– Welcome to Ask GMBN Tech. This is our weekly Q and A show where you ask the questions and we hopefully answer them for you. If you wanna ask some questions, you can add them in the
comments below this very video. Use the hashtag #ASKGMBNTECH though, so it just separates your questions from the actual comments. And of course, you can email
them in to the email address on the bottom of the screen right there. Right, so jumping straight in is the first question from Tomuno01. Hi Doddy, I’m both a mountain bike rider and a trials rider and
I wanted to ask you why, with the advent of the 1x system, there is almost no one
adopting a front freewheel, i.e. trial style, on a mountain bike? Freewheels are way cheaper than free hubs, easier to replace and most importantly, the system will offer the possibility to change gear whilst freewheeling. Okay, yeah, so interesting there. So a lot of good points in there, but let’s just go back to what I’ve used on trials bikes to start with. Of course the gearing
on classic trials bikes is immensely low, and of course they’re normally set up single-speed, so in order to get a low enough gear, best you need a tiny sized chainring. And as you know, the
freewheel-style system are way smaller than some of the smallest chainring sizes you can get on a bike that would be compatible
with standardized cranks. So that was the first reason that we used. And the second reason, of course, is to give ground clearance, again with that small chainring there, and of course a lot of the 20-inch bikes and then later the 24s
and 26s have bash plate, so that became less of an issue, it was more about the gearing. So one of the advantages
are moving the weight from the rear of the
bike, all the derailleur, the cassette, all that stuff, and putting it on the front of the bike, or the main part of
the bike where you are. And you’re taking that
weight away from the wheels that you’re arguably moving around. So that’s very cool on a trials bike, however, it does pose a few issues if you did this system on a normal bike. Essentially, the cassette-style system is a lot more reliable, and it’s designed to cope with the load that mountain bikes and all
the gearing puts through them. So traditional freewheels,
whilst they work quite well, they are susceptible to issues, and I know there are some more dedicated trials ones out there, but I’m not convinced that
they would be a better idea than a regular, cassette-style system we see on mountain bikes. Now of course if you wanted to use a cassette-style system for
trials you can do this now, because there are
cassette systems out there like the Hope trials one
you can see onscreen now. That has a dedicated steel body on it, it’s designed to be set up single-speed, it’s designed to cope with the stress that you can put though that hub. And of course it’s less of an
issue with ground clearance because of bash plates
and things like that. So you can work around
that side of trials bikes. But if you’re looking at
normal mountain bikes, the cassette system is far better, just for the way it works. There’s less friction in it. It’s a better system for
mountain bikes to use with gearing and all the other stuff that you need on a mountain bike. But arguably, moving that weight
from the back of the wheel is something that we
still need to figure out. And you’re starting to see
this on some bike designs. You’re seeing this with
the Pinion gearbox system, and even to an extent with e-bikes, you’re gonna start seeing things changing and migrating in the future. I guess the last thing
really to sort of add is if you work and have a 1x system and use the freewheel
on the front instead, you’re gonna have to have
a pretty big chainring and it’s gonna put a lot
of stress for a system that’s already not the most reliable. Whereas as I emphasized before, the cassette system on the
back, it’s been refined, there’s ratchet systems on hubs, they’re very, very reliable these days. I know that I’d rather
pedal something like that that is reliable, it’s never gonna slip or endanger me when I’m riding. But it’s not to say that something like that couldn’t happen in the future. (bike wheel whirring) Very cool question from
Marcus Von Shoultz. This actually made me think we
need to do a feature on this. What is faster? Grippier tire with more pressure or faster rolling tire with less pressure? And also, what is grippier? I’ve forever been having this
sort of battle with myself trying to find out what works
best for the trails I ride. So just so you know, locally
we have these awful conditions that you really do need
good rubber to hook up on. But the disadvantage is, to
get to those sections of trail there’s a lot of like country
lanes and that to join them, so you quite often end up
with a harder compound tire on the rear, which enables
you to roll that bit quicker, or so seemingly quicker, and a softer compound tire on the front. However, tire pressures have
a massive effect on this, and what I’ve noticed is that a soft compound tire
