A high POE does feel very nice, but the biggest expensive improvement was a good wheelset, definitely worth the money to have it custom built. Good forks are crazy expensive but it is what it is, buying used is scary since missing service intervals can really fuck up the finish on the stanchions.
Probably SRAM Axis. Given the fact they have basically removed the derailer hanger and made the thing wireless I’d say it would be worth it if you are having too many problems with your existing drive train.
I bought some Berd 29 wheels with I9 hubs for $2100 for my Scott Genius. Stupid expensive. Absolutely worth it if you can afford it. Totally changed the ride. I put AXS wireless shifting on the same bike. So so. I like it but worth $500 of like? I have carbon cranks with a Ti spindle. Only a weight weenie would bother. Save the money for those Berd's. Hope 4-pot brakes are a must have. I put them on all my bikes. I figure them into the cost of a new bike. Helmet. Cheap are like wearing a box. $300 is only 5% better than a $120 helmet and are no safer. For the regular rider $80 - $120 is the place to be. Riding shorts. I spend $100+ for my padded shorts. On a 6 hour ride I want my tushie comfortable. Good shorts last forever. I still ride in a pair of Cannondate $80 shorts bought in the '90s. In the '90s that was big bucks. Best shorts I have ever owned.
Redshift shockstop suspension stem for my gravel bike. With cush core front and rear, I saved about $500 on a gravel fork. Carbon wheels for my e-bike. Leatt Enduro 4.0 convertible helmet. Outbound lighting set. Five sets of Crankbrothers Stamp 7 pedals. Milwaukee battery-powered inflator. Three Ergon SM Pro saddles.
I've never bought a bike I was 100% happy with as OEM stock. There's always something that makes it more comfortable or perform better, but these don't have to be super expensive. So I think the "is it worth it" debate is really a "does this improve my riding enjoyment sufficiently?" eg After one of Anna's recent videos on brake discs I upgraded the front disc on my 2-pot XTR brakes from 180 to 203, and it has improved my braking confidence hugely... For about £40. Against that, I ride XC to improve my fitness, and the c£850 upgrade to SRAM XX1 cranks with a Quarq spider power meter has also been really worth the investment in terms of extra training data. I'm sure many others wouldn't see the value and think that's bonkers... To me it's about making changes that have a real impact on my riding.
Having guided in really wet and windy climates for years, I was lucky to use some very expensive waterproofs. There's no rush thing as breathable and waterproof. The increase in value is in the quality of the materials (weight vs durability) and the comfort/cut of the item. More expensive brands usually deliver better looking and more comfortable stuff. But I've had €10 euro jackets that were just as waterproof as €700 jackets. I got wet in all of them.
There is a misconception that you can make a jacket both waterproof and breathable at the same time. This is not how things work, if it's raining the fabric will be waterproof but not breathable and when it's dry outside the fabric will be breathable. There are several videos showing you why, don't be fooled by marketing.
S-Works Recon shoes - carbon sole + titanium plate and aluminium Boa knobs - totally worth it. Not only stiff as hell, easier to peddle but also really almost indestructible shoe. Then S-Works Prevail 2 (aramid) helmet - also so light and breezy. Third is Evoc e-Ride backpack - FR Trail e-Ride 20 - marvelous features. Worth every penny I've spent on them.
Got myself a custom titanium hardtail. Man, this bike fits me like a glove and tides like a dream. Got a set of eewings crank on there also. My these cranks are stiff!!!
Having worked in a factory that makes waterproof membrane material for clothing, medical and military stuff I can totally understand why good quality waterproof clothing is so expensive 💯
The Shimano oval chainrings are/were Biopace. My first 2 mountain bikes had Biopace chainrings (Trek 950 and a Fisher AL-1). The Sram AXS product is the first really expensive stuff I've bought that feels like it is worth it. I didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I do. I find myself shifting far more frequently than I used to. Worth it to me.
My first mtb (early 90's was a bright yellow Peugeot Flame with the biopace set up. I loved the bike, but looking at what we have today, it was like a tank! It still made me smile and I enjoyed every ride.
'Oval' chainrings concept predates the Shimano version, the first 'elliptical' chainrings being in the 1890s. Because inventors where thinking of these ideas a long time ago.
Owen has it right as far as I'm concerned on the idea of $500. hubs. Marginal gain at best. Pride of ownership is the only vain reason for wasting hard earned money here. But, then again, I'm one whom said the same thing about a $200. saddle. Now, I'm the proud owner of two of them and I ride on a very happy butt!
Buy the best helmet you can afford. I even subscribe to, buy the best fitting and most feature rich helmet you can. After some ugly concussions, I don’t hesitate to put my family in the best helmets I can. Fly RHEON is arguably some of the best concussion prevention technology, as is 6D’s multidirectional technology. 💪🏼
talking about hubs , onyx hubs are a real game changer , absolutely silent ... ZERO ZERO points of engagement. (which means instant) and so smooth rolling
Bearings: I have a bike that has a roller bearing bottom bracket. It's extremely smooth and locks the crank in nicely as they are in a cone arrangement. But would I want them in the hubs? No, as the benefits of roller bearing hubs on a MTB would be minimal, and due to the extra forces placed on a hub they could be detrimental compared to their use on a road bike.
