When Doddy said 'mud will hold it together' it reminded me of the time I took apart the rear derailleur on my mums old road bike and, what I thought was a washer, turned out to be a ring of compressed mud!
An absolutely, brutally honest review of consumable components from Doddy. More major channels should be like this , not being so concerned with sponsors or advertising. Doddy, you are an amazing oracle of MTBing with your little nuggets of information. On a side note, I will hopefully send photos of my bike for top mods. Unfortunately, not got my new handlebar yet but apart from that it's pretty much sorted.
#GMBNTech "Clean your bike!" Amen Doddy. I think I enjoy cleaning my bike as much as riding it. Seriously proud of how mint my bike looks and how long my drive trains last.
Rotating chains is a good one to help preserve the life of your drivetrain. I run 2, ideally 3, chains & rotate every 4-6 weeks to even out wear, introducing a new chain when one reaches 60-75% wear. I've got hundreds of extra miles out of a cassette using this method. I also lube with wax all year round.
I'd definitely run wet lube in winter if you live somewhere with wet winters (like myself in the UK). Otherwise the rollers on your chain are getting water & dirt ingress and likely wearing from the inside.
When you buy a new bike for that big stage race like BC Bike Race, right away you put on cheaper chain, chain ring, cassette, and maybe even disc rotors. Then train all spring in the rain and mud on the cheaper consumeables. Then a week before the race put the original high end light weight parts back on, get new brake pads and gear cable. It'll be like having a new and lighter bike for the big race week.
@RollinRat I'm with you there! You just described my winter setup. My commuter is an old 90s mtb with one gear. My summer commuter is a cheap steel fixie. No need for Zwift when a recycled/repurposed old bike gets the legs grinding just riding to work. Singlespeeds for the win. Just ride, rinse, and repeat.
@RollinRat I probably already had that combo before. As my name suggests, Nutella is a staple in my house and is always part of a post race recovery snack. I like to add ripple chips into the mix and always rolled into a tortilla.
Love the video, also, I'd like to mention that Sram XO1 lasts A LOT longer than GX , and I mean A LOT. There's a reason besides just lighter weight to the almost double price between the two. And speaking of Shimano SLX and XTR , I've no idea because I've not tried the new ones yet. To my experience, with Sram.., the more expensive stuff is made from higher tolerance materials and even coated with a harder anodized layer that makes it harder, shifts smoother and last longer, in my book,.. that's worth every penny, and remember... You only live ONCE, only ONCE. Enjoy yourself while you're still alive! 🤘🤘🤘
I used to ride with several, somewhat season bound tire sets. For the winter I switched to tires more fitted for wet conditions. I have stopped doing that when I started to ride tubeless. Cleaning up the old latex and adding new latex is to much of a hassle for me. And I am not sure if you save money that way. I mean, I don't get my latex for free. I do save money with my Shimano cassette (11 speed 11-42). The 11,13,15 sprockets wear out long before the rest of the cassette. Luckily I have found an web shop that sells them separate. So when my cassette wears out, most of the time it is sufficient to replace the three smallest sprockets and I am good to go again. Setting me back around 11 euro's and not 50 euro's. I can do that two or three times before I need to replace the whole cassette. If needed the 17 and 19 sprocket can be ordered and replaced separate as well (costs around 4,00 and 3,00 euro).
@@georgegande1779 At Rosebikes, a German bike shop (rosebikes.com) with a Dutch site (rosebikes.nl). The sprockets are for 11 speed XT CS-M8000 cassettes but are compatible with SLX CS-M7000 and CS-HG800-11 cassettes. Often they have them in stock but sometimes the delivery time is a couple of weeks. I haven't seen individual sprockets for other cassettes though. Would have like it for my 10 speed setup when I was still running that. EDIT: Correction. They do have sprockets for 10 speed cassettes.
I have a relatively budget hard tail and upgraded to a Sunrace cassette for better ratios on a 9 speed (12-38 tooth swapped to a 11-42). Huge improvement for me. Shifts better than stock did and makes climbing a lot easier.
I realize this is an older video, but I thought I would put this here for anyone watching. Sometimes running a nicer chain and cassette can actually save you money. For example, I switched from a GX chain and cassette to XO1 and found that I got triple the life out of the chains, and nearly quadruple the life on the cassette! On top of that, they look pretty and shift much smoother!
The Sunrace 12 speed cassettes 1) are not that much cheaper than Shimano Deore and SLX and 2) have the old issues with backpedaling and shifting under load that Shimano has solved. There's a reason why Marin dropped the Sunrace cassettes this season now that more micro spline hubs are available.
Did a full bearing swap on my four year old Lapierre Zesty last summer. I could not believe the amount of crud in the races. Definitely a thing to watch.
i have SO much to learn as a mech...... i am a roadie, so all this is a whole new world and i make money fixing bikes so this is gold to me. Thank you Mr doddy
Great video! Less Shimano-centered than some recent ones, but rather tuned towards useful knowledge beyond a few featured brands - and beyond buying new bling stuff over and over! Thank you, I like!
Doddy is spot on! Cassettes aren't a life long component unless your using the largest cogs all the time and they are super clean. On my winter hardtail I put a 5 dollar Bell brand chain on it and its working! Sram brake pads cost more than pads for a car...
