OSPWs are helpful for relieving you of some cash. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence they help with much else. It’s mad that they can cost more than a Di2 rear mech for such small claimed benefits. As another commenter already said, if they were better, the big three would already be using them as standard or at least produce them as an upgrade. The only benefit seems to be in terms of customisation and bike bling
There are independent drivetrain efficiency tests that prove that they do in fact reduce drivetrain friction. The amount is extremely marginal, but there are some gains, so it's not just bling
In theory, they should improve drivechain efficiency for the same reason that a 17 or 18 tooth rear cog can be more efficient than a 10 or 11 tooth due to the broader radius of the larger cogs decreasing chain friction losses. The only question then is whether those potential extra watts are worth the extra money.
I suggest you guys to check out what happened between Hambini, PeakTorque and their attemp to show what a ripoff the latest 700$ aB ospw is. Unfortunately, for the moment, aB managed to have all their videos taken down from youtube - firstly only in the UK, then everywhere - or they obliged the creators themselves to put them private with legal actions. You can still find some sort of résumés of this whole story is Waynos Fotos videos - which has also being threatened by aB just for trying to have a clearer vision of this whole thing: th-cam.com/video/tNw5bJ4AiSM/w-d-xo.html I whish #GCN #AskGCNTech would cover this thing somehow.
I see in this video that GCN Tech has abandoned the display of all-capitalized questions that were really not very readable and hurt the eyes. See here for example: th-cam.com/video/XuD2r_Vjs8k/w-d-xo.html So, I take this as a victory for the benefit of humanity. The most impressive thing is that Alex almost didn't mess up the pronunciation of my name.... Wow.
Regarding the cup and cone bearings: if the wheel is still swinging back and forth then it is probably just the inbalance of valve like Alex explained, but if it is an immediate stop which feels like a slight braking then I would assume the bearing is tightened a little bit too much. Untighten the bearing just a tiny hair and try again.
There's usually a heavy spot on aluminium rims, it's where the welded joint is (So that's a little bit extra metal) makes the wheel swing like a pendulum
My chaffing fix is not to use padded shorts, but if you do then take them off & wash up before you put the ride on Strava. Sitting around in a wet diaper has spooned hundreds of over the counter diaper rash meds. The same principle is at work w/ bike shorts.
Lmao since someone mentioned previously that he's got a permanent sad facial expression, he's expression in thumbnails been nothing but smiley face. I like your natural facial expression man!
The cost/performance gain is terrible..also the reason of the big 3 not use them as standard is bcoz the long term durability didnt met the standard..imo i trust R&D team of the big3 rather than ads
With regards to the safety of unbalanced wheels: any number of things can unbalance a wheel by some amount. Valve stems, speed sensors, and spoke reflectors immediately spring to mind, with some things being more unbalancing than others. No one bats an eye at the slight imbalance caused by any of these things.
Also if you are using a Medium cage rear Mech. And a Wolf Tooth extension that method does not work. I found with that method the chain when on 34c/ring and 12 sprocket was very loose. Using a 12 to 32 cassette. Taking a Link out of the chain made the 50t and any sprocket above the 4th down was unusable. Owing to the tension on the rear Mech. My work around was when the chain was very loose on the 34x12 to angle the Wolf Tooth back and tighten to give adequate tension and at least a few more gears{ about 2} available on the 50t
Regarding the chaffing, just getting the most expensive bib shorts doesn't always fix the problem. Try a different brand and you might have better luck. I've tried the top end of several well known brands and the cheapest of the lot actually was most comfy even on rides over 200km.
I’ve tried changing a couple of pulley wheels in the past and they never run as quiet or smooth as the standard manufacturer ones so end up going back to standard,, waste of money for me I’m sticking with the standard from now on
Sometimes saddle sores or chafing can also be because of improperly fitted cleats. There is a bike shop video around where they explain it in more depth. If course, they want you to buy their products and services, but their point still stands. Check if your shoes sit too far forward. Standard advice is to put the cleats in a way where the axle is directly below the ball of the foot. It may be that is not your optimal position, and you need to switch it around a bit. This also will entail switching your saddle position as well, to preserve the stack and reach you already have. Worst case scenario you may need to buy new shoes, maybe new cleats. Maybe even change pedal system. Another possibility is that your sweat may be interacting with the fabric or material from the pad or the Lycra. You may just have very delicate skin down there. If it doesn't improve whatsoever after varying the remaining factors in your set up and kit(shoes and cleats, padding shape and even material), it sounds like a dermatologist issue. Stay safe and healthy!
Ok so I built up a disc felt with a 105 crankset...and Tiagra drive train. I picked up the rear derailleur for $25...,then added a "ALI EXP" carbon pulley/ cage ..$40...was it worth it?....hell yes! I definitely getting my money worth. Iv raced with full dura ace in the 90s and so my current rig is totally cheap and still quick.
#askgcntech I'm riding an absulute entry bike for fun. No race or record attempts ;-) The bike is quite heavy, and i'm thinking about some cheap fixes for that. It is equipped with simple Tektro rimbrakes. Do you think it is worth upgrading to Tiagra/105 rimbrakes as they are avaible for "just a few bucks"... do you know if (stopping power & weight) it's worth it? The front fork is made of steel, so there is plenty of weight to be saved. what do you recommend?
#AskGCNTech I've got several questions. You can answer them in any order you like. Technical questions: 1. Could I get away with putting an inner tube inside of a tubeless tyre for increased redundancy/durability? 2. If I were upgrading a fixie, single-speed or internal hub bicycle, would switching to a belt hurt my pedaling efficiency, or do I have nothing to worry about there? 3. Would it be viable to build a bike frame out of PVC pipes, if I were for example strapped for cash? (This one is just a hypothetical question.) 4. How the heck do automatic transmissions [on bikes] know when they're supposed to change gears? This has been baking my noodle for a while now. 5. When you fill a tyre with a lighter gas such as helium, or a heavier gas such as SF6, does it significantly affect your speed? Less-technical questions: 6. Why haven't you covered PowerCranks yet? (Independent crank arms) 7. Have you ever seen DipYourCar's content? I'd love to see somebody try that stuff with a bicycle. (It's like paint, but peelable!) 8. There's a website called Bike Index (dot) org, which is good for mitigating bike theft. However, it seems to be mostly US-focused. While that doesn't affect me as an American viewer, I would like to know what the European equivalent is called, if it exists.
