There it is, the main problem with PF bottom brackets. A lot of manufacturers can't produce their frames within the required alignment tolerances. And then the creaking and all the other noises start.
Digging the new Slash. I have the press fit on my fuel ex 8, 5th Gen and honestly (besides the aforementioned trouble changing it), I haven’t had any issue with it.
27.5 isnt good for any type of racing. But calling it a mistake is ingoring that at least half of people going out for a ride just want to have fun. And 27.5 (hell 26 in as well) is way more rowdy and fun!
the weight is the only reason i ride 27.5. BMX background makes me feel more at home on it than a 29er. i'd buy a 26 if they still made parts for them.
@@gscudder2258 I'd highly recommend building up a slightly older 26in bike if you started on bmx. My most ridden bike in my fleet is an old 2009 Jamis Durango 2.0 with everything swapped out for newer components aside from the cranks and brakes (those old tektro Auriga comp hydraulics are bomb proof haha) happy riding!
I disagree. 29er is leading the way now due to the high speed tracks. If they were more tight and twisty they would struggle with manoeuvrability and 27.5 would shine. Although in reality, mullet FTW.
Also ignoring that shorter people exist.. I'm almost exactly average height across genders at 171cm, but 29" bikes that fit me already are getting close on toe overlap. 50% of the population is shorter than me, so certainly either geometry or fit would have to be compromised for the smaller 29" frames.
27.5 for smaller riders including teenagers. In fact 26” for kids is perfectly valid. Fat bikes are awesome fun on just about any terrain. Fun doesn’t always need to be fast.
Fat Bikes - you just touched on as a "mistake". Shocking... riding snow covered winter groomed trails, on a fat bike, is some of the most fun you will ever have on a bike. - beats riding an indoor set-up to stay shape during the snow months. Best thing that ever happened to winter.
@@harimathur2191I bought a cheap malice six yrs ago as a joke, put a saddle, pedals, and a wider bar on it, striped everything off of it including the brakes ( BMX style ) and I ride it on the beach, and rain and it is one of my favorite bikes, rebuild it every six months, spray it down with WD-40 and it is easy maintained . It's one of my favorite bikes, Living in wet conditions, you will ride when others can't. If you try it I promise, 100 percent guarantee you will love.
Gmbn ignorance on fatbikes is astounding. For us in the desert south west us fatbikes open up hundreds of trails anything thinner than 4.0 is impossible to ride on.
Bring Owen on full time. Enjoy hearing the nuanced, intricate and technical commentary Doddy would bring - Owen seems to have the insight and enthusiasm for such.
One BIG mistake for me is. Cables and brake hoses routed through the headset. I'd soon have a bike with a pressfit bb. If I had the choice of a £13000 bike with a pressfit bb of a £1300 with a threaded bb. I'd have the £1300 bike.
Fat bikes a mistake?!? Heck no! Anyone who has ever ridden one in packed snow would disagree. There's no better way to have a total blast in the winter! Mine keeps me riding out doors almost year-round.
I really really like Owen!!! He makes the cutest smirks, but you always get his honest opinion on things! Sometimes I feel like I’m watching an infomercial trying to sell Canyon or Nukeproof or etc. I like those things, but the hard sell gets spread on a bit too thick. I love learning how to take care of my bike. I don’t want to buy a bunch of expensive fluff. It was hilarious the comment making fun of Anna saying she has a video on how to strip down and grease! Ha ha ha! I do like Anna a lot. Keep Owen and Anna!
Fat bikes are awesome for riding on snow. Definitely not a mistake. If you're talking about fat bikes on dirt trails, I definitely agree with you though.
As an Alaskan, fat bikes are a gift from God! I ride mine all year long, in the woods, on the beach and around town, even more than my full squish of road bike.
I love my fat bike and live in Minnesota, though i am a bit if a collector and have bikes from racing cx , touring,mountain, folding travel bikes to 3 speeds.. Having a fatty as a all purpose bike is a bit of a stretch. I am amazed how many people ride their fatty on dry pavement. I think for some, they are fat themselves and feel they would look silly on a road bike, so they spend $2-5000 on a e-fat bike and ride the paved trails. I really question how much exercise they are getting, but they are out enjoying our great bike trail system, who am i to judge...... Fat tire bike are definitely not a mistake, they are a whole new segment of the sport/industry.
Years ago when I first got interested in fat tire bikes, I read some reviews of tires. The reviews for the piece were done in the summer, on dry mountain trails. I don’t know what the point in that is. After all, these are made for sand and snow, I didn’t care how much traction they get on dry ground.
