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Rear derailleurs, full stop. Stupid, fragile, finnickitty bastards all of them
Rear derailleurs, full stop. Stupid, fragile, finnickitty bastards all of them
I dont know about normal bikes , but those concept avinox gearbox bikes felt like a bit of a moment of change to me .
I'd like good suspension to be a bit simpler . Im not that fussy but I can tell the difference between some adjustments . But if you could get everything pretty close to good by just putting your weight in KGs in PSI and then putting everything in the middle then that would be nice .
I guess the Fox and Rockshox electrickery is supposed to do some of that now isn't it? I've only heard of people taking it off or getting it repaired under warranty though.
Bar sweep - it's proven (in my mind at least) that optimal handlebar back sweep for trail riding is 12-15 degrees. So why does nearly everyone make 9 degrees?
It's just personal preference isn't it? I prefer flatter and usually roll my bars forward more to make them feel flatter. Other use it either feels like the end of the bars are pointing down, or like I'm on a sit up and beg bike like my nan used to ride. Loads of sweep feels too laid back for me, would be fine for a cruise bike or flat bar gravel, but for MTB I feel like it needs to feel more aggressive.
Tyres that are filled with air need to be better. Its kind of nuts that 150 years after being invented, we still use a system that can end a ride to work, a local hack around the woods or someones TdF Stage win or Olympic dream by getting a puncture.
Tyres that are filled with air need to be better. Its kind of nuts that 150 years after being invented, we still use a system that can end a ride, race, Olympic dream by getting a puncture.
And on that note I feel like there should be more good options that aren't tape for sealing the inside of a rim. When I posted about this before someone suggested the Specialized rim strips which I might try, but since not many people talk about them I'm assuming they don't work as well as you'd hope? Tape just feels like such a bodge with a lot of margin for user error.
@franksinatra Modern tubeless tyres and sealant are pretty good in my experience, I can't remember the last time I had a ride ending puncture or even had to plug a tyre.
Rims without inner spoke holes, please.
Why has nobody made a fork which locks down? So the rebound damping gets locked rather than compression. It would be a much better position for climbing.
Why has nobody made a fork which locks down? So the rebound damping gets locked rather than compression. It would be a much better position for climbing.
Because that kind of travel adjust introduces extra seals which make the fork perform badly, and the problem was solved by adding steep seat angles to bikes
Suspension forks always seemed like they needed something better. They can work brilliantly, for a while, but they rely on bushings that have to be loose enough to move and then wear and feel sloppy/knock. Not so much of an issue on bigger bikes but on a lighter, stiffer/taut XC bike I always hated loose bushings and fork flex. It's a shame that there's never been a more user-serviceable version of the Lefty bc it just rides so well.
Better events?
Or at least different ones. Maybe it's my time in life and MTB but the Malverns Classic was brilliant - a weekend for people who are into bikes but not only for bikes and riding, and not about just one race format. Put on some good bands / DJs, loads of camping space and a good mix or people, ages etc and it becomes something quite different, more of a social with a festival feel. Probably not viable to have more than one like this a year and Brother in the Wild and camp-outs like that are similar on a smaller scale, but I'm very glad I went. Rated.
Rims without inner spoke holes, please.
Mavic tried that - heavy and expensive, faff to build or wheelset-only? Stiffer rim tape or a liner under the tape to stop those little tape-compression pockets leaking air when seating tyres does enough, I think.
Why has nobody made a fork which locks down?
Marzocchi used to have this around 2005-2009. They had 'ETA', a rebound lock that held the fork down when compressed. It was great, a reason to have their forks over RockShox at the time. Made climbing so much better for reasons that only came into MTBs with steeper STAs in more recent years (but that steeper STA isn't great for less steep trails).
If someone made a cartridge that did that now I'd have one.
Because that kind of travel adjust introduces extra seals which make the fork perform badly, and the problem was solved by adding steep seat angles to bikes
Bombers of that era with ETA lockout were really supple and durable. Steeper STAs work well and I don't want to lock or reach for a fork adjuster every climb either, but for some trail/XC bikes a moderate STA and a lockdown fork would still be a good (better) option imo.