#AskGCNTech Hi [insert actual presenter name here], I have a Ridley Noah FAST from 2014 with integrated rim brakes. I will need to replace the wheels soon, and am looking for carbon rim brake wheels now. According to the manual of the frame, the maximum width of the wheels measured at the brack tracks is 23 mm. Now my problem is that nowadays rims are getting wider, and I couldn't find any which are not wider than 23 mm. The narrowest I found is 25 mm. Would that still fit into the frame (actually the limiting factor here is the brakes which are integrated into the frame and fork)? Or could you recommend any (at least 45 mm deep) wheelsets which would fit? Cheers
Im not cgn neither am I on time (2 years late) but if I was switching to carbon rim brakes I would try to find some with alloy braking surfaces carbon rim brakes suck
@@ARCBIKES I ended up buying the Swiss Side Hadrons (625/800), and they fit fine without any rubbing. Breaking performance sucks of course, but I only use it in dry weather.
I never use big-big when sizing chains that customers bring in. There's too many rules to remember. I just make sure their derailleur is compatible w/ their drivechain and go small-small untill the chain is under tension and does not rub on itself. It's way faster and simpler. As long as you don't change the spec on ur bike, it will work just fine. It also should account for oversized pulleys too!
It's not just the larger pulley, it's the better bearings aswell. Simply going from Ultegra or 105 'bushed' jockey wheels to Dura Ace ball raced jockey wheels you notice a difference when spinning the cranks by hand.
I hope so... Im just about to upgrade both my bikes with some new pulleys - Commuter is running an old 5700 105 setup. Its going to be getting a set of BBB BDP-02's and my _'go faster'_ bike with an older 6800 ultegra is getting a set of BBB BDP-22's with the ceramic BB's inside. Both bikes are going from the stock jockey/pulley wheels to these new ones and while i know they wont give me any huge gains in terms of watts saved etc etc, Im still interested to know if the bike will run any smoother and _'crispier'_ as far as shifting goes. (first time changing these wheels afaik. I dont think my bike shop ever switched them out.) The BDP-02's are also cheap compared to the OEM shimano branded units
#askGCNtech I was bleeding my shimano ultegra di2 brakes (R807000 ) following the GCN tech instruction video. everything was going well until I put some pressure through the system to see if the lever was squishy or not. It was squishy because lots of brake fluid poured out from the piston on the rear caliper. I assume that the seal is either broken or not seated properly (??). Want to show me how to replace the seal and the piston? it would be quite helpful - thanks love the show!
#ASKGCNTECH: Hi guys and Manon. I bought a Garmin Tacx Flux smart trainer secondhand. It's in great shape and barely used. I've set it up correctly, but the issue I am facing is when I put my bike on the trainer, the derailleurs are so misaligned with the trainer cassette that to make it work I have to completely readjust the derailleurs to compensate despite using identical cassettes on my bike and trainer. This defeats the concept of dropping my wheel out, popping the bike on the trainer and riding. Garmin tech support said, “Them’s the breaks.” Is this normal to have to completely calibrate the derailleur setup when putting a bike on a smart trainer?
Only benefit from an OSPW is the ability to fit a larger cassette like a 32 or a 34 on the rear with mechanical 9100. This would be why I got one. Cheaper than a new groupset from SRAM if you want those climbing gears
I often use an air line to dry out mechs and brake calipers in the winter after a wash. Stops the water freezing cos the shed is cold and a frozen mech doesn’t work. Also, never wee on a frozen mech to try and thaw it. You just end up with a block of frozen wee. (Don’t ask how I know!).
#AskGCNTech Hi Presenters! So I recently bought a new bike and now I am riding on 28mm tires (previously 23mm). I mostly ride on well-maintenanced roads but obviously there are a few bumps along the way and I weigh about 60kg. Can you give any indication on what kind of tire pressure is the most optimal to ride on?
#askgcntech Hi Presenters! The GRX rear derailleur has a switch for chain tensioner. I've always had it in ON position regardless of where I ride (even indoors). Would I gain some watts if I left it OFF on smooth surfaces and ON only when driving on gravel and single track?
Get yourself an Ultegra medium cage rear derailleur first if your rear derailleur is an 11-speed Dura-Ace. The chainrings do not affect whether you can fit an 11-34 cassette or not.
@@tihohohoho The "problem" with a road link (with an SS derailleur) is that while it lowers the upper pulley to clear the larger cogs, SS and GS derailleurs move the cage at a different angle from one another. Ideally, the cage would follow the angle of the cogs on the cassette for best shifting. Experiment. Some people are fine with SS derailleurs and Road Links.
#AskGCNTech Hi guys, what is a better way to make sure your bike fits you better? Buying a shorter stem or use some spacers underneath the stem. Recently i've been having troubles with my bike while riding so i want to make sure that i ride without any complains. (Ps: i compete in road races so the position needs to be aero to #aeroiseverything)
You can shorten the reach by a few cm by rolling the drops down slightly and raising the controls higher up 🤔 that's free and pretty quick. My bike used to be a hybrid and came with a 120 stem, after switching to drops I went for shorter one, 60mm but now I'm at 70mm, the shorter stern made it feel skittish but 70 is ok for me now. I did try a 50mm but it was crap and I didn't like the colour. 🙃 Also the stem can be mounted either way up, so if it's angled it could rise or drop depending. It's normal for it to be mounted with the rise though I think. Spacers yeah, depends how much steerer you've got. Perhaps there's already some spacers above the stem that you could put underneath instead to keep the overall stack height the same. Point being the stem still needs to clamp on the steerer tube so can't be raised higher than the top of that. Though remember the stack height does need to be slightly higher than the steerer to allow proper bearing preload. 👍
No, wider tyres being faster is a wives tale perpetuated by the cycling industry. 28 mm tyres only roll easier than 25 mm tyres on a drum in laboratory conditions at identical pressure. In actual practice though, a 28 mm tyre casing cannot handle the same internal pressure as a 25 mm tyre (due to hoop stress). Not only that, a 28 mm tyre inflated to the same pressure as a 25 mm tyre will behave stiffer and harsher when riding on actual roads, and will transmit more micro-vibrations to the frame and rider, thus consuming more energy. When 25 mm and 28 mm tyres are adjusted to provide the same level of rider comfort, they achieve virtually identical rolling resistance coefficients. As for aerodynamics, a 25 mm version of a tyre is always less draggy than a 28 mm version of the same tyre, when both are fitted to their respective optimal rims.
