Anyone have anything they'd like to rant about?

[Touring_Sedan]

Results vary.

I don't run a dropper post either.
To each, his own.

I'm going with, light, easy to adjust Hydro-disc brakes.

Tell me you're 75 years old without telling me you're 75 years old.

[jackstraw]

Tell me you're 75 years old without telling me you're 75 years old.

75 might be the biggest reason to go with a dropper!

I like the tire tech, 1x, droppers, ergo grips, carbon wheels, geo, and pretty much everything on new bikes even when it fails. The fact I even rode my '89 Stumpy is amazing to me looking back. We had fun, but good gawd! Tech ftw!

[XXX-er]

I had an NX rear axle loosen off and all it did was shift less well

[singlesline]

I think 1x would have come about without SRAM.

Before narrow-wide rings came out, people were racing cyclocross with 1x drivetrains a lot. Just using dedicated chain keepers, dual bash guards, or track-style (rampless/longer toothed) chainrings and pure luck to keep the chains on.



I assume people were doing the same kinda stuff on the MTB side of things, but I didn't pay a lot of attention back then.

The narrow-wide idea originated outside of the bike industry so someone else could have tried it first.

Also some people mucking about with running MTB rear mechs and things like Jtek shiftmates to make them work with brifters (and Shimano was first to the clutched RD).

Wouldn't have taken forever for Shimano to figure that one out...but SRAM really did a good job of embracing it, promoting it, and moving the industry forward...and since they are an OEM, when they shipped a solution, it had to have all the parts and actually work (no requiring chain guides, etc.)

Last week I was slumping out a century and kept getting spun out and thinking I need to go up a few teeth on the front. Then I would hit a really steep section and it was everything my old legs had to turn it over. Chain sucks do suck, but... I am amazed that more pro's don't still throw on a 2X. Would a guy like Swenson be able to put something on the front end that would allow them to go 60 on flats at Leadville? I often wonder if they are obligated by contract not to go there? Or maybe I'm just wrong and they feel the posibility of a chain suck is too great with a 2X.

That was the rumor (in reverse) in CX racing. 1X started to show up on pro bikes depending on the race but then they all vanished. Rumors were always that the sponsors wanted them running their gear...as soon as they had 1x in their lineup, it came back on the pro circuit.


I like 1x a lot. I think those of us who grew up with front derailleurs underestimate how annoying they are to use. They really simplify everything which is great for new riders.

My gravel bike would probably benefit from going back to a 2x rig but I just can't bring myself to do it...

[toast2266]

I think 1x would have come about without SRAM.

Before narrow-wide rings came out, people were racing cyclocross with 1x drivetrains a lot. Just using dedicated chain keepers, dual bash guards, or track-style (rampless/longer toothed) chainrings and pure luck to keep the chains on.

I mean, I was running 1x before sram came out with the dedicated 1x group. Lots of people were. But the wide range cassette from sram made it a whole lot more pleasant.

Shimano fought the 1x thing for years though. They stuck to their guns on front derailleurs until like 2016. Even when shimano finally introduced a 1x drivetrain, they were still pushing 2x. I think the only reason they gave it up is because no one was building frames that would accommodate a FD anymore.

[toast2266]

I think you mean things that happened (or became widely used) in the 90s, not 80s.

Bikes were pretty fun and fast before 1x drivetrains so I don't see how that would be anyone's top innovation ever but I'm not trying to argue or be right here. IMO you could say some advancements in existing suspension design drastically made bikes funnerer and fasterer.

All that stuff was in production in the 80's. But regardless, bikes were always fun!

But they're significantly more fun when I'm not stopping to put a chain back on all the time. And I can't even remember the last time I got chucked over the bars because I went to throw a hard pedal stroke only to find there was nothing to push against. But like I said above, it's not just the drivetrain itself. It's the changes in frame design that can happen when you don't have to worry about a front derailleur. That was significant.

[muted reborn]

It's the changes in frame design that can happen when you don't have to worry about a front derailleur. That was significant.

I'll take yer word for it, I'm ignorant on all that. My new 1x yeti doesn't seem significantly better than my two past bikes that were 2x I rode last year and I've never heard anyone say they were blown away by a bike design thanks to the 1x. But again, what I don't know makes me, umm, makes me dumberer?

[toast2266]

I'll take yer word for it, I'm ignorant on all that. My new 1x yeti doesn't seem significantly better than my two past bikes that were 2x I rode last year and I've never heard anyone say they were blown away by a bike design thanks to the 1x. But again, what I don't know makes me, umm, makes me dumberer?

I'm assuming your last bike was at least a decade old, since no one really has made a 2x mountain bike in the last decade. And if you're not noticing a massive difference between a bike from pre 2014 and a modern mountain bike, then I don't think there's anything I could say that's really going to change your mind.

[jackstraw]

I'm assuming your last bike was at least a decade old, since no one really has made a 2x mountain bike in the last decade. And if you're not noticing a massive difference between a bike from pre 2014 and a modern mountain bike, then I don't think there's anything I could say that's really going to change your mind.

My last 2x was a '14 or '15 Fatbike. Good riddance 2x!

Did anyone ever run a dropper with a 2x? Bit of a cluster at the bar if so.

