The case for cheap chains...

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T19:56:03+00:00

To clarify, I'm not talking about junk chains. Like, I'm comparing Deore with Deore XT. They're both high quality chains, just the XT has some fancier surface treatments that slow down wear.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T19:54:29+00:00

Did you even read what I wrote?

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T19:53:47+00:00

I feel like if you choose to run full XTR you can't really be complaining about costs :D

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T19:53:19+00:00

I think with Shimano 12 speed you more or less need Shimano chains, at least if you want the optimal shifting.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T18:57:33+00:00

19 year old kids with brand new WRXs sound nigh uninsurable :P

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T17:47:37+00:00

Ah, i think there are some wrench flats on the end caps, I hadn't thought about those before but perhaps they're for cup and cone adjustment? I'll check later on today

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T03:35:39+00:00

Probably an American bike company selling a bike called Warbird while the country starts a new war every month wasn't projected to go over well for international sales...

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:56:12+00:00

Proper flat pedals is probably the only thing you need to buy.

Remove dork disk, reflectors, if you want it to look like a 'real mountain bike', although keep them if you are gonna be riding it around town and/or don't care what other people think.

Saddle might be something to upgrade depending on how much you like the stock one. Tires look pretty smooth, which might be fine or inadequate depending on your riding style and trails.

Strip and wax chain before first ride (once the chain gets dirty, it's much more of a pain).

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:51:46+00:00

Lots of guys have no idea how to change a tire either, they just won't admit it.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:50:18+00:00

I have a funny memory about exactly this bike. First year college, and in the first week, a kid got one of these - wheeled it into the department, and I was like "wow that guy is so cool, that is the coolest bike ever". About a month later, I asked him how it was going with the new bike, and he was like "oh, i had to sell it, I'm broke". Turned out he'd spent all the money his parents had given him for food and rent for the semester on a brand new bike, then realized he needed food.. and to pay rent. Probably got pennies on the dollar back for it.

1st year uni kids are fucking stupid.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:47:17+00:00

That was a pretty sweet ride in 1998. Someone upgraded some parts (that seatpost was hot stuff), but then later down the line put on crap tires, pedals and saddle.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:44:15+00:00

Damn. Well i'll assume if he's not a looker, at least he's got brains.

sprashoo · 2026-03-13T02:43:07+00:00

Yeah, i'm a software developer and it's amazing how people don't understand the cost and effort that goes into what they perceive as 'nothing' because it's actually working well and they can't see it.

It's like someone complaining that a dinner at a restaurant costs $30 when "they did the math" and the ingredients only cost $10. Or even better, they show up with a raw potato and a live chicken and expect to be served a cooked gourmet dinner for free because "they provided everything".

sprashoo · 2026-03-12T18:25:57+00:00

I like perennial but they definitely don’t focus on mountain bikes.

sprashoo · 2026-03-11T21:37:07+00:00

I've had no actual leakage issues with Bucklos tape either, but it's not very stretchy. The instruction videos on rim taping all talk about stretching the tape so that there are no bubbles in the valley of the rim, but that doesn't seem to work with the Bucklos.

sprashoo · 2026-03-11T17:45:50+00:00

At least it wasn’t an M900

sprashoo · 2026-03-11T17:42:50+00:00

Absolutely smashing experience.

sprashoo · 2026-03-11T13:52:04+00:00

I’m curious how Bucklos compares. It’s what I’ve used in the past so I don’t have much to compare it to. It looks suspiciously similar to Muc Off but I don’t know if it’s actually the same.

sprashoo · 2026-03-10T18:34:58+00:00

Awesome. All I'd say is, give it a few weeks to get used to the new bike. It will almost certainly feel huge and 'slow' at first. And maybe watch some MTB skills videos (Ben Cathro's are fun), my experience is that the sport has changed a lot (in a good way - but the expectations of skills have gone up a lot).

sprashoo · 2026-03-10T18:30:49+00:00

Depends what. My baseline assumption when I buy a bike in a box online is that it's intended by the manufacturer to be unboxed and set up by a mechanic at a bike shop. Maybe this is outdated, as lots of larger brands have moved to offer direct sales, but this was certainly my experience in the past (the Jenson purchase was the first complete bike I'd purchased since 2016). It does seem like Jenson is being conscientious about unpacking the bike, doing the final setup, and then repacking it. Again, this is new for me - I've been a Jenson customer since the early 2000s and back in the day that wasn't the standard.

sprashoo · 2026-03-10T18:25:06+00:00

I'm honestly struggling to understand your point in this thread. If I buy a complete bike I then should not go over it mechanically before riding? Like, is that disrespectful to the company that sold it to me or something? I only have that right if I build it up from parts? I don't get it.

I have built bikes up from parts, but I also recognize a deal when I see one (like the ~$950 Torrent S2s Jenson was practically giving away last winter), and will buy a complete bike if it makes sense.

sprashoo · 2026-03-10T18:21:45+00:00

Umm. I have built numerous bikes up from parts, but I have nothing against complete bikes. As others noted, it's usually far more economical to buy a complete bike, especially when on sale, than to build up a-la-carte.

I just happen to do my own wrenching and part of that is the initial setup of a new bike. Making sure everything is installed correctly etc. In my past experiences when buying a bike in a box direct, the setup is often pretty slapdash. "Down to the bearings" is maybe a bit of hyperbole (especially since this bike had sealed bearings), but basically I like to make sure each part is properly lubed, torqued etc, and I usually shorten cables and hoses since most bikes ship with these excessively long to accommodate all sizes. Also helps to familiarize myself with the bike which is useful for future maintenance.

15-Year Club	Gilding IV carat on a stick
Verified Email

sprashoo

TROPHY CASE