delusional profile

I think this is also the first peer reviewed data available on MIPS? And in what appears to be a relatively well regarded journal in the field (I'm a total outsider to the field though, so unsure about this).

Have you experimented with thermal insoles at all? I've been looking around, and they seem like a potentially really cheap option that might well mean we can chose pedals based on what we want to ride, rather than how cold our feet get.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005ZUI7N2/?tag=insolesclarity-20

No thankfully not! I use HN as the example of about the only sort of trail surface that I don't see described as "loam" online.

I think "loam" is so overused as a hype word by anyone describing any trail that isn't packed down like Half Nelson that it's long since ceased to have any really specific meaning beyond "this trail was good".

"I don't think we'll see chains out of them"

https://can.oneupcomponents.com/collections/chains

$10,500 and the it comes with own brand cockpit, doesn't get top spec brakes, etc. Pretty big compromises for such a boutique price!

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?