Waste of Money! The Worst Mountain Bike Products Ever

[@andymiller3889]

I used Onza bar ends back in my NORBA days, and can wholeheartedly say they were great for climbing. Modern geometry has done away with the need for them, but back when you were rocking a triple on the front of your 26er hardtail, they really helped!

[@durango1487]

100% agree with @andymiller3889 - and I'll add that my 1991 Klein Rascal still sports them (Onza of course) and I still ride the bike when my other is in the shop. Bar ends were not just for climbing, but great on the flats as well. They allowed us to move our hands around a bit when we had ZERO suspension, or at best maybe an inch and a half up front. I'll also swear by the FIRST generation of Grip Shift (3x6). The aforementioned Klein still has the first gen Grip Shift. The bike was relegated to the second tier when I got a full squish bike a couple of years ago, but the first gen Grip Shift, after all these years and hours of abject ABUSE, still work reasonably well considering their age (kinda like me). Some of the things on your list are spot on, but some of those mentioned were built back in the early days of MTB when everyone was trying to solve problems, and we knew pretty quickly they didn't work. Just my opinion as a guy whose first mountain bike was an1987 Diamond Back. You guys are great, keep up the awesome channel.

[@artao5]

Not to mention other hand position options to reduce hand and wrist strain.

[@stephenkeeling]

Absolutely: I’ve always had bar ends on my XC mountain bike. I especially use them when climbing. Really useful to have another position.

[@ivanjednobiegowiec7656]

...or on single speed bike. Absolutely ace on mashing uphills whilst busting your knee caps off xD

[@ephraimki7783]

yeah. i had a kästle bike back then and they had this nice shaped handlebar with bar ends on them. for climbing it was perfect. used it A LOT. because it was in one piece you could also hold at the curvature for a more comfy position. loved it!

[@Seppster58]

Oh Martyn. I installed suspension stem and seat post on my gravel bike to help me in an 250km ride last summer. I tell you it was the best investment I would say I did for that bike. It helped me endure those rough roads I hit. I am still a MTBer at heart and use my MTBs mostly, but for those odd gravel rides, that upgrade was great.

[@twillyspanksyourcakes]

These 2 won't understand that. They're elitist mountainbikers who only ride trails and thinks other forms of cycling is shit. No different from an elitist roadie

[@alexrhughes]

Which products did you use?

[@fademasterfade227]

Ditto. Redshift stem on the gravel/adventure bike is a win for me. Would not want on my mtb of course.

[@miker4926]

I had gripshifts on my first mountain bike. To be fair I quiet liked them, having said that I wouldn't go back to them now. As for bar ends, I have them on my hardtail. I tend to do long cross country rides, and I find being able to change my hand position onto the ends gives me a bit of relief when fatigue sets in. I'll carry on using them.

[@daniellarson3068]

I had bar ends on a bike for 30 years to prevent that hand numbing from that dumb straight bar. After 30 years I finally changed the handlebars on my bike to further avoid hand numbness.

[@ewxlt]

Gripshift was excellent! Loved it for almost 10 years. Avid mechanical disc brakes were adequate also.

[@The_Iainternet]

Definitely one of the few, but I quite liked gripshift back in the day! 🙊🤣 Always seemed to be people who never actually had them that ragged on them 😅

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

Adult grip shift isn’t too bad I guess - but they always stick it in kids bikes, and it’s too stiff for them to change gear - awful thing (on kids bikes)

[@JoeJoe-C137]

My mate spends stupid money on bikes and he always puts a gripshift on it, first upgrade.. his a nutter

[@Yoda-em5mt]

Grip shift wtf is the dumbest things ever the reason they were popular is they are super cheap compared to shimano shifter i was sponsored by a company that had grip shift on all there bikes and the hole team refused to use the crap.

[@johnmarsland3442]

I had sachs ‘wavy shifters’ like a low rent gripshift. Loved em.

[@AaronHendu]

I dont mind grip shifters on certain bikes...not MTB though.

[@enlin]

Shimano Biopace, inverse rear derailleurs, and Spengle wheels come to mind. I've been in the bicycle business for 27 years now, and we've seen some odd trends over time. I love the innovations that have endured, like Azonic's idea of a hollow crank, where the bottom bracket bearings were outside of the frame-a concept that eventually evolved into Hollowtech II. Or take telescopic seat posts; we used to have springs that never really worked well. All hail the single front chainring; it was like Christmas for mechanics when we finally got rid of the front derailleur. And don't get me started on disc brakes-amazing. I'm also a big fan of tubeless tires and adjustable high- and low-speed damping [Tim Allen-style grunt] Urr-urr-urr!

[@isitafox]

Cable disc brakes are class if you set them up right. Had some TRP Spyres on a CX bike with XT Icetech rotors and they were unbelievably powerful, also the right pads and cables in a set of Avid BB7's can be amazing

[@fademasterfade227]

Same here, still using Spyre's on my adventure bike and they are fine. For riding in remote areas , days away from any bike shop, simplicity has it's upsides.

[@donkauer6744]

I agree. Have Hayes cable disk on one of my mtb's and they are awesome.

