This was a pretty sick bike! Check out the bike here! www.archibaldcycles.com/ And if you want to check out my new Merch check it out here! bit.ly/BoostmasterMerch
This is one pricey frame for being steel. Idk if I want to spend $5k on the frame alone when I have the skill set to just build one with my own suspension system. It's a cool bike regardless, and probably worth it for some people. I'm just not one of those people.
Cost is going to continue being the bottleneck on broad adoption of gearbox systems. For anyone in the top cost derailleur drivetrain market, gearbox should definitely be considered, though, especially on MTB. I’d much rather a gearbox than electronic shifting.
I have had numerous mech drivetrains over the years and have been on axs all year and love it. No cable and housing to change, made zero adjustments since installing. My main riding buddy has 3 seasons on his and zero issues. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but personally I love the electronic drivetrain. I also paid 800 CAD for a brand new complete GX axs drivetrain (cranks, chain, cassette etc.) so it’s hard to go wrong.
agree but mid drive ebike, electronic (wired) shifting and integrated gearbox go very well together like in pinion MGU. it can fix most of the issues of both -middrive ebikes : better chain line/lower chain wear or belt, lower maintenance, easier cleaning. -gearboxes: pedalling under load with shifts that can be precisely timed, motors that can counter act the rider torque, weight and efficiency are not so much issues.
@@kitten-inside Sram and Shimano won't do a gearbox anytime soon because gearbox drive trains will do too many miles/kms before they need replacement. Sram and Shimano want to keep selling you drive-trains and parts.
@@cunning-stuntto be fair, Shimano does have the Nexus and Alfine gearhubs, which last longer than most bikes they are installed on -as long you do the least to maintain them. Had an Alfine 8 hub on my previous ebike, which ran on a speedbox for about half it's live until the motor gave up. In numbers: 17,000km (a bit more than 10,000 miles), and now it runs in a customer's bike, as he needed one quickly, and I had no use for it. All I ever did to it was giving the internals a 3 minute oilbath, when I heard a grinding noise in 8th gear. That hub comes around at.. I guess $200-300. In my case, I ran a gates CDX belt, which still looks like it could go the same distance again, which overall costs the same as the hub. You can go cheaper with a chain. If you know how to switch sprockets on a gearhub, which isn't all that hard to do, you're looking at $15-25 every 2,000 miles or so. Granted: by far not the range as a derailleur setup, but there's also the Alfine 11, which isn't that much more expensive, and maintaining the lubrication of the hub is even easier. So, I'd say it's not out of the question for shimano to release a gearbox. The bigger issue than wanting to sell more parts to you is, that for the time being, the market for gearboxes is rather niche. If, or when they become more popular, there's more of an incentive to release one. And it will come with a pricetag for sure
2:57 No chain growth isn’t because there isn’t a derailleur, it is because of the idler sprocket approximately concentric with the main pivot. The small tensioner pulley behind the chainring accounts for any chain growth normally compensated for by a derailleur.
Never have I ever ridden a high pivot bike much less one with a gearbox. Listening to that thing going over hits and edges I was waiting for the sound of impact but none came. That thing is sweeeeeet!
this kind of shifter seems useful for street bikes cause sometimes ur hit with a surprise yellow light there is not always enough time to shift to a low gear before you have to jam your breaks and stop leaving you to accelerate up to speed in your highest gear when the light turns green, i feel like the ability to shift down at a read light would be really nice
Never had this issue, seems like there's already time to downshift going really slow, ride 5000km per year. Although on my fixie, I sometimes stop with the pedals in the wrong position and have to lift and roll.
I got myself a Nicolai with Pinion a year ago, and I probably never go back to derailleur bikes. Shifting down isn't much of an issue once you get used to it. Then you don't have to stop pedaling completely, just time it with the pedaling. Also, you don't have to pedal while shift. The Twist shift allows it to shift much faster than the Trigger. My wife and I now are completely switched to Gearbox Bikes, she's got her Pinion MGU E-Bike last Friday.
I was the first public person to buy an AC1 and I built it up with 27.5 front and rear and I love it. Love the way the rear suspension sucks up the terrain. I don't really use it as an enduro bike, more like a park/downhill bike.
Yeah Jordan back shredding the shore must be heaven despite the sketchy XC tires. wow Alex your bikes are absolutely beautiful you must be so proud and honored to have someone like Jordan ride your bikes
Having to stop pedaling just to engage the downshift to an easier gear, creates a disadvantage similar to having a rear hub with a high degree of engagement - not having the almost instant response from pedal input, and having your momentum stalled when you potentially need it most from a rapid. gear change.
that's why wireless gear changes are good on ebikes (in case someone doesn't know sram axs waits for a specific optimal chain ring to switch gear) but not great on muscular bikes, and btw also the reason why I'm going ebike because I do a lot of mountain uphills (20% or more) in the alps and on legs alone the slightest loss of momentum you stop dead because our legs don't have the instant torque-accel of a motor to go above that root rock bump while modern ebike motor will coast on it for 1-2 meters so you can stop pedaling for those few seconds
That is exactly what I was thinking. Probably half my downshifts are sketchy last minute panic downshifts once I am committed to some tech. Although I usually at least try to unweight or thrust the bike forward to prevent a hard crunch on the drivetrain. Maybe the non pedaling delay would be something similar we could get used to. Hard to say without feeling it.
