Issue 154: Tech That Should Have Stuck Around

I loved my flexstem. Really made a difference on a 1986 rigid rockhopper with it’s 1.5″ tyres and handlebars that had the weight and stiffness of scaffold tube.

I was 19 back then and would feel totally beaten up after being out all day. Today approaching 59 I can ride my rigid whippet all day long and feel fine. So much has changed that it’s easy to look back at the flexstem and wonder why anyone ever thought they were a good idea on a mountain bike.

I thought I might see grease guard hubs and bottom brackets on the list. Always seemed like a good idea back when everything had loose bearings and would still seem like a good idea for that bike you keep for 50 years.

One thing on the list I’m happy to see the back of is the quill stem or rather the faff of trying to get the preload right and then tighten the lock ring without messing everything up.

And the only full suspension bike I’ve ever ridden had a single pivot design and if I ever did buy another then I’d be very happy with the simplicity of it and it would give me everything I need for the way I ride

I’ve said it before: Rapid Rise rear mechs. But not the flappy shifters.

Brought a new gx mech last week and was Good to see cog hogs been integrated into mech design.

I have little stubby bar ends in my xc bike. Great for getting your hand comfortable on long rides.

Funny that you mention normal clothes as I saw an article on the guardian about insta folk wearing crisp shirt to ski and run in too.

I defo don’t miss spending more time getting than riding though.

Plus 1 on quill stems really?

I read it in the mag yesterday and questioned if it was just clickbait. They have so few benefits, and have you ever actually mtb’d with a threaded headset??? Always shaking  loose at inopportune moments and need a huge pair of spanners to adjust rather than a hex key. Awful things.

Wraith Bicycle have made some interesting URTs so maybe there is a little mileage in that one. https://www.facebook.com/wraithbicycles

Adjusted with one small easily rounded prone to seizing bolt 🙂. I don’t need to use memory as we have one in the attic. You can also see how nicely the adjusted area of a quill stem rusts 🙂

Presta valves are stupid, schraeder makes so much more sense, especially in a tubeless world.

Push-on grips can push off though, the advantage to lock ons isn’t that they can be removed easily, its that they don’t spin around on a soaking wet ride

Aren’t upside down forks great? No not when you half way into a 50 mile ride and they piss the entire oil contents all over your disc brake. So 25 miles with duff forks and no front brake, thankyou Maverick.

If upside down forks were the industry standard, everyone would be clamouring for right way up forks just because ‘they look super rad’. People just want the other thing, whatever it is.

I use push on grips on 4 bikes. There’s something about modern rubber and shot peened bars that means they just never move. Slide them on with GT85 and it’s party time until you crash and get mud under them. Then they’ll need a good clean out.

Lock on grips were a God send at the time though. Every brake and shifter had a single pinch bolt and old grips used to get wet and start spinning instantly. Those dual compound ones in the picture were a prime example of a grip that wouldn’t stay put anywhere near slight moisture.

Also I think I heard a story about Myles Rockwell threatening to quite racing if Cannondale made him ride that bike because it was so dangerous. Can anyone at Sea Otter go digging for confirmation?

No mention of front mechs? 1x means huge gear gaps and a stupid extra-heavy extra-costly cassette hanging off the rear axle making the bike more ponderous and less fun.

20mm bolt-thru forks?

Nothing more to add other than: quill stems can stay in the sea.

Hateful things.

IS mount frames with post mount calipers.  Having your threads that hold your brakes in place in your very expensive frame, that is basically scrap if you cross thread or over tighten the bolts is insane, especially when compared with having them in an easily replaceable £5 bracket….

The problem with upside down forks as posited in the article is one too many legs. The Lefty is the way to go on this, with the later ones being  quite a bit better engineered than the earlier ones and less prone to air-pressure loss.