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TheKaiser Added a reply to Coil Shock Shootout
3/23/2025 1:51pm Wow, that is a clever workaround! I knew Steve was a smart guy when it came to suspension engineering, but it sounds like he has a sharp business mind as well.👍
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TheKaiser Added a comment about video Tested - $360 Wheeltop Electronic Derailleur System OX1.0
3/23/2025 1:19pm
Wow, I hadn't heard about that. On the one hand, I can see them each having complimentary product lines but, on the other hand, it's a weird pairing. It seems odd to have a super value oriented Chinese brand that sells primarily through Aliexpress, and aims to undercut the big guys, owning a boutique Euro innovator like Rotor.
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TheKaiser Added a comment about feature New #1 Virginia Tech Rated Helmet: POC Cularis
3/23/2025 1:38am
Back in the day, when various companies were competing to have the lightest road cycling helmet, I remember hearing anecdotes about designers making the helmet specifically to pass the CPSC test, rather than focusing on the safety of the rider. The CPSC test protocol and impact points were well known, so a helmet designer could beef up the foam thickness in the spots that were going to be impacted in the test, and then reduce the material thickness or density in the rest of the helmet, and/or cut away the overall coverage of the helmet around the sides of the...
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This feature has 8 comments.
TheKaiser Added a reply to The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread
3/16/2025 9:02pm Hey, leave Lumbergh and the the Chotchkies guy alone, they've suffered enough!
TheKaiser Added a reply to Coil Shock Shootout
3/15/2025 5:02pm Am I understanding what you are saying about that image correctly, that the silver "steel looking", maybe 1-2mm washer (or plate as it seems to be called), at the bottom of damper shaft, originally resided ABOVE the orange bottom out bumper, but due to harsh bottom out events, somehow the bumper jumped over it and they reversed their positions? If...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Madeira accommodation
3/11/2025 12:34pm Man, I am envious of you guys, as this place has been on my bucket list for a while! Just for my own future reference, is there an optimal time of year to visit, for either temperature or avoiding rain, or do they have pretty steady weather all year like Hawaii?
TheKaiser Added a reply to Upper body protection for Enduro/all mountain
3/11/2025 11:33am Yeah, it is weird how full length back protection has really disappeared from the market. Dainese used to be the best at it, with their articulating plates and kidney belt to secure it all, but there were several other companies that sort of copied their design for a while (like the 661 Pressure Suit). The Dainese website sucks so much...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
3/5/2025 2:22pm Wow, that is mysterious! I look forward to hearing what the culprit was when you finally figure it out. It certainly sounds like you're doing a good and thorough job with the troubleshooting.👍
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
3/5/2025 1:21pm From your description, it was unclear if the lever throw grows simply when the bike sits for a while, or if it is only through hours of use that it grows. If it is directly related to hours of use, is it possible that you have sticky caliper pistons which aren't advancing through the seals to compensate for pad wear...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
2/22/2025 4:41pm You've probably already seen them, but there are a lot of very inexpensive vacuum bleeders available for automotive work that might be good for any experimentation you wanted to do with mechanizing this a bit more. They don't all have gauges but here is one with a gauge for under $30: https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-63391.h… I'd used one without a gauge many years...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
2/15/2025 4:44pm Hopefully you've all been being careful when performing maintenance on your brakes, but a couple new studies just dropped reinforcing that inhaling brake dust is bad, mmmkay. No types of dust were good for you, but interestingly one study showed that metallics were less damaging than organics when exposing lung tissue to dust. Either way, I'd encourage everyone to clean...
TheKaiser Added a reply to MTB Frame Compliance Analysis & Discussion
1/28/2025 12:16am From my observations, it seems swapping to a different resin, or even just using more or less hardener in a resin mix, can make a huge difference in the overall feel of a structure. I have run into this when trying various carbon fiber shell saddles (with no cover or padding) where a bit of flex is really critical to...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
1/27/2025 11:52pm I had seen another article on the Porsche project, and did some digging on euro websites, and the impression I got is that Fazua will remain as the mid-power offering, whereas the Porsche motor will be a no-holds-barred full power model. In addition, the info I saw suggested that Fazua motors would continue to be sold to any brand who...
CascadeComponents Liked a reply to forum topic Bypass tubes on mountain bike shocks or forks? (Trophy truck tech)
1/27/2025 11:22pm
Was sitting here thinking about bypass shocks and it occurred to me that there is one fundamental difference between external bypasses that essentially have a check valve and internal bypasses where holes or grooves are used to bypass fluid. With the spring backed check valve design on external bypasses, it takes some amount of minimum pressure for the valve to open so at low speeds 100% of fluid flow would still be through the piston. With holes or grooves there is always a component of fluid flow that bypasses the piston regardless of shock speed.
This forum topic has 49 replies.
TheKaiser Added a reply to Bypass tubes on mountain bike shocks or forks? (Trophy truck tech)
1/25/2025 3:29pm Just to add to the list of historic shocks/forks that used similar tech (similar being position sensitive, although not necessarily with external bypass tubes), I think the Mr. Dirt inverted forks from around the year 2000 used what he called a "Triple Bypass" and later "Quadruple Bypass" system. From what I understand, it was a series of holes, similar to...
TheKaiser Added a comment about press release Kogel Debuts First-Ever Corrosion Resistant Bearings w/ Multi-Condition Seals
1/25/2025 1:46pm
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about this sounding a lot like the XD-15s, which I keep hearing have incredible durability, even on things like all weather commuters exposed to winter road salt. When I saw this headline, I'd thought hopefully "maybe someone else is coming out a with a lower priced version of XD-15" but it turns out the opposite is the case.
This press release has 5 comments.
TheKaiser Added a comment about bike check 1994 Sonoma Crosstrac
1/25/2025 1:22pm
I remember drooling over these bikes back in the day, while reading MBA. It's very cool to see one still in such good shape. Are you or your daughter actually planning to ride the bikes regularly, or are these going to be showroom pieces for both of you?
This bike check has 8 comments.
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
1/10/2025 2:20pm As Primoz just said, clearly its being sideloaded. In addition to that, it might have to do with the surface finish on the inside of the master cylinder body. In the huge volume of discussion of the Shimano wandering bite point phenomenon, I saw it pointed out that Shimano master cylinder bodies are bare aluminum, while the claim was made...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
1/2/2025 3:49pm Yeah man, I don't know what I was thinking! I have seen brakes that have little signs of fluid weeping from the vent hole in the membrane cover, and I had thought some manufacturers might have been incorporating a sort of pressure relief hole into the rubber membrane. On further consideration, I guess they all probably just had membrane failures...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
12/30/2024 6:47pm I have no experience with the Radic brakes, but just wanted to chime in to say that, for all brake manufacturers, it would be a boon for both the consumer and the seller if they could: A: Deliver or suggest a bleed kit that will seal reliably under vacuum, and B: Design their brake so that the reservoir bladder/membrane (and...