Carbon Fiber Pollution, What To Upgrade First, & Internal Cable Routing | GCN Tech Clinic

[@reecedawson6113]

Do you think you could do a full deep dive in the carbon industry. From sourcing, processing, manufacturing and end of life/recycling/repairing/reusing. Thanks

[@julianmortel560]

here, here. I had a carbon bike but chose not to buy carbon again when the time came for this environmental reason

[@BikesKomsCRO]

@@julianmortel560 You will never get me to do anything for environmetal reasons... my whole existance and probably my whole towns is instantly scrapped by anything i do by the ultra mega rich who dont give a sht and fly 20 times per week.. Enviorement and green plans have been made political and for some reason PEOPLE feel the blame instead the 1% of which own 95% of the wealth around the world and contribute more to polllution than you or avg joe can.. get real.

[@stephen_pfrimmer]

Thank you. More on this. Address resins, please. Resins degrade quickly. Supply of scrap steel growing.

[@Thezuule1]

@@julianmortel560 I wouldn't worry about the environmental impacts of a carbon frame personally. The average American throws away more than a ton of garbage every single year. The few pounds of carbon, that lasts many years, constitutes a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the waste we're creating.

[@abelaibout-sibille3412]

I understand why you might think this but with that reasonning it can sound that it may never be usefull to try and change your habits. A full new carbon frame have quite a lot of impact on the environnement. Even aluminium. Starting to buy second hand bikes or taking care of your bike to make it last a few more years before buying a new one is the way to go in my opinion :)

[@joesmith9709]

Re Ridenow: I own several Ridenow, metal valve with (removable cores), tpu tubes. I have had to re-inflate them, but only after MANY weeks from initial inflation. There can be several things that cause loss of inflation, the porosity of the material of the tube, the seal between the tube and the valve, the valve core fit. Before buying, I read many reviews where people suggested that the valve core simply needs to be tightened to stop the leak. My method is to remove the core and use a tubeless sealant like thread locker, paint it on the valve core threads with a Q tip and screw it into the valve, fully tightened. I spent several rides over several weeks before buying more Ridenow tubes, the first pair were the test pair. Sure I just could be lucky with the tubes I bought (1/2 the price of slightly lighter, plastic valve, Pirelli tubes). From my experience, I suggest the Ridenow with the metal valve with the removable cores, just make sure to tighten the cores.

[@AndrewG99]

Agreed. My RideNows are awesome. Now I didn't buy the thinnest race ones, but just the regular ones so I could use them in my rim brake bike. Totally fine. Huge upgrade. Bought quite a few and no punctures yet.

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Thanks for addressing the manufacturing and ore sources - good job with the laymen's job of explaining aluminum and titanium sources! Geologist here - that made me happy. Steel and iron mining can be toxic (see acid mine drainage) but steel can also be recycled easy. The best answer I think will make some bike nerds sad - don't buy new bikes as frequently. If your carbon bike gets maintained and lives as your bike for decades, instead of replaced for new shiny toys, you're doing well. Fast fashion is bad for textiles, but also bad for any product regarding environmental troubles. Get a product that'll last, and treat it well.

[@wuzihuzi]

Also the individuals impact means nothing. Just do what you want. The bicycle industry is tiny relatively. Environmental issues come from government policy and large companies.

[@BrianRPaterson]

Re handlebars: Upgrading to carbon bars can be expensive. So you want yo be absolutely certain about the width, reach and drop first. I recommend buying a cheap alloy bar in whatever size you are thinking about, and see how it feels. If it's not right, try a different size. If its good, buy the expensive carbon bar. Sell the alloy cheapest, or pass them on to cycling friends who are also considering changes. Just my 5 cents. It's saved me a bundle. Cheers

[@eddiewards123]

Tip for TPU tubes! Keep on naff one or when one value join fails, chop it up to size for puncture and use B6000 glue. Works a treat to patch it!

[@martinbichler7089]

Ridenow TPU tubes: there are different versions available and to make things worse the supplier has gone through various design iterations without clearly making them visible or documenting them. Therefore people have either had luck and good experience or the opposite. I think generally TPU should hold air better than Latex inner tubes

[@billeterk]

Yeah, I’d put my money on the valve / valve stem area being the issue. Pirelli TPU has held air really well for me but I prefer the feel of latex even with the hassle of daily top ups.

[@martinbichler7089]

Agree, I have used Revoloop with good success but had issues with Ridenow. These issues were mostly related to leakage and stem & valve, which seems to be the area Ridenow made changes. Chinese behavior, the market improves the product and no tracking, transparency or documentation on different versions...