That bike is phenomenal. It looks and rides so well. I believe Archibald Bikes are the first Canadian bikes that are using the Pinion Gearboxes. Up until recently I noted Pinion was not available in Canada or the USA. I would love to see more bikes with the Pinion gearbox options made available. The Pinion motor and gearbox would also be extra nice. I've seen quite a few tests of the Pinion motor gearbox setup and it's definitely a winner. Naturally cost is a factor but if one is already looking to buy a MTB in the $6000 (CAD) and up range I don't think it would be such a barrier.
I must admit that I thought gearboxes would be the future as well, until I got one. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad but for anything but downhill, they are severely limited by the resistence. If you only ride one for a few weeks you might not notice it, but after riding it for 6 - 12 months, the resistence becomes apparent. I think for enduro and dh bikes, gearboxes are good but for most other disciplines they have their limitations. Nice video!
Apparently they wear in and resistance reduces overtime, I'd just like to not have to tune and maintain a derailleur system, I will make up for the drag with fitness.
Having ridden Pinion bikes a few times: the range of gears is amazing. These things can help you climb a wall. Maintenance - change the gearbox oil annually. Tough as nails! The belts don't need much if any love, either. If you want a rig to go around the world, or you want a bikebacking drivetrain, this is it. Minor downsides: about 5% loss via friction. I could feel it on the climbs. Gearboxes do add extra weight (over a pound more compared to XTR or X01) - but it is where you want it! They're also more expensive than derailleurs - but lifetime cost might be lower if you are hard on drivetrain components. The shifting perhaps isn't as smooth under load with a gearbox, but it is faster. They're a no-brainer for ebikes.
Been riding a 12 speed gearbox Deviate four years now covering about 3.500 miles had to change the cables once and i do oil change yearly. Gear change is instant and live in my subconscious. Gearbox technology is up there with dropper posts and tubeless tyres.
The only way gearboxes will be the future is if they become cheap enough to put on all bikes. Rear mechs are much cheaper and any LBS has them. They are cool though
Problems with currenr Gearboxes -They don't come in standards -Pinion don't want to provide their GB mounting points,drawings, and files unless you are company or has a social media presence (Frame builders need to buy the gearbox to know the mounting points) -They are still in experimenting phase -Force the frame design to be mid pivot or high pivot or have a lower bb to make a room for a low pivot point
@@cunning-stunt~1700€ for the full XX1 Eagle AXS drivetrain and ~2000€ for the XX SL one. Very expensive stuff right? But there are way less expensive options. Personally, i'm using a Ztto 9-46T cassette, a RIRO carbon crank, a X01 AXS derailleur and chain (i was using Deore XT before but had a great deal on the X01 AXS). It's less expensive than Pinion and lighter (i'm more of an XC guy). The main pros for gearboxes is maintenance imo.
The AC1 is on a VERY short list for my next bike. Everyone says they are quiet, but just how quiet are we talking? I’m hoping to test ride one soon, just need to coordinate it with Alex.
I think in 14 years of riding bikes,mostly enduro and DH,only 1 time I managed to break my derailleur and it was like 8 years ago. Smash it with a big rock in a huge compression,that was it. But never had a problem or even a broken cable in my bike. I swap one shimano cos it was bend out of shape but it was still working. That bike looks great,less maintenance for sure,steel made. I think the electronic shifting for those gearboxes is the way to go,it can change gears way quicker and under load. Steel bikes had a unique feeling to them and I like it a lot,way more than any aluminum frame. That mushroom trail looks like any of my local trails hehehe.
Gearbox is definitely the way for Fay downhill or downhill oriented. Wear a cross country. It does take a little more wattage to spin the gearbox rather than just the derailer. I saw Dale‘s review of. That same bike and I would be all over having a gearbox, but I haven’t found the right steed yet
Once derailleurs go away so will the ability for the weekend warrior, and even many advanced riders, to adjust and maintain their own gear system. So that’ll be nice taking your bike to the shop for every little adjustment.
When a bike has gearbox, it should be with belt-drive too. Maybe belt has some power loss sure, but if that was a big concern, the bike should stick with derailleur too since Pinion has some power loss at human scale. Gotta go all in into dirt-resistance and have rubber-carbon fiber belt to commit to that aspect.
just a heads up for anyone with a vps/atomic/drop/shore/aline/ etc... If you have a broken pivot bolt, You can use a pivot bolt from a norco xc ( old stock ) as labeled by my norco dealer. he stated that he's unsure if the bolt is the same strength. Been driving it ever since. Mines converted to street, maxis holy rollers 26x2.4". But i did a frame swap for my vps. I had a fluid, and wanted this frame instead. not bad for 129$ to do a frame swap.
Chains suck too (literaly). Gates carbon belt is the future. Not this constantly maintenance requiring chain setup, that belittles the otherwise brilliant Pinion setup. We have a Zerode here at home, Pinion smartshift+gates CF belt, its brilliant in terms of maintenance as there is literaly none. Awesome vid. by the way. Lovely trails, big broaps !
So my only issue is if the gearbox requires power to make those gear changes or not and whats up if that power is absent? Otherwise, hell yeah! Im sure in time theyll refine them to where you dont have to let off at all to gear change, as its actually easier for a gear to shift under load, but it has certain prereqs for that to be true. Bravo to Archibald. I hope they succeed but I can only imagine what the Pinion alone costs so sales pricing has to be up there!
