5 Common Tubeless Mistakes To Avoid + BEST Bike Upgrades For Comfort - The Wild Ones Podcast Ep.43

Check out the audio versions of the podcast here: podfollow.com/the-wild-ones/view
Welcome to our special Listener's Takeover edition of the Wild Ones Podcast. This week we're joined by mechanic Nic, and cycling coach, racer and mechanic James to answer your questions.
Here's the full breakdown:
00:00 Avoid these common tubeless mistakes
10:10 How to maintain muscle mass, build fitness & lose weight healthily
16:44 Belt drives - overrated or underrated?
21:39 How often should you bleed your disc brakes?
23:25 Best bike upgrade for a more comfortable ride
26:48 How to overcome a fear of steep climbs
36:20 How difficult is it financially to run a bike shop?
45:36 How to get a job in a bike shop
49:26 Training resources for 50+ cyclists
49:39 Weight, eating disorders and coaching
54:26 How to return to training after illness
59:06 Why metal bikes are better than carbon ones… according to Nic
If you’d like us to send in a question, story, some good news, things you’d like us to discuss or anything else, email us at [e-mail]
Thanks and see you next time.
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[@KerenWang]

I mean it's obvious at this point, but this podcast needs Emily. It's what sets this podcast apart from all the other rabling podcasts. Having a producer, who is also well-versed and has a journalistic background is very refreshing.

[@samsare6034]

The level of transparency when it comes to the (non) sponsorship of Silca (Cade / Nick) is highly apprechaited!! This really helps judging the statements made by you presenters. :)

[@nemure]

Here a thought, if a KZbin say their opinion is real and impartial and is not sponsored doesn't mean behind the camera isn't opposite! I do believe these guys are honest, but just because a publituber says one thing doesn't mean isn't lying 😅

[@adossantos69751]

I am not sponsored by Silca and I have to say, their sealant is probally the best on the market right now. Its expensive and you have to top up with a matainance sealant every 3 months, but its well worth it in my opnion.

[@nemure]

@@adossantos69751 is not worth no. A fast rolling resistance tire with an insert like tannus armour and a tube it's waaaaaaay better, more reliable, faster, gives 0 maintenance and cheaper

[@rayF4rio]

@@adossantos69751 People need to experiment with sealants. Silca is a special use case material. It does well in moderate temps if installed in new tires. However, in hot areas or placed in previously used tires (tubeless), but cleaned, the fibers will still adhere to the inside casing of the tire and not be available for larger punctures as advertised. Where I ride (temps above 100 degree F routinely) I found the silca to be non-functional after just one week. I placed it in new tires, then opened them in one week (as a test) and found the liquid in the tire did not contain the fibers, the fibers were stuck all around the casing and mostly at the tire bead/rim interface. I never punctured, so can't say it won't work, but I have found that by using the DynaPlug, almost any decent sealant (Stans) will work. But, I do run lower (55/60psi) pressures.

[@tribri93]

Be great if Cade properly declared all the content they have been paid to make as well

[@bowlst12]

Nick adds to the flow of the discussion so much, brilliant addition. If you can find a way to make him a regular it would boost the pod a lot I reckon.

[@sonyvaioboy]

100% I only watch for his views!

[@wgthn5103]

Yep Nick is 🐐

[@Likelybiking]

I definitely agree with Nic, I used to work in hotel management and accounting, making pretty okay money, but I was miserable I quit and now make half the amount wrenching on bikes at a shop but I’m so much happier. Still a job, but much nicer Def recommend 10/10

[@maxbucky24]

For starting to work in a bike shop, I started at 15, 4 years ago in Cambridge and I've just set up my own bike fitting company and still work as a mechanic. I can testify to the fact that it doesn't feel like work and is fun but you're never going to earn lots of money. I started out just offering to sweeps floors and helping to stock shelves, now I'm working both in sales and the workshop. We're a small shop (only 4 employees) and it's a great place to work!

[@glennoc8585]

It's an ok job if you become a boss or if your a student doing it part time.

[@GodfreyGuitar]

I bought a belt drive bike last year (Priority 600) and love it! The Pinion gear box makes it pretty heavy, but I’m not exactly a pro rider. I’m riding this bike as my main means of getting around and for fitness (15-20 miles a day). I do NOT miss degreasing and lubricating a chain, and the gearbox is pretty bulletproof - change the oil once a year and you’re all set. The belt “chirps” if it gets too dirty, but it’s easy enough to spray it down with water from time to time. I know how to take care of a chain, but honestly, I don’t think I’ll ride anything but belt drive bikes from now on.

[@Driver8takeabreak]

I have a belt drive Scott with a Shimano Alfine 8 speed and love it. Virtually maintenance free. Little/no noise. I live in rainy Seattle, and it's great for wet weather commuting here. It's definitely heavy on the hills but well worth it for the lack of maintenance and hassles.

