Yes. Wax your chains. It works just fine in wet conditions and if you use wippermann connex links it's super easy. I've been waxing for a while and won't switch back.
If I could have three bikes - one short travel trail bike, one longer travel enduro race bike and one burly DH bike, I would have to have the same cockpit, brakes, shifters, grips, seat and shifters so that jumping between them would be easy. That's the dream anyway... 🤘
If I could only have one bike, it would be a modern Enduro bike. They pedal pretty darn good and I can ride pretty much whatever my skills will permit me to do with confidence.
For me my 29” wheel bike is a bit of a Chelsea tractor. I much prefer the responsiveness of the smaller and lighter 26” wheels, it also transports easier, a 29” bike is enormous to take on a train. I’d always wax my chain (with paraffin), suitable for wet as well as dry, lasts ages, doesn’t attract the dirt and easy to wash. Happy trails!
I may sound crazy, but I've been riding my 26" bike for ~10 years. Can't complain really. Additionally, I'm short AF, which kind of looks more natural for me.
I used to wax my chains (both road and MTB) back in the 90's, but I stopped because of the time and mess involved. Drip on, wipe off is so much simpler and less mess, it more than compensates for any supposed benefits of waxing. My waxed chains used stay clean slightly longer, but not enough to justify the fuss.
@gmbntech little correction here: usual spoke threads are rolled onto the actual spoke, not cut into it. So you do not lose any material in the process, rather press it tight. The shop I work at has the magical Phil Wood spoke threading mashine, wich is way helpful as we mostly just buy the longest spokes available and cut them to length. Downside of course is that you'd only get single butted ones this way.
Regarding waxing chains, I use squirt chain lube which is wax based. I find it awesome I ride it in both summer and winter here in Australia and I find it works awesome.
You absolutely do not need to remove your chain to wax it. You simply drip wax on the chain and then heat the wax with a blow dryer or a heat gun depending on the melt point that you've used. An old heavy leather welding glove or similar is more than adequate heat protection for you to work the wax into the chain. It's a 5 minute process on the bike. Best part is if the wax gets nasty you hit it with the heat gun and the exterior layer softens up and comes right off. I've been using old ski wax here in Michigan for 30 years. Arguably far worse conditions than in the UK.
Hey Doddy, I've been waxing all my bike chains for the last couple of years with just paraffin wax. For MTB (I use the most) I'll have two chain, so one can be ridden and the other prepped with wax. This allows me to swap over without much hassle. As for chain prep. I'll use the fresh chain as is, when dirty degrease it and then wax it. As a waxed chain doesn't attract any debris, then when it needs re-waxing, I simple take of and plop in the warm wax again. I find a waxed chain last 3/4 rides in the dry and then in the wet just one, but that's the same with normal lubed chains.
Waxed MTB chains are the only way to go. They stay cleaner, last longer and wear the other components less. If you ever have to touch them there’s no black oily mess on your hands and they are more efficient as are road chains that are waxed. It’s a no brainier. Once waxed you just clean them like normal and then lube them with a wax based lube like Squirt.
i like wax, and use the emulsion method with graphite powder. but wax dont hold against rain or wet conditions/waterpass on chain. and dont last long, 120km max per aplication
Agreed. If you want to upgrade from Squirt though, for in-between hot wax dips, try a drip wax that doesn’t contain paraffin oil.. like Silca’s Super Secret. It runs even cleaner, without the tackiness of Squirt. For those asking how long a hot wax lasts, I’m getting 160km (100 miles) in dry conditions with MoltenSpeedWax, and something like 100km (60 miles) in the wet, depending. I swap between two chains, so one is always ready.
@@sevenninthsfabmachine as it happens I’ve just bought a bottle of the Silca. I haven’t used it yet but sounds like it’s the next level up from Squirt.
26" "because that's what we had around "? Heres speculation: it made sense because it meant you could stand over the top tube without racking yourself.
Hi doddy, heres an idea for a Tech build, 3x 13 on a 8 speed alfine hub, disc brakes combined with v brakes, full suspension with front and rear lockouts, flex stem and dropper post, see how many levers/shifters its possible to fit on a set of bars
I recall in the early days of mountain biking 29" tyres were briefly avaiable from Nokian. I built wheels for them however thye supply dried up and 26" wheels became standard. Back then because of the width of the tyres it was felt that 26" wheels and wide tyres gave enough diameter and circumference to roll over bumps adequately. In the early days lots of attention was being paid to the frames and mechanicals of the bikes, less so tyres.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta were available for 700c and 650b rims (47 and 54mm respectively). Geoff Apps of Cleland Cycles sent some over to the Marin County crowd and Gary Fisher showed a lot of interest. The problem was that the supply was very limited and it was difficult to source them in any real quantity for commercial purposes. Tom Ritchey also tried 650b wheels around the same time with similar problems. 26" wheels weren't the best performers and they all knew that at the time, but with the history of pre-war cruisers and the introduction of BMX in the 1970's (notably 26" cruisers), good quality 26" rims and tyres were much more widely available and the industry stuck with it for all those years afterwards. A few efforts were made to try other sizes afterwards, notably hybrids with their 700c wheels and GT with their 700D wheels (583mm bead seat, 650b tyres will fit if you're careful). It wasn't until the late 90's that WTB started making tyres for Gary Fisher to fit to existing 700c rims for the proto-29ers. As long as 26ers were going to be available, people were going to keep buying them. Some people were afraid to change, some people refused to believe other sizes were better, so in 2015 when the entire industry unanimously dropped 26" wheels on new bikes, 27.5" was used as the stepping stone to push people onto bigger wheels. I still fail to see how 3/4 of an inch in radius makes a noticeable difference though, that's the width of my thumb at best. Modern tyres are definitely a bigger volume than they once were and that's definitely made an improvement.
All you kids (yeah, kids as I'm pushing 65) out there likely were not around when mtb's were first hitting the market. One of Cannondale's offerings was a bike with a 26 in front and a 24 in back. Y'all can't tell me this mullet stuff is "new" thing. I still have my mostly not-so-stock Klein Mantra, 26 inch wheels and about 150 mm travel front and rear (climbs like a goat, by not so much downhill).
26” are the best wheel for round the world tourers, parts available everywhere, most of the world still rides round on 5-8 speed, V braked, 26” wheels despite what marketing and manufacturers tell you.
@@mmtot still standard on cheap “mountain” bikes( up to say £150) most bikes have gone to 27.5 and 29” 27.5 are getting less as well as mountain bikes get more expensive, they seem to be 29ers as standard. 26” has been dead ( if you believe media) for 15 years or so, but most of the world still rides them, that’s why my world touring bike is 26”
I'm still sad the industry has moved away from 26. I understand all the advantages, but for someone who rides for fun I'm not interested in those incremental gains. I'm not trying to win any races or go an extra mile. At 5'8 I have never found a 27.5 bike that doesn't feel massive and clumsy. so I'm still riding 26 bikes, probably always will, they feel perfect imo. Just wish there was a company that still offered 26 frame options so I'm not stuck with somewhat outdated geo. LONG LIVE THE 26ers!
26" is also lighter and stronger, and the tyres are lighter too. It also makes the bike easier to transport in the back of a car because it's smaller. I'd rather have that than the tiny extra speed of a 27.5" or 29"
Transitioned from BMX to MTB. Have a 26er. Tried out 29ers, & I don't like them. I do like how they roll over obstacles easier, & maintain momentum longer... but overall, I feel like a slug on them, especially when rolling out of switchbacks & turns. Tricking out on 29ers is more aggravating too. 26ers just out maneuver 29ers all day.
Prep work for waxing up chains perhaps not so much an issue if you do several at once and rotate. Generally after getting wet I take the chain off and run through my hands through a rag/towel and it's not necessary to re wax every time as grit and dirt don't stick, it's just about preventing moisture from drying on, best way like I say just take off after everything gets wet and dry everything down. Makes it easier to wipe all gears and nooks off also and just run chain both ways through hands with rag with a bit of attention to remove the most of that moisture. No trouble in my experience as the bike will need drying off anyway and the chain will not need re waxing every time at all, almost never needs re waxing over periods of dry conditions.