Pinion gearbox is great and I'd like to have it. On the other hand, bikes with pinion gearbox have average price 7-8k EUR and for that price I can have 2-3 Enduro bikes.
Cost will not permit the wide adoption of these gearboxes unfortunately. Also, weight and mechanical resistance. To this day there is no better power transfer and bang for buck than a good ole' derailleur and chain. I do love the reliability and lack of maintenance and adjustment. I do see all the Enduro bros in OC rocking them on their crazy e-bikes.
That particular bike i wouldn't want to ride, but Nicolai Bikes has the Saturn 16 MGU that i would really love the shred on. I'm hoping pinion can make conversions for none gear box bikes, to swap them over to that system.
It's called an IGH (Rohloff, Shimano etc.), or a mid box (think Pinion). It's been a thing for decades. But I agree: Derailleurs sucks,and this with that weird chain route doesn't really improve on that. Pinions and Rohloff can use belts.
It's a shame that theese things aren't more common because they certainly get attention. Would it be possible to swap onto an old bike with the thin axle? Might look to swap in the future, sounds like a great upgrade for a DH bike
Love the idea of a gearbox bike but not being able to downshift while pedaling really makes it a non starter. The amount of times where you need to grab a few gears lower for a short sharp climb that sneaks up on you on unfamiliar trails. That and i can count on one hand the amount of derailleurs i've smashed in the last 15 years 🤷
When this chap goes under (apologies for the crappy assumption - but……….) how are you going to source that funky little sprocket at the top of the driveline - just a question?. I presume the rest is proprietary so shouldn’t be a hassle. Otherwise, it’s a cool concept.
pretty sure there's a reasony why they didn't put the chain in the middle of our calf also as usual it's the things they don't advertise that your need to look for and what I don't see is the total bike weight nowhere on their site you know the last bike I saw that didn't talk about the weight ? Lapierre emtb and how much was it ? 26kgs 57.3lbs
Hey Jordan. I’d be really curious about what you think / review the Trek Slash gen6 (high pivot). Also on an Archibald comment. How did it pedal ? Antisquat in line? Loving the vid dude
If the gear box came out first, then someone invented the rear derailleur, which saved you massive amounts of weight and expense. Most people would switch immediately.
derailleur still make plenty of sense for pros with free unlimited parts, and dedicated team for maintenance, cleaning etc but for regular riders current bike industry is the equivalent of an amateur racer buying new gearbox zvery time he's changing tires. considering the cost of MTB parts, gearing shouldn't be a consumables item, and arguing about weight when there's so many things adding weight like suspensions, disc brakes, wide 29 wheels, seems futile. I'd happily trade a bit of weight for a gearbox that lasts as long as the frame, and makes the group set easier to clean. lower unsprung mass is just a nice benefit. hopefully they work out the pedalling under load. I think with emtb becoming more and more common this question will become even more central, Ith incremental weight savings becoming less important
i have been wishing to do the switch to gearbox for the last 7 years. Deraillleur are weak, can be expensive, they are always in the way when riding tight single track/ruts and there is no second chance with it. You hit it and itll never shift good again. The complete lack of company mass producing gearbox frames makes it very expensive to get in. Perfect example is Archibald, a frame set of the AC1 is 8k CAD..a frameset : frame, shock and gearbox. Same price as a high end complete bike. It will only makes sens once a frameset price reaches other manufacturers price including a long warranty.
For me personally as a XC mtber i would rather have a normal Derailleurs even know i just broke one this weekend because as a XC rider we r always going over different types of terrain up and down hills. When i am riding i want to ride my bike and not think about shifting due to the Derailleurs being such a well developed component it is very smooth and works very well. I am not trying to say that this should not catch on just wish u would be able to shift with it like it was a normal Derailleurs where you don't have to think oh i have to stop pedaling up this hill and lose speed and time. i am very picky and like to be very efficient when i am biking.
Look, Jordan. First time viewer, 5m in. Mostly you've commented how the bike is the wrong size and has the wrong tyres. If you were filming a promo, and you brought the wrong bike, go home. It's just a bad look on both of you, especially the owner. What did you think you were doing today? How long did you spend editing footage, but the pair of you couldn't put an extra hr into prep? The video's well put together, awesome locations, honest review, just really let down by that factor
Tbh I have both Pinion and Rohloff gearboxed bikes, while nice, I really dislike not being able to shift while pedling as well Compared to both my shimano and sram bikes. Tbh I love my mechanical XTR and XX1 more on MTB than their electronic counterparts.
I have the Rohloff on one of my mtb's. Why you cannot shift while pedaling? It works flawlessly under load. Except when changing between 7 and 8, then it changes to 11th gear when too much load is applied. But this isn't a real problem.
The no downshift wile pedaling is a deal breaker for me, that's what i need most of the time while i rarely need to upshift and if i do i will just go slower if it was the other way around while in this case you might be stuck on a steep incline
Hey Jordan I’m trying to get a new bike do you know any good brands?
3 місяці тому+1
Derailleurs SUCK agree! i broke so many of them that i gave up. i dont ride enduro, so, im just riding single speed for the last year or so. i dont miss it, but for the future, yeah, a gearbox woud be awesome.
Could you please comment on how does the steel frame ride? And how is high pivot on jumps? It looked like it wasnt causing any trouble at all. Is it noticeable, that lengthening rear end? Thank you.
