9 Of The Worst MTB Upgrades That Aren't Worth Your Cash
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 13. 06. 2024
- There are loads of fancy upgrades you can make to your mountain bikes, but some are way more impactful than others, and there is a niche of those others that also cost an awful lot of money! Neil and Blake are here to break down what they think is and isn't worth your hard-earned cash when it comes to tricking out your beloved MTB!
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Yes that's right, your money can have far more impact on your bike than some shiny ti bolts ever could! How about changing something which could actually affect the performance like tyres, tyre inserts, grips, saddle... the list goes on!
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Leave us a comment below! - Sport
Did you ever buy something bike-related that you thought was a great idea at the time and then realise it wasn't worth your money?
Can't say I have... Hmmmm... I have bought one bike and ended up not using it (because it didn't fill the commuting gap I thought it would), so I sold it... Would that count?
I upgraded to SRAM AXS Eagle X01. I do not think it worth it. It does not really make a difference. Now I have to worry about the battery which, contrary to manufacturer claim, in race conditions lasts less than ten hours.
Carbon stem
Tyre inserts. Spent hours trying to get them in and got a flat on the very first ride afterwards. It was a nightmare to fix it on the trail. I never used them again.
Ceramic bearings?
As a mechanic, titanium bolts are way better for so many reasons other than the weight. They donât corrode in wet winter weather or hot sweaty conditions like steel bolts, they are much harder and so are much harder to round out.
On a bike that gets ridden hard enough to be worked on often I end up having to replace stock bolts that are just worn out from being tightened and loosens so much especially when most of the work is done with worn tools or when someone is in a hurry to get the job done. Upgrade to Ti and they last for years even when used poorly. Plus take them with you to your next bike they are that good.
Titanium should be weaker than steel in most applications. Would be a more durable option than Aluminum though, and yeah, no rust.
I agree bout it, ive titaniumized all the bolts on my bike, the color option was the main reason and it just looks so good :)
@@pbanthonyv You are right but in this case also wrong. Comparing different materials is complicated.
I am comparing stock steel bolts to aftermarket Ti bolts. The stock steel bolts are generally not of a particularly nice steel alloy, they do the job for as little value as possible. The aftermarket Ti bolts are generally of a very good alloy for the job because they are a premium product.
It can serve just as well to buy high quality steel or stainless hardware to improve corrosion and durability issues. I find once you go down the path of buying hardware of this quality itâs generally not much more expensive to get the Ti stuff that has the added benefits of looks and weight.
There are very few if any applications on a bike where the load is high enough where the elasticity difference between a steel bolt and a Ti bolt would require adjusting the size of the Ti bolt to meet the same load requirements.
@@Bapakgw definitely, the first bike I did was mostly for the color, and then I was absolutely hooked on the quality of nice hardware over the crappy stock stuff everything comes with.
@@pbanthonyv absolutely 100% correct. A good set of stainless would be better and cheaper
Worst upgrade is a top notch fork when you don't understand all of the different setups / adjustments....
So true. I think I finally understand compression and rebound damping, but often I don't feel much of a difference.
Agreed. Honestly even for seasoned riders most will do fine with a good fork with basic adjustments and lets be real most just keep it wide open. Needing both high and low dampening is overkill for probably 90% or more riders.
A nice fork can save half a kg. Thatâs noticeable as well. As well as being more compliant (small bumps absorption). This is one of the few areaâs i prioritize
instead of buying good brakes I bought a Lyric Ultimate and Guide T brakes. I don't use any of the compressions on the fork, but I do notice how bad my brakes are.
@@onif1054 priorities might be different when you have many hills/mountains đ. For my flat Cross Country riding 160mm basic shimano brakes do the job adequately
I'm just glad that the "lower end" components like Deore and NX are actually up to the task of real mountain biking nowadays. Back when I was a mechanic a Deore derailleur was made out of peanut butter.
Yea, most bikes and bike components have got really good in the past few years! Most of the big brands trickle down the tech to the less expensive models.
I'd take the Shimano low-end over the low end sram these daya
@@chrisorr3919 me too
Itâs gotten a lot better, but NX ist still not great.
GX is the way to go.
Good point! We used to save up for everything at least LX or XT because everything less wasâŠpeanut buttery plastic. My NX stuff now takes an absolute beating and still works great.
I have a few: 1. buying cheap bikes, based on cheap components (in general) - I simply can't afford it. I'd rather save some cash and buy a better quality one, which will serve me well for years. 2. buying cheap suspension - not worth it. It just doesn't do its job properly. Better save some more cash and go with at least mid-tier stuff.
Agreed. Buy once, cry once.
I bought the electric version of the GX and i gotta say it was worth it for me, the mechanical GX is good ngl but the swiftness and ease of use on it makes it worth every bucks i've spent.
I mean if you have the money and them some then sure burn it if you want to but if you are on a budget why bother?
