The Stupidest Things About Modern Mountain Bikes

While there are a lot of things we love about modern mountain bikes, there are certain things in the MTB world that we're less keen on! Neil is joined by our in-house mechanic Owen to talk about topics such as flat mount brake calipers, changing industry standards, and - of course - headset cable routing...
⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Small rear brake rotors
2:02 - Flat Mount disc brake calipers
2:45 - Mixed Fixture Bolt Sizes
3:30 - Non-removable valve cores
4:18 - Mega wide bars
5:28 - "Mud shelves", and lack of tyre clearance
6:37 - Changing industry standards
8:14 - Aesthetics - 🚨 Cable Routing Chat 🚨
9:37 - Headsets
11:05 - They're expensive!
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What about modern MTBs annoys you? And just to balance it out, what do you love about modern bikes? Sound off in the comments 💬
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[@gmbn]

What about modern MTBs annoys you? And just to balance it out, what do you love about modern bikes? Sound off below 💬

[@TheDustyShredder]

I love that they're being made of composites for better performance, but like you guys, it irks me that they're harder to work on and more fragile. I have a couple designs that are likely to change some of this, one being a composite hybrid design using hemp and carbon, and another being an alloy. Both will be optimized for playful stability and climbing efficiency and have a 4-bar swingarm suspension. The difference is that the alloy frame will be a high pivot and the link will be driven from the low side. You will know it when you see it. 😉

[@jokermtb]

Stupidest : Dropper posts that get sticky after only a few rides…..it’s an endless fussfest keeping em clean. Best: the handling

[@elias.f.]

Worst: The sheer amount of standards. Best: Hydraulic disc brakes:)

[@HelplmAlive]

Definitely harder to ride no handed on modern bikes. And yes I swap out my rear rotors to at least 200mm on my bikes. Biggest annoyance is 175mm cranks on medium sized bikes.

[@peterfranzjr.1190]

Worst : Price Best : I actually like using the front brake for scrubbing speed quickly. Having a smaller rear rotor helps prevent me from locking up the rear and skidding too easily.

The stupidest thing about modern bikes is their price 😂

[@dereksmallsuk]

Best comment. Pricing is an absolute disgrace.

[@horusgarcia1]

Frame-sets also cost as much as a full bike! Why? I would think it cost 1/3 of the price.

[@70HeavyChevy]

@@horusgarcia1economies of scale. Parts manufacturers produce parts for hundreds of bike manufacturers. Bike manufacturers produce frames for only their respective company. Mass production = lower unit costs (bulk). Lower production = higher unit costs.

[@stephenbarnes5850]

Specialised s works epic evo £12.500 Yamaha R6 £11.995 crazy?

@@70HeavyChevy honestly at this prices bikes should be build to order like cars.

[@hoozn]

Too many different standards is definitely a massive pain in the rear for „part time mechanics“ like myself. Every time I want to upgrade or fix anything on my bike, I first have to learn about different sizes and hope for the best when ordering parts online.

[@-IE_it_yourself]

i dont think i would have gotten into the hobby of wrenching on my bike if i started now... there should be some way to make an online poll of what is our favorite standard. and start from there. and demand legacy compatibility. and local bike shops, they hate it too, ive done both, home and shop wrench, and it never gets boring learning and explaining a different tool for something that worked before.

[@chrisdaigle5410]

I can assure you that it's a massive pain for pro mechanics too. Trying to get parts and tools needed for proprietary things is a true pain. Some shops just refuse to touch them. BUT the worst part is when the bikes are sold and a new owner tries to get it repaired. There are NO parts available for bikes that are just a few years old. The maker has abandoned them.

[@nietrifroep0815]

...and often it's not only about learning new sizes or so. The need for new specific and in the first place expensive tools is soooo boring!

[@zsoltek]

I thought I was the only one that couldn’t ride no handed anymore. I did it all the time on my bikes growing up… I thought I was getting old and lost the ability!

[@baloghlcb]

Same here! Hell it's even a pain in the ass sometimes just riding one handed sometimes. I think it has something to do with the 800 mm bars 😅.

[@kevinportilla9320]

Well the future is now old man 😂😂😂

[@mtb4life817]

I have never noticed that I ride a rsd middle child with 150 fork and a 63 head angle and I can ride no hands for days lol

[@chrisst-amour8661]

Same here! Glad it's not another thing I have to chalk up to old age!

[@jeromep4148]

I thought my my body weight had somehow lost left-right symmetry. Maybe if I hang my butt a bit to one side I can ride no hands. I truly thought it was just me!!

[@aems666]

Multiple size bolts at the cockpit has the purpose that you can use all the tools in your multitool 😃

[@andyp7449]

Bike designer "Hey you know we haven't put a phillips head on this bike yet?" Consumer "NNOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

[@feedbackzaloop]

You mean a pair of H4-5-6 and T25-30-40 Y-wrenches?

[@alexh.4068]

4mm socket fasteners are easier to strip/round out. I always appreciate 5mm for stems due to this. And 4mm is good for controls. Don't see the point of torx though. All in all having different fasteners doesn't bother me at all.