I still ride an old 26er....I also have a 29er and 650b bikes.....26" wheels are fun and what I started on 30 years ago.....Saying that, my old 26er is more up to date with SRAM 1x11,tubeless and wide bars/short stem....feels good but rather small that my other bikes....
We used to use chain boils and clean the chain first in petrol on our motorcross bikes and would get a whole season out of chain and sprocket set , yes it can be a faf first few times but after a while it's not a problem
I still prefer 26" wheels. Yes, 650B and 29s are more stable and faster in a straight line. For me, 26 is totally worth it for the shorter chainstays, less rotating weight, and the resultant quicker handling on singletrack. (Some of that is also the 90s era 71 degree head tube angles vs. current bikes going back to 68 degree beach cruiser headtube angles. But still.) I live in far Northern California, in the redwood rainforest, and tried waxing chains back in the late 80s when I first started mountain biking. When it was wet/muddy, it was a rust disaster unless you cleaned, dried, and rewaxed after every ride. Of course, the same went for the loose ball bearing BBs, hubs, and headsets, too. Ride? Repack everything! (At least until I discovered boat trailer wheel bearing grease...)
If you wax your chain, you really need to nurse it. Live, think and breathe chain consciousness is the way; forget riding. Most people who wax lyrical over waxing live in hot, dry countries. I tried it for a month in Japan, which can be wet. The day after the first downpour, I examined the Shimano chain, it was going rusty. Also, it was noisy, and I think it damaged the crank ring. I threw the chain and replaced the crank ring, put a new chain on, and went back to Finishline Wet. Smooth 🙂 I will never even dream of waxing a chain again. I love the agility of 26ers.
To the last question--the 2 x 12 drivetrain is already available off the shelf from Shimano. You do need to buy the 2x-specific rear derailleur, and you're limited to a 10 - 45t cassette.
@@johndef5075 No, I absolutely meant rear der. For instance, look up the RD-M8120 (if I post a link my comment may be blocked). That's the 2 x 12 specific version of the Deore XT rear derailleur.
@@johndef5075 Shimano 12 speed rear derailleurs are specific to 1x, 2x and 3x configurations, especially this new type. The max cassette compatibility is also determined by the number of gears on the front.
I can vouch for the longevity of an Industry Nine wheelset, my original 29er Enduro set from 2009 is still going trouble free 13 seasons in with just regular service.
What's wrong with choice? Why can't I buy a decent frame designed for a 26" wheel? Currently got my 26 ers on a 29" GT Aggressor. Bottom bracket sits a bit low which sometimes causes the pedals to clip the ground but I love how nimble and responsive it is. I binned the wheels it came with, they where too slow and flexed on bumpy ground.
If your 29" wheels were flexing on bumpy ground, then either you had a crap set of wheels, or the spoke tension was seriously screwed up. As for being slower, actually, it's the opposite. 29" wheels cover more ground per revolution than 26" and will be inherently faster at the same revolutions per minute. 26" wheels might give the perception of being faster for one reason or another, but it's more illusion than reality.
I've heard the spoke weak points many times. Oddly, I've never broke one at the J-bend or the nipple. It's always been at the butting or somewhere in the middle.
Waxing the chain for me is an easier process than washing the bike, for example. I soak the chain in mineral solvent before waxing, and I reuse the solvent. The dirt precipitates out of it, and the clear liquid can be carefully poured out onto the chain the next time. I use candle paraffin from the cheapest white candles I can find. On the road bike I wax the chain about once in 600 km in dry weather, on the MTB about once in 200 km. I've made a DIY top-up wax lube by dissolving some candle shavings in a bit of petrol. It works pretty well.
So you remove and reinstall your chain, and you make your own lube by melting candles and mixing them with a toxic and explosive fuel... And that's easier than washing a bike? WTF do you do to wash your bike???
Waxing chains. Almost as contentious as waxing yer legs 😁 When done right, it's absolutely brilliant. Less watts wasted, less chains worn, fewer cassettes and chainrings wrecked. However, it's easy to get wrong and have a poor to downright bad experience. Liquid lubricants become capillary pumps that suck finely ground grit inside the chain where they eat it alive forever. Drip waxes are decidedly sub par with significant penetration issues covered up by a thick external coat that hides the noise of a poorly lubricated chain. Hot melt immersion is the way; but even this has kinks to work out - starting with the coatings on chains from various mfgs - getting the chain absolutely bonkers clean - which you only need to do ONCE! at the start - simply picking the right wax and additives - can make it challenging. However, the sum total is fairly simple once on the other side of the learning curve. The downside is flash-rust after wet rides without prompt attention. The upside is a drivetrain that lives 5-10x as long and zero calf tattoos.
My Cannondale has a 24" rear and 26" front. Most motocross had 18" rear and 21" front. Honda had a 23" front for a bit and Husqvarna had 17" rears for much of the 80s.
Waxing. I have been using wax for over a year now. I like the way my chain stays much more clean and also easy to clean between rides with a little soap and water. Then dry and re-wax periodically. My chain wear also hasn't been bad either. I'm impressed. I would recommend in wet or dry cycling.
I'm a roadie, don't tell your colleagues. I waxed a brand new gold KMC 10spd chain. Heated it up in toaster oven. Had good penetration I thought, but always had a squeak. Checked everything, including chain, which I cleaned and treated again. Still a squeak. On an otherwise perfect Pinarello roadbike, this was unacceptable. I appreciated the way the wax would shed as it became too gritty. Yes, was kinda cleaner. In a way. Though a waxy feeling on your hands is ickier than oil. Not till I clarified the chain and went back to automotive gear oil did the squeak dissappear. Also, there was a different chain noise compared to a clean oiled chain. You are right, one needs really stay on top of your chain maintenance, and cogs and jockeys. Just my take on wax.
I was in Tom Ritchey's garage in the spring of 1978. At the time he had been trying out 24" wheels. He was unsatisfied and was planning on trying 26" moving forward. As far as waxing chains. The advantage is I understand that with wax, your chain will stay cleaner because it is not as sticky as oil. What most cyclist do not understand that they only need to lubricate between where the side plates overlap. Oil anywhere else is giving some rust prevention but not any friction reducing advantage. I bought a bike once with a waxed chain. The wax was all over the spokes and rims. I was unable to find any solvent to break the wax away from the surface. What a mess!
+1 on waxing in all conditions. My waxed chain is easier to clean and it seems to last a long time. My hands don’t get black and greasy handling the chain too. I also wax the cassette occasionally as it stays cleaner - dirt just seems to either not stick, sloughs off and rinses off easily.
Hi Doddy, you often mention waxing a chain but what about wax lubes like Squirt? It's very popular here in South Africa with the dryer conditions but I found that it lasts very well even on river crossing or muddy rides.
I was just doing some playing around with a design of a trike with a Pinion 18 speed on the front and a Rohloff 14 on the back giving it 252 gears. Obviously, most of the gears would overlap but it was fun to think about.
Want to know about wet conditions? Check out zero friction cycling. There are some good drip lubes but I think it’s hard to argue that waxing isn’t better when presented with actual data ESPECIALLY in wet conditions. You do have to be fairly meticulous with a new chain but once it’s ready for wax maintaining is not really harder than drip if you have quick links.
I wax my chains and I love it ,no dirt sticks to your chain and no grit after a ride. I don't need to clean my chain after ever ride anymore .When it gets some what dirty I just clean it and reapply ceramic wax chain lube between dip waxing.
Using squirt is massively simple! And good in the wet too. Doddy, you must try this!! I live next to a very muddy forest and really dig squirt lube. It also seems to stick better to the chain than the parrafin bath type wax. I have mountain biked since 1995
Big fan of Squirt Chain Lube. I clean my entire bike after every ride and Squirt is an incredibly quality chain lube! I use Muc-Off and a great scrub brush to get my transmission looking like new!
Quality cut spokes have rolled-on threads, not cut threads. The threads aren't a weak spot on spokes made like that. Butted spokes are also considerably thinner in the middle than they are where the threads are. A 2.0/1.8/2.0 spoke is 2mm at the head and at the threads, and 1.8mm in the middle. There are are 2.0/1.5/2.0 spokes that aren't uncommon.