I have two mates that have GX AXS, and it looks and sounds awesome, and the shifting is đđ» but⊠it is kind of a luxury item. If you can, yeah. Do you need too⊠thatâs up for debate.
@@dolphin-studio yup, still depends on peoples budget i suppose.
@@paulmacfarlane899 knowing that i only race XC they've never suffered any substantial abuse aside from the occasional mud and dust but even when exposed to it it still smooth like butter.
Yep - if youâre not too price sensitive theyâre really nice. Big difference is the gear change is so fast, you can just get an extra pedal stroke in here and there. Doesnât sound much, but it makes a difference on some trails/bike parks.
I live in Florida and I'm sweaty. Ti bolts not corroding is a really nice benefit
100% this, same in winter climates where we deal with ice melt half the year.
They also are much less elastic so they resist rounding out when worn tools are used and/or mechanic is in a hurry and doesnât get the tool in straight or all the way or both.
Everyone asking "I bought an expensive bike after breaking a cheaper one, am I an idiot?" If you rode an entry level bike hard enough to wreck it, then you're the perfect candidate for a better bike.
haha this is me, I've got a Roscoe 9 on order after pushing my 7+ year old $500 100mm travel xc bike too far and nearly totalling myself a few times now.
sometimes you wreck because it is a cheaper bike. Nothing to do with how hard you ride it has to do with the fact that even though wally world markets them as "mountain bikes" the sticker on them says otherwise. I laughed my ass off the other day looking at a bike in china mart and it had the big tires, disc brakes, dual sus...looking like it could possibly take a day or two of riding just to see the sticker "Not Intended For Trail Use"
@@joshuahubbard7300 I said an entry level bike, not a pile of rubble before it's out the shop :P
You can bend the wheels on those bikes with a broken arm.
@@Nico-kt4st I wouldnât go with that bike honestly, it isnât much different other than more laterally stiff with 20mm more travel. Iâd me more apt for a polygon full sus for cheaper with the same travel
I spent 2.5K on a Cube Fritzz, sheared off all the linkage bolts at La Bresse bike park đ€Šđ»ââïž great bike but bolts made of cheese đ had a Mondraker now for 3 years without issue
Biggest waste of money? Maybe a coil shock which did not work that well with the frame I had.
Even if it feels wrong, let beginners with a lot of money buy the expensive bikes. They make some good bargains on the used market.
That sucks about the coil Christian, but also good on you for giving it a try! If they have the money and can afford to buy a nice bike for sure! It's best to try to get something that is good enough for their riding to develop but it's never good to see people buying expensive things they can't afford the upkeep on, especially if they aren't sure they even like mountain biking yet.
@@gmbn Agreed. If you canât afford the upkeep, something definitely went wrong. What I had in mind were the older guys whose bikes I fixed when I worked at a bike shop during my years at uni. They could afford both for sure.
Lol. There's always that silver lining for the enthusiasts with a budget everytime a beginner quits or downgrades.
i'm a begginer and i chose to get a nukeproof scout comp, (used) as my first bike, but for me, i know i'm going to get good at it very quickly (skateboarding and bmx background when i was younger) so a cheaper bike isn't worth it. the thing that caught me off guard was all the little bits of exuipment needed
I suck at climbing, and I ride a 170mm travel Nomad most of the time.... Oval chainrings were an absolute game changer for me. Try a 30 or 28T, the oval effect shows a lot more on those as the 2T claimed difference between positions is a lot bigger in percentage. ( 34 vs 32 is not the same as a 28 v 26 when pedaling) ....
Just my 2c .... there are a bunch of useless upgrades you can do, but ovals are not one of them.
Drive trains? .... Don't even compare an NX to a X01 of XX1 ... not even to a GX. The quality for a bit more (NX vs GX) is not worth saving..... I put 2500Km into an NX and it survived, but I see way too many of them snapped in half for no reason. And they shift like poo compared to a GX ....
Oval isn't even an upgrade, it's a choice, I personally can't ride without oval rings these days, especially for slippy climb, the power output is evened out and much less likely to surge power slip.
For sram you should not go cheaper than gx. Shimano all groupsets are fine - I THINK.
What is this voodoo magic with 32 vs 34 tooth chain rings? I have no concept of how it makes a difference, but a difference in numbers usually means something -I'm not real good with numbers btw :/
I race Xc and ovals help me out on courses with short steep climbs if a course of flatter I donât notice it as much
@@Jimbob-eu4gd My daily ride is a 45 minute climb, so ovals are a good thing.
Actually they feel weird on flat :O ... even after 3 months of using them :)
Oval chainring is way less stressful on my knees. Can definitely feel the difference on tricky/steep climbs as well.
