The "what bike bits have you just bought" thread Vol 2
Discussion
Interesting comments re the DHF/DHR2, maybe they just don't work well with UK conditions/soil types? The rest of the world seems to love them!
They're a bit of a staple here in NZ - I used them for a while and couldn't really fault them for grip and climbing traction, but enough of my riding involves pedalling and reasonably hardpacked trails for the extra drag to be annoying over some other options. So they're hanging in the garage at the moment.
On the other hand Schwalbe appear quite popular in the UK? but I've barely seen anyone using them in NZ. Partly because they are more expensive than most, but I'm sure if many people liked them they would be popular despite the price.
My favourite all-rounder combo (so far) is Bontrager SE5/SE4, much faster feeling than DHF/DHR2 without giving away much grip. The main downside I've found is the SE4 has a bit less traction and doesn't bite into loose/muddy ground as well as the DHR2, especially off-camber as it has a rounder profile. But worth the compromise for me with the lower drag. Might not suit your sticky UK mud either though...
They're a bit of a staple here in NZ - I used them for a while and couldn't really fault them for grip and climbing traction, but enough of my riding involves pedalling and reasonably hardpacked trails for the extra drag to be annoying over some other options. So they're hanging in the garage at the moment.
On the other hand Schwalbe appear quite popular in the UK? but I've barely seen anyone using them in NZ. Partly because they are more expensive than most, but I'm sure if many people liked them they would be popular despite the price.
My favourite all-rounder combo (so far) is Bontrager SE5/SE4, much faster feeling than DHF/DHR2 without giving away much grip. The main downside I've found is the SE4 has a bit less traction and doesn't bite into loose/muddy ground as well as the DHR2, especially off-camber as it has a rounder profile. But worth the compromise for me with the lower drag. Might not suit your sticky UK mud either though...
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 8th June 10:31
tertius said:
amongst all the tyre chat I have just (well a month ago) bought a new set of wheels (DCR Standard wheelset) with Specialized S-Works Turbo RapidAir tyres, running tubeless. The combination is absolutely amazing.
Nearly went for a set of these although IIRC they aren't tubeless are they? I liked the poverty spec turbos on mine, currently on Eagle F1s which I absolutely adore, grippy, roll well and so far haven't had any punctures.... Prefer them to the GP5000.GravelBen said:
But worth the compromise for me with the lower drag. Might not suit your sticky UK mud either though...
Ah yes, I forgot about the Assegai and the clay/mud in the winter....DHR2 though, again no issues. Just loads of grip to the point I can be confident even in slop.
I think that Magic Mary is so good for UK use given how versatile it is. Drawback being some squirm on hard pack but its nothing to be concerned with.
tertius said:
amongst all the tyre chat I have just (well a month ago) bought a new set of wheels (DCR Standard wheelset) with Specialized S-Works Turbo RapidAir tyres, running tubeless. The combination is absolutely amazing. Every ride has been giving new PRs.
They've replaced a set of Hope/DT-Swiss wheels that I was using with winter-ish tyres, so a massive weight saving of about 1kg. Obviously a fair chunk of that was the tyres but the wheels have gone from 32 spoke front and rear to 24 and 28 so a decent saving in the wheels as well.
I love my DCR Wheels 'Vivaldi' build. It's their "off the peg" (but customiseable) "all seasons" option, and it's staggering value for money given how light they are. I've put just over 3,700 miles on mine, most of that wrapped in Continental GP 4Seasons tyres, and although it hasn't been "PR city" since fitting them, they are very smooth, comfortable to ride, and haven't needed as much as a whiff of a spoke key in the 15 months I've been abusing them...They've replaced a set of Hope/DT-Swiss wheels that I was using with winter-ish tyres, so a massive weight saving of about 1kg. Obviously a fair chunk of that was the tyres but the wheels have gone from 32 spoke front and rear to 24 and 28 so a decent saving in the wheels as well.
My only recent bike-related purchase has been one of these...
...from my local bike shop.
I had a catastrophic loss of drive on a MTB ride a while back and (after a 2 mile walk home) I replaced the freehub with one I keep in my spare parts stash. So this one isn't for immediate fitting. Took the old one into the shop to compare, and the machining on the new one looks to be for a wider cassette (11-speed over my old one being 10-speed?) so the shop's mechanic threw in a couple of spacers to take up that slack. Pretty boring really, but these freehub bodies seem to be made of cheese, and it pays to have a spare one available immediately when I inevitably need to replace it again. I'd love to swap to a new wheelset if I'm honest, but £20 to £22 a throw on freehub bodies I can swallow, the price of new wheels means that they'd have to first be rendered unusable if I was going to replace them.
...from my local bike shop.