run at a firm pressure doesn’t feel much faster than when it’s at soft pressure. However, when you have
a hard compound tire, it feels dramatically different when you run it hard to
when you run it soft. I definitely think this is something we need to do some
trail-side testing on though. I mean, as far as grip goes, I definitely think the first instance that makes a difference is tire pressure. ‘Cause you can have a
really, really good tire, set it up firm, and if the tire’s not able to deform around the object that you’re trying to give traction on, like edges of rocks and that, it just won’t grip in the same way. So I definitely think
you can get more grip out of a firmer tire just
by adjusting tire pressure. than you can with a soft compound tire run at a firmer pressure, and it’s gonna be able
to go faster as well, at least that is my
theory on how things feel. There’s also something else
to throw into the mix here. So I’ve had this conversation with several people over the years, and everyone’s got their own theories on what works and what doesn’t work. So I will make a video on this, and I think we’ll hook
up with Neil on GMBN and try and work this out, because there’s some definitely
some interesting points. But in the summer, a lot of riders I know, including myself, run our tires quite firm and the reason for that is you wanna get to and
from the trails quicker. But because the trails are
nice and dry in the summer, you end up leaving your tires as they are. You sacrifice a bit of grip, ’cause it feels like
the tire rolls so fast. But this summer I actually practiced a lot with a lot lower pressures
than I normally would, and it was substantially faster in every section of trail. And it’s common sense really if you actually think about this. If you’re running a firm tire, it’s gonna be fast on a firm surface, but as soon as it hits a rock or root or anything like that, it’s not gonna deform and follow, it’s actually more likely
to get bounced off, like deviate from its initial route. And of course any time in the air is time you’re slowing down on the bike, it’s not quicker. Unless of course in the situation where you’re doing a gap
jump or whatever it might be. I’m talking just covering ground on trail. So I definitely think that softer tires are faster off-road, but we have to have this
as a comparison video. And there’s a lot to do in this. So we have tire pressure as a factor, we have tire size as a factor in there. I don’t think we’ll do wheel size, that’s been done to death, we kinda know that bigger
wheels do go faster in a straight line on certain terrain, and smaller wheels will corner
better in certain terrain, maybe they’ll be a bit more agile. I think all that stuff’s kinda put to bed and it comes down to personal preference. But there’s definitely
some differences to be made and some speed to be had
with different tire compounds and different pressures. So watch this space. (bike wheel whirring) And next up is a carbon
question from Moangel Please. Love the show, thanks
for all the great info. Well, thank you for thanking us. We love delivering for you. I’ve got a little curious
hearing about all the tech, and I’ve just been wondering, if I bought the new Santa
Cruz reserve carbon rims, they have a lifetime warranty. But if I bought those rope spokes, would it void the warranty? I had to have a look at the
Santa Cruz site for this ’cause I actually thought
they only came as wheels, but I stand corrected
that you can get them as rims and as wheels. And just reading this from the site, the warranty stands on the rims, whether bought individually or rebuilt from wheel sets. But you only get the full wheel replaced if it’s an original spec build. So basically they do
have a limited warranty on them but it’s on the product itself. So let’s just say you damage the rim, they will honor it if
it’s defects in the rim, but if you damage the rim, i.e. went under a bus
or something like that, then they have sort of a
program where you can buy a discounted rim to
replace your damaged rim. So it’s a very good
concept that they have, and I see no reason why, if you bought Santa Cruz rims and you got them laced
up with those rope spokes that they wouldn’t honor the warranty, because as long as
they’re built correctly, it should be fine. So there you go. (bike wheel whirring) Next up on the list is from Scoobgirl. Hi Doddy, my bike’s a
2017 Cannondale Trail 5. I was wondering what I would need to change the type of bottom bracket. At the moment, it’s got
a square taper, I think. Would it be possible to
fit a hollow-style crank and convert it to 2x rather
than the 3x it currently has, and can I have a list of
things to do this upgrade? I have to ask, as looking
for all the different types of bottom brackets and
cranks is very confusing when you don’t have a clue. Thanks, Danny. Okay, Danny, well, first up,
I had a look at that bike, yeah, it’s a square taper BB, so the good news about that is