I'm not sure I noticed a difference with the steel frame, I didn't seem to find a problem with the high pivot and jumping thankfully, didn't really notice
@@pianofantastic91 steel compared to what? Carbon? Generally steel is more flexible. That's a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. It's said to be more comfortable but it will flex more under load making it less efficient. Also heavier.
Yup, ridiculous lateral flex put a lot of strain on bearings. Plus steel rusts. It's the essiest to weld and the cheapest metal. If that gearbox seizes 20 miles from a trailhead, then good luck getting home.@2WheelsGood.01
@@johnnyweekend I've toured entire continents on old steel bikes on and offroad in all types of climates, never had a single issue. It isn't downhill or Enduro, but it's fine for 95% of people. The flex can be addressed with tube width and the use of triple butted tubes. There are stainless frames out there that are excellent. Even CroMo are usually treated inside to prevent rust. As for the gearbox, Koga has Rohloffs on their world travelers. Exceedingly reliable gearboxes...but not for hardcore MTB.
@@johnnyweekend I guess Chromag mountain bikes aren't a bike manufacturer then? I mean an extra 500 to 1000 grams obviously makes it impossible for them to be carried, rolled, pushed or pedaled up hill then?
13 min 50 seconds in. First, I don't think those are the future. Because they are or seem to be complicated. I think they are a viable a very good option. My questions. 1. The rider was able to pedal while shifting to a higher gear. Nice. When shifting to a lower gear, they state and show the process. The rider stopped pedaling to shift to a lower gear. Can they just slow down or reduce pedaling pressure, or does that require a complete stop? Also, traction was not the best, but it is evident that the front tire is not a cross country tire. Back to the video.
I just got a new bike this summer. I usually keep bikes about 4 years. I predict my next bike will have a gear box and it will be the new standard for higher end bikes.
If it has a split chain-stay then yes. A lot of bike have a pivot point or special split point between the chain-stay and seat-stay of their rear triangle so you can split it to fit a belt. The AC1 looks like the rear triangle only has two sides so you could in theory unbolt the seat-stay pivot at the frame end and slide a belt on. Question is do gates make a CDX belt long enough for a high pivot bike? The pulley and chain ring can easily be changed for CDX units.
This was a pretty sick bike! Check out the bike here! www.archibaldcycles.com/
And if you want to check out my new Merch check it out here! bit.ly/BoostmasterMerch
👍👍👍
This is one pricey frame for being steel. Idk if I want to spend $5k on the frame alone when I have the skill set to just build one with my own suspension system. It's a cool bike regardless, and probably worth it for some people. I'm just not one of those people.
Big derailleur isn't gonna be happy about this! Blink twice for us Jordan if you need help.
Bruh uploaded just before i went to sleep cmon man do you want me to not get any sleep 😓
No sleep for you😊
Get your priorities right
@@ChatGPTeeh haha 😹
Cost is going to continue being the bottleneck on broad adoption of gearbox systems. For anyone in the top cost derailleur drivetrain market, gearbox should definitely be considered, though, especially on MTB. I’d much rather a gearbox than electronic shifting.
I have had numerous mech drivetrains over the years and have been on axs all year and love it. No cable and housing to change, made zero adjustments since installing. My main riding buddy has 3 seasons on his and zero issues. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but personally I love the electronic drivetrain. I also paid 800 CAD for a brand new complete GX axs drivetrain (cranks, chain, cassette etc.) so it’s hard to go wrong.
agree but mid drive ebike, electronic (wired) shifting and integrated gearbox go very well together like in pinion MGU. it can fix most of the issues of both
-middrive ebikes : better chain line/lower chain wear or belt, lower maintenance, easier cleaning.
-gearboxes: pedalling under load with shifts that can be precisely timed, motors that can counter act the rider torque, weight and efficiency are not so much issues.
Yes, the internal gearbox future is still very much “the future.”
Ebikes will expand the gearbox field because of the low maintenance needed and the cost will decrease.
@@zamoranyc yes, plus losing 5% efficiency is transparent to the rider as long as you have good battery tech like the DJI MTB
When Shimano finally releases theirs, it will become the standard 100%
Let's just hope they don't use the same glue they did for Ultegra cranks.
🤘
The shimano Alphine gearbox hub was used above the BB on the first couple of Zerode bikes well over a decade ago.
@@kitten-inside Sram and Shimano won't do a gearbox anytime soon because gearbox drive trains will do too many miles/kms before they need replacement. Sram and Shimano want to keep selling you drive-trains and parts.
@@cunning-stuntto be fair, Shimano does have the Nexus and Alfine gearhubs, which last longer than most bikes they are installed on -as long you do the least to maintain them. Had an Alfine 8 hub on my previous ebike, which ran on a speedbox for about half it's live until the motor gave up. In numbers: 17,000km (a bit more than 10,000 miles), and now it runs in a customer's bike, as he needed one quickly, and I had no use for it. All I ever did to it was giving the internals a 3 minute oilbath, when I heard a grinding noise in 8th gear. That hub comes around at.. I guess $200-300. In my case, I ran a gates CDX belt, which still looks like it could go the same distance again, which overall costs the same as the hub. You can go cheaper with a chain. If you know how to switch sprockets on a gearhub, which isn't all that hard to do, you're looking at $15-25 every 2,000 miles or so.
Granted: by far not the range as a derailleur setup, but there's also the Alfine 11, which isn't that much more expensive, and maintaining the lubrication of the hub is even easier.
