RIP Rim Brakes & Is ‘Gravel’ Just a BS Marketing Term? - The Wild Ones Podcast Ep.3

[@stuartpotter4923]

Jimmi - the film you're looking for is Start Trek, the wrath of Khan. I remember being terrified by that scene as a child. Great movie.

[@Jimmidoesstuff]

Same

[@thebudgetcyclist4310]

I just bought a rim frame in 2023 , I somehow can’t convince myself to change to disc

[@billhulley]

Chain waxing is a bit like the faff of tubeless, a fair amount of up front hassle but once it's working it's light on maintenance. Clean my chain once a week with boiling water and dipping in the wax pan takes about ten minutes for about 500km of smooth quiet and very clean riding. Chain lasts a lot longer too. Worth the small effort.

[@chris1275cc]

I think people get in a flap over waxing (like I did the first time) because they want it NOW and try and do everything at once in a few hours. When I do a new chain now I buy it before I need it, its not unusual for it to be in the various jars 3 or 4 days, it adds piece of mind too because if it ain't clean by then it never will be.

[@felixblock1542]

The most important trick is: wax several chains in a row when you have heated the wax pot. This doesn't take much time, and you don't have to do it once a week. Maybe once a month or once every two months. Besides of that, all the maintenance - apart from waxing - goes practically to zero. The chain doesn't wear out and so don't all the other parts. I started waxing the chain at the beginning of 2020. I drive about 15k km a year and have not worn out any chain, cassette or chainring. Okay I have to admit: I have 10 chains for 2-3 bikes in use, in the main season 2 bikes with 10 chains. You have to ride a lot of kilometers or miles until the coating is worn out. I also used old chains in the beginning. Since then, no chain is measurably worn. They are, so to speak: brand new. It's amazing. In my case it's molten speedwax, but other should work the same.

[@sheepdogcapital]

100% if you run 2-4 chains, you only need to wax in one go and be done with it all. plus the drive train lasts way longer and saves you money long term

[@AsOriginalAsYou]

Are you re-using the power link or using a fresh one?

[@felixblock1542]

@@AsOriginalAsYou I use normal YBN links 11x, till now they are reusable and last very long. Maybe i switch to fresh ones on the really old chains, but till now they are okay.

[@d3nswiper]

For me waxing the chain isn't about the performance or marginal gains. It's about not having to deal with degreasers and other toxic shite and prolonging the life of my drivetrain. Taking the chain off and dropping it in a pot only takes me like a minute, then another minute to install it. Degreasing/relubing with wet lube would take a lot longer, would be messier and I just never want to go back to that after discovering wax

[@marksticky0688]

This ⏫️ . I've run the same cassette and chainrings for 3 or 4 seasons (8km per season) and about 3 chains over this period. Everything stays super clean and lasts for ages. Normal lube is way overrated 😂

[@chris1275cc]

​@@marksticky0688 I agree I recently put a black sunrace cassette on my Gravel bike I like SR cassettes but usually avoid the black option because they look like worn out crap after about 100km, but it was available significantly cheaper, after about 2000 km all but the tips of the teeth are still black (and for once it aint oil and muck).

[@KroTrowl]

Agreed, it's super annoying to put on but it keeps the drivetrain cleaner in the summer. haven't run it long enough to know if it provide the promised x2/x3 lifetime improvement on the chain and cassette but if it does it's worth the work.

[@fraserherman8754]

Bang on! So clean and easy. I don't know what these 2 are on about

[@Shaun-sx5qm]

Couldn’t agree more. After a dirty/wet gravel ride it takes me less than 10 minutes to take my chain off, hose down my bike (all the mud flies off cause it’s not caked in chain lube) & drop my chain in hot wax. It’s an absolute game changer for my road bike which only comes out in fair weather too. Struggling to see how it’s overrated to be honest & I’ll personally never go back!

[@MrJustinCafe]

I love your podcast and the tone of it. You are so refreshing guys, thanks a lot for all the content you are making. All the best ! :)

[@WALDO1000]

The appeal of titanium is that it is your forever bike. Its not for everyone, but the upside to it is not a mystery. It is a boutique material for a specific kind of enthusiast who is prioritizing certain things. If you are buying a titanium bike you are probably also getting your bike custom made or at least semi-custom made. Titanium allows you to get a very light and very durable bike. Titanium is generally not for pro-racers - but it is very attractive to semi-pro & enthusiasts because it allows you to build a custom, ultra-light, bike that could last you the rest of your life. How many carbon frames got totaled at Unbound due to rubbing and grinding of mud? If your not sponsored that awful - it would be very hard to total a titanium frame in the same fashion. The point of titanium is that if you are going to spend $5000< on a bike - why not get something that's high performance, light, made to fit you, and will last decades. That's the argument for titanium. You want something "original"? How about fully custom geometry to your body and needs? Don't get me wrong Ti is not for everyone and has been and always will be a niche material - but it's appeal is not a mystery. Different strokes for different folks.

