Ask the experts

[east or bust]

Anyone ever experience an individual sprocket in a cassette that feels more difficult to pedal than it should?

Something just feels off with my second largest sprocket, like there's added resistance that doesn't exist in any of my other low gears. Am I going crazy or could there be any merit to that?

[406]

They are mostly still pretty soft. I have a lot.. if anyone wants some expired bloks let me know! Happy to share

What flavors? If margarita or watermelon or any flavor with extra salt an no caffeine, I'm interested.

[NT]

Ok so I guess I am asking too much of those sites. Looks like I need to manually input comparison bikes? Maybe I am missing something. I want to put in GG Gnarvana Size 2 and then have the site auto populate the closest bikes based on numbers.

https://99spokes.com/bikes?chainstay...seMM=1223-1245

You can refine the inputs by clicking 'geometry' in the top right

Then add models to the comparison and scroll down to compare geo:
https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=g...ack-29-29|w.29

[summit]

^I love 99spokes.com and use the hell out of it for geo comparison and spec lists.

https://freedomcoast.net/products/br...r-trp-dh-r-evo

Coughed up $120 for these as it is night and day difference. I just installed and rode them. Life changing awesome, I just hate having to spend to make a flagship product functional

[zion zig zag]

Coughed up $120 for these as it is night and day difference. I just installed and rode them. Life changing awesome, I just hate having to spend to make a flagship product functional

Yep, same thoughts.

I got the new levers installed and have been on one ride. Night and day difference. I went from buyers remorse about the brakes to pretty stoked on them. Crazy that they would spec their top of the line brakes with such bad levers. Unless you have size 14 hands, then maybe you’d be stoked right away.

Attachment 466037

[John_B]

I'm helping a friend get a new rear shock for her 2017 Hightower. She got it rebuilt last year and it's already leaking air despite minimal bike days. From my reading it looks like she needs a 200x51 shock. Her riding style is best described as slow, infrequent and grounded. What should I be looking for to help her out?

[Tailwind]

The valve core seems like a good starting point. Also ensuring there are no big scratches on the shaft. If they replaced all of the seals a year ago, they should be fine.

Depending on how slow it’s leaking you could spray it with soapy watch, compress the suspension and watch for bubbles.

I'm helping a friend get a new rear shock for her 2017 Hightower. She got it rebuilt last year and it's already leaking air despite minimal bike days. From my reading it looks like she needs a 200x51 shock. Her riding style is best described as slow, infrequent and grounded. What should I be looking for to help her out?

[John_B]

The valve core seems like a good starting point. Also ensuring there are no big scratches on the shaft. If they replaced all of the seals a year ago, they should be fine.

Depending on how slow it’s leaking you could spray it with soapy watch, compress the suspension and watch for bubbles.

She's got the troubleshooting skills of a potato so all I know is that it doesn't have air in it when she wants to go for a ride. I'll investigate further.

[donutlynx]

I'm helping a friend get a new rear shock for her 2017 Hightower. She got it rebuilt last year and it's already leaking air despite minimal bike days. From my reading it looks like she needs a 200x51 shock. Her riding style is best described as slow, infrequent and grounded. What should I be looking for to help her out?

I have a RS Monarch RT3 that I took off my 2017 Hightower. It is in great condition. If interested, it's available for the cost of shipping. Wouldn't be the latest and greatest, and probably not an upgrade, but it is a solid component. That goes for anyone else looking for a 200x51 rear shock.

[rideit]

Does anyone know what bb/axle diameter Microshift Advent x 10 speed uses?
And if it’s boost?
I can’t find technical info anywhere.
Trying to help wifey’s friend run a 28 chainring and 165mm crank the cheapest way possible.
Conversely, anyone see rock bottom bargains on any 165mm cranksets with a bb?

OR: anyone know of a 10 speed, 11-50 (HG) cassette?
TIA

EDIT: like this, but less scary Alibaba-esque

[rideit]

Maybe best in class

[MCS5280]

Went down the compliance rabbit hole last year managing a back injury. I narrowed it down to 31.8 alloys and decided on the FU50 for the big bike, and FU40 for the trail bike. I haven't tried all the bars, but I'm happy with both. Helps that they're local to me and I can walk in and pick one up.

Thanks ordered an FU40 to try.

Does anyone know what bb/axle diameter Microshift Advent x 10 speed uses?
And if it’s boost?
I can’t find technical info anywhere.
Trying to help wifey’s friend run a 28 chainring and 165mm crank the cheapest way possible.
Conversely, anyone see rock bottom bargains on any 165mm cranksets with a bb?

OR: anyone know of a 10 speed, 11-50 (HG) cassette?
TIA

Pretty sure Advent X doesn't have a crankset. I'm using a raceface affect r crankset and an XT BB with mine. Was originally on my hardtail (boost) and now it's on my gravel bike (non-boost) with the advent x brifters. Only changes I had to make to go between the two was changing the BB spacers and flipping the chainring over.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Alternative to https://www.raceti.com?

