Posts by Charles Bailey45

It makes zero sense to put Louis on a Trek (literally).
Those brakes are way too high-end for a clunker like that.
Your Aurige setup would be total overkill compared to what you’re running right now.

+ Plus, you’d have to grab new shifters too, just like darkmaker mentioned.

I mean, look—either move everything over to the Blast and sell the shock to build a decent bike, then use whatever else fits on the Trek.
The wheels and fork are off the table, but the drivetrain, brakes, and gears can work. You'll definitely need those new shifters anyway because of the hydraulics.

Just write down all your wishes and messages, and toss some cash in there too! I might just follow suit by upgrading my Focus and swapping some gear onto my girlfriend's Merida with the V-brakes. It’d basically turn her ride into a solid, custom hydraulic setup, even if she doesn't gain as much as I do from just getting better brakes.

Wait, aren't we talking about the Blast he already owns and wants to beef up (which he totally can do without any issues)? Isn't the Trek just his buddy's clunker that he's thinking about swapping those parts onto? 🤔

Yeah, basically everything except the fork and the wheels, though I'm pretty sure he already realized that.

You're looking at a solid fork and wheels that should be worth about $500 if everything is as described (assuming the fork has been serviced and the wheels are true with healthy hubs).
The brakes are great, though since they're "older," that Magura setup might actually end up costing you more than just buying something brand new from the Shimano line.

The derailleurs and shifters shouldn't have any issues, so they're definitely worth roughly $167 as long as they haven't been physically trashed by some bad crashes.

As for the rest—the cassette, the drivetrain, and all that—you really need to see them in person to judge the condition.

All things considered, once you strip it down and toss the frame, it’s easily worth $2,100-$2,200. It really just comes down to how much that specific upgrade is worth to you.

The difference in the wheels and the fork compared to the Dart 2 will be massive, but the rest? Honestly, I'm not sure.

That's just my two cents!

There's one thing that's really bothering me here. You keep calling this a "DH bike," which implies we're talking about a fork with dual crowns and 150+ mm of travel before anyone even asks what that means . If you try to slap a fork like that onto a Specialized Rockhopper, or any standard XC or even an AM bike, it’s going to look totally ridiculous. Not to mention the downsides—the extra weight, the awkward handling, and don't even get me started on how it ruins the geometry. You might actually end up cracking your frame if you try that.

In plain English? That kind of fork is never going to fit your current bike, regardless of whether the price tag seems like a good deal.

Even if you decided to build something from scratch using a cheap, decent frame, riding a fork with 150-170mm of travel around town or—heaven forbid—up a hill is just a massive pain. It's hard to describe how exhausting it is when you actually care about the ride rather than just looking flashy.

To make a call on this, let's do this: post some photos of the bike and give us a specific list of the most important parts. We need to know things like the fork's travel, the length and width of the steerer tube, and the axle type—is it 9, 15, or 20mm? Once we know exactly what you're aiming for, we can help you out. 😉

Well...

Ever since he first showed up in the Cycling subforum, this user managed to take what seemed like a totally normal, chill discussion and steer it completely off the rails in his very first few posts. A fellow moderator eventually stepped in and cleaned it up, though—interestingly enough—he didn't face any sanctions at all. link (Unfortunately, only mods and admins can see those deleted posts without restoring them).

Since he clearly didn't learn anything from that, he’s gone ahead and started a brand new thread titled Dream Bicycle. It’s one of those threads where people post photos of their most beautiful, expensive, or rare bicycles just to daydream about having them.
Maybe it's shallow, maybe it's silly, and maybe some people find it funny, but there's a certain charm to it. You see topics like this on thousands of general and niche forums across the web (except ours is relatively more affordable 🙂).
Anyway, here we go.

There, without saying a single word to explain what the topic is about or why he considers his specific "dream bike" to be a mode of transportation, he just left this one image:



Not once, but twice.

But hey, according to him, that's a real bicycle, while everything else is just "junk racing bikes for kids." 👍

I won't even bother commenting on his other accusations or him calling me out for trolling (yeah, right!) when we haven't even interacted in the actual posts. It falls under the category of "believe it or don't."

As far as I'm concerned, I'm sticking to my decision: the first post stays deleted, and the second one can be updated with the details I mentioned above—basically the who, what, when, where, why, and how.
He could have just done that immediately (or after my private message) instead of dragging us all through this drama.
We'll probably have to deal with this again in a few days when people start flooding his post (or even worse, when someone actually thinks it's a good idea to post a photo of a stroller or a shopping cart from Target...)

P.S. @Alexander Johnson10/">@@Alexander Johnson10: When a moderator reaches out via PM in a polite and respectful way to ask what's going on and requests that you stop trolling or off-topic posting, that isn't a threat. It's advice meant to prevent further conflict in the thread (or, in heavier cases, the whole subforum).