it’s a fairly standard item, it’s just a threaded BB, so you can fit virtually any style of any option of BB into your bike. Obviously press-roots won’t fit, but what I mean is there’s a lot of threaded options for you. As for converting your 3x to a 2x, you can do this, but
obviously you’re gonna need to get a 2x crank on there, because 3x’s and 2x’s,
they’re not really compatible, you can get some offset chainrings but that might just confuse you a bit. So for the time being if you wanna get a Hollowtech crank on there, yep, get that in a 2x, no problem. And obviously, some cranks will come with the correct bottom
bracket for your bike. Others, you have to buy it separately. So just take note between brands there. But that’s nice and easy, and very easy to fit as well. I’ll tell you about the
tools for that in a sec. Now with your derailleur,
the front derailleur, you can, so with a 3x,
you can use those on 2x’s quite a lot of the time. You basically set your limit screws, and then you get a compatible 2x shifter instead of your 3x shifter, so it does mean you’ll
need to buy one of those. In some cases though, the 3x shifters have a little switch on and it’ll have a little graphic
on the base of the shifter, if it has this, and you literally turn it
and it turns into a 2x. Again that’s not on all shifters. So more than likely
you’ll need a 2x shifter. But back to that front derailleur, if you use the 3x one on a 2x, when you get those stops screwed in, it may well work adequately for you, but there’s a chance it might not work as well as a dedicated one ever would, and the reason for that is the profile of the cage itself was
designed to allow it to shift a whole other chainring, and if it’s not there to do that, basically it’s gonna have
like a little recess on there, that, basically, the
chain could slip down, basically derailing that chain. But I do think it does work, and I’m pretty sure I’ve
done that in the past. As for the actual tools you’ll need, gimme two seconds to spin ’round, and I’ll just get them for you. (air rushing) Okay, so, first up you’re gonna need an old-style Shimano bottom
bracket removal tool. More than likely, one
of your riding friends might still have one of these. And to use it you’ll either need a quarter-inch ratchet, or just a big old faithful spanner, an adjustable spanner, basically, to grip that and undo the
bottom bracket from the bike. But before you do that, you’re gonna need to remove the crank bolts on there. So a crank bolt spanner is what you need. You can use sockets for these of course, but the correct one for the
job, a nice 14 on there. And then you might find you need a block of wood and a mallet,
or a soft-ended mallet, just to tap the cranks off. And then all your usual
tools will be adequate for getting stuff back in place. Just regular Allen keys
for pulling cables through and adjusting them,
and that sort of thing. (bike wheel whirring) Alright, now it’s a transmission-based one from Javed Ameen Shaikh. I’m having a 10-speed
11-42 with 32T chainring. I think I need a slightly lower gear for climbs on my local trails. I don’t wanna spend too much money to convert my 10-speed to 11 or 12, so I’m thinking of using
the 28 or 30T chainring to reduce my drive ratio and get some extra torque when climbing. What do you think? Yeah, you can definitely do that. I would suggest going for a 30, though, ’cause a two tooth is quite
a noticeable difference. If you’re gonna have four, you might find you’re sort of under-geared
in other areas. Perhaps slightly less of an issue for you if your ride is more about being able to conquer that climb than
having a big enough gear to spin out on the way back down. But do take that in mind,
’cause it does affect things. If you go down too much, you’re really gonna lose a
lot of your higher gears. And of course, you’re gonna
get that slightly better climbing gear, but it is at an expense. Now another thing to take into account is the clearance on
your chainstay as well. It’s not like having
to fit a big chainring and wedge it in, the problem you have when going for a smaller one, is your chain is gonna be a lot closer to the chainstay of your bike as well. At least if your bike
has a fairly conventional double-diamond style design to the frame. And what that means is you
might get more chain rub on the chainstay, and you’re
gonna get more chain patter. So if it’s that close,
definitely wanna get some mastic tape or something to protect the paint on your chainstay, ’cause your bike’s gonna get a lot louder. And again, another thing
to take into account, by putting a smaller single
1x chainring on the front than you already have, you’re gonna end up with a little bit more chain. So you might wanna look at
taking a link or two out. But obviously leave yourself enough spare, so when you’re in that biggest gear, the derailleur is not too stretched out. Okay, so, Josh Wells. Hi Doddy, I’ve snapped four derailleurs in two and a half months, three of them on small jumps
and once whilst climbing. I’ve made sure the
chain length is correct, my hanger is straight and limit screws are adjusted correctly. What could be causing this? Sounds like you’ve got
