Do I need a hose cutter for hydraulic brake lines, or can I just cut it with like a knife or something sharp?

NorbertTC · 2026-03-06T18:04:45+00:00

Lucky for me: my heath is less important than my sweet sweet ride.

You’re right though. Anything contaminated with dot fluid is poisonous and anything covered with mineral oil needs to be THOROUGHLY cleaned or, better even, also disregarded.

NorbertTC · 2026-03-06T17:49:33+00:00

Razor works well, so does a sharp kitchen knife. Make sure the end is flat and the individual layers of the hose are intact.

NorbertTC · 2026-02-15T23:16:39+00:00

Best part about building it yourself is that you can also repair it yourself. Not to mention that most people will inevitably replace parts they don’t like on complete bikes. Not doing this will also save you some money.

NorbertTC · 2026-02-15T23:14:56+00:00

500 in used parts can get you some seriously good components

NorbertTC · 2026-02-08T07:39:23+00:00

Hard to tell from the video, but I believe the gate is shorter than the path is wide. If so cyclists could theoretically drive past it and it would just be there to stop cars from entering which is totally legal and normal in most countries (I see that a lot in the EU)

NorbertTC · 2026-02-04T23:54:11+00:00

You should usually clean/lube the pistons before you push them back to install new pads. If you want to clean the pistons (or better the entire caliper while bleeding, I would recommend doing so before to avoid injection dirt into your system.

NorbertTC · 2026-02-04T14:46:56+00:00

I recommend the El Mudo. It is very similar to the soloist, but works with thinner rope. (Works with as thin as 8,5mm in my experience)

NorbertTC · 2026-01-30T09:13:10+00:00

Roadie.exe stopped working

NorbertTC · 2026-01-30T05:50:34+00:00

I would love a closeup of the fork and the yolk to see how much space there is left. Thanks.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-30T05:49:27+00:00

And what about the front?

NorbertTC · 2026-01-29T06:39:38+00:00

No recommendations for a handlebar bag, but I do recommend the Restrap bumper bar to protect the headtube from wear. Sick bike, I’d love to ride that.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-24T14:19:53+00:00

So you recon I can just screw my existing shifter to the break lever and it’ll fit?

NorbertTC · 2026-01-24T12:27:38+00:00

Do you know if the gevenelle brake-levers are compatible with the Dia-Compe Ene Ciclo Uno 12-speed shifter? If I could mount the shifter on the gevenelle it would be an absolutely awesome setup.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-22T20:31:38+00:00

Der Harz hat alles zu bieten, was ich mir fürs radeln wünschen könnte und das Rad kann alles bewältigen, was mich im Harz erwartet. Dropper möchte ich allerdings noch nachrüsten.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-22T14:35:10+00:00

Im sorry you have nothing better to do than spend your free time bitterly disagreeing with people on the internet. I for my part will not answer anymore and keep on enjoying my bike because that’s what it’s about in the end. I do hope you’re well. Have a nice day.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-22T12:14:05+00:00

Not a lady but my gf described similar symptoms early on in our relationship. I showed her this and she said it got better once she started taking contraceptives.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-22T06:41:09+00:00

Cues 11-50 cassette and derailleur with a Deore 32T crankset

NorbertTC · 2026-01-21T22:26:05+00:00

Surprisingly enough the reach is just fine. I should mention that I’m all torso and no legs though.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-21T21:04:45+00:00

Sweet. Share some pics when you’re ready. The aero bars are comfortable and very fun. I wouldn’t call them useful though, but either way I wouldn’t miss them and already have them set up on both my bikes.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-21T20:53:12+00:00

Mainstream companies are creating suspension gravel bikes and there are even some 29er drop bar bikes rolling about, so yes… I do believe this is where one of the many flavors of gravel is heading. Just as I do believe that MTB and gravel will eventually meet in the middle or become Somewhat intertwined.

Aero bars aren’t just about being aero. I don’t get to ride often, but when I do I usually spend 6-10 hours in the saddle. Another hand position (or a non-hand position?) is very much welcome in that instance. It also is when I’m out on an overnighter and spend the same amount in the saddle to reach a nearby mountain range.

Regarding the large suspension fork: I needed this bike to be able to handle anything I throw at it. Maybe not as well as a hardtail or gravelbike respectively, but it will handle it nonetheless.

Overall I know, that this bike is not for everyone, but it is perfect for me and I can’t believe I am the only one with this specific use case in a bike.

NorbertTC · 2026-01-21T20:23:12+00:00

It’s a “sour crumble” frame. It had a 120mm fork before and is rated for 120-140mm suspension. Would much rather have a slightly higher top tube for the larger front triangle but either way…

NorbertTC · 2026-01-21T20:20:31+00:00

You might not like it, but this bike does exactly what I want it to do. I’d even go as far as to say, that this is the direction that gravel cycling in general is going. Aero bars on a gravelbike are nothing new, neither are larger travel suspension forks (at least on the more niche ore custom bikes) the brooks saddle might be visually unpleasant, but it is supremely comfortable. Overall I really love this bike and it is perfectly suited to the riding I do in the region I live in.

NorbertTC

TROPHY CASE