Worst thing you bought for your Ebike .

[Zed]

10-speed is probably the best way to go, but my knees need the gear range.

400 Euros for a device that carries two jockey wheels! "Midas Gold" is well named!

Sounds like you might need to walk the trails with this high tech product once in a while, definitely a cheaper solution

SK5 STEEL Garden Pruners, Professional Pruning Shears， Garden Scissors, Bypass Pruning Shears, Secateurs, Hand Pruner, Garden Shears : Amazon.com.au: Garden

SK5 STEEL Garden Pruners, Professional Pruning Shears， Garden Scissors, Bypass Pruning Shears, Secateurs, Hand Pruner, Garden Shears : Amazon.com.au: Garden

www.amazon.com.au

 

[Stihldog]

Tinted Photochromic Ryders glasses. I thought they would be perfect, but when you’re heading down a trail, in trees, when it’s sunny, they are useless. It’s like flashing a strobe light in your eyes.
I only use the clear lenses on the trails now. The tinted ones hang on my face on bright days and wide open spaces…or when I try to look cool .

 

[2WheelsNot4]

Nothing, all good here.
Unless I count the replacement Shimano mech to replace the previous one that snapped, and for the replacement to snap in turn. Both in the same place (obviously a weak point).
I expect that sooner or later I will get three in a row.

It's time I started to find an alternative to a Shimano 12-speed mech. (XT or SLX, made no difference).

View attachment 100306

View attachment 100309

Dont know if you remember, but back in the 90's we had 'break away' bolts, Mech hanger bolts,designed to shear to save the mech from damaging the frame and the mech itself.

Sounds like theres a place for them again.

 

[steve_sordy]

Dont know if you remember, but back in the 90's we had 'break away' bolts, Mech hanger bolts,designed to shear to save the mech from damaging the frame and the mech itself.

Sounds like theres a place for them again.

I thought that the mech hanger and the bolt securing it to the frame were still supposed to serve that role. You sound like you believe that they no longer do so, is that the case? When did things change? Or is it more a case of creeping change in that mechs have got weaker in the cause of cost saving and the hangers and bolts have stayed the same?

 

[steve_sordy]

Sounds like you might need to walk the trails with this high tech product once in a while, definitely a cheaper solution

SK5 STEEL Garden Pruners, Professional Pruning Shears， Garden Scissors, Bypass Pruning Shears, Secateurs, Hand Pruner, Garden Shears : Amazon.com.au: Garden

SK5 STEEL Garden Pruners, Professional Pruning Shears， Garden Scissors, Bypass Pruning Shears, Secateurs, Hand Pruner, Garden Shears : Amazon.com.au: Garden

www.amazon.com.au

I already carry a folding saw large enough to cut through a 7" diameter tree. It also serves as a slasher for brambles, nettles and the like. I spend a lot of time cutting back and removing fallen wood from the off-piste trails I use the most. If I didn't, they would be unrideable within 12 months. The blade is blunt within a year. It's one of those diamond cross-cut things that need a machine to sharpen.

Highlander Wolverine Folding Saw Green

PS: You can be sure that the offending pine sapling was suitably pruned!

 

[Binhill1]

I thought that the mech hanger and the bolt securing it to the frame were still supposed to serve that role. You sound like you believe that they no longer do so, is that the case? When did things change? Or is it more a case of creeping change in that mechs have got weaker in the cause of cost saving and the hangers and bolts have stayed the same?

I always thought the hanger was the sacrificial bit , still is on some ??? . I broke mine last year picked up a branch sandwich hanger and derailleur both broke . I just down graded I'm not a fussy gear changer anymore.

 

[steve_sordy]

I always thought the hanger was the sacrificial bit , still is on some ??? . I broke mine last year picked up a branch sandwich hanger and derailleur both broke . I just down graded I'm not a fussy gear changer anymore.

Yep, I downgraded too. The first time it was from XT to SLX because the XTs were not in stock for months and the SLXs were available right now! I didn't notice any difference in shifting performance. When it came time to buy another mech, I looked at the XT/SLX prices and bought the SLX; it was an easy decision.
I have a spare hanger for my current bike and for the previous three bikes and I have never had to use one.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

I thought that the mech hanger and the bolt securing it to the frame were still supposed to serve that role. You sound like you believe that they no longer do so, is that the case?

I know breakaway bolts were designed to shear . Given i haven't seen any details or information about the securing bolt on today's mechs i would say that they dont have that feature, or rather they aren't designed with a thinner section.

If you can find me that specific info then great.

 

[Zed]

This is clearly all your fault steve_sordy.
I have never snapped a derailleur. This morning I started out on the trails and was honestly thinking "glad we don't have shrubs to break our derailleurs" and a few moments later on a descent, this happened to my XTR derailleur on my new bike, literally the 4th ride. Chunky bit of stick was the culprit.

I'm sooo happy I have spare XT 12 speed derailleur in the parts bin, or I'd be looking at a kid-free weekend with great weather and possibly no bike...

The XTR derailleur is very flimsy though, and the smoother shifting comes from the other bits so questionable to have XTR on this bike I think. The XT seems a lot tougher (even though from the above, not exactly tough either).

 

[turbolego]

Hah, thanks. I'm converting to tubeless this week and I almos tpulled the trigger on a compressor... but then looked up how to do it without one by partially seating the beads using a tire lever.