[@shawnwells5719]

I have BB7 on a vintage Ventana Pantera and they are great for trail riding. Hydros are only advantageous for sustained downhill riding, or extremely technical stuff. For a long backcountry ride, cable discs are trailside repairable.

[@SamMilsomJediMaster]

I still run a set of recycled BB7s on my skinny tyre commuter Frankenstein bike and love em. On an MTB though, have to be hydraulic now.

[@madmax2069]

Yup, my cable disc brakes will toss me if I pull the handle too hard. They provide all the braking power I could ever want in brakes. But not all cable brakes are made the same, my friends cable disc brakes on his bike are nothing in comparison to mine, even putting a lot of force into the brake handle I can barely get the rear tire to lock up, but I guess it can be a good and bad thing. I've tried cleaning the rotors, changing the pads, aligning, adjusting the cable and stationary piston, scuffing the rotor and pad and try rebedding and they just won't improve.

[@Kim_Miller]

When my son turned 16 he decided he was too cool for his old BMX bike and I bought him a new mountain bike, and decided to also get one for myself so we could ride together. Mine had GripShifters and it was a useless system. However, my son loved it so we swapped shifters between the bikes and were both happy.

[@Skyum123]

Blake finding that cheese in his bar, had me genuinely laughing 😂

[@Greg41982]

Definitely have loved Grip Shift for many years. I just only recently switched with my newest 1x12 bike. I've never had much of a problem with inadvertent shifts. At least they didn't break every 5 minutes like 90s STI. Bar ends were great too. And yes, one piece bar and stem combos are a nightmare, but it's hard to argue that my green Klein Adroit doesn't look amazing (even with the little cable guide macaroni.)

[@InsanercYT]

sram has 12 speed gripshift just so you know

[@mathias5171]

I have the eagle grip shift on my casual/light trail bike I love them. The feedback is super clicky and I love being able to dump and gain tons of gears with the flick of a wrist. Also just shifting in general with so many gears is more effortless and easier on your wrist with a grip sift. Works well with Jones bars as long as you’re willing to sacrifice a grip.

[@rcLawnDartPilot]

I liked bar ends back in the 90s. Great for steep climbs and such. But it only works with the narrow bars of the era. Couldn't imagine how awkward it would feel with 800mm handlebars. Lol

[@paule4204]

Once the bars are wider than 660mm it gets strange. On a 580mm bar you can tuck into an aero position and hammer

[@artao5]

Not to mention other hand position options to reduce hand and wrist strain.

[@futebolguy84]

LoL I tried it on a 760 bar. I just never used them because the position wasn't right. Then I shifted them to inboard of the brakes and that's been really good for long rides or headwinds. It puts them roughly in the same position as hoods on a road bike. They still have a place, just not at the ends of the bars 😂

[@eternaloptimist2840]

You can mount bar ends not on the end of the bar for a longer narrower position, like Cinelli Spinaci.

[@JeremyLawrence-imajez]

Bar inners like SQLabs ones or even bar ends that you can mount inside brakes/shifters work really well. Having a variety of hand positions on long rides or when going faster and you can get more aero makes a big difference on a big ride. The SQLabs ones are basically mimic riding on the hoods of dropbars, which is a the most comfy position on drops.

[@NatCurrier]

I actually liked GripShift... I still have it on my old SuperV with Sram 9.0 and XRay with Gortex Cables.... never had trouble with unexpected shifts. I am not sure I would put it on a bike now, but they worked great back when they were fresh and new.

[@Kim_Miller]

Martyn's going to hate me for this. I've had RedShift suspension stems on two bikes (one road one gravel) and they are great bits of kit. They take a lot of road buzz out of my wrists. And to add insult to injury, the suspension stem works with a choice of hard to soft elastomers. Oh dear, now I've done it. I've also got a Spesh Roubaix from 2017 that has elastomers in the seat stays and the front forks. Double whammy. The later Roubaix has their Future Shock suspension stem and it can be a bit of a dog.

[@PereAndreuUbachdeFuentes]

Lack of aesthetics cannot be an argument to say something is worthless. That goes for bar ends, which I am fond of, and cannot understand a MTB without them.

[@marcalvarez4890]

Bar ends for the win. More hand positions for grinding long miles uphill! Yay!

[@jonahdewitt8464]

I know a guy who broke four ribs in an otb crash when his jersey got caught on the bar end. I've been scared of them ever since

[@PereAndreuUbachdeFuentes]

@@jonahdewitt8464 I don't quite understand the issue here. Did he break his ribs because going otb, and while doing so his jersey was caught with the bar end? Or his jersey got caught with the bar end and that caused him going otb? If it's the latter, how on Earth did he manage to tangle his jersey with the bar end in the first place?

[@Vanadium]

@@PereAndreuUbachdeFuentes Come one man you can see how bar ends can catch a tree or something. I ride narrow trails sometimes and I need hand guards because the vegetation is to close and hits my hands. There is not enough space to clear them. Bar ends on something like that would be horrible. There is a reason we have 700mm and wider bars so we dont need them. Inner bar ends are something that could be useful. But you could also grab your fork crown if you want another position

[@1312_PV]

​@@VanadiumTry to grab the fork while going 60 Km/h in your long commute home back from the trailhead.