[@mitmon_8538]

I got my 600 back in 2019 and I commute with it year round, even through our rough Midwest US winters. Lots of the bolts are rusty due to all the salt that gets put down for icy roads, but the belt and gearbox work flawlessly. Also, when they discuss climbing phobia with too hard of gear, the 600 lets you spin up walls at 3-4 mph easily. It really is a great bike.

[@norgtube]

Re: belt drive I don't even know *how* you'd get a Gates belt with the centertrack to slip. Mine's on an ebike with and if your chainline's good it just doesn't move. I need a thick screwdriver to pop the belt off if I don't want to de-tension it. If you're worried about spares keep one at your house or in your repair kit.

[@dangrows_za4798]

As a South African its lekker to hear Nick chirp in and lay down some knowlage. Other people talk down on other channels about him but this dude always emphasizes he talks from his personal experience and his opinion. Hat off to you mate. Keep up the good work Cade Media. The content has been buzzing lately 🎉

[@SoJahSeh91]

Wait, who is talking shit about Nick?

[@dangrows_za4798]

@@SoJahSeh91 id just like to say I did respond to this. The response is removed probably to avoid conflict across channels. There is a certain chain waxing "expert" with a video with media fails in the title, go read the comments, they attack the whole cade media channel.

[@SoJahSeh91]

@@dangrows_za4798i spent more time than i would care to admit trying to figure out who you meant without success.

[@TheTomster21]

When I first starting riding bikes with my dad as a kid, (mountain bikes as a kid, now a roadie) one of the things he taught me was to try and concentrate on a certain point going up a hill. Once you’re at that point. Focus on another and some of that anxiety went for me. Also, he said and I’ll always say this. Listen to your legs and use all your gears, if you’ve gotta go into the smallest gear and just turn those peddles then do. It’s not a race.

[@MrJpauwels]

@CADEMEDIA The question of Linda about the panic when coming to a climb steeper than you are comfortable, would be a great episode for the more inexperienced or beginning climber. I imagine that a lot of us has some kind of similar issues. I suggest to go work with her and a cycling coach. Ofcourse if she would like to do it. It would boost the viewer participation at the Chanel. Keep up the good work!

[@joekawasaki]

On the tubless set up, I run gp5000 s tr, silca sealant, & carry the dynaplug racer/pirelli p-zero tube for the just in case. In the last 6 months I've had multiple punctures that I realized I had when I returned home & found a little sealant spray on my seatpost! If the spray wasn't there I wouldn't have known I punctured! 13:36

[@TheSeriph]

On belt vs chain. My wife has a belt drive with a 7 speed internal rear hub. I have a 5 speed internal hub chain drive. Both are commuter bikes. Both are very similar in regards to maintenance. The belt doesn't slip because it has teeth on it (it is a batavus dinsdag for reference). I lube my chain very little as it is encased in a chainguard so it is not exposed to the elements. But if you are looking for low maintenance try looking into a shaft drive bike with an internal gear hub. They are very niche but something I am going to look into when my commuter needs replacing.

[@TheUntypicals]

Shaft driven bikes are cheap enough on Alibaba. Raleigh done the Brockley Hillyfields years ago

[@likelight6495]

I've had very good experiences with the new Peaty's Holeshot sealant, even on road tires. It is way more liquid than previous versions which people didn't seem to like very much. Sealed during a long road ride without me noticing it (at 60 psi). Also keep in mind that Stan's has Ammonia in their race sealant, which damages the tires sidewall over time and making it porous, so if you don't go through tires every 6 months I wouldn't recommend it! Also did a tubeless setup for a friend recently, the new Maxxis High Road got seated as easy as a heavy mountainbike tire... can recommend

[@DaveCM]

I remeber when tubless was still kind of new, people were putting glitter in their tires to help with sealing.

[@rastislavstanik]

must have worked great to get micoplastics to remote natural places

[@ickebins6948]

@@rastislavstanik Now we have carbon for that and it comes with the sealent.

[@malcontent510]

Excellent episode. I'm halfway through and it's fantastic so far,

[@randyhale4181]

I don't know what it is but when Nick is on your podcast I'm there keep up the good work guys🎉🎉

[@10flyingdutchman]

Agreed. Very much like him and Bike Fit James. They don't beat around the bush.

[@nemure]

@@10flyingdutchman maybe but they are quite often wrong, specially the mechanic They are average people, not experts like they pretend to be

[@10flyingdutchman]

@@nemure any examples?

[@nemure]

@@10flyingdutchman tubeless for example

[@10flyingdutchman]

@@nemure tubeless is bad?