So, I'd say it's not out of the question for shimano to release a gearbox. The bigger issue than wanting to sell more parts to you is, that for the time being, the market for gearboxes is rather niche. If, or when they become more popular, there's more of an incentive to release one. And it will come with a pricetag for sure
2:57 No chain growth isn’t because there isn’t a derailleur, it is because of the idler sprocket approximately concentric with the main pivot. The small tensioner pulley behind the chainring accounts for any chain growth normally compensated for by a derailleur.
Steel DH bike with a gearbox. That's the dream bike.
Going downhill, but not for climbing
Never have I ever ridden a high pivot bike much less one with a gearbox. Listening to that thing going over hits and edges I was waiting for the sound of impact but none came. That thing is sweeeeeet!
this kind of shifter seems useful for street bikes cause sometimes ur hit with a surprise yellow light there is not always enough time to shift to a low gear before you have to jam your breaks and stop leaving you to accelerate up to speed in your highest gear when the light turns green, i feel like the ability to shift down at a read light would be really nice
Never had this issue, seems like there's already time to downshift going really slow, ride 5000km per year. Although on my fixie, I sometimes stop with the pedals in the wrong position and have to lift and roll.
The guy with the zerode is from perth where i’m from good to see you riding with people from west straya
That’d be me. My man👊
I got myself a Nicolai with Pinion a year ago, and I probably never go back to derailleur bikes. Shifting down isn't much of an issue once you get used to it. Then you don't have to stop pedaling completely, just time it with the pedaling. Also, you don't have to pedal while shift. The Twist shift allows it to shift much faster than the Trigger.
My wife and I now are completely switched to Gearbox Bikes, she's got her Pinion MGU E-Bike last Friday.
I was the first public person to buy an AC1 and I built it up with 27.5 front and rear and I love it. Love the way the rear suspension sucks up the terrain. I don't really use it as an enduro bike, more like a park/downhill bike.
that's awesome, what fork do you have on it then?
@@JordanBoostmaster went with Manitou Dorado comp because I’m a coil fan boy! Haha Mine has the smart shift which is pinions electric shifting option.
When they say they are quiet, exactly how quiet are they? Random noises from suspension, derailleurs, cables, etc. annoy me like crazy.
@@tygastfield613 Apparently, "So quiet you think that something is wrong with your bike".
Yeah Jordan back shredding the shore must be heaven despite the sketchy XC tires.
wow Alex your bikes are absolutely beautiful you must be so proud and honored to have someone like Jordan ride your bikes
Having to stop pedaling just to engage the downshift to an easier gear, creates a disadvantage similar to having a rear hub with a high degree of engagement - not having the almost instant response from pedal input, and having your momentum stalled when you potentially need it most from a rapid. gear change.
that's why wireless gear changes are good on ebikes (in case someone doesn't know sram axs waits for a specific optimal chain ring to switch gear) but not great on muscular bikes, and btw also the reason why I'm going ebike because I do a lot of mountain uphills (20% or more) in the alps and on legs alone the slightest loss of momentum you stop dead because our legs don't have the instant torque-accel of a motor to go above that root rock bump while modern ebike motor will coast on it for 1-2 meters so you can stop pedaling for those few seconds
That is exactly what I was thinking. Probably half my downshifts are sketchy last minute panic downshifts once I am committed to some tech. Although I usually at least try to unweight or thrust the bike forward to prevent a hard crunch on the drivetrain. Maybe the non pedaling delay would be something similar we could get used to. Hard to say without feeling it.
That bike is phenomenal. It looks and rides so well. I believe Archibald Bikes are the first Canadian bikes that are using the Pinion Gearboxes. Up until recently I noted Pinion was not available in Canada or the USA. I would love to see more bikes with the Pinion gearbox options made available. The Pinion motor and gearbox would also be extra nice. I've seen quite a few tests of the Pinion motor gearbox setup and it's definitely a winner.
Naturally cost is a factor but if one is already looking to buy a MTB in the $6000 (CAD) and up range I don't think it would be such a barrier.
I must admit that I thought gearboxes would be the future as well, until I got one. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad but for anything but downhill, they are severely limited by the resistence. If you only ride one for a few weeks you might not notice it, but after riding it for 6 - 12 months, the resistence becomes apparent. I think for enduro and dh bikes, gearboxes are good but for most other disciplines they have their limitations. Nice video!
Which gearbox did you get?
@@mr.facestab4051 pinion c line
I ride my mgu bike at 28kmph without the motor being on. There is more resistance at sub 15kmph, but above that it's negligible
Apparently they wear in and resistance reduces overtime, I'd just like to not have to tune and maintain a derailleur system, I will make up for the drag with fitness.
Having ridden Pinion bikes a few times: the range of gears is amazing. These things can help you climb a wall. Maintenance - change the gearbox oil annually. Tough as nails! The belts don't need much if any love, either. If you want a rig to go around the world, or you want a bikebacking drivetrain, this is it. Minor downsides: about 5% loss via friction. I could feel it on the climbs. Gearboxes do add extra weight (over a pound more compared to XTR or X01) - but it is where you want it! They're also more expensive than derailleurs - but lifetime cost might be lower if you are hard on drivetrain components. The shifting perhaps isn't as smooth under load with a gearbox, but it is faster. They're a no-brainer for ebikes.
Been riding a 12 speed gearbox Deviate four years now covering about 3.500 miles had to change the cables once and i do oil change yearly. Gear change is instant and live in my subconscious. Gearbox technology is up there with dropper posts and tubeless tyres.