Trying to order some M8 bolts for my bike and their website has been fucked up for days and I can't checkout.

[sfotex]

Anyone ever experience an individual sprocket in a cassette that feels more difficult to pedal than it should?

Something just feels off with my second largest sprocket, like there's added resistance that doesn't exist in any of my other low gears. Am I going crazy or could there be any merit to that?

The only thing I could possibly think of would be the chain is getting pinched between the 1st and 3rd cog. What kind of cassette is it?

[east or bust]

The only thing I could possibly think of would be the chain is getting pinched between the 1st and 3rd cog. What kind of cassette is it?

SRAM XG-1295 Eagle, 10-52t

That's a good thought, I'll take a look today and see if the clearances are tight anywhere.

[sfotex]

SRAM XG-1295 Eagle, 10-52t

That's a good thought, I'll take a look today and see if the clearances are tight anywhere.

You could check the chain line too, but it seems like you would see it even more on the 1st cog.

[grskier]

Interesting data:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tire-s...-les-gets.html

1) surprised so many ride mullets. I guess they are tired of getting their butt buzzed on such steep tracks...
2) I guess the extra rotational weight of inserts vs. only having to get down 1 run without a flat vs. whatever casing they are using... inserts aren't that popular in this format.
3) Some of the psis run are a little lower than I would have assumed with no insert and the ability of some of these guys to rip a tire off a rim.

[skaredshtles]

Interesting data:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tire-s...-les-gets.html

1) surprised so many ride mullets. I guess they are tired of getting their butt buzzed on such steep tracks...
2) I guess the extra rotational weight of inserts vs. only having to get down 1 run without a flat vs. whatever casing they are using... inserts aren't that popular in this format.
3) Some of the psis run are a little lower than I would have assumed with no insert and the ability of some of these guys to rip a tire off a rim.

Data is kind of useless without rider weight, IMO. Also - I would *assume* that all those folks were running a DH casing, but that would be good information to go along with the other inputs...

[nortonwhis]

Question about fork bottom out.
I don't think i can remember bottoming out my fork in the past year, but rode one of the gnarly trails we have around here the other day and bottomed out my fork at least 10 times, metal on metal clanking kind of bottoming out. Nearly got yeeted out the front a bunch of times out of that as well. Cranked the HSC and LSC all the way up and no change (not that it likely would). Checked my fork pressure, its at 78 PSI for a 2022 Fox 36 which is still the weight group above me.
Please select an answer from the poll
a) Using shitty technique on gnarly slab transitions?
b) Fork needs a service
c) riding like a pussy all the other times
d) need another token of 10 PSI next time I go back there
e) other - please explain

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for everyone's help on this. I ended up adding another token and settling on 80PSI. Been changing the LSC for different tracks and have had good luck. Havent had a harsh bottom out since even on some of the bigger slab compressions around here

[nortonwhis]

Interesting data:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tire-s...-les-gets.html

1) surprised so many ride mullets. I guess they are tired of getting their butt buzzed on such steep tracks...
2) I guess the extra rotational weight of inserts vs. only having to get down 1 run without a flat vs. whatever casing they are using... inserts aren't that popular in this format.
3) Some of the psis run are a little lower than I would have assumed with no insert and the ability of some of these guys to rip a tire off a rim.

Wouldnt be surpised if some of them are using them, but not sponsored so not plugging them.
But yeah i generally use them to save a wheel/tire but for these guys they don't care about that. Might see more in the coming two races...

[summit]

Lots of Kryptonals, Assegais, DHRs, and Magic Marys. Some DH22

[bagtagley]

But yeah i generally use them to save a wheel/tire but for these guys they don't care about that. Might see more in the coming two races...

Useless datapoint, I killed two carbon rims (separately) while running inserts.

[jm2e]

I think it’s a fallacy to think a WC racer’s impact on gear is just like mine but faster. If I go faster and don’t die, shit’s gonna break because I’m sloppy and I have no plan.
A WC racer is so much more precise laterally AND vertically.
From my observation, it’s the fast non-WC guys who break the most shit.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[XXX-er]

Interesting data:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tire-s...-les-gets.html

1) surprised so many ride mullets. I guess they are tired of getting their butt buzzed on such steep tracks...
2) I guess the extra rotational weight of inserts vs. only having to get down 1 run without a flat vs. whatever casing they are using... inserts aren't that popular in this format.
3) Some of the psis run are a little lower than I would have assumed with no insert and the ability of some of these guys to rip a tire off a rim.

maybe they like how a mullet handles ?

And if they can get a clothing sponsor the buzzed butt does not matter

[grskier]

maybe they like how a mullet handles ?

And if they can get a clothing sponsor the buzzed butt does not matter

butt buzzing and side to side.. yeah.

I was more thinking the ability to roll the big holes that develop on WC courses, particularly in the compressions in the braking zones.