Ask the experts

[climberevan]

I use insoles in all of my shoes. My current fav is Sole, but I think anything that supports your foot is fine. Bike shoes are much more like ski boots than they are like running shoes--your foot doesn't splay and flex as it would while walking or running so supporting it keeps it from flattening out in a bad way. In my road shoes I have custom fiberglass ones that I vacuum molded, but they don't really work better than the Soles; they are just lighter.

I like the Ergon GA3, which comes in a Large size. My hands are 11 in Hestra, XXL in Fox. I am currently trying a pair of Fabric ones which are shaped just like the GA3, but they are flaking off and falling apart after just a few hundred miles, so I'll prob go back to Ergons, which last for thousands.
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[zion zig zag]

I've looked at the Ergon GA3 and GA2 as options as well. I do worry with the revgrips that I'll lose some bar width, as I ride with my hands right on the edge of the bars (currently use Diety grips), and the revs have a pretty substantial lock ring.

[Andeh]

I use insoles in all of my shoes. My current fav is Sole, but I think anything that supports your foot is fine. Bike shoes are much more like ski boots than they are like running shoes--your foot doesn't splay and flex as it would while walking or running so supporting it keeps it from flattening out in a bad way. In my road shoes I have custom fiberglass ones that I vacuum molded, but they don't really work better than the Soles; they are just lighter.
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Yep, that's why Sole and Specialized (and some others) have the metatarsal pad / button. It's basically an oval bulge up just behind the forefoot that helps keep the foot in a more natural state. Otherwise pedaling tends to flatten the foot out and never give a chance to recover. The comfort level difference between a Sole / Spec insole with this compared to whatever cheap foam insert 5.10 uses is huge.

[Meconium]

DVO Topaz: Can you change bladder without bleeding, is it okay to just and a bit more oil and let it puke out the piggy when re installing?

[grskier]

I have a set on my trail bike and e-bike. I’m a big fan of them. My hands are pretty fucked from duepetryns so I’ll take any help I can get with reducing vibrations. They do help quite a bit and I have them set up with the medium setting. I’ll probably go to the light setting next time I change the grips. One thing I have found is the grips seem to last a really long time compared to standard lock ons since they rotate slightly. I don’t think it even took one ride to get used to them either.

This seems the consensus amongst users I've seen. They work better than most assumed.

ETA:
I guess minus a few here. The first review I saw basically was calling it hoaky.. then a few others got on them and said they are great minus the fiddle factor.

Like everything I guess it depends.

[jm2e]

Anyone using RevGrips? Did they solve any problems or are they snake oil?


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I had a pair come with my DH bike so tried them for about a month. Didn’t do as much for me as ESI Super Chunky so I swapped them out. I’d give them to you, but one of the clamp bolts stripped out and now lives on that handlebar. Destroyed the grip getting the rest of the parts off. Sure I could have surgically extracted them with a Dremel, but at that point my rage was not allowing a gentle touch.
After seeing Gunder’s response, it really hits home that grips are definitely a unique variable for each person.

I do find that swapping out my stiff carbon rims for alloy rims made a noticeable difference as well.

I also used to use the SQ Lab 710 grip. Worked great until I started doing rowdier stuff. That’s when I switched to foam.


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[Andeh]

I had one of the clamp bolts strip also. I hacksawed the stupid thing off (carefully to avoid cutting the bar).

[climberevan]

DVO Topaz: Can you change bladder without bleeding, is it okay to just and a bit more oil and let it puke out the piggy when re installing?

Did your bladder fail? If so, you'll have air all mixed in the oil at you'll want to do a full teardown.

If not, putting the bladder back in is kind of how you bleed it anyway. If you keep the bladder res up and remove it you'll prob only need to add a tiny bit of oil so it can overflow a little as you replace the bladder.

DVO has an excellent maintenance guide.

[g_man80]

Re: Rev grips - Like most of the touch points it will be personal preference and the only way to know if they will work for you is to give it a try. You’re going to find just as many reviews saying they can’t ride without them as ones saying it’s snake oil.

I will add that I’ve seen most of this tech make its way through the moto industry. 10 years ago it was the Fasst Flexx handlebar on everyone’s moto. I never see them now. I tried them years ago and felt that it made the front end too vague. Added unnecessary complexity and potential failure point. Then it was the twisted engineering carbon bars. Boyesen Flex Grip. Now it seems to be the XC Gear polymer mount system. Great marketing and sponsor a few popular athletes (usually privateers), and you’re set.

It all just seems like a way to mask poor suspension setup or geometry issues.

[volklpowdermaniac]

At height of spring wet season I switched to a DD MG DHF on the status. I’m pretty addicted to the grip, it’s kind been relevatory. But now that things have dried up, it’s piggy. I’m just wondering of the tire players - who’s soft / grippiest compound has a bit less resistance? Any thing out there that gives up maybe 15% of the grip for 15% better roll, would just losing thr DD casing (although EXo+\MG leaves only the assegai) make a big difference in the draggy feel? I realize some of this is just par for the course when you get to these soft compounds so yeah….

[SchralphMacchio]

Ask in the tires thread.
You think DD 3CMT would not be enough for you midsummer?

[volklpowdermaniac]

Ask in the tires thread.
You think DD 3CMT would not be enough for you midsummer?