Google "Rockshox U-Turn".
Couldn't be used as a lock-down or while riding but it was great for seeing how your bike rode with different travel, or adjusting the bike for different rides. I had one on every HT I had at that time.
Forks are better in most ways now but lockdowns and U-Turns would be welcomed back I think.
Coil shocks and forks. I understand why air is popular with manufacturers, one shock fits all, just adjust the pressure. But whenever I get on a coil sprung bike I'm impressed by how plush and sticktion free it is. I've still got a coil sprung 100mm ETA Bomber fork, It rides better than my recent 130mm air forks.
Google "Rockshox U-Turn".
Couldn't be used as a lock-down or while riding but it was great for seeing how your bike rode with different travel, or adjusting the bike for different rides. I had one on every HT I had at that time.
Forks are better in most ways now but lockdowns and U-Turns would be welcomed back I think.
I still have a set of uturn pikes in 26inch flavour. Coil spring, steel steerer... Heavy as anything. But turning the uturn knob as you cycle is an adventure.
Bar sweep - it's proven (in my mind at least) that optimal handlebar back sweep for trail riding is 12-15 degrees. So why does nearly everyone make 9 degrees?
we make ours with 17 as we've found that for rigid trail bikes and singlespeed shenanigans its just lovely. Works flat or with a 75mm riser and a nice 820 width.
for things that could be made better:
chris king headsets that don't creak like a bugger with long travel forks or truss forks. I love my Chris king stuff, but they are super finnicky when a lot of leverage and force goes into them.
more 36er tyre choice (it's the only downside on the monster hooped thing of joy)
I would love disc brakes with larger pad/rotor clearance as deep gritty wintery stuff still results in a soundtrack like coffee grinder even with perfect set up.
chris king headsets that don't creak like a bugger with long travel forks or truss forks
Seems like a simple solution would be not to fit rubbish headsets?
Bar sweep - it's proven (in my mind at least) that optimal handlebar back sweep for trail riding is 12-15 degrees. So why does nearly everyone make 9 degrees?
On related topic, I was thinking this on the weekends rides. Any suggestions for bars with more sweep?
:chris king headsets that don't creak like a bugger with long travel forks or truss forks. I love my Chris king stuff, but they are super finnicky when a lot of leverage and force goes into them.
Don't get Chris king headsets when the likes of Hope are half the price and just as good. Even aesthetically, think they look quite naff. Never had a Hope one make a sound
Rims without inner spoke holes, please.
Mavic UST is joyous. I was going to mention this originally, but the drawback is the proprietary blades and nipples and another freaking tool.
Bar sweep - it's proven (in my mind at least) that optimal handlebar back sweep for trail riding is 12-15 degrees. So why does nearly everyone make 9 degrees?
On related topic, I was thinking this on the weekends rides. Any suggestions for bars with more sweep?
SQLab are what I use - it took me 200m of a switchback dh trail to be convinced. Sonder did some too I think, but I wish Renthal etc did them. Maybe need Dak Norton to try them.
“Bar sweep - it's proven (in my mind at least) that optimal handlebar back sweep for trail riding is 12-15 degrees. So why does nearly everyone make 9 degrees? “
I prefer 7 deg as in Renthal (and not much else!) - more variety is good though, instead of tons of 8 and 9 deg bars.
I’d rather like sram to bring back their AXS/Etap electric rim brake road groupsets in 12 and maybe 13 speed. That and a good cable disk brake.
i get that the industry has moved fully to disc brakes, but the pfaff of hydraulics is overrated for the benefits compared to the wxpoawd cables of mtbs. There are some excellent cable disc brakes that keen home mechanics would rather work on.
I’d rather like sram to bring back their AXS/Etap electric rim brake road groupsets in 12 and maybe 13 speed. That and a good cable disk brake.
i get that the industry has moved fully to disc brakes, but the pfaff of hydraulics is overrated for the benefits compared to the wxpoawd cables of mtbs. There are some excellent cable disc brakes that keen home mechanics would rather work on.
Hydraulic brakes are miles more reliable and easy to maintain than cable
Rims without inner spoke holes, please.