I’ve waxed my chain a few times but have stopped now. It works well and the rollers stay lubricated even in the wet, but the faces of the chain links have nothing on them leaving them susceptible to rusting. I’ve gone back to a dry lube (Smoove) which is also very good.
Vectr variably expandinding chain transmission us patent 10,167,055 there are a few other designs that can be adapted for bikes that work in a similar way to my old expired uk patent i would love to see a cvt straight chainline or belt drive system what do you think
I have 24 26 and 29 on various bikes and a 26/4 on a d/h rig and on my local stomping rock garden i find the difference small but there - if I was building from scratch I’d 29/6 mullet more so because when hanging off the back - 27.5 passed me by as back when it was new it was too little to change
26 ain't dead yet. I think you should build a mid mounted 14 speed gearbox bike hydraulic shifter .with abs internal steering damper to fork to headtube and optional telepathic controls 😁😁
Doddy, waxed chains seem like a great opportunity for a GMBN video - wax chains for several presenters and let them try and comment. I'm guessing that several chains could be waxed at the same time.
I waxed my chain once a long time ago when there really weren't that many options. It was OK. Didn't last that long. I think you're better off using a wax based dry lube like Boeshield or LPS3. Same effect, much easier to apply.
Mopeds like the very popular Peugeot 104 used 16” tires. Most very strong and knobby since used much off-road and in the mud by farmers. I suppose these might have been tires of choice at the time for downhill use. Most bicycles except for kids bikes used 700 at the time (60s - 70s).
Yeah i agree on the chain comment you made. If they were super expensive i might wax or something preferably something don't know what that would be. Clean em lube em and wipe of out side - real important. Cleaner the outside less dirt accumulation. I ride every day so dry conditions once a week wet conditions twice weekly. Never had any problems. Great tech as usual keepemcoming.
I much prefer my 27.5 over my old 26. Not really spent much time on a 29 but opted for 27.5 as it offered a bit more susp travel than the 29 version of my bike. I felt like an extra 10mm to play with was better than a little more roll over
I think you should take someone of average size (180cm/5'11") and put them on a modern-style 26", 27.5", and 29" XC bike and see which performs better for XC-style racing. I ride 27.5" FS and 26" hardtail XC and I think I have something of an advantage over 29" on some tracks. However I don't own a 29" to compare so I can only surmise.
US average adult male height is 5'9" World average is 5'6" Bicycle journalist and engineer average is 6'3" might have made up the last one, but somehow I've got a feeling I'm close. At 5'6" and below, (US 50% of men and 75% of women) 29er mountainbikes are start turning into wallowy, floppy tanks. Toe overlap isn't much of concern on the road so those frames can get away with steeper head tube angles, mtb can't.
Because they cover less ground per revolution, 26" wheels will be inherently slower than 29" at the same revolutions per minute, which is only really an advantage on straightaways. They are arguably more nimble on turns but can get hung up on obstacles that 29" wheels will easily roll over. But like anything else to do with this hobby, it's more about the skill of the rider than the bike he's riding.
first of all: trying to attempt having a clean chain with oil without removing the chain from the bike is extremely time consuming, shop towel consuming, degreaser consuming and to be honest, you will not get the dirt out from underneath the rollers this way. Chain waxing, that is immersing the chain into the molten wax, is way less time consuming, will make your chain pretty much last for ever (many thousands of km, even under e-bike torque) and never leave any dirt anywhere. I already have over 2000km on my waxed no-name chinese chain and there is no measurable wear on it. every 150km or so I remove the chain from the bike (a breeze with a connex link, less than 20 seconds), put it on the chain hanger (a.k.a. swishing tool just made by bending a spoke), if dusty from gravel roads, immerse it in boiling water for a few seconds, take it out, let it dry a moment, then bathe it in molten wax (paraffin with some WS2 powder, PTFE also possible). For durability, time consumption and convenience I would never ever put any drop of any sort of liquid bottle juice on my chain, not even the "wax lubes".
Decades before Gary Fisher, a fellow named John Finley-Scott in 1953 rode his modified diamond frame Schwinn World calling it a 'Woodsie' fitted with 26" Schwinn S-2 rims and tires 2.25" width from Semperit (German company) developed early 1930's. Schwinn took this tire size early on. In the early 1980's John Finley-Scott pushed Tom Ritchey for designing a bike using 650B wheeled. Because the tire wasn't easily available and not acceptable for any volume in the US, it didn't happen back then. BTW: John Finley-Scott was the financier and supply line of many components to the early 'Mountain Bike's company of partners Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher, using frames produced by Ritchey. Later, Fisher went solo starting his own company.
Using wax isn't that bad I used wax as my chain lubricant or lubrication since that, I just don't want oil since they are messy when putting removing and cleaning,wax has more longer life on chains than oil...😅😅😅
#askgmbntech I have an 2019 YT Tues with a Rockshox Vivid coil shock. I use a 500# spring and the spring rubs the shock body. It has left score marks on the shock body. I have tried inverting the spring and rotating it with no luck. I bought a second 500# spring and same problem. If I go down to a 450# spring it does not rub but bottoms out. Any suggestions on how to stop this problem?
A good quality rim and high enough spoke count have a much bigger effect on wheel strength these days than overall diameter. There are many 29er wheels now that will take things that would have destroyed older 26 inch wheels.
@@andrewnorris5415 most of the good rims I know are aluminum. I'm happy with a set a DT Swiss gravel rims ATM that are ridiculously strong (and cheap). Shimano has also made some excellent aluminum wheels that have low spoke count, but are way stronger than the high-spoke-count Mavic rims of old.
#AskGMBNTech hey guys love the channel, I'm currently riding a Merida One Sixty 700 Enduro bike. There doesn't seem to be much information on Merida online for a European brand. The rear suspension design uses a float link, From what I can read it's quite a linear design. I'm thinking of upgrading my rear shock which is a super deluxe ultimate, would a coil not suit this style of suspension link design? Would the bike just feel bogged down all the time? I'm thinking I might be better off upgrading the air can to a Meg Neg? Cheers 🤙
#askgmbntech I have a problem with my chain coming off my front chainring, it only happens in the last gear, should I take a link out. I know its not the derailleur since i just replaced it. Thanks
#AskGMBNTech Hi! Use my bike for commuting a lot. Had no issue with earphones on, but without them I start to hear chain rubbing noise... it appears on low( hard) gears and is very annoying, especially when sound reflects from buildings, cars etc.... noticed, that chain is slightly rubbing against upper sprocket when chain is obliquely. Is there something I can do?
#AskGMBNTech Hi GMBN, on my XC hardtail I have a RockShox SID RLC fork, I checked on RockShox website the possible upgrades, can you explain what those would bring in terms suspension behaviour? In particular 'Damper Upgrade Kit - CHARGER Race Day 32mm Crown' and 'Air Spring Upgrade Kit - DebonAir Sealhead -SID B4' I like doing long rides (4h+) and did twice the 24h of Finale Ligure (solo ;) and I was wondering if any of these upgrades would make sense for me. Thanks a lot in advance!
#askgmbntech I have cup and cone type hubs/bearings and the front hub’s left side cup got loose and it just wobbling in the hub body. Is it fixable, or i have to replace the whole hub?
If you ride with it loose it will quickly ruin the cups, they will become pitted. MTB cup and cone need servicing once every 3K miles in UK conditions, maybe more often if the seals are not good. Clean, dry, new bearings, new grease. Cup and cone last ages, but you need to keep an eye if they become loose, which is why I quickly check each ride. Have cone spanners handy in your home tool kit so can quickly tighten. Also important to not get too tight - just enough so that it does not wobble when fitted to the bike. This take trial and error but you get better.
As a mountain biker , why are bike manufactures not making full 27.5 and making people buy Mullet or full 2er bikes ? . It wont be long and all bikes will be full 29ers , very sad day for mountain biking .
