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

I'd consider adding a derailer hanger alignment tool to your tool list and also shock pump. Looks like you may need a chain whip for the cassette and some tire levers. Perhaps a spoke wrench future maintenance.
There's a bunch of other bike specific tools, but most work can be done with regular tools.
For a stand, I made mine out of pipe and a pony clamp with notched wood blocks. My clamp is kind a PITA, but it works for now. I've been eyeing some cheap ones on Amazon that mount to a wall stud for quick adjustments in the garage. For a stand I feel it's all about the clamp.
That's more assembly than I expected from a mail order bike. I think I only needed a hex key to assemble my Kona ordered from Jenson.
If it came with hydraulic brakes that are already assembled, consider uncoiling the lines and hanging them by the leaver to let air bubbles rise from the calipers as you assemble the rest of the bike.

Happy trails.

 

VV this list

I also have calipers to accurately determine dimensions, a head set press (depending on how your frame is set up), crown race driver or use a PVC pipe, a good bleed kit, a way to set the barb, and crank arm tools depending on which set you have.

I have a lot of cheap tools but I sprung for Park Tools where it made sense. You can find decent stuff on Amazon, just read the reviews.

 

Well, I used hex keys last night and realized. I do not have a good set in my larger toolbox in the garage.
So off to the internet I went with my google search and got these three kits.
Thanks for the reminder this morning guys!

 

Any if you guys have a preference on bass with good compliance other than oneup? I’m probably just gonna go with those for my spire but figured I’d ask. I looked at we are one but the bar/stem combo is out of stock.

 

i've been on oneup for so long. haha.

https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press...andlebars-counter-arm-pump-your-size-and-rise

i ddi read about these new bars though....

 

Been riding Enve bars exclusively for ages now. They were an absolute gamechanger for my terrible wrists. Rocking the M6 on the trail bike, M9 on the big bike, always in 31.8mm.

 

Damn, I love the WAO Da Bar setup.

 

that is intriguing, i may have to check those out. I do like the oneups so I don't have a problem going with them again but changing it up is always fun haha

I've never really considered enve haha, I will see how their prices compares

yeah I've been curious about them but I'm also unsure whether I want to do bars and stem or just bars haha.

 

Those look pretty nice. The marketing on the design is pretty convincing.

Now that I'm running a surgically repaired wrist, I think it's easier to convince myself to get a new bar. I came away from the first couple rides thinking I need to improve grips, but bars are probably a bigger component really.

 

I run Oneup on all my current bikes. Like them a lot. Honestly I couldn’t discern any difference vs the WAO combo.

I am just a hack though. I can spin all the twisty knobs in all kinds of directions on my fork and not perceive any change

All said, I too would be curious to try Enve or those new RF.

 

Same same haha. I do think the knobs have a bigger impact with more travel but on the 120mm bike I don't think they do too much haha.

It's looking like I will stick with one up, between availability and saving a few bucks they seem to be the one. No one has the RF Era yet and they are sold out on RF's site. I'll probably wait to see if they appear in stock somewhere since I don't need them until May.

Need being used very loosely haha

 

I relate to all of you with just pedaling. My shop frequently makes comments like "Did you know XX or YY" or "I can't believe you were riding this like that..." I said I am just not picky, just like riding...


Side note- I found an HG free hub.. Anyone have good quality single speed spacers and cogs they are selling?

 

A rare responsibility free Friday = North Georgia fun.

 

I’d imagine both have some effect. Did you lose any grip strength or is it mostly wrist soreness/fatigue?

 

This bike is going home with me (to Boise) so I figured I'd share some loading photos of the best bike case out there if cost was not a factor- Thule Round Trip Bike Case. Luckily, I got a pro deal from a friend so paid a fraction of retail. This bike case has been on an international trip and a couple of cross country trips and still looks new. I have another older Thule Round Trip that has not aged as well. I also have a few Evoc bike cases that no longer get much use since I got the Thule

 

Running both WA1 and 1up. Both are excellent choices. The WA1 feels a bit more direct without any loss of compliance.

Honestly, a coil fork or conversion will have significantly more impact on wrist comfort if it’s set up correctly. Bonus is the significant increase in traction, set it and forget it setup, lower maintenance.
I broke my wrist, arm, and elbow a few years ago and that change helped a ton.

Got one too when I went to Europe. Absolutely excellent and that mini stand was awesome to build your bike when traveling.
Spendy, yes. But my stupid expensive bike being handled by those baggage chuckers made it an easy choice. It would have SUCKED to arrive at my bike trip destination with a broken bike.

 

Rode in Santa Cruz this last week after traveling up for work and came home to my clips! Rode a quick little trail by my house to try them out, definitely shouldve switched sooner. That extra pull up of the pedal helps in the rocky/steep tech sections from what i noticed. Descents were kinda boring on this trail but being able to control the rear tire more and hop over stuff was cool too. Cant wait for this rain to go away and hit some steeper stuff
Pics or it didnt happen right?

 

I’m just a really big fan of WAO if for no other reason that their stuff just works, and they engineer, test, and manufacture in house.

Plus if after a bar and stem their “Da Package” is a dang good deal. Especially if you can wait for it to go on sale, but even not on sale $260 for the lightest stem and bar combo on the market.

 

the Rattle is something loose inside the downtube/cable housings...

Also, this firebird feels a lot larger than my older rallon. Takes so much more effort to get it leaned in a corner and to move the bike around. Still getting used to muscling the bike around and really have to lean with it rather than lean the bike under me and flick it through the turns if that makes sense. Get some instances of feeling like I'm more a passenger than a driver. But the few rock gardens I've hit so far, holy shit. Amazing. yet it pedals more comfortably and less pedal bob lol.

Still super stoked on it. The new learning the feel of it is exciting in a way too



All of Reno from the boring trails here in town

 

I used to swap bikes regularly -- it would usually take me about 30 hours of riding before I acclimated to the new bike. But yeah, that's part of the fun!