#AskGCNTech I’m getting a new bike with sram rival 48-35. I understand I won’t be able to change the back wheel out with my current ultegra mechanical disc brake wheels but can I swap my front wheel out?
#AskGCNTech I currently run a Shimano compact 50/34 chainset combined with a 105 11/30 cassette. I'd like to fit a semi compact chainset (52/36) to stop me from spinning out on fast descents but still want to maintain and / or improve my climbing ability by replacing the rear cassette with a 11/32 ( or even 11/34) sprocket set. The rear derailleur is Ultegra with a medium cadge. Do l need to run a longer chain / cadge to enable these changes?? Many thanks Steve
52/36 with 11-30 would be a pretty good “all around” setup and save you some money. I run 52/36 11-28 and it’s pretty sweet but having that 30t out back would be a nice relief on those looooong climbs.
#AskGCNTech Hi all! A lot of pedals come with different length spindle options (shimano spd-sl Ultegra and Speedplays), is there a way of determining the correct spindle length option to use without having a bike fit? Thankyou and love the show.
Chafing could be caused by the size and shape of the pad. Some pads just hit you in the wrong place and cause chafing. Not necessarily the quality of the bib or the pad, could just be hoe the size and shape of the pad.
#askgcntech Hello !! if I have a Shimano 105 crankset (50/34) can I use a Shimano Ultegra R8000 crankset (50/34) without changing the bottom bracket and/or the rest of the drivetrain ?? Thanks for your answer ;)
#ASKGCNTECH I WENT TO INFLATE MY TIRE TODAY BUT WHEN I TOOK OFF THE PLASTIC VALVE COVER ON MY SCHRADER VALVE, THE VALVE CORE BLEW OUT!!!! IS THIS NORMAL? I PUT IT BACK IN AND IT SEEMS TO HOLD. I WAS ABLE TO REINFLATE MY TIRE. I HOPE IT HOLDS
#askgcntech Hi guys, and Manon☺️. I’m currently riding a Cannondale CAD3 R500 frame which had a crack on the chainstay but I’ve got it welded back during the restoration process( I’ve also refrained from blending the weld to fortify the frame strength.) Recently I upgraded the drivetrain to a 1x set up with a 56T chainring and a 23-11 cassette at the back. I’m concerned about whether the power required to put through the pedals will stress the frame integrity. Thoughts?
#AskGCNTech Dear Alex/Ollie/Manon, please help! My Shimano di2 (ultegra r8070) keeps emptying the battery overnight. I took it to my local bike shop who replaced the battery but the problem keeps persisting; a full charge only lasts a few hours. Any idea what could be causing this, or how you fix it? Could it be related to my wahoo? The firmware is up to date and it is well maintained. I make sure the shifters aren't being pressed accidentally and I always disconnect from the bike when using the e-tube app. Many thanks!
Hi Alex. Because my partner and I use the same turbo trainer I regularly have to switch bikes between our rides. I try to be careful but every now and then the rear disc rotor scuffs the frame by the caliper and we're both losing paint! Do you have any tips to avoid this? Thanks a million!!
#askgcntech Does gearing affect your speed at a set power. For example if you are pedalling at 200W in 52t chainring 11t sprocket will you be faster than 200W in 34t ring 11t sprocket
With 34-11 you will be losing more watts due to the crooked chainline, so you will indeed go faster in the 52-11 gear at 200 watts. However, the comparison should really be between 52-17 and 52-11, as 52-17 provides a far straighter chainline than 34-11, and is almost identical in gear ratio. The faster you're going, the more likely is 52-11 to be the better gear ratio, and the slower you're going the more likely is 52-17 to be the better gear ratio. In actual practice, you will (hopefully) have intermediate cogs to pick from as well, so the dilemma really comes down to a difference of one or maybe two teeth. In that case, go with whichever gear ratio allows you to pedal at the most comfortable, sustainable cadence for the speed you're traveling and the watts you're targeting for the duration required of the training effort or event. After all, not all watts are created equally, and not all watts make it to the rear wheel.
@@johnbarron4265 my choice of gear tooth numbers was just for illustration. I should have suggested a mid cassette cog to minimise chain line angle change. Overall it seems in simple terms X Watts equals Y speed no matter what gear you select. (Unless I am completely misunderstanding). Thanks all for input.
OSPWs are for looks. But spending hundreds on them is bonkers. I have OSPWs in a carbon cage, matching my bike paint, for less than 50 euros. Including replacing the open ceramic bearings with sealed ones. Works fine, looks great. That's all there is to it.
They probly save 4-7 watts and yet you gotta add 3 chain links which add 6 watts which means you save 1 watt but by than your wallet and bank account is so light you could probably out climb andrew feather
#AskGCNTech Hello, and good day. I own a mountain bike which currently is in it's all-stock form. Now since I'm more of a road cyclist rather than a trail rider, I'm thinking about setting up my MTB for road cycling (rigid fork, aero bars, etc.). My question is do you think I should go on with that plan, or should I just go and trade it for a road bike? Another thing that I'm considering is that the roads here are quite bumpy, and there are a lot of long, gradual climbs, which is why I decided to get a MTB, suspension fork obviously helps with the bumps, and the gearing is great for climbs, but I want to hear other opinions about it. Thank you, supporting you all the way from the Philippines! 🇵🇭
@@erlkoenig90 I have considered getting a gravel bike, but gravel bike prices have been steadily rising recently. So I'm not quite sure if I'd be able to afford one.