I really dig oval chainrings, I've got them on both my mountain bikes. Specially climbing feels more effortless on the oval. My cyclocross still has a round one and to me it doesn't feel weird going between the bikes. Oval also makes a lot of sense on paper, as we can't really produce the same power when the legs are in the up/down position, compared to when you're pushing straight down. Only thing that's felt weird to me has been a couple of times I was cruising around and suddenly there was no resistance at all at a certain point of the crank spin. But I've gone to using a bit slower cadences on flat terrain and all is good. To sum it up, I'm not going back to round chainrings and I don't think oval chainrings are a waste of money! đ
Ovals are better for my knees and ankles. A lot of that post-ride pain is gone. That's the biggest reason to use them for me.
good luck if ur mech hanger breaks and u need to go single speed tho
@@danp2509 you donât carry a spare hanger? I carry one for every bike-in the saddle bags of my road and gravel bikes, in my pack for mtb-and have used them before.
@@danp2509 you don't ride with a spare hanger in your pack?
I replaced 2x system to 1xoval (2 years ago)
Price of ring was same (oval vs round)
Difference is more noticeable when ridding on flat pedals. And lower cadences.
For me - first impression was "wow", but biggest change is on loose ground/muddy/rocky climbs - rear wheel is less like to lose a grip.
â @Dan P I made few thousand kilometers on standard Sram X0 clutchless deraileur.
Mostly on trails - gravel/mud (XC bike)
And i bend my hanger once... when i drop my bike ;)
No issues with gear change, skipping or dropping chain (using standard Sram or KMC chains)
Secret is to buy wide-narrow oval ring, and wide-narrow jockey wheels (14/16T)
It s all just jewellery for your bike ,like the diamonds for your bird,donât make her perform any bettter but we love to show off ,itâs good for the soul
Gotta disagree on the oval, I think it makes a noticable difference on long or technical climbs. All 3 of my bikes have ovals now. Raceface ovals are the same price as their round ones.
I was sold on oval when I managed to climb a very steep part of trail that I never was able to do on my singlespeed MTB after swapping to an oval chainring on that bike.
With a round chainring I either could no longer turn the crank or slid out on every attempt.
I think it helps not loosing traction and getting the crank to turn a little better with low cadence and max power.
@@smeegain3657 this is called a placebo effect.;)
Whether you prefer the oval chain ring or not, there is no way this alone enables you to climb something you normally not able to.
So congrats, your training paid ! ;)
If oval chain rings were a huge advantage the entire TDF road peloton would be on âem. They arenâtâŠ
Science says no
The oval chainring kills the dead-spot (12-3 portion of chainring) with consistent/smoother powerband 'grab' whilst climbing steeper climbs and helps start a Sprint and keep a Sprint going. As per what's run by TDF roadies, i could really give a rat's arse what those doping cheaters run... Ovals work great for single-speeds and geared; one notices the lack of the dead-spot especially on the climbs. It's a subtle yet noticable difference and those whose riding style tilts more towards downhill, freeride, etc. will not find any benefit with the oval chainrings due to the style and short distances.
Learn to properly clean and tune a mid-range drive train and it will work amazing and last a long time.
If I was going to name a single worthwhile upgrade to a cheap bike it would be tires and learn to get your pressure right for the terrain, weight, riding style.
Also, most of us would be better off losing several pounds of blubber (especially as I get older) than by trying to buy marginally lighter (by mere grams) parts.
Never regretted getting an Oval chainring , riding up hill/up technical stuff is easier and my knees don't ache after longer rides. Does feel more efficient even if it's a small amount.
You've answered a load of questions for me...... and saved me a shedload of money. Great vid, keep 'em coming
If a part is worthless or not is completely relative to the individual however in saying that the one thing that is completely worthless is the fancy packaging it comes in. Fancy packages should be an option at checkout for those who want a shelf queen. Stick it in a boring recycled brown box please.
Aluminium wire bottle cages is where its at. When I forget to bring my bike bottle I buy a 1 litre bottle on route and the cage bends to fit it
Oval chainrings do work for technical climbs though where constant torque application and traction becomes an issue. There are also some XC guys who perform better with them vs round chainrings but it's a personal thing because everybody has different biomechanics.
I was litterly sitting here thinking what to upgrade on my focus jam and then this video came up soâŠâŠ..
I lately finished to build myself the most expensive hard tail I ever had. The frame did not cost much (about 300âŹ) but than all the rest was absurd. The wheels, the fork, the crank⊠Really happy about the bike and how it rides but clearly I could have had a very similar result with cheaper components.
As long as you love it Xavier is all that matters! Who doesn't love a custom bike build đ
Iâd be interested in knowing what you chucked on it and recommend as Iâm about to do the same
To me the upgrades which were most worth it in terms of âI can really feel how it makes my riding more enjoyableâ were the i9 hub and a hope bb.
I only decided to try an oval chainring because of this channel, fam. It helps my climbing a smidge and the el cheapo brands on amazon do just fine.
