D_C_ profile

I think it depends on the trails where you live. To really progress on a hardtail takes some commitment, and a more timid rider may not successfully build the necessary confidence in a place like the Shore. But other places with smoother trails, absolutely.

I was interested to see Norco removing 0.25 degrees of head angle with each increase in size on the new Range. Although the RC grows slightly with each size, lengthening FC counteracts any preserving of FC/RC balance through the sizes.

Yeah, that’s a good point. Strong 25 mm rims are less and less available, but I’d totally run something like a EX 471 over a EX 511 to save a few grams, particularly in the rear.

There is definitely a trend of people running all the heavy things, but I think what will stick is people running a heavier part where they think it counts. 

Take rear rims for example. When 30 mm rims became the norm about 5-6 years ago, the rims that came out were both wider and lighter than the narrower rims they replaced (e.g. Flow MK3, ARC 30). The thinner metal resulted in dents if you looked at them wrong. We now have options of ~600 g rims that, for the minor weight penalty, actually look okay after a season. I can’t see myself running a 500 g rear rim any time soon (as someone who doesn’t run inserts). But these heavier rims largely didn’t exist 5 years ago.

These heavier, more durable, better descending parts, which are definitely influenced by both e-bikes and enduro racing, give us the option to optimize where it’s worthwhile.

I keep hearing anecdotal reports of Exo being tougher than Exo+ as a result of the lower TPI. I'm not sure if there is an objective way to test this, but it's an interesting theory.

Sounds like a middle ride-9 setting + bumping the fork up to 160 could be a winner.

Thank you very much for the detailed reply. I appreciate you getting into it.

I agree with everything you said about the respective feels for Fox and RS air springs. I was on a Lyrik the past few seasons and am now on a Zeb. I made the swap last year from the Debonair B1 to C1 air spring and the differences you mention are accurate. I also have a 2018 Fox 36 on my hardtail (with 2019 EVOL spring) and I agree that the feel is closer to the C1 Rockshox spring.

I recently had the chance to take my wife's bike for a ride, which has a 2017 Pike A1 with the solo air spring (same air spring that existed in 2014). Granted, I only had the bike out for one ride and could have likely further optimized setup, but I found the feel off the top similar to the latest C1 spring, in terms of ride height, but with quite a bit less support in the second half of the stroke. It felt almost like, once you broke past that first portion of the travel, the support was lost and the fork wanted to wallow. I suspect I could have added more air to improve support but would have lost initial stroke sensitivity. I also could have added tokens, but that mainly impacts the end of the stroke, and I am talking more about what felt like the middle 3rd of the travel (though I acknowledge that we are probably pretty bad at knowing by feel what portion of the air spring curve we are on - what feels like mid-stroke can sometimes be end of stroke).

So yes, I felt there are differences in the most recent air springs from Fox and RS. But from my brief ride with that 2017 Pike A1, all seem to be improved in providing support through the travel while still being smooth off the top.

Long of the short, my sense is that a few things have been figured out since the air spring on the 2014 Pike you mention.

But... it sounds like you have had no issues finding a setup that works on the Suntour fork, so that is encouraging. My 36 is starting to make some noise, and I am tempted to take the plunge on a Suntour (more likely the Auron) based their reputation for creak-free CSUs.

@Andrew Major - another review suggested that, compared to the latest from the big two, the EQ air spring is a bit old school, with a lower volume negative spring that is either harsher off the top or less supportive deeper in the stroke. Has your experience shown similar?

Climbs like a goat

Mine is 2 years old and spins like the day I bought it.

The Allen key piston spacer trick works quite well, at least on 4-piston SRAM brakes. A friend did it on 2-piston Shimanos and one of the pistons extended a bit crooked and leaked fluid, so I guess a bit of care is needed.

It’s easy enough to push the pistons back in with a tire lever if you pull the Allen key out. I suppose the other pistons could over-extend when pushing one piston in, but it hasn’t happened to me yet.

Posted by: Lowcard

WAO is/was using Tessa tape from uline. I should know, I'm the one who sourced it!

Do you know which Tesa tape? I’ve had an interesting time getting tape to stick to my WAO rims, but the stuff that came stock held up quite well.

Posted by: grambo

Bumping this thread as I'm thinking about on frame storage on my new bike, a 2022 Patrol which has bosses on bottom of toptube and can fit a 750ml bottle. Current setup is water bottle on bike and Osprey fanny pack with 2x 600ml bottles and all tools including Topeak Race Rocket MT mini pump which I just bought after an annoying co2 failure (to DC's point above, tire bead wouldn't seal from 2 co2's, tread puncture repair was fine but after wasting my xo2s I couldn't throw in a tube cuz no way to inflate it). 750ml water is enough for majority of my rides which are 1-2.5h on the shore so it has me thinking of ditching the pack, but I can't decide between:

1) EDC tool in steer tube (with small capsule w/ tire plug kit, Fox 38 cannot fit the big capsule or co2) + Wolftooth B-Rad mini with tube + extra lever + CO2 - I think the mini can fit those 3 items.