[@etherealicer]

@@alexh.4068 That is why the standard should be a torx, not an Allen key.

[@Raumance]

@@andyp7449 How about a torx here we only have normal hexes?

[@jesuisjamaiscontent]

I'm with you on the difficulty of riding a modern mtb no-handed.

[@KarstRats]

Theyre not for riding no handed why would companies even care about that? Try and ride no handed down a proper trail…

[@corydalus981]

Damn, I thought I have trouble with no-hands riding on my MTBs because I am old. Which is odd, because "it's like riding a bike" is a cliche for a skill you don't forget. On my old steel road bikes I could ride around town for blocks with a Coke in one hand and hot dog in the other. On a mountain bike I have to keep my hands ready to grab the bars at all times as I wobble and weave....

[@Cb1517]

Top comment from Owen “just ride bikes, it’s cool”. That’s how simple it is, don’t judge others for what they do or don’t spend, just get out there and enjoy the ride. 😊

[@dstaff4134]

Am I the only one left missing the double and triple cranks? Been riding trails and in groups for over 35 years now. We road in pace lines on the road all over town to our favorite trails. The multiple chainrings provided addition gear steps for various types of terrain. Big rings for fast pace lines on the road and the smaller rings for gnarly technical trails. Almost like the industry is demanding we own two separate bikes for different types of rides.

[@jeffa847]

Can you not get them anymore? I am in the market for a new bike after riding my other one since 1994 - lots of changes and many that I don't like including not having as many gears to choose from

[@Canyon_Shawn]

You’re the only one left!

[@andrewpeterson5882]

I definitely don't miss them on mountain bikes, just another thing to think about on technical climbs and another component that can break and that I have to maintain. Modern 1x12 drivetrains have nearly the same gear range as older 2x or 3x setups, of course it's not 1-1 and the steps are bigger, but I just don't feel like I ever need to find that specific of a gear. On roadbikes sure, when you're trying to find an exact pedaling cadence, it helps to have that many to choose from. Even on a bikepacking rig where you might be doing a lot of miles on fire roads or non-technical surfaces I could see why you might like it.

[@joshlarue2838]

I think the worst thing is, companies chasing form over function. And people going nuts thinking it's the next thing. Internally routed cables/electric shifting don't really provide any better function. People only like it because it looks better.

[@carlholland3819]

if it looks better and works just as good then why not?

[@johnnyveganite9141]

@@carlholland3819 it's pure faff to maintain.

[@mikekrasovec6390]

@@carlholland3819 it doesn't work just as good. Internally routed cables tend to have sharper bends than externally routed. Most shifting problems are due to cable issues. Sharper bends in a cable reduces performance, reduces cable life, reduces the likelihood of owners working on their own bikes, increases the likelihood of shifting problems. Internally routed cables also reduces the likelihood of the owner trying different stems/handlebars to optimize their fit. In addition putting holes in a frame gives a significant entry point for water. Even with carbon this is a concern as carbon frames have metal rivnuts or metal at the bottom bracket/crank. So a design which will (for those without electronic shifting - which is the majority) will shift worse, fail more often, be significantly harder to work on, significantly more expensive to work on, harder to get a good fit on reducing the riders ability to ride their best while being less comfortable - but it looks cool. Got it.

[@spencergiles72]

Wireless electronic shifting does work way better than mechanical. Removes the need to route cables and housing. You never need to adjust it. No cables to wear out or get gritty and impact shifting quality. Can swap handlebars way easier and without unwrapping bar tape (for road). Nothing inside your bike to rattle around. The derailleurs can absorb impacts and then auto adjust back to where they need to be. The pros go on and on. A lot of this is not an advantage if the system isnt wireless.

[@mikekrasovec6390]

@@spencergiles72 the argument of not needing to rewrap the bars on a road bike only applies if the bike doesn't have brake housing/line under the tape. Wireless electronic shifting is great until something goes wrong and it needs service. While reliable it still needs service and a 5mm hex wrench to adjust a conventional mechanical derailleur is simply easier. I carry various tools along with me on rides such as a tire lever, chain tool, hex wrenches, screwdrivers... I don't carry a laptop to work out a shifting glitch in case something goes wrong on a ride. My bikes have nice smooth cable runs and thus shifting is easy and trouble free.

[@KP-ol3tc]

"Just ride bikes, it's good." Wish more people thought that way

[@rantingwrench]

After years working as a mechanic in bike shops, and riding all manner of fancy carbon, lightweight, electronically-shifted, internally-routed wonderbikes... I've just built myself a steel, fully rigid single speed. It has the best modern conveniences - modern geometry, hydraulic disc brakes, tubeless tyres and dropper compatibility - but none of the finicky 12-speed setup, suspension service intervals or headset cable routing nonsense. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's so refreshing to just get on a bike and ride it, and have it all just work.

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Dear bike manufacturers: I will never buy a bike with headset cable routing. EVER.

[@bellavia5]

What is that?

