🙄From memory…..the angle of hose attachment was slightly different and the two halves of the caliper had different shaped cast marks in the base (one round, one square). If you put both calipers together on the base plates, they sat at slightly different angles. I vaguely recall a smaller hole where a clip/pin was factory inserted being in a different place F to R. Tended to suggest that the calipers were slightly differently mounted to get full pad contact front to rear.

During the pandemic there was a massive shortage of calipers and we looked at all ways around it hence the research.

The fact there were differences ruled out any sale of bikes to customers with bodged brake calipers!

Not so up on the 105/Ultegra side but they are interchangeable with GRX.

Again (purely personal) but Shimano spend a lot of time and effort getting things right so I would always stick to their advice especially when safety is concerned.

I did a massive deep dive for a customer with a similar query.

I discovered that there were very subtle differences between the front and rear caliper that were only noticeable when both calipers were laid out together. As someone has already commented-part numbers are different.

I also discovered that Shimano updated the calipers (without press comment anywhere) after initial GRX production started.

So in summary: there are different versions of GRX calipers, F+R have different part numbers and although you may be able to hack the fit, a few extra quid for peace of mind related to a serious safety issue wouldn’t be worth it to me.

Di2 is simply the best upgrade you can do to any bike.

The wiring system is fit once and forget. It’s straightforward to do even on bikes not intended for Di2 fitment. The benefits far outweigh any aesthetic short external cable runs (if necessary). I’ve only had to do this on MTB’s with droppers though.

And you shouldn’t assume intent to lie by just marking things delivered or undelivered remotely, maybe your driver is just incompetent and went to the wrong address!

What should I assume when I received 2 messages saying my parcel “HAS BEEN DELIVERED”?

Nothing ambiguous about that and a fine, honest, upstanding member of the public could rightly conclude and believe that the parcel has been delivered!

Maybe I’m not reading between the lines.

I now understand that the drivers can also select alternatives to say it was delayed or delivery attempted (which would also be a LIE) but they would miss delivery targets.

A cynic might conclude that the driver lied to deceive Wiggle into thinking that delivery targets are being met which would also be fraud.

**UPDATE** My parcel (that was supposedly delivered yesterday) is now due for delivery today……again.

What can I assume from that?

Always Another Adventure on YouTube did a real world review I think.

Similar experience a few years ago.
Bought brand new car, part ex’d Ford. Front brake caliper seized on way home, recovered back to garage.
Gave garage chance to repair.
Picked up new car again and set off home.
Front caliper seized.
Took advice from CAB, rejected car.
Dealer had disposed of my car (auction or passed on to 2nd hand dealer).
Agreed to give me the (inflated) trade in allowance for the Ford as a cheque.

Amusing part of the story was the importer of the brand rang me from East Anglia and told me I couldn’t just reject the car “because of the brakes seizing on”.

I advised him that CAB, dealer and consumer law disagreed with his bullying bullsh*t!

I think Hunt had/have a fantastic warranty so their reputation has grown exponentially.

Their product is nothing above average in most cases. They use cheaper spokes for instance compared to some brands.

Word of mouth and speaking to a trusted dealer is the way to get decent, honest feedback.

Any written press is compromised due to advertiser’s money. Even pay walls don’t get round vested interests.

A lot of the bicycle industry is built on complete bulls**t that the consumer ‘wants’ to believe for reassurance. Shiny thing syndrome.

The worst offenders for warranty returns/claims:

1. Vision (cheap end) chocolate freehubs
2. Hunts chocolate (alloy) rims

Surprisingly, of the factory builts, Mavic are much improved and had very few returns/claims.

Yep. Speak to Chris, arrange an appointment to meet him there. Show him what’s up, leave it with him.

One of the most quietly ambitious, ‘can do’ down to earth blokes I’ve ever spoken to.

Would be used for a bit of road and canal path, but mostly xc type stuff

Sounds like a hardtail MTB would be better for your needs.

Gravel bikes are great for the road/canal and faster than an MTB. 38-40mm tyres are a sweet spot.

I have (700c and) 650b/50mm tyres for mud/slop/rougher terrain but I rarely use them as it’s more fun on an MTB with a bit of sus.

Yes, XC is fun on the Gravel bike but it gets wearing after a while and an MTB would be better. I have the Redshift stem which is a game changer on the gravel bike.

I can’t think of a single takeover that has improved customer service or pricing when Vulture Capitalists or generic sports companies acquire smaller specialist bike retailers.

The big companies are there for the share holder profit not the customer.

