy bike more aggressively and with less concern for its aesthetics or general treatment. When I switched from my last alloy bike (which was supposed by a summer test ride but I rode it for 4 years) and into really beautiful carbon bike, suddenly I was concerned about the bike all the time. As much as it was nice to have a really beautiful bike I'd rather save $, gain 1lb and not have to care as much.

Are you all femur? You might be the only person in history to find a Knolly seat tube not slack enough.

Amazing. Just goes to show how subjective this stuff is.

Posted by: RAHrider

So this company seems to have the slickest system for plugs. The Mega pill pictured below has mega plugs and regular plugs for different sized holes. I have a tube permanently fixed to my saddle and haven't used it in months. I never think, "god, i'd make it up this climb so much faster without that tube. So I leave it there. I also put one under my wife's seat although she hasn't had a flat in two years but she is too fast on the climbs.

Not sure why you are trying to ditch the tube so hard. I also don't see why people carry so much junk in their bag or pockets that can lock down nicely on the bike. I think if you had a CO2 and some plugs you'd be good for 95% of my flats. You are the only one who can judge the types of flats you get. These guys also carry a race kit that plugs and inflates in one poke. See below.

Interesting for sure. I'm not that intent on getting rid of my spare tube as much as I want better alternatives for certain types of punctures. A spare tube is not a good option if you have an insert in your tire and you get a puncture - this is the perfect use case for a plug. The tube is good if you get a big tear. In theory a tubeless snakebite is two holes so theoretically solvable with two plugs (?).

For simple stuff the lady who does the alterations at my local laundromat has done some great work. It's not always pretty but if it holds my gloves together for another couple of months it's good.
There's a luggage repair place across from MEC on Broadway that's good for zippers and heavier stitch work.

Posted by: XXX_er

Posted by: craw

Posted by: XXX_er

pump, tube AND a patch kit

Clearly plugs too. Obviously it's preferable to plug a leak if you can and save having to unmount the tire.

plugs haven't yet come on my radar as a viable solution

which is not to say they are not

I punched a perfect plug-sized hole in my sidewall yesterday. Unmounting the tire, removing the insert, dumping the sealant and inserting a tube seemed unnecessary. Though I'm not sure that plugs are the solution to all issues - bigger tears or snake bites. It definitely seems like a tidy and portable solution for the right issues.

Posted by: RAHrider

All fits inside the pump on the frame! Love it!

That's hard to beat. Is anyone foregoing a spare tube on short rides?

Posted by: XXX_er

pump, tube AND a patch kit

Clearly plugs too. Obviously it's preferable to plug a leak if you can and save having to unmount the tire.

So I tore a small hole in my tubeless rear tire yesterday. A plug would have solved it. Instead I had to remove the Huck Norris I was trying in back, dumped sealant all over the trail and my hands and put a tube in. Now I'm thinking that I'll carry 2 CO2 cartridges with a little top-up pump and a plug kit as my daily driver kit. Save the full size pump or tube for particularly big days.

What other solutions are people trying? Have you been carrying just plugs and got stranded or have they been sufficient?

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: XXX_er

what are they ^^ worth ?

Not a full wrap but the stuff from lordco wraps around the places with the high wear like the top and down the sides of the top tube or the bottom of the down tube, it definalty stops the minor scuff of a shoe or a tree branch, and even makes the bike easier to keep clean ...  definatley a good place to spend  20$

I got a full wrap for my frame, and the same for the fork.  I think it came out to around $150 with the shipping (and conversion vs GBP).  I also got the matte finish, which is the same finish as my bike.  The stuff from Lordco is usually gloss as it is meant for cars.  You might be able to find the matte finish if you hunt around and dont want gloss.

If you're going to wrap the underside of the down tube and chainstays you should use Shelter Tape - it's way tougher than the 3M stuff which is really only good for abrasion protection. Shelter Tape can absorb some impact. 

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5054-967/Shelter-Bike-Frame-Protection-Tape-%281m-roll%29

I went boost in back because the frame I bought a few years ago required it. It seemed like everything was going Boost and I think those adapter kits are untidy. I ran a non-boost fork on that bike and didn't notice anything. I just switched to a boost fork so the future is now or whatever. I don't notice it one way or the other.

Matt Furman is set up to do it. He did my latest bike. Amazing work, shorter lead times than Ridewrap. Not sure he has a website up yet. 604-715-7745 he's in North Van. I dropped him the frame, he scanned and wrapped it then delivered it to Bicyclehub for assembly.

Posted by: raidersroll

I plan to do quite a thorough check on the bike before really getting it dirty. Bolts, torque values, spoke tension ect. I will also be doing a 3M cover on different parts of the frame.

There are a couple of awesome local outfits in Vancouver that do full frame wraps. Ridewrap is one. Rockwrap I think is the other.