[@BoogieBrew]

Titanium is actually seriously UNDER-RATED. Echo all your well-stated points on Ti's true benefits. 👌

[@gregorysteffensen3279]

anecdotally, seems like it's a particularly fantastic material for high-end custom track/fixed-gear bikes if that's your thing

[@discbrakefan]

@charlesmansplaining Kind of funny because neither material corrodes. Carbon definitely isn’t junk. Titanium is beautiful, enjoy it. But don’t shit on other people’s choices with false nonsense.

[@timtaylor9590]

ti is not a forever bike, it fatigues until failure, it cannot be repaired effectively, its expensive, hard to work with, nor is it very light, its just an expensive version of aluminium. if youre worried about totaling a bike from tire rub throw some metal frame protectors on your frame and do some recon to know what conditions are like so you can actually race and not have to dnf then blame equipment. and the magic feel ppl say it has is bs too.

[@Chungleas]

Forever bike... Till it cracks.

[@Adanteh]

For my hybrid commuter bike I was looking at secondhand ones and they all had the very cheap mechanical disc ones, which I absolutely did not want. I ended up with Magura Hydraulic rimbrakes which I haven't had to service once in the last 2 years and their stopping power is really amazing.

[@BrianRPaterson]

I know what you mean. My bike has a set of 20 year-old Magura hydraulic rim brakes. I've swapped the pads plenty of times, but I don't remember ever needing them serviced. Or even bled. That said, if my bike could accommodate hydraulic discs, I'd swap in a heart beat. Discs work on the steeps and in the rain. The Maguras work great in the dry and just OK in the wet - but there's quite a lag. Cheers

[@malcontent_1]

The disk v. rim brake question is a supply/demand issue, where in this case the _lack_ of supply of rim brake options made available basically _steers_ the consumer's demand.

[@eagerbob]

Chain wax does certainly not clog up, or make your bike dirty. On the contrary, never has my drivetrain been so clean and smooth-running as since I started using hot wax. Wax repels dirt, unlike oil. Once you get over the initial cleaning off the factory grease (I am lazy and have that done by the bikeshop) it is not a lot of work at all.

[@Lauriieton]

Waxing your chain is much easier, cheaper, and cleaner than lubing your chain. There are drip on waxes that work great, the chains are much easier to clean and rewax (just needs a wipe down, no degreaser necessary), the chain stays cleaner for longer, and the parts wear out much slower. The only downside I see is that wax seems to wipe off in the rain easier than lube, but all in all wax is a huge net upgrade from lube.

[@0dcd9530]

I just started waxing my bikes out of curiosity (using Silca whatever its named), mostly because I want to increase the life of my chain, cassette and ring. We'll see about the easier to clean and rewax part. However one of the unexpected result is it turned my transmission noiser than when using wet lube. Like when using a wet lube transmission is totally silent for the first 2 rides. With wax it just stays noisy as if it was dirty. That is a big bummer to me, I hate noisy bikes.

[@alastairstedman7840]

@@0dcd9530 if you started your wax journey in an already used chain that could be an issue. As wax will turn any contamination that has already entered the chain into a grinding paste. But yes wet lube is generally more silent. Sticky liquid oil is usually a pretty good sound damper regardless of what contamination may or may not be present in the chain. Wax is usually "noisier" because the outside of the chain isn't "wet". As chains don't really need to be lubricated on the outside all that much. Your rollers on the chain are the sacrificial surface so it doesn't matter all that much if they wear away abit on the outside. The important part that needs to be lubed is inside the rollers. That's where the majority of your pressure is located and also when contamination gets in, most of the wear occurs. Realistically unless you are riding an unbound like mud fest, even in bad conditions the outside usually remains pretty clean which means your cassettes and rings don't wear all that much. The main wear mechanic in rings and cassettes is the chain stretch caused by roller wear. So if you negate the roller wear to a minimum level using a wax, your Drivetrain lasts longer. Even if it is a bit noiser because there is nothing to dampen the sound of the chain and teeth meshing together. Hectic grit only sticks to the outside if you are using wet lube.

[@ilhm474]

100%. The only way to make traditional lube worth using is to clean your bike after every ride and I'd rather quit cycling than do that.

[@traversecitysufferclub]

Waxed chains are saving me time and my drivetrain looks so CLEAN! More efficient, too, I guess. Shaved legs are awesome. If you go in for marginal gains, start wearing aero socks, then hairy legs would look stupid, imo. Also, shaving my legs helps me maintain my discipline. If my legs are shaved I'm less likely to skip a workout or ear like a fool.