I got triggered as fuc when I saw the oversized pulley wheel, if you want good bearings (not necessarily ceramic), you want them in your hubs! Ceramic last waayy less than steel ones do because the ceramic is harder than the steel rail and cage and often erode them and develop play, steel wears out the cage and rail more evenly so it doesn't fail that abruptly. A good upgrade would be: Very good hub, no contact bearings in the inside, shielded bearings in the outside with light grease, since shitty seals and grease are often the cause of most friction on bearings.
After much much research. I run a leatt 8.5 moto x helmet for dh and bike parks and gyro tyrant for enduro and trail riding. Basically if you get a full face make sure its ece 22.06 cert and a half face id say go with mips (spherical if possible) and has an adjuster so you can tune it perfectly for your head size. Fit is very important and replace every 3 to 4 years if not crashed. Helmets are cheap compared to brain damage
ABEC5 bearings in the hubs, bottom bracket and headset makes a big difference and is well worth the money. Enduro bearings for the rear if it's a full suspension is also prudent for the money.
In regards to helmets. The same goes into motorcycle helmets, you can buy cheap ones that meet the proper ECE standards and few others but the fit is always hit and miss, shape is a big one. Cheap helmets tend to be quite round. The more expensive you go the better the shape, more sizes, different shell sizes to keep wind resistance lower, better internal materials, lower weight etc. So I always go with the addage, pay highest you can afford on a helmet. Shimano Biopace by the way ;)
Probably SRAM Axis. Given the fact they have basically removed the derailer hanger and made the thing wireless I’d say it would be worth it if you are having too many problems with your existing drive train.
‘SRAM T-Type groupsets are 100% ‘set it and forget it’. Once it shifts well, all you gotta check is chain and cassette wear, and it will always shift well.
The problem that I have with wireless derailleurs on MTB is that eventually you'll smack it with a rock or something and it's too expensive. Sometimes good enough is good enough 😀. Until internal shifting (either in the hub or as a gear box) are a thing I'll stick to cable actuated ones.
@@iggalan from what I’ve seen as a novice shop mechanic, legitimately 9/10 times that there’s intense and sudden shifting issues on a bike, it’s the $20 hangar that needs replacing, heavy derailleur damage is actually fairly uncommon (unless you get super unlucky with crappy line choice out on the trail). If we’re talking the super bougie SRAM T-Type systems? Virtually bomb proof. ‘Buy once, cry once’, they rarely have mechanical issues that result in pricey replacements.
Shoes. Can’t say it enough. Whether you ride flat or clipless, get some comfortable shoes that grip really well, regardless of if they “look cool” or not.
Independent testing has proven that nearly all helmets fitted with a rotational impact protection system (either MIPS or equivalent) are significantly more effective at reducing impact forces than their non-MIPS counterparts.
In answer to your oval crank question, my first MTB had Shimano Biopace cranks, that would have been around 1990 but I think they released them in ‘86? I liked them but after all the negative hype about being bad for your knees I’ve not used them since 😢what is the current industry information on oval cranks? Any good? Knee killers? Also, on the helmet front, I’ve just bought a bx full face for £20 in the chain reaction sale. It’s CE approved and fits well, my pal spent £200 on a TLD which looks fantastic, but is built to the same safety standard and, correct me if I’m wrong, but they’re both only good for one crash?
4:26 I've never invested in a expensive water/wind proof kit, as it's expensive and a crash might ruin it. Currently I have kit from Endura, but the fit is not made for an regular human. Made for stick arms, and monster knees. But I stayed warm, dry, rode in snow, brutal rain, and winds. But had to go for 3XL jacket and L trousers as it has 82cm inseam, but the waist was massive, 4 fingers worth of extra room, so belt was needed. But looks like I'm Small in gloves, not tried it, Medium was too big, but good for thick wool liner underneath. Hood on the jacket was so big it covered my face, but the sleeves fit, armpit, bicep area was big enough, so was the sleeve hole, so I fit wrist braces trough it easily, but stomach was baggy. It was a weird fit, but was cheap, and was in somewhat my size, and had the features I wanted and was in stock. But definitely not ultimate kit. But it was the fist waterproof riding kit I bought.
I’m with you on a lot of stuff but the ball bearings are not hard to make. If you want a really good bearing for a bike get taper bearings A lot more of engineering and machinery is in a tapered bearing than a ball bearing.
good show here, I learned somethings, and I agree with your framework for value vs price, we each have different needs and budgets. withoutnthe leading edge out there, we see fewer real breakthroughs... thank you.
I bought a POC Tactal helmet it was expensive to say the least it's is smart but gez it's heavy! Feels like one them bobble head figures 😂 can't ware it to dangerous for me! i went and just spent £30 on a cannondale bankrupt stock pile helmet it's perfect unbelievably! Fit's great it's light looks good it's matt black aswell it just work's, for now anyways to get back out on the new emtb, Plus got removable and adjustable visor! It's got the older safety system but worked for many years before mips and doesn't feel it's sitting on top of your head likr mips systems do!
Anything to do with safety I don’t compromise. The best helmets, sunglasses, radar unit, etc… Everything else, I buy based on what I am willing to pay for.
