Chisel is a nice looking frame. I’ve been considering one, but the one thing (it’s very petty) that would put me off is that there’s only one cable routing hole on the right side. So if you want to run a dropper, a cable/hose has to go in the left side of the frame from the left side of the bar. Can’t abide by that! 😂

Scalpel is the same. Plus I’m very wary (probably without reason) of carbon for bike packing frames. But the geo of the new scalpel HT does look great.

A bit more trail oriented perhaps, but what about the new Solaris?

how was the BB to setup? I’ve thought about them before but always been a bit wary of the teeny grub screws.

The topstone is a lot more towards the roadie end of the gravel spectrum compared to the Camino, and especially the Cascade.

It’s aluminium, but what about the fustle causeway?

[stealth ad] There’s a nice Fearless Warlock in the classifieds! [/stealth ad]

My old Lapierre Spicy used to have bushes at the rear end. It chewed them up every few months. I like bearings.

Spacer on BB? at 73mm shouldn’t need one

A 73mm BSA BB still needs a spacer. 2.5mm on the drive side.

A 68mm uses 3 spacers. 2x drive side. 1x non driveside.

I’ve got an older SLX 3x crankset running on my Hello Dave. I just moved the chainring to the outer position. Works fine.

Restrap top tube bags and frame bags are good. Id avoid their handlebar roll harness though. its the flappiest one ive seen. All the weight of the bag goes directly onto the straps rather than sitting in the harness material. its not much better than just having a pair of straps.

got a nice apidura frame bag which is nicely made. was about the only one i could find that fit the gap.

my favourite top tube bag ive got is made by Cordel. very simple bag, but does it well with nice materials.

Newmen Fade is very quiet.

delted cos i didnt look properly

The pawls aren’t offset on the ebike one. It’s a different freehub. All 6 at the same time.

Bosch are well sealed. theres o rings inside all the connectors.

but grease stops them working anyway

It does make a difference if you use the proper clutch grease. using standard, thick motorex etc does affect how well the clutch works.

Shimano Zee brakes

S4 by the looks of things

Had loads in North Wales. Few in Dorset. Once near the south downs. Think they like me.

I had one on my chest once. Was moving house in North Wales and driving down a tiny lane in the van with the windows open. Must have come in through the window from ferns etc brushing past the van.

I think they have got worse in N Wales

Definitely. Don’t live there anymore, but it got to a point where if I went in the garden barefoot. I’d come back in with one or more crawling around on me. Horrible things.

The app is definitely a bit iffy. For 2.5 mtb tyres on type 4 gravel it reckons I should be running at 10psi

Could get a stainless one and bend it to fit. Use some sugru on the cage to stop it rattling.

My only other thought was the fidlock boa thing. But that is very pricey!!

Cant find the article/test now but for SRAM; XO1 is best value in terms of price to longevity (though my NX is over 1700km and not yet at 0.5%).

I believe it said for Shimano, XTR edges out XT as XTR is the only one Shimano make themselves. The rest are made by KMC so the durability isn’t as good.

I know Stanton are working on adjustable dropouts. Dan did an interview podcast thing with hardtailparty on YouTube. He said they were in development. I’m pretty certain they won’t work with current gen frames when they come out though due to the fixed brake tabs.

The older style horizontal QR135 ones seem impossible to get. See thread here… https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stanton-sherpa-mk2-swapouts-qr135-sliding/

Is it dubbed

The one I watched was dubbed. But there’s hardly any dialogue. Mostly just angry faces.

I really enjoyed it

Just get a rack.much better

Im pretty sure the RX ring wont fit on an evo crank due to the extra tab.

Anyone know if the RX cranks will take one of their mtb chainrings? I fancy a 36t ring for bikepacking instead of my 38. I could get the 5 arm spider and a 110bc chainring. but i do like the direct mount rings.

Do everything. It can be done in one go if you’re fit. It’s a decent climb bottom to top, but not too bad. Blue starts halfway up so do that first then go all the way to the top and come down red. Then up again and black. If you do the reds in order it jumps back to the top after the first couple of single-track bits.

Also when you get to the sign that offers nice single-track Vs a shortcut. Go right for the former. It’s very nice single-track.

Commencal do frame only too I think.

My lever reservoirs seem to be leaking. I had the bike in the car with the levers face down on some foam in the back of the car and the reservoir caps end up coated in a layer of oil. This happened on 3 separate journeys, so id be surprised if it was just residuals on top of the diaphragm.

Anyone else had similar?

You can use a Microshift friction shifter done up loose as a dropper lever.

Paneer curries are great. Just be cautious about replacing meat with cheese too often. It’s easy to get through LOADS.