[@michaelhayward7572]

Ref bike shops... With hindsight and 15 years experience of running/owning a specialist motorcycle shop (burnt out by 43...), try and stock the bare minimum parts, keep inventory to a minimum, forget new big component sales and concentrate on work only, ie earn your coin from your labour rate...

[@fredsirvalo1904]

The mechanics in my favourite LBS are the ones who "sell" me on my purchases. They do a good job maintaining my bike and I trust their judgement. They have not steered me wrong.

[@MrMattie725]

On retaining muscle mass: if you are a nerd, look for Renaissance Periodization on 'maintenance volume'. You'd be surprised how little time you can spend at the gym, be it a decent intensity, to at least not loose muscle mass. In short, four sets close to failure (max two or three reps left) per muscle group per week can be sufficient. So worst case I do two upperbody sessions a week and easily get six quality sets per muscle group. My legs will take care of themselves on the bike ;)

[@add2k]

If your brakes use DOT fluid it should be replaced yearly as it absorbs moisture & thus significantly lowers it's boiling point. Mineral fluid probably doesn't need replacing as often

[@milkoinc]

Came here to say exactly this. Thinking of the number of horrendous Avid brakes that I have serviced.

[@glennoc8585]

You don't need to replace dot 4 fluid as annually especially if you live in a temperate climate. We don't do brake fluid changes on motorcycles or cars annually

[@milkoinc]

@@glennoc8585 avid brakes in the UK suck up moisture like there is no tomorrow. Plus there is a much lower volume of fluid in the system vs motor vehicle applications. It is not a like for like comparison to make.

[@holdenc1006]

Silca sealant being a bit expensive doesn’t matter at all considering the trouble it’ll save you which others won’t. Thanx for the episode.

[@dtsybulskyi]

Loved the discussion on the metal bikes! Many say that they are heavier, and often they are - but not because of the frame, but setup and components choice. I.e. they are sturdier and better suited for touring and bike-packing. But if you place the same "racey" components on them, the weight penalty will be miniscule system-wise, as Nick said. Also, even aluminum, if you place wider tyres, will be pretty ok to ride 😊

[@howardmoore-ok6yh]

on internal gears: I have a nexus 8, mechanical shifting. It's been great overall- I've had it fifteen years, its now my old bike, and is the one I use for errands and to pull my utility trailer to the recycling center. All the good things: low maintenance, stainless steel BMX chain, shifting while stopped at lights and crosswalks. The indexing needs to be precise because the cable only pulls a small bit between gears and I'm on my third shifter because the stops in the shifters have gotten worn. My new bike has alfine 11, Di2. All the same benefits, plus more range, and the Di2 stays accurate, even though it is sort of funny having ultegra and electronic shifting on a commuter bike with fenders. While I was commuting to my lawyer job in a suit, I used a Hebie chainglider - it really did work!

Thank you for paraphrasing my question so well Jimmy! And special thanks to the tip from Emily, the podcast wouldn't be the same without you.

[@malcontent510]

17:40 Jimmi + Nic _definitely_ need a tandem commuter bike (even though I know that's not what Nic meant, it would be hilarious anyway)!

[@MattyBrad]

Whilst doing a podcast on a ride out. Would be funny as.

[@kidsafe]

I’ve done exhaustive testing on more than twenty sealants at this point, including observations on evaporation, weepage, storage (some sealants eventually separate inside the bottle,) dry weight, viscosity, viscosity vs time, air retention, removal, etc. Orange Seal is by far the best overall sealant, and it’s not even close. I find it a bit incredible that Nick didn’t even mention it.

[@windscreen91]

Did you test the Silca? If yes, what was the issue you had with it? I started with Orange, and am currently using Silca for the carbon fibers benefit. However, after a year with it inside GP5000 S-TR, following the 3 month top up schedule, when I pulled the tires the carbon fibers were all balled up and the sealant hand bonded them in place...making them useless. I tried Silca again inside GP5000 TT-TR, starting last November. This time I'm using a dipstick and topping the replenisher monthly. In a month or so I'll pull the tires to see if the carbon fibers are still mobile or bonded down.

[@kidsafe]

@@windscreen91 I did test Silca Ultimate. It dries up faster than any other sealant I’ve tried, partly because it also seeps through casings more than other sealants. This seepage also extends to the sealant getting under rim tape, which leads to the adhesive dissolving. The carbon fiber balls up if you don’t stay on top of replenishing it. When dried up, the remaining solids weighed more than any other dried sealant. The carbon fiber itself has no structural rigidity and you can pulverize it between your fingertips. Silca claims the fibers dam the punctures, but I found that in most punctures the fibers would just sit on top of the puncture, not in them. The sealant itself is very messy and tough to remove when dry. Of course there’s also the fact that it can’t be injected through valves.

[@aauden]

Big fan of Orange Seal generally, but this winter (UK) I've found it to be less effective...maybe because conditions have been so wet?

