Ask the experts

[robnow]

Any recommendations for a fast rolling commuter tire for a 29er with 25mm internal rim width? Could we get away with 29x1.5"?

[El Chupacabra]

Any recommendations for a fast rolling commuter tire for a 29er with 25mm internal rim width? Could we get away with 29x1.5"?

I use the Continental Tour Ride for a commuter tire on a hybrid - 19mm internal rim, so using a 700x32. They make it in wider sizes, up to 700x47, which might be a good choice for you:

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ride-tour-700c

It's inexpensive and wears well. Not the fastest, grippiest, etc, but durable and I have had good luck with flats (lack of).

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Anyone have experience with sram Apex hydro road/gravel brakes? My new bike is from a UK brand and the brakes are setup moto. Think I could swap the end of the hoses from lever to lever in such a way that I won't need to bleed the brakes again? I don't have any other sram brakes right now so I would have to borrow a bleed kit from someone in big sky.

[simple]

Done carefully it is possible. Same as when trimming hoses, you don't have to bleed it you do it correctly.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Done carefully it is possible. Same as when trimming hoses, you don't have to bleed it you do it correctly.

Sweet. I guess I can try it out and see what happens. I know on some loose shit I am gonna forget and grab a bunch of front brake and go down.

[El Chupacabra]

Does the trick of pulling the pads and extending the pistons before removing the hoses from the levers work on SRAM like on Shimano?

[Dantheman]

I use the Continental Tour Ride for a commuter tire on a hybrid - 19mm internal rim, so using a 700x32. They make it in wider sizes, up to 700x47, which might be a good choice for you:

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ride-tour-700c

It's inexpensive and wears well. Not the fastest, grippiest, etc, but durable and I have had good luck with flats (lack of).

I'm running that exact setup on my commuter with identical results. Rolls pretty fast with the continuous center tread. No flats in 1,000ish miles so far and goatheads are ubiquitous here. Look like they'll go for quite a bit longer before I even need to rotate them, so the set should be good for 3,000-4,000 miles easily. 32 on a 19 mm internal rim is just wide enough, so the 42 would probably work on a 25 mm rim but it might be better to go 47 just to be safe. The weight penalty going from 42->47 is only 75 g per tire.

edit: Mine are the RideTour, not the TourRide. Not sure what the difference is, they look exactly the same.

[simple]

Does the trick of pulling the pads and extending the pistons before removing the hoses from the levers work on SRAM like on Shimano?

I've never used that trick. Would hate to have a piston fall out. I would rather bleed than do that trick.

[Self Jupiter]

Best eyewear for MTB that would fit a large head/face and hopefully not fog or break the bank? Anyone see any deals out there?

[grskier]

Best eyewear for MTB that would fit a large head/face and hopefully not fog or break the bank? Anyone see any deals out there?

Pit Viper, brah.

[toast2266]

Does the trick of pulling the pads and extending the pistons before removing the hoses from the levers work on SRAM like on Shimano?

Dealing with that seems a lot harder than just doing a quick bleed.

[El Chupacabra]

But he said he didn't have a bleed kit.

I've done it on several sets of Shimano brakes, no problem.

[Boissal]

This probably has been discussed uphtread but a quick search didn't reveal anything so here it goes.
My drivetrain is in need of a refresh with a worn cassette and pretty banged up rear derailleur (both Eagle GX). I'm not a big fan of the SRAM shifters and I really miss the pull-to-downshift option of the Shimano version so I'm thinking of swapping to an XT trannny. Well, mostly, I'm not touching my cranks or Garbaruk oval ring (gold color I'll have you know) so I only need rear der, cassette, shifter, and chain which should total about $300 (already have a new wheel with microspline hub).

I have XT brake levers and when I replaced my dropper remote last year I got a headache just trying to figure out compatibility between the Wolftooth remote and the 47 I-SPEC versions that are out there. I ended up getting a clamp-version for simplicity which means my bars have 4 clamps on them, something I haven't really lost sleep over but which have caused several buddies to express profound displeasure at the sight of my cockpit (yes, I almost said cock) and tell me I was bringing shame on them. So...

A. Fuck them, they're all slow anyway
B. Is there any actual benefit to mounting the shifter on the brake lever other than aesthetics being more pleasant? Adjustability with clamps is essentially endless and I run my shifter further inward than most as I don't have the greatest mobility in my left thumb. I'm worried an I-SPEC mount may restrict that.
C. Assuming it doesn't, is there an option to get a 12-speed shifter (they all seem to be I-SPEC EV) onto a M8000 XT lever which is I-SPEC-II (90% sure, that's the 2018 version)? I love Wolftooth but I'm not sure I'm ready to give them $25 for an adapter just to appease my OCD.
D. Thoughts on 3rd-party cassettes with that drivetrain? Would a Garbaruk 10-52 ruin the shifting performance? They apparently make microspline options, they weigh the same as XTR and cost $100 less. Admittedly they also cost $150 more than XT but you get 1 extra tooth, a cool name, and an anodized gold sprocket for that.
E. Chains. Will I die if I get an SLX chain instead of XT? The argument about coating extending lifespan makes me laugh...

