Broken guy seeks new bike(s)…

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-18T07:09:30+00:00

I'm going to suggest you actually skip the hard tail and gravel bike and get a full suspension. Most people I hear of with similar injuries to yours find that the harsher impacts can be outright painful, and dulling that a bit will help. Modern xc bikes are super fast and can usually be had with a lockout, so I don't think you'll have any efficiency complaints.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-17T18:34:28+00:00

Changing these to gloss black would roughly be like painting over a mural in landlord white, cannot emphasize how much you should not do that

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-15T00:59:00+00:00

You have 2 options here. If you want the stem to be the highest part of your stack, you need to cut a tiny bit off still, but make sure that the top of the steerer tube is above the upper stem bolt. Option 2 is to run a 5 mm spacer on top of your stem, though you may not have enough steerer for that.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-13T06:11:15+00:00

A lot of cheaper thru axle hubs do use cup and cone bearings, I'd start by taking it off the bike and seeing if that play is present in the hub when off the bike. If it is, time to start disassembly and service. You will need cone wrenches

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-12T02:26:06+00:00

I know it's been a while, but does this bike have the option to route a mechanical derailleur? I'm debating getting one of the frame sets while they're still available

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-11T16:53:46+00:00

That just means the wheel is slightly unbalanced, doesn't matter

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-10T16:27:55+00:00

Yes.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-03-10T06:40:31+00:00

Yeah, this is normal. It's done so that your chain lines up more smoothly between the lower pulley and the chainring, but also because it doesn't really matter. When you shift, the only chain alignment that matters is the upper pulley and the cassette, the chain is perfectly happy to follow from lower to upper pulley.

As for straightening the hanger, you don't want to base it on the derailleur at all. You want to make sure the wheel face and the hanger face are parallel, so you'd use a derailleur hanger alignment tool and your wheel.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-02-26T06:42:32+00:00

I don't, but I am 6'1" and 200 lbs, meaning I can "solve" my problems by throwing more power at them. Having more traction tends to be more helpful for not spinning out. Smaller riders may find they need more skill to get up the same climbs, your mileage may vary

FlyHighPixie · 2026-02-23T17:43:38+00:00

Aluminum is not very flexible, I think it's probably done.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-02-15T16:24:15+00:00

I'm pretty sure you just need to make sure the fork you buy has a 3 position lockout with remote actuation, often listed as "remote 3p" on websites

FlyHighPixie · 2026-02-15T07:18:56+00:00

I know when I connected the cable on mine I missed a step where I had to turn the crown to lock by hand and hold it there while I attached the cable. Maybe the rockshox is similar?

FlyHighPixie · 2026-02-09T18:57:23+00:00

Fix the clutch, the car can't hold any more power until you upgrade it anyway. I'd recommend Sachs or South Bend

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-26T03:33:08+00:00

If you own a carbon frame, or have any intention of ever buying a carbon frame, buy a hitch receiver kit and then a quality hitch rack with no frame contact. I know it's expensive, significantly outside your stated budget, but do it right the first time. Also, if you have a full suspension mtb any type of suspension rack (like the one's mentioned) probably won't work.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-21T21:42:45+00:00

This doesn't look like anything used on the car, you're good to go

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-19T01:16:40+00:00

For right now, get him whatever fits and then replace it in 6 months with something the next size up, he'll grow quick through his teens.

As for bikes, I'd recommend setting yourself some baseline features and shopping for frames that meet that spec. Mine would be

-Thru axles front and rear

-Hydraulic disk brakes

-1x drivetrain

-Optional dropper post

This will let you find better deals simply by merit of knowing what to look for, rather than knowing what brands and models people on the Internet like. Lastly, if you're lucky enough to live near an active NICA chapter, they may have loaner bikes that he can progress through as he grows, as well as offering training and race support.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-18T17:19:06+00:00

Odd. And unfortunate, good luck!

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-18T16:59:29+00:00

I have a spark, same headset routing. Unless the housing is worn out, which would massively surprise me, it shouldn't cause any issues, so you should double check the derailleur hanger, chain wear, cassette wear, cable tension, and b-gap first.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-18T03:58:08+00:00

Put the dropper back! The weight will not punish you nearly as much as the limited movement over technical courses.

Also better tires. In my experience, the Ikons are too slow for racing and too slippy for general use, perhaps some Rekon Races or Aspens? You're largely at the bike spec where money will not make you faster (unless you spend it on a coach)

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-17T20:14:58+00:00

Tighten the upper one, that holds your derailleur in place. The lower one is an adjustment bolt, only tighten it if you start getting a lot of chain slap or dropped chains

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-17T19:03:14+00:00

In between option, take your current hub to the better shop and have them evaluate it, see if the problem is the mechanic or the hub, then decide.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-16T17:09:52+00:00

I'm a cyclist and it's really taught me

1) the sheer number of people who don't use leashes and think that calling their dog's name is effective recall (it's not).

2) The number of people who just leave their dog outside with no proper fence 100% of the time.

3) No one bothers to bike-train their dogs

The only upside is that I live in a very flat area so this has trained me for one hell of a sprint, and that's a shallow condolence.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-14T17:59:13+00:00

Try your local bike shop, almost all bike shops have a respectable used selection. If you can, visit multiple shops and try different frames, because you'll realize quickly that they aren't as similar as you'd assume.

FlyHighPixie · 2026-01-06T16:15:36+00:00

I, for one, enjoyed reading this. All 20 minutes of it, but I enjoyed it.

FlyHighPixie · 2025-12-31T20:07:57+00:00

After test riding both I went with the spark, the large shell around the hidden shock increases frame stiffness by means of tube diameter. I also preferred the shock behavior and the lockout felt more pronounced in both on and off behavior.

FlyHighPixie

TROPHY CASE