[@iepekiepe]

Absolutely loved (and still do) the xtr dual controls. Important to uninstall the thumb knobs - dumb knobs- . Never miss shifed. Super reliable even in the roughest terrain.

[@jimwing.2178]

That describes my experience with them. Loved 'em.

[@jzab]

I miss the dual shift controls after I upgraded my bike too. They are great.

[@vanderhovenhaven]

I love my bar ends, BB7's. Also used and loved Gripshift for many years but now have a 10spd thumb shift. Might be old tech, but won't leave you stranded.

[@rident]

I like mechanical brakes on commuter bikes and for traveling. I think changes in frame/fork designs for disc braking and the evolution of bike disc brakes themselves has come a long way since those early Rockshox versions and mechanical is actually pretty good 95% of the time. Try some newer, cheap TRP Spyre or similar mechanical discs sometime - they won't be as good as hydraulic but they are just fine for most riding, much cheaper, and less of a hassle for air travel as they don't need spacers and there's no worrying about the levers getting pulled, lines getting damaged, or fluid leaking/bleeding.

[@eternaloptimist2840]

I have TRP Spyke on my e-bike which is a heavy beast even before I get on it, and with slick tyres on good tarmac I can stop as hard as I want with no drama. Not really cheap though.

[@ArtanisKizrath]

another option is the middle ground between mech and hydro - cable-actuated hydraulic disc brake. That's what I use in my commuter.

[@rosserobertolli]

I had the shimano-dual-shifter-thingy's and I loved them! Mainly because of the room for your hands, thumbs not rubbing against shifters, but I get how they can be a nuisance for rough rides

[@vehicle-stuff]

Grip shifters are not so bad. Especially on smaller handlebars and a city bike or a commuter. Like a cheap MTB or a city bike, especially with 6 speeds. I have one for over 10 years on my city bike and it works like a swiss watch. But I do not come out if it's raining. Also I do believe that they do not have place on a wide handlebars (>70cm).

[@ArtanisKizrath]

I'm also a gravel rider and suspension stems are amazing. They "mute" out tiny vibrations like washboard sensations and tiny gravel. They help lessen the fatigue in your hands. Suspension forks are great at absorbing big impacts like jumps or drops but you'd still feel the jarring vibrations if you go over washboards and bigger gravel. Suspension stems are definitely not for MTBs - even for XC.

[@rogerd9405]

Actually there are a few cable pull disc brakes that work pretty well. Avid/Sram makes one that I'm running on one of my bikes and Pauls makes one that I have not tried but many swear by. They actually prefer them over hydraulic.

[@liquefactionist]

I have ridden with Shimano dual shift/brake shifters for 20 or so years and never accidentally shift when braking. I love not having to move to get different gears. Suspension stems, worst part is down hill, brake, and now you tip more forward and go over the bars.

[@ECrapton]

I am still riding Gripshift, XC bike 10 spd most dry conditions. Excellent, simple, clean, reliable, light, never unwanted shifts. You can easily jump 3-4-5 gears with one twist. Not sure why this gets bashed. Only bad thing is the rubber wears out a bit. I do not understand why people would want AXS electronic shifting if a better solution exists.

[@MountainAdventures1]

One disagreement: Avid BB7 cable discs are fantastic, especially when matched with EBC pads. Better than some of the low-end hydro discs.

[@andythomson3379]

Suspension stems: Anything complicated in the headset can get in the sea, but the simplicity of a redshift stem (complete with elastomers....) is easily worth double the money for taking the edge of the vibrations hitting your wrists. Game changer on my gravel bike, not sure why anyone would bother with tyres measured in inches.

[@pingwingugu5]

If you loved the idea of Truvativ Hammerschmidt - a 2 gear gearbox in your cranks you cans still get one. It's called Schlumpf Drive and they offer it in Speed and Mountain version (mountain gives you a reduction of gearing, speed version increases the gearing). You operate them by you foot, by tapping a button on your cranks. Apparently it is sturdy enough for MTBs.

[@piast99]

Yeah, cable disc brakes in MTB are a bad idea because of a lot of cheap options for hydraulic ones from reputable brands, but on the drop handlebars bikes the price situation is ridiculous.

[@bryana7163]

I have a cross country bike with rim brakes, and put cable pull disc on it with a 80 mm fork, and I like it. Hydraulic would be better, but its way better than rim brakes.

[@AaronHendu]

I prefer cable to hydro because they just always work. You could accidentally rip a brake line out and then you are brakeless. I prefer v brakes on most bikes still tho so hydro not even really an option.