One tip I’ve discovered this year is to use an all weather lube during winter (Weldtite tf2 or similar). It may sound obvious, but I’ve often found myself on winter a ride and it’s not actually raining, but there’s a few more puddles than expected. In the past I’ve found Dry lube can wash off too easy and wet lube attracts too much grime, even if it’s wiped off before the start of a ride. I think the worst bit of winter riding is cleaning off that black gunk off the drivetrain, also that stuff kills your expensive cassette and chain! now I just use all weather lube throughout winter, it’s so much easier to clean and doesn’t make your chain look nasty after every ride. I now only use wet lube when it’s actually raining. Hopefully helps someone out there 👊
@@ryang123 I’ve never run ceramic. I’ve used organic and metallic and found metallic better. I had a look at the N&T website and found a set compatible for £5.99. If they are better then it is well worth it. How good are they compared to Shimano?
Timely video! I need to replace the drivetrain, rear tyre and rear hub bearings on my Cotic Rocket. Money was tight so haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Now I’m just going to ride those parts to destruction for another 6-8 weeks!
Funny you say about that 26'' Foxy, my Specialized SX Trail has small bearings everywhere, I change them every 6 months of riding (that's because during winter I ride my hardtail, and I still turn them bearings to dust :) )
I love my Shimano XT cassette, I have the same cassette for 2 years and just replaced the smaller cogs once they were worn. Doing 30-40 miles a day on it.
Dawn Disk Soap, car cleaning brushes, car oil/lube, pressure washer(from work), air compressor(from work), & visit do-it-yourself bike shops. I haven't owned a bike over $100 yet. I tend to get em used and outgrown them fast as I was growing up.
The SunRace 11-50 12-speed cassette with Shimano hyperglide interface lasted me about 3500km - same as the original SRAM NX cassette that came on my bike. Weighs less, costs less, looks cooler :) In my limited experience you can increase the lifespan of a cassette by getting a new chain before or at 0,5% wear for a 12sp, but this only works for three chains or so. After that, just ride it till it fails and then replace the drivetrain front to back.
Hey Doddy. I managed to destroy my 13t cog on my Occam somehow, but was chuffed to discover that SunRace sell a little lock ring kit with the 11, 13 and 15t sprockets! £13 and I was back riding and saved money on the rest of the cassette!!
Checking chain wear is key. Have run the same 11speed XTR cassette for over 4 years. Been through about 7 chains but have crisp shifting all this time. Working in the trade I have had to replace many expensive cassettes. Which could mostly all been avoided if people had a chain checker.
FINALLY! Someone who agrees with me on the transmission subject! The last 5 builds that I’ve made have had 1x10 speed transmissions with SLX derailleur, Zee shifter, Sunrace 11-46 cassette, Absolute Black chainring and KMC chain. With a bit of careful shopping around I can make a full drivetrain for less than the cost of a SRAM GX cassette! And I’ve never been hunting for a gear or wanted for a ratio. My latest build (which I’ve submitted to Top Mods) is a new experiment for me with a Box2 9 speed drivetrain that still has an 11-50 cassette and a full drivetrain with Eagle range cost me £230! But now I can fit a larger chainring too!
I recall a visit to my local bike shop a couple of years ago. They had a nice Trek Pro Cailiber hard tale 2018 model. I was truly suprised/anoyed to see it had Deore shifters but XT derailleurs. Stupid if you ask me.
Be careful when washing your drivetrain with degreasing agents. I managed to stuff up the pivot bearings on my first full sus because it washed out the grease from the bearings. That can be fixed though by packing them with CRC Marine grease (light blue) which is the same grease Enduro uses in their bearings.
Recently I "downgraded" back to 10 speed with advent x cassette (@ $40 on eBay!) and shimano Saint shifter w/Deore 10spd derailleur. Bingo, all the range with tougher, more durable chain and cheaper to replace! For tires, Maxxis Ikon lasts FOREVER, (decent rear tire).
I wrecked a chain due to letting it seize up in the wet, was a nightmare 10 miles from home. Uberbike race matrix pads are the best pads I've used, I'll never use original pads again.
Age-old advice, but consider buying workshop bulk packs for the lowest-tier consumables such as shifter cables, outers and brake pads. The cost up front is naturally higher, but you will easily save around 40%-50% of the individual unit prices in the long run.
Also, you get more use out of a basic bottle of chain lube if you go for an applicator, such as Flectr’s Green Disc / Lubri Disc, for example. Low-cost stuff, granted, but a good idea if money’s tight and from an environmental perspective, especially if your preference is a non-biodegradable wet lube.
To avoid all that shenanigans - buy 2 hard tails - 1 for winter, fat bike full rigid, and for the rest - eduro trail hartail, service both and put some mudguards or fenders on them(even lower tube frame has fenders for protection of chain from gunk), because it works.
I enjoy watching your Money Saving Ideas.. It's Helped me with being able to get Suntor Components instead of those very expensive SHIMANO Products that also wear out to.. So far I been able enough several Bags of my favorite Marijuana and continue smoking while I ride my bike back home from a candy store..