That AC1 is totally, absolutely, most definitely the one!!!! Beauty. 😍
wasnt zerode the first to actually come out with this on their production line of the taniwhas here in nz with the belt drive instead of chain drive
Gear box is 20 years old and we still all have dérailleur on our bike
Alex is a sick guy making sick bikes! Saw you at the park with him during crankworx must've been super fun!
I so want one, just wish how much they are. I love steel frames, and I agree that getting rid of the derailleur is the way it should go.
The new gears from pinion are wireless and can be shift easy or hard all times. You do not need to stop puching the pedal.
Also it can be equiped with a belt insted of chain.
Oil change within 10.000 km.
The shifter on the i1.12 isn't wireless
Like the mechanics but the frame could have some work done to it
"just something chill" proceeds to hit a ten foot drop
Glad you're back!
The only way gearboxes will be the future is if they become cheap enough to put on all bikes. Rear mechs are much cheaper and any LBS has them. They are cool though
No mention of the gearbox's efficiency.
Problems with currenr Gearboxes
-They don't come in standards
-Pinion don't want to provide their GB mounting points,drawings, and files unless you are company or has a social media presence (Frame builders need to buy the gearbox to know the mounting points)
-They are still in experimenting phase
-Force the frame design to be mid pivot or high pivot or have a lower bb to make a room for a low pivot point
-They are HEAVY
-They are EXPENSIVE
@@diran971 How expensive is a top of the line Sram eagle drive-train?
@@cunning-stunt~1700€ for the full XX1 Eagle AXS drivetrain and ~2000€ for the XX SL one. Very expensive stuff right?
But there are way less expensive options. Personally, i'm using a Ztto 9-46T cassette, a RIRO carbon crank, a X01 AXS derailleur and chain (i was using Deore XT before but had a great deal on the X01 AXS). It's less expensive than Pinion and lighter (i'm more of an XC guy).
The main pros for gearboxes is maintenance imo.
The AC1 is on a VERY short list for my next bike.
Everyone says they are quiet, but just how quiet are we talking?
I’m hoping to test ride one soon, just need to coordinate it with Alex.
I think in 14 years of riding bikes,mostly enduro and DH,only 1 time I managed to break my derailleur and it was like 8 years ago. Smash it with a big rock in a huge compression,that was it. But never had a problem or even a broken cable in my bike. I swap one shimano cos it was bend out of shape but it was still working.
That bike looks great,less maintenance for sure,steel made. I think the electronic shifting for those gearboxes is the way to go,it can change gears way quicker and under load.
Steel bikes had a unique feeling to them and I like it a lot,way more than any aluminum frame.
That mushroom trail looks like any of my local trails hehehe.
The trick to not ruining derailleurs is not sucking at riding.
I guess I am the worst at biking then
@@JordanBoostmaster You said it bro not me
@@David-mt7tj LOL!
Gearbox is definitely the way for Fay downhill or downhill oriented. Wear a cross country. It does take a little more wattage to spin the gearbox rather than just the derailer. I saw Dale‘s review of. That same bike and I would be all over having a gearbox, but I haven’t found the right steed yet
If only my 2007 santa cryz cane with this 😂
the We Are One's did some heavy lifting too!
Once derailleurs go away so will the ability for the weekend warrior, and even many advanced riders, to adjust and maintain their own gear system. So that’ll be nice taking your bike to the shop for every little adjustment.
Would you ever make a boostmonster 2? Like another 300mm boostmonster but with better geometry?
yes
When a bike has gearbox, it should be with belt-drive too. Maybe belt has some power loss sure, but if that was a big concern, the bike should stick with derailleur too since Pinion has some power loss at human scale. Gotta go all in into dirt-resistance and have rubber-carbon fiber belt to commit to that aspect.
just a heads up for anyone with a vps/atomic/drop/shore/aline/ etc... If you have a broken pivot bolt, You can use a pivot bolt from a norco xc ( old stock ) as labeled by my norco dealer. he stated that he's unsure if the bolt is the same strength. Been driving it ever since. Mines converted to street, maxis holy rollers 26x2.4". But i did a frame swap for my vps. I had a fluid, and wanted this frame instead. not bad for 129$ to do a frame swap.
Nice design, I would definitely get one it looks like you will not longer have to worry about chain drops and a broken derailleur and hanger..
@3:00 I think you got that backwards, it's got no derailleur because no chain growth, you said other way around.
Chains suck too (literaly). Gates carbon belt is the future. Not this constantly maintenance requiring chain setup, that belittles the otherwise brilliant Pinion setup. We have a Zerode here at home, Pinion smartshift+gates CF belt, its brilliant in terms of maintenance as there is literaly none. Awesome vid. by the way. Lovely trails, big broaps !
i guess i’m an idiot cus i’ve never done anything with my chain 😂
@@mrwow1667 You haven't ridden enough then.
Eagle style on a UDH will be cheaper and lighter for the foreseeable future. And it shifts so good. That'll probably win the market.
As someone who recently smashed their derailleur, I would like to see this become the norm.
The bike was not as silent as I thought it will be. I think the most 'rattle' was from the cables upfront
Does it still use the grip shifter?
I love the idea of gearboxes, but that's the only thing stopping from considering them.