I waxed all my bike's chains in a great big pot in one go. And three out of five of them were covered in rust when I left them outside for a while. I was horrified! I think it's only a road bike/indoor thing.
#AskGMBNTech I have a question. I want to make my bike a mullet but i don't know if i can. My bike is a Lapierre spicy 3.0 from 2019 and has a flipchip so it can run both 27.5 or 29 inch wheels. But i am not sure if it can run mullet and if it mess up the geometry.
I personally think the change to 29 was simply due the cost savings for the wheel and frame manufactures in terms of machinery, the rest is just marketing. i appreciate that DH bikes with tall riders are able to get better times on a longer 29" on fast open tracks, but if the rules aloowed teams to jump to 29, why not 36" DH bikes. What would also be interesting is the diameter comparison including the tire across the wheel range, including plus, fat bike and 24" wheels. Cheers Cheapy
#AskGMBNTech Can you use pedal washers to adjust Q factor for flat pedals when they don't offer different spindle length options or upgrades ie: Race Face Chester pedals, and if so how many before it will create an issue? I've noticed my heal rubbing the chainstay the odd time and I'm wondering if pedal washers will help.
Maybe you can build a bike with the widest gear range that is possible using a combination of off the shelf parts... (gearbox with triple chainring etc) and then have a tug of war with an emtb and a race with a road bike 😀
@gmbn the spoke threads are NOT CUT. they are pressed in, by driving the spoke through a machine with sharp disks that push the metal outwards. if they were cut, they would not hold.
Most threads are rolled (aka pressed in), it's the most common and economic manufacturing method to make bolts and screws. Only very special and accurate threads (like on machine parts or exotic very big bolts) are cut
#AskGMBNTech I tried to go tubeless but the inside hole for the valve (the one inside the tire) is to big to seal. Valves are presta and the outside hole is ok for them. Any idea on how to solve that?
well, first I would ask that if the rims are tubeless designated? Many older rims cant run a tubeless setup. If yes, the next thing would be to look for valves with a wider rubber flange on them, and if you still cannot get anything to work I think you would need to find a rubber grommet of some sort that will fit over the valve stem, but that is the outer width that you need. Look online for pictures and sizes and see if you can find something that will seal the larger hole... the sealant should take care of any micro discrepancies as long as they all pinch together relatively well.... thats my best advice anyways. Good luck man.
@@Muskiehunter92 Thanks, I was thinking along the same lines. Yep, wheels are not designed with tubeless in mind. I supposed that the only issue could be fitting the tape but I was wrong.
@@borisflamingo594 Only the first hole is wider, the other fits presta perfectly. I would rather not drill out the rim. Can you even get tubeless schrader?
Waxing chains? If using paraffin, a petrochemical derived wax, then it's a toluene and benzene fume party - yuck (not good for the lungs - and where is it disposed of?). I have to believe the paraffin waxes are what people use for the tedious process of waxing a chain. Vegetable or bee based waxes can't lube like a petrochemical wax.
Spoke thread is not cut thread :D :D :D :D But rolled :) "Rather than removing material by cutting threads, rolling threads actually deforms the material. As with butted spokes, this results in changes in the microstructure of the metal increasing its strength. That’s crucial as threads act as a potential stress concentrator, and hence weak point."
MTB bikes evolved from BMX not road cycling. If you want a strong wheels smaller are always stronger for same weight. So it went from 20" to 24" to 26", not from 700cc down to 26". Biger wheels were just to heavy and fragile. Keep in mind there were no suspension at start.
Doddy is right. Mountain bikes came from adapted cruisers and “paper boy” bikes, which came standard with 26 inch wheels and pre-date 24” bmx bikes by many years. The first mountain bikes were frankenstein contraptions made in NorCal and Colorado. It’s a separate lineage from bmx development.
@@sevenninthsfabmachine The geom of mountain bikes quickly changed from cruisers. But 26r wheels stuck. As frantzs said, strength was one of the key reasons back then. But also let's not forget why 26r MTBs took and did so well - starting a whole new industry - they were fun to ride. Marketing was nowhere near as effective as it is these days. People went upon how much they enjoyed it. Simple pleasures.
Just visited Fairfax CA. Where it all started... Yes I was wrong. Interesting video is "Klunking - Mountain Bike Racing - 1979" made with help from Fairfax Museum.
#AskGMBNTech I have an SLX 7100 drivetrain that is dropping down the cassette when I backpedal on technical climbs. It seems like I may be 2mm off the optimal chain line. Is this enough to cause the problem and is there a way to move my chain line inbound?
If you don’t get an answer, have a look at the spacers on your bottom bracket could swap one spacer to the non drive side. Depends on frame bottom bracket width I only have one spacer on the drive side 73mm bb
Chains also make huge differences. On my commuter I have a 1x system, and the last chain (one which was left from another bike) dropped very fast from the front chain ring in the granny gear. I replaced the chain with a better Shimano one, and the problem was solved.
#askgmbntech I have a question about tire sizes. I have been running Maxxis Ikons 29x2.25 (ERTO 57/622) at the back for years and they were the biggest I could fit on my bike (Scott Scale 2013) Now I went to Schwalbe 29x2.25 (ERTO 57/622) so same size and ERTO but I have a lot more space between tire and frame? A how can that be and is there a way to find out how big tires really are? Thanks for your answer and I can't wait for the next videos as the are all always great!!! cheers Mo Ps.: Concerning an old question I couldn't fit a fit Cartidge in my 2013 32 CTD fork but you can upgrade to a grip cartridge, maybe somebody else is out there and wants to upgrade... ;-)
This answer is incomplete. The real reason is that 26" with a fatter tire has roughly the same diameter as 650B with a medium tire or 700c with a thin tire. And it turns out that this diameter has a great feel that everyone is used to riding. Personally I ride 26" wheels with 2.5" tires, which are bigger than a lot of 27.5" setups. The bike rolls very fast, but is way more nimble than an oversized 29er.
Would you pick a do-it-all bike or one that's specific to your main riding style!? Let us know down below 👇
If I can't do it on my full rigid single speed mountain bike, it don't get done..
Yes. Wax your chains. It works just fine in wet conditions and if you use wippermann connex links it's super easy. I've been waxing for a while and won't switch back.
If I could have three bikes - one short travel trail bike, one longer travel enduro race bike and one burly DH bike, I would have to have the same cockpit, brakes, shifters, grips, seat and shifters so that jumping between them would be easy. That's the dream anyway... 🤘
If I could only have one bike, it would be a modern Enduro bike. They pedal pretty darn good and I can ride pretty much whatever my skills will permit me to do with confidence.
Always go for more travel. You can always learn to spin smoother.
For me my 29” wheel bike is a bit of a Chelsea tractor. I much prefer the responsiveness of the smaller and lighter 26” wheels, it also transports easier, a 29” bike is enormous to take on a train. I’d always wax my chain (with paraffin), suitable for wet as well as dry, lasts ages, doesn’t attract the dirt and easy to wash. Happy trails!
I may sound crazy, but I've been riding my 26" bike for ~10 years. Can't complain really. Additionally, I'm short AF, which kind of looks more natural for me.
I’m still on 26 inch wheels
Same 😂
I have similar weight 26 and 29 full suspension mtbs. I prefer the 26. Can accelerate much quicker out of turns on the trails I ride.
I used to wax my chains (both road and MTB) back in the 90's, but I stopped because of the time and mess involved. Drip on, wipe off is so much simpler and less mess, it more than compensates for any supposed benefits of waxing. My waxed chains used stay clean slightly longer, but not enough to justify the fuss.
@gmbntech little correction here: usual spoke threads are rolled onto the actual spoke, not cut into it. So you do not lose any material in the process, rather press it tight. The shop I work at has the magical Phil Wood spoke threading mashine, wich is way helpful as we mostly just buy the longest spokes available and cut them to length. Downside of course is that you'd only get single butted ones this way.
You can cut up to 10mm off a DT double-butted spoke, so you don't have to stock every size to sell those.
Regarding waxing chains, I use squirt chain lube which is wax based. I find it awesome I ride it in both summer and winter here in Australia and I find it works awesome.