Mushroom risotto is the default veggie meal. Made a nice mushroom wellington recently too. Recipe was on tesco website.
Courgette is good in anything. Sweet potato too if you like the flavour.

Halloumi is great in fajitas and enchiladas etc.

Chickpea curries. Bean chilli.

Butternut squash works well in curry and pasta. Does make one a bit guffy though.

We didn’t really alter much about our cooking other than just replacing the meat with veggies or cheese. Not full vegetarian. Just don’t eat meat much anymore.

Blending the chickpeas/beans is a good way of hiding them in meals. They can make a good sauce base.

Aubergine is much better in saucey things if you roast it first. Much less mushy.

I’m still working it out too tbh. Will keep an eye on the thread for more ideas.

Bit of both. I tend to ride flats on the easy mellow stuff, and on my gravel bike. Then clips when it’s getting rockier and steeper.

Probably seems very backwards. But I had a bit of a revelation changing to clips years ago and can’t switch fully back. I’ve tried a few times so I don’t have to have as many shoes.

I find bunny hops and jumps easier on flats though for some reason.

So I wonder what state of build a Specialized bike in particular gets deliver to a dealer in –

No different to the normal bikes really! All cables are fully routed. Gear cables and brake hoses are all cut to length etc. Occasionally the brakes need swapping depending on where the bike was shipped from.

Only bit of electrical stuff that sometimes needs doing it attaching the light to the appropriate connectors. But they’re just push fit red to red, black to back style.

Dropper cable always needs trimming. Occasionally I’ve seen stuck dropper cables which need freeing up which has occasionally resulted in motor removal, but bikes are getting better and better at sorting and planning the routing so it works nicely.

Gears and brakes always need adjusting. On every bike. Check everything is tight. Grease and carbon paste where required. Software update, charge battery.

I’ve not seen a specialized (or any other bike) come in pieces before. Not even s-works stuff. Some Treks were coming with drivetrain or brakes unattached. In those cases plastic tubes were installed through headtube and around motors to push the hose through.

Brake pads don’t get bedded in.

What about something like the MRP Ribbon SL which has independent positive and negative air springs? Stick a bit more air the positive than negative and you got lots more support.

Not sure if that will give the effect you’re after. But maybe worth a bit of googling?

The tektro hoses are really horrible, stiff, plasticky things. Ive never tried, but I feel like they won’t play nicely with the SRAM olive and barb connectors. You definitely don’t be able to use the tektro fittings; they’re a completely different shape.
For the sake of the price of a barb connector, just pull new ones. It’ll almost certainly be less hassle.

Definitely helicoil it. Did it on a fox 32 I had years ago. I bought a cheap kit on eBay and it took 5 mins.

Reverb AXS XPLR

You know it makes sense. Do it.

Same company. Scribe is gravel and road. Silt is MTB

Just get one of the strap on options like Topeak or Aeroe do.

Or a tailfin.

Be better than bodging it

https://www.pinnd.co.uk

Like these!

Could look at a Dawley Eponym? It’s based around a 130 to 140mm but from what I’ve seen he’s happy for smaller modifications. Maybe worth an email.

The nearest thing I can think of is the Cotic Solaris Max.

It’s quite a niche little sector the LLS hardtail with a short fork. Even though it makes great sense. Lots of options with a longer fork.

As mentioned above, have a look at hardtail party YouTube channel. He reviews lots of bikes.

Perfect. 290 and 292 it is. Thanks for the advice. 👍🏻

FWIW, I always find it’s easier to clamp on the top tube anyway

Be careful with this. I’ve seen a fair few badly dented aluminium frames from being clamped on the top tube. Doesn’t even have to be tight as any leverage put on the bike while it’s in the stand can also cause it to dent. The tubes really aren’t very thick.

Is the slider ring the stepped plastic ring that sits on top of the inner spring?

I over greased the splines that fit the freehub into the hub body with too thick grease which then migrated into the freehub and actually caused the freehub to lock. I’ve since refitted it degreased and dry. Which has lots less drag. But I fear it may start creaking again.

Should the freehub stay dry as per the warning to not lube?
If I get some nice light suspension grease. Do I just want it on the slider ring? Or also on the splines between freehub and hub body?

This hub is a bit of a mystery to me! 😂 Love it when it’s working properly though.

I am using Tech E4’s with 2.3mm

Ah that’s interesting. I wasn’t sure they’d work with thicker rotors as it already seems very close on my Shimano rotors. Maybe I’ll grab some 2.0mm rotors. Very tempted by the galfer sharks, though they’re very pricey!