[@EdMontego]

The newer Ridenows with the white Plastic Valve Stem are really good. Holding Air like normal Butyl Tubes!

[@martinbichler7089]

Glad to hear, but what about customers out there that have purchased the black stem versions, with and without Ridenow marking, that were sold previously? And how to know which version of product you get shipped, with all the market place purchases that are available?

[@shevsk1]

I had ordered two batches - one is perfectly fine and works really well, and the other one was all tubes leaking air instantly, through the valve stem connection to the tube. Both plastic stems. Still cheaper than Pirelli overall, but wouldn't mind having a functional product 🙈

[@lg.studio]

4:00 - Tubolito vs Ridenow. My experience with them is the polar opposite. had 2 Tubolitos, both had problems with valve sealing in a few month and they deflated in 12-24 hours to almost flat. Ridenows held the air 2-3 days and just dropped ~20psi after from 60 to 40, then held that for weeks. Also no problems with the valve after many years. Have recently purchased a bunch of Cyclami TPUs in a sale. I'll see how will those hold up.

[@ellisroe6527]

Been using some fresh RideNows with no problems, there was in fact a tiny hole in my previous RideNow tube that was difficult to detect.

[@Wiebe_B]

I have good experiences with the ridenow tpu inner tubes, brought them because other people I know were using them as well with long lifetime and no punctures.

[@lawrencekelly5038]

I've had the same issues with the knock off TPU tubes, they would go down overnight. The other issue I had, which was more than a little worrying, was the valve stem, the tube that passes through the rim which has the valve sat in it, broke when I hit a pot hole. A front tyre going down fully in about a second at 40kmh was a fantastically effective laxative.

[@ebikescrapper3925]

Yes, carbon fiber is made from oil and other chemicals, including acrylonitrile, which is made from petroleum: Acrylonitrile: A chemical that uses costly ingredients and an expensive catalyst. Petroleum pitch: A precursor for carbon fiber production. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN): A precursor for carbon fiber production that makes up about 90% of carbon fibers. Rayon: A precursor for carbon fiber production that makes up about 10% of carbon fibers. The price of carbon fiber varies with the price of oil because of the use of petroleum in acrylonitrile. The process for making carbon fiber involves several steps, including: Polymerization, Fiber spinning and stabilization, and Carbonization. Carbon fiber is a lightweight yet hard material that is not biodegradable and is typically sent to a landfill.

[@Thezuule1]

@@ebikescrapper3925 given that your average American sends more than a ton of trash to the landfill every year I don’t think a few pounds of carbon fiber that lasts for many years is any real concern. Bezos’ yacht pumps out 32,000 pounds of CO2 daily. We aren’t the problem.

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Once it is in a landfill, it isn't biodegradeable, but can it degrade poorly in harmful ways? If the compounds remain stable then it is a space/volume problem, but not a "releasing toxic chemicals" problem. Not *good* but could be worse? Just trying to get knowledge organized in my head :)

[@Thezuule1]

Each year the average American sends more than a ton of trash to the landfill. If twice a decade a carbon fiber bike is ground down to something the size of a large soup can and deposited in that amount of trash you wouldn't be able to even locate it. In a perfect world nothing would go to the landfill but we don't live there, and in the world we do live in, the frame of your carbon fiber bike makes up less than a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the things you toss in the bin each year.

[@justsomedude7556]

I found the newer ride now tpu with the metal valve stems much better on holding air than the old thinner models. I also use the slightly heavier versions 39g I believe, versus the uber light version

[@feedbackzaloop]

Regarding throughaxle frames, at the dawn there were 10mm axles that go into regular dropouts. You can still find them on the market. However, since we are talking road bikes, the frame might very likely have 130mm spacing while 10mm TA hubs are MTB 135mm.

[@DelTacoBueno]

I have found that the issue with ridenow tpu’s is linked to leaky valves, not necessarily the thinness.

[@Thezuule1]

@@DelTacoBueno particularly on the original production runs. The new versions are significantly better.

[@andrewzach1921]

Thanks for the video

[@SvenWeiberg-i4n]

@gcntech: Regarding the ridenow and the turbolito tpu tubes I have the opposite experience! On my bike one tire has turbolito and the other ridenow tube. And the tubolito is always loosing significantly more pressure after a few days. I should mention here that did use the slightly heavier versions of the ridenow tubes (36 g for 18-32 mm with 45 mm valve)

[@NicKenMic]

just got into cycling thanks to you guys ❤️‍🔥

[@MicroageHD]

Welcome to the club =)

[@NicKenMic]

@MicroageHD thanks

[@JonCannings]

Welcome!