[@calebjackson2631]

I have ENVE Foundation 65 wheels, Schwalbe Pro One tlr, with Orange Seal Endurance at 70-73 psi. . Had my first puncture (hit a chunk of broken pavement, I think just poured the bead off a bit) it took maybe two minutes of spinning the wheel and general messing around to seal up then had to add air. The endurance Orange Seal is runnier/higher viscosity than their standard sealant. I would be interested in trying a thicker sealant when I need to buy more.

[@catsihavemet]

I've had issues with Silca just turning into big rubbery lumps even when stored at room temperature. Just to confirm, have you used Orange Seal on road bike tyres?

[@mattswain552]

34:38 What I'm really surprised about is that nobody mentioned having a structured plan of working up to the 14% (and beyond) climb. As Emily said (and touching on the other points): having a bank of positive experiences, working up to the 14% at lesser gradients will certainly help both physical and the mental sides. Even eventually breaking that 14% down into smaller chunks will if you aim for, say, another 5 meters or 10 meters each ride before needing to hop off. If you can ride a 7% climb all day I'd look for something in the 8-10 range and practice on that/those a few times or even a couple of months and then move to 10-12 until comfortable and keep increasing.

[@Silidons91]

I'm surprised no one said just fuckin do it and stop thinking about it.

[@josephlyne8290]

I enjoyed this one thanks. Experienced people talking about their actual experiences

[@maxlloyd3740]

Great questions guys! Love Nick he speaks the truth! I have just bought my third titanium frame much to the dismay of my work colleagues! (Why not carbon,aero etc!) I currently run a steel gravel bike and steel f/s mtb. Love a metal bike and speak volumes on the precious theory and ride them as intended without worry! 👍

[@LGustavoDS]

Nice video guys!

[@kadenlindsey358]

26:00 to answer emily’s question, larger volume tires have thinner casings with lower rolling resistance, so they may be even faster than the gravel tires.

[@AntoineThisdale]

26:00 Last summer in Italy, i learned the hard way that one of the better way to do hard climbs is first, to understand what kind of wattage you can sustain. Then match that. I'm not a good climber and my goal is to maintain a 250avg during the climb (which is not much). but i know that i can maintain a pretty damn hard climb at that wattage. I also use a 52-10 at the rear for gravel (1by), which helps a bit on those pesky climbs. The other thing is, cadence and pace; maintain it as much as possible and do not deviate from it. Finally, once you're at the top, don't stop. keep pedaling slow and shift up as you regain flat/speed. Do not tell your body that at the top of the climb you "must" stop. Keep pedaling.

[@nemure]

I'm not agree Best way to take hard climbs is to go there and try. If you can't finish it is OK, turn 180 degrees and try again another day Is how I conquered all my steep climbs and once you finish the first one you're set to pretty much conquer anything unless you change from a max 20% to a 40% or something insane like that lol But if you can climb a 10km long climb with average of 8 and max of 20 you're ready to go around the world tbh

[@aloha_from_bradley]

Dry seating the tire is really good advice. It also keeps sealant from getting everywhere. Silca sealant is the best, but it's also the messiest and DOES NOT COME OFF of anything. It gets lodged into the edge of the tire bead, and if you ever have to remove and reseal the tire, you end up with sealant stuck to it. Looks terrible. Silca also requires you to add the sealant to the inside of the tire before mounting do to the carbon bits, so you can't dry seat the tire. I much prefer being able to add sealant through the valve as it's cleaner. I've been using Stans or Orange seal for this reason. Both work great, wipe off easily, and can be installed through the stem.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

I've stayed away from Silca specifically because you can't fill through the stem. I tried Stans and it balls up like nothing else. I tried a local sealant and it used sand as the binder and that is not sufficient to seal anything larger than a small thorn hole. Orange Seal does not ball and can be topped up. I got a 1/4 inch hole in a tire and it sealed the hole until the tire wore down.

[@aloha_from_bradley]

@@jamesmckenzie3532 I've seen the balling issue to a very mild extent with Stans since switch over, but can't say it's been a deal breaker for me. Once I'm done with this bottle of Stans, I'll be switching over to Orange Seal. I've also heard that OS is less corrosive than Stans, so you won't have an issue with it potentially eating away at a valve or something.

[@kevinmcgrath5126]

Glad to hear Teravail tires on there - I think their range is fairly simple, but covers most terrain types. I have Teravail tires on 2/3 wheelsets right now. Just picked up a second plug kit (Dynaplug) since all of my wheels are tubeless (including road).

[@RenAigu]

The question 10:10 asks for tips to fit training around work, which doesn't really get an answer. Easiest answer though: commute on the bike if possible. Even if you're only doing that on dry days. And if distance is an issue, see if cycle + public transit is an option. You would not want to park your multi-1000 pound bike next to the train station of course, but having a cheaper "station bike" is an option too. I think riding a less sporty position for your commute on a cheaper bike doesn't hurt your road bike performance, but the motion is still similar enough that it helps each other.