We started with 26” wheels because that’s what the Romans used on their mountain bikes.
You absolutely do not need to remove your chain to wax it. You simply drip wax on the chain and then heat the wax with a blow dryer or a heat gun depending on the melt point that you've used. An old heavy leather welding glove or similar is more than adequate heat protection for you to work the wax into the chain.
It's a 5 minute process on the bike. Best part is if the wax gets nasty you hit it with the heat gun and the exterior layer softens up and comes right off.
I've been using old ski wax here in Michigan for 30 years. Arguably far worse conditions than in the UK.
Hey Doddy,
I've been waxing all my bike chains for the last couple of years with just paraffin wax. For MTB (I use the most) I'll have two chain, so one can be ridden and the other prepped with wax. This allows me to swap over without much hassle.
As for chain prep. I'll use the fresh chain as is, when dirty degrease it and then wax it. As a waxed chain doesn't attract any debris, then when it needs re-waxing, I simple take of and plop in the warm wax again.
I find a waxed chain last 3/4 rides in the dry and then in the wet just one, but that's the same with normal lubed chains.
Waxed MTB chains are the only way to go. They stay cleaner, last longer and wear the other components less. If you ever have to touch them there’s no black oily mess on your hands and they are more efficient as are road chains that are waxed. It’s a no brainier. Once waxed you just clean them like normal and then lube them with a wax based lube like Squirt.
Agreed. Never switching back
How long does the wax last?
i like wax, and use the emulsion method with graphite powder. but wax dont hold against rain or wet conditions/waterpass on chain. and dont last long, 120km max per aplication
Agreed. If you want to upgrade from Squirt though, for in-between hot wax dips, try a drip wax that doesn’t contain paraffin oil.. like Silca’s Super Secret. It runs even cleaner, without the tackiness of Squirt.
For those asking how long a hot wax lasts, I’m getting 160km (100 miles) in dry conditions with MoltenSpeedWax, and something like 100km (60 miles) in the wet, depending. I swap between two chains, so one is always ready.
@@sevenninthsfabmachine as it happens I’ve just bought a bottle of the Silca. I haven’t used it yet but sounds like it’s the next level up from Squirt.
26" "because that's what we had around "? Heres speculation: it made sense because it meant you could stand over the top tube without racking yourself.
Hi doddy, heres an idea for a Tech build, 3x 13 on a 8 speed alfine hub, disc brakes combined with v brakes, full suspension with front and rear lockouts, flex stem and dropper post, see how many levers/shifters its possible to fit on a set of bars
I recall in the early days of mountain biking 29" tyres were briefly avaiable from Nokian. I built wheels for them however thye supply dried up and 26" wheels became standard. Back then because of the width of the tyres it was felt that 26" wheels and wide tyres gave enough diameter and circumference to roll over bumps adequately. In the early days lots of attention was being paid to the frames and mechanicals of the bikes, less so tyres.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta were available for 700c and 650b rims (47 and 54mm respectively). Geoff Apps of Cleland Cycles sent some over to the Marin County crowd and Gary Fisher showed a lot of interest. The problem was that the supply was very limited and it was difficult to source them in any real quantity for commercial purposes.
Tom Ritchey also tried 650b wheels around the same time with similar problems. 26" wheels weren't the best performers and they all knew that at the time, but with the history of pre-war cruisers and the introduction of BMX in the 1970's (notably 26" cruisers), good quality 26" rims and tyres were much more widely available and the industry stuck with it for all those years afterwards.
A few efforts were made to try other sizes afterwards, notably hybrids with their 700c wheels and GT with their 700D wheels (583mm bead seat, 650b tyres will fit if you're careful). It wasn't until the late 90's that WTB started making tyres for Gary Fisher to fit to existing 700c rims for the proto-29ers.
As long as 26ers were going to be available, people were going to keep buying them. Some people were afraid to change, some people refused to believe other sizes were better, so in 2015 when the entire industry unanimously dropped 26" wheels on new bikes, 27.5" was used as the stepping stone to push people onto bigger wheels. I still fail to see how 3/4 of an inch in radius makes a noticeable difference though, that's the width of my thumb at best. Modern tyres are definitely a bigger volume than they once were and that's definitely made an improvement.
All you kids (yeah, kids as I'm pushing 65) out there likely were not around when mtb's were first hitting the market. One of Cannondale's offerings was a bike with a 26 in front and a 24 in back. Y'all can't tell me this mullet stuff is "new" thing. I still have my mostly not-so-stock Klein Mantra, 26 inch wheels and about 150 mm travel front and rear (climbs like a goat, by not so much downhill).
26” are the best wheel for round the world tourers, parts available everywhere, most of the world still rides round on 5-8 speed, V braked, 26” wheels despite what marketing and manufacturers tell you.
When did 26 inch wheels become non standard?
@@mmtot still standard on cheap “mountain” bikes( up to say £150) most bikes have gone to 27.5 and 29” 27.5 are getting less as well as mountain bikes get more expensive, they seem to be 29ers as standard.
26” has been dead ( if you believe media) for 15 years or so, but most of the world still rides them, that’s why my world touring bike is 26”
I'm still sad the industry has moved away from 26. I understand all the advantages, but for someone who rides for fun I'm not interested in those incremental gains. I'm not trying to win any races or go an extra mile. At 5'8 I have never found a 27.5 bike that doesn't feel massive and clumsy. so I'm still riding 26 bikes, probably always will, they feel perfect imo. Just wish there was a company that still offered 26 frame options so I'm not stuck with somewhat outdated geo.
LONG LIVE THE 26ers!
Chromag stylus takes 26 and is hardcore af. Kinda fat but if you ever learn how to do backflips this is the bike.
If you stop start and put your foot down frequently, 26" is god. I'm sick of throwing my leg over my 29er already
Where you based cos I have an upgraded canyon with modern geo in 26inch. Love it but i'm slightly too tall for it.
26" is also lighter and stronger, and the tyres are lighter too. It also makes the bike easier to transport in the back of a car because it's smaller. I'd rather have that than the tiny extra speed of a 27.5" or 29"
Transitioned from BMX to MTB. Have a 26er.
Tried out 29ers, & I don't like them. I do like how they roll over obstacles easier, & maintain momentum longer... but overall, I feel like a slug on them, especially when rolling out of switchbacks & turns. Tricking out on 29ers is more aggravating too.
26ers just out maneuver 29ers all day.
Prep work for waxing up chains perhaps not so much an issue if you do several at once and rotate. Generally after getting wet I take the chain off and run through my hands through a rag/towel and it's not necessary to re wax every time as grit and dirt don't stick, it's just about preventing moisture from drying on, best way like I say just take off after everything gets wet and dry everything down. Makes it easier to wipe all gears and nooks off also and just run chain both ways through hands with rag with a bit of attention to remove the most of that moisture. No trouble in my experience as the bike will need drying off anyway and the chain will not need re waxing every time at all, almost never needs re waxing over periods of dry conditions.
I still ride an old 26er....I also have a 29er and 650b bikes.....26" wheels are fun and what I started on 30 years ago.....Saying that, my old 26er is more up to date with SRAM 1x11,tubeless and wide bars/short stem....feels good but rather small that my other bikes....
We used to use chain boils and clean the chain first in petrol on our motorcross bikes and would get a whole season out of chain and sprocket set , yes it can be a faf first few times but after a while it's not a problem
I still prefer 26" wheels. Yes, 650B and 29s are more stable and faster in a straight line. For me, 26 is totally worth it for the shorter chainstays, less rotating weight, and the resultant quicker handling on singletrack. (Some of that is also the 90s era 71 degree head tube angles vs. current bikes going back to 68 degree beach cruiser headtube angles. But still.)
I live in far Northern California, in the redwood rainforest, and tried waxing chains back in the late 80s when I first started mountain biking. When it was wet/muddy, it was a rust disaster unless you cleaned, dried, and rewaxed after every ride. Of course, the same went for the loose ball bearing BBs, hubs, and headsets, too. Ride? Repack everything! (At least until I discovered boat trailer wheel bearing grease...)