[@NicKenMic]

@@JonCannings thank you!

[@robgruppetta]

My experience of Ridenow is great. Made a huge difference to speed. The odd one has proved an issue with deflation over a couple of days. When. I tested them in a sink, there was a micro hole near the base of the tube so possibly some quality control issues. Having said that, my current pair have been in my bike for over a year and don't leak for weeks. I think they're a game changer and despite a bit of inconsistency they are much better value than the big brands' TPU offerings.

[@bradl7439]

12:00 - Don't forget that if you get a bigger cassette, you may need a new rear derailleur as well.

[@Handletaken4]

First upgrade: nitto bar stem seatpost, turbo 2 saddle, cloth bar tape, tektro levers, mavic retrofriction downtube shifters

[@MercyKillingsRides]

I've been using the RideNow TPU tubes for several months now and I've not had an issue with them deflating. 🤨

[@matthewbaynham6286]

Ollies disk wheel on climbs rant was very good. However considering everything Ollie has just ranted about why doesn't GCN use disk wheels when you're doing epic climbs or not so epic climbs in your videos? I can't remember the last time I saw any of the GCN team using a disk wheel.

[@gethind-j2390]

I see Ollie frequently using a disc wheel; when he needs to, he does! #R10/17 ;)

[@PaulMuzni]

Ride now TPU tubes - I bought x10 , x8 of which leaked air straight away. They are cheaper but I think due to manufacturing they are not consistent so imperfections are rife. HNY, 😊

[@JayLato]

Ollie brought the Mics back!

[@JonCannings]

Yep

[@HGMMA]

Hi guys, you were kind enough to answer one of my questions a while back regarding whether I should switch to Speedplay pedals from SPD-SL (MTB pedals) that I used on my road bikes since I live in a very busy urban area with crazy fast traffic. I didn’t make my question clear; this is not for commuting but for road rides. My follow-up questions are: is there any power loss from using MTB pedals over traditional road pedals, and if there is, can this be minimized by using extra stiff soles? I am currently using Shimano XC9 S-Phyre shoes, which are the hardest soles I could find. #askGCNTech

[@oplkfdhgk]

11:50 wouldn't smaller chainring be more optimal because it should reduce the weight? i think bigger casette makes sense if you want more gear range.

[@martinbichler7089]

And reduce the gaps between the gears?

[@SvenWeiberg-i4n]

It would reduce the weight. But it woud also increase the forces on the chain so that it probably needs to be replaced earlier.

[@ellisroe6527]

#AskGCNTech Just a follow-up to my previous question about TPU inner tubes: I've used some new 'RideNow' inner tubes that are lasting just fine, i.e. weeks without needing to be pumped up. The tube I was previously using had a very tiny hole in it that I must have made during installation that was difficult to detect. To summarize, TPU tubes, even the cheaper knockoff ones seem perfectly capable of holding air for a long time, but they do seem to be very easy to damage during installation, as compared to butyl inner tubes.

[@artiegorash]

GCNtech please talk about how to set up multiple indoor trainers with everything that comes with that, and not having connectivity issues with Zwift and all the sensors in the same room.

[@daneilsteenkamp6886]

All 4 ride now tubes I had had tiny holes in them from the start. Also had visible contamination from poor manufacturing. One deflated slowly during a ride and caused me to crash while taking a sharp corner. Steer clear

[@emmabird9745]

Ollie, you forgot all the bagging and release film of CFRP which goes to landfill.

[@philiphumphrey1548]

One of the drawbacks of modern "innovations" is that it's a lot more difficult to change anything. On my nearly 20 year old hybrid and mountain bikes, changing handlebars and stems is a breeze, pick the parts you want and fit them. Cables are mostly external, so no problem there. Same goes for changing from quick release wheels to traditional wheels or vice versa. I'm not sure that losing all that is "progress".

[@feedbackzaloop]

About the chain wear, Jeff is actually onto something here: while wrapping around the cassette and the chainring, the rollers are under pressure in one specific range of deflection between links (say, -1deg...+10deg). While wrapping around jokey wheels there is little to none force acting. When flipped over, the chain bends in the opposite direction (now -10...+1), so the contact patch is different and wear is distributed over greater area. But it still doesn't matter enough because most of wear happens around zero deflection and lubrication both plays a greater role and introduces greater variance.