[@manningthomson7918]

The one advantage it has is narrowing my list of potential bikes down! Headset cable routing 🤮

[@MPurs09]

Well, you might if that is all they make. I’m sure we have all made compromises over the years.

[@engo8207]

True. Headset cablerouting is bs.

[@c.s.4273]

​@@engo8207Why not?

[@Dwyane1st]

Yeah about Neil saying modern bikes are difficult to ride no handed, absolutely. I mean I have a 2018 Giant Reign and a 2022 Commencal META, the latter is incredibly twitchy in the front. It is even tricky to lean against the wall without having the handlebar turn by itself, let alone riding no handed. It could be me being crap at riding bikes but I'd argue against it lol

[@morpheox]

When it comes to motorbikes many (at least the fast or heavy ones) have double rotors up front, single in the back. So it's not really "the same size in general".

[@MrIh8hondas]

Yeah, this dude has clearly never looked at a motorcycle, or any other vehicle for that matter. Basically everything has bigger front rotors than rears. The 250SX sitting in my garage right now has 260mm front and 220mm rear rotors from the factory.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I think they're talking about Enduro and Moto X bikes, which is a like-for-like comparison - so no twin discs. Having said that, the front disc does tend to be larger and often has a fancier caliper. I confess I do not understand the issue they have with smaller rear discs. They do less work, generate less heat and can afford to be smaller/lighter.

[@southboundaustral]

@@MrIh8hondas People have missed the point of size differential with rotors. Motorbikes and bicycles share similar kinetics when it comes to stopping power. Simply put, the front wheel brake does the vast majority of the stopping, so it gets the most surface area bc that's where the majority of the work is done to come to a stop or slow down. Used together there are particular advantages with the shortest distance to stop and providing the least loss of control. However, the function of the back brake prevents you going over the handlebars on your pushy but also from dipping too far down in your forks (mtb) if you think it's not warranted. In Wayne Gardner's/Mick Doohan's day it has a slight righting/attitude function when used going into or coming out of corners when lightly used. "A rear-brake lap of Le Mans Turns One and Two Super-fast, super-long right-hander at top of start/finish “You enter in sixth gear and you shift to fourth. It’s important to use the rear brake here to stop the bike because, first of all, the rear brake helps you keep the normal balance of the bike because when you use the front brake you change the balance of the bike. So using the rear brake all the way through this corner keeps the balance you want.braking force and stopping power). MotoGP riders use the rear brake to help stop the bike, to turn the bike, to adjust its attitude, to stabilise the bike and reduce wheelies during acceleration."

[@Crowfist]

​@@MrIh8hondas Yeah, no. The advocacy for a larger rear rotor has to do with rotor life and heat soak. Not everything is about stopping power. Just another parrot chiming in with the ole "YoUr FroNt BraKe ACHULLY doEs alL thE StoPpiNg". We know. Thats not what we mean.

[@senorspiegel]

I recently quit working at a bike shop because i cant stand working on new bikes with everything routed through the headset The last bike i did wakted to change the stem length and that involved removing headset, removing bottom bracket, seatpost, and two full bleeds. Absolutely fucking ridiculous and i wont be held hostage! Steel frames and externally routed everything except droppers, the hill i will die on

[@rossejera1661]

but couldnt you just charge extra? This would make consumers be wary of getting bikes with internal routing and would influence the industry to finally get rid of it due to less demand.. Never a fan of internal routing except for the dropper which is the only thing that makes sense

[@senorspiegel]

@@rossejera1661 we had different price ranges of tunes based on how long it would take, so if it was planned to take longer it would be a more expensive tune. Doesn't matter to the mechanic though, they just get paid hourly. I would 1000% prefer to work on a 90s race level road bike than an entry level internally routed modern road bike. Mechanics would fight over who got the older bikes

[@BanjoLuke1]

I look after the MTB of a teen friend of the family. He used to take a slightly sympathetic, sweet, patronising attitude to my "ancient" 2009 Pace hardtail. His bikes (indulgent grandparents) have become madder and more complex every Christmas. But he has got no faster. Most riders get no faster but have to have the latest bling. A victory for the manufacturers... And the owners foot the bill. I still love my ancient Pace. ❤

[@pogspogita4954]

Sometimes you just need to pause for a while on some of techy inventions and settle more on the old ones. Its the same with the debate of smart phones vs. apples. I still ride my aluminum 26s with v-brakes because I enjoy it but I do have my carbon bike with me. Just remember what matters is that you enjoy and be back on the saddle regardless on what bike you are riding. All what matters in on how you feel no matter what you ride. Ride safe everyone and greet each other whenever you pass by another cyclist with a smile. 😁

[@gmbn]

Great advice! 👋🙂

[@RyanWilliams-xf3sc]

What about greeting with a face a misery and a nod?

[@bellavia5]

My favorite bike was a 1953 Raleigh 3-speed with a bent seat stay. I used to tell people it belonged to Henry Miller because he spent some time in England in 53. The bike looked like it came from a dumpster but I loved it. I could'nt keep it because I moved from New England to FL and the car carrier would'nt take the car with the bike on it. Shame.