Fat bikes are a tool for snow and sand, it's arguably a different category/discipline. They also work well as rigid adventure bikepacking rigs. Time for GFBN? Maybe just GABN (Adventure Bike) to also incorporate other all terrain biking that doesn't worry about stage times. Debatable on usage as low-maintenance light trail bikes vs a hardtail.
#Opinion - Plus bikes were Not a 'mistake'. I say they are legitimate effort to explore the value of larger air volume. Particularly on my Santa Cruz hard tail, my 2.8's really help with the super-rootsy Vermont trails I ride.
The industry builder's couldn't get the volume of parts for supply chains. We'll be seeing more than 20psi or 35psi with 7075 aluminum rims the highest quality. Like 27.5 or 21"/29 or 23" motocross rim
Apparently, fat bikes are pretty good for snow. I'm 5'9" (175.26cm) and much prefer 27.5 wheels. Granted, I don't race or chase KOM's. I'm more of a guy who likes to throw whips on big jumps.
For a small person 27,5 is better. So many say it's all about frame size, but at 168 cm I feel more in control on most 27,5. Even if 29 rolls easier over small objects on the trail the smaller wheels gives an overall better ride for me as a short person. And fatbike is NOT a mistake. The terrain you can tackle with a fatbike especially in winter. In mid Norway we have snow and ice from November trough May and in the mountains we'll have snow all trough mid June. Biking trough 20cm slush after half metre snow turns slush after a couple rain falls is when you realise how amazing the fatbikes are. Also biking trough deep snow or ice. The grip on a fatbike with great studded tires means you can cross a lake on bike if you don't have ice-skates 😅
Electronic mountain bike drivetrains are a bad trend when a good quality mechanical setup operates flawless without batteries or apps. (Zipping flame suit on) 😃
Having just upgraded from 26" wheeled bike I like the 27.5". Drawbacks; they don't roll as fast or over stuff as well as a 29er. After trying my mate's 29er felt like the 29s were a lot slower in the techy bits on the trail. Also being on the short side, surely a 27.5 helps with standover clearance?
As a BMXer who has taken up MTB in the last few years, I love a good press for BB. They're simple, strong, and aren't hard to work on. Also being a BMXer who isn't going for fastest times, 650b/27.5” is awesome. 29ers always feel too big for me and my riding style. I'm 5'11" (180cm for those of you who speak metric) so I'm not particularly small. It's been mentioned by others but anodizing increases the hardness of the surface of aluminum, and protects from corrosion. On top of that, it's a great wear indicator for gears. Fat bikes are the absolute best in winter for those of us in areas that get snow. A fresh layer of snow a few inches thick can be tough with standard XC width tires, plus tires do better, fat bikes are the bees knees though.
For road bikes I've got 1 steel - great for long training rides on the midwest chip-n-seal/blacktop country roads, and 1 aluminum which is great for crits and sprinting. Gotta have bikes for all occasions besides MTB 🙂
I ride a 27.5 (650b) fat-bike with anodized drive train parts and have a 29+ wheelset as well. I have 4 out of the 5 mistakes all in one, but surprisingly it's the one bike I can ride anywhere, anytime.
biggest mistake was to increase the price on everything to the point that practicing the sport on a decent bike will cost upwards of $1500. For people outside the US or Europe (like me lol), hearing how much of bargain a $2500 drivetrain is just hurts lol. No, SRAM gx and Shimano XT are not midrange drivetrains for anyone outside of the US or Europe.
I honestly think plus will have a bit of a comeback in coming years. Casing options and inserts can mitigate a lot of their issues. I think it was kind of a lazy trend when it blew up--it was a way to add another option without really having another frame design from the 29 option. 29+ is sort of in fashion for bikepacking. Pressfit BBs are fine if only manufacturers could build things to sane tolerances and maybe consolidate on a sensible number of standards. I think a common issue these days is PF92 frames built with Dub or 30mm spindles which force really small bearings with poor performance. Could care less about ano stuff either way. It's fun if you want. Direct mount chainrings have pretty visible colors since there's a lot of thing beside the teeth. 650B makes sense for smaller frames--it makes more sense to have a large wheel for a given size the more XC oriented things are, but that only goes to a certain point--XXS XC bikes probably should run 650B. Looks like most fast racers on size S bikes seem to do better in XC on 29ers. Size M+ XC bikes with 27.5 were probably not the best idea.
