What did you buy your ebike this week?

[speedkills]

Updated my contact points, new pedals, seat, and grips. Pedals and seat are feeling great so far, grips not so much. I'll have to play with the angles on these sqlabs grips but they gave me pain in my hands faster than the old ones.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Updated my contact points, new pedals, seat, and grips. Pedals and seat are feeling great so far, grips not so much. I'll have to play with the angles on these sqlabs grips but they gave me pain in my hands faster than the old ones.

View attachment 33639

Same here with tapered or contoured grips... my hands fatigue quicker for some reason. Even "thick" grips have the same effect on me... like I have to subconsciously hold-on tighter. Over the years I've found that the thinner grips are best for me - BUT only if I'm wearing gloves, which I always do...

 

[speedkills]

I've always been the same way, thinner grips worked better, but I had some hand numbness recently, and read so many good things about the sqlabs grips I thought I would give it a try, but like you said, they immediately hurt and feel too big. I think my hand pain is something to do with my bar shape, not the grips, but that was such an easy thing to change I tried it first.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

I've always been the same way, thinner grips worked better, but I had some hand numbness recently, and read so many good things about the sqlabs grips I thought I would give it a try, but like you said, they immediately hurt and feel too big. I think my hand pain is something to do with my bar shape, not the grips, but that was such an easy thing to change I tried it first.

Could be not enough back sweep. But I’ve never come across a good method of measuring bar specs...

 

[speedkills]

Don't you measure angles in minutes? Like 6 minutes to onset of pain?

 

[Howz]

Fitted new forks ??

 

[Funkeydunk]

Spank my monkey

 

[speedkills]

Quieter shifting, quieter coasting.

 

[RazorBlade]

Quieter shifting, quieter coasting.

View attachment 33817

Where is your brake disc? ?

 

[Kaelidoz]

Pretty excited, first fork service
My lockout isn't working right recently and after reading about it I know what's up.

After that I'll jump into building wheels.

Sram butter
Sram suspension fluid 5wt & 15wt
Service seals kit

The fork is a cheap Recon RL non-boost 2018 with QR (no thru axle)

 

[speedkills]

Where is your brake disc? ?

Had to run down to the bike shop to get a center lock to 6 bolt adapter. Should have it ready to ride shortly.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Fitted new forks ??

View attachment 33789

Nice. What fender is that?

 

[Howz]

Nice. What fender is that?

Hi, it’s from these guys

FRX - Front or Mini Rear Mudhugger

Designed and made in the UK from 100% recycled black polypropylene. The FRX was designed with the help of World Cup and Enduro World Series riders wanting awesome mud and spray protection with zero faff. Weighing in at only 80g but measuring 435mm in length the FRX provides excellent mud/spray...

www.themudhugger.co.uk

 

[Kaelidoz]

Had to run down to the bike shop to get a center lock to 6 bolt adapter. Should have it ready to ride shortly.

I never liked the Shimano 6 bolts to center-lock adapter . There's a slight back and forth play in the disc (you don't really notice it while riding) and I hated the low profile bolts heads that were smaller than regular 6 bolts. Harder to deal with and easier to strip. It works fine on my mate xc bike but I got center-lock disc for my center-lock wheels. I hope they're a bit better since then or that you went for another brand.

 

[thewrx]

Another new set of eddy current's and 11-42 cassette, along with some odi v2 grips

Oh and finally bought another matching Levo, but this one in a medium.

 

[Nicho]

Where is your brake disc? ?

Quieter shifting, quieter coasting, quieter braking.

 

[MadsB]

Topeak D2 Digital pressure gauge and Mudhuggers front and back.

 

[Forever Wild]

I bought a spank spike vibrocore 800mm handlebar

31.8 mm with 50 mm rise.

trying to solve two problems...

1. hand going numb
2. Better confidence when going very very steep downhill.

 

[speedkills]

Removed some cables. Installed a disc so I'd stop getting crap from you guys about it.

 

[Fingerpuk]

A nice maintenance stand, and some spare pads just ordered. Brake cleaner, silicone spray, lube, and chain cleaner being ordered in a minute.

Then ordering another bike to keep this one company.

Oh, roof bars for the car so I can get some bike carriers and take my son to a jump/pump track.

 

[SidLawrence]

I bought a spank spike vibrocore 800mm handlebar

31.8 mm with 50 mm rise.

trying to solve two problems...

1. hand going numb
2. Better confidence when going very very steep downhill.

Any chance you could let us know how you get on with the vibrocore? Curious to see if they work as advertise, lots of rocky tracks around me. Anything that reduces the vibration is worth a look ? Thanks

 

[Gary]

I bought a spank spike vibrocore 800mm handlebar

31.8 mm with 50 mm rise.

trying to solve two problems...

1. hand going numb
2. Better confidence when going very very steep downhill.

I don't doubt there is a difference between how much vibration/impact is transmitted to a rider from bar to bar but...
Learning to be looser more relaxed correctly weighting the bike and braking less will help solve your problems more than any bar can.
Looking ahead, planning your line and learning the braking zones will increase your confidence (and allow you to relax more)

also set up your levers fairly high and bite point close to your grips. Grips are personal preference but don't make the mistake of thinking a fatter softer grip will reduce hand numbness. too fat a grip can actaully increase hand discomfort and arm pump.

Advice is free but you can always buy me a pint if any of the above helps you out. If not, no worries.

 

[GrahamPaul]

A stupidly expensive logo

to replace the lost motor cover.

But full marks to the vendor for getting it here so quickly. Recommended!

