Finally finished putting on @glitter 's basket and supporting Nitto front rack on. I also moved the e-bike's headlight from the stem to a mount on one of the rack's struts.
Shimano’s all-new CUES drop bar components has officially launched! It’s been designed to bring greater affordability, durability, and compatibility to road and gravel bikes, and we like this. We’ll break down everything we know so far.
Shimano states that the new drop bar shifters seamlessly integrate with the existing CUES ecosystem, offering both 1x and 2x options across 9-, 10-, and 11-speed setups. Ergonomics remain familiar, mirroring Shimano’s proven mechanical 105 design.
Shimano also says the new front derailleurs and cranksets provide gearing options suited for both road and gravel riding. Plus, the addition of flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes ensures powerful stopping performance with 160mm rotors.
Built around Shimano’s LINKGLIDE technology, CUES prioritizes longevity, with cassettes that Shimano states last up to three times longer than traditional Hyperglide setups—helping you save money on replacement parts over time.
With pricing aimed below current GRX and 105-equipped bikes, Shimano CUES could mean better value and longer-lasting performance for entry-level road and gravel riders.
The Reevo hubless e-bike is a wild-looking electric bike loaded with high-tech features like fingerprint security, GPS tracking, and built-in LED lighting. It also doesn’t have traditional hubs and spokes or drivetrain, and it is the most unique bike I’ve ever reviewed.
The gravel world is about to see the introduction of a bigger wheel standard called 750d.
So naturally, Liam thought it would be good to test if they are faster than 700c wheels, and if they feel any different to ride.
WTB and Moots have been developing this new standard, and they’ve done this for two reasons.
Firstly, the larger 660mm rim diameter is meant to roll more easily over rough terrain and these bigger wheels are intended to help custom builds for taller riders.
What do you think of 750d wheels? Is it something you want to try or just another standard? Let us know in the comments.
Did a loop from home, over Capitol Hill, and through Interlaken Park and I'm really feeling it! I really should've had a rest day after yesterday. :blobfoxdead:
Finding that rapidly spinning my legs in a relatively low gear for a few seconds after getting on the bike from a stop is a great way to get the blood flowing quickly before upshifting and really getting going. :blobfoxthinkgoogly:
Road clipless (three-bolt) interests me…until I realize I can get most of the benefits with two-bolt shoes that have carbon fiber foot beds. :blobfoxthinkgoogly:
The pro racers who do need carbon fiber bikes get them for free. Only the people who don’t need them actually pay for them.
Carbon fiber is light. It’s strong. It can be used to build everything from frames to seat posts to handlebars to cranks. And it’s one of the worst things that’s happened to bikes.
Now, to be clear, carbon fiber makes perfect sense for professional racing. Because it’s basically a fabric, builders can mold it into all sorts of aerodynamic shapes. Moreover, they can tune ride quality and maintain strength while simultaneously keeping the weight to a minimum in a way that’s not really possible with metal tubing. It used to be that racers had to choose between a light bike and an aero bike; now they can have both, all thanks to the miraculous properties of carbon fiber. At this point, there’s no reason for elite competitors to use anything else. Gift Yourself More Adventure
But here’s the thing: you’re not them. I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you, but you’re almost certainly incapable of milking the handful of seconds a wind tunnel-sculpted pro-level carbon fiber race machine might theoretically net you in certain situations. Moreover, the pro racers who do need carbon fiber bikes get them for free; only the people who don’t need them actually pay for them. This means that, ipso facto, if you’ve purchased a carbon fiber bicycle, you’ve made a mistake.
“Okay, fine, I may not be Jonas Vingegaard,” you may be thinking. “Maybe I didn’t need a carbon bike. But how does that mean I’ve made a mistake?”
Simple: while you’re not able to extract carbon fiber’s small performance benefits, you are in an ideal position to experience its many drawbacks—and for normal people, carbon fiber bicycles have only drawbacks.
This is Bike Snob NYC writing for Outside Online, by the way.
Today in tk's #seabikes adventures: descending from Phinney Ridge without a function front brake. :blobfoxscared:
(The bike has TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. I took it to my LBS after and they said that it looks like the caliper might've sprung a leak and has been contaminating the rotor. I've had the brakes for several years now, so I'm not too bothered.)
Yes, cantis. I like them. :blobfoxgooglytrash: They work well when set up correctly: straddle as low as you can get them to start, then raise little by little if you prefer. Having a lower cable hanger will additionally reduce system flex and improve stopping.
Even those dreaded Tektro “Oryx” 992A calipers. You need the straddle super low, but they work great that way. (That does also mean that they have limited tire clearance!)
(Oh, and this isn’t a “rim versus disk” debate starter. If anything, it would be a “cantis suck” debate. :blobfoxgoogly: )
At the moment, my #cycljng is mainly limited by my cardiovascular system and energy. All of that time sick from respiratory illness was not kind to my fitness. :blobfoxgooglycry:
While I was riding my main #bicycle on gravel a couple days ago, I was able to easily rescue a front wheel slide.
And when I was riding it yesterday up a fairly steep bit of sandy gravel (for the city), I was able to get past wheelslip and just pedal slowly and softly in a low gear to get up the hill.
For our anniversary run of Rene Herse bikes—and for the bikes we ride in long-distance events—we wanted a better solution: a reliable needle-bearing headset that is Rinko-compatible. This is another project that had a long gestation period: We made the first prototypes three years ago. We ran them in Unbound XL (twice), in Paris-Brest-Paris, Arkansas High Country Race, Dark Divide 300 and many other rides and adventures. Along the way, we fine-tuned many details, both aesthetic and functional. We decreased stack height, lowered weight, and increased clearances to make sure the headset works smoothly and quietly under the harshest conditions. We tested and re-tested, and now the headsets are ready.