[@Lauriieton]

@@ilhm474 same, the ease of use/maintenance is the biggest thing for me, but wax even just performs better too which is a good bonus

[@ian_pedalz]

Rim Brakes are incredible, and my preferred method of braking on a road bike, they are lighter and more aero, virtually maintenance free. Modulation on new disc brake road bikes still isn’t that great. Also Cane Creek is making rim brakes still! SRAM is also making a New apex mechanical that is 12 speed.

[@82vitt]

They more I hear about the death of rim brakes, the more I want them on my bike. The more I hear that heavy, bulky, hideously looking bikes with 30mm tyres on 30mm wide rims are sexy, the more I want 23s on a Bora Ultra wheel set. Aero this, aero that, aero my arse. I have ridden daft heavy, aero, disc brakes bike and a lightweight, exposed cables, rim brakes one. I don't need journos and influencers tell me which one I prefer.

[@ian_pedalz]

@@82vittI’m tired of seeing the sport I love turn into this huge money grab. George Vargas on KZbin has a video of his steel Ritchey, with rim brakes and a mechanical group set, alloy wheels and it’s under 17lbs. And it didn’t require a second mortgage to get. Tell me I can’t have something and it’s probably because you want to make more money off of me😂

[@Cloxxki]

As a big guy, I didn't really like rim brakes in mountains. Molten innertubes, that sort of thing. But just so easy to set up. If you don't do crazy descending, rim brakes are actually find on mountainikes, and no need to spend more than a couple tenners on the whole system. Alivio level V-brakes are actually great. Deore was really amazing. Slighly taller than average brake surface on the rim is welcome, but not needed. Brake pad swap: €1.

[@iMadrid11]

Bring back the hydraulic actuated rim brake calipers. SRAM Red Hydro and Magura used to make them. This should make disk brake only electronic groupsets with hydro shifters work with rin brakes.

[@Cloxxki]

@@iMadrid11 Some were hidden in forks and frames even I think. I never used Magura, it was a pain and heavy in comparison to V's.

[@asalvio]

I still love my old Giant road bike with ultegra groupset and rim breaks. We have two other bikes with hidraulic disc brakes, 105 on the road bike and Tektro on the mountain bike. They demand so much on maintenance. At home we are not sure if all the time and money consumed to maintain the hidraulic compensates the brake precision gains.

[@alexmichl3137]

Ye disc brakes provide nearly no benefits and lots of maintenance.

[@rrluthi1]

I can say that Chain Waxing does not leave a bike gunky and dirty. With oil lubes I used to have to clean my cassette every 7-10 days, spray loads of degreaser on it. Now I can go months and my cassette is still silver. Swapping between 2 chains takes seconds.

[@billhulley]

Indoor kit is basically your old bibs that have worn out a bit and old shoes where the heals have worn down.

[@anthonyjones1179]

Indoor kit is see through shorts or shorts with holes in them that would see you arrested if you wore them in public

[@davet003.5]

Bib shorts, an old tech t shirt to distribute rivers of sweat, old towel on the floor, and many fans

[@mybrotherisnotapig6750]

Microshift's has become the economy king of groupsets followed by Ltwoo and Sensah though Shimano might come ahead if Shimano Cues lives up to expectations. Guys will you do a review on the Wheeltop EDS road electric groupset when comes it out? It's one of the main competitor of Ltwoo & Sensah in the chinese electric groupset market.

[@cjohnson3836]

This is a pretty western take. Shimano built its hegemony on the likes of Altus, Alivio and Tourney. Not saying MicroShift doesn't make good things. They do, I have an entire set of Advent X. But I don't think most people realize just how much of the global market Shimano owns. 80% of road groupsets sold globally are Shimano. The only area there's even competition is in the MTB sphere and SRAM is still only around 35-40% of global sales, Shimano holds over half the global MTB group market.

[@SecwetGwiwer]

Cipollini just bought out a new rim brake model and you can still buy rim brake groupsets (including SRAM Red) from all the major component manufacturers.

[@chrisrye13]

Loving the new format, lads. I like a long-form natter-style podcast as it's great to listen to when training vs 5-10min KZbin vids. Keep it up! 1. Indoor cycling kit. I dont have any and probably won't (I just cycle in a base layer) but i can definitely see the benefit. The reason why wearing clothes is better than topless is because it wicks the sweat away and helps you cool down and stay comfortable, rather than the sweat beading and absolutely drenching you and your kit (lets not even get into the fact it'll save your fortunes in repairs from trashed parts bexause of sweat damage). Indoor specific clothes are obviously going to do that job better than clothes that are also designed to protect you from elements, UV, crashes, wind, rain etc. If you train indoors a lot, i can see it being worth having some indoor kit, for sure. 2. Chain wax. If it's not for you, cool. But when you say things like "it makes your bike filthy" (I know Francis corrected this) it just shows you've never tried it so I'm not sure the over/under-rated opinion is valid. 3. I've also got a ti bike, but I won't get butt hurt about that one, as I can definitely see the argument for ti being over-rated, as much as I love mine (Reilly Gradient T47). I do think in yhe gravel market there's some decent arguments for ti when it comes to stone chips, bikepacking bags etc.

