@@gmbntech I think there is same variety of saddles as well. Saddle on one of my bikes (OEM) is so narrow that it made me unable to ride more that 10 km. From that perspective Ghost did nice job with their adjustable saddle width. Regarding the antisieze in automotive. There is way longer maintenance intervals in automotive compared to cycling. Also another thing to mention is heat that can really effect the bolted connection. Antisieze consists of grease as you said and some solid small particles of metal, graphite, ceramics that prevents threads get stuck after the grease dries up/washes away/bakes with heat etc. And regarding the turning tires around is the question regarding the shape of the "studs" in the thread and shape of the thread itself. For example Schwalbe Hans Dampf can be turned as you want as the thread is completely symmetrical and on the opposing side is Maxxis DHR which has asymmetrical studs. Conti Mountain King has directional shape for the reasons you said.
As an old motocross rider I remember the tires as being directional as well as mountain bikes and instead of flipping the tires around we used a razor blade to trim the knobs back to square edges. Took a long time but money was tight and new tires every race was not an option. Haven't used a blade on mountain bike tires yet but it may give extra traction to someone on a budget.
On the question of storing a bike with the derailleur in the smallest sprocket, it does make a difference when the bike is stored for long periods of time, especially older derailleurs that had weaker springs out of the box. Many times customers would bring bikes in that had been stored for years or even decades with the derailleur sitting in the larger sprockets. The now ever so slightly stretched spring now has trouble shifting back down to smaller sprockets as it is having to not only overcome the normal friction of cable/housing, but also the general corrosion and dust/dirt from being in storage. So, short term, no issue. Long term, absolutely.
Good points on the peddles. This could carry over to seats and grips as well. Typically, the first and second things to get replaced, and tossed in the landfills. Maybe a service bike shops can provide as part of the setup of a new bike. Fit peddles, saddles, and grips. Another reason to support the LBS.
Most bike shops throw in pedals with a new bike purchase. Most stock bike saddles are alright and don’t need changing however stock grips tend to suck depending on what brand you buy from
Doddy's always great but wow, Anna is awesome too! What a fantastic team. I'm really liking the back and forth between these two presenters. It makes GMBN Tech even better.
I habitually put my bikes into the middle gear(s) when I store them. I figure it's better for the chain? Probably a solution to a non-issue, but it's just part of the zen of working on my bike
The chainring question reminded me. Several years ago I was talking to someone who I used to ride with. He told me of someone he did a audax with. Who did a 600km audax on a fixed wheel bike with an 88 inch gear. I remarked I could easily push that gear. There was no way I could pedal it for any distance.
I always store my MTB with the gears in the smallest sprocket to take the tension off the cable and with the valves at the top of the rim to reduce clogging from the sealant.
#AskGMBNTech Hm, think the arguement of TCK could be, that from the 12-o'clock position, the sealant on the rim would flow away from the valve, while in 6-o'clock position it would flow exactly to the valve. Of course, in 12-o'clock position the valve itself would not drain fully, but (maybe depending on the specific design of the used tubeless valve) maybe there would not get any sealant to the valve during driving the bike?
I store all my family tubeless valves down, I’m unclogging less now, I don’t think it hurts. I always store any bike in the smallest cog (front and rear on bikes with a front derailleur), why stretch a part for longer than it has to be. I like to stress my parts when riding them, not in storage. Just remember to dial it a couple up before riding. Getting started on a 10 tooth is hard on my knees.
Question: When using carbon fiber wheels and tubeless wheels, I heard recently for the first time that the gasket on the outer part of a valve stem (the rubber between the thin screw and the rim) should NOT be used. There appears to be a problem when pressurized air leaks into the volume space of the carbon rim depth. If the pressure can't release, it will blow out the side of the rim. Have you heard of this issue? Should I leave off the outer rubber gasket for carbon wheels?
