[FlipSide]

If you want to try the hottest trend of '22, here is your chance at basically wholesale.

Forbidden Factory Outlet

The place to find the best prices on Forbidden demo bikes, closeout deals, and discounted merch.

us.forbiddenbike.com

Very tempted by a Dreadnought myself for my next bike.

I guess the chances are slim to ever find them at a discounted price in size medium, but I'll keep looking.

 

[SylentK]

PUSH is having a sale

Outlet Store - PUSH Industries

 

[HardtailHack]

I like mine decently. They make me think I should record a "how to jump" video and maybe take up 3 parking spots in my Tesla in the parking lot while giving a fanny pack review.

Jokes aside, they're great while riding because they stay real firmly in place and the lens is super cool - Was pretty comfortable using them on nightrides in the dense PacNW forests (with lights obviously) because the lens gets clear enough in low light and using them in Moab just as comfortably because the lens gets dark enough when it's brighter. But they do pinch my head in such a way that I don't notice while actively riding, but by the time I spend 5 minutes back at the car after a day of riding I can't wear them anymore and the bone right above my ear feels like its been rubbed raw. So needing to carry multiple pairs of sunglasses around is annoying, but if it doesn't bother you they're solid.

Can't say I like these much, the lenses stay almost clear most of the time, it's only when the sun hits the lens directly that they get to their darkest shade.
So I'm gonna start riding in a backwards baseball cap so they work properly and I hit peak Fred Durstness.

Even at half price they were still a poor purchase, my much cheaper Dragons aren't riding glasses but I like them more and they still have a touch of douchiness to them.

 

[William42]

Can't say I like these much, the lenses stay almost clear most of the time, it's only when the sun hits the lens directly that they get to their darkest shade.
So I'm gonna start riding in a backwards baseball cap so they work properly and I hit peak Fred Durstness.

Even at half price they were still a poor purchase, my much cheaper Dragons aren't riding glasses but I like them more and they still have a touch of douchiness to them.

Are you running the colorful lens or the clear one? My wife has the clear one and I don't like it nearly as much. Might as well just be running clear lenses at that point, but she seems to be happy? Mine have been pretty solid, but I don't ride a lot of intermediate conditions - its usually pretty dark forests or really bright clear sunny days.

One mans trash is another mans treasure I guess. Either way, the important part is to maximize Fred Durstness.

 

[Carraig042]

I9 has 25% off wheels, hubs, and stems.

 

[djjohnr]

Spesh's updated Hillbilly Gravity T9 2.4s are $56 right now w/free shipping, half the cost of Shorties.

Hillbilly Grid Gravity 2Bliss Ready T9

This Hillbilly MTB tire likes it raw. Gravity-focused, excelling in steep, slippery, loose, and wet conditions in the continental north, the all-new Hil...

www.specialized.com

 

[sethimus]

shortys are like 60 chf WITH 7.7% tax. living in the us sucks

 

[Gary]

dependent on size/casing/compound Shortys RRP is £59.99 to 79.99 here.
TBF even at £59.99 they're stupidly expensive
cycling living sucks

 

[djjohnr]

dependant on size/casing/compound Shortys RRP is £59.99 to 79.99 here.
TBF even at £59.99 they're stupidly expensive
cycling living sucks

The Doubledown version is going for $100 in the US, and the EXO+ version is going for $80; so roughly the same given the exchange rate.

 

[konifere]

For those running 9-10-11 spd drivetrains, CRC has narrow-wide rings for really cheap. Got a few different colors of the 30t x 104bcd for 11.50$cdn each. The 30t black ones were down to 20$ last time I ordered, but they're now up to 47$. It seems to vary week per week, so YMMV.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/race-face-narrow-wide-mtb-single-chainring/rp-prod109723

Also, so 10 speed Microshift Advent-X (11-48t) for 31$cdn and 8speed Acolyte (12-46t) for 10$. Grabbed a few 8spd at that price since my commuter and fat bike use those. The 10spd were 15$ last week, so it can change at any time I guess.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/s?q=microshift+cassette&cat=direct

 

[Inclag]

Nice find on the cassettes. I'll probably pick one or two up for those prices. I'm digging my Franken 8 speed.... Only wish that someone made a 11-42 8 speed that used an alloy carrier and better steel teeth.

The Microsoft definitely was a better cassette than a Box's 8 speed, but the larger gears definitely flex and bend some over time.

 

[Gary]

wish that someone made a 11-42 8 speed that used an alloy carrier and better steel teeth.

Why 8 spd?
11-42 deore or 11-43 CUES (linkglide) both have you covered otherwise but in 10spd. Both for reasonable money.

Microshift cassettes really aren't great.

 

[Inclag]

Why 8 spd?
11-42 deore or 11-43 CUES (linkglide) both have you covered otherwise but in 10spd. Both for reasonable money.

Microshift cassettes really aren't great.

To be a Luddite...

...I actually wanted to try less gears for a few reasons.

1. I wanted 42 tooth Max.
2. Less gears theoretically = less weight for all steel cassettes
3. To try larger ratios between each gear as I didn't think so gears was necessary.

