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To keep things on and off topic at the same time. NSB finally released their new “Talon” crankset that we’ve been seeing around for the last year or so. 155-170mm lengths, because 175mm is too damn long! No holes, innovative manufacturing or other weird features, just look like a durable set of locally made cranks with some bling factor. https://northshorebillet.ca/collections/drivetrain-components/products/…

someone start a crank length forum topic and i'll homepage it. always good for future derailments : )

I have Hope 155mm cranks on my DH bike and love them. Like Brash wrote, feels more like a moto bike with feet not so staggered. For DH and ebike, I don't see a reason not to use 155mm.

Give me 69mm cranks, or give me death.

Crank length rumors and innovations

Went for a set of Canfield 155s on my Trance X. It sits considerably lower than the SB6 it replaced, and I was banging pedals and near broke a toe on the stock 170s. Liked it so much I ordered another set for the hardtail and dropped my road bike to 165s. I tend to be a spinner, spinner, chicken dinner pedaler from years of riding track bikes. The clearance was immediate of course, but what I didn't anticipate was feeling more stable in the air. I found the centered stance easier to control and load the pedals facing off...

Forgot to post this photo of the new caliper as well. Potentially a six pot caliper.

Interesting idea to try out lots of crank lengths. Crank strike potential only a bit worse than normal 175 arms. Idea is to rent them to figure out what you like. https://www.applemanbicycles.com/shop/2xr-fit-crankset-rental/

While I don't have much experience with NX or SX (or even GX for that matter), comparing the X01 shifter to an XT shifter is a day and night difference. To me the ergonomics of a Shimano shifter can't get close to what Sram has in this comparison. It's jarring how different the XT shifter feels and shifts. The cage lock feature is also something I miss every time when I need to take the rear wheel off a shimano equipped bike. But yeah, shifting performance & Co wise, you can't beat Shimano at the low end.

Seen at the bike festival in riva del garda: nicolai nucleon 16 with classic derailleur, sadly with hadset cable routing...but given the huge customization possibilities of nicolai may an external or internal cable routing will be possible

Maybe not the top end, but SX/NX Eagle really aren't remotely competitive with even Deore, much less SLX. As far as I know people generally only go for those if they don't have a HG+ hub body or if they prefer the Sram 'feel'. GX could at least use a refresh; I haven't heard of anything particularly 'wrong' with it but it's also been essentially the same for over five years.

I am pretty sure we aren’t far off the AXS stuff actually being cheaper to manufacture than the legacy stuff. I am sure the shifter is already without needing any of the small mechanical parts. It’s not a complicated system and the components wouldn’t be expensive if the trickle down goes right.

Personally don’t think SRAM’s current cable actuated group sets really need an update. Would much rather have them invest in reducing prices for it than a 1 percent increase in shift quality.

I don't think sram will be able to ignore the mass market, most of the money is made there. But I don't see all of the features of transmission trickle down to nx or sx. I don't think the bike manufacturers are willing to change all their bikes to UDH and therefore 12mm through axel. If you compare what shimano did with linkglide, offering really good shift performance and durability at the cost of weight. I think sram can still improve their lower priced groupsets alot without going "full transmission", by offering cable operated shifting, only with improvements in chain...

I wish it would, but it looks unlikely. The frame is a normal bike without an engine, but there is a big sticker, that says UN3481, with is a shipping regulation for dangerous goods. So this build will end up with at least one Li-Ion Battery on it. Maybe it's just a reverb axs dropper post, but my guess is GX Transmission AXS. The whole direct mount standard, without limit screws etc. is build around the wireless derailleur. Therefore I don't see a cable accurated version coming any time soon.

So XO's without the holes and a matte silver color, probably 600 - 650g's with ring. Main issue with GX is the length coming in at 170 or 175. Wonder if they were smart enough to offer shorter sizes? Probably not anything shorter than 165.

I really hope a cable actuated GX gets made.

New GX cranks on Ben Cathros story - being built up onto Santa Cruz’s going for sale, meaning we can’t be far off the GX launch

re: course gates/pads - i wondered about them being used for ad space too but have been told they'll remain as we see them now for the season (just UCI branding). i'm all for avoiding single-use plastic when possible, but the notion that the marking changes is an environmentally friendly achievement makes me laugh. all of these big, new pads have to be stored, shipped, brought up the mountain, taken down the mountain etc. wouldn't a few rolls of tape in backpacks at each race have a smaller overall impact in the long run? as long as the markers are...