Tis the way of the UK at the moment though. Morrisons is my local supermarket and I begrudge putting profit into a US company now they’ve been taken over.

Looking forward to chlorinated chicken soon!

No such thing as ‘budget’ anymore. Brexitsh1t has seen to that👍

Try Dolan Bikes for a reasonable price. They always have stuff in the warehouse: new or seconds. You’re looking at north of £100.

PlanetX as well but they have also gone the way of price rises.

P ZERO™ Race TLR 28-622 and P ZERO™ Race TLR 30-622 are compatible with hookless rims according to ETRTO 5bar/73psi max pressure limitations.

P ZERO™ Race TLR 24-622 and P ZERO™ Race TLR 26-622 are NOT compatible with hookless rims.

Interesting!

Just bought some Zipp 404 Firecrests and struggling to find any hookless tyres in stock!

Although a pair of Pirelli P Zero have just turned up today…

Just make sure they are the right width. Some of the Pirelli’s are hookless compatible, some are not!

I personally wouldn’t run the non-tubeless GP5 without a tube, it’s not designed to be run tubeless and will have a weaker sidewall as a result. Too risky on a road tyre with increased pressure over an MTB tyre.

I used to run non-tubeless MTB tyres ghetto style but there’s a lot less pressure involved and tubeless is obviously the norm off road now.

I concur with what others have said, GP5 (and GP4 before them) are the best road tyres out there having tried most of the big names.

We all have one mate in the group who’s a ‘pot holer’ capable of destroying ANY tyre on a bike usually talking the hind legs off a donkey at the same time! The very nature of road tyres means they are more delicate than gravel or MTB tyres. I’ve never ripped a hole in a road tyre in 45 years of cycling.

Definitely go mains if you can.
Lidl ‘Parktool’ (mainly rebranded Einhell stuff) are great and usually have a 3 year warranty!
Anything cordless under 18/20v is underpowered.
A lot of the Dremel ‘failures’ will be down to new brushes being required-cheap and simple fix.

I’m not interested in the bizarre obsessions that are Blair and Farage.

There’s a Murderous Clown running round Manchester having forgotten to put pants on. He’s taking back handers from russian oligarchs under Kremlin control.

Now that’s a story!

I think a lot of people will be surprised to learn that the 20mph limits ARE NOT ENFORCEABLE in most areas. Contact your local authority. I know LCC did not provide the local legislation to enforce the 20mph limit (might have changed more recently?) on a cost basis.

It’s the ‘mindset of the few’ idea in that if the signs convince a few people to drive at or nearer 20, average speed does reduce slightly.

The ONLY viable way to enforce 20mph (or any limit) is electronic limiting which the UK would never accept or vote for.

He can’t stay out of the limelight can he?

It’s like he’s constantly attention seeking after failing to become an MP so many times.

If you think about how many total non-entities have managed, it’s a pretty low bar.

Any footage of the van driver punching ‘the little man’ just for being in his space? 🤣🤣🤣

Horses for courses!

In my last employ, EH500 (flat/clip-in) was the biggest selling pedal by a massive margin.

They’re a multi use pedal so for pure MTB I wouldn’t recommend them. For touring and pub/shopping/family rides I would suggest they are unbeatable.

Shimano’s pedal reputation is fantastic, I don’t trust Crank Bros, I remember their awful past with bearing failures and poor design.

Best thread of 2021 so far!

What could possibly go wrong🙄

I love building/plumbing/electrical threads on STW.

‘Belt and braces’ as my dad used to say, especially when it’s your own kitchen.

10p olive Vs £15,000 kitchen claim🤔

🤣🤣🤣Keeps me in work and honestly, I don’t laugh until I’m safely round the corner in the van.

Schwalbe Allrounds have been great for me. More grip than the pattern suggests, last well, great on tarmac and off road. The Mavics are a bit if a bitch with any tyre. Trying Conti Terra Speeds at the mo but they’re less supple at the same pressure and I’ll go back to the Allrounds when the Conti’s die.
Tried the Mavic Allroads and liked them too in 30mm. Fast on the road but only good for moderate off road: canal towpaths and old railway lines etc.
Awful experience with anything WTB.

Tan wall rubber loses air faster due to its construction-looks over practicality!

Avoid SRAM like the plague.

Like Brexit, people embrace it then never admit they’ve made a mistake.

Ring the police and tell them it’s Tom Cruise’s bike that has been stolen:

Instant response

CCTV trawls

Full investigation

👍

Nothing like brown nosing a ‘star’ who doesn’t even pay UK tax!

