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Anyone want to take a shot at explaining the lack of a clutch on the new shimano stuff?

Perhaps they hope the half-link design can improve strength. The last two chains I’ve broken have been on the inner link. I have a hunch these breaks are because electric derailleurs push harder than thumbs (I never broke a chain in this way with mechanical shifting). I imagine e-bikes are even more abusive than my puny wattage, e-bikes with electronic shifting might be a destructive combo.

What do you expect us to do? Lube our $100 chain like some sort of poor person?

I annoyingly just thought of a better meme:

https://escapecollective.com/is-sram-quietly-reinventing-the-chain/

Crestline went DJI. Wasn't on my 2025 E-bike Bingo card That's a full power, 800wh battery bike. Jeebus!

Awesome to see Gracey get her first win, well deserved. Good couple weeks for Canadians and the Squamish kids. Jackson today, Elly Hoskin with the EDR W and Ella MacPhee winning the U23 XCO last week - all went to the same high school.

This is funny it doesn’t deserve downvotes

Everyone knows the only way to get your bars and levers juuuust right is to adjust them with a rusty multi-tool in the trailhead parking lot while your buddies are waiting on you to start the ride. The more exasperated your friends are, the more precise the alignment.

Can I patent the ole one eye squint? For real tho, equalizing the gap on each side between the sanctions and bars is way easier than aligning the stem with the tire.

Looks like the more prominent shape/indent is a second cap bolt but just to the right of it is the logo:

so no one is too scarred from #deleteGate, here are pit bits photos from loudenvielle today. they even include some shimano brakes with what appears to be a prototype aero mesh. https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/pit-bits-2025-world-cup-downhill-loud…

This is a very elegant solution and makes perfect sense in the economics of product development.

Somebody asked about fork dampers on Vorsprung's IG last week, and they said "sure", or words to that effect. I emailed Vorsprung asking if they could make a 38 damper, and they replied that Steve has designs started, there is no guaranteed timeline, but that they can likely make one that's cost competitive vs the GRIP X2 and Charger 3.1 dampers. When I regained consciousness, I posted about it here.

This is pretty amazing news, where did you hear this from?

The new Grip X2 damper is already superb. I’m curious how they could improve on it. Maybe bring the shock retune tech from the Telum over to a drop in fork cartridge?

I put Oak levers on my Maven's last week and rode them over the weekend. I originally planned to buy the Freedom Coast levers because one of the owners there/at Better Bolts has always been overly nice to me, but I got these for a good price at my job so I can't tell you the differences between the brands. I ride gloveless as often as possible so I bought the Oak's mainly because of the dimples on the lever only to quickly feel like they're almost a little too abrasive for my bare fingers. It was cold out so...

Vorsprung are working on a 38/Zeb damper!

Thanks everyone. Looks like Freaky Nuts doesn't do Ohlins so that doesn't work for me but still looks like a great solution. An A.170 with a DC fork is very nice.