[@MrMuz99]

​@@RyanWilliams-xf3sc- This also works. 😁

[@ADAMJWAITE]

What you're riding is less important then just being out there riding.

[@jimwing.2178]

I put 20mm spacers between pedals and cranks. This was not meant to be a performance upgrade. It was a ergonomic improvement. My hips and legs feel better now.

[@blobbles78]

Stupidist thing for me is one of the best things for others probably! First 1x I bought, never had enough range at the low and top end. Switched it to 2x and was so much better (and faster, especially cos I could pedal fast downhill sections especially passing people who have tapped out their 1x). The obsession/fad of 1x IMO is stupid. Yes you have one less derailleur and slightly less weight/complexity, but I can't ever remember my front derailleur ever having a problem? Carbon on MTBs is also controversial, I have had to repair the carbon frame on my XC MTB twice, over $1000 of frame repairs. My ALU full sus Enduro I have dropped heaps more times and haven't had a single frame repair or even damage that I can notice.

[@doctajuice]

Brake levers and shifters that you have to slide over the end of the bar to remove. I know it's mostly only on lower end stuff but I think lots of people would pay an extra $5 or $10 to not have to remove their grips when they want to replace a cable or something

[@Cabral24101972]

You're right. It's things like this that can turn a quick maintenance into a right pain in the arse.

[@kemptonrobert]

As a pretty casual rider with a low/midrange bike and tightish budget it really doesn't bother me. Sure, it's a bit of a pain but how often are you really removing brake levers or shifters? I'd rather save a cumulative $40 and have both brakes, shifter and dropper slide off or have that $40 go to performance at the same price points. On the high end absolutely, give me the small quality of life improvements.

[@charlesholland6851]

That intro validated me. I can ride all my bikes no handed. Turn go over moderate bumps. But my newest bike, a Marin Rift Zone, I can’t hardly do it.

[@tomd1826]

Good man rocking the Rift Zone!

[@deeplydisillusioned683]

Brake levers that you have to take off or move to the end of the bars to adjust the travel.

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Really enjoyable video,Owens's opinions were really great to hear on modern bike technology.Safe riding.💯💪🏻🚴‍♀️

[@rorybissmtb]

Totally agree I can ride the old bike I have with no hands for miles, but the trek fuel ex7 I rode for a week on holiday was much less easy to ride no handed, but everything else about it was more stable and easier to control, it wheelied like a dream

[@dylan-5287]

Love the videos with Owen talking about mechanics side of things.

[@1GayMTBr]

You're right about the no handed. I went out of my way to align my stuff perfectly as possible and nothing helped. Can't do it for long no matter what

[@uldi1s]

It's the slacker steering angle that makes the bars flop

[@chadkline4268]

Steering head bearings may be too loose.

[@metalwheelz]

It's not that the rear brake disc is smaller; it's that the front brake disc is larger. Things evolved from a standard smaller size disc in front and as things progressed, the front disc increased in size to provide more stopping power and better heat management. The rear brake simply does not need to be (and likely shouldn't be) larger as the rear brake provides a smaller percentage of stopping power and would simply lock if it became too efficient. It is the same with nearly all dirt bikes. High end street bikes often have a disc on each side of the hub in front yet only one disc in the rear.

[@thelocalangler]

i find for modern bikes my current pet peeves about them is we like to customize our bikes to the way we want and i like to be brand loyal but the brand i like (specialized) is making things harder to be able to customize for example i love 29ers and for the levo they only have it in a mullet setup. the mullet set up is popular in the mtb racing and all but your general public that buys them are not racers and some don't like the mullet set up. why not have the option or some kit to convert to a full 29er? it pushes me to the point of looking at other brands that do offer you that option of a regular set up or a mullet.

[@Get_Outside_Northeast]

STANDARDIZATION! Ex-shop mechanic here: Even something as simple as brake pads; for V-brakes used to just buy a big bulk bag of pads which fit 90% of the bikes, now even within the same manufacture there are several dozens of pads, each slightly different that may or may not fit!?? It's almost impossible to keep all of them on-hand. Rotor sizes are standard, do the same for pads.

[@86309]

YES ! you said what I have been thinking all along! Thanks for verbalizing this on the big platform! (plus no resettable dropper posts....everyone should have a system like Bike Yoke. Sheesh! AND proper bleed positioned Bleed ports in rear calipers...make a dedicated rear caliper.....and put the bleed port at the top of the thing where both pistons have a channel to capture the bubbles behind the pistons and let them rise to the top for easy purges!

[@jasongathercole3983]

Definitely the no hander thing. Need to get to about 15mph before the gyroscopic effect of the wheel stops the front wheel flopping over.

[@thegrizzly52]

I played rugby, football and power lifted most of my life. I’m a wide dude, I’ve got broad shoulders and a wide back. I moved from some like 780 width bars to the full 810 and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a much more comfortable and natural width for me. I felt so awkward with narrow bars

[@bikeislife8405]

I’m rocking 820mm bars on my MTB and won’t go back! (6’7 wingspan) lol

[@cheesefrogsnail]

I was told angry Hulk uses 850mm handlebar, you should try that if you get the chance

[@grallochervideos]

The no-hands thing is absolutely a thing. I went from a 1999 Specialized FSR Enduro to a 2020 Revel Rail and I thought there was something wrong!! Lower tyre pressure seems to be something to do with it.

