MTBRIDER1234

I don't know how old you are, but how about finding a part-time job? I work at a bikeshop on weekends to help pay for my riding, and I have also learnt a helluva lot of very useful skills. I came in knowing the very basic mechanical stuff, but now I can do everything except build wheels and do damper rebuilds. There's no harm in asking, I started working for free just to learn, but now it is a source of income that I use to supplement funds for my riding and other personal endeavours.

Unfortunately, the E motors aren't the biggest issue as I understand it, it's the batteries, which need to be replaced fairly often. I do agree with the thing about ICE needing service, but those little engines are pretty tough, so it's not often that they need to be looked at. But I still believe that until power is generated fully renewably (solar wouldn't work year round, and is quite expensive), electric vehicles are still not going to be good for the environment, and it's just sometimes harder to notice because we don't see all the pollution that power plants release. The other issue is that an E bike takes hours to recharge, whereas, it takes 5 minutes to fill up a fuel tank and get many times the range of what an E bike would. To be honest, no solution is perfect, but personally, I am looking for a mode of transport that is more efficient than riding the enduro bike (MTB) everywhere, so my 2 options are a road E bike or a motorbike. I am currently angling for an old(ish) Husqvarna 2 stroke Supermoto, as IMO a motorbike presents better value, efficiency and more fun than an E bike, so I guess I am biased in this debate.

Unfortunately, burning hundreds of tons of coal to produce the power to charge E bikes is not way better for the environment than a ICE vehicle. Have any of the electric vehicle activists seen those massive mining trucks used to carry all the precious metals used to make their batteries? Those things drink thousands of liters of diesel. Batteries also have a far, far shorter lifespan than an ICE, I have heard of million km hiluxes (still on the original engine), but where are these million km Teslas? Also when components of electric cars break, you often have to replace the whole motor/battery etc. whereas in an ICE you can just replace a piston/rod/valve etc. I don't dislike electric cars, and they have insane performance, but unfortunately they aren't the green solution so many people think they are.

I am not sure how an E bike is preferential to a motorbike for doing hundred's of km a day in any way. A motorbike is less effort to ride, probably just as cheap to run in the long term, and way more efficient. Plus a motorbike can travel on roads without a shoulder, and not be a hazard to all other road users. It seems in every way a motorbike is just as cheap, more efficient and way faster. So why try fix what's not broken?

Motorbikes are safer in every way. Firstly, it's harder to tackle a guy off a 110kg motorbike when he's doing 50km/h, compared to a guy on a 22kg E bike doing 30... Also if someone comes after you, and you're on a motorbike, you can pin it and get away (admittedly rather slowly on most big boy bikes used for deliveries), whereas on an Ebike, you can get to 32 before it cuts out, and you are using your own power... not much will be left in the legs after a full day delivering. Bike jackings are a dime a dozen nowadays, so I can see it being a huge issue, especially in you spend hours on the road each day. So insurance is a MUST. Also, you are better protected in a crash wearing a fullface motorcycle helmet, when compared to a comparatively flimsy open face bike helmet. Falling in an open helmet means your face can get cut up badly. Motorbikes also have better brakes, more suspension and you can actually overtake idiot drivers. I know it's already been mentioned, but refueling a motorbike is a helluva lot faster than recharging an E bike, and those bigboy motorbike engine parts are extremely cheap.

Yeah from my experience, running 2 strokes dry is a no go. I also recommend putting in a few drops of 3 in 1 oil after you run it, and cycle the engine a few times slowly with the plug out. Some people may say it's unnecessary, but it certainly doesn't do any harm, and helps the engine last a bit longer. Also for people struggling to start the, put the carb back to factory settings, check that the air filter isn't clogged, and check spark (replace the plug if you aren't sure). A problem that isn't well known enough is air leaks. A leaky carb gasket will cause nothing but issues with tuning, and cause it to run erratically. The little 2 strokes engine are very simple in how they work, and as long as they have fuel, spark and air (like any engine) they are happy. They are also generally very forgiving of being a bit lean or rich.

If you want the whole gear range, it will take a lot of fiddling with the limit screws and a lot of tweaking. No question about that. I have never tried to set gears so they only work in the midrange, but I suspect it will be far easier, as long as you don't go too far up or down the cassette. Assuming you work on your own bike, why not try it if you already have the parts, and it could make for a few hours of fun on the weekend.