the same disease as Blake, mate, I’ll tell ya that. He goes through RMX like
I go through chocolate. Something wrong with that
guy, the way he rides. – [Biker] Oopsie daisies. (Blake laughs nervously) Oopsie. – It’s really unlucky, is
what it is for starters, and I do feel sorry for you. There’s a few things in here. So correct chain length
can still be slightly long and if your chain is a
little on the long side, of course it’s gonna be a bit more baggy, and all it takes, in certain gears on certain boxes on certain chain lengths is the chain to catch at the
wrong time on the spokes, pull itself in, pull the
derailleur in and snap it. And so that is something that can happen. You’ve said that your
derailleur is adjusted properly. The limit screws and I’m guessing your B-tension screw is adjusted properly. If it’s not, that can have
an effect on things as well. Is it possible, perhaps,
your clutch is not on? So it’s flapping around
a bit more than usual and you’re riding quite extreme trails, and again that chain is enabling the lower cage to pop in. I guess another issue that it could be is your upper jockey or upper guide wheel, the bolts that holds it into the two cages is actually sheering, and
when that sheers basically if you don’t notice it
at the time it happens, it can actually go worse and pull the rest of the derailleur in. Now I know that Blake has
sheered off a couple of those and has ended up pulling the whole derailleur into the spokes, so there’s a slim chance it could be that. I know that some derailleurs
have had an issue where there wasn’t quite enough thread on that upper bolt that were catching and holding the jockey wheel in place, so that’s definitely worth checking. But I can’t actually think of many reasons why it happens other than incorrect setup, or if you’re just unlucky. If anyone out there has actually got any theories on this I’d love to know, because I’d love to stop having to fit new rig derailleurs
to Blake’s bike. So let us know in those
comments underneath and good luck. There’s another weekly
GMBN Tech clinic in a bag. Hopefully we’ve answered
some of your questions. If you’ve got questions, send
’em in to our email address that we showed at the
beginning of the show and of course, you can
add them in the comments below this very video. For a couple more great videos, click down here for
some money-saving hacks. Everyone likes to save a bit of money. And click down here for
our wheel-care video. That’s everything you
want to do to make sure your wheels stay in tip-top shape. As always, click on the globe to subscribe to GMBN Tech and give us a
thumbs up if you like this video.
Hmm how u give me 1 bike pls 🤗
can you give me bike plz
Legend says Doddy will respond if you comment early
Hi doddy I have had a bike for around about 6 months and I was wondering if I should go for 1 cog at the front and eleven at the back or 3 at the front and 8 at the back that I have now
Whats the best new enduro bike? Im thinking of selling my evil. I know i know but it doesnt feel quite right for me. Looking for something around the 160-180mm travel range
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy! When I compress my bike fork it makes a really annoying sound, what could that mean and how can it be stopped?
Hi Doddi can you tell me how to go tobless
When do you think manufacturers will start using the new Magnesium alloy?
could his derailleur hanger be loose or stripped?
#askgmbntech I've recently switched from 2x to 1x on my 2015 trek remedy 8. I purchased a sunrace 11-46t 10 speed cassette, but have clearance issues with my shimano xt M786 derailleur. I know they have a max of 36t clearance. Would you suggest the one up rad cage and a 22mm hanger link or just invest in a new derailleur that will have clearance. Thanks
#askgmbntech I've got a 2005 norco atomik downhill bike medium size but i can't really touch the ground on it where as on my specialized Hardrock medium 29er that i used to have i could touch easy as. why does the dh seem bigger
I have a creaking headset that I can't seem to fix. I've replaced the headset, greased all the contact points. Regreased and tightened to spec all the stem bolts and handlebar bolts. Nothing seems to work. It clicks when I rock the front wheel back and forth with the front brake on, and when I apply the front brake. I don't think it is the front brake though, as the sound seems to come from the middle of the head tube. Any ideas?
#askgmbntech I bought a new bike and has a high roller 2 on the front and dhr on the back Would it be better to swap these around the Highroller on the back and dhr on the front?
#askgmbntech hi doddy , I recently bought a low-end fork that was supposed to be 120mm travel but came as 100mm travel. Its a coil fork and I know how to adjust the travel on it but the company( sr suntour) doesn't sell the spring to make it 120mm travel. I was wondering is it possible to use a rockshox tora spring in the fork ? Thanks love the show.