There is probably some behind the scenes stuff that we don't know about! But it would be great if all bike came with UDH. Hopefully 2024 is the year for it 🤘
6:16 I think every helmet will feel like it fits badly if you ride in low sub zero temps like -10C, all of helmets I had shrunk making them tighter at the jaw. So I definitely feel it then. 2016 Fox Rampage Pro carbon did it, and now Leatt Gravity 1.0 DH does it too. 6:49 Leatt Gravity 1.0 DH is lighter than most carbon full face helmets, but I don't know how it translates to safety. But a con with that helmet is the visor is not movable, and it's too high, so it's redundant when you actually need it. But it was cheap and light. But Velcro adhesive pads loosened, but I replaced it with 3m VHB. 2016 Fox Rampage Pro carbon was expensive and much heavier, and cheek pads wore out in few months got so squeezed the helmet slapped me in the face. Some claimed new Rampage Carbon does not have that issue, but not tried it.
Great fitting helmets : Yes! Nice wheels/hubs : maybe Waterproof Jacket: Absolutely as I ride year round in Maine, Electronic shifting: Absolutely not, Expensive shorts: Yes Expensive Jerseys: Probably not Does 12speed drivetrain make me want to change my 11? : No And not to be a snob, and I own a shop. I like good stuff, but I've always felt that we should spend money where it makes the biggest impact, and not necessarily on speed, but more on fit/comfort.
Re the i9 hubs. My (limited) understanding is that better rear hubs are lighter, built better / last longer and have more points of engagement. I understand the lighter / built better qualities, but outside of competitive XC racing, has anyone noticed if they have 1, 5 or 10 degrees of pedal travel before pick up? My hubs have 36 points of engagement, but there's usually so much to think about when out riding, I can't say I've ever noticed the implied 10 degrees of pedal travel before pick up. Am I missing something?
My 29" bike has Hope pro 4s hubs on it. Which is 8.4 degrees My 27.5" bike has Profile Racing Elite hubs on it. They are 1.75 degrees. I definitely feel the difference.
MIPS has been shown to reduce concussion so for me that is worth it. A helmet is better than no helmet. Helmet that fits is better than any old one. MIPS is best (or WaveCell).
I'm convinced that MIPS work! I had a bad crash, flipped in the air, and slammed my head at about 6 feet. I slammed my head so hard, that I felt it instantaneously. I walked away from it without any symptoms of concussion. I'm convinced that MIPS worked as designed. The other thing to think about is full face vs half face. Granted a half face will protect the head but I saw a CAT 1 racer crash on a local run ( not racing) and he had, gravel, and sand embedded on the whole side of his face. After I saw this I never ride fast tech without a full face.
In a lab it has. In reality if you have hair on your head or if you don't strap your helmet on uncomfortably tight, it'l slide over your head anyway without mips in a crash.
@@exothermal.sprocket Your hair is a slip plane. Does the same thing without mips (unless your helmet strap is done up so tight the helmet cannot move like in a lab setting when they tested mips)
For anyone thinking about waterproofs please don't say things like "waterproof and breathable" as that's just marketing and the truth isn't "and" sadly it's waterproof "or" breathable. Amazingly DeWalt make the best one I've ever had after working outside for way over 10 year's, plus just so everyone knows goretex don't actually own there patent anymore and as it's surrounding teflon (one of them forever chemicals) they don't actually use Teflon that much anymore though they're actually using there competitions research more these days as it's greener and better than there own alternatives to teflon
Well, actually, no jacket is ,"breathable" as that very term is pure marketing speak. The only way to breath is with lungs. Jackets have no lungs. The correct term should be something like air permeable.
Exactly, you can get a jacket that’s waterproof when it’s raining and breathable when it’s not. But it won’t be waterproof and breathable at the same time.
Building physics background here. Membranes installed on external walls and roofs are designed to be waterproof and vapour permeable. Some are air permeable and some are air impermeable. So yes, waterproof and air permeable (i.e. breathable) is definitely a thing. Most membranes that achieve this are microporous: they have small holes (on micron levels) which allows air and vapour to pass through. They rely on surface tension to hold water out. The problem comes when that surface tension is broken via surfactants or oils, then water starts leaking through. Best example of this is sitting in a tent while it is raining. No rain comes through but if you touch the fabric your hand gets wet.
Bike riding lessons. The best upgrade you can make is to the nut behind the handlebars. It amazes me that people will drop $1k plus on wheels but balk at spending a 1/4 of that for a skills building session with a coach helping them get the most of the equipment they already have.
£400 hubs I expect a good strong wheelset for not more money. Its a shame when you are forced into brands to promote financial wise, to produce the quality vids you guys put out.
A $4000+ frame marked down to $2000+ is my point. Still plenty of markup, or they wouldn't be in business. They can warehouse hundreds, and more, bikes. Loads of money in the business. A dealer on YT trying to push a $8000 bike as reasonable. Keep selling it, nobody is fooled. Not trying to be harsh. I found a good home b spec just last week, bc I was hunting. Most newbie don't know the ropes. That's where they get soaked in the market game.
Can anyone explain the mountains of used mtb at the dump since the end of Covid. Aaaaannndd tonnes of name brands too. I work at the tip so been making decent coin on the parts and frames. Also is it worth buying new when there’s all this shit laying around.
The process of forming and curing ceramics from the raw silicates takes a few weeks. It's a different process to making your tableware, which takes less than a week and has a different finish.
@@matt_acton-varian sure, but here we are talking not few weeks, but two months, plus-minus (also, why 30% variance). Do they account production of both races in succesion? Also I was convinced CS use hybrid ceramics with nylon matrix - those are cast at rate of minutes
@@feedbackzaloop I would not have thought a nylon matrix as a durable enough material - CeramicSpeed and other high end ceramic bearing manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty (providing they are properly maintained which generally all moving parts should be serviced at certain intervals anyway) so would need something extremely durable.