I'm new to Mt. biking, rode BMX most of my life. Getting older now and figured what the hell, I'll give Mt. Biking a try. Bought a $700 hardtail 27.5 wheels. I've changed every part on it within a month, hell some of them got ungraded before it left the bike shop.... I think my favorite upgrades were the Box Prime 9 and 35mm rise bars. Only because of my riding background and style
I have never been involved in a sport where the money spent is such a contentious topic. Way too many people are way too concerned with what other people decide to spend their own money on.
2 different people asked me why I got the fox 38 fork when a 36 is good enough. Iâm thinking about putting 36 Decals on.
@@nick_john Screw em, put 40 decals on đ
@@nick_john put suntour decals on it and confuse the heck outta them
I think this list is fairly subjective. After doing crucial upgrades (like upping to a 200mm rotor up front, saddle, bars, grips, etc). I went through for funzies added the titanium bolts, pedals and chain that my OEM all black sparkly fleck paint job. It is essential? No. But it was fun and honestly if you love a good looking bike and just want to itâs worth it.
I repainted my old Kona 26er hardtail... ran an old 10s deore with clutch and dang that thing weighs 11kg with a rigid and 27.5 wheels rides like a dream on gravel and light trails and yes it is built with a 200dollar budget hehe
What wheels did you put on it? I bought a Kona Kula Supreme (scandium frame) that is sized for 26â wheels, and it deserves some love and resurrected. The clear coat needs redone. It has a Rockshox World Cup SID on it that works perfectly, and the weighs 11 kg with its old non-functional 2011 SRAM (which I would change to Shimano). Perhaps 27.5 wheels could fit on it? That would be so cool! Any more info you could sure about your bike would be much appreciated! I need some inspiration on what I may be able to do with his bike,
Thanks!
@@richarde1355 just regular cheap alloy rims mated to 5 year old hubs ghetto tubeless, every thing was built with my old parts. I weighed it to confirm I am actually at the 10.4kg mark considering the frame was from 2008 and most components were from 2015 I say it is a good weight for something built with a 176dollar budget hehe
Best thing I've ever bought for mountain biking was some coaching sessions!
I agree
Amen...funny thing was when I approached a trainer she asked what I wanted to learn most and I said "I need to learn how to crash properly lol"...see I thought it was a funny however she was like "first time I heard that and one of the best answers I have had" I found out no matter how good you are you are gonna crash sooner or later and knowing the best ways to get away from the bike and hit the deck comes in very useful...and saves a ton of money on medical expenses and loss of work lol.
I don't get the superexpensive headsets: your direction is never going to rotate more than 90Âș to each side, unless you crash or do tricks
Love my oval chainring upgrade, but best was upgrading brakes to XT, well worth it.
I went titanium for some of the bolts on my bike cause the stock ones were rusting after 1 summer! Buy once cry once, can swap them to the next bike..
But once cry once, that's a good one! đ
Cheap plastic bottle cage for me every time, a lesson I learnt through a friend - he sadly learnt it the hard way. Back in the 90's we were smashing trails up in Yorkshire. We both hit an adverse camber curve with loose scree like material and both dropped our bikes. My mate had a Riingle alu bottle cage on his Zaskar. His bottle cage hit a rock and cracked his downtube. Bottle cage was still true, but the frame was toasted. My plastic cage on my Bonty smashed to smithereens, but didn't damage the frame (there were rocks everywhere and we were caning it). Frame design has come a long way since then, but that lesson has stayed with me. Titanium - my Bonty did have titanium bars which were a supple joy in the days of short travel forks. I have to take care of my hands/wrists as I'm a musician, and they were lush.
I have osteoarthritis under both my knee caps, I tried the oval chainring and I did notice it offered less strain on my knees especially while climbing. I didn't choose the most expensive one though, I grabbed one for less than 100 cdn from a company called blackspire. I definitely would do it again for my knees if I had to replace my bike
Just bought a custom top cap for 30 pounds, should propably be on the list aswell.
Actually made my own carbon top cap hahahah sold a Few for a quick buck
@@volksyes9477 How did you make them? I made the design myself but unfortunately dont have a laser printer at home to engrave the caps.
Imagine the conversation with the wife/gf trying to explain why you need a laser printer/cutter đ
On the scale of 1 to BLINGâš how bling is it though? - It's always good to support bike brands, if you like the product who cares!
@@buerkie I just made a mold from an alloy cap to some hard tooling resin, made it 2 1/2 caps deep made a plunger plug which is 1 1/2 cap deep. Basically made it using chopped carbon epoxy and a forged composite molding technique..
Note: it basically weighs as much as a alloy cap soo no advantage there... but looks cool.
I have all that what you've discussed exept electirc gears, and i love it.
Love when people spend an absurd amount for lighter componentsâŠbut are overweight themselves. That couple of grams saved on the bike wonât make the difference losing the extra 10lbs/5kg around your gut will.
Two big macs and a large fry... and a diet coke please.
Yeah, just have a dump before you ride đ
Totally this. Stop looking for bling bits and just get out there to keep the weight off! đ
Unless You Are Sponsored or a Pro Racer.