[@Insert_Screename_Here]

Great upgrade for gravel to smooth everything out... Lauf True Grit fork, but I am a bit biased, since I have a Lauf Seigla

[@tomkompareus]

Overcoming the fear of a steep climb: I love measuring my rides and runs with a GPS device. One thing I do when I'm anxious is to not look at the numbers on the measuring device during an event or training. I cover up my head-unit or watch with electrical tape. I've run successful ultramarathons "by feel" mainly because I didn't really know how much further I had left. The visualization advice is great. "Visualizing success" works wonders.

[@WillGirling]

Cheers for the cheeky shout out there you legends!

[@kidsafe]

Plenty of times where I wished I had a harder gear. Not on steep descents, but on false flats with big tailwinds during races.

[@litespud]

My go-to for the last 21 years/100,000 miles is Ti. Not for the “magic Ti ride”, which I think is a bit of a myth, but for the fantastic usability - no paint to scratch, reasonably light, no concerns about dinging it - and it rides well. I also think monocoque Carbon frames generally look like crap - huge fat BBs, fat swoopy tubes, and now with everything integrated, they’re as smooth and featureless as a Ken Doll - no thanks 🤔

[@NickolasRed]

Totally agree with Nick and his steel bikes mindset, its a tool, not a contemporary design piece, its needed to be ridden, scratched etc. if bike doesn't have a sight of usage- bike hasn't been ridden

[@TheBRad704]

I’ve been really hung up on carbon versus steel lately because I want to build a desk road bike as I am moving to the mountains. Knowing that I weigh 86 kg and the steel frame is really only about 1 kg or less heavier, I think you just helped me decide to go with steel.

[@chanchingchung]

For the climbing skill for people who seldom faced climbing, find a climbing route or a section incline, practice it from the bottom starting with the lowest gear also the most comfortable breathing pattern. Enjoy each stable stroke of pedalling and focus on your breathing, never think about when it will be ended

[@CycletheNation]

Interesting point from Nick regarding metal bikes. I had (still have) a titanium frame (an old Airborne) and bought my 2023 TCR last year - there's about 1.5kg between them. My data shows that I am definitely faster for the same power output on the carbon bike, and some of that is weight. But...in my opinion, it's not just about the weight (as seems to be his mantra). Weight transfer and flexibility makes a big difference in speed. When I try to sprint, or climb fast on the titanium bike, I can feel it flexing under me, and that in itself is disconcerting - that doesn't happen with the TCR which just goes! On the flipside, the carbon bike is much more twitchy whilst descending on the rougher roads, whilst the titanium bike is more compliant and confidence-boosting - it's more planted. Adding to this is the bike geometry. Carbon bikes tend to be set up in a more aggressive manner, meaning the aero gains from the system as a whole can be huge.

[@TheLawwillboy]

Love that you guys think suspension stems are a good idea. MTBs stopped that elastomer nonsense a very long time ago. Forks would be the way if you want some suspension.

[@htukmumfie]

Linda. Need to practice riding out of saddle: maybe with hard gear on the 7% climb. If worried about falling off, try flat pedals for a while. The out of saddle technique needs slow pedal strokes in rhythm with your breathing to some extent. Lean further forward if real steep but push bum back if rear wheel slips. Sit back in saddle when gradient eases.

[@cbbssn512]

Re: Belts; Belts work fine, just have to know what you’re doing tension-wise… get a new sales rep, they’re full of it, also apparently never ridden a motorcycle… re: commuter bike, already exists, Trek District 4

[@benjaminrodriguez-maniere6694]

Something that's not often talked about for getting better at climbing when you're scared and axious about it: ACCEPT THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SLOW! Embrace it. Love it. Actually try to pedal as slow as you can, by getting in your smallest gear and lowering your cadence to the max. I'm talking about 5 kph. Make it your challenge. Climb as slow as possible. Enjoy the process. I love climbing because it's okay to be slow on a climb. Because there's less traffic on a climb. On the flat, when you're getting overtaken by cars at speed, you feel like you have to speed up. Alone on a deserted climb, you're actually free!!!

[@Al.2]

My alu bike is plush af - I'm pretty sure it's mainly because of the seatpost bending (simply a decent amount sticking out) and visibly the seat tube as well to some degree. Maybe there is more to it, like droped seat stays, but a recently designed alu frame can be comfortable - look at Giant Roam or Contend AR, Felt Broam, Merida - all great.

[@113EEBROEDBD]

I hope this podcast never ends.

[@TreibAir]

It was only mentioned very briefly but I'd like to weigh in here: "The midlife cyclist" was a really good read, for me, it managed to balance well researched facts and a good read extremely well. I've read it at a pace that I normally read works of fiction.