@@matt_acton-varian well, it's a matrix, its durability must be with regards to fatigue, which is plenty enough. The alumina or zirconia cristallic inclusions are what is responsible for wear resistance. Meanwhile the bearings shown have steel races, so, yeah...
All useless… ceramic material, fancy clothings and gears, higher poe hubs, power monitoring, carbon fiber parts will not make you faster. Spend more time riding will make a difference thought. Loic Bruni will still beat me on a entry level mtn bike from Amazon. Finally, the most ridiculous IMO is the oval chainring, as none UCI xcountry riders use them.
That's a XL. Some helmets have pads to adjust the fit. If it feels a little tight the pads will compress as you wear it. My Fox Rampage Pro Carbon was really tight in the cheek pads, and there is no smaller replacement. I just took them out, put a towel over the top, and tapped it with a ball peen hammer. It compressed the foam enough where it's comfortable. If you can't find your size in MTB go to an enduro motorcycle helmet. Those go up to XXL. It's better to wear a helmet than not. You can get them in a mat color, and not shiny clear coat. Edit: Motorcycle Dirt Helmet.
they are only worth the money if you dont know where to spend all your money or if you are a really promising, very talented athlete. other than that these are a total waste of money.
I9 hubs sound good on paper, when you look at the amount of failures of axles due to the torsion flex designed into the hub.. They really aren't worth the hassle for the amount you spend on them. My god they sound good though lol
You found the subject to get keyboards going in the comment section, anyway I actually find that most of MTB components are way out of wack pricing wise, brands like 5devs are criminals, kinda 😂 Anyway I vote with my dollars just bought another set of Chinese carbon wheels 🎉
What a bad commercial show and nothing else. Wasn't it ceramic speed that said you will save energy by measuring the result with a system, which wasn't even capable of measering? Check Hambini for this. Also if i9 wouldn't be your sponsor, you would not talk about them. Because there are enough cheap hups on the marked where you are not going to pay for the name with the same quality.
What expensive stuff have you bought for your mountain bike? Was it worth the money? Share your thoughts! 💭
A high POE does feel very nice, but the biggest expensive improvement was a good wheelset, definitely worth the money to have it custom built. Good forks are crazy expensive but it is what it is, buying used is scary since missing service intervals can really fuck up the finish on the stanchions.
Probably SRAM Axis. Given the fact they have basically removed the derailer hanger and made the thing wireless I’d say it would be worth it if you are having too many problems with your existing drive train.
I bought some Berd 29 wheels with I9 hubs for $2100 for my Scott Genius. Stupid expensive. Absolutely worth it if you can afford it. Totally changed the ride. I put AXS wireless shifting on the same bike. So so. I like it but worth $500 of like? I have carbon cranks with a Ti spindle. Only a weight weenie would bother. Save the money for those Berd's. Hope 4-pot brakes are a must have. I put them on all my bikes. I figure them into the cost of a new bike. Helmet. Cheap are like wearing a box. $300 is only 5% better than a $120 helmet and are no safer. For the regular rider $80 - $120 is the place to be. Riding shorts. I spend $100+ for my padded shorts. On a 6 hour ride I want my tushie comfortable. Good shorts last forever. I still ride in a pair of Cannondate $80 shorts bought in the '90s. In the '90s that was big bucks. Best shorts I have ever owned.
Redshift shockstop suspension stem for my gravel bike. With cush core front and rear, I saved about $500 on a gravel fork. Carbon wheels for my e-bike. Leatt Enduro 4.0 convertible helmet. Outbound lighting set. Five sets of Crankbrothers Stamp 7 pedals. Milwaukee battery-powered inflator. Three Ergon SM Pro saddles.
Got a high engagement hub for the first time on my new wheel set, game changer. Fillmore valves are also worth it to me.
These two together on a podcast are an example of good teamwork and camaraderie.
I've never bought a bike I was 100% happy with as OEM stock. There's always something that makes it more comfortable or perform better, but these don't have to be super expensive. So I think the "is it worth it" debate is really a "does this improve my riding enjoyment sufficiently?" eg After one of Anna's recent videos on brake discs I upgraded the front disc on my 2-pot XTR brakes from 180 to 203, and it has improved my braking confidence hugely... For about £40. Against that, I ride XC to improve my fitness, and the c£850 upgrade to SRAM XX1 cranks with a Quarq spider power meter has also been really worth the investment in terms of extra training data. I'm sure many others wouldn't see the value and think that's bonkers... To me it's about making changes that have a real impact on my riding.
Having guided in really wet and windy climates for years, I was lucky to use some very expensive waterproofs. There's no rush thing as breathable and waterproof. The increase in value is in the quality of the materials (weight vs durability) and the comfort/cut of the item. More expensive brands usually deliver better looking and more comfortable stuff. But I've had €10 euro jackets that were just as waterproof as €700 jackets. I got wet in all of them.
There is a misconception that you can make a jacket both waterproof and breathable at the same time. This is not how things work, if it's raining the fabric will be waterproof but not breathable and when it's dry outside the fabric will be breathable. There are several videos showing you why, don't be fooled by marketing.
bike holidays/trips are always worth it
Memories > Money! Do you have any trips planned for this year? 🌍
@gmbntech better, I'm moving to Asheville NC to spend more time riding and less time working. Just have to sell my house first.