 

[speedkills]

I don't doubt there is a difference between how much vibration/impact is transmitted to a rider from bar to bar but...
Learning to be looser more relaxed correctly weighting the bike and braking less will help solve your problems more than any bar can.
Looking ahead, planning your line and learning the braking zones will increase your confidence (and allow you to relax more)

also set up your levers fairly high and bite point close to your grips. Grips are personal preference but don't make the mistake of thinking a fatter softer grip will reduce hand numbness. too fat a grip can actaully increase hand discomfort and arm pump.

Advice is free but you can always buy me a pint if any of the above helps you out. If not, no worries.

This comment really confused me at first, as I read it as you saying braking less and learning to relax would help numbness issues more than any bar can, which my experience absolutely does not agree with, and your later comments about lever position and grip size seem to disagree with as well, but re-reading it a few times, are you saying that just about confidence downhills? That part I would agree with, but for hand numbness, whether motorcycle or bicycle, it has always come down to grips or bar bend for me.

 

[Gary]

That part I would agree with, but for hand numbness, whether motorcycle or bicycle, it has always come down to grips or bar bend for me.

I wasn't talking to you though.
I was replying to a rider who admitted to lacking confidence when riding steeper mtb terrain.
This almost always causes fear, stiffness and overbraking.

when properly steep terrain is involved, motorcycle riding technique/advice is hugely irrelevant to mtb riding.
Why motorcycle riders even bother to chime in with comparisons confuses me.

 

[speedkills]

I can use smaller words if it helps, certainly not trying to confuse you. For me, it's because it's a similar riding position, and another case where I hang onto bars, and if they are the wrong angle, my hand goes numb, but changing them out, bicycle or motorcycle, or you know, place where I hang onto bars, to a different angle makes my hands feel better.

 

[Doomanic]

Any chance you could let us know how you get on with the vibrocore?

I've been running a Vibrocore for about 2 years and it initially made a huge difference. When I changed bike in December I didn't swap the bars for a couple of hundred miles and the difference when I did was less noticable. The forks were same spec and not dissimilar in age as the first bike's fork were warrantied at 18 months. I am however a better, faster, more confident rider now so I think there is something in what @Gary says.

 

[speedkills]

Same bars pre-vibro-core to your new bike, are are you saying you had bar A, swapped it to Vibro-Core, which was better, then swapped to bar B and it made less difference? I apologize if this was just bad reading comprehension on my part.

 

[Doomanic]

First bike had Bontrager ally bars and I got terrible pins and needles after about 15 miles. Swapped to Vibrocore bars and P&N greatly reduced. Changed bike. Kept Vibrocore bars. New bike had Bontrager ally bars, same as the first bike. Both bike on Debonair Yari forks. Didn't swap out the Bontrager for the Vibrocores immediately as I hadn't noticeably suffered from P&N for ages, but it had been wet for ages. Conditions dried out and on some long descents I'd start to get P&N again. Eventually had a day of bike maintenance so I swapped the bars and not further P&N at all, despite doing longer rides of 25-30 miles.

 

[speedkills]

First bike had Bontrager ally bars and I got terrible pins and needles after about 15 miles. Swapped to Vibrocore bars and P&N greatly reduced. Changed bike. Kept Vibrocore bars. New bike had Bontrager ally bars, same as the first bike. Both bike on Debonair Yari forks. Didn't swap out the Bontrager for the Vibrocores immediately as I hadn't noticeably suffered from P&N for ages, but it had been wet for ages. Conditions dried out and on some long descents I'd start to get P&N again. Eventually had a day of bike maintenance so I swapped the bars and not further P&N at all, despite doing longer rides of 25-30 miles.

That's awesome when you feel that progression!

And to be clear, I'm not saying there isn't anything to what he says, it just hasn't made a bigger difference to me, it has made a smaller one, but still useful. But so many are helped by a cheap thing immediately like changing a bar or grip, as you were for the past year and a half. I wasn't saying he was wrong, just asking him if he meant it was the bigger difference, as I hadn't experienced that and it's always nice to learn what others experience. To me, and I really mean to me, and have no idea if it applies to others, riding position and relaxing/breathing changes make a small but useful difference. But for example if I put the wrong grip on, like I did earlier this week, it's 10x worse and I don't personally get much value from completing trying to overhaul my riding style, vs just putting the old grips on or buying a new set for a few dollars.

Your experience is interesting, as you bought a set of bars for what, 1-2% of your total bike cost and enjoyed your riding much more for the next year, that's an easy win in my book, but I suppose that calculation is different for everyone.

I've also found equipment can help me progress in my riding style, so I say if you have the disposable income why not. I remember when I was first riding DH in Whistler, I was on a 5" travel bike without much DH experience and riding quite poorly, and with little confidence as expected. I hopped on a big bike, 8" travel, DH machine, and rode for a few weeks, but when the bike was out of commission I ended up hitting the mountain again on my 5" bike and it was much, much better. Then I hopped on a friends hardtail with 4" fork and was perfectly comfortable hitting all of my usual lines. It wasn't nearly as nice of a ride, and I ached after, but mentally the big bike really helped me get over my mental blocks. I probably could have ridden for months and progressed that much, or taken some lessons, but from then on when friends would come visit me in Whistler and they were struggling I would just tell them to go rent a full on DH bike for a day, and when they did they progressed so much so quickly, and retained it when they got on their own bike.

I guess that leave me half an half on this. If my hands hurt, or someone else tells me they have a funny pinching feeling say after buying a new bike, I'd still recommend just swapping some parts out, but if that's not convenient, or if we're halfway through a ride, I'll definitely be altering my riding position/style and trying to relax to make it through, and if that's enough great. But if someone comes into "what did you buy for your bike this week" and tells me they bought some new bars, I'm probably going to lean towards congratulating them on their new purchase until they come back and say it didn't work.

Circling back, on your original bar purchase, are you happy with it, or do you wished you had just ridden with the pain until you figured out how to improve your riding enough to fix the problem without the part?