[@user-rl3ef4ju9k]

The rollers should always be turning around the pins so the wear is even or symmetrical. So no use flipping.

[@feedbackzaloop]

@@user-rl3ef4ju9k the pins don't move at all though, while rollers still rocking. So no, the wear is definitely not even. Having plenty of chains inspected, it is clear.

[@youloveulises]

Disagree completely with y'all's assessment of Ridenow tubes. They work perfect for me and hold air like a champ. I even have some patched Ridenow tubes that hold air for weeks. Ive also had great experiences with Offbondage tpu tubes . IMO these tubes are the best combination of affordability, durability, and weight.

[@hutchy_4297]

3:40 I got the ridenow tpu tubes(the newer design with metal valve stems) and they hold air for weeks. I think the commenter just got bad ones. I do notice the one in my front tire loses air faster than the rear so there is definitely some variability somewhere. Check your valve cores maybe?

[@blakegoodwin3591]

Galvorn, looks like a miracle material.. !

[@MaxwellStarr]

Question about EBike chains. Do you have to use an EBike specific chain or can you get away with using any chain, and does it make a difference if the motor is in the crankset or on the rear hub? I can understand needing a special chain for a mid-drive crankset motor setup as the torque would be applied through the chain, but if the motor is in the rear wheel would it matter since the torque is applied at the wheel? I have a Salsa Confluence with the Mahle X35+ Ebikemotion hub drive system and was recently faced with this question when switching to a crankset with a bigger chainring. Love the show, thanks!

[@ebikescrapper3925]

No, I use an ebike with a standard chain.

[@konradc12]

A lot off chains are now being marked as e-bike compatible and cost 5he same as 'standard' chains. If the e-bike has hub motor, it doesn't matter which chain. Mid motor e-bikes are more particular since the power is transmitted through the chain to the rear wheel!

[@JeffChef69]

RideNow TPU inner tubes (yes even the 28g ones) are perfectly fine and I only have to add a small amount of air every 2 weeks, hardly an issue. I ran into some trouble with my aluminum wheels because the valve exit was a little rough, causing the tubes to fail prematurely. Just wacked some electrical tape over the hole and have gone a month and a half no issues. I suspect you either have a manufacturing issue on your hands (you're paying ~A$13 a tube so I guess to be expected) or you wheel may have a rough patch causing them to fail prematurely

[@Jarcibby]

#AskGCNTech I just got myself a new e-bike to commute and return to health at the end of the year, a Salsa Tributary GRX 600 that comes with some chunky 2.3” tires. I also have a spare Shimano RS-170 wheelset from another bike. I was curious if that wheelset would handle the extra stress / weight from the e-bike (and I am not light myself at around 215lbs), as I was thinking of putting road tires on for when the weather gets better. Thought being my commute is all on road surfaces and it should make for faster / better efficiency since the current tires feel so slow. Is this worth it since I have those wheels already and just need the cassette or should I just change to faster bigger tires on the current rims?

[@James4cycling]

Penguin117: If you decide to change your chainring, think about getting a shorter crank. I went from 172.5 to 170 mm and it does make a difference especially if you live where it’s hilly or mountainous. Either way use a new chain with brand new chainring/cassette.

[@WhatTheFlipOfficial]

My tubolito started leaking around the valve, ended up with a flat tire during a ride once. Have several bikes with ridenows and they have been flawless. 36g version is a LOT more durable and a lot less porous than the 24g, however.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Alex and Dr O , do you know anything about the new Topeak Eboost digital inflator ? It looks and sounds amazing , but I can't find one anywhere to check it out , will it seat a tubeless tire , etc..?

[@mommamooney]

The slag from the metal extrusion process is also an issue

[@Graps19]

Ride a steel bike. Modern steel frames are light and comfortable. My Officina Battaglin bike with Ultegra weighs 8kg. Comparable to many Carbon bikes.

[@Thezuule1]

@@Graps19 whether you ride steel, aluminum, or carbon has somewhere around zero effect on the environment given all the other things affecting it. Industry produces more CO2 in a day than you and everyone you’ve ever met could produce in a dozen lifetimes. Wealthy people sail around on yachts that produce more CO2 daily than you do in a lifetime. Worrying about the environmental impact of a bicycle is a bit silly imo.

[@Graps19]

@Thezuule1 Each to his own view. Have a good day.

