Ask the experts

[climberevan]

Echo that this thread is great, we could use one in Tech Talk.

Best budget-ish chamois liner in today’s market?

The standard rec for inexpensive bibs is Theblackbibs.com. Even their basic ones are good, but the premium ones have better chamois. They are as good as you'll find under $100.

If you can spend more and like long rides, RedWhite.cc makes the best I've worn. I use them for anything over 5h. My ass still feels great at 9h, but my wrists usually start to hurt by then.

[Iowagriz]

These bids are the bomb. Night two pair last year, will buy two more. Great price. See my review that references bikepacking (on the link)

https://www.voler.com/browse/product...ustprodreviews


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[EWG]

For the most part no, but you'll occasionally run into incompatible versions due to the caliper running into the adapter. Mostly an issue with really bulky 4 piston brake calipers.

This. I usually just buy cheap ones off Amazon. Plus: cool colors.

[EWG]

When Qloom/Cuore closed out all their American Qloom stuff it was really cheap and outstanding quality. Still some of that floating around but slim pickings now.

I’m a Cuore believer. But it’s expensive at retail.

[simple]

When Qloom/Cuore closed out all their American Qloom stuff it was really cheap and outstanding quality. Still some of that floating around but slim pickings now.

I’m a Cuore believer. But it’s expensive at retail.

I was lucky to get a few kits from them as well. Euro fit but quality is top notch

[VTskibum]

These bids are the bomb. Night two pair last year, will buy two more. Great price. See my review that references bikepacking (on the link)

https://www.voler.com/browse/product...ustprodreviews


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My team uses Voler and can definitely recommend the black label bibs. Previously had high $ hincapie and actually like these more!


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[mall walker]

I’m too stupid to figure this out: what is the crown race I need for a Chris King InSet 7 headset? I know it apparently comes with one but I need a second and can’t figure out the part to order

eta: 1.5" baseplate is their terminology, part number PHS625

[Roxtar]

I’m too stupid to figure this out: what is the crown race I need for a Chris King InSet 7 headset? I know it apparently comes with one but I need a second and can’t figure out the part to order

Call CK, they usually answer the phone.

[SchralphMacchio]

I’m still riding on Voler team chammies (under hiking shorts) that I got between 15-18 years ago [emoji15]

The leather ones I’m not so stoked on anymore but the synthetic pad chammies are still holding together after countless hours and miles. But yeah, I’m stoked on Voler.

[SchralphMacchio]

Actually just put one of these on ... taking a closer look I’m glad I only use these under shorts now as the spandex is so worn it’s nearing see through in spots, but the pads are holding up well! Probably need to order some new ones this summer ...

[Dantheman]

How picky do I have to be about semi bath oil in fork lowers? Manitou-branded semi bath oil is listed as 5w-40. Can I use the Rockshox 0w-30 I have already? Can I pick up a quart of any full synthetic 5w-40 at AutoZone? Reading through various forum posts this is either totally fine or will cause the entire fork to disintegrate. All this stuff is doing is splashing around in the lowers.

[climberevan]

How picky do I have to be about semi bath oil in fork lowers? Manitou-branded semi bath oil is listed as 5w-40. Can I use the Rockshox 0w-30 I have already? Can I pick up a quart of any full synthetic 5w-40 at AutoZone? Reading through various forum posts this is either totally fine or will cause the entire fork to disintegrate. All this stuff is doing is splashing around in the lowers.

Any suspension oil is almost certainly fine. All moto shops will have it. 5 or 7w would be good. Synthetic ATF is great, and recommended for some moto forks. I use it in the Marzocchi forks on my Husqvarna.
I would not use motor oil.

That said, some damper systems are not totally sealed from the lowers, so a little oil can be exchanged. In that case you want it to be the same as what's in the damper. IDK about your particular fork.

Suspension service is not rocket surgery, despite what the folks selling it would have us believe. Moto is even worse. Guys will pay $1000 for someone to swap out a few shims in their forks (takes me 90 mins) and the swear all day that magic was performed.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I'm finding myself in between gears a lot with the new bike. Just some quick use of the calculator and 30 51 is lower than the 22 36 low gear on my hardtail.
Do I just need to get used to the new gearing and wider range cassette? I really feel like I could use a tooth or 2 on the crank. 32 51 is not quite as low as 22 36, but it's lower than the 24 36 that a lot of people ran in 2x.
I'm pretty sure I need the 32, especially if I get faster tires, but the question is: round or oval? And why?

[Dantheman]

I would not use motor oil.

The Manitou-branded bottle literally says SAE 5w-40 on it.

The damper is Manitou's MC2 damper which uses Maxima 5wt. It's a fully sealed damper, there shouldn't be any exchange with the semi bath oil. Each leg only gets 20 ml of semi bath.

[climberevan]

The Manitou-branded bottle literally says SAE 5w-40 on it.