I run two wheel sets each with its own cassette and disks. One set is narrow, fast, and lite. The other is wide, aggressive, and heavier. Two wheel sets do wear chains faster (4 in 2 years). But all the parts that make up a wheel set are wear parts. Now these wheel sets are wearing slower from sharing the time on the frame. Well maybe a rim is not a consumable but still I consider this method a cost savings and a performance boost.
If you practice what you preach, try out microshift advent x. 167.00 for groupset and is lighter than sram gx. That is what I'm going to go to when mine wears out.
As for bearings, another thing you might have to watch is sometimes they regrind the bearings to a diferant size, so the origanal bike bearing is actualy a diferant size than the same size and part number of a off the shelf bearing, have found that a fare bit with with them as my mate is the manager off a bearing company and i can sometimes get them cheeper from him, have found it's the same for my motor bike as well as some saw mill equipment, they don't always do it but it dose happen.
Yes doddy its about time gmbn looked at real world mtb riders . Not everyone is sponsored. I have a cube stereo ebike I was lucky enough to win a competition for a dreambike. But when it was time to my chain & cassette ( EX1 transmission) wow the price was mental so I got ZITTO cassette which was not even quarter of the price so far it has matched the same mileage as EX1 . Already ordered 2 cassettes which should last couple of years.
I had hope brakes on my old bike and ran Uberbike pads on one occasion racing a Scottish enduro series race, they were shocking! Replaced them mid race and the guys in the bike shop said I wasn’t the first that day to be getting rid of Uberbike pads for propper hope ones, sometimes it’s worth paying up for the right parts
@@garygilbert1127 yeah same cassette with a up graded chain plus I went from a 30t chainring to a 34t because I kept spinning out in high gear, but I just recently changed the 34t to a 32t and so far it seems to be the sweet spot for climbing and putting the power down.
i was wasting way too much dry lube upon application, for every 2 drops on the chain, another 1 or 2 ended up on the floor...even tried a special bottle with an applicator pad and it didnt work very well, still wasted a bunch...bought a little bottle with a metal needle for arts and crafts(was like 3$ on amazon)...and it works amazingly...not 1 wasted drop since...
What about Hellbender bearings? My BB should be fried by now but it's not. That brings me to another point. Everyone knows about the influence motor sports and aerospace have on industries on MTB. What about the less obvious tech history? For instance, MTRX bearings came from the food industry and hydroformed tubing came about to make bathroom fixtures and faucets. The entire GMBN tech series is a $ saving tip. Thank You.
For brake pads I am using the website Disco Brake, Kevlar model and they are great both in the summer when I am in the mountain, as well at home in winter muddy conditions. And the price is reasonable
SRAM 1130 chains. 23 dollars retail and are good solid reliable chains for 11 or even 10 speed bikes. If you put lots of miles on your bike especially off road mud miles these chains are the best value for the money.
Cool vid. I found silicone lube spray to be one of the most effective things to keep my bike going - anything from suspension to pivots and brake levers. I'd also check the spokes occasionally - once you got some loose, you may start breaking others and they are a pain to replace + your wheel may go. It'd be cool to see what are the limits of the components if they are not maintained.
@@Will99x Where did you read that? Anyway, I've been using the stuff for years and as a bonus GMBN has released this vid last year: ua-cam.com/video/HL9xMR3NR2Q/v-deo.html
@@riggidybang I can't remember unfortunately but you're right the majority of places do seem to suggest using it. However Rockshox don't recommend it bikerumor.com/2017/11/08/suspension-tech-lube-forks-stanchions/
Hey Doddy, loving the content. Most of these I have used at one time or another apart from the epoxy one but it makes sense. I am currently trying to rebuild a 1998 Santa Cruz heckler and am looking for some advice on which forks to run. I was running them with an old set of RST delta TL however they have seen their best. I haven't ridden in a while and am gonna try and get back to a bit of XC, free ride, and maybe some enduro. I have a cane creek DB air for the rear but looking for the best 1 1/8 steerer 26" wheel based fork and at least 100mm travel. Thanks mate. #GMBNTech #GMBN
I want to change my transmission because producer made a mix with Sram, Microshift and KMC. I was looking for alternatives and find out that is cheaper to put entire Shimano transmission. Shimano Deore casette is cheaper than Sunrace for 11v. So it's Shimano. I'm an enthusiast rider and I don't need the most expensive or competitive parts.
i dont have suspension tuners or good bikeshop, they suck or cost ridiculously much so i do my stuff myself, someone thought my suspension was broken because i used 70% of my travel at max psi at a indoor park weighing 57kilos but further inspections that suspension is totally fine
To save money on servicing my suspensions, I have found a workshop that will do the service + teaching me for the next time. I will invest to learn something I have not yet done to be able to do by myself now afterwards.
Question for help? What can you do if your chain gets rusty? Say you didn't lubricate it enough after washing or there was some issue where you couldn't complete your full clean down routine etc. Is there any tips to bring a chain back to life?