Hey Doddy, where did you get that framed picture on the wall above your right shoulder? Thanks
Another reason 26 stayed around was that the diameter of a 26 MTB type tyre is roughly about the same as a 700c road wheel and tyre. 🙂
If you wax your chain, you really need to nurse it. Live, think and breathe chain consciousness is the way; forget riding. Most people who wax lyrical over waxing live in hot, dry countries. I tried it for a month in Japan, which can be wet. The day after the first downpour, I examined the Shimano chain, it was going rusty. Also, it was noisy, and I think it damaged the crank ring. I threw the chain and replaced the crank ring, put a new chain on, and went back to Finishline Wet. Smooth 🙂 I will never even dream of waxing a chain again.
I love the agility of 26ers.
To the last question--the 2 x 12 drivetrain is already available off the shelf from Shimano. You do need to buy the 2x-specific rear derailleur, and you're limited to a 10 - 45t cassette.
Front derailleur you mean? Never heard of 2x specific rear.
@@johndef5075 No, I absolutely meant rear der. For instance, look up the RD-M8120 (if I post a link my comment may be blocked). That's the 2 x 12 specific version of the Deore XT rear derailleur.
@@johndef5075 Shimano 12 speed rear derailleurs are specific to 1x, 2x and 3x configurations, especially this new type. The max cassette compatibility is also determined by the number of gears on the front.
I can vouch for the longevity of an Industry Nine wheelset, my original 29er Enduro set from 2009 is still going trouble free 13 seasons in with just regular service.
I just love the beautiful Fat Chance in the thumbnail. I hope to own one like it some day. I've been mountain biking since 94'. Thanks.
Beautiful isn't it!?
What's wrong with choice? Why can't I buy a decent frame designed for a 26" wheel? Currently got my 26 ers on a 29" GT Aggressor. Bottom bracket sits a bit low which sometimes causes the pedals to clip the ground but I love how nimble and responsive it is. I binned the wheels it came with, they where too slow and flexed on bumpy ground.
Why not go with 650b?
If your 29" wheels were flexing on bumpy ground, then either you had a crap set of wheels, or the spoke tension was seriously screwed up. As for being slower, actually, it's the opposite. 29" wheels cover more ground per revolution than 26" and will be inherently faster at the same revolutions per minute. 26" wheels might give the perception of being faster for one reason or another, but it's more illusion than reality.
I've heard the spoke weak points many times. Oddly, I've never broke one at the J-bend or the nipple. It's always been at the butting or somewhere in the middle.
Just come in from a ride on my 26" wheeled V10, I might go to a 27.5" front wheel🤘🏻
Ross from Friends nice to see you in bike industry.
Waxing the chain for me is an easier process than washing the bike, for example. I soak the chain in mineral solvent before waxing, and I reuse the solvent. The dirt precipitates out of it, and the clear liquid can be carefully poured out onto the chain the next time. I use candle paraffin from the cheapest white candles I can find. On the road bike I wax the chain about once in 600 km in dry weather, on the MTB about once in 200 km. I've made a DIY top-up wax lube by dissolving some candle shavings in a bit of petrol. It works pretty well.
So you remove and reinstall your chain, and you make your own lube by melting candles and mixing them with a toxic and explosive fuel... And that's easier than washing a bike?
WTF do you do to wash your bike???
26 was always correct and always will be :-P
Waxing chains. Almost as contentious as waxing yer legs 😁
When done right, it's absolutely brilliant. Less watts wasted, less chains worn, fewer cassettes and chainrings wrecked. However, it's easy to get wrong and have a poor to downright bad experience.
Liquid lubricants become capillary pumps that suck finely ground grit inside the chain where they eat it alive forever.
Drip waxes are decidedly sub par with significant penetration issues covered up by a thick external coat that hides the noise of a poorly lubricated chain.
Hot melt immersion is the way; but even this has kinks to work out - starting with the coatings on chains from various mfgs - getting the chain absolutely bonkers clean - which you only need to do ONCE! at the start - simply picking the right wax and additives - can make it challenging. However, the sum total is fairly simple once on the other side of the learning curve.
The downside is flash-rust after wet rides without prompt attention. The upside is a drivetrain that lives 5-10x as long and zero calf tattoos.
Sounds like going tubeless - is the hassle worth it? And the Uk is mostly wet!
@@andrewnorris5415 tubless really isn't that much of a hassle
@@DaveCM More hassle than tubes.
Still riding a 2005 Blur and 2013 BlurTR-both still killer! Rebuilt both multiple times with minimal cost-Santa Cruz is The Best.
Chanwax will allow you run your chain longer. Like some have said they go 2k more miles out of their chain, which means buying less chains.
I know road bikes can run forever with a waxed chain, but what about mountain bikes which tend to get hammered harder by the elements?
My Cannondale has a 24" rear and 26" front. Most motocross had 18" rear and 21" front. Honda had a 23" front for a bit and Husqvarna had 17" rears for much of the 80s.
Waxing. I have been using wax for over a year now. I like the way my chain stays much more clean and also easy to clean between rides with a little soap and water. Then dry and re-wax periodically. My chain wear also hasn't been bad either. I'm impressed. I would recommend in wet or dry cycling.
I'm a roadie, don't tell your colleagues. I waxed a brand new gold KMC 10spd chain. Heated it up in toaster oven. Had good penetration I thought, but always had a squeak. Checked everything, including chain, which I cleaned and treated again. Still a squeak. On an otherwise perfect Pinarello roadbike, this was unacceptable. I appreciated the way the wax would shed as it became too gritty. Yes, was kinda cleaner. In a way. Though a waxy feeling on your hands is ickier than oil. Not till I clarified the chain and went back to automotive gear oil did the squeak dissappear. Also, there was a different chain noise compared to a clean oiled chain. You are right, one needs really stay on top of your chain maintenance, and cogs and jockeys. Just my take on wax.
I was in Tom Ritchey's garage in the spring of 1978. At the time he had been trying out 24" wheels. He was unsatisfied and was planning on trying 26" moving forward. As far as waxing chains. The advantage is I understand that with wax, your chain will stay cleaner because it is not as sticky as oil. What most cyclist do not understand that they only need to lubricate between where the side plates overlap. Oil anywhere else is giving some rust prevention but not any friction reducing advantage. I bought a bike once with a waxed chain. The wax was all over the spokes and rims. I was unable to find any solvent to break the wax away from the surface. What a mess!
"The wax was all over the spokes and rims."
I'd love to know the story behind that. Did he use a paintbrush and just slap the wax on his drive train?
+1 on waxing in all conditions. My waxed chain is easier to clean and it seems to last a long time. My hands don’t get black and greasy handling the chain too. I also wax the cassette occasionally as it stays cleaner - dirt just seems to either not stick, sloughs off and rinses off easily.
Hi Doddy, you often mention waxing a chain but what about wax lubes like Squirt? It's very popular here in South Africa with the dryer conditions but I found that it lasts very well even on river crossing or muddy rides.
I was just doing some playing around with a design of a trike with a Pinion 18 speed on the front and a Rohloff 14 on the back giving it 252 gears. Obviously, most of the gears would overlap but it was fun to think about.
Want to know about wet conditions? Check out zero friction cycling. There are some good drip lubes but I think it’s hard to argue that waxing isn’t better when presented with actual data ESPECIALLY in wet conditions.
You do have to be fairly meticulous with a new chain but once it’s ready for wax maintaining is not really harder than drip if you have quick links.
Wax works great, using spray on Maxima MX lube. Lasts ages, stays smooth and also avoids rust.
Your last statement is what I have been wondering.
How many gears can you have on a bike.
Gearbox, gear hub, cassette.
I wax my chains and I love it ,no dirt sticks to your chain and no grit after a ride. I don't need to clean my chain after ever ride anymore .When it gets some what dirty I just clean it and reapply ceramic wax chain lube between dip waxing.
With the link glide system on suspension I am guessing it would work well with hard tail (normal bike)
Using squirt is massively simple! And good in the wet too. Doddy, you must try this!! I live next to a very muddy forest and really dig squirt lube. It also seems to stick better to the chain than the parrafin bath type wax. I have mountain biked since 1995
Big fan of Squirt Chain Lube. I clean my entire bike after every ride and Squirt is an incredibly quality chain lube! I use Muc-Off and a great scrub brush to get my transmission looking like new!