S-Works Recon shoes - carbon sole + titanium plate and aluminium Boa knobs - totally worth it. Not only stiff as hell, easier to peddle but also really almost indestructible shoe. Then S-Works Prevail 2 (aramid) helmet - also so light and breezy. Third is Evoc e-Ride backpack - FR Trail e-Ride 20 - marvelous features. Worth every penny I've spent on them.
⭐️Most speed for your dollar: *Coaching!*
The more I watch Owen the more I like him. He seems to subtly take the p%#$ out of everything. 😅
Got myself a custom titanium hardtail. Man, this bike fits me like a glove and tides like a dream.
Got a set of eewings crank on there also. My these cranks are stiff!!!
My dad worked in a bike shop for 20 years and had the best philosophy on buying helmets: Spend what you think your brain is worth.
That would make a great poster to hang up behind every helmet display!
Having worked in a factory that makes waterproof membrane material for clothing, medical and military stuff I can totally understand why good quality waterproof clothing is so expensive 💯
The Shimano oval chainrings are/were Biopace. My first 2 mountain bikes had Biopace chainrings (Trek 950 and a Fisher AL-1).
The Sram AXS product is the first really expensive stuff I've bought that feels like it is worth it. I didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I do. I find myself shifting far more frequently than I used to. Worth it to me.
My first mtb (early 90's was a bright yellow Peugeot Flame with the biopace set up. I loved the bike, but looking at what we have today, it was like a tank! It still made me smile and I enjoyed every ride.
Shimano Biopace - still got a set of 105 chainrings on a steel bike from the early 90's
Endo’d yesterday and pivoted over on my head. Expensive (for me) Leatt helmet totally worth it.
We'd rather break a helmet than our head 🤯 Hope you're all good! 🤙
All good thanks
2024 and i'm still living that square taper BB life
'Oval' chainrings concept predates the Shimano version, the first 'elliptical' chainrings being in the 1890s.
Because inventors where thinking of these ideas a long time ago.
Owen has it right as far as I'm concerned on the idea of $500. hubs. Marginal gain at best. Pride of ownership is the only vain reason for wasting hard earned money here. But, then again, I'm one whom said the same thing about a $200. saddle. Now, I'm the proud owner of two of them and I ride on a very happy butt!
$200 is quite a lot to pay for a saddle, but if that's what you need to enjoy your rides day after day, good on you!
1. Fox kashima coat. 2. I9 stems. 3. One Up through axles. 4. Cane Creek seeings cranks.
Buy the best helmet you can afford. I even subscribe to, buy the best fitting and most feature rich helmet you can. After some ugly concussions, I don’t hesitate to put my family in the best helmets I can. Fly RHEON is arguably some of the best concussion prevention technology, as is 6D’s multidirectional technology. 💪🏼
Facts!
You only get one head!
talking about hubs , onyx hubs are a real game changer , absolutely silent ... ZERO ZERO points of engagement. (which means instant) and so smooth rolling
Bearings: I have a bike that has a roller bearing bottom bracket. It's extremely smooth and locks the crank in nicely as they are in a cone arrangement. But would I want them in the hubs? No, as the benefits of roller bearing hubs on a MTB would be minimal, and due to the extra forces placed on a hub they could be detrimental compared to their use on a road bike.
Fox clothing is fairly expensive but damn it fits well for biking.
I got triggered as fuc when I saw the oversized pulley wheel, if you want good bearings (not necessarily ceramic), you want them in your hubs! Ceramic last waayy less than steel ones do because the ceramic is harder than the steel rail and cage and often erode them and develop play, steel wears out the cage and rail more evenly so it doesn't fail that abruptly. A good upgrade would be: Very good hub, no contact bearings in the inside, shielded bearings in the outside with light grease, since shitty seals and grease are often the cause of most friction on bearings.
The I9 hubs are sweet. Saving up for mine as I speak.
Amazing! Let us know what you think of them when you get them 🤘
@@gmbntech No doubt.
After much much research. I run a leatt 8.5 moto x helmet for dh and bike parks and gyro tyrant for enduro and trail riding. Basically if you get a full face make sure its ece 22.06 cert and a half face id say go with mips (spherical if possible) and has an adjuster so you can tune it perfectly for your head size. Fit is very important and replace every 3 to 4 years if not crashed. Helmets are cheap compared to brain damage
Next upgrade I do is i9 hubs. I love that buzz.
Like a bag of bees 🐝
Still have a couple of the biopace chainrings from my early 90s ATB 😂
We'd love to see them! Send in some photos to our uploader for a chance to feature in retro rewind! 👉 upload.gmbn.com/tech
There was already a 3 speed planetary with 7 speed derailleur rear hub.
It definitely has been a thing in the past.
ABEC5 bearings in the hubs, bottom bracket and headset makes a big difference and is well worth the money. Enduro bearings for the rear if it's a full suspension is also prudent for the money.
Enduro races wear out incredibly fast
Shimano oval chain rings was biopace had a muddy fox courier comp in the late 80s
In regards to helmets. The same goes into motorcycle helmets, you can buy cheap ones that meet the proper ECE standards and few others but the fit is always hit and miss, shape is a big one. Cheap helmets tend to be quite round. The more expensive you go the better the shape, more sizes, different shell sizes to keep wind resistance lower, better internal materials, lower weight etc. So I always go with the addage, pay highest you can afford on a helmet.
