Polymath profile

Absolutely.  I intentionally decided on a full 10 sp XTR setup for my titanium hardtail build a few years ago for a few reasons:  it was cheaper.  The gears I would use (the first 5) are all titanium cogs and take forever to wear.  The lack of a pie plate rear end cog that would wear in 3 months made me cringe.  Moreover, you get the gearing with a 21 front ring.  Bought a whole spare drivetrain at the time thinking it was being cautious.  Now I see it as the best insurance I could of had.  Drivetrain has never failed me and the shifting is superb.  Try finding 10 spd XTR parts new today......

Unfortunately I don't.  This was 2001....I was using a Shimano cassette and RRR supplied a lock ring that was specific to the axle.  Tolerances were VERY tight.  It screwed into the free hub but was not that thick (obviously).  My first hub I had the free hub score the axle (which was also acting as a bearing shaft) and they warrantied the internals.  Seals were very poor.  The act of adjusting the side load every ride was tedious (this again due to the use of too few bearings and none could be used under the freehub).  Hub shells were well made, though, but so is anything CNC'ed.

My 2001 Ellsworth Dare had a 20mm thru axle rear end; at a time only one other bike did: the SC Super 8.

One of only two I knew of hubs that would cut it was Razor Rock Racing.  They made aftermarket levers for Hayes brakes that were popular.  The hubs were shit.  Poorly sealed, poorly engineered with too few bearings in the rear for stability on the free hub.  20mm didn't leave much room for bearings of any sort....constantly had to take the wheel off to readjust the side load on the hub.  Front wasn't too bad but front hubs are impossible to screw up.  Company went under not long after.  Now you know why the 12mm standard is what it is.

I would like to give a prop to Hadley.  Not very common nor seen but IMO they put Chris King to shame (no small feat).  They are run out of a garage and are definitely small but the product is like a fine Swiss watch.  At the time, almost 18 years ago, I had to get a set of hubs for my then new 03 Foes Fly.  I just came off Razor Rock Racing hubs, which, if anyone remembers, made one of the few 20mm thru axle hubs for the rear.  This was how the Ellsworth Dare was fitted, and the RR hubs were terrible.  Improperly sealed, minimal drive side bearing support...you name it.  Couldn't get rid of them fast enough.  Enter the Hadleys.  Freehub is titanium and engagement is by pawls.  My original hubs, on the wheels still on my big bike,  have never had a service (and the entire life of the bike has been Shore only).  I took them apart 5 years ago, I think, just to look and nothing was awry.  Bought a free hub rebuild kit just in case, but they keep on going.  When I built up my new bike just over a year ago, guess what hubs I got, and I had the choice.  I found CK to be expensive, and although they are lighter, perhaps. it is not rotating weight.  And to get almost 18 years (and going!) on a set with no need for new seals, bearings or whatever...remarkable.  I mechanic my own bike and have the tools...never needed any side load adjustment...nothing.  To my knowledge, the best place to get parts is through Balle Racing website.  

I cannot say enough about Hadley.  The epitome of a small company that stays tight and small but delivers the goods.

Know of any shops locally that carry it?  I have the exact fork and stroke as you and I have been a Marzocchi (of old) fan for years; decades, actually.  This looks like something I would look into.  In lbs, what is your weight for reference to the spring rate?  I am 200 so if you use 50......

$500?  Not bad.  Should get into fly fishing.  That would be about mid line for Simms jackets.

I have the Magna 40 rims on Hadley hubs handbuilt by Chromag for me.  I was a little leery about the rims at first but after seeing them built I couldn't be happier.  I run tubeless and the rim/tire interface is very good; the tires hold air very well.  In fact, after getting some help in inflating the tires for the first time, the shop mechanic commented on the fact how well the tires "sat" in the rims.  He commented that they were the finest rims he had worked with tubeless tires.  When I built up my hardtail the wheels sat for about a month, inflated, and needed no air after that time.   Obviously, I give the rims the highest recommendation.

I have a Magna 40 set for my Surface Ti laced to Hadley hubs handbuilt from Pete at Chromag and I would put these wheels against what CB is offering hands down.  Moreover, they are cheaper.  I thought the Magna 40s were way too big but now that I have them I love them.  Also, they are very good with tubeless and hold a seal very well; I have had to put little air in the wheels if left for weeks (this was during the built when the bike was stationary until all the parts showed up).  If CB wanted to really impress me they could start with the Mallet C pedals that I have tried to love but....no spring tension adjustor and the soft brass (I think) cleats that wear so fast you find out they are worn exactly when you don't want to....and the wear time is so fast you would think they were made of plastic.   And the top hoop is $2400 US.  At least aluminum gives or dents.  And as for "you get what you pay for"  I still think nothing beats handbuilt wheels from a true artisan gifted in the craft of wheel building.

