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Outta The Archive: Issue 32's Grinder from 2006

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"Our demon product test section features a long term test on a Rohloff Speedhub and a first look at new XTR."


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 8:01 am
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Ah - the good old days when a £110 cassette was expensive…


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 11:27 am
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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.


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 11:41 am
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Posted by: northernsoul

I still have those XTR derailleurs on my commuter - amazingly robust bits of kit.

I had that rear mech on my gravel bike for 13 years, it never missed a beat. Brilliant bit of kit.


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 12:19 pm
Ambrose reacted
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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!


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 12:32 pm
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Those cranks are still some of the best looking, even now.


 
Posted : 15/11/2025 7:42 pm
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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.


 
Posted : 16/11/2025 3:31 pm
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Still got a set of those cranks somewhere in a spares box. 


 
Posted : 16/11/2025 3:36 pm
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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. 


 
Posted : 19/11/2025 8:18 pm
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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! 


 
Posted : 20/11/2025 11:08 am
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Posted by: snotrag

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"


 
Posted : 20/11/2025 4:46 pm
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Those dual control levers were wild

 


 
Posted : 20/11/2025 5:56 pm