Shimano Biopace by the way ;)
Shimanos none round rings were called biopace. I actually have some back at my parents house 😂
Shimano Biopace was oval chainrings from this Japanese Co.
You got it, I had a Biopace setup on my Schwinn Impact back in the day.
Probably SRAM Axis. Given the fact they have basically removed the derailer hanger and made the thing wireless I’d say it would be worth it if you are having too many problems with your existing drive train.
‘SRAM T-Type groupsets are 100% ‘set it and forget it’. Once it shifts well, all you gotta check is chain and cassette wear, and it will always shift well.
The problem that I have with wireless derailleurs on MTB is that eventually you'll smack it with a rock or something and it's too expensive. Sometimes good enough is good enough 😀. Until internal shifting (either in the hub or as a gear box) are a thing I'll stick to cable actuated ones.
@@iggalan I mean you can get a derelier guard.
I have nothing but praise for SRAM electronic shifting
@@iggalan from what I’ve seen as a novice shop mechanic, legitimately 9/10 times that there’s intense and sudden shifting issues on a bike, it’s the $20 hangar that needs replacing, heavy derailleur damage is actually fairly uncommon (unless you get super unlucky with crappy line choice out on the trail).
If we’re talking the super bougie SRAM T-Type systems? Virtually bomb proof. ‘Buy once, cry once’, they rarely have mechanical issues that result in pricey replacements.
Shoes. Can’t say it enough. Whether you ride flat or clipless, get some comfortable shoes that grip really well, regardless of if they “look cool” or not.
BIOPACE!!! What a blast from the past!!!! I'll have to dig out my Onza and X-lite bar ends..
Not at first look at full suspension that was crazy expensive at first now it is common place at a reasonable price point. (most of the time) 😁
Independent testing has proven that nearly all helmets fitted with a rotational impact protection system (either MIPS or equivalent) are significantly more effective at reducing impact forces than their non-MIPS counterparts.
DH casing Maxxgrip tyres for Enduro racing, they are so reassuring and tough. Expensive but worth the money for me.
In answer to your oval crank question, my first MTB had Shimano Biopace cranks, that would have been around 1990 but I think they released them in ‘86? I liked them but after all the negative hype about being bad for your knees I’ve not used them since 😢what is the current industry information on oval cranks? Any good? Knee killers?
Also, on the helmet front, I’ve just bought a bx full face for £20 in the chain reaction sale. It’s CE approved and fits well, my pal spent £200 on a TLD which looks fantastic, but is built to the same safety standard and, correct me if I’m wrong, but they’re both only good for one crash?
Helmets-look into the Virgina Tech testing. The top rated helmets are not the most expensive.
4:26 I've never invested in a expensive water/wind proof kit, as it's expensive and a crash might ruin it. Currently I have kit from Endura, but the fit is not made for an regular human. Made for stick arms, and monster knees. But I stayed warm, dry, rode in snow, brutal rain, and winds. But had to go for 3XL jacket and L trousers as it has 82cm inseam, but the waist was massive, 4 fingers worth of extra room, so belt was needed. But looks like I'm Small in gloves, not tried it, Medium was too big, but good for thick wool liner underneath. Hood on the jacket was so big it covered my face, but the sleeves fit, armpit, bicep area was big enough, so was the sleeve hole, so I fit wrist braces trough it easily, but stomach was baggy.
It was a weird fit, but was cheap, and was in somewhat my size, and had the features I wanted and was in stock.
But definitely not ultimate kit. But it was the fist waterproof riding kit I bought.
It's worth it if it puts a smile on your face and makes you happy.
I’m with you on a lot of stuff but the ball bearings are not hard to make. If you want a really good bearing for a bike get taper bearings A lot more of engineering and machinery is in a tapered bearing than a ball bearing.
good show here, I learned somethings, and I agree with your framework for value vs price, we each have different needs and budgets. withoutnthe leading edge out there, we see fewer real breakthroughs... thank you.
I had one, back in the day, Biospace chainring.
Actually it was BioPace without an S. 😊
Sorry, that was about 40 years ago at 64, still mountain biking I thought I was doing well remembering anything. @@toddpillow3074
@@jimstockdale7761 I still have one old, restored bike (a sort of fitness bike, a converted flat bar road bike) with Biopace chainrings
Hope bottom bracket, think it was like 85 quid
I bought a POC Tactal helmet it was expensive to say the least it's is smart but gez it's heavy! Feels like one them bobble head figures 😂 can't ware it to dangerous for me! i went and just spent £30 on a cannondale bankrupt stock pile helmet it's perfect unbelievably! Fit's great it's light looks good it's matt black aswell it just work's, for now anyways to get back out on the new emtb, Plus got removable and adjustable visor! It's got the older safety system but worked for many years before mips and doesn't feel it's sitting on top of your head likr mips systems do!
Anything to do with safety I don’t compromise. The best helmets, sunglasses, radar unit, etc…
Everything else, I buy based on what I am willing to pay for.
Seems like a good balance!
when it comes to cloths, 2 rules: try em, buy em when on sale 😊
Is it really that hard for manufacturers to use udh for all their bikes?
There is probably some behind the scenes stuff that we don't know about! But it would be great if all bike came with UDH. Hopefully 2024 is the year for it 🤘
6:36 I like my friends take on a helmet. As long as the helmet costs less than the medical bill if you don't wear one it is worth it.