AJ.
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy, I've just bought the 2019 Trek Roscoe 8 and it came with a Rockshox Judy Silver fork but without a remote lockout. I've had some trouble finding on the internet what you need and what the costs are going to be replacing the manual lockout with a remote one. Can you help me with his one? I love your content btw, thanks!
#askgmbntech hi doddy, love the show!! A friend from work and I are both looking for a new xc bike. Now I like the Orbea Oiz but he told me that a fully xc bike will always be slower then a ht here in the Netherlands. Now I'm wondering, when you lock the shock dose it make a lot of differents on roads or smooth forist ground? Also Orbea offers a 120mm option for the oiz if you take that option will you be even slower on fireroads or the flat Dutch woodlands?
Cheers,
Remco
First thing that comes to mind for snapping derailleurs – was the chain length measured when the rear suspension was compressed?
#askgmbntech I asked a while back now about if there was a certain speed limit that manufacturers made hubs able to handle, and you did answer me. But also you were going to ask manufacturers if they did or not. Was just wondering if you ever got a response back from any manufacturers.
Thanks for taking the time and answering my question @Doddy
#askgmbntech Do any of you know fast rolling tyres on tarmac that still offer some offroad grip(XC)(29er)?
HxR makes crank freewheel systems
That spin-around editing was lit
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy, why isn't titanium a more common frame material in mountain biking? Lots of Roadies love titanium because of the comfort thanks to the vibration absorbsion but wouldn't the comfort make a bigger difference on a mountain bike? And titanium is more impact resistant than carbon and impacts are way more common in mountain biking than in road biking
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy My 2017 Whyte T-130C RS has an X1 1400 X-sync Eagle Direct Mount boost GXP crankset with 34T Eagle X-Sync chainring. Will an XO1 Eagle GXP boost chainset fit and can I swap the 32T chainring out for my 34T chainring? Thanks!
#askgmbntech Two things to say, personally i ride higher pressure in tyres during winter cause i believed that in soft dirt it’s the thread who gives the grip so it needs to dig in, and in summer it’s more the surface cause knobs can’t dig the hard dirt.
Secondly i will buy the next lapierre spicy but in m size i can chose between 27,5 and 29 no one rider can help me choosing till now
Doddy exactly right on tyre pressure and speed…extensive and scientific study (not just feel or trail loop timing) I read in a uk mag a while back that OFF-road a lower pressure tyre is faster…common misconception pumped harder is better, thats only on road…and its exactly as u said, if its pumped hard the tyre cannot deform around trail chatter/stones/roots and instead hooks up slightly. Of course there is a tipping point as too soft will not provide enough corner support leading to squirm and so slower cornering….but pumping tyres to 40psi+ is an off road no no / myth. Absolutely proven.
#askgmbntech hi doddy, I recently bought a Canyon Spectral:ON EMTB with 27,5+ tire in the back and 29" up front. Which innertube should I have for carrying as a spare? 27.5+ or 29?
The Cube analog I am getting in a few weeks (The shop ordered it for me on monday) Has 3 x9 gearing but I want to change it to 2 x 11. I know I will need to but new gear changers / levers , cranks and all that other stuff but I will be changing the cheaper parts on the bike to Deore XT parts including rear wheel hub , bottom bracket and cranks
#askgmbntech Hi doddy, love the show, watch it quite religiously. question i have is… i have a yeti sb6c with race face aeffect cranks, the chain ring is getting worn, so time to change… now im looking at a wolftooth oval one, they come in 3mm (boost) and 6mm offset… as the sb6 is boost i assume i need the 3mm offset, but the standard race face chain rings dont seem to have the same offset options… so this has confused me, which do i need… or do i really need to measure the chainline to be sure (and if so, how exactly) Thanks
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy, any tips on where to find 450mm or longer 30.9m seatpost? would it be better to buy carbon one because of the nature of how carbon breaks? would my frame be more secure with long carbon seatpost? or maybe i should forget about seatpost and buy dropper post that will effectively be even longer (ks e20 is 480mm). i have nukeproof snap frame and i’ve built a beast of a bike from it 😉 just the commute part is not so great about it, hence the question.