I'm in the process of changing the drivetrain on my hybrid. It has a 3x9 Deore, SLX mix. I am changing it to a 1x12 drivertrain. I am going for the 12 speed Sunrace drivetrain. I will be using the 11x50 HG cassette. I would also be able to use the 10x50 XD cassette if I change the freehub. I am going for the RaceFace Aeffect cranks and use a gravel bike size chainring. This is for the road riding and the light off road as well.
Tyres: the cheaper, chunky tubeless ready tyre, a pair. When the rear is near to self destruct, I put the front worn tyre in the rear and put a new tyre in the front. And repeat, when one is too worn, put the front in the rear an put a new tyre in the front. Cheap smart way. Brake pads: the cheapest Transmission: the cheapest that works well Suspension: the cheapest that works well, but it depends a lot about you riding, the terrain, your weight, etc
Save money by spending it same amount over a period of time. VS all at once so you have to play keep up. Custom is always the way to go and self fulfilment is the best feeling ever VS showing off exspensive art someone else built and you just happen to have extra money to throw away.
There is a German bike magazine called bike, they compared chains and cassettes and especially chains they found out that the better or higher end components not only live longer but can be the most cost effective Sram x01 chain doesn't hold up as long as the xx1 but ist better compared km to € The worst are Nx chains Same thing with Shimano except! The aluminum sprockets they won't last as long as steel sprockets. If you guys want I'll search for the link
I want to upgrade the damper on my fox34 Rythm that came on my bike from the grip to the fit4 damper, the fox-support was great help but i can't fit it, because of the hole in the bottom for the rebound adjuster... So I have to buy a new fork in the long run 😅 maybe i go with a rockshox pike on my Canyon Neuron, but for now i can't afford it.
For basic fork maintenance, is it better to use a higher weight oil? Because I did the dust wiper lubing today, sickling the suspension so that a little lube went towards the inner... Oil spunges? Or just the dust seals, the oil I used was quite lower weight, so there fore was it maybe a better thing to use higher weight oil?
Noobie question here in reference to upgrading fork internals. It sounds like he said converting from a cheap air fork to a coil (so a spring right?) fork would be an upgrade? Or did i mishear him? I was under the impression that air and hydraulic forks were better than coils due to more refined damping
When Doddy said 'mud will hold it together' it reminded me of the time I took apart the rear derailleur on my mums old road bike and, what I thought was a washer, turned out to be a ring of compressed mud!
that's happened to me before . :)
lol
The advice on keeping your old drivetrain for winter is actually really clever, cheers Doddy
Tires: If you avoid riding the "Newest shit" and use last season stuff instead you can easily save 50% or more by losing fractions of performance.
Are we really saving money here lol
An absolutely, brutally honest review of consumable components from Doddy. More major channels should be like this , not being so concerned with sponsors or advertising. Doddy, you are an amazing oracle of MTBing with your little nuggets of information.
On a side note, I will hopefully send photos of my bike for top mods. Unfortunately, not got my new handlebar yet but apart from that it's pretty much sorted.
Doddy keeping it real
#GMBNTech "Clean your bike!" Amen Doddy. I think I enjoy cleaning my bike as much as riding it. Seriously proud of how mint my bike looks and how long my drive trains last.
What lube do u use
I use cyclon wax lube and almost nothing sticks to the chain
@@fastbicyclerider7300 I am sold on ProLink year round. I've had fantastic results with it on both my MTB and road bike.
Which cleaning stuff do you use coz the mucoff stuff is a bit pricy
@@fastbicyclerider7300 I’m pretty sure he uses a dry lube not a wax
@@mattiethomson I got some of the mucoff concentrate and it lasts forever
Rotating chains is a good one to help preserve the life of your drivetrain. I run 2, ideally 3, chains & rotate every 4-6 weeks to even out wear, introducing a new chain when one reaches 60-75% wear. I've got hundreds of extra miles out of a cassette using this method. I also lube with wax all year round.
I'd definitely run wet lube in winter if you live somewhere with wet winters (like myself in the UK). Otherwise the rollers on your chain are getting water & dirt ingress and likely wearing from the inside.
When you buy a new bike for that big stage race like BC Bike Race, right away you put on cheaper chain, chain ring, cassette, and maybe even disc rotors. Then train all spring in the rain and mud on the cheaper consumeables. Then a week before the race put the original high end light weight parts back on, get new brake pads and gear cable. It'll be like having a new and lighter bike for the big race week.
@RollinRat I'm with you there! You just described my winter setup. My commuter is an old 90s mtb with one gear. My summer commuter is a cheap steel fixie. No need for Zwift when a recycled/repurposed old bike gets the legs grinding just riding to work. Singlespeeds for the win. Just ride, rinse, and repeat.
@RollinRat Haha! Nice bumping into you again.
@RollinRat I probably already had that combo before. As my name suggests, Nutella is a staple in my house and is always part of a post race recovery snack. I like to add ripple chips into the mix and always rolled into a tortilla.