I agree that the Microshift cassettes aren't that good, but they aren't terrible. Not a ringing endorsement, but they are useable and the steel (even if not super high hardness) does keep the drivetrain more durable.

Personally would love to try to go less gears next, but I'm not ready to start trying to pull apart and build my own cassette.

 

[HardtailHack]

To be a Luddite...

...I actually wanted to try less gears for a few reasons.

1. I wanted 42 tooth Max.
2. Less gears theoretically = less weight for all steel cassettes
3. To try larger ratios between each gear as I didn't think so gears was necessary.

I agree that the Microshift cassettes aren't that good, but they aren't terrible. Not a ringing endorsement, but they are useable and the steel (even if not super high hardness) does keep the drivetrain more durable.

Personally would love to try to go less gears next, but I'm not ready to start trying to pull apart and build my own cassette.

I know it doesn't have an alloy carrier but the Sunnrace 11-40t is cheap-

Sunrace CSM680 8sp Cassette - 11-40t

<ul> <li>Wide range cassette with Super Fluid Drive shift profiling, compatible with SRAM and Shimano 8sp drivetrains</li> <li>Nickel finished steel rings</li> </ul><br/><br/><b>Item Specifications</b><ul><LI>speed: 8sp</LI><LI>cogs: 11,13,15,18,22,28,34,40</LI><LI>weight: 456g</LI></ul>

www.modernbike.com

 

[trib]

Industry 9 have a pretty healthy sale going on

Industry Nine

Industry Nine manufactures high-end bicycle wheels, hubs, stems and headsets. Made in the USA. Customize your wheel set with Industry Nine.

industrynine.com

 

[rideit]

If any of you read the industry rags/sites, this is gonna be a very good year for consumers. Unless your favorite niche brands go under.

 

[Gary]

I know it doesn't have an alloy carrier but the Sunnrace 11-40t is cheap-

Sunrace CSM680 8sp Cassette - 11-40t

<ul> <li>Wide range cassette with Super Fluid Drive shift profiling, compatible with SRAM and Shimano 8sp drivetrains</li> <li>Nickel finished steel rings</li> </ul><br/><br/><b>Item Specifications</b><ul><LI>speed: 8sp</LI><LI>cogs: 11,13,15,18,22,28,34,40</LI><LI>weight: 456g</LI></ul>

www.modernbike.com

If you can cope with 11-36 shimano do a far superior cheap all steel 8spd cassette.

The incredibly large tooth jumps required in order to make wide range 8spd cassettes makes them pretty awful for pedalling mixed terrain/gradients. Even with a motor. And also pretty shite shifting.
Try it tho. You might find you're someone who doesn't really care.

 

[Gary]

If any of you read the industry rags/sites, this is gonna be a very good year for consumers. Unless your favorite niche brands go under.

Only if you're still able to afford to buy pointless shiny new bike shite after heat, shelter, fuel and food your family.

 

[Gary]

Might interest some of you...
Link glide 10spd

11-43 cassette. Noticeably heavy but looks well made and defo feels stiffer

Meaty l'il 10/11 spd short(ish) med cage mech. 300g ish and feels pretty stiff/robust for it.

Fitting this lot to a kid's Ebike this week. Will report on initial feel and shifting performance. No doubt I'll find out about durability soon enough. The wee bugger ain't what you'd call careful.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

@Gary by any chance, would the above derailleur be compatible with a 10 speed Saint / Zee shifter?
It looks well done

 

[HardtailHack]

Not really related but the only cassette I have ever bent is my current one and it has a 34t first gear.
I'm not really sure what happened but there was a hell of a bang then first gear was bent, it had to be a mis-shift but it still seemed odd to bend it.
It's a HG800 11-34.

 

[Gary]

@Gary by any chance, would the above derailleur be compatible with a 10 speed Saint / Zee shifter?
It looks well done

Yeah. I'm pretty sure it is and I think it'd be a decent alternative to zee. (especially if you run 11-36+) now zee has been quietly discontinued.
The link glide shifter is cheap and of typical quality to Zee/Deore of old. Which all has a lot nicer action and smoother paddles than Saint.

Only downside I see is the display not being removable

 

[6thElement]

YT - 25% off everything in stock

YT US

us.yt-industries.com

 

[Happymtb.fr]

It seems that the linkglide stuff is not compatible with older 10spd according to Shimano's own doc...
Not the Deore RD with short cage

Linkglide is 2 years old and I couldn't find much info about how much cable pull and what shift ratio it has. My google-fu is weak...

 

[Gary]

Hmmm... Shimano is kinda confusing/vague at the moment the best of times with that info. That link glide mech is marked as 10 & 11spd compatible so I've just spoken to Shimano tech. Turns out you're right and a link glide mech only works with link glide shifter. FML.

Current DEORE is also marked as 10 & 11spd. Apparently the cable pull ratio isn't perfect but shimano deem it "close enough" and shimano's compatibility charts say its compatible with older XT, Zee, Saint etc.

