@montgomery

No TLC other than squeezing the levers once or twice a week if not being used (lockdowns) to flex the seals and move the pistons

I think this bit would be saving your brakes.

I believe the issue is oil leaking past dry seals. My daily ride (commuter) has never suffered from squeak Shimano brakes, whereas my other bikes (used once a week max) have always got this issue eventually.

I use a Cane Creek Vault on my TTX, but unsure of the length difference between this and the original Ohlins spring…

By 65mm, you mean the stroke? If so, I can’t see 2mm making much of a difference.

When you’re riding this weight spring, how many turns of pre-load are you using? If you’re apply lots of pre-load then maybe you find the spring binding at full compression….

But if you’re not running much, then I’d think it’ll be fine.

Our yearly with Aviva only went up by £20. Less than 10% increase. So I’m can’t see why yours would double? Did you change some parameters, or values of items?

450 per year, including bikes, in an expensive part of the southeast, with a silly overpriced house.

I’m running 1×11 in all bikes, Shimano xt chain/shifter/mech with Sunrace 50t cassette.

Been faultlessly reliable so far. 2yrs of my (lowish) 2-3k per year miles no problem.

No snapped chains, or other issues at all.

I’ve got one of those track pump/tank things and it’s been great for tubesless.

Not running +sized tyres, but for my 2.5/2.6 stuff it’s put everything on easily and first time. I can take it away if I go, and it’s not much bigger than usual track pump.

Yeah, 11speed Sunrace cassettes on my bikes. 50t, using Shimano mechs. All work great.

They’re like cockroaches.
They might look knarly and beaten, but they’re very hard to kill.

I have 3 pairs of DX style SPD’s from 25 years ago. Still working perfectly (maybe a shade grumbly).

RaceFace flank knee/shins here.
My calfs are really quite silly big and the XL (largest) ‘just’ fit ok.

As someone mentioned above……. you’ll only need to gently clamp the ends of the axle, regardless of width/diameter. I just plop the wheel in, adjust the stands supports together until they touch the axle ends, with the wheel suspended from a wooden dowel axle.

Been working fine for 12mm and 15mm axles and building wheels has not been affected.

Using a PArk stand BTW.

The bone condenser ones are pretty good actually. The bass is a little thinner than ‘in ear’ but it’s not too bad. Fine for non audiophiles.

I use Plantronics ‘backbeat’ phones when I’m off-road, as they’re very flexible and fit over the top of my ears. Don’t pull off at all. Battery is around 7hrs.

For road/other times I use Aftershokz bone condensers, as I can hear what else is going on.

As mentioned above by @jambo, I’m riding WTB riddlers tubeless. They’re great for my hybrid (gravel, ATB , whatever the f*ck they’re called now) bike.

They can cope with a little mud, but not much. They can cope with a little road work, but they’re not slicks, they can also take a little bit of Singletrack, but they’re not like my Minion DHF’s.

Just what you’d expect. A little of everything but not the best at anything.

We’ve got a ‘Theragun’ which was recommended as a durable a very effective device. It’s great after a long ride, or downhill day, where I’m feeling more battered.

wont fit with anything except the skinniest tyres. the chainstay curves/widens around the 29 tyre. if the tyre is a smaller diameter it will clash with cs

You’ll get 2.3 ish tyres in there, as I do use my ‘winter’ 650 wheels with mud tyres on just fine. 2.3 shorty’s. The stays do narrow a fair bit, but it fits.

I had a 2hr session with Tom Dowie. I thought he was very good. Clear, patient and plainly very able.

I went with a very specific goal of getting better at jumping larger jumps at more speed. I can now do that much more capably.

Did the sessions at Chicksands, which had plenty of scope/grades of jumps.

Haven’t read all the above, so apologies if this is duplication.

I have a 2016 enduro EVO, which started as a 26”, then (after buying new back end) mutated into a 27.5. After the addition of a 29er fork is now a mullet.

I’ve not eaten through shocks at all in 7 years of owning it (still running a CCDB coil).

It’s not especially long, but with the 29er fork, the head angle is a good level of slackness. It sits into its travel as it’s a coil, so a slighty higher BB is no problem.

Al-in-all still a cracking enduro/miniDH bike which I use in the Alps/bike parks etc: it’s not a trail bike for sure, but for nailing lumpy, rooty trails it’s ace.

Only issue is not as much standover as I’d like on the ‘large’ I’m running (to get the reach) so a 125mm dropper is all I can squeeze in.

Mines Alu, so it’s also a big lump, like me.

Would a crudcatcher XL fit, they are held on with rubber bands so come off very easily

Yes, the rubber bands come off very quickly. In fact they don’t stay on at all. Then, when they do stay on, they eventually snap of course….

The guard is great, but needs a better mounting approach.