I like the anodized accessories and chainrings but I wish they would leave the teeth natural aluminum colour. This way it doesn't look worn and makes for a nice contrast
Major omissions 1. Not converging on modern geometry, thru axles & 29” boost wheels *much* sooner. 2. Those shimano dual control levers from circa 2005
5:15 The natural wear of the anodized parts looks great. Like the patinated roofs of old cathedrals, ivy-covered walls or faded jeans. A shiny new bike looks boring
Colored parts are just anodized the same as black parts so I don't see the issue. Fat bikes are awesome....in the right conditions (snow covered singletrack) nothing compares.
27.5 (650b) fit small frames better. Usually it is done to keep the Geometry as close to the larger models as possible. You buy a bike because you love the geometry, to stuff a 29 in there usually makes Chain-stay longer and for short riders that's very noticeable, changes seat tube angle, interferes with suspension components and kinematics, a smaller rear wheel makes A LOT of sense on smaller bikes! Even myself at 5' 11" prefers the smaller rear wheel as I have long torso and short legs and on an aggressive 29er I get Horrible tire scrub that is painful as well as hurting my riding experience.
Ex bike mechanic here. I see no problems with PF BBs. Easy to tap out and press in. If you stuff it up, knock out and try again. A threaded BB can slip and can damage your hands, and completely ruin the frame is cross threaded.
As someone who rides on 29x3.25" I think there's still a lot of fun to be had with something that feels like you're riding a monster truck down a trail. Narrower tires force you to focus on "what's the best line?" Wider tires with a bigger diameter enable you to go on rides where you focus on things like "what's the worst line you can take and still get up the hill?" It's like the difference between going to a track with an RC car built for racing vs. going out with a rock crawler to see just what kind of terrain you can make it through.
So what coloured components wear off and get scratched? So do the standard black ones, and even more pronounced. Now, not having enough silver or neutral gray options - that's a bigger problem here
Press fit sucks. I have rebuilt everything else at home, but I won't invest in a nice press to do press fit BB. And the mechs at the shop don't like doing them either, so they're not happy about the job.
If you live where the winter covers everything with snow and ice, fatbikes are the best. I wouldn't be able to get and ride in the winter without my fatbike. Cheers!
I have a Salsa Cutthroat with a PF41 BB - and I dumped that piece of crap bottom bracket (from one of the S* companies) a couple of months later. Creaked always and when I looked at replacing the bearings (as normal in our muddy wet Pacific Northwest), it was a pain. These PF things just make the initial build easy. Screw it! There are plenty of aftermarket BB's that replace the 'press-fit'. Did that (with a Wheels Manufacturing one, but Enduro, Hope make them as well) and nary a creak since. And easy bearing replacement.
if all you want is fast, then 29er i guess. But mtb is about a lot more. I've ridden both and find that 29 in wheels take fun away also maneuverability. Not to mention quicker spool up with a 27.5. Mullet looks like a good compromise
My mtb either has 26" Fat Franks on SunRingle mtb rims or 27.5 knobbies on a mixed rimset: mavic ex360 rear and DT Swiss 533d front. I do have a Fuji Royale Forza edition freshly added to my collection too.
I predict it will last as long as the average bike ownership. Because the first time you have to service one (or pay someone to...) you'll never buy another.
There's nothing wrong with 27.5 wheels, I actually prefer them over 29ers due to the fact that they make the bike more playful/agile. I have a 2020 Trek Roscoe which has 27.5 wheels with 2.8 tyres and it is a fantastic all round mtb. My Focus Jam2 ebike also has 27.5 wheels with 2.8 tyres and it is unstoppable. I've had numerous bikes with 29ers and keep going back to 27.5. BTW I am 180cm tall, if that's of any significance.
I would love to see the look on Owen's face. When Mr Maintenance himself 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Steve Jones would like someone to take a look at a squeak he has on his bike.
Biggest wrong in the bike industry is greed. Bikes, components, even shoes. All of it is overpriced and a lot of it is pretty crap quality considering the price.
On my trail bike I love PF BB, 27.5", flat pedals and 2x12. I just want to get out in the woods and have fun. "Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride" - Eddy Merkx
People that say fat bikes are a mistake arent in the right market. Fat biking in Ontario is HUGE in the winter. Many of the guys I ride with say if they had to only have 1 bike it would be a fat bike.