The electronic smart shift version has thumb shifters. And there have been brifters for the mechanical versions for some years
So my only issue is if the gearbox requires power to make those gear changes or not and whats up if that power is absent? Otherwise, hell yeah! Im sure in time theyll refine them to where you dont have to let off at all to gear change, as its actually easier for a gear to shift under load, but it has certain prereqs for that to be true. Bravo to Archibald. I hope they succeed but I can only imagine what the Pinion alone costs so sales pricing has to be up there!
I've wanted a pinion bike for years 😭 one day....
Pinion gearbox is great and I'd like to have it. On the other hand, bikes with pinion gearbox have average price 7-8k EUR and for that price I can have 2-3 Enduro bikes.
Love these bikes. Steel is real!
im in love with this bike already
How often does the gearbox have to be cleaned out? I imagine they pick up all the gunk from the chain pretty readily.
It's a sealed unit, no gunk inside. I believe they just need oil changes like Rohloffs.
@@2WheelsGood.01 good to know, thanks!
about once a year oil changes
That thing looks sick.
Do you think there was a steeper learning curve than expected with shifting while climbing?
How much heavier is the bike compared to a similar derailleur setup?
Cost will not permit the wide adoption of these gearboxes unfortunately. Also, weight and mechanical resistance. To this day there is no better power transfer and bang for buck than a good ole' derailleur and chain. I do love the reliability and lack of maintenance and adjustment.
I do see all the Enduro bros in OC rocking them on their crazy e-bikes.
I would love to try one out, I've lost count how many times I've bent my hanger.
What's the chain growth and how is it related to rear suspension?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE SUCKS?!?!
Me of course, how else am i suposed to breathe? 😂
looks cool. i hope this gearbox idea becomes the standard for bikes
That particular bike i wouldn't want to ride, but Nicolai Bikes has the Saturn 16 MGU that i would really love the shred on. I'm hoping pinion can make conversions for none gear box bikes, to swap them over to that system.
It's called an IGH (Rohloff, Shimano etc.), or a mid box (think Pinion). It's been a thing for decades.
But I agree: Derailleurs sucks,and this with that weird chain route doesn't really improve on that. Pinions and Rohloff can use belts.
It's a shame that theese things aren't more common because they certainly get attention. Would it be possible to swap onto an old bike with the thin axle? Might look to swap in the future, sounds like a great upgrade for a DH bike
No, the frame needs to be specifically made for it.
@@2WheelsGood.01 i thought so :/
what's your favorite trail at Fromme mines floppy bunny
Love the idea of a gearbox bike but not being able to downshift while pedaling really makes it a non starter. The amount of times where you need to grab a few gears lower for a short sharp climb that sneaks up on you on unfamiliar trails. That and i can count on one hand the amount of derailleurs i've smashed in the last 15 years 🤷
Can't shift while pedaling? That could be a problem...
You can. But you can also shift while not pedaling/ standing still
When this chap goes under (apologies for the crappy assumption - but……….) how are you going to source that funky little sprocket at the top of the driveline - just a question?. I presume the rest is proprietary so shouldn’t be a hassle. Otherwise, it’s a cool concept.
I hate derailleurs so much that I just ride single speed.
So does Reed boggs
What gear is best for popping wheelies🎉
pretty sure there's a reasony why they didn't put the chain in the middle of our calf also as usual it's the things they don't advertise that your need to look for and what I don't see is the total bike weight nowhere on their site you know the last bike I saw that didn't talk about the weight ? Lapierre emtb and how much was it ? 26kgs 57.3lbs
you needa make another boost and roost video, I haven't seen one in like a year!
Hey Jordan. I’d be really curious about what you think / review the Trek Slash gen6 (high pivot). Also on an Archibald comment. How did it pedal ? Antisquat in line? Loving the vid dude
If the gear box came out first, then someone invented the rear derailleur, which saved you massive amounts of weight and expense. Most people would switch immediately.
derailleur still make plenty of sense for pros with free unlimited parts, and dedicated team for maintenance, cleaning etc
but for regular riders current bike industry is the equivalent of an amateur racer buying new gearbox zvery time he's changing tires. considering the cost of MTB parts, gearing shouldn't be a consumables item, and arguing about weight when there's so many things adding weight like suspensions, disc brakes, wide 29 wheels, seems futile. I'd happily trade a bit of weight for a gearbox that lasts as long as the frame, and makes the group set easier to clean. lower unsprung mass is just a nice benefit. hopefully they work out the pedalling under load. I think with emtb becoming more and more common this question will become even more central, Ith incremental weight savings becoming less important
i have been wishing to do the switch to gearbox for the last 7 years. Deraillleur are weak, can be expensive, they are always in the way when riding tight single track/ruts and there is no second chance with it. You hit it and itll never shift good again. The complete lack of company mass producing gearbox frames makes it very expensive to get in. Perfect example is Archibald, a frame set of the AC1 is 8k CAD..a frameset : frame, shock and gearbox. Same price as a high end complete bike. It will only makes sens once a frameset price reaches other manufacturers price including a long warranty.
A Pinion gearbox start at over $1,000 for a 6-speed by itself.
@@shannontrainer5857 Not far of what a top of the line Sram Eagle drive train costs.
@@cunning-stunt The Pinion gear box is still heavier and still can't shift under load.
Solution is easier than you think.... get rid of Sram derailleur
(and get Shimano)
I've broken one derailleur ever and I wasn't even riding at the time. They do not suck
As gnarly as those trails look on cam, I imagine its much worse in person.
