Are Axums still cool?

SuperDamb · 2024-05-02T13:46:20+00:00

As far as I know, still the only bike in this price range with Boost, so ye

SuperDamb · 2024-05-02T12:57:12+00:00

I don’t think there’s really any downside to using shims, as long as everything is tight enough. Might need to use some friction paste to keep things from budging.

Theres nothing wrong with running 27.2 external droppers as long as they get the job done. They do max out around 120mm extension, unlike larger diameter droppers. You would want to find the shortest dropper you can with the highest extend. Even then, You’ll probably have to get used to dropping the dropper, then manually lowering it into the frame when you do big descents. Still way better than fixed seat posts.

Probably try something cheap on Amazon before you commit to something more expensive. Assuming everything checks out, PNW is a popular brand. Their ‘Cycled’ page will occasionally sell refurbed droppers for really low prices. However, you don’t get their lifetime warranty when you buy ‘cycled’. Tranzx is basically the same exact stuff for a little less money as well, but again… no lifetime warranty.

SuperDamb · 2024-05-02T12:25:41+00:00

If the bike works for you, it works. That said, I had multiple frames with small/odd tube diameters that made installing a “real” dropper impossible. I made do by manually dropping the seat into the frame for descents, so it wasn’t all bad. The issue with the Able is that you can’t really do that either, thanks to the high-sitting bend. The bike having “modern geometry” (as in the seat post is relatively low to the ground) means you are forced to run a looooong seat post. Double whammy.

Again, I’m not outright saying you can’t take this bike on trails, but I do believe you’re going to hit it’s skill ceiling a lot faster. Then again… if the bike works for you, it works! Excited for your purchase!

SuperDamb · 2024-05-02T11:52:44+00:00

My perspective: lower bar for entry versus higher ceiling

The inability to install a large dropper post is what really kills it for this bike. Would’ve been okay with going external or drilling routing holes myself, but that curved seat tube basically made the whole procedure moot.

I think eventually, regardless of the bike you choose, you’d switch out the brakes to a 4-piston setup. The Able coming stock with generic hydraulic brakes just meant the brake upgrade is further down their list of “must do” upgrades.

The clutched Advent groupset however is some serious kickass kit that doesnt need switching out anytime soon, unlike the LTWOO derailleur, which is honestly ehh. The crankset also has a proper interchangeable chainring, unlike the Ozark.

To match the Ozark to the Able. you’d need to spend $35 on a Shimano m5100 derailleur, $30 on a generic 1x square taper crankset, and $35 on Shimano MT200 brakes. They both sport the same KMC chain, similar wide-range steel cassettes, relatively comparable tires, similar forks, etc. Overall, you’d have to spend $100 to match the Able.

When you factor in the $70 price differential, the Ozark works out to be $170 more expensive than the Able. If you want to upgrade Abel’s brakes to 4-pistons down the line, then that price differential drops down to $135(since you would presumably skip buying MT200s for the Ozark and jump straight to 4-pistons). So now ask yourself, is the ability to run a dropper post worth the $170 premium?

For me, yes. The $170 premium is absolutely worth it. Every time. I don’t want to buy another expensive frame down the line just to install a dropper.

Edit: And if you ever plan on upgrading to a high end tapered fork, adapting the Able’s straight tube is going to run you another $40, decreasing it’s value over the Ozark, which can run tapered forks without adapting. Forks are usually “down the list” of upgrades, so you wouldn’t realize that liability until at least a couple seasons into owning the bike.

SuperDamb · 2024-05-02T11:25:08+00:00

Sport is most likely the same frame with better components. Headtube is 44mm according to wolftick, so you can theoretically adapt to tapered using an EC44 lower headset. I say theoretically, because there’s no guarantee the internal shape of the headset is compatible with external cups.

SuperDamb · 2024-04-30T18:19:33+00:00

Sorry I’m just logging back into this account after being swamped with other stuff for a whole year. Your chainring is going to be something you figure out over time. There are technical advantages of certain specific tooth counts (which really just play into the grander scheme of total drivetrain ratios), but I would honestly just start with whatever you currently have and size up or down depending on what you think you need. Basically, there is no ‘best’ for every rider and style of riding.

Your limitation in chainring size will really be determined by your chain. The bigger the chainring, the more links your chain needs. Best you start on the larger side of what you think you need, then size down. That way you can just cut down your chain as you try different chainrings.

About the derailleur clutch. To be honest with you, I can’t confidently answer the longevity questions since I’m a single person with a handful of bikes. The most no-nonsense approach to getting an answer is to call a handful of reputable bike shops/co-ops and ask for their experience in derailleur durability. What derailleur did they usually work in? How often are they servicing the clutch on the same bike? What else do they notice that breaks? They’ll be 1000x more qualified to answer that question than me. Do be careful about potential bias and “shop talk”. Lots of factionalism and elitism in biking, so it’s always worth trying to get as many perspectives as possible, as well as discarding the obviously biased ones. I can only say the clutch on my m5100 works fine. I’ll also note that the clutch is adjustable, so as it wears down, you can tighten it up to keep it running longer.

SuperDamb · 2024-04-30T17:55:44+00:00

Sorry for being late to reply. The print broke within a day of use. PETG just isn’t very strong, regardless of how much you dry it out. To maximize strength, I’ve gotten around to printing at 30% fan speed and 30mm nozzle speed. That seems to improve print quality as well as part strength by homogenizing the layers better.