[mcski]

I have a dropper w my 2x ripley v2. Not an issue at all and I prefer the 2x to 1x. Since this is the rant thread, I get annoyed 1x is supposedly so much better lol

[muted reborn]

I'm assuming your last bike was at least a decade old, since no one really has made a 2x mountain bike in the last decade. And if you're not noticing a massive difference between a bike from pre 2014 and a modern mountain bike, then I don't think there's anything I could say that's really going to change your mind.

No. Heavy bikes are now much easier to pedal, cornering is easier, you need less suspension than before, brakes are better, suspension is amazing (but still finicky as fuck) and the 29er rolls better than my 27.5 - is all of that is linked to no front derailleur? Some of it has to be, but none of it solely, right?

[muted reborn]

I realize you are much more in tune and experienced with bikes and tech and geo, at this point I'm just curious and know I could be way wrong.

[toast2266]

No. Heavy bikes are now much easier to pedal, cornering is easier, you need less suspension than before, brakes are better, suspension is amazing (but still finicky as fuck) and the 29er rolls better than my 27.5 - is all of that is linked to no front derailleur? Some of it has to be, but none of it solely, right?

Easier to pedal and amazing suspension is definitely in part due to 1x drivetrains. Suspension kinematics depend a lot on the drivetrain and where the chain is relative to the pivots. It's easier to design suspension that works well when the chain is in a more consistent location (because it's just on one chainring at the front). It's also easier to put the pivots in their ideal location when you don't have to accommodate a front derailleur.

Don't get me wrong - improvements in the actual suspension units have been significant too. And changes in geometry are certainly the biggest and most noticeable thing. But good 1x drivetrains that came out in 2011-ish really opened the door to a bunch of the other big changes that came in 2013-2019.

[jackstraw]

I have a dropper w my 2x ripley v2. Not an issue at all and I prefer the 2x to 1x. Since this is the rant thread, I get annoyed 1x is supposedly so much better lol

Cool. But you realize you are a wee bit crazy?
Trying to understand 2x. Because the granny gear? Get a smaller 1x, like a 32 or something?

[mcski]

Definitely crazy. Smaller jumps between gears lol

[Roxtar]

Some bikes seem to just like to unthread their axles. My current norco does it (and has a pinch bolt retention to prevent it). I've had some other bikes in the past that'd occasionally do it too.

No idea why, and I don't really have a useful solution other than torque and thread locker.

That's a new one to me. I always go the other direction, greasing the threads on all mine.

[Roxtar]

I'm assuming your last bike was at least a decade old, since no one really has made a 2x mountain bike in the last decade. And if you're not noticing a massive difference between a bike from pre 2014 and a modern mountain bike, then I don't think there's anything I could say that's really going to change your mind.

Funny, that's the exact thing that went through my mind when I read his post.

[Roxtar]

Tell me you're 75 years old without telling me you're 75 years old.

You mean someone here is older than me?
I go the other direction. At my age, I'll take every technological advantage (except motors) I can get.

[toast2266]

That's a new one to me. I always go the other direction, greasing the threads on all mine.

Oh, I've had some of those too. A couple that like to unthread, a couple that like to seize (especially forks, for some reason). Most work fine without any extra fussing.

[Touring_Sedan]

You mean someone here is older than me?
I go the other direction. At my age, I'll take every technological advantage (except motors) I can get.

Agreed. Lane keep assist is amazing. I can get so much instagramming done on the way home.

[Roxtar]

Agreed. Lane keep assist is amazing. I can get so much instagramming done on the way home.

Instagramin? Is that a new thing on the Google?

[HankScorpio]

I picked up some Tesa tubeless tape to set up my son's bike with tubeless tires. I've never used this tape but the dude at the shop says this tape is best and is used by Enve, DT swiss, etc.

I clean the rim and start to tape it up and the tape simply doesn't not stick. It was impossibly frustrating. Do I need a heat gun to apply this?

I guess I'll just resort to clear Gorilla Tape.

[Roxtar]

I picked up some Tesa tubeless tape to set up my son's bike with tubeless tires. I've never used this tape but the dude at the shop says this tape is best and is used by Enve, DT swiss, etc.

I clean the rim and start to tape it up and the tape simply doesn't not stick. It was impossibly frustrating. Do I need a heat gun to apply this?

I guess I'll just resort to clear Gorilla Tape.

I've had similar issues with Tesa tape on some carbon rims. I don't think heat will help and will probably effect the strength.
DT (good but $$), Muc-Off (good and reasonable), and, believe it or not, Slime (Best, IME) are my favorite tapes.

[jackstraw]

Rim tape. Yeah, add that to the list of pia shit that should be gone from all wheels still needing it.

[Eluder]

My last 2x was a '14 or '15 Fatbike. Good riddance 2x!

Did anyone ever run a dropper with a 2x? Bit of a cluster at the bar if so.

2011 - Red housing to help draw your attention to all the cables. This was a good bike... it was about 15 bikes ago though.



This setup in 2012 worked pretty well... I got xx1 in the spring of 2013 and put it on my first bigger travel 29er (Trek Remedy) and never looked back. That bike kinda changed everything for me.




1x11 worked arguably better than 1x12 does... just lacks the range, duh.