@@ralphjairusdesphy9832 Indeed, the hype is driving the prices up... You might be able to turn an old rigid MTB into a budget gravel bike, there's a lot of videos on that. Perhaps a (used) cyclocross bike might do the trick too.
#AskGCNTech Hi Manon, Alex and Ollie, I am looking for a bag or case to travel with my bike. Most options require to take the handlebars off but my bike has an integrated cockpit with internally routed cables. Are there options you can recommend for this situation?
3 options, from heaviest to lightest weight (and thus most to least protection) 1)BikeBox Alan Triathlon Easy Fit 2)Evoc Road Bike Bag Pro 3) Scion Aero comfort 3.0 Road TSA. Be careful of weight total to avoid airlines overweight charge (usually 50 lbs). You're welcome ;-)
@@chrisridesbicycles I bought the middle one-Evoc-gives me 4 lbs of packing space after bike/case loaded. Remove wheels and pedals only, and store them in bag itself.
The often forgotten tip on chafing: Shaving. Lots of people especially men have coarse hair and if you’re like me a hairy bast$&d then shaving and man scaping is necessary. Don’t stop at the legs, get rid of it all. Hair is friction and friction is chafing. Be real about what needs to be shaven.
The idea behind bigger pulley wheels is to reduce the drag in the chain itself. It's the same theory that goes for using the big chain ring instead of the small one, eventhough you get the same gear ratios. The chain just doesn't have to bend/rotate as much when it goes around the bigger sprocket/chain ring.
Got to disagree on the drops having the best reach and power. I can barely reach the levers on my sram axs bike when in the drops, even with the levers at their max adjustment (checked by different bike shops, that's the best that can be achieved). It's far safer for me and anyone with medium hands (I fit M sized gloves) to be on the hoods where we can actually brake.
I have the 105 levers for small hands. Yet I have to adjust the reach to the closest position to get a more or less confident grip from the hoods. I wonder if a different handlebar (currently 400 mm) and or a different handlebar/lever position would help a bit. Anyway, I don't know how women with smaller hands can even reach the levers. This is something surely worthy of a GCN video #askgcntech
It depends on what type of bars you have. The bars with the deeper drops and reach will make it feel like you're reaching for Jesus. But compact bars have a much more comfortable reach and feel.
Derailleur pulleys are not under a great deal of tension and therefore having a larger pulley wheel does not really provide an efficiency advantage. When riding in the large chainring however, there is an efficiency benefit from having the chain travel around a larger circumference but this only occurs due to the chain being under load. Applying the “larger is more efficient” idea to help sell products is pure marketing.
It’s about the decrease in chain articulation. Smaller pulleys create tighter articulation of the drivetrain, the OSPW relieves that tension, and in combination with ceramic speed bearings that’s where the big drag is reduced. Ceramic speed hasn’t missed a Tour De France podium in 10 years, every watt saved is another watt put into the speed of your bicycle. It’s not about being the fastest rider, it’s about being the fastest you.
Uh oh. Sounds like a defamatory comment to the claims of Absolute Black`s OSPW. You`ll be getting a letter from their solicitors and before you know it this video will be taken down.
@@scottbaker5851 Pointless as they have completely ignored the tidal wave of protest. There own video about it got 94% dislikes. Best every channel can do is remove likes and dislikes completely.
OSPWs are helpful for relieving you of some cash. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence they help with much else. It’s mad that they can cost more than a Di2 rear mech for such small claimed benefits. As another commenter already said, if they were better, the big three would already be using them as standard or at least produce them as an upgrade. The only benefit seems to be in terms of customisation and bike bling
There are independent drivetrain efficiency tests that prove that they do in fact reduce drivetrain friction. The amount is extremely marginal, but there are some gains, so it's not just bling
OSPW's make you very slightly faster because your wallet is significantly lighter.
@UCzSO1EpAML8CiIUqh6ofsfQ No, those things are absolutely terrible!
In theory, they should improve drivechain efficiency for the same reason that a 17 or 18 tooth rear cog can be more efficient than a 10 or 11 tooth due to the broader radius of the larger cogs decreasing chain friction losses. The only question then is whether those potential extra watts are worth the extra money.
I suggest you guys to check out what happened between Hambini, PeakTorque and their attemp to show what a ripoff the latest 700$ aB ospw is.
Unfortunately, for the moment, aB managed to have all their videos taken down from youtube - firstly only in the UK, then everywhere - or they obliged the creators themselves to put them private with legal actions.
You can still find some sort of résumés of this whole story is Waynos Fotos videos - which has also being threatened by aB just for trying to have a clearer vision of this whole thing:
th-cam.com/video/tNw5bJ4AiSM/w-d-xo.html
I whish #GCN #AskGCNTech would cover this thing somehow.
They help the people who sell them massively..............
Indeed. ! 🤣
Laurent: STOP WITH ALL CAPS!
Alex: lol no
I see in this video that GCN Tech has abandoned the display of all-capitalized questions that were really not very readable and hurt the eyes. See here for example: th-cam.com/video/XuD2r_Vjs8k/w-d-xo.html So, I take this as a victory for the benefit of humanity. The most impressive thing is that Alex almost didn't mess up the pronunciation of my name.... Wow.
Regarding the cup and cone bearings: if the wheel is still swinging back and forth then it is probably just the inbalance of valve like Alex explained, but if it is an immediate stop which feels like a slight braking then I would assume the bearing is tightened a little bit too much. Untighten the bearing just a tiny hair and try again.
There's usually a heavy spot on aluminium rims, it's where the welded joint is (So that's a little bit extra metal) makes the wheel swing like a pendulum
I use a leaf blower to dry my bike after I wash it after I wipe it down. Works great.