[nickwm21]

Best eyewear for MTB that would fit a large head/face and hopefully not fog or break the bank? Anyone see any deals out there?

Pit Viper, brah.

Cheap: UVEX Astrospec (ie pit vipers before they rattle can them)
Nice: Smith Wildcat


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[nickwm21]

Any pro tips on setting up Maguras?

Put new MT5s on the bike the other day. Got the rear setup perfectly but the front has the bite point super deep, almost at the bars. I have tried a quick fluid top off two times; pushing oil from the caliper up to the lever as described in the bleed kit directions. No luck.


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[simple]

Check your oring to make sure it isn't damaged. Plus don't pump the brakes when bleeding. Just pull and quick release

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

But he said he didn't have a bleed kit.

I've done it on several sets of Shimano brakes, no problem.

I ditched all my sram brakes a while ago for Shimano or TRPs on the mountain bikes. I gave my friend my SRAM bleed kit. It's an hour away. Kinda want to ride this bike ASAP and not wreck with the backwards brakes.

[rideit]

This probably has been discussed uphtread but a quick search didn't reveal anything so here it goes.
My drivetrain is in need of a refresh with a worn cassette and pretty banged up rear derailleur (both Eagle GX). I'm not a big fan of the SRAM shifters and I really miss the pull-to-downshift option of the Shimano version so I'm thinking of swapping to an XT trannny. Well, mostly, I'm not touching my cranks or Garbaruk oval ring (gold color I'll have you know) so I only need rear der, cassette, shifter, and chain which should total about $300 (already have a new wheel with microspline hub).

I have XT brake levers and when I replaced my dropper remote last year I got a headache just trying to figure out compatibility between the Wolftooth remote and the 47 I-SPEC versions that are out there. I ended up getting a clamp-version for simplicity which means my bars have 4 clamps on them, something I haven't really lost sleep over but which have caused several buddies to express profound displeasure at the sight of my cockpit (yes, I almost said cock) and tell me I was bringing shame on them. So...

A. Fuck them, they're all slow anyway
B. Is there any actual benefit to mounting the shifter on the brake lever other than aesthetics being more pleasant? Adjustability with clamps is essentially endless and I run my shifter further inward than most as I don't have the greatest mobility in my left thumb. I'm worried an I-SPEC mount may restrict that.
C. Assuming it doesn't, is there an option to get a 12-speed shifter (they all seem to be I-SPEC EV) onto a M8000 XT lever which is I-SPEC-II (90% sure, that's the 2018 version)? I love Wolftooth but I'm not sure I'm ready to give them $25 for an adapter just to appease my OCD.
D. Thoughts on 3rd-party cassettes with that drivetrain? Would a Garbaruk 10-52 ruin the shifting performance? They apparently make microspline options, they weigh the same as XTR and cost $100 less. Admittedly they also cost $150 more than XT but you get 1 extra tooth, a cool name, and an anodized gold sprocket for that.
E. Chains. Will I die if I get an SLX chain instead of XT? The argument about coating extending lifespan makes me laugh...

Pro tip: if you run all of the new Shimano stuff with your existing chainring, you should use a SRAM masterlink, and NOT the Shimano masterlink. Trust me on this.

[Andeh]

Any pro tips on setting up Maguras?

Put new MT5s on the bike the other day. Got the rear setup perfectly but the front has the bite point super deep, almost at the bars. I have tried a quick fluid top off two times; pushing oil from the caliper up to the lever as described in the bleed kit directions. No luck.


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I just do a vaccuum bleed on my MT5s & MT7s anytime other than replacing the caliper. See: https://nsmb.com/articles/2018-magur...t-impressions/
I'm surprised you're having a hard time with the front. That one always feels awesome to me, and the rear is usually a bit more fiddly for me. Make sure you don't over torque the bleed port screw! Best way to do that is to hold the Torx allen between your thumb and forefinger and just roll them.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Lol. Those SRAM apex are a full ordeal. You have to open the whole reservoir to unhook the hose. Guess I am gonna learn to ride moto brake style for now.

[One (+) Sentence]

Lol. Those SRAM apex are a full ordeal. You have to open the whole reservoir to unhook the hose. Guess I am gonna learn to ride moto brake style for now.

Just swap the levers around and learn to shift backwards like Jimi Hendrix.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Just swap the levers around and learn to shift backwards like Jimi Hendrix.

Thought about that, but the way the lever works it would be impossible to shift unfortunately.

[simple]

Double tap is retarded enough it would be hilarious to switch them up. Like riding drunk

[Billow]

Maguras, I bought the bleed kit but never used it. I just stuck a funnel in the lever, added oil and flick the lever a bunch and tap the line with a screwdriver handle. Walk away with funnel attached and go to bed. Reassemble in the a.m. it's truly a 10min job that takes 9hrs.

[Boissal]

Pro tip: if you run all of the new Shimano stuff with your existing chainring, you should use a SRAM masterlink, and NOT the Shimano masterlink. Trust me on this.

Good, I have a stack of those, going to a Shimano chain and having them sit around was rubbing me the wrong way. Didn't realize they'd be compatible.