[@uldi1s]

It's the slacker steering angle that makes the bars flop

[@WhangaFish]

I was too embarrassed to admit that I found my 2022 Stumpy Evo harder to ride no handed. I came from a 2011 bokor voodoo ha

[@taylorplayer40]

They're also harder to ride on rollers!

[@iangrumpypirate568donovan3]

You both utterly nailed it on everything. I couldn’t agree more.

[@a8f235]

One of the bolts on newer Shimano brakes cannot be reached without using a ballhead hex. Most likely to force people into not overtightening these bolts, but for me it's just annoying. I want to use a P-handle normal hex down on these bolts, and use the long end as leverage, but it is not possible. It just feels awkward to have to tighten down such bolts from an angle.

[@Maccaboy1984]

Wide bars annoy me, my previous bike was 640mm, current bike is 740mm. It still feels monstrous to me lol

[@kinaceman]

wish they'd make the frame bearings easier to remove - Santa Cruz have them in the links which is great. Bearings in the frame are a pain to remove.

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

The nicest thing about standards is there are so many to choose from!

[@davidloyo7275]

The thing about small rear rotors, as we can see on the video you showed is because the rear break usually locks so the break pad make less friction on the other side the front rotor still rotating due to the weight

[@Wiroe]

One of the most annoying and confusing things I’ve come across is the spacers for bb and cranksets. You take it apart without remembering the order of them and you’re screwed

[@junkandcrapamen]

The slacker the head tube angle, the harder to ride with no hands. Also, the Q factor is all about your knees.

[@JohnMFlores]

1:17 the rear tire is already locked. A bigger rear disc isn't going to help at all. Weight transfers to the front wheel under hard braking. That's why motorcycles have smaller rear disks too.

[@mrfuzz6744]

it's funny that you guys consider 740-750mm bars narrow....I keep clipping trees with bad results with the 740s on so went all the way down to 700mm bars on the XC bike. I was almost considering even 680mm. I think so much depends on how close in the trees are where you ride

[@johndef5075]

On the trails I ride 690mm is my sweet spot. Since I started on 520s they seem wide to me.

[@patrickrgrier3195]

Floppy steering drive me nuts on the trail as well, bars flop when off bike, bike tries to head off the side of the cliff. Cannot ride with no hands, but it's the geometry today.

[@jimwing.2178]

Experiment with different stem lengths and different front tires. Just 5mm in the stem can make a significant difference. Buy cheap front stems until you get your tire/stem length the way you like it, then get a stem that is made by a company that you trust.

[@davidc6032]

1x12 drivetrains in that the derailleur is really long so it can deal with such a huge dinner plate of a cassette. The thing shifts great, but that derailleur takes beating being so big and exposed.

[@teletele9320]

whats wrong with outside routing and visible cables? whats the fuzz about clean and stealth bikes? to me a cockpit with all hidden cables looks rather amputated than clean and nice but i'm a kinda steam punk guy who likes to see how things work than hiddin everything away :D

[@easty-stage-4-fighter.]

Brilliant topic/video. can you get all 4mm bolts for the cockpit ?

[@ShadLife]

I definitely notice the wider Q-factor when I ride my fat bike. So I am certainly not wanting to go much wider on regular mountain bikes. Although with 148mm spacing I notice it's easier to hit my heels on the chain stays and I have to make sure I don't place my foot all the way to the inside on my pedals.

[@JoeIsCrazyWillman]

Definitely true about being harder to ride no handed. I was able to ride my Walmart 21 speed bike no problem no handed, but as soon as I bought a slack trail bike, it became way harder for me to do that. Instantly harder.

[@fatpinarellorider]

@4:58, good, skillz! I don't have a cutting guide either. That's what your file and/or grinder is for!

[@Pastamistic]

I build my bikes and deliberately put a smaller rotor on the rear. My back round is from motocross and sportbikes. The front brake slows you down, the rear brake is only there to help the bike rotate and minor mid-corner speed adjustments. A smaller rotor at the back has less power so less likely to lock the back wheel and gives you a wider, more forgiving range of lever pressure to control speed and grip. I wear pads about evenly but the rear takes a whole lot more dirt and mud increasing the wear rate while the front stays clean. It tends to get dragged longer for speed and grip management whereas the front is mostly used in shorter bursts to scrub a lot of speed. If it's loooong descent and I need to avoid gaining excessive speed I alternate both brakes equally to manage heat.

[@bowrepublik]

I'm an ex racer mountain and road at a provincial and national level. Ive always been cheap too.. like I hate spending more than i have to.. So when i see new bikes at crazy prices I'm a bit annoyed.. So basically i researched for a few months, talked with some manufacturers which were at some bike shows (looked them up in the bike show list) Then called/emailed them. Started up my own brand and had some samples made. Cut some costs by 500-2000/bike. I'm happy with some parts and not about others.. But over all digging the rides i have.