By making things up, whining, playing the victim, and invoking internet laws (oh boy...), you aren't helping anyone at all.

ruggedcobra13 said:I honestly just don't get people who find it weird to ride those crappy little 3.7 miles to work and back home.

Who cares?

You know why?

Because:

because this way I actually show up to work feeling way happier.

👍

The absolute truth about biking to work😉

Yesterday and today at the local ski resort was pretty decent 6.8 miles - aside from some icy patches and unplowed trails 🙄 , it wasn't actually that bad 🙂

I wore two base layers topped off with a softshell jacket
Leggings under some shorts and pants
Two pairs of socks, sneakers, and gaiters on my feet
Thermal gloves
A beanie and neck gaiter from a small town shop + ski goggles

Like I said, the biggest headache is the unplowed paths (it's been four days now!) running along the main regional routes. Because of that, pedestrians are just sticking to the middle where it's cleared, and honestly, nobody gives a damn about the rest of the area around them.
Seriously, couldn't they just send out some mini-plows to clear this stuff or at least widen the paths? It would be nice if things were actually passable and usable by the work week...

I haven't had my hands on them myself, but I've seen these mentioned quite a bit on international forums lately.

The "catch" is that they have a fixed shipping weight of 2 pounds, so it’d probably be way smarter to grab two or three packages at once and split the cost among a few friends.
I mean, two pounds doesn't sound like much, but we all know how those shipping costs can sneak up on you, right? 🙂

Locked.

Jack is speaking up! 🙂

Wait, I just mean what would be the equivalent to the BB5 when looking at the Hayes MX2, rather than the 4 🙂

Bradley Alvarez2 said:Hey everyone! How's it going?
I've run into a bit of a situation. Anyone else dealing with something similar?
So, I finally did it—I got a new bike!The Kona Splice. Honestly, what more can you say about it? It’s such a solid choice if you’re looking to get around town or hit some light trails without breaking the bank. Are you looking for something reliable that just works? This might be exactly what you need. On it. 19 miles So, what's the deal with mechanical disc brakes?
I live up on a hill—not exactly a mountain, but definitely not flat ground either.
So, I was told that disc brakes actually need a little bit of "bedding in" before they really start biting properly. Does that sound right to you guys? Is there a specific way I should be breaking them in to get the best performance out of them?
Honestly, I get that feeling too. It feels like they haven't really broken in yet, doesn't it? Like, you need to get through at least five or six solid descents before everything actually settles in. Nothing's working.
I noticed some people are trying to touch up those graphics, but honestly, that’s just not how you do it. You really shouldn't be messing with them like that. I took a look to see if the paint jobs were actually done right, and yeah, everything looks solid.
It feels like the brake pads are just way too hard. Is it just me?
Everything feels totally fine when I first start heading downhill, but after about 150 meters, it's like something starts scraping. Is it just me?
So, tell me—can I actually find some decent replacement brake pads around here, or should I just stick with these old ones and hope they don't fail me while I'm out riding?

Unfortunately, it’s just not going to happen.

The Kona Splice might be a pretty decent 29er, but when it comes to the brakes? It’s absolute bottom-of-the-barrel.
Look, we can keep complaining about those crappy Novella or IO components, but at least you know what you’re getting into with them. They're predictable. But this Promax stuff? That’s a whole different level of bad. It honestly feels like one step away from those generic, no-name Chinese parts you see being slapped onto cheap commuter bikes. Why even bother?

Look, you probably have your own reasons for going with a 29er and sticking with those specific brakes, so I won't question that. But I really hope you aren't planning on hitting steep mountain trails or heavy forest descents with that setup. If that's the case, any decent set of V-brakes would honestly be a hundred times more reliable and effective than what you're running now. If you want to actually feel a meaningful upgrade, you'll need to swap out the entire braking system, not just the pads. Besides, I'm not even sure if you can find those specific pads easily around here, let alone finding replacements for the discs themselves.
____________________________

I’m guessing she’s pretty light, so honestly? Throwing Shimano XTR, SLX, or any high-end brakes at her seems like total overkill. Why overcomplicate things if she doesn't need the extra weight?

analogcyclist12 brought up those new Deore groupsets, but honestly, I’d throw some Alivio into the mix too—even if you're hunting down last year's models. You can find plenty of them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace right now. They're super budget-friendly and reliable. As for the brakes? They're decent enough, though maybe not the best choice if you're a heavy hitter pushing over 200 pounds. 🙂And hey, if you happen to stumble upon those white ones, she’s going to absolutely love them. 🙂

Alternatively, you could hunt around for some Tektro Aurige or Tektro Draco brakes. They definitely pack a bit more stopping power, though personally, I’ve always found them to have slightly weaker modulation. Plus, the brake levers feel a little funky—it’s not exactly easy to pull them with just one or two fingers like you’re supposed to be able to do.

jadetiger962 said:Don't you realize that once this goes mainstream, thieves will just adapt and start ripping them off immediately? Plus, GPS doesn't even work indoors...