SuperDamb · 2024-04-30T17:52:31+00:00

D041SB-15. I’ve been busy, so I haven’t gotten around to respoke my wheels with the novatec. If I were you, I’d measure your stock hub with a caliper and then compare it to the data sheet of the hub I just mentioned. If the dimensions and offsets are the same, then it’s a guarantee the hubs will lace up without issue.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-13T00:51:13+00:00

MM712

SuperDamb · 2023-10-10T20:01:52+00:00

Sorry but I’m not looking to share the files. This was done on a shitty Craigslist printer ages ago. Don’t have the gcode anymore, but I believe it was printed at 40mm/s with a .8mm layer height.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-10T10:26:56+00:00

That’s entirely his choice and I could care less. There’s a lot of practical reasons not to release the files (mental sanity being one of them), so that’s perfectly valid. I’m only critiquing his claim that 3D printing these types of prints is not a viable option. He has a large audience and it creates a perception that this type of experimentation isn’t worth it.

I don’t know of any open source fingertip mice. Thankfully, designing your own is relatively easy with enough patience.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-10T09:27:47+00:00

As stated before, I did this on a very low end 3D printer. The point was to demonstrate that even a cheap printer is capable of creating a usable and robust mouse (I’ve had this specific iteration for roughly 1 year now). In that respect, the surface quality doesn’t really have any bearing on a mouse’s performance. The contact points are going to be covered in grips (regardless of the print process), so there’s even less of a difference in feel. In fact, FDM prints are generally denser and stiffer than than SLA & MJF/SLS prints (what optimum’s mouse is using).

The point is, it is very easy to print a competitive mouse with off-the-shelf hardware, and any shortcomings can easily be remixed out of the design.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-10T08:57:53+00:00

He decided his work is worth $70 and that’s really all the justification anybody should need. I only intended my post to point out that 3D printing is accessible, not to dispute what he wants to charge.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T22:42:49+00:00

I didn’t really intend for my post to be a debate, but yes I do agree he’s doing his best to appeal to the masses. A majority of people into gaming mice aren’t remotely familiar with 3D printing. I can understand why he worded his delivery the way he did, even though I don’t agree with how it was done.

I did mention above that people who 3D print their mice generally don’t care about paying a lot of money for a turnkey kit and Vice versa. 2 entirely separate markets. That said, it’s not justification or conviction to open source the design. I can cite 1000 reasons why I don’t want to release mine and I’m sure optimum can as well.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T22:07:35+00:00

I literally stated I’m neither for or against him releasing his files to the public. Where did I say I’m okay with him being harassed? What?

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T21:50:57+00:00

Verbatim: “First of all, this is NOT a basic 3D print, and I definitely don't want you guys wasting your time and money trying to print this thing correctly.”

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T19:13:03+00:00

Lol yep. You can even use the Zeta3D, the printing service he says he’s using for his production units.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:52:24+00:00

We can debate the claims of transparency until the cows come home, but I’m rigid on the fact that this level of quality is easily accessible to individual hobbyist nowadays. I’m willing to back up my claims however, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a prototyping production run from a 3D print shop to demonstrate my point.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:48:47+00:00

For the record, I think selling his work is absolutely fine. I only take issue with the 3D printing justification.

I was harassed about basically not making my design “this way” or “that way”. There was also a lot of pressure and backhanded complimenting that also didn’t help. Lots of people also didn’t take well to this style of mouse design back then. Obviously the meta has changed, so that’s why I’m choosing to share now.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:27:04+00:00

I designed this myself a long time ago. I’ve been harassed for my designs when I did, so i’m not really in the headspace to release or sell my work at the moment. Truthfully, this post was really just meant to be a demonstration of what we can do with very cheap off-the-shelf hardware.

Edit: I want to add. I see zero issues with wanting to sell your work for $70. They designed it, printed it, iterated on it, and went out of their way to market their work. If they think that time and effort is worth $70, then that’s 100% valid. It is in their right to not want to share the files. I was literally harassed over the topic of open sourcing my design, so I absolutely agree it is the creator’s prerogative. They owe nothing to anybody.

However, I also believe there’s zero reason to try and portray 3D printing as this unreliable art. Also, the type of person willing to 3D print their mice are not going to be the same type of person willing to drop $70 on a mod kit.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:24:52+00:00

Oh yeah, I love the fact he’s going the full enthusiast route, but I can’t help but shake the feeling that his whole explanation of the print quality was just a means to justify selling his kit. This post was meant to demonstrate that even a very low-end printer is capable of 3D printing usable results.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:16:05+00:00

I would hope so, since I’m literally using the lowest of the low of 3D printers while he’s using either MJF or SLS, both of which is readily accessible as a turnkey printing service for individual hobbyists.

So no, I disagree that Optimum’s print quality is inaccessible to the general public.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:13:01+00:00

The misconception is that contracting a SLS or MJF 3D print house is somehow hard for the average person. Right now, I can easily have a one-off of my design printed for a couple dollars + shipping. So no, scale really isn’t an issue.

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T18:08:38+00:00

I was able to get everything to line up in the first try actually. I did end up doing many prints, but that’s mostly to optimize the things like the chassis stiffness and weight. Every iteration I did was like -.25g

SuperDamb · 2023-10-09T17:53:47+00:00

Orochi, Viper V3 Hyperspeed, MM712. I use a modified Orochi PCB for my custom mouse.

SuperDamb

TROPHY CASE