[@Jaydad4701]

I have Multiple Sclerosis and the Red Shift stem was a game changer for me, I went from maybe 2 hours on the bike to 4

[@rayF4rio]

Top Tips for Tubeless: Get wheels which do not require rim tape. Go wide, so you can run at least 30mm tires (measured), which will allow pressures of around 55-65 psi (for most people). I am 170 lbs and run pressures between 45-58 psi depending on the road surface (303FC + GP5000sTR 30mm). On my Bora WTO's - 30mm STR's at 50/57 psi. The Bora's without rim tape, hold air pressure much better and are a breeze to clean-up and mount new tires on. Get a Joe Blow tubeless pump for mounting. Finally, get the DynaPlug Racer. I ride with the Tattico frame pump and DynaPlug only, no tubes or levers (unless on an epic ride) Beware of Silca Sealant - the carbon fibers fall out of suspension very quickly (days, in hot weather) and end up just stuck to inside of the tire, not in the liquid which is in the tire. And if you do use Silca Sealant, get some hi-flow valve stems, Silca will plug up your valve stems.

[@leissp1]

Belt drives work really well in my opinion. I am running a Co Motion Americano with a Rohlof hub and Gates belt drive. over 40,000 k so far on the belt I have ridden across Canada and from Vancouver to the Arctic Ocean on the Dempster Highway 930 k of gravel. Two of the days were in steady rain. The belt is easy to clean if it gets dirty with water. I have used this bike for commuting, gravel rides and brevets. The belt has never slipped in the wet its pretty much not possible as the belt is toothed as are the chainring and cog.

[@ericpmoss]

Regarding gearing (~28:00), my favorite upgrade has been the Ultegra "Junior" 14-28 cassette,. If I'm descending fast enough to use a 10 or 12T small cog, I'm better off tucking and resting. I only wish they made a 14-32 or even 14-36.

[@lfrc2006]

It would be great if you could cover in future episodes the other aspects of tubeless that are never covered like how to remove sealant from a tyre and from a rim, how to change sealant type/brand reusing the same tyre (let's say you don't like the one you currently have) and general recommendations on what to do with a plugged tyre to assure it keeps on going...

[@phoffen3829]

I was a fairly serious DH racer years ago, and now a full on roadie/tourer. I had trouble with the lack of vibration dampening on my bumpy local roads, and have found the Redshift stem, and a carbon seatpost have helped immensely. I have also run 35c tires (sorry, tyres for you), which are the 3rd bit of significant improvement, with little subjective difference in rolling resistance (no matter what is published) compared to narrower rubber - probably due to lower pressures. Carbon wheels do nothing, and may be actually worse; carbon handlebars are marginallly helpful, but I don't like the feel...

[@andreaslindenthal6654]

Regarding gradient: Campagnolo Ekar is really nice for climbing as beginner, while still having a decent setup for the road. I got 40/42-9 and got up slopes with up to 20 %, unpaved too. There's also a 38 chainring and 44-10 cassette.

[@stuthebearded]

I rate Peaty's Holeshot sealant, doesn't dry up too quickly but can also be washed out of your tyre, I don't usually touch my sealant for about 6 months

[@muddytweed]

On the point of metal v carbon frames, I have a few KOMs and top 10s on my aluminium Triban RC120 😂

[@GMSlash]

I live in Flanders, and I changed my cassette to a 28 from a 32, because I wasn't using the two easiest gears at all.

[@jakobkmar]

I own a belt driven bike for commuting for an extended period of time now, and had zero issues with it. No slips, not dirty, no grinding noise, easiest to wash. Honestly I don't even know how you would get it to slip at all - the tension must be set very wrong then, or maybe someone lubed his belt, then it will probably slip. It runs so smooth - I have never had any chain driven bike, even single speed, which was that silent. Availability also seems to be no issue (in Germany at least), all lengths can be delivered next day. You can always order a spare ahead of time as well. Just make sure you are using a Gates CDX belt and not the lower tiers which can be installed by manufacturers as a cheaper alternative secretly.

[@wertacus]

In reference to the conversation at 28:00 I can agree that easier gears are mint, but I recently adjusted my bike to have a harder gear (from 52-13t to 11t) for downhills so I can hit better top speeds.

[@AstroBiker]

I had a Gates belt drive with Alfine 8 hub on my old BMC commuter. The belt was a nightmare and ended up snapping. If you get a flat you must re-install the belt 100% accurately otherwise it will snap. And re-installing an Alfine 8 is not simple, trust me.