That was my first thought too, so I decided to dig into their website where they mention:

Anti-theft key
The SpyBike comes with a special installation key. This lets you install and remove the tracker

I don't really see the point (even though the concept is great) if a thief can just buy one of those keys and easily strip them off every bike they suspect has one attached.
The only way this works is if, instead of that basic installation tool, they built a high-quality "lock" directly into the tracker that requires a unique key—kind of like how car locks work. Since some high-end bikes cost more than half the price of a used car here in the States, why wouldn't they?
You could lock it securely inside the headset during the initial install, and that’s it—it isn't coming out without that specific key or a hacksaw through the frame.🙂

Regarding the price and whether this is actually practical for us—the only way this becomes a massive thing is if a major bike manufacturer buys the license and starts building them into every model priced over roughly $500-$600, paired with that "unique key" idea we talked about.
Before long, other companies making bike locks would probably start using their own Walmart trackers, which would drive the prices down.

It sounds like science fiction, I know, but hey, at least someone is actually trying to do something about it.🙂

Chloe Hall5 said:Don't you dare go against the guide! So much blood, sweat, and tears went into this, not to mention all those unanswered emails😁! This is just for the San Francisco area, so it’s easy—you’ll have plenty to chat about with the locals regarding different terrain or humidity levels😉... plus, my club is going to kill me because I won't be able to help out the regulars at Golden Gate Park anymore🤣

Wait, you actually helped put this together?

I tip my hat to you👍

Just one quick question though: whose brilliant idea was it to list Dick's Sporting Goods and Hervis as recommended spots for buying a Mountain Biking setup?
I mean, none of you guys in the club would ever buy a bike there, so why suggest it to everyone else?😕

I won't say too much about REI, since I know they're basically the only decent bike shop in San Francisco and they were the only ones who actually stepped up. But beginners—who are the whole reason this guide exists—will have a hard time finding a decent Mountain Biking rig there (something with a solid low-end fork, hydraulic brakes, a quality drivetrain, and good wheels) for that typical $3,000$1333 budget.

Honestly, given the sheer amount of nonsense, paranoid theories, and wild conclusions you've been throwing out—not to mention the direct insults aimed at me and the rest of the community, plus your constant habit of posting MY private messages to YOU—I’m not even going to bother giving you a real response. Why bother? I know I'll just end up getting another insult or some dismissive "whatever" once you run out of actual arguments.

Your last message, which I'm sure Daniel Ward87 will see for himself, is really just the icing on the cake.

The thread has been cleaned up exactly like you asked. You've made your true character and behavior crystal clear, so as far as I'm concerned, this whole situation is over.

Take care.

Patrick King7 said:When Lewis Hamilton was asked what the most critical part of a race car is, he pointed straight to the brakes.

Sure, the front wing matters, but if you need to stop fast and reliable, the brakes are king.

Look, I don't care about the technicalities, but pairing massive, high-performance brakes with a flimsy, weak little front wing just isn't a recipe for success. It's a disaster waiting to happen, right?
But hey, if it works for him, who am I to judge? Five stars for that logic! 🙂

William Murphy5 said:Haha, we all have to push those brakes eventually. I’m running the exact same fork and hydraulic setup with 185mm rotors. On a descent from a local trail, after about 5 or 6 minutes of constant braking, then just letting off for two seconds, you're already flying through the woods at 22 miles mph. By the time I hit the bottom of the hill, my rotors are practically smoking.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/

😕

In other words—you installed top-tier brakes worth maybe $150-$200 on a junker with a fork worth maybe $30-$50?
Interesting priorities, 🙂

nimblehound32 said:It’s an XC Suntour fork with 100mm of travel. Looks pretty solid to me. 😁

Look, I was checking out the official website for the XCM version:
max. disc diameter 185mm
But honestly? I wouldn't take the chance (that's just my two cents 🙂)

Patrick King7 said:they'll push it so hard they're going to snap it in no time 😁

I know, that’s exactly why I’m asking 🙂
If we're talking about an XC bike with skinny legs (28/30mm), there is absolutely no point in even considering a larger rotor.
If it's beefier (though I seriously doubt it), then why not?

nimblehound32 said:Can't afford a whole new DH bike 😁
basically 🙂

Look, grabbing a larger used rotor plus an adapter will probably run you maybe $150 or so.$67.
It’ll stay cooler and give you way better stopping power, but does anyone know how the fork is going to handle that extra leverage?
What kind of setup are you running on your bike right now?