How much are they?
For me personally as a XC mtber i would rather have a normal Derailleurs even know i just broke one this weekend because as a XC rider we r always going over different types of terrain up and down hills. When i am riding i want to ride my bike and not think about shifting due to the Derailleurs being such a well developed component it is very smooth and works very well.
I am not trying to say that this should not catch on just wish u would be able to shift with it like it was a normal Derailleurs where you don't have to think oh i have to stop pedaling up this hill and lose speed and time.
i am very picky and like to be very efficient when i am biking.
Look, Jordan. First time viewer, 5m in. Mostly you've commented how the bike is the wrong size and has the wrong tyres.
If you were filming a promo, and you brought the wrong bike, go home. It's just a bad look on both of you, especially the owner. What did you think you were doing today? How long did you spend editing footage, but the pair of you couldn't put an extra hr into prep?
The video's well put together, awesome locations, honest review, just really let down by that factor
Gearbox is a no brainer for gravity riding imo
Tbh I have both Pinion and Rohloff gearboxed bikes, while nice, I really dislike not being able to shift while pedling as well Compared to both my shimano and sram bikes. Tbh I love my mechanical XTR and XX1 more on MTB than their electronic counterparts.
I have the Rohloff on one of my mtb's. Why you cannot shift while pedaling? It works flawlessly under load. Except when changing between 7 and 8, then it changes to 11th gear when too much load is applied. But this isn't a real problem.
the future is single speed
if MTB trails were flat...
I am at the fitness level where I am considering setting one of my bikes up with a gates belt SS. Problem is, what if I loose my fitness level?
@@cunning-stunt then back to gears
The no downshift wile pedaling is a deal breaker for me, that's what i need most of the time while i rarely need to upshift and if i do i will just go slower if it was the other way around while in this case you might be stuck on a steep incline
I can understand! but there is a new pinion smart shift system that fixes that
@@JordanBoostmaster That's grate
Love it. Can it be run with a belt?
Hey Jordan I’m trying to get a new bike do you know any good brands?
Derailleurs SUCK agree! i broke so many of them that i gave up. i dont ride enduro, so, im just riding single speed for the last year or so. i dont miss it, but for the future, yeah, a gearbox woud be awesome.
Could you please comment on how does the steel frame ride? And how is high pivot on jumps? It looked like it wasnt causing any trouble at all. Is it noticeable, that lengthening rear end? Thank you.
I'm not sure I noticed a difference with the steel frame, I didn't seem to find a problem with the high pivot and jumping thankfully, didn't really notice
@@pianofantastic91 steel compared to what? Carbon? Generally steel is more flexible. That's a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. It's said to be more comfortable but it will flex more under load making it less efficient. Also heavier.
Yup, ridiculous lateral flex put a lot of strain on bearings. Plus steel rusts. It's the essiest to weld and the cheapest metal. If that gearbox seizes 20 miles from a trailhead, then good luck getting home.@2WheelsGood.01
@@johnnyweekend I've toured entire continents on old steel bikes on and offroad in all types of climates, never had a single issue. It isn't downhill or Enduro, but it's fine for 95% of people. The flex can be addressed with tube width and the use of triple butted tubes. There are stainless frames out there that are excellent. Even CroMo are usually treated inside to prevent rust. As for the gearbox, Koga has Rohloffs on their world travelers. Exceedingly reliable gearboxes...but not for hardcore MTB.
@@johnnyweekend I guess Chromag mountain bikes aren't a bike manufacturer then? I mean an extra 500 to 1000 grams obviously makes it impossible for them to be carried, rolled, pushed or pedaled up hill then?
13 min 50 seconds in. First, I don't think those are the future. Because they are or seem to be complicated.
I think they are a viable a very good option.
My questions.
1. The rider was able to pedal while shifting to a higher gear. Nice. When shifting to a lower gear, they state and show the process. The rider stopped pedaling to shift to a lower gear. Can they just slow down or reduce pedaling pressure, or does that require a complete stop?
Also, traction was not the best, but it is evident that the front tire is not a cross country tire.
Back to the video.
If I had a gearbox bike I'd run an Onyx hub on it to make the bike dead silent.
that would be cool
You could nickname it “the stealth bomber”.
@@blakekennard7700 🤣🤣🤣👏
How are your tires not flat? What’s the secret?
u just change the RD location and put in front chain along with chain ring.....looks pain to maintain...
I just got a new bike this summer. I usually keep bikes about 4 years. I predict my next bike will have a gear box and it will be the new standard for higher end bikes.
just of my curoisity what bike do u got 😂🤔
@@joshuavantongeren1734 A YT Decoy
He’s absolutely gotta work on that no pedal downshift.
can you swap it for a belt drive?
No, you need a specific frame that's compatible with belts.
If it has a split chain-stay then yes. A lot of bike have a pivot point or special split point between the chain-stay and seat-stay of their rear triangle so you can split it to fit a belt.
The AC1 looks like the rear triangle only has two sides so you could in theory unbolt the seat-stay pivot at the frame end and slide a belt on. Question is do gates make a CDX belt long enough for a high pivot bike? The pulley and chain ring can easily be changed for CDX units.
Hey Jordan I was wondering what tips you have for me to start to get more views and likes
11:59
We've renamed it,
'' Too 'Shroom ''
Yeah, we've been waiting and waiting for this technology to become the "norm"... still waiting.
dude I frickin love your videos man you don't even know