Midrange bike is enough to get you Anywhere without breaking the bank
And You Asking Your Parents And Say Mom Dad I Want High End Bike. My Mom Tell Me Her Can Buying Me $575 Bike But I Think Again That Too High And Then I Asking My Mom To Give Me The Budget For Bike Just $525 (Midrange Budget) I Want Spend 525 Just For Bike Without Accessories Because I Want Reach Air Suspension I Think Air Softer Than Spring đđđđ But I Want Addition For Essential Accessories Like Tool And Cleaning Kit I Think I Spend 575 Dollar.
I have two entry level bikes. I made my Trek Marlin 5 a single speed urban rider and it's so fun. Currently working on upgrading my GT Avalanche Sport that I bought used for $400. Going to learn to throw it around, then sell the Marlin 5 (after converting back to a 1x7), make the GT my new SS urban rider, from a 1x9 (with tapered headtube, stiffer frame and better parts than the Marlin) and buy something like a Vitus Sentier VRS, maybe VRX. And that's about as expensive as I'll get. One day I might go full sus, but for now, I don't see myself moving in from hard tails.
@@adamputu5448 Well i earn my Cash..
but example why spend carbon frame that easily breaks when crash when you can buy Alloy frame for half a price with better components and Lasts longer.
or High-end Drivetrain say XTR which has marginal Gain compared to XT or SLX.
like ive said. unless your a pro racer. it makes sense but for a general Rider, its ridiculous.
Upgrade what you don't like. Got a 2019 Trek Marlin 7, LOVE the orange, hated the big sweeping handlebars and 80mm stem. Put on Renthal FatBar Lites w/40mm rise, Apex 40mm stem, then installed the SRAM NX Eagle kit to make it a 1-by and finally VP aluminum flat pedals. 1600 bucks and I have a hardtail I love in my favorite color, NX Eagle drivetrain and carbon cockpit that I'm bonkers over. Oh, yeah, pretty decent frame with lifetime warranty. Works great for a Clyde like me!
I've been riding a Specialized Epic for years and the seatpost as specced when purchased was a "Specialized house brand no name special". Rather than regretting a purchase, it's the thing I didn't buy: I was 300 miles from home on a ride while on vacation and the seatpost broke to the point where the seat literally fell off and the only bike shop in that small town decided they weren't going to open that day so no more riding that trip. When I got home I ended up speccing it with a Thomson it should have had in the first place and it has worked great for years. I also replaced the seat. But it's almost like some bikes at low to mid price points get specced with parts that are subpar because the bulk of the price is going to the frame or shocks so they have to spec cheaper parts somewhere. The freehub body froze on the rear wheel not long after purchase too (I should have gotten a better set of wheels too). Dual squish bikes are great but all the different bits and bobs can make for more maintenance when you just want to ride.
Also, I canât overstate the value of an oval chainring for technical climbs. I just love it.
My upgrade path went from a 15year old ÂŁ400 Halfords MTB to a ÂŁ4000 Enduro rig. No regrets. I agree with not wasting money on cosmetic things and Ti bolts etc.......save that cash for replacement parts when you break stuff! A high quality chain is money well spent though...as is cleaning and lubrication products to keep your bike working well for longer.
Neil's no nonsense guide to mountain biking !
Oval chainring was a climbing game changer for me.
Me 2
Oval chainrings are amazing and only cost $6 USD on Aliexpress
Having spent my first 17 years as a kid on 'racers' I then had an entry lever Specialized Rockhopper which after a couple of years I upgraded it to a Rockhopper Pro then some years later bought a Stumpjumper Alloy Hardtail Frame on eBay and built it up and used it for everything. Bike parks and out on the hills around Fort William where I was living. I'm now my 50's and just bought my very first full suspension MTB a 2022 Santa Cruz 5010 S build and rode it for a few months then bought Santa Cruz Reserve 30 Carbon Wheelset on the DT Swise 350 hubs, they've transformed the bike for me and my riding. It's a very expensive bike and extremely expensive wheels set but I work my ass off and why not. I also changed the alloy bars for a Santa Cruz Carbon bar.
I may go for SRAM AXS rear mech too. I liked the feel of the AXS when I tried it out on a friends MTB Anything else though would probably be a waste of money. I was given a FidLock bottle and mount for Christmas which I really like already. Basically I waited 16 years before upgrading. Save your money and learn to ride what you have.
I personally feel oval chainring isn't a waste of money.I went from stock xt 34t to 38t cheap oval chainring and it helps with climbing uphill
trying to go 1x on the cheap. I went through 3 cassettes, 2 old rear mechs, 4 chainrings, thinking: right, this time I've got it, this WILL work, and I'll be fine with the range. Well, in the end I bought a dedicated complete wide range drivetrain.