[@DjDolHaus86]

Back when disc brakes were just making their way onto mountain bikes (most forks/frames didn't even have mounts) there were no such thing as cheap hydraulics, entry level discs were cable and top end were hydro

[@lexx348]

@@DjDolHaus86 Good old Avid BB5 and BB7 were amazing value

[@cgeorgescu72]

Mechanical is underrated, consider this: BB7 mechanical brake caliper at €35: - pad clearance adjustment: yes, tool-free Yes, unheard of in the hydro world. How do you re-adjust a hydro caliper if one pad rubs the disc? But what if a piston is sticky? How do you do it on BB7? You simply turn the red knobs on either side to advance or retract the pistons, independently. It has no concept of sticky pistons. And yes, with such adjustments you don't even have to carefully position it in the 1st place, as you have the two red knobs to compensate for a wrong installation. Any mechanical brake lever at $5: - reach adjust: yes - contact point (free stroke) adjust: yes, tool-free How many hydro levers have contact point adjust? Ah, only those over $300 like SRAM Code RSC or Guide Ultimate... Avid Speed Dial 7 brake lever at €11: - reach adjust: yes - contact point (free stroke) adjust: yes, tool-free - modulation adjustment (ratio of lever pull vs. piston push): yes, tool-free Want more initial bite, Shimano style? Turn the knob clockwise. Want more modulation like on SRAM? Turn counter-clockwise. What hydro brake offers modulation adjustments? Yes, exactly no one. How do you change the ratio of lever pull vs. piston push (like, say, you want brake force gradually or, if you install a larger rotor, maybe you want less force) on a hydro brake? Only buying a different brake model. Is the hose too long on the mechanical brake? Just cut it with whatever you have in your garage, no rebleed needed, no new olives, no oil, no DOT5.1, no pistons cleaning, no pushing back pistons, no piston advance needed, no nothing.

[@dvs620]

Gravel bikes taking old mountain bike tech, slapping it on and acting like it's a new innovation? You don't say. Gravel bikes have basically turned themselves into 90s mountain bikes, with 700c wheels instead of 26".

[@shanold7681]

I feel like the lefty is fine because if it breaks you could just swap to a normal fork. I'm fine with proprietary as long as it uses a standard mount. so you aren't stuck with it.

[@mtbboy1993]

4:37 great points. but I saw No Front Brakes uses grip shift on the left side, as he's was born without a hand on the right.

[@MaNNeRz91]

Used the cheapest hydraulic brakes on eBay for years now. No issues at all. No leaking. No bad feedback through the levers. No bleeding problems. No fitment problems. The only thing I would like to have is either adjustable lever throw or adjustable pressure

[@Carambal81]

Gripshift is awesome, I still have it on my older hardtail bike and I will keep using it for as long as possible. For modern bikes I don't use it, since it is not really suited to be used with lock-out and dropper levers. I have quite large hands and I keep bumping my fingers into the levers for shifting. This can be very painful and even result in small wounds on my fingers on a long ride. Nowadays especially with added lock-out and dropper levers, there is too much crap around my hand and fingers. Gripshift is simply excellent, I never have unexpected shifts, all the grip on the handlebar I need and no issues with painful and bloody fingers.

[@iansingleton]

Just started riding my hard tail a lot again doing 60mile+ track & trail XC rides, the kids call this "gravel riding" even though there's not a patch of gravel in sight! I've recently put some bar ends on so I've got a couple more hand positions while out in the saddle for 5 - 6 hours and they're brilliant! They're a cheap upgrade and give me plenty of comfort! I've never used them before, I certainly wouldn't put them on my full suspension bike but I wouldn't be without them now for those big XC rides!

[@davidmatthew5246]

I have a vintage GT Team LTS, that sports the GripShift, and the Onza Bar ends. I loved both items. Having said that, you are correct, when wet, the Gripshift are horrible. With regards to the Bar ends, they made climbing WAY easier for me, as I had much better leverage, as I gripped the "Corner" where they met the end of the bars. They worked in either standing or sitting positions.

[@TheButlerNZ]

Cable disk breaks are BRILLIANT.... for giving you the most scariest downhill ride ever... I rode a bike with a set as clean and well working as I could get them... down a local track called Starfish.... A dark blue with multi small drops.... Riding my Giant with oil soaked pads, or the time I rode it on starfish (and videoed that one) with the front axle loose... still don't compare to the fear I had with cables, mid triple drop, when I remembered I had NO brakes thanks to the wet spaghetti stopping power of cable discs... Did you know they made some motorbikes with cable disks... I had one (for bucket racing, but immediately removed them)... on a Honda CB125T. Some people still try and argue that cable needs less adjustment than Hydraulic... (I'm fairly sure I had to adjust mine before/after EVERY ride yet barely touch my current ones (ok I cleaned the oil off the pads but they're still on the bike in my videos) and they've been on the bike since i got it nearly 5 years ago...

[@Ronald.1Rigas]

use a degreaser and soap and water to fix the oily problem ... even just keep them wet to burn off the contaminant

[@TheButlerNZ]

@@Ronald.1Rigas Never burn off the contaminant, you just leave behind carbon that can be even harder to remove. I've been cleaning brake pads for about 40 years (back to the 80's cleaning drum brakes with similar issues)... I use brake clean (for obvious reasons) and Methylated spirits. ( A jar just big enough to hold the pads, 1/3 filled.. Soak n shake. My channel bike is running 3 year old (already 2nd hand when I got it) soaked pads that I cleaned and have had one finger braking for 4 years since. The feel is brilliant... EVERY set of cable disks I have tried have the feel of bearing boxing gloves to pick up a pin.