Love the video, also, I'd like to mention that Sram XO1 lasts A LOT longer than GX , and I mean A LOT. There's a reason besides just lighter weight to the almost double price between the two. And speaking of Shimano SLX and XTR , I've no idea because I've not tried the new ones yet. To my experience, with Sram.., the more expensive stuff is made from higher tolerance materials and even coated with a harder anodized layer that makes it harder, shifts smoother and last longer, in my book,.. that's worth every penny, and remember... You only live ONCE, only ONCE. Enjoy yourself while you're still alive! 🤘🤘🤘
I used to ride with several, somewhat season bound tire sets. For the winter I switched to tires more fitted for wet conditions. I have stopped doing that when I started to ride tubeless. Cleaning up the old latex and adding new latex is to much of a hassle for me. And I am not sure if you save money that way. I mean, I don't get my latex for free.
I do save money with my Shimano cassette (11 speed 11-42). The 11,13,15 sprockets wear out long before the rest of the cassette. Luckily I have found an web shop that sells them separate. So when my cassette wears out, most of the time it is sufficient to replace the three smallest sprockets and I am good to go again. Setting me back around 11 euro's and not 50 euro's. I can do that two or three times before I need to replace the whole cassette. If needed the 17 and 19 sprocket can be ordered and replaced separate as well (costs around 4,00 and 3,00 euro).
Where did you get the individual cassette sprockets?
@@georgegande1779 At Rosebikes, a German bike shop (rosebikes.com) with a Dutch site (rosebikes.nl). The sprockets are for 11 speed XT CS-M8000 cassettes but are compatible with SLX CS-M7000 and CS-HG800-11 cassettes. Often they have them in stock but sometimes the delivery time is a couple of weeks. I haven't seen individual sprockets for other cassettes though. Would have like it for my 10 speed setup when I was still running that. EDIT: Correction. They do have sprockets for 10 speed cassettes.
@@Evertb1 thanks 😊
@@Evertb1 great advice. A shame that Rose bikes have stopped shipping parts to the UK since Brexit though.
@@antonpeterson1245 Yes, I was afraid of that. Brexit is not all fun and games is it?
I have a relatively budget hard tail and upgraded to a Sunrace cassette for better ratios on a 9 speed (12-38 tooth swapped to a 11-42). Huge improvement for me. Shifts better than stock did and makes climbing a lot easier.
I realize this is an older video, but I thought I would put this here for anyone watching. Sometimes running a nicer chain and cassette can actually save you money. For example, I switched from a GX chain and cassette to XO1 and found that I got triple the life out of the chains, and nearly quadruple the life on the cassette! On top of that, they look pretty and shift much smoother!
The Sunrace 12 speed cassettes 1) are not that much cheaper than Shimano Deore and SLX and 2) have the old issues with backpedaling and shifting under load that Shimano has solved.
There's a reason why Marin dropped the Sunrace cassettes this season now that more micro spline hubs are available.
The same goes for the 11 speed cassettes. Not much to win there.
Are them problems with the sun race cassettes only problems on full suspension bikes or with hard tails aswell bud?
Did a full bearing swap on my four year old Lapierre Zesty last summer. I could not believe the amount of crud in the races. Definitely a thing to watch.
Doddy: rotate ur front and back tyres
Ppl with mullet bikes: 🤧
or f/r specific tyres, mine last for ages anyway.....I just keep breaking bones, saves me a fortune lol
Reverse mullet. Drag bike status.
i have SO much to learn as a mech...... i am a roadie, so all this is a whole new world and i make money fixing bikes so this is gold to me. Thank you Mr doddy
Great video! Less Shimano-centered than some recent ones, but rather tuned towards useful knowledge beyond a few featured brands - and beyond buying new bling stuff over and over! Thank you, I like!
Chain waxing keeps chain clean on the muddy rides 😀
Doddy is spot on! Cassettes aren't a life long component unless your using the largest cogs all the time and they are super clean. On my winter hardtail I put a 5 dollar Bell brand chain on it and its working!
Sram brake pads cost more than pads for a car...
bang on 11.00 Doddy says what I was expecting to come up, my advice would be get two, three or even four chains and swap them regularly.
One tip I’ve discovered this year is to use an all weather lube during winter (Weldtite tf2 or similar). It may sound obvious, but I’ve often found myself on winter a ride and it’s not actually raining, but there’s a few more puddles than expected.
In the past I’ve found Dry lube can wash off too easy and wet lube attracts too much grime, even if it’s wiped off before the start of a ride. I think the worst bit of winter riding is cleaning off that black gunk off the drivetrain, also that stuff kills your expensive cassette and chain! now I just use all weather lube throughout winter, it’s so much easier to clean and doesn’t make your chain look nasty after every ride. I now only use wet lube when it’s actually raining.
Hopefully helps someone out there 👊
this is the only channel I watch now for tech advice. its so good.
Noah and Theo semi metal pads off ebay cost like 6 quid and work really well
That's what I run, only downside is they never fit well, have to file the backing plate down, but they do grip well and last a fair amount of time.
@@rossboss124 mine fit good but only got them once, and then sold the bike, new bikes gonna get noah theo resins lets see how they do
You can get a pair of Shimano finned pads for less than £15, doesn’t exactly break the bank
Get the ceramic noah and theo they last longer and grip better in all conditions
@@ryang123 I’ve never run ceramic. I’ve used organic and metallic and found metallic better. I had a look at the N&T website and found a set compatible for £5.99. If they are better then it is well worth it. How good are they compared to Shimano?