AFL Grand final this weekend Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺 three day weekend RIDE RIDE RIDE
I have a fs ghost that is 130mm suspension Can I put 150mm forks on it #askgmbntech
Why is the bike giveaway 16 and up? Is that a joke or do you just not care about your younger viewers
Doddy, tapping the tapered cranks off isn't going to work, they make dedicated crank pullers for that. Even parktool makes one: https://www.parktool.com/product/crank-puller-for-square-taper-cranks-ccp-22
#askgmbntech hi, my bike wont shift into the two largest sprockets on the back, ive looked at a park video and correctly adjusted the rest of my gears but the two gears just wont work, help pls
Lol That spin around effect
Looking forward to that tyre test
#askgmbntech Hi guys. I have to do a lower leg service on a 2018 rock shox Pike and I can´t find the RS 0w-30 oil where Ilive. What other oil can I use?
#ASKgmbntech Hi Doddy, I own a second hand merida big 7 40. Its great but it needs to be repaired but i don't have the knowledge or experience to mend it myself. The brakes (mechanical) feel spongy and squeal quite a bit, i suspect they need to be decontaminated and the pads need replacing. The shifting is bad and isn't align with the cassette, i have had the hanger straightened so could it be that the chain is too short and is moving the derailleur out of place, is this what is happening (i have tried adjusting the limit screws)? Any Knowledge and tips to fix these problems would be MUCH appreciated. Thanks.
#askgmbntech How can I make a cheap coil fork less harsh?
I have a 2018 strive 11 speed and wanted to know some options for a bigger 11 speed xd compatible cassettes..any ideas?? don't wanna spend alot to convert to 12 speed..appreciate your help doddy
Front Freewheel System – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwpnxh_Vxpk
#askgmbntech hi doddy and co, love the show helped me a lot, I have a question on wheels, is it possible to have a 4 cross lacing patter on a 32 hole rim+hub? Thanks in advance
hey doddy this is about the snapping derailleur maybe his wheel wasn't dished properly or maybe a buckle in the rim
also could be the components are cheaply made which would mean that they would have more flex than a high derailleur
also could be that the first time the derailleur snapped off it may of damaged the frame
Forgot the crank puller for that person with the BB conversion question.
#askgmbntech i have a 120mm front and rear travel but im planning to increase the fork travel to 140mm,i know it will change the geometry but will it make it ride worse or what?
#askgmbntech Doddy, need your advice again. Ended up getting a good deal on a new 2018 epic expert. How wide of a tire can I fit? I ordered some 2.4's. Hope they're not too wide.
Love the show, Doddy!
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy, can you do a video on tyre inserts (if you havent done one already) as there are some interesting options out there now. Personally have had great success with swimming pool noodles, not joking, they weigh around 70grams dry or 100g wet with sealant. You can cut them to any size or profile depending on the tyre or if using them on front or rear. They make such a huge difference to how the bike rides and protect the rim, having used them I wouldnt run without them.
#askgmbntech I ride in the Whistler Bike Park, and I run 30-32 PSI in my tires. I just got new Spank 28 Rims and I’ve already put 5 dents in the rear. I admit that I ride the hardest trails and am quite abusive, but what rims or other ideas do you have to stop the carnage? Thanks
Should've interrupted Martyn during the Dirt Shed Show for the trials part of the first question.
390 upvotes! ONE downvote!!!
What a madman
I see a few major problems with a front freewheel on a mountain bike. Coasting downhill with the bike in low gear would spin the chain crazy fast. As an example (with some rough math). a 50t chainring moves 25 inches for each 2 meters the bike rolls. To avoid mixing units, that's 63.5cm. Figuring on a quite reasonable 50km/h (Fast, but you would easily hit that briefly on steep open downhills see GMBN speed challenge for reference) That works out to a chain speed of 31.75km/h. (that's about 1/3 the speed of a chainsaw, for reference) The freewheel would be spinning at 416 RPM which is very fast, but reasonable, same as a normal bike doing 80km/h. The problem is that the derailleur spring needs to hold against any friction in the system, and against the inertia of the chain. I expect at that speed, it's going to be trying to swing outwards with enough force to extend the derailleur and probably throw the chain. Even if my estimation of the load is wrong, and it does run okay, it's going to be super sensitive to any disturbance. Once in a while the chain or chainrings can hit something, or suck in some grass or fine branches. That might do some damage, or it might just grind through under pedal load (or you would just freewheel until it falls out, or you have time to stop) with the cassette forcefully pulling chain through the derailleur, these same minor inconveniences would snap the bottom of the chain tight, overextending the derailleur, possibly exploding it if the resistance is significant. All that extra slack that the derailleur was holding now gets fired out at the top run of chain where there's no tensioner, where it could derail, or flop around the front side of the cassette, or into the spokes. (CRUNCH). It's a cool idea for sure, and it might even work most of the time, but I think the consequences of it going bad might outweigh the benefits (Mostly just being able to shift without pedaling, I think?)