[@robertcavanagh]

Fair point on titanium i have a planet x spitfire i used it as my winter bike and commute on it. Looks great feels the same a a steel bike but does look cool. Love the podcast thanks

[@mctrials23]

People wax their chains because its cleaner and makes your drivetrain last longer. As to the time it takes. It takes about 20 minutes to strip and wax a chain unless you are sitting there twiddling your thumbs while you wait.

[@axelfrankburger658]

Very entertaining indeed. I look forward to comments on: carbon frames; aero frames; bicycle weight under/overrated as well. If you prepare several chains for molten waxing, the procedure and material consumption is very lean, if you cleaned the chains meticuosly, to an extent, one would' n't with oil, I bet you'll opt for underrated ; )!

[@andyamos8594]

I walked into a supermarket (Spain) today and they had all types of bikes with rim brakes, many at a price that pre-covid were as disc brake models! Scary!!

[@natheirabu-dahab1446]

You can get the new Dura Ace and Ultegra with rim brakes. You have to look for them though.

[@emilychilds8085]

I could never get my glasses to fit in my helmet until I turned them upside. That’s the secret.

[@scottwatson7844]

Giant still do a rim brake version of there TCR Advanced SL frame set.

[@gunjja13]

Love your podcast guys! What watch is this on your wrist Jimmi?

[@JWRide]

Looking forward to this one! Hope you enjoyed the burritos (and that they weren't too wet). Great to chat Jimmi - I'm the soaking wet Deliveroo guy from Tuesday!

[@Cade_Media]

best burritos we have ever eaten

[@JWRide]

@@Cade_Media haha glad to hear it - until next time! I'll be accepting pings to you in a heartbeat now :P

[@skatetron1798]

I own a Ti bike. I bought it for it's resillience to rust. I live in vancouver. salty air, and every steel bike i have owned (i love steel) just starts to rust unless you are on top of keeping every ding and nic' cleaned and re coated. I have ridden Aluminium (it was cheap aluminium) and it was aweful and just a constant sorce of a sore ass even with a fit, and better seat. Ti is over rated 100%, but it is highly resistant to rust. hopefully mine doesn't fall apart..

[@fede1275]

I was about to find a new love for Jimmi, when he said he liked rim brakes, until he pronounced Bianchi wrong... 😢😂

[@Jimmidoesstuff]

I’m Welsh. Bet you can’t pronounce Caerdydd right.

[@fede1275]

@@Jimmidoesstuff Fair enough 😂😂

[@karenstewart3047]

Love your videos!

[@fede1275]

@@karenstewart3047 I'm sure you are talking about me 😄😆

[@mavericklimsk]

I am a strong supporter of rim brakes for road bikes.

[@tredmer]

Two disagreements on an otherwise flawless episode. I traded my steel frame for titanium last month. Not for weight, not for ride quality, but nor no other reason than it sees real Adventures (capital A). I got tired of chasing the corrosion monster when the paint would chip from being bashed off rocks and ridden through rivers. I'm not a titanium snob, but for a durable frame material that rides great, it's tough to beat. Second, give waxing a second shake. It sooo much cleaner, and any time wasted re-dipping is regained twofold from almost never having to clean cassettes, derailleurs, or chain rings. A quick boil to reclaim the wax on the chain, a hot dip in a $10 crock pot that heats up while I'm doing something else, and it's back to business. I have two chains that I cycle back and forth and my drivetrain is always flawless.

[@f1rstlol]

Last time i checked our local race, litteraly noone had SRAM on it lmao, 105-Ultegra mechanical dominate scene, also many couldn’t care less about “wireless” - I don’t mind having some small wire coming to shifter cuz it gives better range in return and front mech not dropping chain 24/7

[@Fixingeverthingwithaengine567]

I've been using Shimano for years and have been making my own system out of different groupsets to make my 1x10 and 2x10. Before they were selling it like that. The clutch rear derailleur is what makes the Shimano so user friendly and cost effective. Having the ability to use the same derailleur in 3 different setups.

[@10flyingdutchman]

I just bought Apex 1 a few months ago. It was on sale and only $50 more than Sensah for the full group. I am very pleased and generally run 105 or Ultegra.