[@mightycw7309]

my ride yesterday had a nasty little climb, only half a mile long but with sections approaching 15% grade and maybe 10% average. Anyway, what I did was psych myself out on the approach, then stomp my way up in a hard gear until I blew up less than halfway through, then I almost crashed downshifting and barely dragged myself to the crest of the hill gasping for air the whole time. so that's one strategy you can try.

[@jorgepietersz]

Would love it if you guys could test out a bike with the pinion gearbox with belt drive to let us know about how it feels compared to a regular chain bike.

[@tylerlougheed214]

To dry seat a difficult tire you can use a tube. Inflate the tube to seat the bead, then you can just de-bead a small portion of the tire to remove the tube. Insert your valve and see if you can get the remainder of tire to seat. If it seats, then add sealant.

[@leedorney]

I went from a Goff custom steel to a carbon frame and it didn't have any lag... that's what resultantly felt, even tho the fit is GREAT on the Goff custom steel frame 🤷‍♂️ I'm thinking of getting it back on the road and trying it again.. 🤔

[@j.k.b9247]

Have pirelli cinturatos on dt rims and they seal great, even without sealant inside! Everyone who has trouble with getting in the sealant just use use a valve cap remover and a seringe to fill in the sealant

[@yard2380]

I will never go back to chain, unless I needed the most efficient, ultra supreme road bike for nice weather rides, as then chain is king. For a commuter: belt, if only for the lack of residu on your pants. :) In 14 years I never had a belt fail on me, sprockets wear out faster than the belt itself, especially on full suspension bikes, you are looking at sprocket replacement after ~10000km of sand/snow. On hardtails the sprocket wear seems less as there is no tensioner in effect.

[@jezudykw]

I watched the video for 15 mins, then I got on my bike and went for a ride. don't take it badly. it was inspirational. only not in the intended way :)

[@MisterCOM]

16:40 you have split belts that you join together with rivets so you dont necessarily need a special frame but single speed chains are incredibly sollid and you have lots of choices because bmx exists

[@GeekonaBike]

Well, if you do need to resort to a tube in your tubeless set up, Triple Check for sealed up thorns & such before putting in the tube. Either that of be ready to hike your bike home.

[@talatozkan8197]

Hi team, another great episode again. Just couldn’t understand the brands of Stems you mentioned . Could you give us the brands to increase comfort 😊

[@Membrillo81]

They mentioned Redshift and Cane Creek, AFAIR. Cyclingabout channel has a recent video discussing suspension stems and they talk about these and other models.

[@urouroniwa]

I'm old enough to have grown up on steel bikes. I even (briefly) owned a very high end steel bike. I love steel bikes. I like my carbon bike better. I'll take all your hand wavy "it just feels better" and send it back to you ;-). To be fair, I've been quite nostalgic about the bikes from my youth and I've been thinking of building one up. What stops me, though, is I wonder if I'll ever actually ride it.

[@sebastianm2381]

I tend to just ride the darn tubeless tire and not care about it. Maybe top it up once in a blue moon if I feel it's necessary. But I do carry a small bottle of sealant in my kit. So when a puncture does happen, I just top it up then and there. Pump it back up again and off you go. I even went for almost two years with a set of Schwalbe One tubeless tires on my commuter without touching them. Never had a flat. Only occasionally topping up air.

[@vivien_hardgas]

I have trouble with setting up and holding tubeless. my Back wheel looses air constandly but the front not and on every 2nd ride i get a flat. i suspect that my rim (wich seem to be an inter connected one) is at fault. are there any tips?

[@JoshFosterBikesAndEngineering]

On the tubeless front I'm curious as to which shops use CO2 (I tend to avoid), which shops use a reservoir pump, and who's investing in a compressor (or just getting someone to go mad with a track pump). Agree that more modern wheels/tyres work better together, but I'm sure my biceps and shoulders have doubled after spending every Saturday for the last 4 weeks doing at least two wheels tubeless setups. What have sold people on compressors? I know the noise element is a put off.

[@pbandjosh]

"Comfort is the #1 thing you want for 95% of cyclists" - bang on! Doesn't matter if it's a pub bike or touring bike or downhill bike or aero road bike... get a bike that fits well and is comfy.

[@guyboycecam1636]

Hi, can you let me know Nick's bike shop? I really like his philosophy and am thinking it might be time to go for a metal bike with more 'character' - I have a carbon TCR that I really like but agree it is a little 'souless' - many thanks and love the content. Guy

[@johanrr4]

How does the Silca sealant work with lower pressures? I'm running under 20 psi on my mtb and would probably run around 25-35 psi on the gravelbike (possibly higher though) and I would like to only use one to make it easier. Currently using stans.

[@WolfzPain]

I also had doubts about belt drive and single speed chain. I hate to wash single speed chain but I do it once a year. Perhaps buying of ultrasonic bath for a cleaning chain will fix this issue and postpone thoughts about carbon drive)

[@petersouthernboy6327]

Silca Ultimate Sealant is the best I’ve used - and it’s a royal pain to work with.