#askgmbntech If I bought a DH bike (probably Giant glory or similar) 2nd hand, would it be possible to modify it for better pedalling? I realise that it will never be good, but could I change the cassette (same speed different tooth) or similar? Thanks, -Connor.
#askgmbntech hi there , what are the pros and cons of larger disc rotors and smaller disc rotors? And i want to get a fast rolling tyre for my rear wheel and i was thinking of getting a high roller 2 or minion ss or do you have any other recommendations ? thanks alot!!
#askgmbntech it would also be interesting to go over tubeless tire pressures for heavier riders vs lighter riders. 250lb vs 150lb etc
9:45 no need to buy new shifter, if limit screws & wire tension are set up properly, and you won't be able to shift further. I don't get why you would need to buy new shifter, that makes no sense to me, same goes for rear shifter, you can still use less gears than the shifter can handle, so if you need new shifter, cus you destroyed a older shifter, there is no harm in getting 11 speed shifter on 8 speed drivetrain, or rear dérailleur, but the other way around does not work of course, as long as it got the same amount of gearing or more it will work.
I prefer 1 x set up, and direct mount chainring, cus if I bend it, I don't bend any spider, that's a job I don't want to do, I am twisting cheap Shimano spiders, I cna't ride on cheap Shimano cranks, cus I will destroy them, pedals fall off too, on square tapered, I destroy the tapered hole.
I currently use Race Face Turbine, Atlas, Absolute black oval chainring, No twisted chainrings or spider, if I manage to bend a chainring at some point I don't have to bend any spider, or worry about snapped spider. only negative of direct mount is you have to check the ring is secured, so need ot take cranks off, so not as friendly on this part, cus with spider you can just tighten the bolts.
Doddy, there is a crank for mountainbikes with integrated freewheel on the market. It's called Easy Shift. A bike I bought late last year came with one. You need to insert locking pawls in the freehub.
It does work in a way, but you absolutely need to run a top chain guide.
What the hell using a hammer to remove crank arms u have to be kidding what are U 8 years old my 5 year old knows what a crank extractor looks like n works there less than £10 and your not running the risk of hitting the frame what's up park tool stopped making them Lmao a fu#@* Ng hammer smh😐
#askgmbntech Hey Doddy! I'm looking at going full sus by spring (eyeing a Scott Genius 920 or Canyon Spectral CF 9.0) and have a sizing question. I currently have a Trek Marlin 7 in 18.5", based on my height. Problem is I can't get the seat low enough to get my hips behind it, even after cutting 1" off the tube. While I'm 6' tall, I have shorter legs (32" inseam) and a longer torso. Using Canyon's sizing tool on their site it actually tells me my measurements might be incorrect, stating that by height I should be a L frame, but if inseam is correct I should choose a M. Spending that much, I really don't want to choose wrong. What are your thoughts? Thanks for all you do, you've made me so much more confident in working on/maintaining my bike!
I think using a crank extractor tool to remove a square taper crank arm would be a lot easier and safer than hitting it with a mallet. Use the right tools, Doddy!
#askgmbntech According to Rockshox's technical literature, the Recon Gold fork does not accept bottomless tokens. However, I can replace the air cap with one from my Reba fork which has the threads to accept bottomless tokens. Is there any reason why I cannot just use the Reba's air cap on a Recon Gold fork?
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy, love the show. I just picked up a Kona Big Honzo which has Shimano Hydrologic brakes. On the rotors is says only use resin pads. I have never had a brake that you could only use 1 type of pad. Will there be any adverse effects to using other types? Thanks!