I’m a big ol’ unit and mine have been great. I’d have thought 28spoke rear was a bad idea, but they’ve been solid on my 140mm stumpy.

there is a limit to the capacity of cells you can fly with. I sometimes fly with large broadcast camera batteries and we only buy the ones under the capacity, which are numerous and not very long lasting. I believe its 100watt/hr? Although check that.

I’d have thought most e-bike batts are well over that>

I prefer a smaller rear disk, as when it’s too grabby, it’s harder to feather/control.
Manuals and wheelie type manoeuvres are more controllable like this I find.

Front, I just need a big anchor with full power.

Just put your stuff around the frame, cover in bubble wrap and it’ll pass as frame protection. They’re not gonna unwrap it.

I had to take stuff out once to transfer weight to my hand luggage (which has no limit) so removed my tools and spare bits (tyres/mechs/pedals) which bought the weight down.

No guarantee, but I can’t see them check as long as the whole bag is not over weight.

Minimum 25psi front and rear to keep the lard off the ground.
2.5 EXO+
Rimpact f+r
140mm FS bike.
110kgs of lard.

Not dinged a rim in 5 years now.

The WheelsManu one I have has been relIable. Easy screws together with BB tool. Replaced the bearings (not the whole thing) about every 3 years. Never creaked or made the slightest noise either.

I’ve got a good soft shell by Fjern, bought from Sportpursuit.

It’s a good fit for chunk types.

Fjern

Is a ‘charger damper’ the same length for every travel fork? Ie: one size fits all lyrik/Yari forks?

I have a Seasucker, which gets used occasionally on my S-max, which has a full glass Panoramic roof. Ive done long (12hr plus) trips and had to add a little more suction to 1 of the 4 cups on my triple rack. Front wheels strapped to frames, and a variety of QR and 15mm axle fork mounts.

Mine has been in a bike bag when flying, which gets used on a rental car on arrival. Works a treat.

I’ve even fashioned up a rear wheel (thule) bar with a sucker at each end, to rest all the rear wheels on. With this, i can fit 5 bikes and a RoofBox on the roof.

Two bikes either side of the roofbox on Thule carriers, the SeaSucker just behind the Roofbox, with rear wheel ‘bar’ on the rear door glass. It’s crowded, but we went to the Pyranees without an issue like that.

@4130s0ul
Not sure TBH. I don’t have tyres that big to compare, but I’d say probably not 2.8.

Still great versatile bike/frame. Available in non-ti as well?

I use a Sonder Signal Ti for this exact purpose. Second set of wheels from my FS trail bike go on this.
Winter it’s my mud bike, and leaves a spare set of wheels to leave more dryer tyres on. Although not spcifically a 27.5+ frame, i can get 2.6 tyres in when in 27.5 guise.

Just read this and it prompted me to list some 26” Flows in the classifieds.

Flow Mk3’s new.

in the end, i pulled the trigger on a Garmin Edge Explore as it seemed to do the simple few things i wanted pretty well. It was also a bit cheaper than the Roam/Edge530 type affair and i DON’T need any of the fancy training stuff.

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

Thanks DrP-
Another option then. Mostly, I’m gonna be using it for small roads/gravel stuff… so bit of on, bit of off-road.

Local Brighton based routes may be good to share?

Splendid… thanks for those replies. Looks like the Roam would do what i’m wanting it to then.

Downside with a phone is rain can play havoc with a touchscreen.
Very hard to dry things off when it’s wetter than a trouts elbow.

this is the main reason for not wanting to use a phone. I’m also a dyed-in-the-wool IOS user, so cannot face the thought of a different OS on another device.

So, i take from previous replies that you CANT get GPX files onto a Wahoo Roam, without using Strava then?

thanks all for replies. the DC Rainmaker review demonstrated a million ‘features’ id never use, so i’m not sure i got much from that.

It’s mostly on road/back-country lanes/sustrans/gravel type stuff i’d be needing, so i think the Wahoo Element Roam is looking like the best option right now.

Do you have to use strava to get routes onto the Roam? Or can i create them from another source, save as GPX (or similer) and get them onto the Roam? I dont use STrava, and want to limit the amount of apps/platforms i have to use.

I’d have a read of DC Rainmakers site. He will have reviews of the key devices.

Thanks, I’ll do that.

ld)
For road I’ve had no issues with the Bolt when following routes. But you do have to use Ride with GPS or Komoot to get turn by turn. Element Roam will allow turn by turn from any source.

So, you use your phone for GPS signal?
What’s Komoot?

Is the screen clear and easy to see turn navigation? How do you know if you’ve gone off track, and does it give you upcoming turn indications, like a sat-nav?

I’d say EXO+ if you ride anything Rocky/rooty. Maybe DD on the rear (if you’re fitter than me).

Max Terra for best durability, unless you can afford to change tyres often, then max grip are good.

2.4WT or 2.5 is a good deal bigger than the 2.3’s.