The gasket doesn’t actually serve to seal air, it’s to stop your lock ring coming lose Top tip when setting up tubeless , place a screw driver handle across the valve on the rim side and press down, this will push the valve onto the tape , keep the pressure on the screw driver handle , slide the o ring on then only finger tight the lock ring, release the screw driver ….you will Never have a non sealing valve ever again
If your valve stem comes with the rubber oring, use it. It plays two parts; it stops your valve stem lock ring from undoing, and it helps to seal the interface. However.... what matters more is how snug your fittment of the valve stem is into the hole of the rim. If it's not snug, no matter how tight you screw the lock ring against the outer rim, it won't give a good seal. When setting up tubeless, make sure a) you have good rim tape, and b) you set up the valve correctly. For me at where I work, I just use a small + screwdriver and tap a hole into the rim tape, then a bigger one that's slightly smaller than the valve stem. Then take the valve stem and shove it down the hole, and use a rubber mallet to tap firmly the valve stem into the rim. Alternate between pushing with your thumb, and whacking with the rubber mallet. Once the rubberised end of the valve stem is very, very snugly fit against the hole the rim (it should look as if it's slightly squashed, but not deformed or too flat, in which case you've gone too ham on it), then tighten the lock ring WITH the rubber oring. Shouldn't be an issue after.
You guys compliment each other very well, you both are extremely knowledgeable, and experienced in the mountain biking, in the tech, riding, and industry, great job!!
As far as the cranks spinning by themselves, if the wheel is spinning and the only thing in direct contact is the free wheel hub/cassette that’s the ONLY thing that can cause your cranks to spin !! Nothing else in the driveline is in direct contact with the spinning wheel including jockey wheels or dirty chain as mentioned 🙄
Moving cranks can often be the free hub bearings binding. When u spin the wheel u won't feel it as that just wheel bearings, but a tight free hub bearing can do it.... can u by hand back flip the cranks easily? If not, could be this
I know it’s an extra cost but chainrings aren’t super expensive unless you’re into competitive riding. They’re really easy to swap out so why not have a little kit?
Bikes sold with/without pedals.....I think the industry has got it about right. Cheaper end bikes generally come with pedals as buyers generally are on a lower budget and may well not have dedicated shoes etc. Higher end bikes tend to come without pedals for the reverse reason. It sort of makes sense.
Shifting into the smallest rear cog when done riding is only a good thing, with the main benefit of not pulling the cable tight in the housing and helping to extend the housing by not forming a groove in the twists and turns as quickly. Small things add up to big things.
I agree, about 20 yrs ago I wore out an XTR derailleur & was told I stretched out the spring too much when storing my bike by keeping it in the bigger cogs, since then as soon as my ride ends I shift to smallest cog, never had a problem since, takes all pressure off of the spring & as you said, cables too
New to mountain biking but been into off road motorcycles for over 35 years. Motocross riders do not flip tyres. Trail riders will buy used tyres from motocross riders because they throw them away after one event. Most off road motorcycle tyres are directional and cant be flipped anyway. That said, keep up the good work. I dont know much about MTB and this channel is straight to the point with tech stuff.
I've read from a metallurgist that derailleur springs only move well within their deformation limit and therefore will not be weakened or deformed when used or stored in any gear.
On tyre direction, some tyre brands (eg Schwalbe) don't know what they're doing with tread design, and their product definitely performs better when swapped around. In particular their first generation Nobby Nic and the current Rocket Ron are examples. I was having trouble with my front tyre not feeling planted and letting go suddenly on loose-over-hardpack. Looking at the tread pattern prompted me to see that the shoulder tread blocks were angled so that the narrow side of the block faced the direction of slip, and turning it around would bring the broader side into play. So I tried it, and it worked. My suggestion is to give it a try and see what you think. I still use Schwalbe rubber on my XC bike.
The use of anti sieaze(primarily over grease) is for its coefficients value and torque ratings are usually based on this to ensure the correct torque value is obtained and the bolt is under the correct tension.