My chaffing fix is not to use padded shorts, but if you do then take them off & wash up before you put the ride on Strava. Sitting around in a wet diaper has spooned hundreds of over the counter diaper rash meds. The same principle is at work w/ bike shorts.
Lmao since someone mentioned previously that he's got a permanent sad facial expression, he's expression in thumbnails been nothing but smiley face. I like your natural facial expression man!
If they helped, I'm pretty sure one of the big 3 would be speccing them.
Super valid point to be fair, never thought of that! Thankfully I've never been a moron enough to buy anything from them haha
I believe ospw trend is a laughing stock for the r&d team of the big3
The cost/performance gain is terrible..also the reason of the big 3 not use them as standard is bcoz the long term durability didnt met the standard..imo i trust R&D team of the big3 rather than ads
Would it be possible to fix that little white spec on the blue wall just below the handle bars? It’s driving me nuts.
What’s the best way to setup tubeless on non tubeless wheels. I will be using tubeless tires.
With regards to the safety of unbalanced wheels: any number of things can unbalance a wheel by some amount. Valve stems, speed sensors, and spoke reflectors immediately spring to mind, with some things being more unbalancing than others. No one bats an eye at the slight imbalance caused by any of these things.
Best presenter in all of GCN
For drying your bike use the exhaust of a shop vacuum with the internal filters and crevice tool, or an automotive dryer/vacuum.
Also if you are using a Medium cage rear Mech. And a Wolf Tooth extension that method does not work. I found with that method the chain when on 34c/ring and 12 sprocket was very loose. Using a 12 to 32 cassette. Taking a Link out of the chain made the 50t and any sprocket above the 4th down was unusable. Owing to the tension on the rear Mech. My work around was when the chain was very loose on the 34x12 to angle the Wolf Tooth back and tighten to give adequate tension and at least a few more gears{ about 2} available on the 50t
Regarding the chaffing, just getting the most expensive bib shorts doesn't always fix the problem. Try a different brand and you might have better luck. I've tried the top end of several well known brands and the cheapest of the lot actually was most comfy even on rides over 200km.
i agree totally, the cut out and where/how the seam are sewn matters much more
Recently acquired an OSPW system (kogel). Ultegra Di2 shifting improved due to the cage being stiffer than the stock cage.
I’ve tried changing a couple of pulley wheels in the past and they never run as quiet or smooth as the standard manufacturer ones so end up going back to standard,, waste of money for me I’m sticking with the standard from now on
Sometimes saddle sores or chafing can also be because of improperly fitted cleats. There is a bike shop video around where they explain it in more depth. If course, they want you to buy their products and services, but their point still stands. Check if your shoes sit too far forward. Standard advice is to put the cleats in a way where the axle is directly below the ball of the foot. It may be that is not your optimal position, and you need to switch it around a bit. This also will entail switching your saddle position as well, to preserve the stack and reach you already have. Worst case scenario you may need to buy new shoes, maybe new cleats. Maybe even change pedal system.
Another possibility is that your sweat may be interacting with the fabric or material from the pad or the Lycra. You may just have very delicate skin down there. If it doesn't improve whatsoever after varying the remaining factors in your set up and kit(shoes and cleats, padding shape and even material), it sounds like a dermatologist issue. Stay safe and healthy!
Ok so I built up a disc felt with a 105 crankset...and Tiagra drive train. I picked up the rear derailleur for $25...,then added a "ALI EXP" carbon pulley/ cage ..$40...was it worth it?....hell yes! I definitely getting my money worth. Iv raced with full dura ace in the 90s and so my current rig is totally cheap and still quick.
on the contrary, since an oversized pulley is larger than the regular one, it even creates more drag than aerodynamics ..
Hambini say no
@hambini is right on all matters apart from hair dressers
@@RossTheNinja he cuts his own hair, just sayin' 🤭😂
#askgcntech I'm riding an absulute entry bike for fun. No race or record attempts ;-) The bike is quite heavy, and i'm thinking about some cheap fixes for that. It is equipped with simple Tektro rimbrakes. Do you think it is worth upgrading to Tiagra/105 rimbrakes as they are avaible for "just a few bucks"... do you know if (stopping power & weight) it's worth it?
The front fork is made of steel, so there is plenty of weight to be saved. what do you recommend?
#AskGCNTech I've got several questions. You can answer them in any order you like.
Technical questions:
1. Could I get away with putting an inner tube inside of a tubeless tyre for increased redundancy/durability?
2. If I were upgrading a fixie, single-speed or internal hub bicycle, would switching to a belt hurt my pedaling efficiency, or do I have nothing to worry about there?
3. Would it be viable to build a bike frame out of PVC pipes, if I were for example strapped for cash? (This one is just a hypothetical question.)
4. How the heck do automatic transmissions [on bikes] know when they're supposed to change gears? This has been baking my noodle for a while now.
5. When you fill a tyre with a lighter gas such as helium, or a heavier gas such as SF6, does it significantly affect your speed?
Less-technical questions:
6. Why haven't you covered PowerCranks yet? (Independent crank arms)
7. Have you ever seen DipYourCar's content? I'd love to see somebody try that stuff with a bicycle. (It's like paint, but peelable!)
8. There's a website called Bike Index (dot) org, which is good for mitigating bike theft. However, it seems to be mostly US-focused. While that doesn't affect me as an American viewer, I would like to know what the European equivalent is called, if it exists.
The second qustion seemed to be about the size of the pulley (short-medium-long), not pulleywheel.
#AskGCNTech
Hi [insert actual presenter name here],
I have a Ridley Noah FAST from 2014 with integrated rim brakes. I will need to replace the wheels soon, and am looking for carbon rim brake wheels now. According to the manual of the frame, the maximum width of the wheels measured at the brack tracks is 23 mm. Now my problem is that nowadays rims are getting wider, and I couldn't find any which are not wider than 23 mm. The narrowest I found is 25 mm. Would that still fit into the frame (actually the limiting factor here is the brakes which are integrated into the frame and fork)? Or could you recommend any (at least 45 mm deep) wheelsets which would fit?
