Ask the experts

[toast2266]

I knew it was a dumb question but Diaz has this on their website: "Please enter your current shock pressure. If unknown, please leave your shock inflated when shipping or bringing it in."

Technically the shipping companies don't like shipping pressurized things, but realistically it doesn't really matter one way or the other. It's easier to remove a depressurized shock on some bikes.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Would I break this if I put it on a mountain bike with an XT crankset? (same spline?)

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2997624/


(potential workaround if I get a cheap 1x shimano crankset for my gravel bike and then can switch the left arm from bike to bike.......kooky I know)

[Dee Hubbs]

Would I break this if I put it on a mountain bike with an XT crankset? (same spline?)

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2997624/


(potential workaround if I get a cheap 1x shimano crankset for my gravel bike and then can switch the left arm from bike to bike.......kooky I know)

The Q factor is different.
XT crank has a Q factor of 172mm or Boost specific crank has a Q factor of 178mm.
A road Ultegra Crank has a Q factor 146mm.

Q factor is the measurement between crank arms (picture from back of pedal threads to back of pedal on other crank if they were both mounted the same direction)

So if you mounted the Ultegra arm on a XT crank and spindle, the Ultegra arm would be 13mm closer to your non drive side chain stay, than the drive side arm.

But they are just as strong as XT.

[VTskibum]

Hesitant recommending, but not much more than the Pinkbike option and will work w/ your q-factor as DH mentions

https://store.stagescycling.com/GEN-...00-POWER-METER

I know I know they've got a pretty poor reputation, but is better than nothing. I have 3 of them (1 Roadie 105, 1 CX SRAM Force, 1 race Carbon Stages MTB) and they're close enough after testing w/in 10w that it's satisfactory for my training purposes. 4iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii lefts are out of stock for XT but they do have some XTR.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I forgot all about Q factor.

Thanks for the help guys. I think I just need to get a setup for my gravel bike and not worry about the MTB. By the time I am on MTB its race season......although would be really cool to see my data from a race.

[VTskibum]

I personally would put PM on the bike I would be doing the majority of my training on vs race power numbers. Aren't you racing Enduros?

For me at least when racing XC it made sense to have power on the MTB since I did about 50/50 on that and my road bike (also w/ PM) so could correlate it. Would do longer intervals on the roadie and ride trails for the shorter intervals while trying to keep an avg power for a given duration.

For Enduro not sure it matters nearly as much since the efforts tend to be super short and sharp, but I dunno outside my wheelhouse I just ride my bike these days sorta hard.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Yeah, enduro. I mostly train inside w/ Zwift, but it was almost 50 today so I rode the gravel bike. Long mud season here where you can ride gravel but all the MTB stuff is too wet/snow covered for like 2 months. I'd like to train outside as much as possible since its way more fun than inside on the trainer.

[jackstraw]

What's the trick or sequence to get the casing thru the little rubber grommets? Santa Cruz Hightower gen 1.

[Dantheman]

Shimano 12s setup questions:

Is this too much B-tension? It seems like a lot.

[Dantheman]

Should I take a link out of this chain? It seems like the shop set it up one link too long. On any of my previous drivetrains I'd take a link out.

[XXX-er]

isnt there sposed to be a measurement in MM you can measure with the thickness of a allen wrench between the idler and a sprocket of sft ?

[XtrPickels]

Shimano is running a longer chain with the 12sp stuff.
I think its Big cog + 5/6 links, whichever is needed to get you to an inner link.

I have two bikes like this and they shift well, but I do notice a touch more chain slap than with 11sp systems.

[Dee Hubbs]

There is a mark on the back side of the 12S derailleurs to tell you where the B-Tension should be.


Looks like may have one too many links, but its close. For Shimano 12s on full suspension, Shimano suggests to make sure the suspension is in the position where the frame is in the longest position, run the chain around chain ring and then the 51, (not through the derailleur), and add 5 to 6 links depending on if it falls on the full or 1/2 link. They count inner link as one and outer link as one.

[bagtagley]

Shimano installation instructions are pretty good. The chain is gonna seem pretty loose in the 10t. Yours looks okay to me but I’d check the docs. For B screw, there’s a line on the back of the cage that you line up with the top of biggest cog.

[XtrPickels]

Shimano 12s setup questions:

Is this too much B-tension? It seems like a lot.

From this angle, it's hard to say.
There should be a line to align the 51t cog with on the inner plate of the RD above the top pulley.
Otherwise there's a measurement from Cog tooth to pulley axis.

Page 19 in here: https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-MARD001-02-ENG.pdf

[Roxtar]

What's the trick or sequence to get the casing thru the little rubber grommets? Santa Cruz Hightower gen 1.

No tricks. It's just a PITA.
A little grease will help but then it can slide out. You just have to work it in.

[Dee Hubbs]

No tricks. It's just a PITA.
A little grease will help but then it can slide out. You just have to work it in.

I use silicone spray.

[Andeh]

Anyone else experience super fast wear on a Cane Creek Neo bottom bracket? I put one on a new build in August, and the NDS is crunchy already. I went on CC's website and you can't get new bearings, and it looks like they discontinued this model already. I sent them an email to see what the deal is, but I don't have a receipt for it so I'm not holding my breath.

This is the one with the "solid oil" instead of grease, and it was really sticky to begin with. My gut feeling is that the slight amount of preload from the crank caused the rubber/plastic "solid oil" to wear unevenly and now there's slop. It clicks at any amount of preload, and until I back off until I can move the crank laterally.

[simple]

Chalk it up as an early adopter failure. I didn't even remember CC doing BBs. My budget for BBs is the cheaper the better. Disposable as brake pads.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

A little grease will help but then it can slide out. You just have to work it in.

That's what she said.

[NuMexJoe]

I use silicone spray.

Ya know what is nice and slippery when applied, but gets sticky as it dries out? K-Y jelly. Not that I'm admitting to having an old tube in my shop; just sayin' it can sometimes be the perfect lube, but never for the original intent.

[NuMexJoe]

Had a nice XC-ish ride today down at Galisteo Basin, and an encounter with a newb prompts me to ask: if I want to have a couple 12-spd quick links in my pack to help out the unprepared folk with new bikes that I meet on the trail, what brand is cross-compatible and inexpensive?

[rideit]

Whatever extras your LBS will give you in exchange for some beer should be fine, IMO, But you want to carry an Eagle masterlink for best cross compatibility.

[Roxtar]

Had a nice XC-ish ride today down at Galisteo Basin, and an encounter with a newb prompts me to ask: if I want to have a couple 12-spd quick links in my pack to help out the unprepared folk with new bikes that I meet on the trail, what brand is cross-compatible and inexpensive?

Rose and I rode Galisteo last week. It's a great something-for-everyone place.
Like Rideit said, the SRAM is the best 12sp link. It's just sliiiiiightly wider than the Shimano link, which can be tough to get locked in place. I use the Eagle link on my Shimano drivetrain with no issues at all.

[NuMexJoe]

Rose and I rode Galisteo last week. It's a great something-for-everyone place.
Like Rideit said, the SRAM is the best 12sp link. It's just sliiiiiightly wider than the Shimano link, which can be tough to get locked in place. I use the Eagle link on my Shimano drivetrain with no issues at all.

Yep, and most importantly it's dry, while our local stuff is not there yet. Per rideit's suggestion, I checked this AM and found Ryan and Rhi carry the SRAM links at the shop, so I'll be stopping by in the next day or so to grab a few. Best to you and Rose!