[@mario81456]

Waxing chain UNDERRATED!! I started waxing my chain and I quite enjoy it. Don't agree, keeps everything nice and clean for me. I didn't really care about the wattage gain. The reason why I started was because I re-painted my old cycling shoes white and treated myself to some brand new white socks. So the last thing I needed was ruining my new white socks with oily chain marks (which inevitably will happen to me at some point). So that's why I started waxing my chain..... yes, for the money I spent on the set up, I could have bought more white socks but why go for the easy solution if you don't have to ;-)

[@BabyGeekNotDie]

I don't really understand how you can say that wax chain is overrated because the watt saving is not important for majority of people, without speaking of the maintenance bonuses and components life longevity, and then say than shaving legs is underrated because of watt saving?

[@simonacker]

9:26 I remember that when Lance Armstrong was sponsored by both Giro and Oakley, he specifically requested that the integration of his sunglasses and the vents of his helmet be PERFECT. Ever since then, all Oakley glasses have seemed to be a perfect fit with Giro helmets. I have a set of Radar EVs and Sutro Lites I used to use with a Giro Aether, and they were a match made in heaven when you had to stick em in the helmet. Even thinking back to when I had a set of OG Radars and my old team in Holland's Giro Ionos (400gm a helmet, sheesh), those glasses fit 100% perfect in the vents at the front.

[@scotia7566]

Loving the podcast lads👍

[@tomhowell7695]

What about my new 2023 Master...rim brake, SR mechanical, WTO carbon rims? niche I know but, I absolutely love the bike drivetrain and the rim brakes.

[@markjthomson]

lol... chain waxing... it's just not that hard... heat wax, let it sit, take out... Takes about the same amount of time as cleaning and lubing the chain. I do so because I am not a professional and have to pay for my chains and am getting 3 times the life out of them... solid savings! And I get to play with molten wax and peal it off my fingers... go on... you know you want too... :)

[@tomeeh1]

Great content this week , getting better every week 🎉🎉

[@aftengdur0]

As someone who used to work in media, I can confirm - filming induced amnesia is real. You end up forgetting a lot of cool stuff that happened, because when the video is out brain goes - "ok, this footage is done, DELETE".

[@Jimmidoesstuff]

Clear cache

[@lolbubs11111]

Chain waxing is worth it to avoid the dirt and oil mess that inevitably gets on your hands and jersey. Actual time/effort involved isn't substantially different from oil lubes.

[@darrelduke]

same here with the helmet/sunglass situation...i always put them in my jersey pocket,

[@evidenz_]

Cleaning a waxed bike is so much faster. You remove the chain, spray water, wipe it down, put your chain on again and you have a clean bike again. I will never go back.

[@Chungleas]

The problem for those of us clinging onto our rim braked road bike is going to be finding more current levers in coming years, the cost for shimano/SRAM/campag of maintaining two types of lever in each groupset has already seen them retire rim brakes from much of the upper tier. Once the current stock of R8000, R7000, Rival mechanical are gone, you'll be looking at Tiagra, apex and below. The last few itterations of electronic shifting for rim brake bikes are going to be sought after too. Plenty of people will want leccy shifting on rim brakes, there's probably a bit of a market there for some sort of hacked solution using remote buttons with single speed type drop levers...

[@malcontent_1]

My preference on a new "road" bike would be to go with rim brakes. But your topic on the ubiquity of _higher tire clearance_ "gravel" / all-road bike obviates that choice.

[@jeffholder1156]

Rim brakes will NEVER die! Great content. Keep it up.

[@JakeMay]

You should do an "indie cycling brand of the week" to help all the small kit designers, bikepacking bag makers etc help reach new audiences

[@slabbery]

The film Jimmy talks about is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

[@Jimmidoesstuff]

Gonna watch it immediately

[@energylab6277]

I've got a Gravel floor pump! Thanks Lezeyne. It's actually really good

[@jayhoughton4174]

Brilliant over / under rated section this week, covered all the bases 👍

[@danijelcancarevic1783]

"all it does is make your bike messy... " I switched to wax because it's clean and fast lol

[@davidmurphy9151]

Waxing is way cleaner and easier than oil. I dip three chains at once and it ends up taking much less time than oil.

[@danwestman5022]

That’s a great idea

[@pbandjosh]

My preference would be SRAM interoperability and SRAM eTAP shifting but with Shimano mineral oil brakes and brake feel... for now I'm sticking with Shimano and there's not a lot in it....

[@manueldeubler1127]

Agree, I totally like SRAM's approach and if I had to build a SRAM equipped bike I would use parts from Force, Rival and Apex just to get the best value out of each component. I am also a huge fan of the flat top chains because they are very durable. However, DOT as brake fluid kills it for me.

[@DaveCM]

I have two bikes with SRAM. I never understood why they went with and stuck with DOT.

[@BrianRPaterson]

Spot on. Absolutely

[@malcontent_1]

Emily & Jimmi -- congratulations on the return on Attacus!