[@KadenMonsonMTB]

Rockshox is just the kind of brand to go from using hydraulics for a dropper and cable for brakes, to making wireless innovations with their parent company sram

[@davidbell2490]

I switched over to gripshift when I injured my thumb and couldn't work the shift lever. Never had any problems. They were also great in the winter fatbiking when wearing heavy gloves. Also suspension stem and seatpost are great on the gravel bike when riding the really rough and washboarded roads we have in Idaho, just taking the sharp edge off the ride. Really an entirely different use case than MTB.

[@alexguiver815]

Hayes SO1E disc brakes were even worse than the RockShox ones you featured; they were hydraulic (DOT fluid) but single piston NON-floating calipers. What you had to do to set them up was adjust the fixed inner pad so it was literally kissing the rotor by means of a 50p piece-sized adjuster nut behind the pad which was then secured by means of an M3 grub screw in the caliper body. These were OEM on a 2006 Orange G2 26" hardtail I bought new and I think I would have been better off with V-brakes but unlike the otherwise identical Gringo, the frame didn't have brake posts. Eventually I upgraded them to Shimano M765s (thankfully without dual control levers) which literally transformed the entire bike.

[@NoBrakes23]

Onza bar ends helped on those old 80s machines. Even today, the minimal Cane Creek or Ergon bar ends offer marginal assistance. But with 800mm bars they do get in the way. Possible best left to niche things like bikepacking or weird mixed surface events. I currently have both a suspension stem on my gravel bike and those Scott Hixon barstems on my hardtail. Not really a fan of either, but the suspension stem WAS nice on my commuter. (The Scott bars were a super cheap take off deal from my LBS. A relatively cheap and fun experiment.)

[@PereAndreuUbachdeFuentes]

The GripShift, or Shimano's Revoshift, is a great option for the front derailleur. Particularly if it is non SIS or friction.

[@nigelaston8640]

I used and enjoyed Gripshift back in the day, The low end stuff was a bit naff but i loved the higher end stuff. As far as cable disc brakes are concerned back many moons ago Zoom brought a cable hydraulic system out long before Rockshock and they were quite good, Nowhere near as good as modern hydraulic discs but so much more power than V brakes

[@ivanjednobiegowiec7656]

Absolutely disagree with grip shifters. I absolutely love them. And they are one big advantage over triggers. Nothing to much sticking out to bend or break. I had crash on the off camber section and managed to bend my trigger shifter paddle beyond usability. Only good thing that saved the day was fact it was X0 with adjustable paddle position and I managed to extreme-adjust it and limp back to the base.

[@ryanknipe2052]

My 7 year old's girls mtb bike came with gripshift. She could drop gears, but going back up? Her little hands didn't have the strength. So I changed it to trigger shifting and she's much happier now :)

[@chrisburn7178]

Have to disagree about cable disc brakes! They are maligned because most often they're not set up well (particularly one piston ones where the non moving pad needs to be as close as possible to the disc) and have cheap cables which are mushy. I've had a set of twin-piston cable discs on my gravel bike for about 5 years and they have not needed any maintenance at all besides occasionally screwing out a barrel adjuster. Quality ones have great power as well.

[@madmax2069]

Yup, my cable disc brakes will toss me over the handlebars if I apply too much force into the handle, and honestly that more than enough braking force I could ever want. And mine are the single piston, single stationary piston calipers. Now the cable disc brakes on my friends bike is nowhere even close to mine. I've tried everything short of replacing the braking system and the brakes on his can barely lock up the rear tire, and that's applying a lot of force into the handle. I've tried cleaning the rotors, scuffing the rotors and pads and rebedding, replacing the pads with new, realigning the caliper, adjusting the stationary piston, adjusting the cable and they just won't improve. They'll stop you, but don't offer nowhere near the amount of braking performance as mine do.

[@Videomorgue]

My experience with cable disk brakes wasn't trouble stopping. It was their inability to modulate along with a complete lack of lever feel. The lever was more like an on/off switch than an actual brake lever.

[@jennifercrosland9352]

While I agree with most ( especially the cheese grips) I do feel that bar ends have their place. I have seen many MTB vs Gravel bike face offs but the gravels always seem to be tweaked for the ride ( tire size gearing etc) but not the MTBs. I would like to see a fair head to head "vs" video but tweak the MTB, hardtail, narrower bars with bar ends and comparable tires. ( yes I ride my older specialized hardrock comp disc in this set up) oh and I love hydraulic brakes..but have to say my tektro IO brakes are as grabby as my hydraulics on my newer road bike.

[@karsnoordhuis4351]

Im still running gripshifts on my touring bike i use as my daily driver. Bought new by my dad in the 90s and the shift is still excellent. I am however glad ive got 'normal' shifters on my mtb with all the mud flying around.

[@wick67]

Have to slightly disagree about the mechanical disc brakes, have a set of Avid BB-7s that have served me very well over the years. Not saying hydraulics aren't better, but the Avids really are very good, light, and easy to maintain. You want rubbish though? Under chainstay mounted roller cam and/or U-brakes. It's not that the brakes didn't do as good a job as other brakles of the day, but whoever thought it was a good idea to stick them on the chainstays ought to be flogged. if there was any hint of mud they just got clogged up and started dragging on the back wheel. Useless and a nightmare.

