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[plugboots]

Related, one thing I may experiment with is moving my customer molded ski boot insoles into my MTB shoes for the summer and seeing how that goes. They are cut for a smaller liner fit than my bike shoes, but hopefully they stay in place without sliding around.
Anyone ever tried this?

I do this with one of my boots/shoes. I put a piece of double sided tape in there so it doesn’t move from where I put it.

[jono]

Gravel/road weanie question: I've fully embraced Dad bod and picked up a Turbo Creo 2. Tires are Tracer pro's in 42. They feel super, super slow. Molasses compared to my GP5000's. But the interwebs have their rolling resistance at like 15 watts. The GP5000's sit at 14. How is that possible? A fully treaded gravel tire that rolls the same as a road slick? I feel like I'm being gaslit by the big S.... Which got me thinking: Has anyone successfully cobbled together a garage dynamometer for the purposes of testing tires, drivetrain losses, etc?

No, but I was working on a dyno a while back. I think to be accurate enough for reliable comparisons in Watts it needs to be pretty precise--not to imply that's impossible, it just precludes a lot of simple approaches that might be attractive for the homebuilder.

Maybe it's easier to cobble something together if you only compare results of things you test personally, so the absolute numbers don't have to be perfect. Do you have something in mind?

[beaterdit]

I like the Fox Union, it fits too wide for my Giro feet but I'm able to make it work. Also have a skinny hind foot and heel and they seem to work ok there.

Related, one thing I may experiment with is moving my customer molded ski boot insoles into my MTB shoes for the summer and seeing how that goes. They are cut for a smaller liner fit than my bike shoes, but hopefully they stay in place without sliding around. Anyone ever tried this?

When I did this it fucked up my ski boot insoles so now I just use generic Blue Superfeet. I grind the heel way down all around so my heel sits down in the heel pocket. Also the outside part of the plastic support. Basically just keep the big arch support area.

Gravel/road weanie question: I've fully embraced Dad bod and picked up a Turbo Creo 2. Tires are Tracer pro's in 42. They feel super, super slow. Molasses compared to my GP5000's. But the interwebs have their rolling resistance at like 15 watts. The GP5000's sit at 14. How is that possible? A fully treaded gravel tire that rolls the same as a road slick? I feel like I'm being gaslit by the big S.... Which got me thinking: Has anyone successfully cobbled together a garage dynamometer for the purposes of testing tires, drivetrain losses, etc? Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

So your complaint is that your gravel e-bike tires feel sluggish? Hahaha I don't know where to begin with this.

Also Specialized gaslighting? Shocking. It's their business model.

[MegaStoke]

Lake. The regular ones are around 3-5 mm wider than the common brands at the forefoot. Their "wide" one is even wider. The rest of the shoe is normal volume. I have the same situation as you and Lakes are the answer.

Bonus: they are super high performance and last forever. They regularly have sales for 50% off. If ordering direct from their site, use the sizing guide and be aware that they will charge a restock fee on returns. As great as the shoes are, Lake USA service is pretty terrible.

Any particular model Lakes I should be looking at? I tried the MX242s and the rear half of the shoe was cavernous on me.


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[J. Barron DeJong]

Gravel/road weanie question: I've fully embraced Dad bod and picked up a Turbo Creo 2. Tires are Tracer pro's in 42. They feel super, super slow. Molasses compared to my GP5000's. But the interwebs have their rolling resistance at like 15 watts. The GP5000's sit at 14. How is that possible? A fully treaded gravel tire that rolls the same as a road slick? I feel like I'm being gaslit by the big S.... Which got me thinking: Has anyone successfully cobbled together a garage dynamometer for the purposes of testing tires, drivetrain losses, etc? Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

That doesn't sound right. These guys measure more like an 8 watt difference (gravel about double the road tires resistance):

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

[climberevan]

Any particular model Lakes I should be looking at? I tried the MX242s and the rear half of the shoe was cavernous on me.


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The 238 is the right balance of cost/performance for me (I have 3pr). I use Sole insoles in them, which take up space and support the foot so I can really crank down the Boas. Did you try heat molding the heel of the 242?

My gf likes the 332, which has a tighter heel and narrower toe box (so you just get the "wide" model to get the width you need). Look carefully at their different lasts and the measurements.

[plugboots]

I have three different Lakes, mountain, road. and winter fat bike, and they all are a slightly different size. (Just reiterating that you need to look at their fit charts pretty closely.) I also sent an email or two to confirm (after I had one that fit), which others would fit similarly.

[XXX-er]

I think it depends on where you are on Randy Newman's continuum of people who have no reason to live, at 5'8" and shrinking with shorter inseam wide shoulders I'm a pretty solid medium

[robnow]

The damper in my Fox 38 s*** the bed so I have the option to put the new one Grip X2 or the previous Grip 2. What's the consensus out there as to which is performing better?

[VTskibum]

Maybe conjecture, but I have heard a riding buddy raving about differences of the X2 post upgrade. YMMV

[toast2266]

I've also heard a lot of good things about the X2 from friends.