[@scotttalbot4041]

I have the same helmet/sunglasses issue. They never fit! I think I'm going to take glasses with me, next time I buy a helmet... Emily needs to be mic'd up, so we can properly hear her when she chimes in. Loving the podcast guys! 👌

[@maxsievers8251]

For me cable operated shifters and brakes are premium. I don't want to bother with batteries and hydraulic hoses.

[@bigrex3896]

Canyon still make 2 Endurace models with rim brakes. Really enjoying these podcasts.

[@chickenpoodle]

over the course of road riding for well over a decade, i have never shaved my legs... until this season. why? i don't know why. but i did. one day i was bored, and i just shaved them. and then a month later, (about two weeks ago) i was knocked off, broke my collar bone, whole buncha road rash, i have grown to be very thankful i shaved my legs, because it was SO MUCH EASIER TO CLEAN when i got home from that ride. having said that, i will definitely be shaving my legs again when i am cleared to start riding again.

[@oheso]

I converted my old Marin Muirwoods to Sram 1x and love it. (Not sure which generation we're talking about -- I purchased the parts in late 2019 and they were a bit scarce at the time). It doesn't have the same shifting finesse of my Shimano 2x 105 (or the GRX Di2, nor would I expect it to). On the other hand, it's been more reliable than the mechanical 105. But these are clearly apples-to-oranges comparisons. The compatibility factor for Sram is a biggie. The wireless thing is really only important if you're going full aero as it makes it far easier to cable up (i.e., not cable up). For those of us for whom this is not an issue, the lack of additional batteries / connections to worry about is a definite plus.

[@jttenorio2541]

The latest Dura Ace and Ultegra Di2 (9200 and 8100) groupsets have rim brake options.

[@jeffhall1002]

Great shows guys! Loving the podcast.

[@ryanyates2813]

Question for the listener takeover. I’m planning to buy my second ever bike (1st was a Genesis CDA 20 gravel bike). Im looking to buy a multi-use bike (like a Ribble CGR). I mostly ride gravel but also starting do more road riding, and i go bike packing once per year. Should I buy Carbon or aluminium? And Should I spend extra money on electronic group set? DI2 or Sram Rival AXS. Love the content guys. 👍

[@tinatpasselepoivre]

If you are heavy or carry heavy load : AL If you are light or only carry light load : CF If you actually want a conaisseur bike that will be more durable : nice steel or titanium. A good one will be in the same ballpark (ie around a kilo, a kilo and a half) as a similar quality al or cf In my opinion going electronic is the cherry on top of the cake, so you see relative to your budget. Also if you plan to go to remote area without "plan B aid" you might want to avoid it. You can fix or hack mechanical on the field, you can't electronic ...

[@aisakup]

As someone who rides on zwift more than I would like, I have discoverd that there are benefits to sleeveless jerseys like the Rapha indoor training T shirt or running singlet just to keep the sweat contained.

[@BoogieBrew]

Skinny ti rides as nice as skinny / thin-walled steel. My ti road frame is as smooth and supple as any high-end steel frame, but has accrued over 100k miles in 20 yrs. My mtb & cross frames are similarly tough / decades-old, ride and look like they are still new. How can such durability be over-rated?

[@mattf2247]

One thing worth considering for the new mechanical SRAM 12 speed group is that most 11 speed SRAM groups can be upgraded at a lesser cost because of the greater availability of 12 speed HG cassettes. Combine that with with the Ratio Tech 12spd upgrade kits (£99.50 1x or 2x), you're able to reuse most of the existing SRAM 11spd components, and only need to buy chain, chainrings, and cassette.

[@lawrencehallett5669]

Guys which rim brake wheels do you recommend starting to stock pile ???

[@ChunBoonNg]

What is the minimum groupset level (SRAM/Shimano) for hydra. disc braks will you recommend?

[@simonwarmer8777]

Shimano Dura Ace 12 speed still available in rimbrake, DI2 only. Do correct me if I’m wrong.

[@MW-ud8zp]

Biggest reason to wax bike imo is longevity and cleanliness.

[@anthonykidd6595]

Just bought a boardman slr 8.9 rim brakes carbon frame with 105 for under £1k brand new. Guarantee it's far better than any disc brake road bike at that price. Plus there's loads of discounted wheel upgrade options

[@anthonykidd6595]

@@ryanterence471 all easily upgraded. You'd prefer a disc brake bike at £1k? Sora groupset, mechanical tektro disc brakes which have been proven to perform worse than these brakes and an alloy frame? 🤣🤣🤣

[@anthonykidd6595]

@@ryanterence471 btw can you send me a link of which disc brake bike you'd prefer at £1k. I can't wait to look at the amazing wheels, brakes and crank set.