[@johnbodenchuk514]

I tend to disagree on the cable disc brakes. I run Paul Clampers or TRP on all my bikes. Ease of maintenance, yes some adjustments are required but easy to do. For long XC rides and especially bikepacking, crash, damage or unforeseen issues are easier to fix on the trail with mechanical.

[@pmiller7886]

Alot of cyclocross guys around here run TRP hy/rd brakes, that's how I found them. Never going back to full hydro.

[@ControlAroundRockLines]

I've worked in bike shops for over 20 years. Have had some great ones over the years. Customer buying a bike specifically asked for bar ends to carry their shopping bags. Also had a dad ask for some toe straps because he was trying to teach his son to ride but he kept taking his feet off the pedals 🤣

[@colinl2908]

SQ labs innerbarends are awesome if you ride on road or fire trails!

[@canardweb]

Huge respect to you Mr Ashton but the integrated stem and handlebars you are talking of is the Clean Kombo and it breaks inevitably.

[@fredman1085]

Twist Grip Shift. I couldn't disagree more. I had (still have) the 8 speed on my hard tail LiteSpeed and it worked flawlessly 25 years ago and it works flawlessly today. I rarely if ever miss shifted because of twisting the grip. We rode year round, so in the rain, in mud, etc... and while I did have to tighten my grip at times, never was I NOT able to shift. Now, I understand why you can't use them these days with 12 speed cassettes but for 8 speed. LOVED and still LOVE it. That being said, I have to admit, I spend 99% of my riding time on my 22 Trek Rail-7 and this new kid on the block Shimano works pretty well too. Mostly, now that my age has advanced, I prefer the 29" wheels and full suspension AND the longer taller geometry of modern bikes. My older short and small frame from my old racing days just is too much for my old geezer body and skill set. BUT, when I do ride that old bike, NEVER do I complain about it's shifting.

[@bubtheloop]

I have problems with my wrists from work on computers and really miss the barends on my new bike. they are a great relief on straight parts

[@esoxcycles]

Run a Flexstem bitd, I liked it until the elastomer split landing a jump. Wouldn't have been a big jump if I was doing it. Gravel bikes having suspension segments shows they are filling the void of 90's mountain bikes.

[@impaledface7694]

I love gripshift...... for xc. Dumping all the gears on rolling terrain is amazing. However on techie riding it was a little unsettling when you shifted accidentally(kind of a skill issue). My issue is I never kill my shifters so I don't bother buying new shifters, gripshift or otherwise. Never had an issue in the mud but I don't remember riding in much here. Rather have gripshift then e-shift. I still think bar ends are great for gravel or road riding since it gives an extra neutral grip.

[@marshall9c]

I loved bar ends. You had to have them to make sure people knew it was a mountain bike, back when they just looked like road bikes with fat tyres

[@bikedibley]

Grip Shift...honestly, it's so so SO much better nowadays than everyone remembers. I'm kinda sad Grip Shift got slated here because sure...it used to be crap. But modern Grip Shift that is still made, is utterly brilliant. Precise, fast, light...you don't even shift by accident anymore.

[@paule4204]

Bar ends are Fantastic for commuting and flat bar gravel bike, which is what cross country use to be. The issue is mountain biking trails become more technical where they got in way and bike geometry changed which made them not required. Go have a look at most touring bikes and they still use bar ends.

[@ericrosenburg657]

GripShift X-ray was my first set. I still ride that bike with Shimano XT parts and a pair of modern GripShift. So great! I am probably going to go with SRAM on my next bike just so I can have that one shifter on my right, just like a throttle! Really, use them for a while and give me a real reason why you wouldn’t use them.

[@rogerd9405]

As for the GripShift, somehow I broke mine in to where I didn't need to twist my wrist to shift gears. All I had to do is flick my thumb and it would switch gears up or down with minimal effort. That part of it worked really well. But yes, I would accidentally switch gears one in a while.

[@brianrosenthalbudack]

red shift stems make it so folks who have wrist chatter issues can keep going. it works super dope. Try them out.

[@ashurany]

I'm old (mid 50s) and have pretty much always put bar ends on my mtb. The older ones look dated, but I love the ergon GS5. Don't use them on my mtb but on a flat bar gravel bike.

[@johnjrubadub]

Where to start? Inverted forks, URT rear suspension, rapid-rise rear derailleurs, triple-wall rims, Cannondale Headshok, Specialized Brain, carbon disc-brake rotors, Nokon cables, Shimano e-type front derailleurs, Avid Elixir brakes, and whilst it's not strictly a product: Baggy t-shirts with lycra shorts can burn in hell.

[@scottlstone]

Future Shock 2.0 works very well. You can turn the dial and stiffen/soften it and it’s not immediately obvious it’s there when using it. The main benefit besides the obvious is it negates the effort loss you get with conventional forks so in the roadie world you still have the efficiency plus dampening.