I've got one sitting in my garage. Just need the snow to melt so I can get some first hand experience.

[Huskier]

That doesn't sound right. These guys measure more like an 8 watt difference (gravel about double the road tires resistance):

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

Yeah that's what I would guestimate too based on feel. And ^^, yeah no shit they slower, my gripe is that the claims from Specialized are misleading, also now I kind of want to quantify other sources of inefficiency...

I found some tutorials for converting a dead treadmill into a sort of trainer/dyno Frankenstein thing and wrapping the drum in grip tape and using a voltimeter to infer power, the idea being to compare your onboard power meter readings with the calculated power to give a delta that represents RR after accounting for system inefficiency. But it seems like there has to be a more appropriate hardware selection to be made. Also maybe too nerdy of a topic for this thread.

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[jono]

Yeah that's what I would guestimate too based on feel. And ^^, yeah no shit they slower, my gripe is that the claims from Specialized are misleading, also now I kind of want to quantify other sources of inefficiency...

I found some tutorials for converting a dead treadmill into a sort of trainer/dyno Frankenstein thing and wrapping the drum in grip tape and using a voltimeter to infer power, the idea being to compare your onboard power meter readings with the calculated power to give a delta that represents RR after accounting for system inefficiency. But it seems like there has to be a more appropriate hardware selection to be made. Also maybe too nerdy of a topic for this thread.

It's winter. The nerds are probably the only ones reading this thread. Do you have any links to what you found?

[Roxtar]

It's winter. The nerds are probably the only ones reading this thread. Do you have any links to what you found?

Or those of us who didn't get a winter this year

[jamal]

<p>
Pathfiders are on BRR but I dont see the tracers I had some at one point, might have been one of the first tires bigger than 33mm i ever had on a drop bar bike. I dont recall them feeling particularly slow but gravel tires have improved since then. I&#39;ve been on a variety of the faster gravel (and XC) tires and even compared to fast road tires things like thunder burts and getaways still feel really good. I think when my current challenge getaways wear out im going to try terra speeds.</p>
<p>
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[joetron]

I got some lightly used forty seven c Pathfimders to try last week from a local S athlete who just got the fresh batch of new S tires. And though it pains me greatly to admit it, and I can’t even sell the goddamn things, those goddamn tires are fucking excellent.

Smooth, fast, nice profile, enough grip for corners. Ugh. I gotta find some decent clones.

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[vermontana]

Anyone with experiences on a coil converted fork? Been seriously looking at the Smashpot for my 38 on my Dreadnought V2. Bike is already wicked heavy and everything I read seems to claim the increase in control and traction is worth the weight increase for a gravity focused rig..

[skaredshtles]

Anyone with experiences on a coil converted fork? Been seriously looking at the Smashpot for my 38 on my Dreadnought V2. Bike is already wicked heavy and everything I read seems to claim the increase in control and traction is worth the weight increase for a gravity focused rig..

Mine is not converted, but I am on an older (2019?) MRP Ribbon coil and I like it. The Fox 34 it replaced wasnt even in the same universe functionality-wise.

[Roxtar]

Anyone with experiences on a coil converted fork? Been seriously looking at the Smashpot for my 38 on my Dreadnought V2. Bike is already wicked heavy and everything I read seems to claim the increase in control and traction is worth the weight increase for a gravity focused rig..

I've done a few PUSH AC3 conversions. Two on Pikes for my wife and a 36 for a Nomad enduro sled. Very happy with the results.

[Roxtar]

The Fox X2 worked really well with a coil.

[grskier]

OK...

So 2017 era transition bike that my daughter rides has a Rockshox dropper.... shocking that the thing lasted to the end of last season. This winter, I ordered a new dropper for her... and a oneup lever. I forgot to get the mount.. but.
The existing lever/button is mounted with the (front) brake.

What's the right move? buy both a new brake mount and post lever mount? All in one?

Is that presumably the mmx mount?
https://www.oneupcomponents.com/prod...40893804544097

[joetron]

That MMX mount should work with your current lever clamp


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[jamal]

If the bike already has sram mmx clamp brakes the oneup remote will go on the sram mount. that is probably already there, holding on the reverb lever.

[grskier]

[emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji638][emoji637][emoji638][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]]]That MMX mount should work with your current lever clamp


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It’s a reverb mount that holds the brake

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[Spencer123]

I am about to do an Aircan service on a 2023 super deluxe ultimate RC2. I bought the kit off Jenson that said 2017+ models, but am now seeing the Sram manual has a different kit linked in the 2023 manual. Watching the videos it looks like the newer ones have built in bushings instead of back-up plastic rings to remove. Does anybody know if the seals are all changed, it is hard to tell if the kit will still work. Some websites advertize it as 2017 and on, some say 2017-2022 it looks like. This is it. Thanks!!

https://www.jensonusa.com/Rockshox-D...waAqOHEALw_wcB