6:16 I think every helmet will feel like it fits badly if you ride in low sub zero temps like -10C, all of helmets I had shrunk making them tighter at the jaw. So I definitely feel it then. 2016 Fox Rampage Pro carbon did it, and now Leatt Gravity 1.0 DH does it too. 6:49 Leatt Gravity 1.0 DH is lighter than most carbon full face helmets, but I don't know how it translates to safety. But a con with that helmet is the visor is not movable, and it's too high, so it's redundant when you actually need it. But it was cheap and light. But Velcro adhesive pads loosened, but I replaced it with 3m VHB. 2016 Fox Rampage Pro carbon was expensive and much heavier, and cheek pads wore out in few months got so squeezed the helmet slapped me in the face. Some claimed new Rampage Carbon does not have that issue, but not tried it.
As someone with bad hearing, my bikeradar is worth every penny.
Great fitting helmets : Yes! Nice wheels/hubs : maybe Waterproof Jacket: Absolutely as I ride year round in Maine, Electronic shifting: Absolutely not, Expensive shorts: Yes Expensive Jerseys: Probably not Does 12speed drivetrain make me want to change my 11? : No And not to be a snob, and I own a shop. I like good stuff, but I've always felt that we should spend money where it makes the biggest impact, and not necessarily on speed, but more on fit/comfort.
What Orbea model was the white one when the discussion was about bearings? 3:52
Orbea Oiz 🥰
Hubs? They look nice, but worth it? Are the gains measurable?
Speaking of Derailleur Hangers, I was a little irked that the new 2024 Mondraker Crafty R is not using UDH. Such an oversight by them.....Doddy.......
First, we had Blake Builds, now Coutts Creates, I think the bike and parts manufacturers are going to be watching these closely 😂
Re the i9 hubs. My (limited) understanding is that better rear hubs are lighter, built better / last longer and have more points of engagement. I understand the lighter / built better qualities, but outside of competitive XC racing, has anyone noticed if they have 1, 5 or 10 degrees of pedal travel before pick up? My hubs have 36 points of engagement, but there's usually so much to think about when out riding, I can't say I've ever noticed the implied 10 degrees of pedal travel before pick up. Am I missing something?
My 29" bike has Hope pro 4s hubs on it. Which is 8.4 degrees
My 27.5" bike has Profile Racing Elite hubs on it. They are 1.75 degrees.
I definitely feel the difference.
You can definitely feel the difference. Will that make you faster? It's so marginal that for most of us is irrelevant.
You definitely gets better on technical climbs with more engagements.
Doesn't that fox helmet have the same colour way as the new Vans mtb shoe?
That's Actually Worth.as like as rolex.that is not compare look time or function.brand is important
Biopace oval chainring from shimano
I do not agree with buying that expensive bearings. Just change them every season
#gmbntech
When can we see your Bike Cave Owen?
Shimano Biopace
shimano did biopace and suntour did ovaltech
MIPS has been shown to reduce concussion so for me that is worth it. A helmet is better than no helmet. Helmet that fits is better than any old one. MIPS is best (or WaveCell).
I'm convinced that MIPS work! I had a bad crash, flipped in the air, and slammed my head at about 6 feet. I slammed my head so hard, that I felt it instantaneously. I walked away from it without any symptoms of concussion. I'm convinced that MIPS worked as designed.
The other thing to think about is full face vs half face. Granted a half face will protect the head but I saw a CAT 1 racer crash on a local run ( not racing) and he had, gravel, and sand embedded on the whole side of his face. After I saw this I never ride fast tech without a full face.
In a lab it has. In reality if you have hair on your head or if you don't strap your helmet on uncomfortably tight, it'l slide over your head anyway without mips in a crash.
@@justsayin3600My chin broke my fall in a crash a few weeks ago. Was glad I had my full face helmet on as I walked away without a scratch.
MIPS mitigates glancing blows that would otherwise induce rotational energy to the brain. It's a slip-plane. It does function.
@@exothermal.sprocket Your hair is a slip plane. Does the same thing without mips (unless your helmet strap is done up so tight the helmet cannot move like in a lab setting when they tested mips)
For anyone thinking about waterproofs please don't say things like "waterproof and breathable" as that's just marketing and the truth isn't "and" sadly it's waterproof "or" breathable. Amazingly DeWalt make the best one I've ever had after working outside for way over 10 year's, plus just so everyone knows goretex don't actually own there patent anymore and as it's surrounding teflon (one of them forever chemicals) they don't actually use Teflon that much anymore though they're actually using there competitions research more these days as it's greener and better than there own alternatives to teflon
Wanted to say exactly that. Did you watch FortNine's video on this?
Well, actually, no jacket is ,"breathable" as that very term is pure marketing speak. The only way to breath is with lungs. Jackets have no lungs. The correct term should be something like air permeable.
Exactly, you can get a jacket that’s waterproof when it’s raining and breathable when it’s not. But it won’t be waterproof and breathable at the same time.
Building physics background here.
Membranes installed on external walls and roofs are designed to be waterproof and vapour permeable. Some are air permeable and some are air impermeable.
So yes, waterproof and air permeable (i.e. breathable) is definitely a thing.
Most membranes that achieve this are microporous: they have small holes (on micron levels) which allows air and vapour to pass through. They rely on surface tension to hold water out. The problem comes when that surface tension is broken via surfactants or oils, then water starts leaking through. Best example of this is sitting in a tent while it is raining. No rain comes through but if you touch the fabric your hand gets wet.
