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

@TMCmakes Wheel Deal mtb wheel mounts installed today. These wheel mounts are super rad. If you haven't seen them, they bolt to the bed tracks and let you attach your wheel to the bed for bike hauling. The fit and finish are fantastic and I finally have a secure place to put the front wheels when I take the bikes out now!

Link to thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mtb-wheel-hauler-contest-name-this-thing.711725/

Also TIL I can fit the bike in the garage while still mounted in the bed. Ooooh this is nice lol.

 

What I was sharing were my personal observations based on my experience with both sets of hubs, along with numerous others. Of course different hub designs have different levels of drag and it doesn't just come down to the engagement numbers. Think Project 321 with magnetic pawls and Onyx hubs that run a sprag clutch - both have high engagement but it doesn't necessarily mean either roll slowly due to their high engagement.

I would consider myself rather cognizant of all of the parts on my bike and I feel that it is safe to say that tires weren't part of the observation. Obviously I don't have a tool to measure drag between hubs to give you a quantifiable number, but is feel not worth anything? My comment on not missing an obstacle as a result of hub engagement is just to say that both have excellent engagement in the grand scheme of things. I've run all sorts of generations of I9 hubs and love what those guys are doing, I was just expressing my preferences and experience.

 

So you are saying that hydras roll slower than 1/1, onyx and 321s? Definitely agree with your points on clearing techy climbs with good hubs. I need to get on a set of 1/1s. Didn’t mean to insinuate that your tires were causing the feeling, just that those are the types of things that cause significant drag not a highly engaging hub.

 

No, not necessarily. I know many people who run Project 321's and are very happy with the rolling speed, but I haven't run Onyx or 321's myself to comment on them. I've had such great luck with I9's and like to have cross compatibility across my bikes as much as possible, so I haven't went looking to spend money on other options since I'm happy with what I'm running now. Give the 1/1's a shot if you can - riding everything you can possibly try is never a bad thing!

Tires definitely play a HUGE role, no doubt. There's such a battle in trying to find a proper trail/aggressive trail tire with the right tread, casing, and compound under 1,000g that doesn't sacrifice speed too much either. But hey, that's the fun in experimenting.

 

Check out the Bontrager XR4’s. Sort of a mix of a Dissector or Rekon but they’re only like 760g’s for a 29. They came on my buddy’s Trek Too Fuel and we’ve been blown away but them.

 

They're on my short list of non-Maxxis/Schwalbe tires to try for sure! I have a Butcher/Eliminator combo coming up next. 2.3" pair with Grid front and Grid Trail rear coming in at about 950g each. I'm no weight-weenie, but I am weight conscious for sure- especially when it comes to rotating weight.

 

I’m a fan, they are usually my go-to. I don’t know if mine are the cold or colder but they are solid gloves for sure.

Definitely a good tire for most riders. I will say it’s weakness is in the really loose and dry stuff. Thinking loose dirt and rock over compacted dirt like a bike park. Id rock a different front tire in that case.

 

Game changer

 

You ever try a lighter weight rear insert to compensate for the lack of casing/compound? I have a tannus in the rear of both of my bikes but I honestly don't know it is there. Probably because I run heavier casings but I'm going to experiment in the future with tires that have less rolling resistance.

 

Go on…. Haven’t been fishing in a while, but my tenkara needs some attention. Plenty of places in CO for that, but fewer good rivers next to trails around here.

Running the cold glove. Just fine down to 30 as long as you’re moving.

My 321s have more drag than my Hydras, the new seal design on them definitely add some. Can I tell while riding? Nope.
Both have been great, but the Hydras have been more reliable and easier to maintain.

 

I haven't yet, but I was given a Panzer to install for testing. Between the cruddy weather here in CO recently and swapping out to a newer Taco while prepping the old one for sale, I've put the trail bike aside for the time being. I want to test the insert with a tire I currently run so I can tell what is the insert that I'm feeling and not potentially the next set of tires/casing.

 

Check this out. I may put this on my bike in Idaho for those fishing trips to the high alpine lakes. It looks like it can easily hold a regular fly tube also: https://sapandbark.com/products/ikari-c-multi-purpose-bike-bracket

I have 4 or 5 bikes that I ride all the time:

Knolly Warden with Onyx hubs
2 Evils that have Hydra
1 Evil that has Torch
1 Evil that has DT Swiss 240 (54 POE)

I'd rank them (durability, drag, engagement) as follows:
1. DT Swiss
2. Hydra
3. Onyx
4. Torch (the little springs that push up the pawls are a weak link)

Just my $.02

 

@honda50r , something I was unaware of, but does Neko also oversee downhill southeast?

 

Should be fine. Sub-30 you'll need coldest though, like everyone else said

Yeah that's right and his brother Logan runs XC Southeast/Enduro Southeast. Making a decent living in outdoor recreation is difficult but that family works their asses off and are involved in a little bit of everything. When talking Southeast MTB it's rare Neko won't come up in a conversation. In my limited experience he is well-grounded and self-built (can't say that for most pros - there seems to be a lot of generational wealth allowing these guys to "dirtbag")

 

Drove to work in my coldER gloves this morning, counts as a ride in my book.

 

Has anyone actually ridden one of these 951 bikes?

 

Thanks everyone. I ordered some Cold and will report back. Went for a ride this weekend in mid 40s and my normal gloves were adequate, so I think just a bit more warmth will be great when temps are down a bit or it's wet out.

The Evil Following is feeling like the bike I'll keep. I still haven't got either out to the rougher and steeper local ride. I'm also not super happy with the Pike Select that's on it. Need to mess with pressure and rebound a bit more. I think it has the same damper as my Pike from 2018 and I've been happy with that.

 

I sat right beside him on the windrock tram my first time there back in January 2021, and he seemed very down to earth. Chatting with everyone, but mainly just Christopher Grice. His brother was there filming as well.

I don't have a horse in the race, but I hope he does really well on his own design bike for 2022.

They're the same as the Intense line of bikes, the frame is off the same mold with a different paint job.

 

This is the way
https://thelostco.com/products/rock...MIt8GFmsnL9QIVtz6tBh0RUwefEAQYAyABEgKqxPD_BwE

 

Snapped my derailleur hanger on my last mountain bike ride, of course when I didn’t have my multi tool with me. Ran into someone who had a chain breaker so I was able to convert to a single speed to get out of the woods and home.

Today I went to pick up the replacement hanger and noticed my chain is pretty damaged. And then while walking into the bike shop found out my rear shock is completely blown out. So now instead of just a simple derailleur hanger replacement, I also need to rebuild the rear shock and replace the chain. Luckily found one place online with an XX1 chain in stock.

On a positive note my SRAM Force AXS shifters arrived for the gravel bike after waiting many many months.