cxfahrer profile

Gold Rush!

The way to go :D

Thanks for explaining. I really noticed a better performance of my slightly sticky Lyrik when slackening the angle from 65 to 63.5. I have to ride down stairs here for anything that resembles "steep".. 😂

This Ultimate bushing treatment makes me wonder. Was it really a common problem with RS forks until now that the bushings did bind a bit when smashing hard?

Or is this an extra quality control treatment for extra money, and the reason for my sticky old 2018 Lyrik was just bad quality control, like before with my 2009 Lyrik A1? 

So when I buy non-Ultimate forks I have to expect sticky or sloppy forks? Plus a RUSH damper, whatever that is?

I guess a lot of the lower end bikes (that would be around 3500) will get those Select and Rush versions.

Those "near miss" moments are still in my brain and keep creeping up every now and then, that moment when I crashed with my bicycle when I was 13 and lost my new watch (could have smashed my brain without a helmet, no helmets in the 70s), and last time I clipped my bar on a very exposed trail and just made it without falling off the cliff, or last time I layed in the dirt with my left leg the other way around and hoping to be able to call for the rescue team.

One learns over the years how to avoid situations, but you never know.

Got to have to look into urban dictionary more often. And I could listen to the 10year old school kids on the other side of the street, but an old grey haired man would probably scare the parents...(insert Steve Buscemi meme here).

The Commencal Meta has about the same reach in XL. 

Just because YT calls an L a XXL, it won't be that way. And they don't have an EWS team.

Riding fast on an EWS course I would always prefer a shorter bike, most of my life I rode short bikes and one can ride them fast. But for everyday riding in bikeparks or trails, I never would go back to 435mm reach or anything under 500mm, and imagine that 530mm would be ideal for my 6'7". Never mind the wheelbase!

Great read, thanks! 

As for the consequences for manufacturers, it will follow the same path once innovation gets to a certain point - they will focus on making everything cheaper and even more unserviceable, as with TV sets and washing machines (my still perfect washing machine is from 1986!).

It will be interesting to see where this leads to with bicycles.

If I want it to shout at me to stay on track. 

I switch that off most times because it isn't helpful, so that's a point towards the Garmin/Wahoo. Phone on handlebar does not really work (display etc).

All this doesn't convince me of ever using such a device.

What is it good for, if one has to use some kind of other app/map anyway? I never follow gpx routes exactly , even if I myself created them - the reality has so much to explore. Trails can start 20m from where they started last year. 

I use Strava for tracking (never mind, there are no secrets any more over here), I set my own segments and ignore results on other people's segments. Useful to watch my degrading over the last years.

Strava is great to download free gpx tracks (in the free version, if people do allow their tracks to be downloaded) of trails or routes from riders I follow that know their hometrails well (e.g. Nina H.) or whom I trust that they do not ride the boring stuff. This saves a lot of time planning and wondering when on the track why the hell one would ride there. 

Trailforks is really bad (free version) as it always needs internet. I rely on Oruxmaps with openstreetmaps on the phone, but yes, the battery and that phone beeping and shouting in my pocket is not the best way.

Oruxmaps has this security feature too, sends a SMS or mail to someone with your position.

Yes I know, unseated. But I run not much sag (140mm).

The equation is not true in every situation! E.g. riding down a steep rock slab, where you would not sag in the rear with a full suspension bike anyway. In every situation where the riding dynamics are not influenced by a sagging rear suspension, it does make no difference - even in fast steep corners. But when pushing hard into the corners with the hardtail you notice the steepening hta pretty soon!

I just installed my Works 1.5° ZS with a 2x4 and a hammer, it did work even without deep freezing the headset. But I would not recommend it, many things can go wrong. But they don't tend to turn, at least :).

I was a bit sceptical about the effect, but coming from a 65 on my Capra it really worked well with the 1.5° for 63.5 now. Much better fast cornering.

My main hardtail has 64° from the start, and it always felt strange when changing from hardtail to Capra on the trails.

I still have another hardtail with a 70° ha from 2008 or so, with a wobbly 9mm Tower fork, sometimes it's really fun to ride.