[@Carlosediaz543]

Have a question for you and a potential topic. My cannondale caad12 105 rim break got stolen about a 2 years ago. I’m in the market for a new road bike. It seems that for an mid range bike you need to pay upwards of 3,000 dollars now a days. It seems that now specialized,trek,giant.etc will charge 1,500-2,000 dollars for a road bike that seems good on paper but will give you Shimano tiargra shifting and disc breaks so they can charge an extra 300-400 dollars on a bike. With 105 going electric and being weirdly expensive, I would much rather have Etap or Durace. Would you recommend building a road bike in 2023. I want a bike with rim breaks, aluminum Frame with a carbon fork and mechanical 105 or Etap and a bike I can hit fast rides in but as well as something comfortable. But the whole market from 1,600 - 3,500 US dollars everything is either not a good deal or a boarder line a gravel bike. The cannondale Caad13 is rim break and 1,800 dollars but rim break bikes have been impossible to find!! So I will be building a road bike. I’m just a guy that wants rim break bikes, it’s lighter, easier for maintenance and the feel you get is on the breaks is just next to known

[@alansheard553]

If you had a drinking game where you had a drink every time Jimmi said 'LIKE', - you'd never get out of the pub !!!!

[@gregmorrison7320]

I find myself wearing my Scott MTB helmet with small peak most of the time on my gravel bike, it's great when riding down wet downhills and your front tire is flicking mud and water into your face for "trying" to keep your glasses clean.

[@ashleyhouse9690]

SRAM isn't 100% cross-compatible across all the road/gravel/MTB groupsets. You still have problems matching cassettes and chains and XPLR is 1x only so no easy 2x upgrade if you want.

[@timtaylor9590]

waxing is so much easier and cleaner than oil, way less maintenance, also its faster so thats cool too.

[@kalani707]

Chain wax - you two are mental. WAY cleaner and drivetrain lasts 3x longer saving serious cash!!

[@dan44zzt231]

Jimmi needs to make an Attacus summer skull cap for us folically challenged gents. No more stripey sunburn through helmet vents, insect stings or sweat in the eyes 😅 Castelli used to make one but not sure they do anymore

[@ilhm474]

It's insane that you don't use chain wax, it completely transformed my bike in terms of cleanliness and it saves an IMMENSE amount of time, and saves your drivetrain. I'm using effetto mariposa flowerpower, I'd imagine that dipping your chain into the pot with molten wax would be even better and would save even more time.

[@BeatzarrAudios]

same over here. drip on wax is so easy to use. perfect for gravel biking

[@RoadSeven]

Apex is now the 1st mechanical Mullet group set for gravel bikes. According SRAM there is is a XPLR and EAGLE Version and both as AXS(electronic) and mechanical. Both mechanical rear derailleur had the cage lock button, so I think cassette/chain spacing is based on EAGLE (so no Flat Top Chain like AXS groups)

[@anthonylovell2271]

It's the 1st from a group set manufacturer, I have a x1 12spd mechanical using converted red 11spd shifters and eagle mech and cassette

[@h31sman]

I bought the indoor wahoo kit & like it! It feels great outdoors when it’s hot because it’s quite airy. I don’t wear the jersey indoors, but the extra padding on the bibs is nice. I think I got $60 off cause LC always has Strava challenges that come with discounts. I’ve not seen cycling kits I’d actually wear that aren’t somewhat pricey. Swear all my LBS sell are loose fitting kit that look like something right out of the early 00s.

[@oldguyandabike]

Ti is not so much more comfortable (that depends on other things...tubing, etc) but of the metals out there, it does not transmit vibration as much. Steel is the worst at that...rings like a bell. And this is from a steel lover from way back with a hand made steel road bike. My current gravel bike is Ti and that has a lot of merit for an adventure based bike, but I am looking to replace it for daily gravel use and custom steel is a strong consideration.

[@LOZUPONEJ]

I’m fortunate to have two bikes. One with rim brakes for road and a gravel one with disc

[@schwarky11]

Good podcast, wrong about Ti frames. Especially the comparison to alloy. Closer to the feel of steel frame but lighter and longer lasting.

[@pscoop]

You're absolutely wrong about waxing. It's easy (especially now Silca made the new 1-step degreaser). Don't care about the watts saving, it's just so much cleaner and easier. If you really hate the hassle of the prep buy a pre-waxed chain and just top up with drip wax. No more grease on my calf, or grease on my hand when I need to adjust something or lock the bike or whatever. Regardless of weather and washing the bike I only need to top up drip wax every couple hundred miles.