Good advice ! keeping the worn out stuff to use again in the muddy winter rides.
This man gives the best tips.
Timely video! I need to replace the drivetrain, rear tyre and rear hub bearings on my Cotic Rocket. Money was tight so haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Now I’m just going to ride those parts to destruction for another 6-8 weeks!
Funny you say about that 26'' Foxy, my Specialized SX Trail has small bearings everywhere, I change them every 6 months of riding (that's because during winter I ride my hardtail, and I still turn them bearings to dust :) )
Damn every 6 months !? U need to upgrade bearings brother. I am Tommorow acually
@@johnsonjay60 i use enduro bearings...
The Fade To Black sign always brings back good memories 🤘
Great video Doddy... Sound advice and some subtle obvious pointers than most will miss! 👍👍👍
Always good info. Even if over my head. Gives me idea of what to have shop look at. Thanks
I love my Shimano XT cassette, I have the same cassette for 2 years and just replaced the smaller cogs once they were worn. Doing 30-40 miles a day on it.
Doddy: ...my old worn out groupset...
*shows an XO groupset*
Even nice stuff wears out
just because it's an xo1 drivetrain, doesn't mean it's not gonna wear out. no matter how much you spend on a nice groupset, it'll eventually wear out
Dawn Disk Soap, car cleaning brushes, car oil/lube, pressure washer(from work), air compressor(from work), & visit do-it-yourself bike shops.
I haven't owned a bike over $100 yet. I tend to get em used and outgrown them fast as I was growing up.
The SunRace 11-50 12-speed cassette with Shimano hyperglide interface lasted me about 3500km - same as the original SRAM NX cassette that came on my bike. Weighs less, costs less, looks cooler :)
In my limited experience you can increase the lifespan of a cassette by getting a new chain before or at 0,5% wear for a 12sp, but this only works for three chains or so. After that, just ride it till it fails and then replace the drivetrain front to back.
Hey Doddy. I managed to destroy my 13t cog on my Occam somehow, but was chuffed to discover that SunRace sell a little lock ring kit with the 11, 13 and 15t sprockets! £13 and I was back riding and saved money on the rest of the cassette!!
Riding 20yo bikes. Guess how much I saved already! :D
Checking chain wear is key. Have run the same 11speed XTR cassette for over 4 years. Been through about 7 chains but have crisp shifting all this time.
Working in the trade I have had to replace many expensive cassettes. Which could mostly all been avoided if people had a chain checker.
Doddy u r my go to tech guru.
I love your enthusiasm and passion for bikes.
Can we have an update on what Henry is upto?
FINALLY! Someone who agrees with me on the transmission subject! The last 5 builds that I’ve made have had 1x10 speed transmissions with SLX derailleur, Zee shifter, Sunrace 11-46 cassette, Absolute Black chainring and KMC chain. With a bit of careful shopping around I can make a full drivetrain for less than the cost of a SRAM GX cassette! And I’ve never been hunting for a gear or wanted for a ratio.
My latest build (which I’ve submitted to Top Mods) is a new experiment for me with a Box2 9 speed drivetrain that still has an 11-50 cassette and a full drivetrain with Eagle range cost me £230! But now I can fit a larger chainring too!
I recall a visit to my local bike shop a couple of years ago. They had a nice Trek Pro Cailiber hard tale 2018 model. I was truly suprised/anoyed to see it had Deore shifters but XT derailleurs. Stupid if you ask me.
Be careful when washing your drivetrain with degreasing agents. I managed to stuff up the pivot bearings on my first full sus because it washed out the grease from the bearings. That can be fixed though by packing them with CRC Marine grease (light blue) which is the same grease Enduro uses in their bearings.
Recently I "downgraded" back to 10 speed with advent x cassette (@ $40 on eBay!) and shimano Saint shifter w/Deore 10spd derailleur. Bingo, all the range with tougher, more durable chain and cheaper to replace! For tires, Maxxis Ikon lasts FOREVER, (decent rear tire).
Great video, Doddy!
Thanks!
I wrecked a chain due to letting it seize up in the wet, was a nightmare 10 miles from home. Uberbike race matrix pads are the best pads I've used, I'll never use original pads again.
Age-old advice, but consider buying workshop bulk packs for the lowest-tier consumables such as shifter cables, outers and brake pads. The cost up front is naturally higher, but you will easily save around 40%-50% of the individual unit prices in the long run.
Also, you get more use out of a basic bottle of chain lube if you go for an applicator, such as Flectr’s Green Disc / Lubri Disc, for example. Low-cost stuff, granted, but a good idea if money’s tight and from an environmental perspective, especially if your preference is a non-biodegradable wet lube.
Good tips!
To avoid all that shenanigans - buy 2 hard tails - 1 for winter, fat bike full rigid, and for the rest - eduro trail hartail, service both and put some mudguards or fenders on them(even lower tube frame has fenders for protection of chain from gunk), because it works.
I enjoy watching your Money Saving Ideas.. It's Helped me with being able to get Suntor Components instead of those very expensive SHIMANO Products that also wear out to.. So far I been able enough several Bags of my favorite Marijuana and continue smoking while I ride my bike back home from a candy store..