I’ve noticed that leaving your bike in smallest cog makes a massive difference. I used to leave my bike in an easier gear and noticed that every time I hit a bump or jump the derailier would ping about and make a rattling sound. Within 2 weeks of leaving it in the smallest cog I could noticed the difference, and now that rattle barely ever happens!⚙️
Hi guys! As for storing bikes with a chain on low gear. My experience shows that it helps with cheaper transmissions like SRAM NX. Long tension is not good for weak spring in the derailleur.
Anti seize should not by used on a thread that has a torque setting unless the setting says so. Anti Seize acts as a lubricant and can cause the thread to be overtightened or stripped as it makes it easier to turn the bolt.
Copper anti seize (copper grease) should not be used near aluminium. It can encourage electrolytic corrosion. It's fine to be used on steel components and bolts, which is what it is used for in the automotive industry
6:49 As a bike mechanic i can tell you that, when we recive bikes they are very often on the largest cog. I cant really wrap my head around why, but thats just the way it is. And these bikes has come a long way, and might have been stored for more than 6 months!
Don't use Grease or anti-seize compounds on fasteners (tapped, nuts, bolts, setscrews ect) unless the manufacturer specifies.... Any grease, fluid or compound on the threads of any fastener reduces the friction between the threads which in turn increases the tension on the fastener and the component it's holding. Therefore a reduced torque setting is required to achieve the same tension as a none lubricated fastener 👍
#AskGMBNTech Are 2 by groupsets dead ? I noticed that recently released bikes are not compatible with a front mech anymore. Even since the release of Shimano's xtr groupset that included a 2 by option (28/38 by 10-45) three years ago I've never seen a mtb brand launching a bike fitted with it. Can you name one or tell me why ? I think they still largely have a place in mtb
@@rupedog I totaly agree, 2× still offers a larger range despite the 51 tooth cog and more options with smaller steps. The loss of weight is negligible compared to that. Only the frame design could be the real step forward with this technology
@17:50 I put Shimano 1x11 on my old 26er last year. With the old 'little' wheels I had to buy a separate 36t or 38t to give it sensible gear range with the 11-51t, else I'd be able to climb vertical walls, but spin out on all the downhills. It's your legs/cadence, your cassette, and your wheel size dictates.
Schurter uses 36-38T chainrings for most tracks. Anton Cooper even used a 0mm offset 40T chainring on his Trek Top Fuel, when he just lost to Nino once
grease provide similar or make equal friction for each connection so torque will be use correctly for pretension of bolt. low friction=> torque convert to higher pretension of bolt (secure and correctly mounted) thread lock secure bolt to un tight
I always make sure my valves stems are at the bottom side of my wheel and still contantly have clogged stems. I did have better luck with after market valve stems on other wheel sets.
What makes a good frame? Versatility. If you can only afford one mountain bike it's nice to have a frame that can run 29 or 27.5 wheels, adjustable dropouts/chainstay length, a frame that can handle plus size tires. If you're doing long rides a good frame is one that has the most space for a frame bag etc.
Always leave my chain in the smallest sprocket. I would say, threadlock for tiny screws. Grease for lubrication and everything where you don’t want water getting in. Anti seize for anywhere where galvanic corrosion may occur, I don’t think it’s vital unless you leave your bb in for years.
We just bought a set of Crank Brothers Stamp 11 pedals, with titanium spindles. The instructions said to use anti-seize on the spindle thread. I assumed it was because of the titanium to alloy contact.
Yes it is much better to always shift into the smallest gear when not riding that way the derailleur springs are not under tension. Over time they will lack on return when downshifting. I make sure the valves are at 6pm position at least when not using a particular bike for few days.
Love the content. RE: anti seize in automotive and grease in bicycles. Surely this is due to torque and frequency? No one is spinning their cranks at 6,000RPM, nor is anyone outputting that sort of horsepower.