Amen.

I totally concur that the part about taking the time to take care of ones self is all to true.  You cannot take care of anyone else if you cannot take care of yourself.  I also am a hardened convert to the moto of "Carp Diem"; in that in the end we all don't know when we are going to be called, so you are best to make every day count.  I recently lost a friend whom at 63 worked all his life to never see one day of retirement.  He did, however, make each day count, and like Ingrid, this is something we can all carry forward with.  Ride more, have more fun, make the effort to do what you want to do.  I wish I could go on Friday, but I am sure like many I will be there in spirit.

Reread the sentence, this time with a modicum of understanding english lexicon.  If you read it slower you will notice that it has no sexual connotation at all, and in fact that is not in the least what I was implying.  Read twice, reply once.

Posted by: andy-eunson

I’ve seen a few of the full suspension Chromag adult bikes on the trail. There was one outside their shop last time I was there too. Coming soon?

I saw one on Seymour a few months ago up close.  I had 2 Chromag hardtails and gave it a full inspection.  Nice bike but I think there is too much competition from others on the FS side, the hardtail side is something Chromag has a good grip on.  I am sure it will sell but with so many choices from proven FS brands out there.....and introducing rear suspension opens up a whole can of worms in pivots, breakages (planned and unplanned) and other warranty claim issues, real or imagined.  I understand why they did this but I think sticking to HT's would be wiser on this and focus on what you do best.  I have to admit I have NOT ridden one or tried one, but only going on supposition.

Posted by: Fast-Orange

To be clear this is a first world problem because I'm slightly annoyed I can't get a handgun anymore despite going through the safety course and the background checks and supplying several references and spending about 300 dollars all in but i'll get over it. It's a first world problem because I don't need a handgun, there are many interesting rifles I can get and this obviously isn't the end of the world. Some people are frothing at the mouth over it but that's not me.

The problem is now that handguns are gone what rifles/shotguns are they going to move to ban next?  Almost all handgun violence in Canada is with illegal guns from the US so banning them will make no difference.  But what of tactical shotguns?  Large calibre rifles?  Semiautos?  I don't think most realize that the handgun was the thin edge of the wedge, and don't be shocked more is coming, since Liberals know how to keep us all safe.  Strange,  they don't ban propane cylinders which can be easily manipulated into a working bomb but that would be too obvious.

Posted by: heckler

The movie makes me wonder about the true motivations behind school shooters. 

I try not to read much about incidents as they occur (this trial might be of my motivations to distance myself from the news), but now I question how much truth about the mindset of the perpetrator is ever known or made  public.  Is it even investigated?

Considering a lot of the shooters are shot dead motives are going to be elusive.  Unless they leave a note.  I take great significance to the fact most of the mass shootings are in the US.  I don't read into the gun factor; knife violence is rampant in the UK where guns are hard to come by so violence and hate find a way to commit crime.  The gun does make the incident easier/more impactful.  But as some realize you can use a car/bus/van as well.   I think the cultural mindset in the US is of huge importance.  Those left out/left behind/forgotten/ignored/abused/marginalized is huge in the US and when it reaches a breaking point.......  You have a country that unless you have medical insurance bankrupts you over things you don't even think about in Canada.  Add in less of a social security net.  Columbine:  the shooters were loners and bullied all thru school.  They finally had enough.  Virginia Tech shooter:  had known mental issues and STILL was allowed to purchase the guns used.  In his note he mentioned how he tried to date girls but was ignored or turned down repeatedly.  They ignored him and didn't take him seriously.   Mark Lapine whom shot 14 women in Montreal.....hated women.  I would suspect he was harshly treated by his mother and had serious issues with women growing up.  Most likely had poor relationships (if any) with women.  Maybe talking to the people whom knew the perpetrators might give some insight.  Although, if talking to parents I wouldn't be surprised the view of the shooters would be slanted to remove any possibility of bad parenting/abuse.  The weapon used is not the issue; the people are and that is a much harder issue to fix.  But finding out the problem before it becomes an issue is a problem that has never (and I suspect never will) be fixed.  Look at how many incarcerated people were abused as children.  Look at the result.  Here in Canada when there is a shooting we hear only about the major ones.  How many happen that are smaller scale and are only reported locally or don't make international interest.

Posted by: DanL

Is anyone aware of what the plans are for Neds? There was an ominous instagram posting with a digger “ if you like neds the way it is, better get a ride in soon” 

Posted by: LoamtoHome

Posted by: DanL

Is anyone aware of what the plans are for Neds? There was an ominous instagram posting with a digger “ if you like neds the way it is, better get a ride in soon” 

its closed.  Work being done by Dream Wizards. I expect a lot of rerouting with a lot of better drainage.