Quality cut spokes have rolled-on threads, not cut threads. The threads aren't a weak spot on spokes made like that.
Butted spokes are also considerably thinner in the middle than they are where the threads are. A 2.0/1.8/2.0 spoke is 2mm at the head and at the threads, and 1.8mm in the middle. There are are 2.0/1.5/2.0 spokes that aren't uncommon.
I’ve waxed my chain a few times but have stopped now. It works well and the rollers stay lubricated even in the wet, but the faces of the chain links have nothing on them leaving them susceptible to rusting. I’ve gone back to a dry lube (Smoove) which is also very good.
Good thing the faces don't do anything
Lots of 26" gear for sale here on the wet coast of Canazuela
Link Glide is still a mirage here too 😂
Vectr variably expandinding chain transmission us patent 10,167,055 there are a few other designs that can be adapted for bikes that work in a similar way to my old expired uk patent i would love to see a cvt straight chainline or belt drive system what do you think
My First Chain Wax was in 1996 , and NEVER looked Back !!! 😁😁😁
Could you talk to us about belt-drive MTBs like the Zerode?
I have 24 26 and 29 on various bikes and a 26/4 on a d/h rig and on my local stomping rock garden i find the difference small but there - if I was building from scratch I’d 29/6 mullet more so because when hanging off the back - 27.5 passed me by as back when it was new it was too little to change
a thread is not cut in a spoke,it is rolled to minimize reducing the diameter of the spoke
26 ain't dead yet. I think you should build a mid mounted 14 speed gearbox bike hydraulic shifter .with abs internal steering damper to fork to headtube and optional telepathic controls 😁😁
26" isn't dead for me either but it did get fat, 26x4.5" on my snow bike.
Doddy, waxed chains seem like a great opportunity for a GMBN video - wax chains for several presenters and let them try and comment. I'm guessing that several chains could be waxed at the same time.
Are wide q-factors on DH bikes really for the stance? Or just to get good chainline with a DH-157 hub?
I waxed my chain once a long time ago when there really weren't that many options. It was OK. Didn't last that long. I think you're better off using a wax based dry lube like Boeshield or LPS3. Same effect, much easier to apply.
Mopeds like the very popular Peugeot 104 used 16” tires. Most very strong and knobby since used much off-road and in the mud by farmers. I suppose these might have been tires of choice at the time for downhill use. Most bicycles except for kids bikes used 700 at the time (60s - 70s).
29s feel wrong, give me a 27.5 any day.
Yeah i agree on the chain comment you made. If they were super expensive i might wax or something preferably something don't know what that would be.
Clean em lube em and wipe of out side - real important. Cleaner the outside less dirt accumulation.
I ride every day so dry conditions once a week wet conditions twice weekly. Never had any problems.
Great tech as usual keepemcoming.
I much prefer my 27.5 over my old 26. Not really spent much time on a 29 but opted for 27.5 as it offered a bit more susp travel than the 29 version of my bike. I felt like an extra 10mm to play with was better than a little more roll over
I think you should take someone of average size (180cm/5'11") and put them on a modern-style 26", 27.5", and 29" XC bike and see which performs better for XC-style racing. I ride 27.5" FS and 26" hardtail XC and I think I have something of an advantage over 29" on some tracks. However I don't own a 29" to compare so I can only surmise.
US average adult male height is 5'9" World average is 5'6" Bicycle journalist and engineer average is 6'3" might have made up the last one, but somehow I've got a feeling I'm close.
At 5'6" and below, (US 50% of men and 75% of women) 29er mountainbikes are start turning into wallowy, floppy tanks.
Toe overlap isn't much of concern on the road so those frames can get away with steeper head tube angles, mtb can't.
Because they cover less ground per revolution, 26" wheels will be inherently slower than 29" at the same revolutions per minute, which is only really an advantage on straightaways. They are arguably more nimble on turns but can get hung up on obstacles that 29" wheels will easily roll over.
But like anything else to do with this hobby, it's more about the skill of the rider than the bike he's riding.
My bike is also a 26" but times always changes things around.....
first of all: trying to attempt having a clean chain with oil without removing the chain from the bike is extremely time consuming, shop towel consuming, degreaser consuming and to be honest, you will not get the dirt out from underneath the rollers this way.
Chain waxing, that is immersing the chain into the molten wax, is way less time consuming, will make your chain pretty much last for ever (many thousands of km, even under e-bike torque) and never leave any dirt anywhere. I already have over 2000km on my waxed no-name chinese chain and there is no measurable wear on it.
every 150km or so I remove the chain from the bike (a breeze with a connex link, less than 20 seconds), put it on the chain hanger (a.k.a. swishing tool just made by bending a spoke), if dusty from gravel roads, immerse it in boiling water for a few seconds, take it out, let it dry a moment, then bathe it in molten wax (paraffin with some WS2 powder, PTFE also possible).
For durability, time consumption and convenience I would never ever put any drop of any sort of liquid bottle juice on my chain, not even the "wax lubes".
Maybe a hammerschmidt with a 12 or 13 rear cassette? that would work "wonders"
Decades before Gary Fisher, a fellow named John Finley-Scott in 1953 rode his modified diamond frame Schwinn World calling it a 'Woodsie' fitted with 26" Schwinn S-2 rims and tires 2.25" width from Semperit (German company) developed early 1930's. Schwinn took this tire size early on. In the early 1980's John Finley-Scott pushed Tom Ritchey for designing a bike using 650B wheeled. Because the tire wasn't easily available and not acceptable for any volume in the US, it didn't happen back then. BTW: John Finley-Scott was the financier and supply line of many components to the early 'Mountain Bike's company of partners Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher, using frames produced by Ritchey. Later, Fisher went solo starting his own company.
"Woodsie". I like that. We should start referring to cross country bikes as Woodsies.
26 all the way
Ive been interested in the roll on wax. Havent tried yet though.
Don’t do the roll on wax, it’s absolute rubbish.
Stick to actual immersion wax, wax dry lube, or a really good oil dry lube
Thumbnail pic looks similar to my Fat Chance.....good video.
And why don’t we run 30” wheels for example?
Using wax isn't that bad I used wax as my chain lubricant or lubrication since that, I just don't want oil since they are messy when putting removing and cleaning,wax has more longer life on chains than oil...😅😅😅
#askgmbntech
I have an 2019 YT Tues with a Rockshox Vivid coil shock. I use a 500# spring and the spring rubs the shock body. It has left score marks on the shock body. I have tried inverting the spring and rotating it with no luck. I bought a second 500# spring and same problem. If I go down to a 450# spring it does not rub but bottoms out. Any suggestions on how to stop this problem?
If you put a 26" wheel with a 1.75" radius tire next to a 700c racer wheel, they are the same size. 26" wheels are also a lot stronger.
A good quality rim and high enough spoke count have a much bigger effect on wheel strength these days than overall diameter. There are many 29er wheels now that will take things that would have destroyed older 26 inch wheels.
@@AlexandarHullRichter True, but boy they are costly, carbon rims etc. The simple care free fun of a 26r cannot be dismissed.
@@andrewnorris5415 most of the good rims I know are aluminum. I'm happy with a set a DT Swiss gravel rims ATM that are ridiculously strong (and cheap). Shimano has also made some excellent aluminum wheels that have low spoke count, but are way stronger than the high-spoke-count Mavic rims of old.
#AskGMBNTech hey guys love the channel, I'm currently riding a Merida One Sixty 700 Enduro bike. There doesn't seem to be much information on Merida online for a European brand. The rear suspension design uses a float link, From what I can read it's quite a linear design. I'm thinking of upgrading my rear shock which is a super deluxe ultimate, would a coil not suit this style of suspension link design? Would the bike just feel bogged down all the time? I'm thinking I might be better off upgrading the air can to a Meg Neg? Cheers 🤙
#askgmbntech I have a problem with my chain coming off my front chainring, it only happens in the last gear, should I take a link out. I know its not the derailleur since i just replaced it. Thanks
#AskGMBNTech Hi! Use my bike for commuting a lot. Had no issue with earphones on, but without them I start to hear chain rubbing noise... it appears on low( hard) gears and is very annoying, especially when sound reflects from buildings, cars etc.... noticed, that chain is slightly rubbing against upper sprocket when chain is obliquely. Is there something I can do?
