delusional profile

While the 5-star virginia tech rating is great, it's probably worth noting that around 3/4s of the MTB helmets they've tested (33 out of 46) have got that rating, so that alone isn't the biggest differentiator among modern helmets. The A3 just squeaks into the top 20% of the MTB helmets tested, but notably gets a slightly worse safety score (11.01) than the A2 (9.99). I'm not entirely sure how to read a 1 point drop like that, but, considering the difference between a 4 and 5 star rating seems to be about 5 points, it might not be an insignificant shift.

I'm sure I remember a time when running spikes in the Sea to Sky on any trail where they'd be an advantage was a significant faux pas?

I'd say on the 2020 SJ Evo it's almost mandatory for riding around here. With the stock link I was having a hell of a job getting the rear end to offer any support without blowing through it's travel constantly, even with the air shock in there. It was bad enough that the bike came with the shock already maxed out on volume spacers. With the Cascade I'm able to run a coil shock, and the bike feels great. I'd like a little more bottom out support still, but it's pretty damn good as it is.

I'm not sure if it would really be considered the same travel bracket, but that BB height is 10mm higher than the 2020 Stumpy Evo. That comes with 140mm as standard, but easily goes up to 150mm with a cascade link and clipping a shock spacer to increase the stroke (arguably all needed to make the bike live up to its potential).

Great bike name.

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't mean to dig at the article at all---it definitely made sense in context there--as much as respond to discussion here. It seems this is a debate that comes up every time we talk about bar height and reach with arguments around whether or not any particular setup is preserving reach or not, and I'm always a little confused about what the right answer is. Writing this out helped me think through what's going on!

This seems to largely be a confusion about what we actually mean by effective reach? Is effective reach the vertical distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the centre of the grips? Or is it the portion of that distance that occurs between the centre of the bottom bracket and the centre of the steerer tube? In the case of the former, adding rise doesn't change the effective reach. In the case of the latter it seems to shift effective reach to effective stem length.

That, of course, relies on measuring effective stem length at the height of the centre of the grips not at the stem clamp point. I think that makes the most sense here, but I'm no engineer.

It seems like most of these measurements are probably useful though, and the major issue we have is around terminology once we're discussing bikes-as-ridden rather than frames-as-sold?

The wayback machine has you covered for geo! Full geometry chart available in the below pdf. No reach measurements, obviously, but sure someone can calculate that easily enough. Numbers definitely look good for 2007! Potentially a 65HA and no change in seat tube length from M to L (maybe this is an error?).

http://web.archive.org/web/20100823053353/http://www.corsairbikes.com/downloadfly.aspx?download=downloads%2FCOR_Malestrom_Dossier.pdf

Not sure which Giant your buddy has, but I was able to fit a Works -1.5 in my carbon 2016 Reign without any issues.

> it blows off steam faster than a British teapot

I think your analogy is a bit off :) A teapot that's blowing off steam like that is a bad teapot, they're supposed to keep heat in so your tea stays hot. That's why we have tea cozies!

I did this with my Explosif. Extended the fork by 20mm (to 140mm) and added a -1deg Works Components headset. It's not been on the bike that long, but seems to work really well so far; the bike feels way more aggressive and comfortable carrying speed. I did find that my first ride was pretty messy; I kept blowing out corners and understeering all over the place. I think that I was slower to adjust to the more forward body position needed when it was a change in geometry on the same bike rather than going to a new bike, and I'd find myself default to sitting too far back when things got a little wild. So, maybe take it easy first few rides and give yourself time to adjust!

Trail grading is always going to be relative to the area. BC blue trails in general are often of a level that would be black in a lot of other places. Squamish has a lot less jank than the Shore, and consequently a lot more riders in full lycra and on XC bikes, so the grading probably represents that. 

Don't forget that videos always make things look less technical than they are though!

That is not correct.

I actually replaced a bent lever blade last week on a ZEE. A friend bent his in a crash. The new lever blade was 11€ and I was able to just walk into my LBS and buy it. They are available as spare parts.

It was an easy, simple five minute repair. No special tools needed. Just loosen an little screw, push the pin/axle out. Take the bent blade out, insert the new one. Reinsert, tighten screw. Done.

Good to know, thanks. I must have got my wires crossed there then.

Question: For those who use the Solarstorm X2 lights, when ordering on Lightmalls do you just order the regular 4cell battery pack or do you get the larger/waterproof options.

I would be using the lights for 2 hour rides at most, ideally not in the rain.

Thanks!

I'd buy the waterproof. When I bought mine that wasn't available, and I spent an extra $20 on plasti-dip to waterproof the batteries myself. If you live in BC, they'll get wet.

As for capacity - I find the 4 cell is ample for my 2-3 hour rides. I generally just have the bar light on, set to low level, when climbing, and then put both lights on full for the descent. With that pattern I generally have more than enough light for most rides.

From what I understand current gen Shimano brakes are not able to be rebuilt. To the point that you bend a lever, you buy a whole new master cylinder!

That's leaning me very heavily towards picking up some Guides instead for my next set of brakes.

Interesting to read. I started experiencing the same thing on my XT's while in the Alps this summer (lots of long rough descents).

Since I came back to BC it's happened fairly often as well - mostly on longer descents. I'd been blaming sticky calipers, and actually just cleaned and lubed them the other day in an attempt to fix it. Too early to tell if that's solved it or not though.

So wanna move up the quality of my lights.
Have the magic shines, not bad but too much like a spot light.
Want something that floods better. A bar remote would be pretty pimp too.

Suggestions and experiences?
Brock

For a quick fix to get a broader beam pattern from your MagicShine you can chuck in one of these lenses: https://www.amazon.com/Angle-MagicShine-Gemini-Lights-Headlight/dp/B004WLCLQY

I've been running one of those in my bar light, with a standard spot style MagicShine on my head, very happily.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8gPY66O1wg

This isn't quite a scandi flick though, that needs a much less pronounced turn to the outside than what I'm talking about (much more of a flick in fact) and as far as I understand works to un-weight the suspension as you're turning in to help encourage the slide.

It could be working in the same way though, with braking happening within the "flick".

Heavy and expensive maybe, but it is the first iteration of something new. Give it a few generations and it could get pretty interesting. With the pain in the neck chainline is on 11 speed I could definitely see the value in this.

Kind of cool info there, for instance the choice of the Guide R lever "rather than their higher end levers, because it needed to be very robust in case the bike fell over and landed on it" is good to know when buying new brakes!

The One-Up chainline is better for sure… I use a B-labs chainring which is optimized for a 47mm chainline… super smooth.

Hadn't spotted those, thanks! Got to drop to a 30t to get the 47mm, but does go down to 49mm with the 32t.

Did you manage to pick one up locally, or is it mail order only?