[@davependragon1]

Just letting you know that I run gp5000 str and I initially ran Silca, and it never sealed anything, it was a nightmare. I switched to "Peaty's Holeshot Biofibre" and it is way better.

[@kipcc3918]

For the ultimate commuter bike: Don’t forget your European brother Sturmey Archer, It might be even in the UK, Go Sturmey, they still support 40 y/o internal hubs, My manager serviced one from 1970/80’s, it’s probably a better option. Uhm, Ride1up does a frame where it’s singlespeed ebike, which takes a belt drive but can be converted to a normal singlespeed cog/freewheel, I’ve seen it done, but I don’t know if y’all can get it in the UK. 😅

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

I bought a titanium road bike about 3 years ago (LiteSpeed T5). It's a beautiful bike with beautiful welding. I ride it in all kinds of weather. I don't worry. I lean it against objects and don't worry. It has a T47 threaded bottom bracket and I don't worry about the bottom bracket being out of round and eventually becoming a creak machine. I don't worry about invisible flaws in the frame that could eventually lead to failures. I just ride. And my titanium bike cost no more than a carbon frame bike speced with the same components. I understand their are boutique titanium bikes like Moots that have a premium, boutique price. But there are ample numbers of titanium bike manufacturers that produce lovely products at comparable prices to today's carbon bike sellers.

[@shekofriends]

Interesting topic especially on sealant choice. Muc Off obviously flunked heavily.

[@DarrenStone-qw7jo]

What psi do you guys recommend for a road bike based on 80kg weight?

[@waisinglee1509]

I tried to run Rene Herse tires tubeless but they req'd Orange Sealant. Stans simply bubbled through the sidewalls. I gave it up and went tubed.

[@pgn666]

is "Vittoria Corsa Pro G2.0 Tubeless 700 x 28 Road Tyre" a"new" or "old"? will it work tubeless ?

[@skinheads]

I setup my first tubeless month ago with recommended 60ml of sealant, how much do I top it up every 3 months?

[@francoispayen]

On belt vs chain: I don't know which company that guy was repping for, but he sounds like he never used the product himself! I have two bikes with IGH/belt drives (a commuter and a gravel bike) and have used them for 3-4 years now. They are absolutely worry-free and a good quality belt (like Gates CDX) will far, far outlast a chain especially in muddy/dusty/gravely conditions. My ONLY problem with Gates is their "CDN" belts and components, which are too "light duty" to be even worth getting into the belt drive game IMO. From my experience , in bad conditions a CDN belt will last just about as long as a chain (except it's more expensive) - if that's the product the rep was talking about, then it makes sense. Commuter bikes sometimes ship with CDN belt systems to keep the cost down, but anyone who's serious about commuting year long should upgrade to CDX from the get-go, the investment pays for itself pretty quickly. But yeah, belts are fantastic. No rust, no lube, no muck on your hands or anywhere else when you need to fix a flat tire, no derailleur hanger that can get bent or broken if you have a crash, etc.

[@HanOfGod13]

On tubeless, if it gets to a point where you have to use a inner tube, how do you deal with the gash or hole in the tyre? Normally i would use a self adhesive patch or tyre boot to cover the hole as I've had multiple punctures on a ride when i didn't do this. But with sealant covering the inside and not the best way to clean it on the side of the road, would these stick over the hole? Or is it just me that's paranoid after one bad experience and i shouldn't need to patch the inside of the tyre on small holes?

[@treimar]

I have experience with both belt and SS chain. Belt is nicer but makes 0 sense financially.

[@prestapost]

Where does Nic get his bike van shirt?

[@billyshakespeare17]

I take a dollar bill or 2 so if/when I slash a tire (tubeless) I put the dollar in the tire. Put a tube in. The dollar will keep the tube from going through the tire slash.

[@tristanm8250]

Belts make an annoying squeaky sound when dusty or sandy, but I've never experienced slipping. ON THE OTHER HAND internal gear hubs will slip and jump if you do over 600watts at high torque, so be warned. No sprinting for you on your commuter bike! (Or just stick to seated sprints)

[@geetee4037]

Redshift stem... does anyone's make a bit of noise over bumpy ground when it's working?

[@Starlight_Akira]

What's the titles of the two episodes with Nic and Jam?

[@kipcc3918]

On the anxiety attack note, It’s never a shame to walk up an unfamiliar climb, It’s never a bad thing walking up a climb, You might get the anxiety from people looking at you, Try doing it on a fairly empty climb where there’s barely any traffic, Take someone you trust with you, Honestly there’s no climbs that you can’t climb. I hope you get over the anxiety and enjoy the pain of climbing next time. 😅 Painful in the start but rewarding if you crest the top, either walking or going up slowly.