[@jakebrakebill]

With all your connections and pull, can you get them to make a TPU tube for Fat Tires ? Lugging a butyl tube with you, is like carrying a small baby.

[@JonCannings]

Haha!

[@jakebrakebill]

@@JonCannings 👌

[@cra_55]

That should be high priority in the development of carbon fibre technology. Beyond making it lighter, stronger and stiffer, the industry should be focusing on developing ways to make carbon fibre more sustainable and recyclable.

[@KelliFerguson-k5u]

@gcntech I have tubeless tires on my gravel bike, to which I hang up by the front tire in my garage (hinged wall hook). The front tire ALWAYS is completely flat when I go back to ride it. I've checked for punctures, and the valve does not seam faulty as it holds up during long rides. Any ideas/remedies?

[@picasticks]

I don't think those two things are related at all. I've had slow leaks like that with tubeless setups, it's always turned out to be air leaking through the valve stem, valve or tubeless tape/spoke holes. The last time this randomly fixed itself as the valve bits got blocked up with dried sealant. I would check the valve stem and valve (finger tight not rubber-crushing tight) and make sure the sealant is fresh. Then in the end if you can't live with it, take off the tire and inspect/redo the rim tape. If you've ever overinflated your tire then that will have probably done the tubeless rim tape in.

[@BenHelmsCreative]

How many likes do they need until they can get acoustic treatment in their studio? Jk y’all. Love the content.

[@gangstreG123]

I like the espresso machine hanging out there. Who's the resident barista? Let's get a how-to

[@hotellucija]

What have you done with the sound, works!

[@JonCannings]

We plugged the microphones in

[@placeholder_name98]

I’ve got a MTB bike with 12 speed deore group set and 29’ swalbe rapid rob tires. I enjoy driving fast and I’ve found myself, driving this bike mostly on roads and with very little off-roading, what tires should I get to drive faster? Are there 29’ gravel tires and would I even feel a difference on mtb bike? I mostly drive with front fork in locked position. It will be many months before I get a proper road bike.

[@richardharris8538]

Do you bike gurus have any advice for making a DIY 11 speed cassette? I would like a range of 13 to 32 teeth, which doesn't seem to be available in pre-made cassettes.

[@JibbaJabber]

@11:36 Lol. 'Easy, don't stress it'.

[@pedromagnani1053]

#ASKGCNTECH I found a good bargain to get a ZIPP 303 wheelset. However it is a hookless rim. I have no intention in running tubeless and would like to stick to my TPU inner tubes. Is it possible to get the wheels and find a hookless tire which accepts tubes? Or all hookless tires must be tubeless? Love the show, thank you guys!

[@Millicente]

I know there's been a video or videos of presenters testing tt wheels on a road bike, but can we get a video with feather climbing on a tt bike or at least tt wheels and see if he's faster with those wheels vs the cost(?) of added crosswind instability, or faster in the tt position on the tt bike despite him being more comfortable out of the saddle on a road bike?

[@vo2maximus177]

Maybe we should just stop beating ourselves up over this? The fact that we ride bikes is good for the planet, is good for our physical and mental health. What is the actual danger of high density carbon fibre going into landfill if it can't be recycled? And infact, carbon recycling is now starting to happen anyway, I've already seen recycled carbon wheels. Extracting metal ores from the earth, smelting, purifying, fabrication, this all takes a lot of energy. Working out empirically the "impact" of various frame materials is hugely complicated. Yes, we should be aware, be open to change and mindful. But also be aware that Britain's emissions are tiny in global percentage terms, and even more so when you consider our GDP. Keep riding all, stay safe, and try not to worry too much.

[@GassTron]

people should concentrate in voting better and being better human beings, rather than telling everyone else what to do with their properly earned money, and their bike to be bought. Instead it's full of crapheads telling that a CF bike lasts 5 years and it will kill all the human beings by ending in a landfill. That's their script, that's what they repeat because their political leader tells to. They wan't see all what you explained. cheers

[@Thezuule1]

@@vo2maximus177 we all dump more than a ton of garbage into those landfills every year, I won’t be worrying about a few extra pounds going in once or twice a decade.

[@wonderwatch2239]

#askgcntech why does the wax on the chain de solve when it rains? Wax doesn’t normally do that, and if it’s a special water based wax, like in drip wax, why don’t they de solve wax with spirit or acetone etc, to make it more resilient to a rainy day or a hose down?