110% agree had some 300 pound goretex jacket that was breathable but not waterproof after a month tried everything to get it to work but wouldn’t
Bike riding lessons. The best upgrade you can make is to the nut behind the handlebars. It amazes me that people will drop $1k plus on wheels but balk at spending a 1/4 of that for a skills building session with a coach helping them get the most of the equipment they already have.
Shimano BioPace ?!
£400 hubs I expect a good strong wheelset for not more money. Its a shame when you are forced into brands to promote financial wise, to produce the quality vids you guys put out.
50 to 70 days to make a bearing. WOW!!!
A $4000+ frame marked down to $2000+ is my point. Still plenty of markup, or they wouldn't be in business. They can warehouse hundreds, and more, bikes. Loads of money in the business. A dealer on YT trying to push a $8000 bike as reasonable. Keep selling it, nobody is fooled. Not trying to be harsh. I found a good home b spec just last week, bc I was hunting. Most newbie don't know the ropes. That's where they get soaked in the market game.
Can anyone explain the mountains of used mtb at the dump since the end of Covid. Aaaaannndd tonnes of name brands too. I work at the tip so been making decent coin on the parts and frames. Also is it worth buying new when there’s all this shit laying around.
Wondering the math behind "50-70 days to make"
The process of forming and curing ceramics from the raw silicates takes a few weeks. It's a different process to making your tableware, which takes less than a week and has a different finish.
@@matt_acton-varian sure, but here we are talking not few weeks, but two months, plus-minus (also, why 30% variance). Do they account production of both races in succesion?
Also I was convinced CS use hybrid ceramics with nylon matrix - those are cast at rate of minutes
@@feedbackzaloop I would not have thought a nylon matrix as a durable enough material - CeramicSpeed and other high end ceramic bearing manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty (providing they are properly maintained which generally all moving parts should be serviced at certain intervals anyway) so would need something extremely durable.
@@matt_acton-varian well, it's a matrix, its durability must be with regards to fatigue, which is plenty enough. The alumina or zirconia cristallic inclusions are what is responsible for wear resistance.
Meanwhile the bearings shown have steel races, so, yeah...
All useless… ceramic material, fancy clothings and gears, higher poe hubs, power monitoring, carbon fiber parts will not make you faster. Spend more time riding will make a difference thought. Loic Bruni will still beat me on a entry level mtn bike from Amazon. Finally, the most ridiculous IMO is the oval chainring, as none UCI xcountry riders use them.
I agree with you except for the clothing, sometimes it makes the difference
Mountain biking is the expensive thing that I think is worth it! lol Seriously though...
Everything the POC company does is worth the money
A lot of helmet "science" is questionable at best. Any standard that isn't EN 1078 / EN 1080 is likely to be funded by the manufacturer (eg MIPS).
Biobace
a good seat and bars will do it. All the hype here is ?
“Biopace”
#couttscreates simply must happen 🔥
shimano biopace but they had it 180 o wrong
Remember kids, ceramic bearings are a scam.
eMTB - like getting a great bike and a bonus lift pass to everywhere!
Where’s doddy gone
biopace
hi :)
Are there any helmets that fit a 65 c.m. head size
Biopace ?
Ask AI
@@Charliezfabrykiczekolady already asked Google BARD no answer
That's a XL. Some helmets have pads to adjust the fit. If it feels a little tight the pads will compress as you wear it. My Fox Rampage Pro Carbon was really tight in the cheek pads, and there is no smaller replacement. I just took them out, put a towel over the top, and tapped it with a ball peen hammer. It compressed the foam enough where it's comfortable.
If you can't find your size in MTB go to an enduro motorcycle helmet. Those go up to XXL. It's better to wear a helmet than not. You can get them in a mat color, and not shiny clear coat.
Edit: Motorcycle Dirt Helmet.
@@SeniorCajun3 i asked chatgpt 4.0 (free ver copilot) and got e.g. ABUS URBAN-I 3.0 max. size 61-65 (XL)
Biopace. Horrible experience for me. Also showing my age.
they are only worth the money if you dont know where to spend all your money or if you are a really promising, very talented athlete.
other than that these are a total waste of money.
I9 definitely not worth it lol, famous for rear hubs breaking while internal parts cost more than a whole dt 240 hub XD
I9 hubs sound good on paper, when you look at the amount of failures of axles due to the torsion flex designed into the hub.. They really aren't worth the hassle for the amount you spend on them. My god they sound good though lol
Goretex is another global dupe... FortNine did a great video on Goretex... Don't pay for the name, buy something else..
One just needs to look at the amount of material, or lack of, creating the engagement on an I9 to figure it's not going to be particularly strong.
Any recommendation of hubs?
What is a power meter
You don't realise how close you are to answer your own question :'D
You found the subject to get keyboards going in the comment section, anyway I actually find that most of MTB components are way out of wack pricing wise, brands like 5devs are criminals, kinda 😂
Anyway I vote with my dollars just bought another set of Chinese carbon wheels 🎉
Second
What a bad commercial show and nothing else. Wasn't it ceramic speed that said you will save energy by measuring the result with a system, which wasn't even capable of measering? Check Hambini for this.
Also if i9 wouldn't be your sponsor, you would not talk about them. Because there are enough cheap hups on the marked where you are not going to pay for the name with the same quality.
Oh, well if Hambini said it, then it must be true!
GMBN are not sponsored by I9, and i believe Owen did say that a well maintained budget hubs was also worth it. Just saying ;)