[@fpeter01]

I had a gripshift on my first mtb. Shimano TY 7speed. It was nice, but the gear change required a lot of force and I had to wear gloves on hot days because shifting with sweaty hands was not easy. I have a xx1 gripshift laying around and I wonder how much it has changed. For bikepacking it can be a really good solution.

[@Cyberpunk1977]

I cannot agree according GripShift. Rode them for a long time and never failed when shifting. Every condition in a lot races went perfect

[@hallstewart]

Bar ends for extending reach and a different hand position when speed tucking or climbing. Longer reach bikes have largely obviated their usefulness. Still run a bull horn bar on my road Singlespeed to aid climbing.

[@ashleyphotog]

Barends totally work, still have them on my hard tail to this day! being able to shift your weight and get further forward for a climb got you into a more powerful position. you missed out Unified rear triangle (URT) bikes from the late 90's

[@six60six]

I'm still running a Hammerschmidt on one of my bikes after all these years. They're great paired with an 11 speed drivetrain.

[@robertgraham3559]

High end Grip Shift is better for trail riding. This is because you can shift as many gears as you want at a time. I had to remind myself not to shift through the whole cassette at once. This really is something you need. However, they keep making them too large in diameter. Who thought this was a good idea? It's unergonomic. People with no grip strength don't ride dirt. Also, in the U.S. we don't ride in muddy conditions, so not being able to grip it with muddy hands is not an issue. Trigger shifters are for road bikes, and maybe cross country. My Stumpjumper had them installed at the shop, and that was the first mod I did to that bike.

[@sala6275]

Bar ends integrated directly into the handle bar. Zero angle adjustment, no width selection. I thought they looked cool, but that appeal lasted about 6 months.

[@letour32rr]

On long, non-technical climbs, I find myself missing my old bar ends. Then I hit some singletrack with vines and remember why I don’t want them.

[@OldDirtGuy]

My wife suffered a nerve issue that took away the use of her right hand. I couldn't find a left hand rear shifter. But I did find that a rear grip shifter can be run on the left side without too much issue. Would I rather set up a left hand rear shifter for her? Sure. Get somebody to make one.

[@ashpunting]

I have ordered the handlebar suspension shock for one of my electric bikes even though I won't be doing any serious off Roading with this bike, I will let you know how it goes.

[@Ronald.1Rigas]

it should go smooth ... more comfy

[@ashpunting]

@Ronald.1Rigas that's what I thought, so thank you, brother 🙏

[@panganaranga]

I agree, hyd and mech disc brakes are worlds apart. But growing up in the 80ˋs I still do endos and wheelies with mech disc brakes. Trp spyre and org pads and jagwire cables. Itˋs okay on a gravel bike and it takes some handpower.

[@daleboy557]

Remember my Trans X bar ends

[@StopaskingformynameYouTube]

Barends: Magnificent if your average ride is of some magnitude, like 3+ hours. Changing your grip often helps with fatigue and with barends i can ride for ours and hours.

[@pcpwcail]

I really liked bar ends I still have them on my commuter bike, and ergon makes them as for the one piece bar stem set up I've got the bontrager version 150mm stem with a hyperlight bar epoxied and riveted in place.😊

[@belperflyer7419]

We have a cable disc brake on the back of our Cannondale tandem and it's the only time I've had a rear brake capable of locking the wheel - and that includes a variety of drum brakes that were as much use as a chocolate teapot. I've had a lot to do with tandems over the last 30+ years and the cable disc brake is both simple to maintain and powerful.

[@belperflyer7419]

Just to add a few for we (much) older riders: A very experienced racing cyclist friend likes Gripshifts because he has arthritic thumbs. I had a serious accident back in 1990 which caused some permanent spinal damage which forced a change from drop to flat bars on our tandem: the Girvan stem relieved jolting to my sneck and shoulders and bar ends helped to reproduce my favoured 'riding on the hoods' position on longer rides. It means that I can simulate some dropbar (with which I did many, many 1000s of miles) riding positions on my road bikes so I would be sorry to see them disappear. I had my MTB frame built by Mercian back in 1976 to my design - no suspension, of course, and finding components wasn't easy. It's still in use but the last long ride was a tour of SI New Zealand back in 1999. So though I rode a few 100km off-road events before my accident, I suppose I don't count as a current rider :)

[@gsum1000]

Here's two more - 1. Flimsy, over-engineered and badly designed derailleur clutches which are prone to water/crud ingress via the adjustment port and the on/off lever if the retaining c-clip slips. A simple spring and lockout pin does the job far better. 2. Excessively low BB height resulting in too many pedal strikes and very poor climbing characteristics. My old Trek Stache is renowned for its climbing ability because its BB is so high that you'd get a nosebleed. Great bike.

[@27lacuna27]

I really value the bar ends integrated into my Ergon grips. They give a variety of actual comfortable hand positions

[@gurkpojken]

Cable-discbrakes are great when you are in touring. Just to simplify but still have brakes when it rain and snow.

[@iggalan]

About suspension in the stem for gravel bikes: it’s just in the DNA, gravel should not ever look like MTB in any way, if you had a short travel fork then it’s not gravel anymore, drop bars or not 😂😂😂 I love my gravel bike, my road bike and my various MTB (trail, XC). If the terrain is going to be bumpy then it’s XC time.