Cheers
Im not cgn neither am I on time (2 years late) but if I was switching to carbon rim brakes I would try to find some with alloy braking surfaces carbon rim brakes suck
@@ARCBIKES I ended up buying the Swiss Side Hadrons (625/800), and they fit fine without any rubbing.
Breaking performance sucks of course, but I only use it in dry weather.
@@CiCC-kány thanks I guess I know now if I ever get carbon rim brakes I'll use them only in dry weather
I never use big-big when sizing chains that customers bring in. There's too many rules to remember. I just make sure their derailleur is compatible w/ their drivechain and go small-small untill the chain is under tension and does not rub on itself. It's way faster and simpler. As long as you don't change the spec on ur bike, it will work just fine. It also should account for oversized pulleys too!
It's not just the larger pulley, it's the better bearings aswell. Simply going from Ultegra or 105 'bushed' jockey wheels to Dura Ace ball raced jockey wheels you notice a difference when spinning the cranks by hand.
I hope so... Im just about to upgrade both my bikes with some new pulleys - Commuter is running an old 5700 105 setup. Its going to be getting a set of BBB BDP-02's and my _'go faster'_ bike with an older 6800 ultegra is getting a set of BBB BDP-22's with the ceramic BB's inside. Both bikes are going from the stock jockey/pulley wheels to these new ones and while i know they wont give me any huge gains in terms of watts saved etc etc, Im still interested to know if the bike will run any smoother and _'crispier'_ as far as shifting goes.
(first time changing these wheels afaik. I dont think my bike shop ever switched them out.)
The BDP-02's are also cheap compared to the OEM shimano branded units
#askGCNtech I was bleeding my shimano ultegra di2 brakes (R807000 ) following the GCN tech instruction video. everything was going well until I put some pressure through the system to see if the lever was squishy or not. It was squishy because lots of brake fluid poured out from the piston on the rear caliper. I assume that the seal is either broken or not seated properly (??). Want to show me how to replace the seal and the piston? it would be quite helpful - thanks love the show!
Absolutely, look on the back of the box. You'll find the recipe there. Bit like a jar of Pataks paste.
#ASKGCNTECH: Hi guys and Manon. I bought a Garmin Tacx Flux smart trainer secondhand. It's in great shape and barely used. I've set it up correctly, but the issue I am facing is when I put my bike on the trainer, the derailleurs are so misaligned with the trainer cassette that to make it work I have to completely readjust the derailleurs to compensate despite using identical cassettes on my bike and trainer. This defeats the concept of dropping my wheel out, popping the bike on the trainer and riding. Garmin tech support said, “Them’s the breaks.” Is this normal to have to completely calibrate the derailleur setup when putting a bike on a smart trainer?
Only benefit from an OSPW is the ability to fit a larger cassette like a 32 or a 34 on the rear with mechanical 9100. This would be why I got one. Cheaper than a new groupset from SRAM if you want those climbing gears
I often use an air line to dry out mechs and brake calipers in the winter after a wash. Stops the water freezing cos the shed is cold and a frozen mech doesn’t work. Also, never wee on a frozen mech to try and thaw it. You just end up with a block of frozen wee. (Don’t ask how I know!).
Woah that’s some frickin cold weather ! Where do you live ?
#AskGCNTech Hi Presenters! So I recently bought a new bike and now I am riding on 28mm tires (previously 23mm). I mostly ride on well-maintenanced roads but obviously there are a few bumps along the way and I weigh about 60kg. Can you give any indication on what kind of tire pressure is the most optimal to ride on?
#askgcntech Hi Presenters! The GRX rear derailleur has a switch for chain tensioner. I've always had it in ON position regardless of where I ride (even indoors). Would I gain some watts if I left it OFF on smooth surfaces and ON only when driving on gravel and single track?
#AskGCNTech How to fit a 11-34 casette with 34/50 DuraAce chainrings. Saw it at Ollies bike for the Tour des Stations.
Thanks and cheers
Long cage RD
Get yourself an Ultegra medium cage rear derailleur first if your rear derailleur is an 11-speed Dura-Ace. The chainrings do not affect whether you can fit an 11-34 cassette or not.
Thanks guys.
any experience with wolf tooth - road link?
Medium Cage (GS) rear derailleur and new chain
@@tihohohoho The "problem" with a road link (with an SS derailleur) is that while it lowers the upper pulley to clear the larger cogs, SS and GS derailleurs move the cage at a different angle from one another. Ideally, the cage would follow the angle of the cogs on the cassette for best shifting. Experiment. Some people are fine with SS derailleurs and Road Links.
#AskGCNTech Hi guys, what is a better way to make sure your bike fits you better? Buying a shorter stem or use some spacers underneath the stem. Recently i've been having troubles with my bike while riding so i want to make sure that i ride without any complains. (Ps: i compete in road races so the position needs to be aero to #aeroiseverything)
You can shorten the reach by a few cm by rolling the drops down slightly and raising the controls higher up 🤔 that's free and pretty quick.
My bike used to be a hybrid and came with a 120 stem, after switching to drops I went for shorter one, 60mm but now I'm at 70mm, the shorter stern made it feel skittish but 70 is ok for me now. I did try a 50mm but it was crap and I didn't like the colour. 🙃
Also the stem can be mounted either way up, so if it's angled it could rise or drop depending. It's normal for it to be mounted with the rise though I think.
Spacers yeah, depends how much steerer you've got. Perhaps there's already some spacers above the stem that you could put underneath instead to keep the overall stack height the same. Point being the stem still needs to clamp on the steerer tube so can't be raised higher than the top of that. Though remember the stack height does need to be slightly higher than the steerer to allow proper bearing preload. 👍
Would a 28mm tyre still be faster than a 25mm due to lower rolling resistance but it would be slightly lower in aerodynamics?