[@larrylem3582]

Do you call all of the odd Chinese brands of derailleurs, shifters, and cassettes available at AliExpress "knockoffs" of Shimano and SRAM? Or are they simply cheap derailleurs and shifters? Aren't RideNow tubes just cheap TPU tubes? I don't think they're trying to pretend they're Turbolitos.

[@raff5604]

Hi guys!!! There is only one problem with the Ridenow tpu. That is the plastic valve stem. They leak at the valve. If you get the metal stems, they outperform butyl and latex by miles. I've had the plastic valves and they leaked. I switched to metal valves, and after three weeks, only a loss of three pounds!!!!

[@RHarvz]

#AskGCN What is an ideal cassette / chainring combo for the every day group rider?

[@lux-wattage]

#askgcntech Similar to helmets, is there a "best before date" for cycling kit, like bibs, base layers, and jerseys? Even if they appear to be in good condition, is there a point when they should be replaced simply because they are too old? (Of course this also depends on how much you ride, so for context let's say one has 3 sets of kit and trains 3-4 times/week).

[@Jonathan-vf6cu]

Never had an issue with ridenow TPU inner tubes (bought from AliExpress) on a couple of bikes over 2-3 years and many miles, hardly any punctures and held air pressure as well as any other inner tubes I’ve used, sounds like you have been unlucky

[@imark9386]

SRAM 13 speed 1 X is UDH only I think , maybe wrong though

[@-C3S4R-]

No in fact the most polluting thing on the road is tire wear. Tons every day directly into nature...

[@dtibor5903]

That's the one of the next things after CO2 reduction on the green agenda. I have no idea how that will be addressed..

[@questgivercyradis8462]

And more specifically, wear of, and wear due to, car tires. It is getting worse with more electric cars too, which are heavier. More damage to the road, and to the tire. Our wee bicycle tires comparatively do very little.

[@dtibor5903]

@@questgivercyradis8462 bicycle tires are negligible compared to car and heavy cargo truck tires.

[@stibbbs]

Thinking about the environmental impact of carbon bike frames is interesting considering the majority of flying drone munitions (Shahed, etc.) have a carbon fiber airframe and outer skin. Hundreds of these drones are being launched by Russia into Ukraine every day. That doesn't mean a cyclist shouldn't consider the environmental impact of their bike purchasing choice, but the fact is carbon fiber materials are more pervasive globally and are in use in untold numbers of products.

[@appelflapdrol]

All to the landfill along with the old windmill blades ♻️ 👍

[@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589]

they're 'turbines', and they last 25+ years, unlike the 5 year lifespans of the fop chariots that cashed-up wannabes ride around on.

[@JimStepsride]

5 years? Wow my 15 year old carbon Trek is doing fine!😂

[@ianthedondaws7559]

@@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 and my 12yr old crux is doing superbly then and once replaced will go to the wall or bike art with dirt as well..👍

[@DicconHill]

You like me, heard the Trump rant then.

[@Thezuule1]

@@DicconHillwe all heard it… unfortunately..

[@MTBScotland]

my ride now tubes are perfectly fine. Don't have to pump them up each day.

[@rogersliu1200]

funny when people say knockoff TPU tubes LOL. Aren't all tyres made of rubber? You cannot pattern a thing with a material like your late with whatever milk you put in

[@Epiqe]

1000% true

[@ebikescrapper3925]

Composites Construction UK report The production process emits harmful toxins called petrochemicals into the air or water - you might know them as `greenhouse gases`, or gases that contribute to the `greenhouse effect`. The process currently uses 40% more energy than stainless steel. Also, the fibres themselves are produced from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) - an acrylic resin and fossil-fuel-based polymer

[@TESTA-CC]

My advice is buy a vintage Road Bike, Get out as much as possible with friends and enjoy it.

[@wuzihuzi]

That's not how you win races 🤪

[@LegSpinna]

#askgcntech Is Alex related to Emma Paton, the darts presenter? Can he get tickets for the Ally Pally?

[@konradc12]

The person who bought the knock-off tubes is better off buying ordinary tubes from Halfords that are sold quality, or going tubeless! He should take the knock-off tubes and check for leaks in a bowl of water. I suspect they have pin holes!

[@timtaylor9590]

My ride now tpus hold air better than regular butyls his are defective

[@billmaidment]

No problems with RideNow tpu tubes. They stay inflated for days. I think you got an unlucky pair or something.

[@ime06]

#AskGCNTech, Dear GCN heros, do you have any advice about how best to transfer the optimal cleat setup onto a new pair of cycling shoes? I'm currently planning some crude outlining with a pencil but I feel there is a more sophisticated way? Any advice would be much appreciated, many thanks!

