"Our demon product test section features a long term test on a Rohloff Speedhub and a first look at new XTR."
And droppers were still a relatively new thing, with several having a lever under the saddle. I still have those XTR derailleurs on my commuter - amazingly robust bits of kit.
Those years were exciting times... lots of innovations and development of the bikes and kit. I tried Rohloff hubs on a couple of builds... never got on with them but always hoped it would improve over time. It didn't!
Wow! Thanks for finding this in the archives, Benji! What a blast. And that XTR group was on a Turner Flux - peak mid-noughties there.
I still have a set of those cranks on one of my bikes! Only took the other set off because 104 is so limiting on chainring size. I think the M970 had a bit of a random renaissance when 1x started, because it removed any issues with the damn-fool nonstandard inner chainring offset and meant no need to fanny around with spacers for normal rings.
(I got called a degenerate on here once for putting deore steel rings on the XTRs)
Just excellent kit though, I've had heavier carbon cranks. But at the other end I ran a set of these on my dh bike.
Perhaps it’s my old school XC racer roots, but I never drop my seat post on a ride.
Wow, if ever theres a comment that dates something, its that!
Perhaps it’s my old school XC racer roots, but I never drop my seat post on a ride.
Wow, if ever theres a comment that dates something, its that!
I wonder what the future equivilents will be?
"Perhaps it’s my acoustic bike roots, but I actually quite enjoy pedalling"
"Perhaps it’s my gravel racing roots, but I never liked loose fitting clothing"