All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

For anyone curious this is where the best source of real world owners post on the Arrival as they receive them.
Instagram is cool, but it’s mostly people sending road gaps in Canada on these bikes. Makes sense to get the bikes to the dudes ripping first before us commoners.
MTBR - WAO Arrival

 

No sir - only medium and large. They are actually just overstock from what our Guides wear - only difference is GUIDE on the back.
How's the new crib?


The sport-tek shirts were game-changing for me, cheaper than everything else, stain resistant, and don't stink after rides

Y'all use KNOT15 if you want to try one

 

The new place is great. Still a long ways to go on remodel, but it’s coming along, thanks!

wish I could wear a large but even if I was skinnier a large doesn’t fit my shoulders lol

 

Good to know you get along with the low (x-low) setting. With the 140 fork my bike in high probably has similar SA and HA as yours in low. One of my biggest dislikes for the first ride was the SA, so I know I don't want it to end up slacker. My ride time is somewhat limited this time of the year so I have to make every ride count. I do think I'm going to throw a 130 spring in though so I can at least be riding it as intended by the designers before making any decisions.

Is anyone riding 165 cranks? Pros/cons to the more typical 170? The Following came with 165 cranks installed.

 

Yours has 165 cranks eh? Wanna swap for my 170s?? Spoiler, they aren't the prettiest.

 

Golden advice.
For some reason as mountain bikers we overanalyze every bit of information. Those itty bitty differences are very hard to notice for most, and easy to “ride around” once you get used to your bike.

The only con you (might) actually notice is spinning faster circles. Depending on location and BB height, you’ll also notice fewer pedal strikes.
On my Wreckoning with a 350ish BB I run 170. On the Decoy with a 330ish BB I run the 165.

 

I can see why 165 might be nice in x-low. That 329mm BB height is QUITE low! Are there downsides to the 165 though or is it more of just a feel/fit thing?

Are you in x-low for the slacker HA? That's where I kind of think the -1 angleset could give me best of both worlds with the bike in the higher setting. Slacker HA, steeper SA, slightly long WB, slightly lower BB than the high setting. (sorry can't help but overanalyze)

Edit to add that the bike needs a new headset anyways, so that's why I'm thinking about just going with an angleset. Wouldn't be changing it otherwise probably.

 

Hardtail party did a really interesting comparison on crank length. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7sKhKi9Bcc

 

A guy I ride with frequently has 3 pair of 165 Eewings. I need to ask more often for him to sell me a set. So purty.

Here’s a Pinkbike article also on the issue. It may be more science based.

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/why-shorter-cranks-are-better-according-to-science.html

 

Well shit that's enough for me to stick with them and see how it goes. This thing has the same gearing as my 27.5 bike with 170 cranks. Makes me wonder if a smaller ring is in order.

 

I really couldn’t say if there are true downsides to shorter length crank arms. I’d like to run a short crank simply due to pedal strikes. For the most part I’m quite conscious of my pedal positioning and pedal/adjust accordingly. But there are quite a few love marks on my cranks that state otherwise.


Truthfully I’m running in x-Low just because. I ran it at the higher setting for the first 100 or so miles. No complaints there, but I switched it to low just to compare. It seemed slightly more stable and no percevible shortcomings while climbing so I just left it there. I should probably switch it back for a more thorough evaluation but I just haven’t taken the time to do so.

 

I’m unsure what your current cranks are, but I looked online and there are a lot of vendors with 165 GX in stock now. Well maybe they still have them. I looked yesterday.

You need Superboost though. Forgot

 

Yup, SB.

Would also need to be shimano drive compatible. I suppose one could mix n match a SRAM crank with Shimano hyperglide compatible chain ring. I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole yet, but I would assume it could be done.

 

From what I’ve read since 12s released Sram and Shimano work great together bc their tolerances have to be more closely related and tighter.

There’s people running XTR derailleur on XX1 cassettes and such.

 

Good to know. Feel like I’ve read that as well. Haven’t seen anything on mixed crank/chainring setups though.

I actually looked into those Canfield cranks posted above that Hardtail party reviewed. Doesn’t seem that they have superboost compatibility though.

 

with super boost you’re almost forced to buy Sram or Shimano, however and I do not know this, You may can use DH cranks.

 

@backcountryj do I need to refund you?

 

I think the consensus was that @mtskibum16 was gonna buy the jersey so no refunds are in order.

 

@jjones.yota in the wild!

 

hell yea! look at all them trees...