No, wider tyres being faster is a wives tale perpetuated by the cycling industry.
28 mm tyres only roll easier than 25 mm tyres on a drum in laboratory conditions at identical pressure. In actual practice though, a 28 mm tyre casing cannot handle the same internal pressure as a 25 mm tyre (due to hoop stress). Not only that, a 28 mm tyre inflated to the same pressure as a 25 mm tyre will behave stiffer and harsher when riding on actual roads, and will transmit more micro-vibrations to the frame and rider, thus consuming more energy. When 25 mm and 28 mm tyres are adjusted to provide the same level of rider comfort, they achieve virtually identical rolling resistance coefficients. As for aerodynamics, a 25 mm version of a tyre is always less draggy than a 28 mm version of the same tyre, when both are fitted to their respective optimal rims.
@@johnbarron4265 I’ll be using a tubeless pirelli to test out that in 26mm they had no 28mm available
#AskGCNTech I’m getting a new bike with sram rival 48-35. I understand I won’t be able to change the back wheel out with my current ultegra mechanical disc brake wheels but can I swap my front wheel out?
#AskGCNTech
I currently run a Shimano compact 50/34 chainset combined with a 105 11/30 cassette.
I'd like to fit a semi compact chainset (52/36) to stop me from spinning out on fast descents but still want to maintain and / or improve my climbing ability by replacing the rear cassette with a 11/32 ( or even 11/34) sprocket set.
The rear derailleur is Ultegra with a medium cadge. Do l need to run a longer chain / cadge to enable these changes??
Many thanks
Steve
52/36 with 11-30 would be a pretty good “all around” setup and save you some money.
I run 52/36 11-28 and it’s pretty sweet but having that 30t out back would be a nice relief on those looooong climbs.
#AskGCNTech Hi all! A lot of pedals come with different length spindle options (shimano spd-sl Ultegra and Speedplays), is there a way of determining the correct spindle length option to use without having a bike fit? Thankyou and love the show.
Great question.
Loads of bike fitters do tend to set saddles a bit too high . I would lower saddle by 10mm and see if that helps with chaffing 👍🏼
Chafing could be caused by the size and shape of the pad. Some pads just hit you in the wrong place and cause chafing. Not necessarily the quality of the bib or the pad, could just be hoe the size and shape of the pad.
Yes, paid hoes. 🤭
So helpful that none of the big 3 bother with them
#askgcntech Hello !! if I have a Shimano 105 crankset (50/34) can I use a Shimano Ultegra R8000 crankset (50/34) without changing the bottom bracket and/or the rest of the drivetrain ?? Thanks for your answer ;)
Yes.
#ASKGCNTECH I WENT TO INFLATE MY TIRE TODAY BUT WHEN I TOOK OFF THE PLASTIC VALVE COVER ON MY SCHRADER VALVE, THE VALVE CORE BLEW OUT!!!! IS THIS NORMAL? I PUT IT BACK IN AND IT SEEMS TO HOLD. I WAS ABLE TO REINFLATE MY TIRE. I HOPE IT HOLDS
#askgcntech Hi guys, and Manon☺️. I’m currently riding a Cannondale CAD3 R500 frame which had a crack on the chainstay but I’ve got it welded back during the restoration process( I’ve also refrained from blending the weld to fortify the frame strength.) Recently I upgraded the drivetrain to a 1x set up with a 56T chainring and a 23-11 cassette at the back. I’m concerned about whether the power required to put through the pedals will stress the frame integrity. Thoughts?
That isnt power. It is torque.
Power is what you want. That makes you faster. Torque just wears stuff out faster.
#AskGCNTech Dear Alex/Ollie/Manon, please help! My Shimano di2 (ultegra r8070) keeps emptying the battery overnight. I took it to my local bike shop who replaced the battery but the problem keeps persisting; a full charge only lasts a few hours. Any idea what could be causing this, or how you fix it? Could it be related to my wahoo? The firmware is up to date and it is well maintained. I make sure the shifters aren't being pressed accidentally and I always disconnect from the bike when using the e-tube app. Many thanks!
Hi Alex. Because my partner and I use the same turbo trainer I regularly have to switch bikes between our rides. I try to be careful but every now and then the rear disc rotor scuffs the frame by the caliper and we're both losing paint! Do you have any tips to avoid this? Thanks a million!!
#askgcntech Does gearing affect your speed at a set power. For example if you are pedalling at 200W in 52t chainring 11t sprocket will you be faster than 200W in 34t ring 11t sprocket
no. Watts are watts.
Eat enough sugar so you can push bigger watts for longer. Get your red blood cell count as high as you can. as a natty.
With 34-11 you will be losing more watts due to the crooked chainline, so you will indeed go faster in the 52-11 gear at 200 watts. However, the comparison should really be between 52-17 and 52-11, as 52-17 provides a far straighter chainline than 34-11, and is almost identical in gear ratio. The faster you're going, the more likely is 52-11 to be the better gear ratio, and the slower you're going the more likely is 52-17 to be the better gear ratio. In actual practice, you will (hopefully) have intermediate cogs to pick from as well, so the dilemma really comes down to a difference of one or maybe two teeth. In that case, go with whichever gear ratio allows you to pedal at the most comfortable, sustainable cadence for the speed you're traveling and the watts you're targeting for the duration required of the training effort or event. After all, not all watts are created equally, and not all watts make it to the rear wheel.
@@johnbarron4265 my choice of gear tooth numbers was just for illustration. I should have suggested a mid cassette cog to minimise chain line angle change. Overall it seems in simple terms X Watts equals Y speed no matter what gear you select. (Unless I am completely misunderstanding). Thanks all for input.
Do they help? They certainly make your wallet more aerodynamic…..
OSPWs are for looks. But spending hundreds on them is bonkers. I have OSPWs in a carbon cage, matching my bike paint, for less than 50 euros. Including replacing the open ceramic bearings with sealed ones. Works fine, looks great. That's all there is to it.