If it's a 12 speed derailleur and shifter, it may work (I believe 12 speed and 11 speed shifters have a different pull ratio). It will take setting the limit screw to the point where you don't have the last click. Depending on how far it can screw in, you may need to buy a longer bolt. It will take a lot of playing around, but you may get it to work. I know guys who use 11 speed derailleurs on 12 speed setups, so that makes me think the opposite may be possible.

If it's an 11 speed derailleur, yes, it will work. You must ensure that you have an xd driver freehub body, and not a microspline or HG. I run a GX cassette with NX derailleur and shifter, and it works no different from full NX, or full GX. People often think you have to run the same groupset for it to work well, but this isn't true. I have even run SRAM derailleurs and Shimano shifters with no issues. I do however, recommend binning NX and getting GX or better. My NX derailleur worked fine for the first 6 months or so, but now it gives issues. (and before anyone asks, yes I have done all the DIY mods/fixes to get it to run better) I am at some point going to go X01, as it is the perfect sweet spot between extreme reliability and cost IMO. The best budget (and bulletproof) 12 speed setup is probably GX cassette, XX1 chain, X01 derailleur and GX shifter. But now I am just going off topic...

Yeah, tar does go through tires quite fast. Especially maxxgrip tires. The enduro bike also feels appalling to pedal on the road. I don't have any lockout for the front or rear suspension (charger 2.1 and a remote lockout shock with remote removed), coupled with sticky DH tires, slack(ish) and long(ish) geometry, and you have a bike that handles like a boat, with the turning radius of an oil tanker. But getting fit is so worth it. It sucks so much in the beginning, but when you get to the point where you can pedal the enduro bike up and chat at the same time, it adds to the fun. I also like to race E bikers, but that's not as easy now that I have moved on from the old XC hardtail..

Yeah for sure, but I believe that getting better cardiovascular fitness, and improved muscle endurance and possibly strength can only be a good thing. I also like how my non E bike handles. It is so much more fun on a lighter bike. Yes E bikes do plough through rough stuff, but there is something fun about a nimble, flickable bike. The Levo SL is light, but it is still about 3kg heavier than my enduro bike. Would it feel planted? Yes. Would it be willing to throw the tail out and catch air off every little bump? I doubt it. Also I am of the opinion that if you go for an E bike, go for a full power one. Normal guys generally can't keep up with an SL on the climbs, and SL riders can't keep up with normal E bike riders. So you are stuck in a bit of a niche, when it is only generally fun to ride with other SL riders, who are few and far between. If I had to pick an SL E bike, I would take a Kenevo hands down.

What about incorporating some training in on the uphills, so that they become easier, and you can ride more laps. I am way fitter than all my riding buddies, and 6 months or so ago (when I was fitter than I am now), I could bang out 2 or 3 top to bottom (dh1 down to the gate) runs of tokai on the enduro bike. I also ride only for the descent, but I can assure you that improving cardio and strength on the climbs will translate to how fast you can ride down, and how long you can ride hard without getting fatigued. This is the exact reason why world cup DH racers do a helluva lot of cardio. They ain't riding up, but they know it will allow them to perform at their best going down. *Also earning your turns is a cool feeling. Very underrated IMO

Shot man, I will see what I can do. Fingers crossed that the bottom bracket isn't too low with the flipchip in high mode, as it super playful with a 27.5 rear (I only tried it with my friend's wheel on some jumps, so I can't really speak for actual trail performance) and would probably feel kiff down some real 'gnar'

Have you mulleted the stumpie? or is it another bike you are needing the tire for? Also yeah I have heard how lekka mullet is for drops, tight turns and steep stuff, so very tempted to give it a try. I may end up buying a very cheap 2nd hand wheel first, then seeing how it feels, without having to spend several thousand

Your best bet is to probably talk to the distributor aero agencies and see if they can get any in. I have noticed that 27.5 tires are getting harder and harder to get here, especially the DH/enduro tires, because most guys have switched to 29ers. Personally I think most of this is just marketing hype, as anyone under 1.7m should be on 27.5 IMO, they are so much less of a handful, and give you more tire clearance. I liked my old 27.5 bike so much that I am considering mulleting the slakline, but it's an expensive experiment if I end up not liking it, which is stopping me from pulling the trigger... for now

As long as the masterlinks colour match the chain, they won't really be too noticeable. Also remember that the arrow on the masterlink points in the direction the chain moves (so when it's under the chainstay, it points backwards)

I have done it before with no issues. I personally believe that 2 master links in a chain shouldn't cause any problems. I know people who run 3 or more, but at that point, just buy a new chain. Just ensure that the masterlinks are new (or very close to new) to ensure they have a tight fit and you don't run the risk of them coming loose. It sounds like it wouldn't happen, but I have seen a few people's chains come loose during heavy chainslap, due to a worn masterlink coming apart. If you are unsure whether you can reuse it, check how hard it is to set. If it can be done with very little force, I would replace it. And if it can be done with your hands and no tools... I think it goes without saying that you need a new one. Also don't cheap out and add new links to the chain by pushing the pins out enough to the point when you can put new links in, then push it back. Because it will break. Guaranteed.