Glad I didn't get any frame protection, either.

 

[Zed]

Hah, thanks. I'm converting to tubeless this week and I almos tpulled the trigger on a compressor... but then looked up how to do it without one by partially seating the beads using a tire lever.

Glad I didn't get any frame protection, either.

FWIW, I haven't found a tire for a long time that I couldn't inflate with just a high volume floor pump, I have a Topeak Joe Blow.

 

[Rubinstein]

Hah, thanks. I'm converting to tubeless this week and I almos tpulled the trigger on a compressor... but then looked up how to do it without one by partially seating the beads using a tire lever.

Glad I didn't get any frame protection, either.

Home made inflater never fails, just needs a couple of old valves to build

 

[turbolego]

^ Cool I'll keep that in mind, I got spare valves. The tires I converted to tubeless were already being used, so I just didn't break the bead on one side when I took the tube out and washed the whole wheel. Took no effort at all to reinflate after pouring in the sealant.

 

[steve_sordy]

Do not over pressurise that ghetto compressor. I have a mental image of it bursting and leaving you stood in rags, with the bike on the other side of the garage! And that would be a good outcome!

I have an Airshot that looks slightly bigger than that pop bottle and I have to take it up to 120psi to get enough air volume to explode a new 29 x 2.5 tyre onto a rim. I would not feel comfortable putting anywhere near that sort of pressure into a plastic pop bottle.

 

[turbolego]

I don't think that bottle would cause any significant damage were it to blow.

Instead of using a pressurized container, couldn't you just use a tube to seat the tire?

 

[Rubinstein]

Do not over pressurise that ghetto compressor. I have a mental image of it bursting and leaving you stood in rags, with the bike on the other side of the garage! And that would be a good outcome!

I have an Airshot that looks slightly bigger than that pop bottle and I have to take it up to 120psi to get enough air volume to explode a new 29 x 2.5 tyre onto a rim. I would not feel comfortable putting anywhere near that sort of pressure into a plastic pop bottle.

30psi is good enough on the ghetto blaster

 

[RustyMTB]

This my ghetto tyre inflator. I took the nozzle off & stuck a clamp on the tube. Works like a charm & hasn't killed me yet.

 

[Rubinstein]

This my ghetto tyre inflator. I took the nozzle off & stuck a clamp on the tube. Works like a charm & hasn't killed me yet.

View attachment 100752

Oohhh that’s posh, good idea too

 

[steve_sordy]

This my ghetto tyre inflator. I took the nozzle off & stuck a clamp on the tube. Works like a charm & hasn't killed me yet.

View attachment 100752

Seven Litres! That should be more than enough!!

 

[turbolego]

this is one statement I’ll never say with a new bike.

Bike is 3 months old and already has nasty scratches along the top and down tube from when I leaned it against a rock to pump up a tire and it slid against it.

Don't care.

 

[mtnbikerva1]

Carbon bars, I thought they would be great but they are horrid. Every little bump feels like it's transferred into my hands and arms..not a fan.

Oneup carbon bar is the correct answer! Not what ever you bought.

 

[mtnbikerva1]

Nothing, all good here.
Unless I count the replacement Shimano mech to replace the previous one that snapped, and for the replacement to snap in turn. Both in the same place (obviously a weak point).
I expect that sooner or later I will get three in a row.

It's time I started to find an alternative to a Shimano 12-speed mech. (XT or SLX, made no difference).

View attachment 100306

View attachment 100309

I had similar problems, SRAM GX/X01 is MUCH BETTER.

 

[Stihldog]

Oneup carbon bar is the correct answer! Not what ever you bought.

Installed the Bontrager carbon bars thinking they might help with the vibrations. Two weeks was enough to realize there are better options out there.
OneUp Carbon bars…problems solved.

 

[KTMJack]

I bike with a Shimano motor

 

[Spangoolies]

Bosch lockring removal tool for £30 before reading there are 3 or 4 different sizes. I got the wrong one.
New types of bikes, new scope for manufacturers to create a whole lot of new ‘standards’

 

[Spangoolies]

Yes and everything supposed to be better. I remember my first mtb in 80s went to get a a new chainring the guy who did my maintenance was a custom frame builder . He said turn ring the other way and you will get another few years out of it . Changed days indeed.

I’ll be putting a grinder to an old wrench socket and make my own. I refuse to put more funds into this.

 

[Binhill1]

I’ll be putting a grinder to an old wrench socket and make my own. I refuse to put more funds into this.

Yes if your handy that's the way. Think we expect more choices nowadays. The amount we spend or squander is scary . We'll some folk.

 

[iXi]

Oneup carbon bar is the correct answer! Not what ever you bought.

Haha it's funny you say that, they are the exact ones I bought. I've never had so much hand fatigue and the jarring though the bars was unbearable. Back on the stock aluminium bars and life is good again.

 

[jeanmarc]

Love my torque wrench, won't touch the bike without it.

 

[jgusta]

A Trek Rail with crappy Rib battery design, poorly designed Bosch motor with weak internal mounting brackets and shoddy Purion display that just crapped out for no reason. If didn’t get good deal on bike (2020 closeout) would be totally pissed. Annoy as is since bike seems down about 20% of the time. Thank God for back up bike. Rest of components good after replacing the crappy stock stuff that mostly failed within the first month