Pulleys with ceramic bearings for MTB is a waste of money
I found in some cases that it's waste of money if doesn't fit into the type of riding you do
Example: buying and Enduro bike when most of your riding are XC trails, or buying light weight components if you don't race or in my case exceed the manufactures rider weight limit
Can confirm, SLX shiftets are amazing, my Lapierre Froggy 318 had a 9s one and it was super snappy, sadly it died after i removed the rear wheel to replace the tyres somehow, it seemed like the tension spring just choose to die or something like that, so i took the chance and i upgraded to 10s
Oval chainring is not more than 10 % more expensive than normal chainring and you can feel the difference. For me it just helped to forget about my left knee pain. If it works on paper , you can spot the difference during long time use and itâs not expensive I donât get why GMBN is trying to discourage to it.
Color matching is so fun though!!! Purple everything!!
Oval chainring works for me. Game changer on the climbs. But then I'm well past my sell by date and need all the help I can get... Without a battery đ
Ovals đ. 62, gonna get myself an e-bike on my 70th birthday.
Imma fan of Ti bolts from a maintenance standpoint. With tighter tolerances they are less likely to strip out and are less likely to corrode than steel/alu bolts. Shaving weight and color are just a bonus.
I love my GX AXS, good thing that I don't shred so, it's safe đ .
Buying an expensive bike to begin with may not make sense to some but it does for others. Having a expensive bike to begin with means, no need to upgrade later on. Time is money, the more time you spend on upgrading, the less time you have to ride. Time is the one thing no amount of money can ever buy back.
I miss the Biopace chainrings! Shimano's answer to the thinking that with with an oval ring, what you gain on the down/push cycle you lose on the up cycle!
I do like my oval chainrings. Better traction when standing climbing.
Push HC97 damper for my lyriks. The difference between that and the feel of the RCT3 was not worth the money.
I disagree about the oval chainring! I have an oval chainring in my single speed hardtail, and it does help me get up those punchy climbs!
I agree with everything except the oval chin ring. Having broken my knee oval chain rings made a night and day difference, I actually fitted it then couldn't ride for 6 weeks and when I did get on it I did 3 rides totally forgetting that I'd fitted it. I noticed no difference in pedal stroke etc but I did notice not having knee pain after the rides at which point I realised I'd fitted the oval. When I did go back to a round my knee pain had stopped so it helped strengthen the knee but I noticed I was worse at climbing
JOCKEY WHEELS.... flashy coloured ones are a tad expensive and I do question the cost of them and are they worth it? Yes they are, why? Well for starters they have actual sealed bearings that are cheap to replace, where as the stock JW don't and don't last long and when they wear they effect the smoothness of your shifting (I've found) so need replacing once severely worn. At least with the more expensive JWs you can replace the bearing costing pennies in comparison!! So I would say fancied colour JWs are worth the money and look cool when you colour coordinate đđ
I'm a new rider and I get what you mean about expensive bikes, I've just invested in a well looked after Giant Talon 2.5... paid 170 quid for it, needs a few bits tidying up but i'm happy with it so far
I love my oval chainring. Not that expensive and feels much nicer actuallyyyy.
Electric shifting: I dunno⊠I got it because my thumb started to hurt. But before my stupid thumb started to get squeaky I was perfectly happy with my Shimano Saint setup with only 10 gears and 300% range
Love my oval.
Oval chainrings are really great for enduro and xc, especially if you have a track with constant terrain height changes (up & down bumps)
Ya I like them. Got ââem on both my bikes.
@@nick_john Me too, but I would not put a oval-chainring on my DH bike ;). but except that, sure I will ride it again on a enduro or xc related rig.
I'd like to have an episode about budget bikes. What can you get for 300, 500, 800, 1000 Euros or Pounds, Dollars. For beginners, not high end bikes. What advice would GMBN give to a beginner what is the top issue to look at, weight, stability, least maintenance or something else?
i went from gravel riding to mtb. i had a trail bike and a gravel bike but i replaced both with a capable XC bike which costed the same as both bikes put together. is it worth it? maybe not on paper but one bike to do it all has a special part in my heart.
Frankly I agree with most of the things, except for oval chainrings. Iâve never gotten to try them myself yet, but you donât have to buy high end SRAM ones and the like, you can get cheaper, but strong and reliable ones for like
Bottle cages are so roadie (speaking as a former roadie :D). Just wear a back/hip pack for water/snacks/tools/parts/etc. Plus side, Camelback backpack with water reservoir has save my back when crashing, so soft! No extra armor needed.
Additionally in contrast to a bottle inside a frame you can't lose a water backpack if terrain is rough
Superb video agree with entire video I have a decalthon plastic bottle cage clothes tools and round chain ring I always try to find best value for money
I agree somewhat with people not jumping straight to the most expensive bikes.
If you know it's going to be something you're going to be in for the long term, and you know exactly what you want, expensive bikes can be a great buy. But many people who are just starting out and you're not sure, you don't want to spend lots of money for something that sits in the garage after the first week. Also, it can be a massive waste of money if the bike you buy ends up being not suitable for the type of riding you end up doing.