How about mistakes we have made? Around twenty five years ago I designed a frame that a frame builder then made for me, however I specified super short chain stays meaning that I could just about fit a 1.8 inch smoke in the back due to clearance issues. The resulting ride was somewhat 'spirited' and I had to run the tyre at 60 PSI to avoid pinch flats. The frame is now hung on my wall as art and I will leave frame design to the experts! 🤣
#AskGmbn #AskGmbnTech When should I change/replace a MTB tire? Case in point: I have a S-Works Renegade 2.2 front and a S-Works Fastrack 2.3 rear. Used them for two XCO seasons (mainly on racing, I've got different bike for training). The knobs are not really worn, but micro-cracks developed around the knobs. They don't seem to perform as well as when they were new, but maybe it's just me. So, are there some objective criteria for when to replace a tire? I see potential for an extensive material on this topic.
27.5 is the best wheel size ever created. 29 may be better for xc but unless your actually racing or are actually tall 27 is lighter/stronger/better/more fun. I’m also a short bmxer.
I have 2 out of the 5. PF bottom bracket and a 27.5+ No creaking noises ever, and the plus tires are plush on the NE rocks and roots. Also surprised that DI2 and rapid rise did not make the list, I have those too! Lists like this are why I don't have an Ebike, cause I'm tired of being the next best ever product guinea pig.
Pressfit might also paved a way to the next BB threaded standard, the T47. The argument for it is that you can easily run 30mm shafts and in aluminium bodys the work rtaher well because you can machine the surface after building the frame. But CF is a different animal and I prefer the ease of installation and maintenance of a threaded BB. So there it is. My prediction is that T47 will take over eventually.
I'm 6ft 5 and still hate 29" even mullet feels dull. Easier yes, faster yes but no fun. Plus tyres live on with e bikes. Add super wide bars for everyone to the list.
Press fit- I've had two bikes with no creaks so it wouldn't put me off, plus an amatuer mechanic isn't going to strip the threads turning a press fit the wrong way. As long as they don't then take a hammer to a press fit...
Fat bikes are NOT a mistake - they are hilarious fun as long as you dont take yourself seriously. I stuck a big motor and huge batter in my steel framed Surly... Its like a freaking monster truck now and Ive never had a bad ride on it - big fun!
Fat bikes can only be called a mistake in the sense of ongoing money-making for the manufacturers. They are so delightfully indestructible 😆 that those of us who bought one decades ago are still riding it with a big grin on our faces and not a care in the world. ☺️
I found the sram xx1 colored chains and cassette stay looking nice for almost there full service life. Some other brands colored drivetrain parts are garbage I agree
Nope, you won't catch me saying anything nice about press fit bottom brackets. Even if it has one good application, it doesn't excuse its general existence. It's the fact that £1000 hybrid/commuting bikes were built with PF shells and it just doesn't stack up for that application and was pricey to replace, and required replacing often. For me, it's a BSA threaded shell with a Shimano hollow tech II BB all... the... way... on my road bike, MTB, hybrid, it's all good. Inexpensive, simple, easy to work on, pretty robust.
#AskGMBNTech Can you talk about the relationship between fork travel, air pressure and % SAG? Say you run a 160mm fork and achieve the desired 25% SAG (40mm) at 80PSI. If you are to run the same fork at 130mm travel and put 80PSI, will it SAG the same distance (40mm)? I have a Cane Creek Helm MKII set at 130mm travel and I find myself running way more pressure than recommended by the manufacturer to get anywhere near the upper range of the %SAG recommendations. I'm wondering if these recommendation apply to when the fork is set at much longer travels and for lower travels higher pressures are required. Or is there something wrong with my fork? Many thanks in advance
Naw...27.5 isnt a mistake. This has been discussed by GMBN and other youtubers so many times. Actually you (Anna) and Blake did a recent comparison between the 29 and 27.5 and bother had their benefits. As for speed, there was not much difference between your times. 27.5 is more agile and helps with technical section and makes the bike more nible. 29er for a bit more speed and rolling over. Between the 2 size, I feel more comfortable on 27.5 tire.
A pressfit BB in a well made shell is a win. There is defenetly some watts to be saved and some longevity to be gained. Also 27.5" wheels serve a purpose. At some point there will be toe overlap with 29" wheels on a small bike also to keep the geo/ratio the same.
A few companies such as Hope solved the PF BB issues with cups that screw together in the middle - sorted! Then Sram changed the crank standard again with the DUB system so this could not used. Bike industry - just leave things that work alone!