#AskGMBNTech Hi GMBN, on my XC hardtail I have a RockShox SID RLC fork, I checked on RockShox website the possible upgrades, can you explain what those would bring in terms suspension behaviour? In particular 'Damper Upgrade Kit - CHARGER Race Day 32mm Crown' and 'Air Spring Upgrade Kit - DebonAir Sealhead -SID B4' I like doing long rides (4h+) and did twice the 24h of Finale Ligure (solo ;) and I was wondering if any of these upgrades would make sense for me. Thanks a lot in advance!
#askgmbntech I have cup and cone type hubs/bearings and the front hub’s left side cup got loose and it just wobbling in the hub body. Is it fixable, or i have to replace the whole hub?
If you ride with it loose it will quickly ruin the cups, they will become pitted. MTB cup and cone need servicing once every 3K miles in UK conditions, maybe more often if the seals are not good. Clean, dry, new bearings, new grease. Cup and cone last ages, but you need to keep an eye if they become loose, which is why I quickly check each ride. Have cone spanners handy in your home tool kit so can quickly tighten. Also important to not get too tight - just enough so that it does not wobble when fitted to the bike. This take trial and error but you get better.
As a mountain biker , why are bike manufactures not making full 27.5 and making people buy Mullet or full 2er bikes ? . It wont be long and all bikes will be full 29ers , very sad day for mountain biking .
I am not sure but, I have to think that spoke threads are roll formed, not cut.
I waxed all my bike's chains in a great big pot in one go. And three out of five of them were covered in rust when I left them outside for a while. I was horrified! I think it's only a road bike/indoor thing.
#AskGMBNTech
I have a question. I want to make my bike a mullet but i don't know if i can. My bike is a Lapierre spicy 3.0 from 2019 and has a flipchip so it can run both 27.5 or 29 inch wheels. But i am not sure if it can run mullet and if it mess up the geometry.
I personally think the change to 29 was simply due the cost savings for the wheel and frame manufactures in terms of machinery, the rest is just marketing. i appreciate that DH bikes with tall riders are able to get better times on a longer 29" on fast open tracks, but if the rules aloowed teams to jump to 29, why not 36" DH bikes. What would also be interesting is the diameter comparison including the tire across the wheel range, including plus, fat bike and 24" wheels. Cheers Cheapy
If the tyres were available they'd run them
#AskGMBNTech
Can you use pedal washers to adjust Q factor for flat pedals when they don't offer different spindle length options or upgrades ie: Race Face Chester pedals, and if so how many before it will create an issue? I've noticed my heal rubbing the chainstay the odd time and I'm wondering if pedal washers will help.
What about 24" wheel where do they fit in..
Maybe you can build a bike with the widest gear range that is possible using a combination of off the shelf parts... (gearbox with triple chainring etc) and then have a tug of war with an emtb and a race with a road bike 😀
@gmbn the spoke threads are NOT CUT. they are pressed in, by driving the spoke through a machine with sharp disks that push the metal outwards. if they were cut, they would not hold.
Most threads are rolled (aka pressed in), it's the most common and economic manufacturing method to make bolts and screws. Only very special and accurate threads (like on machine parts or exotic very big bolts) are cut
#AskGMBNTech I tried to go tubeless but the inside hole for the valve (the one inside the tire) is to big to seal. Valves are presta and the outside hole is ok for them. Any idea on how to solve that?
well, first I would ask that if the rims are tubeless designated? Many older rims cant run a tubeless setup. If yes, the next thing would be to look for valves with a wider rubber flange on them, and if you still cannot get anything to work I think you would need to find a rubber grommet of some sort that will fit over the valve stem, but that is the outer width that you need. Look online for pictures and sizes and see if you can find something that will seal the larger hole... the sealant should take care of any micro discrepancies as long as they all pinch together relatively well.... thats my best advice anyways. Good luck man.
@@Muskiehunter92 Thanks, I was thinking along the same lines. Yep, wheels are not designed with tubeless in mind. I supposed that the only issue could be fitting the tape but I was wrong.
Schraeder valve bro
@@borisflamingo594 Only the first hole is wider, the other fits presta perfectly. I would rather not drill out the rim. Can you even get tubeless schrader?
@@SuperJerot yeah mate ya can…ebay, amazon, wish…. Otherwise if you suss it out, then even automotive tyre shops etc
I like my 26.5s for technical trails. It requires more skill rather than just plowing through everything with my 28s
Waxing chains? If using paraffin, a petrochemical derived wax, then it's a toluene and benzene fume party - yuck (not good for the lungs - and where is it disposed of?). I have to believe the paraffin waxes are what people use for the tedious process of waxing a chain. Vegetable or bee based waxes can't lube like a petrochemical wax.
Spoke thread is not cut thread :D :D :D :D But rolled :) "Rather than removing material by cutting threads, rolling threads actually deforms the material. As with butted spokes, this results in changes in the microstructure of the metal increasing its strength. That’s crucial as threads act as a potential stress concentrator, and hence weak point."
MTB bikes evolved from BMX not road cycling. If you want a strong wheels smaller are always stronger for same weight. So it went from 20" to 24" to 26", not from 700cc down to 26". Biger wheels were just to heavy and fragile. Keep in mind there were no suspension at start.
Doddy is right. Mountain bikes came from adapted cruisers and “paper boy” bikes, which came standard with 26 inch wheels and pre-date 24” bmx bikes by many years.
The first mountain bikes were frankenstein contraptions made in NorCal and Colorado. It’s a separate lineage from bmx development.
@@sevenninthsfabmachine The geom of mountain bikes quickly changed from cruisers. But 26r wheels stuck. As frantzs said, strength was one of the key reasons back then. But also let's not forget why 26r MTBs took and did so well - starting a whole new industry - they were fun to ride. Marketing was nowhere near as effective as it is these days. People went upon how much they enjoyed it. Simple pleasures.
Just visited Fairfax CA. Where it all started... Yes I was wrong. Interesting video is "Klunking - Mountain Bike Racing - 1979" made with help from Fairfax Museum.
#AskGMBNTech I have an SLX 7100 drivetrain that is dropping down the cassette when I backpedal on technical climbs. It seems like I may be 2mm off the optimal chain line. Is this enough to cause the problem and is there a way to move my chain line inbound?
If you don’t get an answer, have a look at the spacers on your bottom bracket could swap one spacer to the non drive side.
Depends on frame bottom bracket width I only have one spacer on the drive side 73mm bb
Chains also make huge differences. On my commuter I have a 1x system, and the last chain (one which was left from another bike) dropped very fast from the front chain ring in the granny gear. I replaced the chain with a better Shimano one, and the problem was solved.
#askgmbntech I have a question about tire sizes. I have been running Maxxis Ikons 29x2.25 (ERTO 57/622) at the back for years and they were the biggest I could fit on my bike (Scott Scale 2013) Now I went to Schwalbe 29x2.25 (ERTO 57/622) so same size and ERTO but I have a lot more space between tire and frame? A how can that be and is there a way to find out how big tires really are? Thanks for your answer and I can't wait for the next videos as the are all always great!!!
cheers Mo
Ps.: Concerning an old question I couldn't fit a fit Cartidge in my 2013 32 CTD fork but you can upgrade to a grip cartridge, maybe somebody else is out there and wants to upgrade... ;-)
This answer is incomplete. The real reason is that 26" with a fatter tire has roughly the same diameter as 650B with a medium tire or 700c with a thin tire. And it turns out that this diameter has a great feel that everyone is used to riding. Personally I ride 26" wheels with 2.5" tires, which are bigger than a lot of 27.5" setups. The bike rolls very fast, but is way more nimble than an oversized 29er.