So most people should definitely consider starting on a more budget-friendly bike until they know that they want to keep going, gain a few skills, and work out what sort of riding they want to do.
I got an oval once, I needed a new ring, I did think it was better but when I sold that bike my new one came with a standard ring and I didnât even notice a difference
The worstly spend money were on Tannus Armour together with Tubolito on the rear of my hardtail. It was expensive and I had so many issues with it. Then I just made it tubelless on the rear as well and I'm pretty happy. The best buy was Maxxiss tyres as they are so good!
I don't think is bad spent... Even tubeless, eventually you are going get a bad puncture than tyre sealant would not fix... And you may want to carry a spare tube in your riding pack (if you ride more than 10 miles and don't want to hike your bike)... Then is when the tubolito comes really handly...as it weights a lot less than a traditional tube and saves you a lot of space in your pack.
I also run tubeless but my tubolito spare has saved me more than twice while in the middle of nowhere...
@@reneh.6551 I'm always carrying a spare tube. Tubolito was ok for two months or so then it started to lose pressure. Now I'm using it for installing tubeless tyres. I do it just with a floor pump. I know all the advantages of the tobolito you are describing. That was why I bought it.
Try Hutchinson Race Labs Griffus....I have tried several...several...too many tires and those seem to grip the best and hold up great. Never a puncture and only one wash out in over 2 years of riding them (not same set, I swap out every season)
I'm using Tannus + tubeless Assegais and it's been a dream setup. Zero punctures in the last few months whereas I used to get punctures quite frequently.
At first I freaked out because the tyres didn't seem to have a nice truing, but it's just a matter of riding them and the inserts will start fitting bettter.
@@joshuahubbard7300 Thx for tip. Already checked some reviews and they seems realy capable. I made a note to my Shloud Try list ;)
I have a draw full of titanium bolts and I use steel as the titanium ones come loose
I'm always cautious about telling beginners to buy cheap stuff - not just biking - tennis, golf, whatever.
Cheap can mean bad and if you try to learn on something that gives you grief all the time, what do you do? Give it up and find something else to do.
A beginner should buy something that will be good enough for beginning and a bit beyond - say a couple of years. If they give up it will still sell well (unlike a really cheap PoC) but will serve them well.
Also, I'm somewhat over-biked, but when things don't quite pan out as planned at least I know it was me and not the bike that was at fault. That's a useful learning aid đ
I think with oval chainwheels, it's a matter of pedaling technique. People who stomp their pedals will find oval better due to the bulk of the teeth being on the pedal's downstroke.
People who spin their pedals will find ovals awkward.
Well that's my opinion after having rode biopace groupset back in the late 90's. I found it encouraged pedal stomping
Dang maybe Iâm a stomper then?
Cost of oval isn't more than round in many cases. And... it IS better!
great vid!
Propain has aswell some customisation to your bike when you buy it
Everyone asked me what "bike things" I wanted for Christmas, and in pleased I asked everyone to buy me credit at my local bike shop instead of individual things... Otherwise I'm sure someone would've wasted a bunch of that money on a carbon bottle-cage or similar! đ
I don't totally agree on the drivetrains. Out of the box most parts like the drivetrain get the job done. But just when setting it up you can absolutely notice the difference between a SX, GX and X01 derailleur. You don't need to spend a lot on the cranks or cassette but upgrading your derailleur and shifter is absolutely a game changer if you ride enough to notice the difference. It's a wearing part so when your old drivetrain is worn it might be worth it to upgrade. I'm also for anything that makes the bike lighter and improve the performance. An upgrade that I see a lot of people buying is "better" suspension while they have totally appropriate suspension. Many people expect that you just buy something expensive and it makes for a better ride. While most people would be better of servicing and learning how to properly set up their current suspension.
Titanium components are generally weaker than their steel equivalent, people tend to think they are stronger... e.g. ti pedal axles usually have about 90kg weight limit (easy for most adult males with a camelbak to exceed this). The hollow chromo steel axles are approx 120-130kg.
I Think Titanium Stronger Than Steel And Lighter Than Steel And Titanium Using On Aircraft And Rocket And Bike Of Course. So Why You Tell That Weaker Than Steel And Where You Got It That Definition?
@@adamputu5448 Titanium is more resistant to heat - steel loses strength if it gets hot above 400 or 500°C, Titanium is not that sensitive and keeps more strength than steel even if it's used for some engine parts, for example in the compressor stage of jet engines.
Ti6AL4V (Grade 5 Titanium) for example has a tensile strength of 830 N/mm2, high tensile steel can be above that, but steel is not an option if it gets hot under load.
Rockets and Aircraft can get hot near the engines (or at parts like the gridfins of the F9 which are also casted of titanium) - and big bolts made of titanium can still be lighter compared to a steel bolt, even if it has slightly less strength
Shimano XT T8000 pedals... đ
No matter if you're running clipless or flat, whenever you're in a rush to get going on your bike again you ALWAYS get the wrong side of the pedal.