I ride 36t CRs on all 3 of my bikes. To me it fits perfect. On my carbon fully it could be a 38t but the bike allows only 36t. On a 36t CR you can use the 12 speed more efficiant, not spoken about a 38t...🤔
#AskGMBNTech Can I upgrade my wheelset by changing only my rims ? Are all rim brands compatible with one another, does asymmetry come into play in addition to wheel diameter and spokes holes ?
Good question! Technically, yes you can, if you take note of the number of holes making sure it matches to your hub. However, you will probably need to buy new spokes as each rim has a different rim depth and profile, and hence the spoke lengths probably won't be the same as your old rim. Asym rims just means that both side of spokes (drive and non-drive) are same length, and there isn't the "weird angle" for one side to accomodate the cassette, which means the tension will be more balanced (no need for 29lb one side and 32lb the other.) and truing in theory would be easier too as you don't have to compensate back and forth between spoke sides. But I don't find it any easier to true imo.
Hi Maël! @Sean has a great answer for you! From our side, you can upgrade rims. However, just ensure it has the correct amount of spoke holes and that it's the same wheel size as your previous rim. Like Sean said you may need new spokes due to the change in length needed. Hope this helps!
The smallest sprocket on the cassette is the highest gear, 12 in that case. You get the highest speed on that, you don't start on that. And I store the valve cores at 4 or 8 o'clock position. Having the valve at the bottom, the closest it is to the sealant and it has nowhere to drip to
My Orbea Laufey didn't come with pedals when I got it. When I ordered it. I ordered a pair of Crack Brothers Mallet E pedals. I could have ordered flat pedals. As I normally use clipless I went with them. If the bike had come with pedals. I would have still ordered the Mallet E pedals. Then possibly either binned them or looking in to recycling them. In the past. I have even asked my local bike shop to change something on the bike when I bought it.
Orbea and most l mid-higher end bikes dont ship pedals, as they know people buying these will get or have what they want. People buying more entry level are less likely to, so these and budget bike do have pedals
Dont use anti seize on a bike ANYWHERE but pedal threads. Period. The copper can cause a reaction with some alloys/materials and wont be carbon safe! Also, bikes dont have the potential high temps that anti seize could help with.
On the topic of peddles last year I got myself a Trek Remedy 9.8 from Well known retailer online. It arrived without peddles just wish they would have advertised it more clearly so I could have ordered peddles to fit when the bike arrived.
The 2019 Giant Talon that I bought came with what is essentially Giants knock off of a knockoff of Race face Chester pedals but instead of being rebuildable with threaded steel pens they are non-rebuildable with molded in plastic pins but they perform very well for a cheap nylon pedal. I did quickly swap them out for the Fooker brand Race face Chester knockoffs.
#askgmbntech with the Global Bike Festival coming up and international travel becoming opening up again, I’m weighing options when it comes to flying with my bike vs. renting one at my destination. Any tips on flying with a bike would be greatly appreciated. Would love to see a video showing how you prepare your bike and gear for international travel. Thanks in advance. Love the show!
I have the problem of my tubeless valves clogging about every 2nd ride. Surely I don’t need to remove and clean valves regularly. I am using the Muck-Off valve stems and valves.
Short answer, yes Long answer, no. Your chainline will be offset further which might mean that you lose shifting performance in the larger cogs. You technically can find chainrings that are "nonboost" and ditch the one that comes on your cranks.
Even in auto industry, about the only place u should use anti seize is wheel bolts and hub/wheel interface! Thou mechanics sometimes slap it everywhere they shouldn't and nowhere they should!
I think they should throw in some cheap pedals if you want them but a lot of are going to change them but really the bike should at least be given a quick spin before leaving the shop. I highly recommend Anti seize for things like freehubs especially for those of us riding in the snow, ice & salt. my cassette slides off in the spring that way!