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/aug/27/tom-cruise-car-bmw-stolen-birmingham?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Just got off the phone with my mother. My father had a fall at home yesterday evening after a few months problems with his legs. My mother called the emergency services and they advised as it wasn’t life threatening they would be there in around 60 minutes. Eight hours later they eventually turned up to take him to hospital after spending the night on the floor not being able to sleep because he was in such pain and not able to get up. Is this normal service in the UK these days? Shropshire Ambulance Service for reference. I’m personally livid about the situation.

To get to the top of the list, tell 999:

1. Your dad has just overdosed on heroin and is down to 1 breath a minute and totally unresponsive.

2. Your dad is a pisshead and has fallen, cracked his head, is unconscious and unresponsive.

My dad was in exactly the same position last week. We pay for a response care package so he can be lifted but unfortunately that didn’t work so they called an ambulance. 6 hours wait in a collapsed state THEN head to be taken to hospital in case he had caused kidney damage…Catch 22!

As someone else has posted, our NHS and Ambulance Service have been run down to below skeleton service levels. Read into this what you will but I can hear BJ reciting all the failures as he announces major new funding for the NHS from a major American backer.

And we all know how that ends.

Paging Kier Starmer. Anyone seen him?

My Camino Ti Frameset arrived yesterday. I am stunned. Wasn’t sure what to expect from the ‘budget’ price. I’d seen the photos but in hand the welds, finish and craftsmanship are top quality. I have some background in the cycling industry and have seen some okay and ropey Ti frames, cracks, spluttery welds, poor alignment etc. This is the best one I’ve seen so far.

I had a couple of queries on live chat and never waited more than 4 minutes for full replies.

Can’t fault Alpkit/Sonder for service and delivery on time.

Super tips all, thank you!

We always advised customers to try Halfords or an Auto shop for a matching touch up. Lots less hassle and expense. Especially frustrating when a pantone match turns out to be a different shade because of batch differences.

Thank you Nobeerinthefridge and MrTricky for the advice and top tips👍

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/04/fit-and-healthy-man-42-from-southport-who-rejected-vaccine-dies-of-covid

Good. Wonder if our resident anti covid jabbers will also be anti this

Live and let live is my moto but…..we live close to the (now sadly deceased) fit, healthy 42 year old chap who declined the Covid vaccine and if one person reads this and changes their mind👍

YouTube>Skillbuilder>Roger Bisby

He’s done at least 2 vids on alternatives but basically the technology is lagging behind.

Air source a big no no according to Roger.

A mate was nearly off grid with a heat store, wood burner with rear heat exchanger, thermal and solar. Seems you’ve got to REALLY want to do it as there’s little help and the government only pay lip service to ‘green’ when BJ has another divorce/CSA payment due.

I’d definitely be guided by length of warranty. Some companies will only give you 2 or 3 years on Ti frames.

What does that say about the manufacturer/retailers confidence in the product?

There are 5-10 year warranties out there at reasonable money or lifetime if you want to pay Moots prices.

Mavic is a poor performer.

Stan’s is the best and only one I trust.

AFAIK the staff are still remotely working and the phone message says pls email in and bear with us. Never had customer service issues with them before.

Ordered a Ti Camino frameset a month ago , showed stock etc , confirmed order, took deposit gave a dispatch date as well and then nothing ! …. Last week they emailed me to say they cant supply a frame in the near future and cancelled my order … still waiting for my refund ! … never again

Not great. What size did you order?

Anyone put 2x onto the latest (V2) Camino Ti yet?

I’ve seen it on the V1 but wondered if it’s doable. Got a GRX 2x groupo sat waiting.

Went down the 1x avenue but not for me.

‘Custom paint’ or ‘re-spray’ put me right off any bike purchase. My first question is WHY?

I’ve seen some pretty ingenious repairs and coverups under paint jobs. I even remember Saracen getting busted for knocking out brand new alloy bikes with filler under the lovely livery!

I’d sell it ‘as is’ and slightly reduce your price.

Seller is ‘crazy ron’. I think that says it all.
“Will sit at 70mph all day” with 200bhp. What’s the none fuel economy? 12mpg🤣🤣🤣

There’s just something about riding on tarmac, seeing a gravel track or lane and heading off where your nose takes you.

Yksion Allroad 30mm tyres for faster tarmac use and a bit of off piste.

Schwalbe Allround 38mm for a bit more gnar.

Did get myself in a twist at first attempting MTB terrain but you soon learn to tone it down a bit. They’re very capable.