Are Berd spokes worth it? It could probably be categorized under the ultra lightweight parts. But I'm interested in their claims about ride quality with it's vibration dampening.
Well. Recently went through all this. I think the biggest one for me was the industry nine stem. Does match my wheels thoughâŠ
Gotta disagree with the not buying an expensive bike point. As a complete beginner I bought a 2015 Stumpy Evo Comp, in October 2014, ÂŁ2500. It was the best decision ever, I'm still riding him nearly 8 years onđ
Party poopers! It's all about performance. Everyone knows that if you spend twice as much as the base model part you get a 2% performance increase. If you spend 3 times as much as a base model part you get a 3% performance increase.
If you are going to have mtb as your main event then spend some cash and get a decent hardtail as first bike. You will very quickly outgrow a ÂŁ700 bike. Then there is no resale value and it will just collect rust. Something like an Orange P7 or Cotic or Ribble HT will mean you will always a bike that offers something different as your 2nd bike that is still great to ride
My oval chainring would put odd tension my rear mec and cause it to click (the clutch would release) when the suspension compressed.
i am a BMX rider and a mountainbiker, and i like to have my bikes colourful.
I think it all depends on the combination of the rider, how deep your pockets are, how skilled you are and what is your starting line on your bike.
More travel is absolutely worth it if you are going to use it and your bike is keeping you back because of it. Lightweight parts can be an upgrade if you bike was unnecesarily heavy from the beginning (those 2 combined make sense if you have a cheap hardtail with cheap fork and you want to ride more difficult gravity fed trails). Oval chainrings make sense if you are chasing watts and climbing performance. Titanium or carbon everything is not really worth it on my opinion unless your frame calls for it. Color match and custom paintjob is worth it if you have found the right bike you years to come or if it is a very elegant, classic and desirable paint scheme on the general market.
oh gosh i just got a unno dash as my first real mountain bike. I've been on a trail twice.
I have a counter point for the NX vs GX argument. The NX clutch is very weak even when adjusted to be as tight as can be. My ten speed SLX has a stronger clutch after 3 years of hard use
I think GX and XT are still good value for money. XTR and XX1 is for the bling.
@@DemonicVelocity I agree. Id compare GX closer to SLX from my experience and X01 to XT. Personally I prefer Shimano over Sram and Box over both but my current bike has an NX and Iâm going to run it until it gives out before moving to Box
what else should I use to upgrade my bike other than lighter and prettier parts?
My friend built an expensive all mountain bike. Spent twice as much as mine. Mostly rides on fire roads, barely jumps a couple of inches off the ground. Most expensive upgrades are the components we will never ever fully utilize.
This should be re-named "9 Of The Worst MTB Upgrades That Aren't Worth Your Cash if you don't have the money". I'm all for spending what you want if you have it. Its all cool to me!
Fidlock, wouldnât go for anything else for bottle cages after using it.
Learned my lesson the hard way back in 1989. Built a custom bike from the ground up. American Comp Lite frame with the lightest components money could buy at the time. 23 pounds with a Rock Shox Mag 20. Grafton cranks, shattered 2 sets in the first two weeks. Upgraded to AC cranks after selling the third set of warrantied Graftons. The ACs literally snapped in half after two days after hitting a small tree stump jump. 7 lbs Nuke Proof wheel set. Don't remember the name of the rim but the braking surface was completely cut through on both sides. Bike was shaking violently. Stopped to assess the situation and could see daylight from one side to the other. All titanium hardware flexed horribly or just snapped in half with anything over 5nm of force. Aluminum chainring bolts either cracked or broke and fell off while riding.
Back in the eighties, the aerospace industry tanked. All of a sudden all those engineers invested in cnc machines and decided they could make everything better and drastically lighter. They were unfortunately only half right. All the parts were indeed beautiful billet aluminum. But CAST billet. Not forged. I believe billet just means block and can be either a cast or forged block. I may have pioneered the color matched everything trend with that bike. Alternating colored nipples on the built myself wheels. Color matched brakes with one red and one silver brake on each end of the bike. Color matched chainring bolts. Polished bare aluminum frame with every single computer either red, black, or silver.
Lesson learned. Virtually every part of the bike catastrophically failed. Only parts I have that survived I'm still riding. Mainly the frame, AC cranks, and the Nuke Proof wheel set. Minus the rear hub that shattered back in 1994. All the failed billet parts were eventually upgraded to mostly Shimano forged components.
Correction... every single component... not computer. Oops. Auto correct failure.
The 80âs called. They want their frame back. Time for a new bike. I kept my 96 bike way too long.
I don't notice any diffrence between an oval and a regular chainring! LOL
I have oval because I wanted to try, next time when it wears out, I'll get the cheaper option.