john_likes_bikes

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Forum replies: 325

Comments: 21

Lives in:

los angeles, CA, USA

Member Since:

6/26/2023

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john_likes_bikes Added a reply to 2027 RockShox ZEB Fork: Tech Info, Impressions & Discussion

4/17/2026 10:12am

I'll just copy and past what Fluid Focus briefly said to me about it: "Our test fork arrived yesterday and we've been testing out the 3.2 damper. The damper itself is basically the same as the 3.1(with a few good changes), but our 3.1 piston fits perfectly. The fork chassis itself seems really good."

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to Sea Otter Classic - 2026

4/16/2026 2:52pm

What is Bosch, like, some Avinox wanna be?

PhoS Liked a reply to forum topic Tire chat (nerds only)

4/16/2026 12:34pm

Got the new tires. These things feel burly af. The gravity pro casing is noticeably more firm in hand than the regular radial gravity casing. The new TC pattern looks great too. Looking forward to shredding these.

This forum topic has 2030 replies.

schwalbai Liked a reply to forum topic Tire chat (nerds only)

4/15/2026 11:34am

Haven't ridden the updated Gravity Pro yet, so i couldn't tell you from personal experience. I'm a 200lb enduro rider, and i generally find the Trail Pro to be sufficient. From a technical standpoint; The previous Gravity Pro was a 4 layers of 67epi carcass under the tread, and 4 on the sidewall. Snakeskin on sidewall only, and apex supportive layer up the sidewall. The updated Gravity Pro (where PRO is in blue) is now 6 layers under the tread, and 4 on the sidewall. Snakeskin is the same, and maybe Apex to? I can't find documentation about it, but...

This forum topic has 2030 replies.

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to Tire chat (nerds only)

4/15/2026 10:23am

@schwalbai How noticble is the change to the Gravity casing with all other things being equal? Same tread, compound, etc OLD vs NEW? Are we having to change PSI? thanks

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

4/15/2026 9:33am

Across the multiple forums I follow I haven't heard one peep of issues with the sidekick nor have I had any myself after a years use. I echo the same e13 concerns you have but the sidekick has been flawless. Could be they over built it to avoid repeating history and then realized where they could save weight on V2...

MockHick Liked a bike check Terra Aria Singlespeed Park Bike

4/15/2026 6:30am

Terra Aria Custom site.jpeg?VersionId=KS5z7UaSPH6Mu5O

This bike check has 1 comment.

hamncheez2003 Liked a reply to forum topic E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment

4/14/2026 6:51am

You're missing the point. For a two pound penalty you can have double the range. You can set your avinox to a low eco mode and have the same gentle assistance. The first time you try and go on a ride with your full power ebike friends on your TQ you'll understand that it just makes so much more sense to have a bike that can do both

This forum topic has 1765 replies.

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to Tire chat (nerds only)

4/13/2026 11:00am

I appreciate your responses. TC Gravity soft already on order for the rear to pair with the MM up front... been waiting for that! Has the Gravity casing been updated for all treads or only the new TC and Romy? I read through the link and it's not totally clear to me what has been updated... it's more stable and...

schwalbai Liked a reply to forum topic Tire chat (nerds only)

4/13/2026 10:49am

Specifically for cornering: Mary is best for un-predicable and natural terrain. Mainly due to the long, narrow, and out-ward twisted shoulders. Albert is better for hardpack. Wide and stable shoulder blocks that are tightly packed. Tacky Chan is best for fast and aggressive cornering. Similar shoulder blocks to Albert, but more openly spaced and supported further down the sidewall. Romy is like a combination of a Mary and Albert side knob. Every third block is a square edged rectangular siped knob similar to a Mary. The other shoulders knobs are more similar to a Albert: Square and heavily supported.

This forum topic has 2030 replies.

schwalbai Liked a reply to forum topic Tire chat (nerds only)

4/13/2026 10:45am

Tacky Chan gets radial offerings, updated Ultra Soft compound, and a revised tread pattern (on just the radial variants). This revised tread pattern makes it a lot more friendly during corner transitions. Check it out. The Tacky Chan is also replacing the Big Betty. The ROMY replaces the hans dampf. Trail / All-mountain tire. It's our fastest rolling radial tire, and has a wide range of appeal. Comes in a Trail 29x2.4" wide version, great for riders who have tight rear tire clearance. It's my favorite right now.

This forum topic has 2030 replies.

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to Tire chat (nerds only)

4/13/2026 6:50am

Maybe more importantly, Tacky Chan! Talk to me about the Romy, where does that fit into the lineup? Thanks

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment

4/12/2026 8:14am

+1 for that. Nice that you can add almost any available shock as OE.

Jason_Schroeder Liked a reply to forum topic 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

4/9/2026 3:58pm

The remaining RockShox forks and shocks are finally officially live: Zeb - https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2027-rockshox-zeb-fork-tech-info-im… Lyrik and Super Deluxe - https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/first-look-my27-rockshox-lyrik-fork-a… Vivid - https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/rear-shocks/rockshox/vivid-ultim… There is a lot of trickle down tech that was first released with Boxxer and Vivid Coil. My time has been most spent on the new Zeb, and it's been really really impressive. So much grip, really light off the top and easy on the hands, new ABO adjustment is really useful and impactful, and the fork has felt the same day in and day out. It's definitely linear, so has a different feel. More muted and calm...

This forum topic has 6905 replies.

john_likes_bikes Added a reply to 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

4/4/2026 6:53am

I can't remember the last SRAM stuff to be released that wasn't first tested and seen in public before release. It could be OChain related bc any changes there aren't so obvious but otherwise when have there been big "SURPRISE" releases?

TheSuspensionLabNZ Liked a reply to forum topic 2026 MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation - Longer and Slacker

4/1/2026 5:05pm

I feel like a lot of April fools jokes are like satire sites writing about the current regime in the US....you can make up something completely unhinged and at this point I'm like yeah....I'd believe that.....keep scrolling.... I think iFixit did a good job this year when they said Apple was recalling Macbook Neo's because they made it "Too repairable"....You could do the same to a lot of bike parts companies!

This forum topic has 6905 replies.