[@sbccbc7471]

Note the location of the centerline of the cleats (shown on the sides of the cleats, this lines up with the pedal spindle) in relation to the metatarsals of your feet. Toe angle should be noted down too.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

In addition to what sbccbc7471 suggests, measure carefully the fore/aft position of the cleat and try to duplicate it on the new shoe. Obviously this will be harder if the shoe sole is a lot different, but once I get that dialed-in the rest of it is pretty simple. Don't torque the cleat screws down fully until you've climbed on the bike and pedaled a bit to see how things feel, as most cleats are tough to reposition once they've been torqued down fully, even when you loosen the screws.

[@llegoearl3487]

#AskGCNTech i have a sensah ignite the budget groupset on my project bike but i got a lot money to upgrade i don't know what to buy should i get shimano tiagra or 105?

[@markusseppala6547]

I feel like reducing carbon footprint is too being pushed too heavily on individuals. Thinking of reducing carbon emissions on buying steel vs carbon frame is absurd compared to things that actually make difference. Reducing coal power plants etc. Even the whole bike industry as a whole is such a small drop in the ocean, thinking of individuals choice of frame material is kind of dumb.

[@GassTron]

the fact that world leaders, soccer, nba, etc players travel in planes to whatever they go even the "climate meetings" and most of the pollution comes from automotive, heavy industries and whatever is being done but bicycles, is not being seen by all this clowns who want to forbid everyone else to buy they bike they want.

[@Thezuule1]

@@markusseppala6547 Jeff Bezos' sailing yacht produces 39,220 pounds of CO2 a day. We aren’t the problem.

[@danielcapson9842]

But when you recycle Aluminum it only takes one tenth the energy to recycle and process it. So this is where aluminum recycling shines.

[@arthurabogado5777]

magene exar TPU tubes are better than ridenow.

[@suhdud4646]

I sell RideNow tubes and have sold hundreds of pairs. The only time that the tubes would come back with an issue is because the same customer would use a hammer to stir a cup of tea. I've been riding the same set of RideNow tubes for two seasons and never had an issue. I checked my preasures before every ride regardless of what system I have. So this is a non issue and more so laziness. If checking pressures every several weeks is your thing, save your self the time and just run wooden wheels.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

"same customer would use a hammer to stir a cup of tea." is a great line!!! I'm lazy so I run cheap butyl tubes and just give the tires a calibrated squeeze before each ride...only topping-up weekly...or even less depending on how much pressure I start with.

[@Thezuule1]

@@larryt.atcycleitalia5786 I’m lazy too which is why I don’t want to lug around heavy butyl spare tubes when I can use 24g ones instead 😛

[@konradc12]

I changed the cassette from 11-34T to 11-32T but kept the original chain length - 110 links, in case I want to go back to the original 11-34T cassette. It worked well for a while. Two years on and still using 11-32T having replaced it and the chain a few times. The gear change was not as good until I decided shorten the chain by 2 links. I did that, adjusted the 'B' screw, and the gear change is far better. If I want to use the 11-34T cassette, I will use a longer chain and adjust the 'B' screw. All Shimano 105 11spd.

[@Busfullofclowns]

How many alloy/metal frames are actually recycled?

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

I see scavengers pushing carts with old department-store quality bike frames to the recycler all the time. I doubt many high-end Columbus or Reynolds tubed frames end up here rather than being resold and used at epoca events or wall art.

[@ianthedondaws7559]

Surely a more environmentally friendly option is to keep all your old bike a buy new 😅or recycle the old bikes by selling them 😮

[@ebikescrapper3925]

The bike will evenly need replaced so the carbon fibre will still go into landfill.

[@ianthedondaws7559]

@ not if you make it wall art and reuse the parts 👍

[@Thezuule1]

@@ebikescrapper3925 but by that point you would have already dumped eight tons of garbage into it. The few pounds of carbon is meaningless.

[@smAshomAsh]

There's got to be an efficient way to recycle carbon. I suspect it's a matter of separating the resin from the carbon, right?

[@billeterk]

@@smAshomAsh I think it’s also hard to keep fibres long enough for some uses.

[@smAshomAsh]

@billeterk Can't the fibers be ground up and re-extruded into pristine cord?

[@Thezuule1]

@@smAshomAsh the bike can be ground up and take up less space than a couple soup cans. Most of us threw out more trash this morning.