The question about the pedals is a a very good question, if the bike brands don't ship that bike with pedals using the personal preference as a answer, why all bikes came with a almost "crappy" seat. It's no the same thing? But they still do it anyway, I think the answer is keep the cost down.
Regarding Doddy's example of Giant or Trek possibly offering better service with an issue, I'm not sure that's a guarantee and actually the smaller brands are better in that regard. I've heard of people banging their head against a rock trying to get warranty claims processed with big brands, but when I noticed an issue with my new Sonder frameset they had responded same day and offered a frame swap within 2 business days!
#AskGMBNTech This is a bit of a long one but wondered if you might be able to answer. So looking at getting a new Hardtail for a couple of femaie riders who are around the 160cm mark. I know that you are a big proponent of a 29'' but wanted to know what you thought about 27.5'' for sizes XS and size S frame, it would be possible to go for a 29'' bike in the same size (size S) but just thinking that with the larger wheel size its going to have a higher standover and also would be a larger bike to handle. Just wanted to get your view on whether the 27.5 is still a good size for smaller riders to get a responsive and fun bike. Maybe Anna can give a bit more insight since she is a smaller female rider. Thanks!!
#askGMBNtech. Great content as always Doddy and Anna. We (wife and I) got into MTB in 2019. We are buying Full Suspension bikes this year (for Bike Parks and bigger adventures) when looking at all mountain bikes (I.e. Vitus Escarpe) the Geo is very different to our hardtails (Vitus Sentier & Nucleus) Should the main geo I look for be the reach? The reach on the medium hardtail is the same as the reach on the small FS. Following on from Anna’s comments we are going 29er to be “faster” and “smash through stuff”. Can’t wait!!
Short answer, yes. Reach as a standalone will best determine your fittment when riding, but do consider other geo numbers such as seat tube height and standover. Some bikes like Nukeproof and GG have tall standovers that make it impossible for shorter riders to clear their inseams.
I go through more frames than I do drivetrain components. I have only broken one front derailleur of all my bikes, but broke two carbon frames in 31 years of mountain biking.
15:14 pedals ..... A few weeks ago I bought a new bike. I knew it wouldn't come with pedals so when I went to pick it up I asked them to put some new DMR V8-V2's pedals on, they said I could have them for free 🤜🤛🔥👍. A few days later I looked through the owners manual and other stuff. And I found a leaflet, saying the bike comes without pedals due to landfill but if needed contact them and they will send some free pedals ( I didn't bother ) The bike "specialized" The shop "jejames cycles"
#askGMBNtech #askgmbntech Hy, got a question regarding scratches on crank spindles. After removing the crank from the bike I accidently dropped it, now it got a little scratch on the preload side of the spindle. It‘s only a small one, not really deep. Is it a problem? Does it now mean, that dirt gets in and decrease the lifetime of my Dub Bb? Love the show now even more, great female addition, Anna‘s such a good fit. Keep it up
Too much variety of preferences in pedals, just the clipless/flats would mean that half the riders would be paying extra for a useless (to them) item if they were pre-specced
I wonder how much of it is/was to 'help out' the bike shop by requiring the buyer to pick up a set of pedals when they collect their new bike, and if you're getting pedals, what about some new shoes etc...? I've ordered two Nukeproofs from CRC, and a Polygon from BikesOnline and all three came with pedals in the box added by the store rather than the manufacturer. They aren't the best (although the pedals with the Polygon are aluminium flats with proper pins), but if you've just had a bike delivered to your house and you can't ride it without visiting a bike shop to buy some pedals you might be a little upset! It's also a good way to build up a collection of small pedal wrenches and cheap but functional multi-tools, I even got a Park Tools AWS-10 in the box with a kids Cannondale ordered from REI at the start of COVID shutdowns.