Love watching you,very informative thank you
I’ve got to use magic Mary’s all year round 😂 so used to riding loam sand loose rock etc
This is so useful, thanks Doddy. Learnt so much.
Glad it was helpful!
I run two wheel sets each with its own cassette and disks. One set is narrow, fast, and lite. The other is wide, aggressive, and heavier. Two wheel sets do wear chains faster (4 in 2 years). But all the parts that make up a wheel set are wear parts. Now these wheel sets are wearing slower from sharing the time on the frame. Well maybe a rim is not a consumable but still I consider this method a cost savings and a performance boost.
Good tip!
If you practice what you preach, try out microshift advent x. 167.00 for groupset and is lighter than sram gx. That is what I'm going to go to when mine wears out.
7:21 Haha that's my exact setup. XTR cassette and XT shifter. Bike came w all SLX. I left everything else but changed those 2 things.
As for bearings, another thing you might have to watch is sometimes they regrind the bearings to a diferant size, so the origanal bike bearing is actualy a diferant size than the same size and part number of a off the shelf bearing, have found that a fare bit with with them as my mate is the manager off a bearing company and i can sometimes get them cheeper from him, have found it's the same for my motor bike as well as some saw mill equipment, they don't always do it but it dose happen.
Yes doddy its about time gmbn looked at real world mtb riders . Not everyone is sponsored. I have a cube stereo ebike I was lucky enough to win a competition for a dreambike. But when it was time to my chain & cassette ( EX1 transmission) wow the price was mental so I got ZITTO cassette which was not even quarter of the price so far it has matched the same mileage as EX1 . Already ordered 2 cassettes which should last couple of years.
Was it thedreambike competition run by foxy that you won? I won that one
@@ozzie800 yes bud was winner 26 when it was more chance of winning. I think its a bit 🤔 difficult to win now hes change the competition.
I had hope brakes on my old bike and ran Uberbike pads on one occasion racing a Scottish enduro series race, they were shocking! Replaced them mid race and the guys in the bike shop said I wasn’t the first that day to be getting rid of Uberbike pads for propper hope ones, sometimes it’s worth paying up for the right parts
Forget the cookie monster... My bike is Hungry!
Dear Dodddy, the Vittoria Mazza is similar to the Schwalbe Magic Mary (2:56). Great show anyway. I always follow your recommendations
I've still got the older sram gx on my bike, but I've changed the chain 3 time since getting the bike in 2016.
Same here
you still on the same cassette, my 1150 was gone when I done my first chain swap but I waited 18 mnths.......needless to say Ive learned my lesson.
@@garygilbert1127 yeah same cassette with a up graded chain plus I went from a 30t chainring to a 34t because I kept spinning out in high gear, but I just recently changed the 34t to a 32t and so far it seems to be the sweet spot for climbing and putting the power down.
Really awesome video, thank you
i was wasting way too much dry lube upon application, for every 2 drops on the chain, another 1 or 2 ended up on the floor...even tried a special bottle with an applicator pad and it didnt work very well, still wasted a bunch...bought a little bottle with a metal needle for arts and crafts(was like 3$ on amazon)...and it works amazingly...not 1 wasted drop since...
Great tips Doddy
Thats practicality. Thanks Doddy! - enjoying bike without filing bankruptcy. lol
What about Hellbender bearings? My BB should be fried by now but it's not. That brings me to another point. Everyone knows about the influence motor sports and aerospace have on industries on MTB. What about the less obvious tech history? For instance, MTRX bearings came from the food industry and hydroformed tubing came about to make bathroom fixtures and faucets.
The entire GMBN tech series is a $ saving tip. Thank You.
$ saving tip: ride a hardtail, 1 less shock and a lot of less moving parts to clean, break or replace
Great info, thanks a million!
For brake pads I am using the website Disco Brake, Kevlar model and they are great both in the summer when I am in the mountain, as well at home in winter muddy conditions. And the price is reasonable
great ideas, confirming some of my practices. thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
SRAM 1130 chains. 23 dollars retail and are good solid reliable chains for 11 or even 10 speed bikes. If you put lots of miles on your bike especially off road mud miles these chains are the best value for the money.
Repack bearings with grease, before they go bad, this will keep them going just about forever.
Yup, cleaned and greased bearings last a hell of a lot longer
What are the pros and cons between different break pad compounds? (i.e. metal, sintered, resin and organic)
This content is Gold...🤍
Jeez.... I didn't think Doddy's "battered" spare drivechain looked that bad.... the SRAM-1175 cassette on my bike looked at that with Envy
Enduro guards. Use them to prevent as much muck reaching your suspension. It'll really help save those expensive bits.
Cool vid. I found silicone lube spray to be one of the most effective things to keep my bike going - anything from suspension to pivots and brake levers. I'd also check the spokes occasionally - once you got some loose, you may start breaking others and they are a pain to replace + your wheel may go. It'd be cool to see what are the limits of the components if they are not maintained.