2) EDC pump 100cc with EDC tool + storage capsule with tire plug kit and ?, B-Rad mini tube/lever/co2. 

#1 is cleaner, don't have an $80 pump exposed to the elements every ride, but have to rely on co2. 

#2 I get the pump, but honestly this is my first flat outside the bike park in 5 years (DD casing tires and I am not a shredder) so co2 is "fine" for shorter packless rides. Anything over 2h or on hot days I am likely bringing the hip pack for water+food anyway which fits my Topeak pump. If I have to walk out of one of my typical Shore rides once every few years it's not a huge deal, but I don't get many chances to ride Squamish/valley these days so it's those longer rides I care about and will have the pack/pump.

For my 1-2 long/alpine rides a year I have an old 3L bladder backpack for water/food.

Option 1 is basically my setup. The strap that came with the b-rad mini was too short for a 29er tube, tire lever and CO2, so I'm running the bracket with a longer strap (OneUp rubber ski strap thing).

The 100cc EDC pump is massive. If I were going the pump route, I'd probably go with the 70cc and use the storage in the pump for an extra CO2 cartridge, and still run the EDC tool in my steerer.

What about changing rotor sizes? Adding or removing a brake adapter may be enough to change the frequency and kill the noise. (Not sure if it works; just a thought)

Bobsled?

Posted by: xy9ine

Posted by: craw

I just put on a 2.3 DD Maxxterra Aggressor and it's surprisingly good. I needed a rear tire and it was the closest thing I could find. It worked really well. I guess Vancouver is a proper 'dry conditions' place now.

i'm running the 2.5 iteration of that currently (with maxxgrip assegai front, which i run year round). transitioning off a MG dhr2 was a bit entertaining in the loose, as the side lugs are considerably less aggressive, but it does roll a bit better, and the compound is lasting surprisingly well, despite the shorter knob height. would love to see something between the SS & the aggressor - proper side lugs, with a nice rolling, mid height center (the semi slicks just don't cut it when things get properly steep & loose). like a cut dhr, i guess.

The Dissector looks to be close to what you're after, but some reviews suggest the side knobs are a bit wimpy and prone to tearing relatively early on.

I have a Minion SS 29x2.5 DH Casing sitting in the closet. Even with the dry conditions, I’ve been riding some steeper trails where I’d prefer to have good braking traction, so I have kept the DHR II on for now.

I think the Aggressor would be ideal.

Posted by: syncro

Suntour - you won't have to worry about creaky csu's

I’ve heard that, though part of me thinks it’s partly related to a small sample size.

I couldn’t find it before but looks like they also do a 2 year warranty.

Given how often single crown forks start creaking, length of warranty coverage is an important consideration when buying a fork. I know that Fox has a 1 year warranty vs. Rockshox’s 2-year coverage, so Rockshox wins there. Are there any other manufacturers that offer warranty for 2 years or more?

Posted by: earleb

Posted by: D_C_

SRAM DUB BB92 Pressfit bb - I managed to grab one of the last ones in town, but plan b down the road is to use reducers in a 30 mm ID bb. It turns out the bearings in the DUB bb are 30 mm ID, so you could steal the plastic reducers from an old bb. https://nsmb.com/articles/aftermarket-bottom-brackets-dub-cranks/

An item to note on Sram and Enduro DUB bb's. They have both spec'd a custom bearing where the outer metal race is pressed into the frame. Regular 30mm bb's for BB92 are a tiny standard bearing pressed into a plastic shell, then the polymer shell is pressed into the frame so there is less space for the bearings. I think this distinction gets overlooked when people mention DUB and BB92.

So if you grab a regular 30mm bb for your BB92 and put the DUB inserts in you still get crappy tiny bearings.

I am pretty sure the SRAM bbs have bearings pressed into a cup, which is then pressed into the frame. In my experience, they hold up better than, say, a Race Face Cinch bb, but are still subject to similar thin bearings. The ultimate solution to the problem SRAM and others have created for themselves is, as you mentioned, something like the Enduro or Wheels Mfg bb, where the bearing outer race presses directly into the frame. But those are pricey and also hard to track down right now.

https://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets/sram-dub/bb86-to-29mm-dub-flanged-dual-row-pressfit-86-92-abec-3-bottom-bracket.html

SRAM DUB BB92 Pressfit bb - I managed to grab one of the last ones in town, but plan b down the road is to use reducers in a 30 mm ID bb. It turns out the bearings in the DUB bb are 30 mm ID, so you could steal the plastic reducers from an old bb. https://nsmb.com/articles/aftermarket-bottom-brackets-dub-cranks/