The damper is Manitou's MC2 damper which uses Maxima 5wt. It's a fully sealed damper, there shouldn't be any exchange with the semi bath oil. Each leg only gets 20 ml of semi bath.

5w-40 is a measurement of viscosity. It says nothing about what type of oil it is or what additives it may have.

Maxima is prob the most readily available and one of the cheapest suspension oils. I'd just use that if that's what they spec for the damper.

[toast2266]

^^^ That, but if the damper is fully sealed and this is just oil that's floating around in the lowers, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Rockshox stuff you have lying around.

[SchralphMacchio]

I'm finding myself in between gears a lot with the new bike. Just some quick use of the calculator and 30 51 is lower than the 22 36 low gear on my hardtail.
Do I just need to get used to the new gearing and wider range cassette? I really feel like I could use a tooth or 2 on the crank. 32 51 is not quite as low as 22 36, but it's lower than the 24 36 that a lot of people ran in 2x.
I'm pretty sure I need the 32, especially if I get faster tires, but the question is: round or oval? And why?

I’ve found that oval is so much smoother on a hardtail - especially at really low speeds,
it’s noticeably much less lurchy on steep punchy uphills. What really got me to notice that I even had such jerky momentum on the circular chainring was when I had my daughter on a steer-tube mounted seat, her head would jerk back on each half-stroke of the pedal from the uneven acceleration. Switching to the oval really helped smooth things out.

[volklpowdermaniac]

I’m having a little trouble with my CK dropset 5- the specialized specific one- on the new epic I’m building-,
And curiously- I had the same issue when installing dropset 3 on my yeti maybe a 18 months ago- the “grip lock assembly” doesn’t seem to fit quite right within the upper headset bearing, it sort of feels like its just not quite sitting within the upper bearing- as such when I tighten it down there is more of a gap between the frame and the grip lock assembly then there should be

On the yeti- I just sort of futzed with it over and over for about 1-2 hours, took apart the grip lock assembly and then somehow it just came together, now the gap is maybe 0-1 mm tops and looks appropriate...

But currently the new one is riding high

Yeti how I finally got it:


And epic how it is currently...


I’ll try to just fuck with it tomorrow, but would really like to know what the actual issue is /solution? Both bikes the cups for upper bearing seemed perfectly machined and fit the bearing properly.

[Dantheman]

5w-40 is a measurement of viscosity. It says nothing about what type of oil it is or what additives it may have.

Maxima is prob the most readily available and one of the cheapest suspension oils. I'd just use that if that's what they spec for the damper.

The full fine print on the Manitou bottle actually says "Motorex Power Synth 4T SAE 5w/40"

In other words, this: https://www.cyclegear.com/accessorie...-4t-engine-oil

So, it does appear to literally be motor oil. Except Manitou sells 3.5 oz bottles for $13 and that^^ bottle is $20 for a quart. I have no idea how the Motorex might differ from any other full synthetic 5w-40 I can get at AutoZone. I guess I'll call around to some moto shops and see if anyone sells Motorex.

[tellybele]

The motorex is probably JASO MA? Does fork oil need to meet this standard?

[climberevan]

Use whatever oil you want in your forks, but if you ask for advice and get it, arguing with those who offer it might not be the best way to get them to answer your questions in the future.

Oil threads are notorious for ballooning into monstrosities on moto sites. Let's not let that happen here.

[Dantheman]

The motorex is probably JASO MA? Does fork oil need to meet this standard?

I had no idea what JASO MA was, interesting: https://www.rymax-lubricants.com/upd...fication-mean/

The Motorex does have that rating. Probably don't want to use automotive oil then I guess. As far as whether fork oil meets that standard, "fork" oil usually implies damper oil, which is not the application here.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Use whatever oil you want in your forks, but if you ask for advice and get it, arguing with those who offer it might not be the best way to get them to answer your questions in the future.

Oil threads are notorious for ballooning into monstrosities on moto sites. Let's not let that happen here.

I would imagine motor oil has all kinds of shit in it that you wouldn't want in your fork. Or is it just gasoline that has cleaners and stabilizers and stuff?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Yeti switch infinity grease fittings.....wtf.

Cannot get grease into them. Have taken them out and cleaned etc. WTF aren't these just regular zerks?

[Dantheman]

Use whatever oil you want in your forks, but if you ask for advice and get it, arguing with those who offer it might not be the best way to get them to answer your questions in the future.

Oil threads are notorious for ballooning into monstrosities on moto sites. Let's not let that happen here.

I'm just 1) trying to understand what the actual product that is spec'ed is and why; and 2) trying to avoid paying an exorbitant price for something that is actually just a rebranded common product that is available in a more generic form for pennies on the dollar, which seems to be a common thing in MTB suspension.

Plus, I learned something. I'm not a moto guy and had no idea motos use one oil common oil volume for the motor, tyranny and clutch. That's kinda cool.