Shit! I knew I was being a dumbass posted here. Ugh yeah it would be fine, just hate the idea of changing tires by season. I’m a supremely lazy asshole.

[buttahflake]

Thoughts on a Yoeleo g21 frameset? Comes with integrated bar/stem and seat post for less than $1600.

[HAB]

Thoughts on a Yoeleo g21 frameset? Comes with integrated bar/stem and seat post for less than $1600.

A super cheap carbon frame that's basically named "YOLO"? What could go wrong?

[climberevan]

Thoughts on a Yoeleo g21 frameset? Comes with integrated bar/stem and seat post for less than $1600.

Many of the reviews seem to be generated by AI, and the geo is a bit out of line with where most gravel frames seem to be leaning these days. The super short head tube is especially odd, and the already short reach will become even shorter if you add a bunch of spacers. Plus it's significantly more expensive than some of the Chinese competition.

Integrated bar/stem combos are pretty dumb, IMO, especially on gravel bikes.

[buttahflake]

Okay, that’s what I’m looking for. What do you like for Chinese gravel frames?

[XtrPickels]

It's like on the front/outside where the fibula ends. Feels sort of like a sprained ankle. I didn't do anything to it as far as I can tell and it only hurts when on the bike. So weird. Cleats are pretty much where I have always run them I think. New shoes this season so maybe thats it. IDK.

Could be Peroneal Tendonitis. There are tendons that run under the fibula like a pulley. The muscles attached could be putting them under constant load causing some friction / inflammation. Those muscles do an action that is opposite rolling your ankle, which is why it feels like you rolled your ankle.

1. Do you ride with that foot back? The ankle flexed position of the rear foot may be causing tension.
2. Is your stance too wide, causing the muscle to fire for stability?
3. Is your shoe cuff applying pressure in this area?
4. Do you shoes have any canting wedges or built in varus wedging (e.g. Specialized)?

Steps
1. Take some Advil regularly or rub some Voltaren on it
2. Give it a rest as you're able to, ice it after activity
3. Stretch and Massage the muscles on the outside of your leg (peroneals)
4. Strengthen the muscles once the pain subsides
5. Try to figure out what's bothering it. May or may not, but steps 1-4 will likely help it go away.
---------------------------

Regarding Stump Jumpers. I love my Evo and many others love theirs. Check out MTBYUMYUM's videos on youtube, I think he makes a case that the new Stumpy is very XC focused and it may not make a guy like you happy. The Evo can be built relatively light and it pedals fine, especially with lighter tires and components vs. your enduro bike. But, it'll have more similar capabilities and you may enjoy the ride more.

[XtrPickels]

Anyone using RevGrips? Did they solve any problems or are they snake oil?

Just looked at there stem and it has a Bell built into it?!?

Best or worst idea ever?

[grskier]

Just looked at there stem and it has a Bell built into it?!?

Best or worst idea ever?

Looks pretty cool if that silencer works.

[beaterdit]

Just looked at there stem and it has a Bell built into it?!?

Best or worst idea ever?

Looks like it's an add-on and only works with the 50mm standard stem.

Agree with Grskier, looks cool if the silencer works and it doesn't rattle. The silencer flips up against gravity though. If it doesn't lock in tight, or even if it does, dollars to donuts it rattles or just plain opens up after a while.

[Spencer123]

I am troubleshooting a clicking sound that is driving me crazy. I have had creaks, grinding sounds, squeals but never a clicking sound like this before. It only happens under heavy load while pedaling. It does not matter what gear I am in, only that it is heavy load/slow rotation. It sounds like is coming from the back, but I know that can be hard to pinpoint.

The sound is the same across the whole range of the cassette. It is a mechanical Sram GX drivetrain. Cassette is low miles, chain is checked and is under 0.5 (new end of last season along with the cassette). I tried a new chain ring as in the past that was commonly the answer to my drivetrain woes, but no change. Bottom bracket was pulled, bearings are smooth and everything was regreased and retorqured. 165 mm GX cranks with one-up aluminum pedals.

Is clicking something that can come from the wheels? Wheel sounds smooth spinning in the stand. It is a project 321 hub which I am not super familiar with having always had DT Swiss so have not gotten into that at all yet. Anywhere else to dive into?

Thanks for the help!!

-Spencer

[MegaStoke]

Could be your seatpost, even if it does it when pedaling out of the saddle. Pull and grease it and see if that helps.

[Spencer123]

Thanks! i forgot to add that to the list of recently done things. I even tried it with two different posts in and have had the same sound.

Could be your seatpost, even if it does it when pedaling out of the saddle. Pull and grease it and see if that helps.

[beaterdit]

Could be a pedal? How old are they? Can you reproduce it pedaling with one foot?

For me something like that was a loose chainring bolt. You said you changed that so I assume those're tight. I've had a similar issue on current bike lately that I haven't chased down yet. About to tear it down to swap over to a new frame and I'm hoping it's the chainring bolts.

I'd also check the suspension pivots, the crank, and make sure you have correct BB spacers and tension, and the cassette spacer, if needed. I still don't know how to figure out if I need that myself.

[snowaddict91]

I had a similar noise recently, eventually narrowed it down to the hub bearings. When I pulled the rear wheel off, I discovered the axle housing? (Sleeve between the bearings and axle) had come partially unthreaded. It was that, I listened to it for weeks while I couldn't figure it out.