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TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
5/3/2025 10:43am Shimano may well have changed their production around, but its also good to keep in mind that there are a lot of counterfeit Shimano and Sram rotors floating around on the interwebs. I've only seen them using all steel construction though, so not sure if there are knockoff alu-spidered freeza rotors out there. I'm actually using some of the counterfeit...
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grinch Liked a reply to forum topic E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
5/3/2025 10:25am
Youve ridden an ebike for 2 yrs and still dont know that no matter how many watts and nm's there are the cut off is still 20mph/32kph on any class 1 emtb? That being said i suspect we've reached the limit. The extra nm and watts will enable you to climb a bit faster or climb more technical trail but i think we're at the end of the traction/power ratio. What the exact number is i'll reserve judgement until i try it. Im still on a 70nm e8000 and having fun and that allows me to see that an 85nm/600w...
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rupert@rupertbarker.com Liked a comment about Press Release 100Nm Torque, 750W Power - Bosch Line CX Upgradeable in July, Plus New CX-R Motor and More
5/1/2025 4:19pm
I like the display, but we all knew there would be one eventually to fill the spacer hole everyone has designed into their frames, not that bothered by the power numbers, rarely ride in Turbo. But I guess those numbers sell bikes, but perhaps not until the summer? Strange choice to give the consumer another reason to hold off on a new bike purchase when so many manufacturers are reporting slow sales!
This press release has 7 comments.
TheKaiser Added a reply to Nerding out on Brakes shall we? Not another tech deraliment
5/1/2025 3:53pm That is a good question, and I am curious to see what answers you get, as I have the same brakes on a bike (albeit one that isn't seeing any really challenging conditions). My understanding is all the Shimano brakes from those Deore up to XT and the non-xc XTR have the same piston sizes, so the hydraulic power should...
TheKaiser Added a reply to The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread
4/23/2025 9:32pm I had recently seen an article about companies using that excess space at the port that you mentioned to set up sort of tariff free waiting stations, where you can basically rent a spot to park your container before it goes through customs, in hopes of the tariffs being reduced significantly in the near future. The downside is obviously that...
TheKaiser Added a reply to The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread
4/23/2025 9:24pm Don't forget the NOS systems. On the subject of the Ari theft, I saw an article on BikeRumor that offered more detail than the other articles I'd seen. I'd assumed the trucker stopped for lunch and someone snatched the trailer, or emptied it out, but it was actually a more sophisticated operation where the thieves impersonated a real trucking company...
TheKaiser Added a comment about feature Sea Otter Classic Day 2 Part 2
4/13/2025 12:38pm
Third vote for this format rather than the slideshow! These are actually the only Sea Otter galleries I've looked at on Vital, as the others are just too cumbersome.
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This feature has 5 comments.
jeff.brines Liked a comment about product review 720 Watts, 111 Nm - Specialized’s Levo 4 Delivers New Levels o
4/13/2025 12:23pm
I get the pushback but I promise every single person who frequents vital has hit 28mph on a public trail at some point. In fact, most hit something north of 20 everytime they ride. I know, we are moving the "n" higher here which will increase the likelihood of a problem, but we're also being really really arbitrary about all of this. 20MPH is fast. 28MPH is also fast. Specialized knows what will sell, and having a bike that lets you go faster than your buddies, and honestly have more fun, will in fact sell. No dog in this fight...
This product review has 20 comments.
TheKaiser Added a comment about product review Turbo Levo
4/13/2025 12:21pm
I think you are correct on the 25kph/15.5mph limit but it was recently explained to me that there is more to that 250 watts figure than meets the eye. I was puzzled how Bosch, a German company, is offering 600 watts on their top models, and it was explained to me that the motors have to be able to produce 250 watts for a set period of time, without overheating, at which point they get a "nominal" 250 watt rating. That does not mean they can't produce more than 250 watts. It's weird, but that is how it was explained...
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This product review has 1 comment.
TheSuspensionLabNZ Liked a comment about Feature First Ride: The All-New 2026 FOX 36
4/3/2025 4:00pm
Unlikely to work sorry - the stanchion needs to go all the way through the bushing, or else there is play or it digs in. and it would only be like that when the fork is set to its max travel. Rockshox had this problem with their 35mm sid forks - the clearance was fine but the lower bushing wasn't fully engaged and they had massive amounts of slop. And yeah there is definitely an optimal surface area, depending on the clearance of the parts, viscosity of the oil and the kinds of load/speeds being used. Sliding friction has a...
This feature has 8 comments.
TheKaiser Added a comment about feature First Ride: The All-New 2026 FOX 36
3/31/2025 4:45pm
Given that upper legs often have a slight taper over a few millimeters at the bottom, rather than a 90 degree edge, I've wondered if it would be possible to have bushings that extend beyond the bottom of the legs at full extension. That way, at sag, or deeper in the travel, you'd have greater bushing overlap than could be otherwise achieved if your limitation was the upper leg position at full extension. I assume the reason for not doing that is probably extra wear as the bottom edge of the upper rides over the bushing but it seems like...
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This feature has 8 comments.
bman33 Liked a comment about Feature SRAM Mechanical Transmission Overview: Eagle 90 and Eagle 70
3/31/2025 3:48pm
So it was your fault and not Shimano's? Got it
This feature has 10 comments.
TheKaiser Added a comment about press release FAZUA Extends Its Product Range with New MODE CONTROL and Two Batteries
3/31/2025 3:35pm
"An alternative to the tried-and-tested poorly FAZUA RING CONTROL" Fixed the missing word for ya!
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This press release has 4 comments.
TheKaiser Added a reply to The Bikeconomics (Mega)Thread
3/24/2025 2:39pm "If I had to give one piece of advice to almost any business, it's this: reduce the number of choices you offer your customers . I've mentioned this elsewhere in the thread, but the more small business financials I look at, the more this rings true—objectively so." Amen, brother. Preach. For years, I've thought that exact same thing about the...
TheKaiser Added a reply to E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment
3/24/2025 1:50pm I'd had the same thoughts as you expressed in your first paragraph. It's similar to the companies out there who have tried offering one front triangle, with different linkage and shock kits to change the travel from trail up to enduro setups, which I always thought was really cool from a biz inventory perspective, even if the consumer is probably...
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.👍
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...