[@DZig]

Same thing about balancing riding no handed. Just not as easy as it used to be. 63 1/2° head angle could have something to do with it. and definitely plus one on the different size bolts for the cockpit. Seems a little silly to me too!

[@softcolly8753]

The beauty of old school bikes is that you could fix probably fix more than 95% of problems with a toolkit that would fit into a small pocket. They are getting too complicated these days.

[@hendrixinfinity3992]

Old school bikes had three tools, some operated with two spanners for the crank/bb. Four tools for the headset, potentially up to five for the drivetrain. Modern bikes you need a set of allen keys, a T25, a bb tool, a cassette tool and that's really it.

[@jaysee2213]

Okay, straight to the comments. I'm 34 and have just got back into biking since sacking it off when I was old enough to have a bike with an engine. I remember going everywhere with no hands and can't do it now, I thought it was me! So glad it's not!

[@paulmaul]

As far as rear brake rotor size- I run 200mm up front and 185mm rear. Since most of your stopping comes from the front brake I find having a slightly smaller rotor in the rear helps balance the feel in stopping power. YMMV tho

[@cheesefrogsnail]

A point you did not mention is the weight, 20 years ago the average allaround mtb was about 12kg, 10kg bikes were not rare, modern bikes are about 14 kg, 29" hardtail included...

[@jeffa847]

My 21.5"(I think) frame Trek 7000 aluminum frame with water bottle holders and hand pump attached and with slimed tubes in both tires is 23 pounds(10.4 kg). I was in a bike shop the other day asking about how to get a new drivetrain for it and they were trying to talk me into a new bike and saying how light they were and this new geometry is going to blow my mind etc. I haven't looked at their weights yet but I was pretty skeptical - after reading your comment I am even more skeptical. That wasn't a high end bike either. It was I think about $750 if I am remembering correctly

[@hananas2]

I still like my 26" wheels and 720mm bars lol, sure it's not as fast but it's so fun and playful!

[@georgegande1779]

One thing with removable valve cores is that loads of hand pumps screw onto the valve and then when you try to take the pump back off it unscrews the valve core and all the air comes out which is infuriating if you’ve had to stop your ride to fix a puncture

[@carlholman2993]

That happened to me last week.....

[@Raumance]

Just tighten it... It would be stupid not to have a removable core because that means once it clogs up with sealant it's done. But you can clean it.

[@pbandjosh]

This has happened to me as well and it's annoying. Also annoying how many multitools don't have a little notch somewhere that functions as a valve core wrench. I've noticed TPU tubes come without removable valve cores and I'm all about it, they're great. But for tubeless, non-removable core is terrible.

[@ericfroehlich976]

I love how most of you on gmbn ride Vitoria Mazzas front and rear. The rabbit hole of front and rear combos with tires is exhausting. I was almost relieved that my YT Jeffsey came with Dhr's front and rear and I have a set of mazza's on the wzy

[@Olly-zq3wi]

Wide bars are definitely supper annoying but luckily cutting them down isn’t too big of a job

[@blakekennard7700]

Definitely had to put in 100+ of research to feel like I had an idea of how to get the right parts to upgrade and work on a modern mountain bike. Never had to do that for bmx

[@dwiesch]

On the mixed cockpit screws: I actually had to run to the hardware store recently because my gf's grips needed a torx15 and I have never ever needed that for anything, and I've build multiple bikes from the frame up. Neither one of them ever needed a torx15 and for some reason this grip manufacturer decided that they couldn't be normal and use a hex....

[@simonm1447]

It's getting really interesting if they use torx with a pin in the srew (and a hole in the bit).

[@tylerpubben4216]

Just a little point about superboost rear hubs. They are 100% interchangeable with DH 150 hubs. The only difference between the two is flange width. Superboost hubs have the spoke flanges wider set while the old DH hubs had the same flange spacing as 135mm hubs.

[@Thesomersetgimp]

It’s the knobs on the tyres that can make it tricky to ride no handed. It tilts and “falls off” the centre knobs. But also a slacker head needs more input to steer with your weight.

[@TypicalGuy84]

I would love to see more standards! Srams UDH is brilliant. If we had more standards we could mix and match components. This would ultimately lower costs as well.

[@spitroastjerry]

You should take a look at Berm Peaks new video on the SRAM Eagle transmission to see just how clever UDH is.

[@JMow14]

I was just gonna say that lol you beat me to it

[@johndef5075]

Now all the force of an impact will go directly into your frame. Ive seen people jumping up and down on them and you can see the frame twist. My Shimano Deore shifts perfectly with a regular hangar.

[@garethhughes5745]

25 years ago, all the bikes were practically the same, because standards actually meant standards. nowadays, nothing is compatible with anything and getting parts is a headache.

[@garyking508]

@@garethhughes5745 25 years ago all bikes were Shimano. Now SRAM has made inroads, so it is different.

[@RedRidesMTB]

I live on the east coast of the US where we get extremely sticky mud in late fall to early spring. I have plenty of clearance but it’s never enough.