They probly save 4-7 watts and yet you gotta add 3 chain links which add 6 watts which means you save 1 watt but by than your wallet and bank account is so light you could probably out climb andrew feather
#AskGCNTech Hello, and good day. I own a mountain bike which currently is in it's all-stock form. Now since I'm more of a road cyclist rather than a trail rider, I'm thinking about setting up my MTB for road cycling (rigid fork, aero bars, etc.). My question is do you think I should go on with that plan, or should I just go and trade it for a road bike? Another thing that I'm considering is that the roads here are quite bumpy, and there are a lot of long, gradual climbs, which is why I decided to get a MTB, suspension fork obviously helps with the bumps, and the gearing is great for climbs, but I want to hear other opinions about it. Thank you, supporting you all the way from the Philippines! 🇵🇭
Sounds like you need a gravel or all-road bike ;-) Good climbing gears and wide enough tires to smooth out bumps.
@@erlkoenig90 I have considered getting a gravel bike, but gravel bike prices have been steadily rising recently. So I'm not quite sure if I'd be able to afford one.
@@ralphjairusdesphy9832 Indeed, the hype is driving the prices up... You might be able to turn an old rigid MTB into a budget gravel bike, there's a lot of videos on that. Perhaps a (used) cyclocross bike might do the trick too.
Thanks Alex....Peace
#AskGCNTech Hi Manon, Alex and Ollie, I am looking for a bag or case to travel with my bike. Most options require to take the handlebars off but my bike has an integrated cockpit with internally routed cables. Are there options you can recommend for this situation?
3 options, from heaviest to lightest weight (and thus most to least protection) 1)BikeBox Alan Triathlon Easy Fit 2)Evoc Road Bike Bag Pro 3) Scion Aero comfort 3.0 Road TSA. Be careful of weight total to avoid airlines overweight charge (usually 50 lbs). You're welcome ;-)
@@bfaIllini1 Thanks! That looks very good.
@@chrisridesbicycles I bought the middle one-Evoc-gives me 4 lbs of packing space after bike/case loaded. Remove wheels and pedals only, and store them in bag itself.
Love the show, what is with the fake/super exited title video pictures? You guys don't need that 😁
The often forgotten tip on chafing:
Shaving. Lots of people especially men have coarse hair and if you’re like me a hairy bast$&d then shaving and man scaping is necessary. Don’t stop at the legs, get rid of it all. Hair is friction and friction is chafing. Be real about what needs to be shaven.
The idea behind bigger pulley wheels is to reduce the drag in the chain itself. It's the same theory that goes for using the big chain ring instead of the small one, eventhough you get the same gear ratios. The chain just doesn't have to bend/rotate as much when it goes around the bigger sprocket/chain ring.
Sooo....I should go....faster? I mean I go a lot faster when I shift to the bigger chainring.
Good stuff
Got to disagree on the drops having the best reach and power. I can barely reach the levers on my sram axs bike when in the drops, even with the levers at their max adjustment (checked by different bike shops, that's the best that can be achieved). It's far safer for me and anyone with medium hands (I fit M sized gloves) to be on the hoods where we can actually brake.
I have the 105 levers for small hands. Yet I have to adjust the reach to the closest position to get a more or less confident grip from the hoods. I wonder if a different handlebar (currently 400 mm) and or a different handlebar/lever position would help a bit. Anyway, I don't know how women with smaller hands can even reach the levers. This is something surely worthy of a GCN video #askgcntech
It depends on what type of bars you have. The bars with the deeper drops and reach will make it feel like you're reaching for Jesus. But compact bars have a much more comfortable reach and feel.
That’s a bit late to ask this question after you already recommended people to install them with your DIY video a few months ago
#askGCNTech what differences should you make fit-wise on a gravel bike compared to a road bike?
I think it's time to do a proper test of tpu tubes! Comments on cycling sites report many failings. On the valve area and elsewhere.
They (bigger pully wheels) help those who make them become richer. That is the only actual help!
Nice video
OSPW's prove that size does not matter
OSPW are for show.
IMO, no significant help for larger pulley wheels....
I find these ospw not big enough for my liking. They have to be 2 times bigger before I will consider one
Derailleur pulleys are not under a great deal of tension and therefore having a larger pulley wheel does not really provide an efficiency advantage.
When riding in the large chainring however, there is an efficiency benefit from having the chain travel around a larger circumference but this only occurs due to the chain being under load.
Applying the “larger is more efficient” idea to help sell products is pure marketing.
It’s about the decrease in chain articulation. Smaller pulleys create tighter articulation of the drivetrain, the OSPW relieves that tension, and in combination with ceramic speed bearings that’s where the big drag is reduced. Ceramic speed hasn’t missed a Tour De France podium in 10 years, every watt saved is another watt put into the speed of your bicycle. It’s not about being the fastest rider, it’s about being the fastest you.
Uh oh. Sounds like a defamatory comment to the claims of Absolute Black`s OSPW. You`ll be getting a letter from their solicitors and before you know it this video will be taken down.
If I can flex on everyone when I pull up to the group ride then it's worth it.
Mine are small and blue
WHAT IS LAURENT ON ABOUT?
WHY ARE WE SHOUTING 🤪
It’s said that Bigger Pulley will get 2 watts when biking 🧐🤪🤣🤢🚴. But visual mind power increase 10 watts😎
OSPW... they are only larger as a way of differentiation, in other words marketing hype - a fool and their money are easily parted
#ASKGCNTECH WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CAPITAL LETTER?
No, this has been proven
GCN Tech please disable likes and dislikes on all future videos. A count on only the likes is pointless.
Talk to TH-cam. They are the ones who got rid of the dislike button.
@@scottbaker5851 Pointless as they have completely ignored the tidal wave of protest. There own video about it got 94% dislikes.
Best every channel can do is remove likes and dislikes completely.
they don't they're for folk with not enough fitness and too much money
Had a bike fit and still chaffing?! Sounds like a crap fit
Yo
You lose cash and gain nothing. Simple.
No.
Not worth it. It will make the bike ugly.