[@mghallock]

Wax your chain, not your legs. The performance argument for we the unwashed masses waxing our chains is way overplayed compared to the cleanliness aspect of waxing. It's so much easier to work on your bike and maintain it without having grease literally everywhere. For me it makes packing my bike for travel or swapping chainrings significantly quicker. Plus, it has the added benefit of extending the life of your components. If I was a sponsored rider, I'd care a lot less about longevity but when cassettes now cost $200-350, a little time for maintenance makes a big difference. I think my argument against waxing would more be around if you're traveling to different locations a lot, or go on multi-week tours it's not a good choice because you wouldn't realistically carry pre-waxed chains with you to swap out. For people who ride 8-15 hours a week? Putting a chain in a crockpot for 20 minutes easily offsets the time it takes to clean your bike.

[@noahr.5026]

Is ITN the component brand Jimmi? I couldn’t an old stem on my dad’s 2001 Raleigh from that brand and had no idea what it was

[@SamuelBlackMetalRider]

Isn’t the Italian brand of components you’re referring to ITM ? Still active and now making carbon parts. Before they were doing loads of steel stems & bars & seatposts and then aluminum

[@discbrakefan]

I’ll never trust ITM again after I had some alloy bars snap and send me to hospital

[@richardbarnhill4794]

I can't put my sunglasses in my helmet either! Glad I am not the only one...

[@togarchitecture]

Under rated / over rated. Waxed chain is so under rated and worth it, in the grand scheme of things saves time and is so less messy than dealing with oily muck. Steel bikes are also under rated, I have custom stainless racing bike, it's not mega light but it's the nicest bike to ride it's just amazing...

[@mikekelly1771]

Did you see you got a mention on latest GCN vid? (24 minute mark)

[@JPatteri]

Awesome podcast, keep'em coming!

[@stretch2281]

Regarding rum brakes on bikes. as and 18 year old who got into road cycling over COVID I would choose disc brakes on a bike just for future compatibility with wheels.

[@mrwhiteshorts]

23:00 there are still brands doing rim brake only. You just have to look for them. Mondiale is one i know for sure.

[@markj.a351]

I'll maintain my rim brake as long as possible but my next bike will be disc. The big annoyance I have with rim brakes is not the braking performance but changing carbon rims + brake pads out for aluminium for mountains. Which actually might no longer be a problem once I move back to the U.K this year. I still think once rim brakes have been off the seen for a few years they will be brought back hyper expensive and shilled as super lightweight amazing aero tech.

[@joelv4495]

Ya, the real reason that I think discs are better is that the rim is no longer a wear item (requiring relacing to swap out). Especially beneficial for high-end carbon wheelsets. Then again, I don't think I've ever worn out a rim brake track...

[@IronHorsey3]

I will never betray the mighty rim brakes on a road bike. Never!

[@michaelhayward7572]

I was always under the impression Ti felt and behaved like a steel bike, not alloy.

[@lukewalker1051]

Aluminum because of hydroforming can be made to ride better than steel and Ti. I have owned it all.

[@nickyburnell]

I have 853 and 653 and Titanium. The Ti is heavier than the 853 but does have a strange muting of vibration that the steel ones don't. Well compared to carbon and alloy they are a magic carpet but less so than the Ti. I've mixed and matched tyres etc. Same

[@StephHall95]

Listening as I have a fight with my husband's broken low end disc brakes made me feel very pro rim brake 😂

[@stevemullin1195]

Waxing your chain is great in that it makes your drive train last longer....plus it isn't dirty like a lubed chain and your hands stay clean. There are pro teams that use waxed chains in their races.

[@rob-c.]

Ignoring chains and wax, whether pro teams do something or not doesn’t change whether it’s under or overrated.

[@stevemullin1195]

@@rob-c. I love my waxed chain on my trike. And when I tour on my bike I will have 3 chains waxed for my trip and then change them every 500 miles. Also bringing my hot wax mix and wax drip lube to retreat my chains during my tour across the USA. Would rather not have to buy new chains, cassettes and chainrings every 3000 miles.

[@rob-c.]

@@stevemullin1195 “Ignoring chains and wax…”

[@esenel92]

Other than rim brakes there's another "budget" option for the more casual riders that you don't see much anymore, specially combined with derailleurs, that I'd love to have on my bike. Drum brakes.... I'm still eyeing a Sturmey Archer X-RDC hub with drum brake, as I live in an apartment, and don't really have the ability to clean my bike as well as I'd like to the drum brakes on my old bike just always worked without issues, and were extremely reliable and consistent in all types of weather. As a more casual rider that has a cheap bike that is often left outside overnight, or parked at shops/train stations during the day I don't use carbon rims, but cheap aluminum rims, which specially in the rear can go out of true quite a bit due to bumps etc, causing brake rubbing and other issues, and disks generally are crap at my bike's price point (

[@skatetron1798]

easy way to make a second hand bike video would just to make a list of nopes for you two personally. for me it would be.. 1. no cottered cranks 2. no rust (surface rust is on everything steel, so it gets a pass) 3. no damage beyond chipped paint this is harder than i thought..