[@budycelyn]

4mm bolts on everything, imagine how small the multitool would be. good idea though. price is my gripe but that's because i can't afford the super lightweight behemoths of the industry

[@carlholland3819]

lucky for you a used bike is only worth 100 bucks

[@grantwallace1882]

"Acoustic Bikes" - luv it! ❤

[@martsmarts]

Modern bikes are stupidly too expensive.

[@buzzbartholomew3714]

Stupidly expensive 1x 12spd drivetrains. 2\3x 9\10spd is not only way cheaper but is still better. In fact, gearing systems in general. Why aren't we using IG hubs & drivebelts? Esp on E-MTBs.

[@rossejera1661]

exactly.. I have never been sold of those 12 speed. Its totally unnecessary for mtb. 10 spd is more than good enough already

[@martincantwell2557]

Internal cable routing is the devil🙈

[@andrewince8824]

Amen. Preach it brother!!

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

The reason for smaller rear rotors is physics. When braking the weight transfers to the front making the back end lighter. A smaller rotor has less mechanical advantage and helps to keep from locking up the rear wheel. (Same thing on motorcycles. They all have greater capacity to the front either with more rotors, larger rotors or higher clamping force calipers.)

[@davelom22]

Cool- I work with the Wombats in the US!

[@tim__sadler]

ahh the Wombats t-shirt comes out again - nice reminder of a Marin ride with Peaty

[@brownzys7299]

The trail of the front wheel is to long when it flops arround as we learned from Gmbn tech! Allso internally routed cables suck to work with especially if its the break cable

[@jeffreydzialo]

The most aggrivating thing when purchasing a new mtb is the woefully inadequate application of grease to bearings and axles. Do i really need to strip a brand new bike, to ensure it lasts? Yes.

[@jimwing.2178]

That's a dealer thing. Buy from a reputable dealer who does that at no charge before any bike goes out his door. Or take your new bike to a reputable dealer and pay him to do it.

[@ianscottuk]

The rear rotor doesn't need the additional lever arm that the front does, so it is smaller? Think about it, you can get the back break to lock and skid the wheel really easily.

[@leomaduro8661]

I always learned that on a road bike you use mostly your front brake, and on a mountain bike mostly your rear brake. So, to me it doesn't make sense that the rear rotor should be smaller on the MTB.

[@RyanWilliams-xf3sc]

They use the rear more for speed modulation but the front brake still provides more actual braking force regardless.

[@mlee6050]

On mountain bike I only use front brake

[@RedRidesMTB]

I have a full suspension from 2020. Geo is still solid, it has external cable routing, a bombproof alloy frame, and the only thing it’s “missing” is UDH compatibility. I think eventually companies are going to move back towards simpler designs like what I own

[@Sketchybackyardtrails]

There is lots of rain in the us to. Our last year rain fall was 80 inches

[@trishaleaver3581]

Having a larger rotor does not matter. You can easily lock up your rear brake with what’s out there now😀 Too many crank types is annoying. Square taper was much easier and making a pretty big comeback.

[@Crowfist]

Its about heat disappation and rotor life.

[@Kim_Miller]

Q-Factor figured in a recent bike fit video I saw, maybe one of yours. I think the rider was having hip trouble and a pedal extension to increase Q by about 15mm sorted it all out. It's not the most common problem but one to keep in mind for people with injuries.

[@jimwing.2178]

Yep, I cleared up my hip troubles by adding 20mm spacers to my pedals. The improvement was immediately noticeable.

[@corkErist]

I'm annoyed by all the electric stuff. My bike has to be purely mechanical, if I want to feel pure joy. All the electrics are great until something goes wrong. If it's mechanical, I can see the problem and more often than not fix it myself.

[@funkyuns1655]

agree with the no handed . i just got back in to biking and back when i road i could ride for miles just leaning the way i wanted to go . now i took one hand off my new bike and almost crashed on flat surface

[@Magoo71]

I agree that Fork off set cause the front wheel to flop....drives me crazy! Especially when I'm wheeling it around the garage....750mm bar width. $12K for an uptown eBike.???..I still say Pandemic pricing....you can get a decent Motorcycle for $12-$15K!

[@GrahamFootBicycleLover]

Owen, my man. Great to see you on here.

[@benjamintriplett4447]

The rear brake rotors are smaller on a MTB for the same reason they are smaller on cars, street bikes, dirt bikes, and everything else: Physics. Like it or not, your stopping potential is a lot higher with the front brake because the center of mass of the bike and rider is above the contact point of the tires with the ground. Stopping creates a nose down pitching moment that puts a lot of force on the front tire contact point and takes a similar amount of force off the rear tire contact point. This is true no matter how far back you lean over the rear tire. The braking force, essentially the friction force between the tire and ground, is a function of the normal force between the ground and tire. Hence in order to take advantage of this larger friction force at the front tire, the front rotor is sized larger than the back one.

[@dkkids]

Yes, price is ridiculous... I still spent over 6k on my bike (knowing the damn thing costs more then my 2013 car) but it kills me seeing that the bike costs more then a new gas Dirt Bike. Its obscene.