[@adrechsel]

Yeah, the gravel-sneering on GMBN and GCN is getting a little tiresome.

[@AndyfromSurrey]

Back in the very early 90s I had a Girvin flex stem and it was pretty good. Remember, back then the tire’s were pretty narrow so anything that helped comfort was a good thing 😂. Obviously now, even basic forks are much better. Bar ends were also useful as the bars were so narrow & the reach was less than todays bikes, so they allowed you to get your weight further over the front on the climbs. As for grip shifts, awful things 😂😂. And elastomer suspension was ok(ish) but you had to service it regularly and if the seals let water in they just locked up & didn’t move.

[@somerandomblokeybloke6033]

Avid BB7 Cable discs were really good and a popular choice on the front of trials bikes.

[@adamcollentrials]

Was going to mention these, I love how bitey those Avids are. A far cry from those poxy cable jobbys you get on some BSOs

[@dwaynebrietzke]

I got a set of diatech disc brakes in 99. They operated the same as the Rock Shox ones in that they were cable operated and the caliber was floating only pushed from one side. They were barely equal to the V brakes I had replaced them with. However I did taco a front wheel and after repairing the flat was able to finish the ride (taco was not that bad) but if I had V brakes it would have been unrideable. Right after I upgraded to Hayes hydro disc brakes and the difference was astonishing. Loved grip shift though. Used it for years and years.

[@arminhess1512]

grip shift = ❤ dual control = ❤ mechanical disc = nowadays there are some pretty good housings so it works good bar ends = ❤

[@johnnydoe66]

Bar ends worked great to protect my hands from tree strikes, believe me, I bent several. Now they're being used on flat bar gravel bikes, set inboard of the controls.

[@adamthompson4979]

I had the XTR dual control shifters. If the conditions were dry, and for 2-3 rides, the shifting was great. Any wet riding and after 2-3 rides, the shifting got awful, I assume moisture, and or dirt/dust, got into the cable housing and just severely degraded the performance.

[@dr07828]

Grip shifts were cool when you went from the old school lever shifter. You know, the one that had no indexing, and you just kinda pushed it and hoped you got to the gear you wanted...

[@daniellarson3068]

Right now friction shifters are becoming popular once again. They make a lot of sense with finicky old derailleurs.

[@randalbladel2817]

You don’t just push and hope. You learn where to put the lever. Kind of like playing a violin (no frets!) 11:52 vs. playing a guitar. (Has frets)

[@livinglifeontheedge4261]

Over the years I went 8 for 10 according to this. The first FS 29"er made back in 2000 had those Rock Shox calipers and actually didn't work that bad but you could fry an egg on them after a decent length decent. Rode grip shift for a number of years after originally not liking it and was an OffRoad dealer bitd that sold flex stems and had an IRD sus fork with elastomers. Still have a bike with a Schlumpf Speed Drive, similar to Hammershmidt, and use bar ends on my current bike. And last year I bought a custom framed fat bike with dual control but I sold them on as I had other plans for the bike. Rode them a few times bitd but they were admittedly funky.

[@senaia5847]

Apollo bikes in general. Made from cereal box parts and definitely not built to last. Ive had 2 and neither of them lasted more than 6 months without a catastrophic mechanical failure. I dont ride trails, i simply commute, and dont think a rear wheel, or bottom bracket should need to be replaced in such a short time with regular maintenance. I can forgive the chain and cassette due to the milage i do, but my last apollo bike needed a new wheel within a month.... oh and the pedals literally crumbled within weeks. Emergency pedal purchase from Wilko of all places lasted way longer

[@DanyaAnderson]

Had a lefty and hated it, had Gripshift (still do on a retro) and love them 😂. Elastomer Girvin parallel fork felt and looked awesome. Ergo bar ends are 🤟 for bikepacking. They missed the opportunity to rag on the Thudbuster - also in my collection 😅

[@hannesjansch7199]

Truvativ Hammerschmidt was great for my Freeride Bike back in the Days. Allways worked great with no Serivce for Years.

[@andrewcunningham9256]

Proprietary shocks can be OK- Trek did great things with their re:aktiv shocks in the past, they were basically trunnion before trunnion was cool and had brilliant digressive damping. But also, they were smart enough to get Fox to make them and they used mostly standard Fox seals.

[@allosallounou6022]

I dislike grip shift, but it does work well in the deep canadian winter with mitts on. so gotta give it points for that. newer sram and shimano that you can shift with just the thumb fixes it but for earlier years it was very useful

[@krdorner]

Many moons ago i bought and used a SoftRide stem on my Marin Eldridge Grade mtb. At the time i loved it because I could remove the ace bandages from my wrists :)

[@brendonnoble5227]

2x drivetrains. If you are going to have a front mech (with cable and shifter) why not have 3 chain rings? More range and better chain lines.

[@andrew_gardner]

recently got a gravel bike to do some extra riding when the forest trails are too muddy. It has the Redshift suspension stem and I really don't notice it, maybe because I didn't have a solid stem to start so I don't have a comparison.