Yep. It was a long and honestly pretty time consuming process to source everything. Countless hours of scouring the classifieds, making calls, sending emails and WhatsApps etc. but the stoke the bike has given me, the money saved and the fun of building it made the process worth it for me. But it won't be for everyone. Or most people for that matter. Building a bike isn't that easy for everyone (routing cables, bleeding brakes, setting up tubeless, spacing the BB, setting gears, and so on...) means that for the average rider it is out of the question to do it entirely on your own. This isn't even including how damn expensive all the bike specific tools you need are...

I only buy 2nd hand bikes. Period. The depreciation on new bikes is far too significant to make me even think about buying one. Building up my bike, I bought a mixture of good condition 2nd hand parts, and some new. It ended up costing me 15k or so less than what that bike would have been worth in the 2nd hand market. I am saying this because there were a few of the same bike with a similar, or lesser spec for sale for far more than what it cost me. So people very often overestimate how much it costs to build up a bike if you are patient, and able to spot good deals.

I just said I ain't an expert, but maybe you forgot that. Also I bet you aren't either. I called you those names, which was maybe was wrong, but neither of us were in the right. I am not looking to continue this argument, as I believe nothing will be gained from carrying on.

I didn't say I am an expert by any means, but I would like to think I know a bit more than the average Joe, simply because I have studied it. Maybe I was wrong to say it was a steal, I think it would have been better to say they are good value in my opinion. I believe that some bikes are going for a steal now compared to what they would have sold to a while ago. I realize this is what the market thinks they are worth, but in my eyes, it is a good price for the bike you get relative to how it was even up to 6 months or so ago. For example, when someone like Robert Kiyosaki buys property in a depressed market with the intention to rent it out, then resell it when the market has recovered, he could sell it for far more than he acquired it for. Now while this is relative to what the market thinks it is worth, and is prepared to pay, most people will say that he got a very good deal on the property when the market was in a bad shape, because he was able to make so much money when he then sold it on. Or if I was to buy a Spez epic for 80k when the market was low, but it would have gone for 120k in a healthy market, then in my opinion, it is a steal, no matter what the market says. If your mate goes and buys a 2nd hand WRX STI for 100k in a shitty market when nobody else had the money to buy it, but it would normally be worth 3-400k, so the seller was forced to take a lower rate, you wouldn't say to him: "wow you got a really market value deal boet", no, you would say: "that was a bargain" I may have come on a bit strong (I think we all did to some extent), or used terms that oversimplified things, but at the end of the day, I am not an expert, and I doubt anyone else here is. We all come here because we want to share the stoke for riding bikes, and life is too short to get into an online fight with someone you have never met, and will probably never meet.

The main factor is that there was very little demand, which then lead to it being sold for a steal. I was saying that there is quite a bit more supply than demand currently, as otherwise bikes would be selling much faster. I am not keen to argue with you. All I ask for is to speak respectfully to others.

Dude you started this by just being an asshole. I wasn't looking for an argument, so I am not sure why you are attacking people. If it gives you joy then go to twitter, where you can congregate with your fellow brainless idiots.

Generally speaking, I have no time for internet trolls like you, but it seems to be your lucky day, because I am willing to spare a minute or two. I can assure you that I absolutely know how supply and demand works, as I have pretty extensively studied supply and demand graphs, as well as the laws. It is not only a provocative remark, but also immature and childish of you to make such a blunt remark that could not be further than the truth. Also 2nd hand bikes is far from a perfect market, so don't expect it to behave like one.

Talking from experience, I have to disagree. The 2nd hand market 2 years ago was frankly insane. I sold 2 hardtail xc bikes within 2 hours of listing them, at prices that would now seem stupid. Bikes were going for thousands more than they were really worth due to demand. Currently, the 2nd hand market has crashed. A bike I was selling, that would have gotten in the low 20k range 2 years ago took months to sell, and I ended up having to take 5k less than what it was really worth. I also know other people selling enduro bikes for 12k below market value struggling to sell them. People are just not buying as many 2nd hand bikes, and certainly not paying stupid prices anymore.