[@bellavia5]

What got into you that made you think that you needed a 6k bicycle?

[@dkkids]

@@bellavia5 It was on sale... E-MTB Trek Rail 9.7 So... I 'saved' money... lol

[@bellavia5]

@@dkkids Oy vey.

[@jimwing.2178]

The reason that bikes are so expensive is people like you, who pay over 6K for a bicycle, even though you claim that it kills you and you deem it obscene.

[@danwebber9494]

Along with all of these, I propose the use of torx head bolts on thing that don’t need high torque.

[@David-bw7is]

Price, the amount bike prices seemed to have jumped during the Covid years was crazy, I don't know if it was because bike manufacturers could see that because people wanted to get out more and the interest in cycling rose they thought "Right lets fleece them" or it was just going to happen anyway, but I saw one bike I was eyeing in 2019 jump by nearly a £1000 in 18 months for literally the same bike but with a different paint job, crazy. I always have a budget and never cross it, the bike I'm riding now an Intense I got in a sale and I would never have bought if it was at the rrp as it was above budget.

[@Alan-75]

​@@bellavia5Bikes were stupidly priced years before covid, they just wanted to fleece its customers even more.

[@bellavia5]

@@Alan-75 yes

[@titter3648]

I'v got a old 2007 model of what is now probably considered a enduro bike. And i wondered so many times why newer bikes has so wide bars. My old bike works just fine with a couple of mods like a 1X drivetrain and larger brake rotors, but I have never even considered changing to one of those wide bars that is on modern MTB's. I have tried new MTB's with those wide bars and I don't see any advantage with them. And as a recreational rider i dont even mind the 26" wheels on the bike as long as i'm able to buy new tires of the "outdated" standard.

[@ad_fletch]

I'm also running a 2007 rig (Yeti AS-R). Not only does it have 26" wheels, I cut my bars down to about 580mm, which feels totally comfortable to me. No idea how riders these days get through the narrow xc trails with bars nearly 20cm wider...

[@Bob_Shy_132]

The flop over with no hands is a combination of the rider being positioned too far back in relation to the front wheel and rake increases to make the bike more stable for gravity riders. The valve core being removable is a thing that I have found that has proliferated into the tube market. The sunlite tubes that I have been using on my old bike have this problem where the cores pop out when I remove the cap to air up the tube.

[@jessenicola4575]

While it is a slight bummer... put some tubeless sealant into your tubes and they're all but invincible now!

[@kenmoum162]

@@jessenicola4575 Even better for tubes are some of the propylene glycol-based sealants with Kevlar fibers. They don't dry out, and seal quickly

[@jeffa847]

What do you mean by "gravity riders"?

[@kenmoum162]

@@jeffa847 downhill riders who never pedal back up.

[@Bob_Shy_132]

@@jeffa847 Downhillers. XC are gravity fighters!

[@troublezblading2569]

I’m I’ve kept my handle bars full size as came on them but I think I’m right bang on large x large crossover xl feels to big and large feels a bit small so think it helps with that

[@samuraisdx]

As rear wheel doesn’t really stops you. Putting a bigger rotor will increase torque but compromising precision and progressiveness! You will lost the accuracy, that’s why also in Motorcycles you have two bigger rotors on front and one smaller at rear brakes

[@suigeneris-1]

The ease with which you can ride a bike no-handed depends upon how the front wheel responds to the bike being tipped one way or another. When you are riding a bike, you are always falling one way or the other and recovering by turning the handlebars into the fall, which rights the bike and sets you up for the next fall. If you were not controlling the turn of the front wheel with your hands, what's left is to control the tip of the bike with your bottom so that the wheel turns in the direction you want it to. If the wheel does not respond to this, or does not respond as easily (e.g. modern mountain bikes) then you will have a hard time riding no-handed. Even back in the day, I always found riding no-handed to be more exhausting, regardless of how relaxing it *looks*

[@bradcarrington9889]

Front axles that require a wrench to remove are a pain

[@feedbackzaloop]

Those that use a QR that gets jammed with mud are even worse. Hey Suntour, lookin' at ya, buddy

[@purplebrick]

I have ridden Mountain bikes all my life and I am 50+. The thing that drives me nuts is the manufacturers constantly thinking most people need the latest and greatest components that racers use. Guess it comes down to a sales gimmick, but all it does for most people is drive the cost of buying and riding the bike up. I have a Kona Raijin that was custom built out for me. It was expensive at the time but a complete bargain when I look at the price of bikes now....holy @%#$$$$! Second and final beef is the over emphasis on weight. Yes lighter is better but only to a point! Thanks guys!

[@arnehusby1420]

My 2013 model Zaskar GT, does its job every day. Summer and winter. It had been out for a long time, so I got it almost for free. Have refurbished it and replaced worn parts. Xt gear and drivetrain. Norway has a harsh climate, but if I take care of my bike, I ride every day. I am an elderly man and am happy with my work horse, for long and short trips. Often on miserable Norwegian roads. With a little effort, you can get a good and cheap bike.