100%. Bought a heavily discounted set of Campagnolo wheels for the gravel bike, and was absolutely delighted to discover they had no spoke holes. Less hassle, cleaner, more reliable. Nearly all tubeless problems are down to tape.
I have not read all the above ,but anti theft solutions built in from new? Or sold when you buy the bike I.e it'd registered to the owner.
Tyres that are filled with air need to be better. Its kind of nuts that 150 years after being invented, we still use a system that can end a ride to work, a local hack around the woods or someones TdF Stage win or Olympic dream by getting a puncture.
Tyres are so good compared to what they were. With tubeless, they barely puncture, they grip astonishingly well and roll well too. I think tyres are 1 area where there's been huge strides forward in the last 10 years.
Tyres that are filled with air need to be better. Its kind of nuts that 150 years after being invented, we still use a system that can end a ride to work, a local hack around the woods or someones TdF Stage win or Olympic dream by getting a puncture.
Tyres are so good compared to what they were. With tubeless, they barely puncture, they grip astonishingly well and roll well too. I think tyres are 1 area where there's been huge strides forward in the last 10 years.
You are not riding my trails!
I have not read all the above ,but anti theft solutions built in from new? Or sold when you buy the bike I.e it'd registered to the owner.
Most bike companies allow you to register the bike on their app now.
e-bikes have inbuilt motor locks and sometimes alarms (again, operated via the app which is paired to the motor / bike). Lock it and set the alarm when you leave the bike, unlock it from the phone when you return. Anyone trying to move the bike triggers the inbuilt alarm and the motor locks solid preventing the pedals from turning. Even trying to ride it turned off won't work.
One case of the industry doing something beyond the rather half-hearted (or more accurately, woefully underfunded) efforts of most police forces.
Every bolt. fixing and adjustment should be either a T25 or T10 head.
(possible exemption for pedals)
get rid of all the billion different component standards for everything (but no chance of that happening with all the greed and profit it makes for all the manufacturers).
get rid of all the billion different component standards for everything (but no chance of that happening with all the greed and profit it makes for all the manufacturers).
You say that, but the article on modernising a 2016 bike shows that everything that was on that bike would fit on a new one. (Change in rider preference not withstanding)
A handful of brake pad sizes, rather than 1 million
Puncture proof inner tubes and solid non bendy presta valves would improve the quality of my life.
Puncture proof inner tubes and solid non bendy presta valves would improve the quality of my life.
Putting sealant into an inner tube will deal with small punctures, but not large ones. A tyre with a DH casing set up tubeless solves the innertube problem, but will be draggy.
A presta valve needs to have a hole through the middle. You can't make that hole any smaller than it already is so the only way to make it stronger is to make the outside diameter larger. What you are asking for is a Schraeder valve.
A presta valve needs to have a hole through the middle. You can't make that hole any smaller than it already is so the only way to make it stronger is to make the outside diameter larger. What you are asking for is a Schraeder valve.
There are some systems that replace the valve with something less destructible now. They don't just bend, they clog (even when using the tip from @Tracey of spraying silicon on them) and sometimes the rubber bit gets damaged and causes them to leak. The best failure i've had though was when one cracked on an outer thread. Took me a while to figure out that puncture.
I bought a dozen presta valves and carry a few spare on me so haven't tried anything else yet.
SixPack Pedals..... After four outings in the bike park, no mud or rain, they're for the bin. Hold the axle and rotate the pedal and it vibrates like crazy. One end cap disappeared, too.
Would never buy again.
Quality control on frames and forks can definitely be better. QC issues i've experienced: an ovalised BB shell, oversize seat tube, misaligned brake post mounts on a frame and a fork, and a creaking fork CSU.
They don't just bend, they clog (even when using the tip from @Tracey of spraying silicon on them) and sometimes the rubber bit gets damaged and causes them to leak.
Schraeder valves are the solution to this. I do not understand why MTBs are still using presta.
I've put some of those BBB converter valves on my presta stems as I didn't want to file my carbon rims out to schrader size, seem to work well.
I need to try that silicon trick. My road bike is always getting sticky valves and the rear tyre on my Stumpy needs pliers to undo.