[@smAshomAsh]

@Thezuule1 If we had Star Trek transporters, my bikes could just live in the computer's buffer until usage.

[@Thezuule1]

@@smAshomAsh I currently keep mine in cold storage right next to grandma but that’s definitely a better idea. Someone far smarter than myself should get to work on that.

[@rg807]

Ollie and Montgomery - really BAD advice on TPU tubes. I've ran Tubolito and Ridenow and provided you get tubes of the same weight, in my experience, they lose air at approximately the same rate. Ridenow tubes come in everything from 45g to 19g, so yes, if you're running a 19g tube it's going to seep air more rapidly than a 45g tube. Duh! I have 3 bikes and I've been running TPU tubes for over 5 years.

[@timtaylor9590]

He doesn't think carbon degrades lol. Even pfas break down. It's really stupid to think anything wouldnt deteriorate

[@Andy_ATB]

Time the industry weaned itself off carbon - the UCI can take a lead here and ban it from racing in X number of years.

[@lucitribal]

Something like a $1000 bike roundup could be interesting. To see what different brands offer at an entry level.

[@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589]

which rock have you been living under for the entirety of GCN's existence?

[@BikesKomsCRO]

Gravel specific clothing is bullshit.. Oli do you always push cycling industry bullshit agendas mate?

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

"Oli do you always push cycling industry bullshit agendas mate?" Isn't that was GCN is for? Shill, shill, shill!!!!

[@Mike22313]

is it funny, you talking about eco friendliness of carbon frame, at same time ignoring fact 60-70% any plastic end up in landfills and NEVER be recycled. I can bet, you end up more waste, if you add up all sprots food package and water bottle, than weight of youre bike components for they life span. Also, you knew, ridenow a bigger than tubulido, and they have different product line, like normal, e-bike and ultra light. My experience 32c at 70psi lose 1-2 psi in a week. I use 28-38c tube it can make a differens

[@GassTron]

they deny all that to concentrate in telling you and my which bike are we allowed to buy. it's simple bigotry from them

[@Channelscruf]

Stop buying bikes and drive cars. That way, no pollution from bike industry. You’re welcome. Next issue.

[@MrMeowNow]

Lol!!! Carbon frame is part of a problem? Seriously? The % of the carbon fiber frames on the global scale of "shit" that does not go away would not even register... I believe that GCN had something similar with carbon fiber handlebar.... Sorry, but this first question is very silly, why GCN is wasting time answering this? Thanks for great content otherwise...

[@chrisleech333]

I really don't care

[@davidsantos5516]

And the energy to riclycle...

[@fleurdelispens]

Carbon fiber is also made of oil. The carbon fibers themselves are made from oil, and the resin is also made of oil

[@GassTron]

I guess you don;t have a single plastic, rubber or any oil-based material in your house, otherwise, the oil police will kidnap you and send you to their secret jail

[@fleurdelispens]

@GassTron dude, I know there's no way to avoid petroleum products entirely. I'm merely saying that one of the reasons carbon fiber is such an environmental shit show is that it's made of oil. Also, individual purchasing decisions really don't matter in the grand scheme of things when 100 companies are responsible for 70% of global emissions. I, personally, avoid carbon fiber because I don't want my money going into a material that bad for the planet. You do you

[@Thezuule1]

@@fleurdelispens it isn’t though. You’re making a mountain out of what amounts to a large can of soup worth of material when ground up. The average American throws out more than a ton of trash every year. Worrying about a few pounds of a bicycle is just silly. Carbon fiber production makes up somewhere around 0% of our environmental problems.

[@ebikescrapper3925]

How much are bike companies funding research into carbon fibre recycling? If carbon fibre can be recycled then why aren't bike companies funding the collection of old carbon components from bike shops. This could could be taken to a carbon fibre recycling depot, people will still buy carbon fibre even though it is not green / eco.

[@johnnincupoop2325]

First

[@JonCannings]

🥇

[@CoolGrey7Man]

Also many cycling clothing is not eco friendly because of the polyester which is an oil by-product. It's sort of contradictive because we consider cycling to be environmentally friendly. So if one wants to be more eco friendly buy a bamboo frame and go and win that race! But anyways . . . justridethebike!

[@GassTron]

Never seen anybody protesting against the construction of carbon fibers cars planes and boats, which only 1% of population consume s but have many of them, mainly footballers soccer influencers and narcs, but let's concentrate on the 0,01% of the population that has carbon fibers bikes.

[@zmaxboost1]

Recycling is a scam