I read that silicone isn't great for fork seals (foam rings specifically) as it drives out the oil, but ok for shock, seat post etc
@@Will99x Where did you read that? Anyway, I've been using the stuff for years and as a bonus GMBN has released this vid last year: ua-cam.com/video/HL9xMR3NR2Q/v-deo.html
@@riggidybang I can't remember unfortunately but you're right the majority of places do seem to suggest using it. However Rockshox don't recommend it bikerumor.com/2017/11/08/suspension-tech-lube-forks-stanchions/
Hey Doddy, loving the content. Most of these I have used at one time or another apart from the epoxy one but it makes sense. I am currently trying to rebuild a 1998 Santa Cruz heckler and am looking for some advice on which forks to run. I was running them with an old set of RST delta TL however they have seen their best. I haven't ridden in a while and am gonna try and get back to a bit of XC, free ride, and maybe some enduro. I have a cane creek DB air for the rear but looking for the best 1 1/8 steerer 26" wheel based fork and at least 100mm travel. Thanks mate. #GMBNTech #GMBN
I want to change my transmission because producer made a mix with Sram, Microshift and KMC. I was looking for alternatives and find out that is cheaper to put entire Shimano transmission. Shimano Deore casette is cheaper than Sunrace for 11v. So it's Shimano. I'm an enthusiast rider and I don't need the most expensive or competitive parts.
: Thanks for sharing some real knowledge!
just replaced my bb bearings £4 each damn good saving and so easy to do
i dont have suspension tuners or good bikeshop, they suck or cost ridiculously much so i do my stuff myself, someone thought my suspension was broken because i used 70% of my travel at max psi at a indoor park weighing 57kilos but further inspections that suspension is totally fine
Brilliant video!!
To save money on servicing my suspensions, I have found a workshop that will do the service + teaching me for the next time. I will invest to learn something I have not yet done to be able to do by myself now afterwards.
When you swap tires, do you use tubes or tubeless? Wouldn’t it be a pain to swap tubeless tires back and fourth.
24:07 you said doo doo 😂
My opinion to this topic is:
If it's worn out, it get's replaced.- Point!
Question for help? What can you do if your chain gets rusty? Say you didn't lubricate it enough after washing or there was some issue where you couldn't complete your full clean down routine etc. Is there any tips to bring a chain back to life?
I'm in the process of changing the drivetrain on my hybrid. It has a 3x9 Deore, SLX mix. I am changing it to a 1x12 drivertrain. I am going for the 12 speed Sunrace drivetrain. I will be using the 11x50 HG cassette. I would also be able to use the 10x50 XD cassette if I change the freehub. I am going for the RaceFace Aeffect cranks and use a gravel bike size chainring. This is for the road riding and the light off road as well.
Sounds great!
wise words doddy 👍
Tyres: the cheaper, chunky tubeless ready tyre, a pair. When the rear is near to self destruct, I put the front worn tyre in the rear and put a new tyre in the front. And repeat, when one is too worn, put the front in the rear an put a new tyre in the front. Cheap smart way.
Brake pads: the cheapest
Transmission: the cheapest that works well
Suspension: the cheapest that works well, but it depends a lot about you riding, the terrain, your weight, etc
you're an encyclopedia of MTB hacks man !! :D
yeah my cassette has been on my bike around 7 years. i brought the bike second hand around 2 year ago.
I bought a gallon of chain lube about 10 years ago, I have most of it left. I buy WD40 in gallons also (I pretty much only use it as a degreaser)
Save money by spending it same amount over a period of time. VS all at once so you have to play keep up. Custom is always the way to go and self fulfilment is the best feeling ever VS showing off exspensive art someone else built and you just happen to have extra money to throw away.
I use Gorilla brake pads. A lot cheaper and you have three choices of materials.
I love the ceramic gorilla pads.
@@marcusaurelius49 I have them. They're the best.
There is a German bike magazine called bike, they compared chains and cassettes and especially chains they found out that the better or higher end components not only live longer but can be the most cost effective
Sram x01 chain doesn't hold up as long as the xx1 but ist better compared km to €
The worst are Nx chains
Same thing with Shimano except! The aluminum sprockets they won't last as long as steel sprockets.
If you guys want I'll search for the link
Is the Mota much grippier than the mazza or just better in muddier conditions?
Brake pads from aliexpress, they save me 8x the money, work just as good.
Really? Which brand?
@@iVoztutorial There are lots of them. Doesnt really matter.
Would you recommend a more softer compound tire up front or rear for dry conditions.
I want to upgrade the damper on my fox34 Rythm that came on my bike from the grip to the fit4 damper, the fox-support was great help but i can't fit it, because of the hole in the bottom for the rebound adjuster... So I have to buy a new fork in the long run 😅 maybe i go with a rockshox pike on my Canyon Neuron, but for now i can't afford it.
For basic fork maintenance, is it better to use a higher weight oil? Because I did the dust wiper lubing today, sickling the suspension so that a little lube went towards the inner... Oil spunges? Or just the dust seals, the oil I used was quite lower weight, so there fore was it maybe a better thing to use higher weight oil?
Noobie question here in reference to upgrading fork internals. It sounds like he said converting from a cheap air fork to a coil (so a spring right?) fork would be an upgrade? Or did i mishear him?
I was under the impression that air and hydraulic forks were better than coils due to more refined damping
Some good tips.