You mean dumbing down with flow.

Posted by: Putty

Jokers, they snapped. A lot.

The Dare was a different story.  I had 2 and both were excellent bikes; the hyroformed model (2001 onward) was really strong.  Same hydroformed front end as the Joker but the rear end was the Jokers' weakness.  The Joker was originally going to be a separate brand from Ellsworth (called Aeon) which was a venture with Ventana to give a cheaper bike.  Ventana backed out and the Joker became an Ellsworth model.  I think from then they tried to pigeon hole it as a free ride bike to market it but failed to ensure it was up to stuff (again, the price point).  On Top was my shop for years and I saw too many to count that broke.  

Still miss my Dare's though.

Posted by: Stuminator

I am just saying why ride on rocks when you can ride loam? For me, I could put up with riding rocks as long as some funky features came along.

Rocks don't erode and last a lifetime.  Loam eventually wears out.  And given the amount of usage Seymour gets the more rock the better.   I love loam too but for those trails I have to go to less travelled areas.

Posted by: Stuminator

If they could rebuild Ned's like they did CBC, that would be a good thing. Right now it's a rock-filled creek bed with no features.

You're not looking hard enough.  I agree there are no CONSTRUCTED features (except the drop lower down)  but the terrain itself is the feature.  On my hardtail I find the trail a blast with all the drops and rock work.  Some trails would die to have this sort of rock work on it that in most cases is natural.

Posted by: Hepcat

Science settled, nice work citizen. All case studies should be based on one participant.

On your way out let the airline industry know that large lithium batteries are safe and we can bring them onboard again, the 354 lithium battery related incidents they've had are of no concern for the FAA.

I mean what's the worse that could happen? It's not like an airplane will crash or a forest will catch on fire.

Oh wait

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/24/ups-crash-dubai-lithium/2582213/

https://www.ctif.org/news/large-increase-lithium-battery-related-fires-over-last-6-years

Agreed.  Anything with a battery and motor can fail and catch fire.  Sadly, I suspect it is going to be a case of reactionary rather than proactive work in preventing it.  Here in BC last year was a really bad fire year.  Not like any mountain bike associations are going to spearhead any inroads with land managers/district managers et al to get ebikes banned before the forest burns down.  

I get it....kids party in the woods and make fires, some hikers smoke and make fires on overnight trips (a good portion of fires are human caused).  But no one is going to be wheeling an ebike out after it has caught fire....so the evidence of what caused the conflagration will be obvious.

An idea:  since the motor is doing all the work anyway, maybe just mandating fire extinguishers on ebikes as standard equipment would work......

Posted by: Couch_Surfer

Also the daily wire is Ben Shapiro’s propaganda rag that is stoking the outrage machine so that he can grift off of it for every last dime.

https://www.mediamatters.org/daily-wire

Maybe.  Maybe he is just telling the truth and most today don't like it since it makes them face the reality that their ideology is flawed.

One thing I notice is that there seems to be an attitude of "entitlement" to the fact that it is a right to live here.  Living in Vancouver is not a right and a privilege that you have to earn.  I notice this especially for those whom want to live on the Shore or do so.  Having been born and raised in Lynn Valley I notice this a lot from those like me whom were also born and raised here.  The idea of having to move to somewhere else or, heaven forbid, Abbotsford or Langley, is unthinkable despite the fact the cost of living is lower (relatively of course).  Many whom I grew up with have never left the Shore wanting to stay but instead of buying when you could of in an affordable area (when it was) they instead rent and now are out of the ability to ever own anything anywhere.  They have built up no equity or savings either.  I live in Langley now and bought when it was attainable but I would love to go back to the Shore and have missed it since leaving (actually, I would prefer Lions Bay or Squamish now that North Van is so congested).  The idea of not living in NV is so unthinkable to many I know it shocks me.  In the end they will be left with nothing since rents can go nothing but up and available units go down.  Many I know have been told to move out as the unit is being used for older children of the landlords whom themselves cannot find anywhere to rent and it stands to reason you are going to think of family first.  

I get it we all want to live in a nice area that suits our lifestyle and proclivities but the simple fact is that Vancouver is turning into another Monaco and attainability and affordability are long gone and never coming back.  I have no idea how anyone under 30 today is going to have any hope of staying here unless they come into money or have a high paying job from the start.  The demographic shift in the next 10 years is going to be a real eye opener.  Even worse is the ambivalence of employers whom seem to think it is not their problem but cannot find workers as the wages offered cannot support the livability of the people they need to work.  But where are these workers coming from?  A Starbucks barista is not living in an apartment downtown alone that's for sure.  Or anyone in the service industry for that matter.