#ASKGMBNTECH -- I have some moderately banged-up SRAM NX Eagle cranks that I decided to give new life to by giving them a raw aluminum finish. I used a dremel to remove the paint, and some fine sandpaper to finish and polish them. I sealed them with a single coat of urethane to prevent corrosion. They came out pretty well and I posted the process on reddit, and someone commented that I may have compromised the cranks in the process by removing the shot-peening finish, which apparently adds structural support to the cranks. My question is, are SRAM NX cranks actually shot-peened? And if so, does removing that finish render them dangerous to ride? Thanks!
#askgmbntech Hi, I am relatively new to proper mountain biking and was wondering how often I should lube my chain. I ride my bike on the road 5 times a week, and on the local trails every weekend or 2. Thanks
#AskGMBNTech I've got on my XC bike an "FSA SL-K" handlebar which is a carbon bar with an alloy core in it or spoken an alloy bar wit a carbon coat over it. I've got a scratch on it from the brake lever. 2 things: first: When would you get on caution on a visible damage of a carbon handlebar? Second (Which is the more imprtant thing to me): Please could you make a video on how to mount and install a carbon handlebar on an MTB; saftety aspects, torque, damage (visible, more important non visible), pure carbon, with alloy core, carbon paste, ...
If the surface of your carbon bar is crushed or dented by a clamp or crash, then it is structually damaged. Otherwise, it would just be cosmetic. Torque values for carbon bars (and alu alike) is usually 5nm for stem plate bolts (apply carbon paste to the stem plate interface), 3.5-4nm for lever clamps, and 2mm for grip collars. The number 1 killer of carbon bars is people overtightening grip collars, so be careful there.
#askgmbntech Hi Anna & Doddy, I have put 2.6 tyres on my hardtail. There is a gap of 5mm between the tyre and the frame. The shop I bought the bike from said 2.4 max tyre width but lots of websites say 5mm clearance is good. What are your opinions?
#askGMBNtech how do we get the ergon saddles you guys ride? Love the big ERGON letters on the side of the saddle with the oil slick rails to match my holographic/ oil slick color theme. Lovin’ the show, greetings from Langley AFB in Virginia. Cheers!
Great & informative content as always! Can you give any suggestions for me? I have a full suspension bike with a head angle of 67deg. It feels kind of twitchy on the descents. Already changed the fork travel from 150 to 160mm and am planning to use a angled headset. Would 65deg head tube angle be too much of a change from the current 66.5? Would this make result in "floppy" handling? #askgmbntech
Doddy, if you talk to manufacturers, ask why a bike comes without pedals but with a saddle even if there is much more variety in saddles. Why don‘t they just ship bikes without a saddle and a mixed box of saddles to the bike shop?
#Askgmbntech I am looking to upgrade from a 2012 Scott spark 40 to a new Scott Genius 950 and would like to know how the 27.5 and 29er compatible system works. Thanks
#askgmbntech how about a how to service/rebuild a coil front fork? For anti seize it's also a hell of a lot more common because of rusting and you figure you don't clean your car as thoroughly. And depending where you live they can get blasted by road salt etc in the winter. And they're exposed to a lot more heat at times and like you guys mentioned higher torque spec.
Usually most coil forks have a simpler user guide and manual, as it only really contains the coil(s) and damper(s). A spanner wrench, some 6-8mm wrenches and some grease usually suffices.
I think bikes should come with a basic alloy flat pedal for what they cost. Grips are just as personal for most riders but manufacturers still put them on their bikes. I had my bike in the bike shopmwaitimg months for parts so I went and spent $11.5k on a new bike only to not have any pedals to use with it. I was going to buy some other pedals anyway but it's crazy I can spend that much money on a bike I can't ride from the dealer.
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy and Anna! I’m after a set of wheels to shed some weight off my 2021 Orbea Oiz H30. I’ve seen the HUNT RACE XC WIDE MTB WHEELSET which seem a great set of wheels for the price (and 1517g), but as a 6’2” 100ish KG rider, are they going to be strong enough for me (95% XC riding / 5% trails)?? Thanks and loving the shows
