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TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
12/4/2024 3:10pm That's very true, the ride of the bike overall is really the key thing, and it would be a mistake to get crappy bike just because it has a top notch motor on it. Having said that, I am very much looking forward to when we have "Full Power" bikes at "SL" bike weight, and the DJI motor/battery (and also...
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TheKaiser Added a reply to Fox 38 Rhythm - Is it possible to upgrade damper and change travel?
12/3/2024 3:24pm Yeah, that does sound pretty pretty pretty gooood! I've thought about doing the same thing, either getting a closeout basic fork or a cheap used one, and just using the chassis to experiment with different internals. I go back and forth on it, as, on the one hand, Fox has a huge R&D budget, and exposure to all the pro...
LarryDavid Liked a reply to forum topic Fox 38 Rhythm - Is it possible to upgrade damper and change travel?
12/3/2024 3:10pm
Indeed, looks like the CSU of the Rhythm might be closer to the Marzochi, in this case I guess the Super Z. Anyway, they have different CSUs, but that might be related to the travel difference (190 the Z and 180 the 38). I also see they use different internals. I got this fork with the idea of tuning it and testing new parts, so aftermarket dampers is definetely on the list. I was initially considering a Fast SC4 or 5 damper. Other option was a Vorsprung coil conversion, which sounds Pretty pretty gooood.
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TheKaiser Added a reply to Fox 38 Rhythm - Is it possible to upgrade damper and change travel?
12/3/2024 1:50pm I don't have the level of knowledge you want on that fork, but from what I recall the Rhythm forks are very similar in construction to the current (Fox owned) Marzocchi branded forks. I know the Zokes use 6000 series aluminum upper tubes, vs. the 7000 on the high end Fox forks, and thus have a higher wall thickness to...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
12/3/2024 1:37pm Wow, I thought we might finally be seeing some intel on 3rd party DJI equipped bikes, but it seems the trail has gone cold again. I guess that lame new Bosch CX motor and high density batteries will have to suffice for another year(s). 😉
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
12/2/2024 3:46pm What incompatible fluids did you see causing trouble in Shimanos? Was it the popular aftermarket hack/upgrade oils (like Redline Likewater), other mineral oil brake oils (like Magura Blood), or weird random stuff (like baby oil)?
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
12/2/2024 3:39pm I've been hearing talk about the risks of re-setting the pistons while the system is closed. The risks to the bladder are very intuitive for me, but I am having trouble understanding how it is a risk to the main seal in the master cylinder. You wrote " If you reset the pads and don’t crack the bleed port you...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
11/25/2024 4:39pm Is that a fantasy pairing you came up with (admittedly, and pretty sweet sounding one) or did you hear word that Forbidden may start using DJI motors? I've been waiting to see when the first announcements of DJI partnerships with other bike companies will start dropping, but so far I haven't heard anything. However, I know these development cycles are...
CascadeComponents Liked a reply to forum topic Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
11/23/2024 8:52pm
With the assumption that brakes have to be bled often, which is the case for 90% of MTB brakes, the cons of mineral oil go away. That said, I've found mineral oils break down with heat much more readily. This is obviously tied to more extreme use cases like bike park of course. The other issue is actually moisture related. If you do get water in your brake lines somehow, DOT absorbs it and the boiling point drops a little. Meanwhile mineral oil does not absorb it and, with water being denser, it settles in the caliper and the boiling...
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CascadeComponents Liked a reply to forum topic Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
11/23/2024 8:50pm
DOT can be left unattended for longer. I think it would be cool to have brakes that are as reliable and low maintenance as car brakes and that would require DOT. In regards to heat, ceramic and phenolic pistons are superior. Stainless with an insert is decent too if the insert material insulates well. Straight metal pistons have a noticeable negative impact on brake fluid temp even on trails that aren’t too crazy. Stainless pistons result in the brake fluid getting 10% hotter pretty much instantly.
This forum topic has 2980 replies.
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
11/22/2024 11:53am I see what you mean if we are actually comparing brake maintenance requirements of a DOT car vs. a mineral oil bike but that is an apples and oranges comparison because... The car is an open system, and the air space at the top of the reservoir can self adjust to accommodate for fluid volume growth due to moisture absorption...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
11/22/2024 8:28am I've heard of people doing exact that, and carrying an extra battery for long backcountry days in the alps, so not cockamamie at all as far as I can tell. It seems like a very viable alternative option to systems with range extenders. The main obstacle to more people doing that (other than the cost of the extra battery) is...
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
11/21/2024 7:43pm Yeah, I am inclined to agree with you regarding the heavier pull, and I don't understand why people don't seem to recognize that most levers have a return spring and these return springs vary wildly in the force they generate. I personally like a very light feeling free stroke, both for feel, and for fatigue reasons, and have thought about...
TheKaiser Added a reply to MTB Frame Compliance Analysis & Discussion
11/16/2024 3:23pm There was a bike with sliders that came up recently, but also the 1st gen Intense M1, which had a strut rather than linkage activated single pivot design, used sliders. Having said that, the M1 suddenly became a lot more successful in racing when they switched to the 2nd gen without sliders, although there are other variables involved.
TheKaiser Added a reply to MTB Frame Compliance Analysis & Discussion
11/14/2024 10:00am Henry at PB, and many others, including very good friends of mine who are bike mechanics/wheelbuilders, all seem to think that increasing spoke tension will increase the stiffness of a wheel, and vice versa. They all rely on some sort of "feel" related justification, and post hoc rationalization of why they think the tension is leading to what they think...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
11/11/2024 11:18am No worries. Yeah, 56.2lbs is is a bit on the heavier side, although certainly not unheard of for a full power e-bike. I spent a week on a Turbo Levo Comp Carbon, with the big battery, and didn't find it to be too sluggish feeling at 51lbs, although I also haven't ridden one of those Pivots for comparison. Apparently those...
TheKaiser Added a reply to e*thirteen's Sidekick Hub: Impressions & Discussion
11/10/2024 12:04am I've been wondering if the new Bosch CX motor does exactly what you asked for, in terms of building in free movement of the chainring, although I haven't seen any of the reviewers directly address this. All they're saying is that the new motor "decouples" the inner gears from the outer gears, so that you don't get the dreaded clutch...
TheKaiser Added a reply to The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread
11/9/2024 11:21pm Yes, that exact retaliatory effect is famously the source of the so-called "Chicken Tax" that we still impose on foreign light trucks imported into the USA, which was in retaliation for the European tariffs that were imposed on the inexpensive American chicken that was flooding European grocery stores in the boom time after WW2.
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
11/9/2024 10:28pm But can you tell us what does the bike actually weigh in it's current form, bro? That will help everyone to determine how much of the sluggish feel is actually due to the poundage, and how much is more due to the subjective traits of the parts and suspension tune.
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
11/4/2024 9:39am Out of curiosity, how much does your Levo actually weigh in it's current form?