 

[norbar]

YT - 25% off everything in stock

YT US

us.yt-industries.com

I'd recommend YT bikes to anyone around 5'10'' - 5'11''. Their large bikes are in between current M/L sizes so they are a really good fit for us medium sized people. Probably the main reason why I went with mine (well that and the sweet sweet uncaged 9 deal). Just remember to swap the shock for a coil or some vorpsrung magic for the Capra as that bike is waay too progressive.

 

[jonKranked]

Microshift cassettes really aren't great.

i picked up one of their 9spd road cassettes when i built up the 275 wheels for my dh bike. it didn't give me any issues last season.

 

[Gary]

TBF that's 5 MOAR gears than any DH bike really needs to use so I'm not surprised it reached the dizzy heights of "fine" in that role.

Just to add a little context to my earlier in depth review. In comparison to an equivalent (spd/range/ratio) shimano HG cassette I've definitely found Microshift's to be less durable (wear quicker, and even lose teeth) and shift less smoothly.

 

[Gary]

. Their large bikes are in between current M/L size

Not really sure what that even means these days since sizing between different brands is so all over the shop. But if you wanted a bike with similar sizing/geo and suspension design to a capra but less progressive a Nukeproof Mega may well have suited you more.
I say this having ridden both those bikes in a L and being 5'11 myself

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I've just spoken to Shimano tech

Thanks for checking that

 

[norbar]

Not really sure what that even means these days since sizing between different brands is so all over the shop. But if you wanted a bike with similar sizing/geo and suspension design to a capra but less progressive a Nukeproof Mega may well have suited you more.
I say this having ridden both those bikes in a L and being 5'11 myself

While the numbers still vary most of the bikes I've tried have sizes fall in different places on the reach scale. Sure there are other bikes like this but I've had a few mates around this height complain that they fall between sizes on most brands and I also felt this when testing bikes. Just wanted to mention it for people who complain about that issue.

Tbh. If I had the cash I'd take the Mega over the YT. The capra is only a good option if you are looking at a good deal or for a very progressive bike that's more a pedalable park bike than something more plush. But it's good to know Nukeproof has similar sizing. Didn't get a chance to ride one and maybe if I change jobs I will think about it

 

[MikeD]

I9 sale seems significant on their site.

 

[Gary]

While the numbers still vary most of the bikes I've tried have sizes fall in different places on the reach scale. Sure there are other bikes like this but I've had a few mates around this height complain that they fall between sizes on most brands and I also felt this when testing bikes. Just wanted to mention it for people who complain about that issue.

Tbh. If I had the cash I'd take the Mega over the YT. The capra is only a good option if you are looking at a good deal or for a very progressive bike that's more a pedalable park bike than something more plush. But it's good to know Nukeproof has similar sizing. Didn't get a chance to ride one and maybe if I change jobs I will think about it

1. 3 fucken millimeters is nothing to lose sleep over. All the punters wanking over videos of WC riders n their mechanics deliberating over a mm here n there in reach is laughable. It makes fuck all actual difference.

2. the cheapest Mega is a LOT cheaper than the cheapest Capra.

I was just pointing out buying a bike with suspension you deem FAR TOO Progressive and meaning you feel you have to spend money to get it less progressive doesn't really make a lot of sense if you're on a tight budget. But it is what it is. And I know you're very happy with your choice.
Personally I don't think the Capra is too progressive at all. Infact I still fucking love riding my l'il ol far MOAR progressive Capra from the arse end of last decade. It's playful AF in a way pretty much no modern bike is now.

 

[fwp]

After watching some youtubers talk about the state of the bike sales industry I started poking around. It must be getting bad out there with the significant sales and price drops everywhere. New and used.

 

[schwaaa31]

The capra is only a good option if you are looking at a good deal or for a very progressive bike that's more a pedalable park bike than something more plush.

That sounds perfect to me. I like to err on the side of freeride when buying a trail bike.

 

[sethimus]

After watching some youtubers talk about the state of the bike sales industry I started poking around. It must be getting bad out there with the significant sales and price drops everywhere. New and used.

the tide is turning. the company that recently let go 10% is reducing a lot of prices quite substantially next month

 

[konifere]

Yep, reading Bicycle Retailer's articles, it was clear that this was going to happen. I sold all my useless and used parts for good prices during covid, and now I'm getting what I need for great deals. The following months will be a great time to get parts for cheap(er).

 

[canadmos]

How much of this could have been reduced, if some of these companies didn't go batshit crazy trying to expand while trying to keep up with the covid bubble?

 

[Gary]

I know I'm a cyclical old bastard but I wouldn't get too excited just yet. bike/component prices have absolutely sky rocketted over the last couple of years. Plenty folk now simply accept paying £90 for a fucking bicycle tyre FFS. Predicted sales and price drops are unlikely to be any lower than standard prices were just 3 years back.

 

[canadmos]

I know I'm a cyclical old bastard but I wouldn't get too excited just yet. bike/component prices have absolutely sky rocketted over the last couple of years. Plenty folk now simply accept paying £90 for a fucking bicycle tyre FFS. Predicted sales and price drops are unlikely to be any lower than standard prices were just 3 years back.

It'll be the same old story. The layoffs aren't to save the company, they are to save the CEO's paycheck and to keep the board of directors happy. Sales will happen to offload stale product, but new stuff probably won't go down in price.