“Bar end plugs”
Lock on grips can sometimes help a bit IME
tbf, bars (Should?) will be same external diameter to fit the grips, but the internal must vary depending on what wall thickness used? So not all bars will be the same?
“Hope bar end thingies are great”
But heavier and as they’re made of metal my thought is I dont want to crash on them? granted most plastic ones will probably fail before Im finished falling onto my bars (Ive yet to do so). more BMX ‘style’ ones that are as fat as the grips maybe stand a better chance of working?
“front mech adjustment”
Follow fitting instructions, dont bend the cage and I dont think Ive had problems?
“on a mountain bike there position means they are guaranteed to fail”
Ive found ‘conventional’ bottom swing front mechs collect less mud/crud on them/around the pivots and dont develop slop as quickly as top swing types seeminly found most often on MTBs
“cables that don’t fray”
Is that fixable? If you tried to ‘stick’ them all together along the whole length, then it wouldnt bend the same to go around corners.
If there were an easy DIY at home way (not everyone is going to invest in a welder) to put another spot of something once youve trimmed the cable down could be good? Though it’d be better if this ‘spot’ would fit down the cable outers too
“bearings that just come out “
But then they wouldnt fit properly? When/if the bearing seizes or gets a bit sticky it’d all spin causing wear on where its fitted?
“Suspension linkage bearings”
Not a fix all, but I found my worst ones were non-full-compliment type, meaning when the cage collapsed, the ball bearings went to one side causing a lot of play. Switching to full-compliment (no cage, just ball bearings) meant when worn they cant all bunch up on one side?
“Adjustable seatposts”, forks, shocks
Might be better if they were fully sealed (better than some velcro-ed on neoprene), and maybe oil immersed? though much heavier?
“drivetrain. Why use material that will rust when it gets wet?”
Aluminium Rings IME die very quickly by comparison to steel, and take the steel chain and casette with it. What else isnt going to be a lot more expensive?
“I can never find the size I actually need”
You need a toolbox and to remember to put all the tools back in it?
“Lock on grip bolts which round”
2.5mm headed ODIs are a bit crap
3mm WTBs are meant to be a bit better?
“Hub widths – 135mm Maxle works for me”
150mm will give a better spoke angle? I guess will give a better/proper chainline for 83mm BBs (which give more weld space for burly chainstays and downtubes?)
142 IIRC is measured funny and is still sort of 135mm in width? Maybe not, cant remember
“can it be a standardized system of frame sizing?”
I believe ‘front centre’ is to one to go for, though it doesnt crop up all that much
“Tyres for all surfaces”
I think there must be tyres for every surface i think intense even do one to go on north shore planks ..
Oh, I see what you mean ..
“advantage of external bottom brackets”
the bigger axle (For stiffness), with bearings that last (a bit) longer than ISIS
“Non clicky **** loudly rear hubs that are not cup and cone or the same price as my bike”
+1
And more like 32/36 (or more) ‘click’s per revolution (rather than 24 of many) would be nice. I like my SLX freehubed XT 6bolt, but its heavy, cup/cone and the freehub can die a bit quick
“Torx disc bolts that have a deeper head”
+1
A torx headed tool that doesnt have rounded edges helps. A ‘Y’ tool (3 torx sized thing) and/or a socket/ratchet help it not slip out so much too
There must be loads more, but I cant think of them atm