On my bucket list is to meet with doddy for a day or a week and nerd out over bike stuff and ride. IMO Doddy is a the coolest dude on the planet. P.S. his shades are legendary
Lol what about a crank puller? Might be hard to get a square taper off without one unless it was tightened by breathing on it. Also the trail 5 probably uses a 6mm or 8mm hex for removal and not a socket.
#askgmbntech Hey Doddy i've got a specialized fsr dh from the 90s and the suspension linkage bolts keep loosening after every ride even though it's been torque properly, it uses bushings instead of bearings, will loctite fix this? Cheers!
#askGMBNtech Hey, I've set my sag correctly but when I get on the trail I don't seem to use all my travel, on both the shock and the fork there is about 1 inch left. I got a Rockshox Revelation RL 120/150 and a Fox rp23 shock, sag is about 20-25% on the front and rear
Could you have a freewheel in the hub and bb?
#askgmbntech How to keep white mountain bike clean?
#askgmbntech hey Doddy, I have a 2018 norco charger 2 and I was wondering I want to make it feel more aggressive and more suited to pure downhill riding what sort of upgrades would you recommend? Would a 120mm fork be suitable for my bike seeing as it is 100mm at the moment? Thanks
#AskGMBNTech what is the best air fork for 27.5 straight 1-1/8 or is there anyone to adapt for tapered, any help appreciated, Ewain.
#askgmbntech hi Doddy i love your show and i am 13 years old and want to enter into the bike giveaway competition but i am under 16 can my parents enter me into the competition also when was Neil's first mtb race and what place did he come and can i put a DH bike fork on a XC bike thanks bye.
Bello 👍
#askgmbntech Doddy, I want to change my Shimano brakes to SRAM guide R. Can I keep my Shimano internal hoses and fit my guide R components on each end to keep the cost down?
#askgmbntech can u increase your shock travel like 165/45mm to 190/51mm or is this possible thanks
#askgmbntech Last Weekend a little bug took a rest on my bike frame and I wondered if anyone has ever considered to use chitin instead of carbon? I don’t know much about polymers, but wouldn’t that be super cool and super eco-friendly?
#askgmbntech so can I have a detailed answer on the difference between high speed and low speed compression, I know you’ve answered before but I’m still not sure, thanks!
What studded Tyres should my focus bold2 wear (12speed, 27.5+)
Winter is coming, so does the ice and snow..
#askgmbntech Im currently in the market for a new 29er Wheelset. My Budget is around 400€. Im considering the Halo vapour or the Hunt Trail Wide. Do you have any experience with any of these wheels, if so which one would you prefer. I cant seem to find to many differences. Also open to other suggestions at around 30mm inner width. Thanks
#askgmbn Jow guys, greats from the netherland. I love the videos but i have a question. I resently bought a cube aim pro 29" frame 21" and i want to put maxxis tyres on it in the near futere. Can you guys recommebd me a alround good tyre for on and offroad with a lot a pucture resistance?
Hi doddy i have a rockshox pike rct3 dual position air and when i put my weight on the bars the fork goes down til it bottoms out but the isn’t any air leek and the kit has been changed but stilI the same , i want to know that can i change the top part only to mrp ramp control or needs it to. Change the second part of the air side too?!
Thank love the show#askgmbntech
#askgmbntech Hi Doddy,
I am planning to buy a new bike next season. As a big fan YT Capra and current owner of the older generation (2015) I am now wondering whether to stay at 27.5 or go 29 when buying the 2019 model. What got my attention is that when looking at the FOX equipped ones, they use X2 for the 27.5 and DPX for the 29. In all the reviews I've read, people describe the 29er as more "nervous/responsive" and the 27.5 is more plush and ground-hugging. For me, this due to the different shocks used. What are your thoughts about that? What is the reason for this choice according to you? Is it due to shock sizes availability or?
I always wanted to have an X2 so Capra 29er with X2 could be phenomenal.. (if possible)!
As far as derailers snapping off if you don’t tighten your cable bolt tight enough your cable could come loose mid ride causing it to fling back violently
9:27 why would you need a new shifter? why not just adjust the Rd properly with limit screws, and have proper wire tension? this will ensure you can't shift further than those gears, this goes for the rear derailleur too.