I had a catastrophic loss of drive on a MTB ride a while back and (after a 2 mile walk home) I replaced the freehub with one I keep in my spare parts stash. So this one isn't for immediate fitting. Took the old one into the shop to compare, and the machining on the new one looks to be for a wider cassette (11-speed over my old one being 10-speed?) so the shop's mechanic threw in a couple of spacers to take up that slack. Pretty boring really, but these freehub bodies seem to be made of cheese, and it pays to have a spare one available immediately when I inevitably need to replace it again. I'd love to swap to a new wheelset if I'm honest, but £20 to £22 a throw on freehub bodies I can swallow, the price of new wheels means that they'd have to first be rendered unusable if I was going to replace them.
Bathroom_Security said:
tertius said:
amongst all the tyre chat I have just (well a month ago) bought a new set of wheels (DCR Standard wheelset) with Specialized S-Works Turbo RapidAir tyres, running tubeless. The combination is absolutely amazing.
Nearly went for a set of these although IIRC they aren't tubeless are they? I liked the poverty spec turbos on mine, currently on Eagle F1s which I absolutely adore, grippy, roll well and so far haven't had any punctures.... Prefer them to the GP5000.take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
Interest there is so little love fir them in the UK. I'm not a fan here either - IME good dry weather / hard pack tyre but doesn't suit UK conditions (mud, clay, loam) that well and agree with the draggy climbing.
That said, assagai seems to work well on the front in UK conditions.
That said, assagai seems to work well on the front in UK conditions.
GravelBen said:
Interesting comments re the DHF/DHR2, maybe they just don't work well with UK conditions/soil types? The rest of the world seems to love them!
They're a bit of a staple here in NZ - I used them for a while and couldn't really fault them for grip and climbing traction, but enough of my riding involves pedalling and reasonably hardpacked trails for the extra drag to be annoying over some other options. So they're hanging in the garage at the moment.
Thats the thing...I'm not in the UK They're a bit of a staple here in NZ - I used them for a while and couldn't really fault them for grip and climbing traction, but enough of my riding involves pedalling and reasonably hardpacked trails for the extra drag to be annoying over some other options. So they're hanging in the garage at the moment.
. North eastern US lift parks are pretty fast but also rocky and loose - in my humble opinion these tyres just don't suit it - I ride a hardtail (by choice) so maybe I'm more attuned to what I can feel, but they don't feel right on anything other than smooth hardpack. But it's amazing the herd mentality & market dominance - at the weekend I would say 95% of bikes had maxxis - mainly DHF/DHR and some assagai, the other choices being schwalbe magic mary and some others... I was the only person on onzas, definitely the only person on white onzas, and one of only two on a hardtail.
Bathroom_Security said:
Hmm interesting.
Its now sat on my desk but tempted to return it. £85 is too pricey to just stick on for testing it out
That said, the DHR DD Max terra is fine, rolls well enough. Out back on my Levo and Patrol its the best tire I've had to date in any condition. No issues with grip in any direction. Prefer it to the Big betty although the BB rolls better I think
Didn't love the Assegai DD Maxgrip and its still on the Levo currently, 6 months in I have found it too square and slightly challenging to tip into a turn on occasions, it has a strange trait where it seems to just slip out when cornering (maybe that's my technique who knows, but it just goes and goes hard) but it did grip well enough over wet roots (like Redlands in Surrey, had no issue riding the bike in wet winter down Psychedelic Warlord for example) and did OK in the UK loam and slop.
I may stick with the Magic Mary, having two bikes I run Maxxis on one and Schwalbe on the other. Chop and change them sometimes.
I can highly recommend the onza porcupines. I was very suprised - they are not the same tyre they were in the 90s and as a bonus much cheaper than the maxxis. Reviews seem to back it up (other than one which didn't seem to like them). They roll SO much faster too - it feels like half the pedal effort in comparison. Its now sat on my desk but tempted to return it. £85 is too pricey to just stick on for testing it out
That said, the DHR DD Max terra is fine, rolls well enough. Out back on my Levo and Patrol its the best tire I've had to date in any condition. No issues with grip in any direction. Prefer it to the Big betty although the BB rolls better I think
Didn't love the Assegai DD Maxgrip and its still on the Levo currently, 6 months in I have found it too square and slightly challenging to tip into a turn on occasions, it has a strange trait where it seems to just slip out when cornering (maybe that's my technique who knows, but it just goes and goes hard) but it did grip well enough over wet roots (like Redlands in Surrey, had no issue riding the bike in wet winter down Psychedelic Warlord for example) and did OK in the UK loam and slop.
I may stick with the Magic Mary, having two bikes I run Maxxis on one and Schwalbe on the other. Chop and change them sometimes.
Also available in all black and skinwall if you aren't brave enough to go for the white like me
Edited by GCH on Wednesday 8th June 14:43
yellowjack said:
My only recent bike-related purchase has been one of these...
...from my local bike shop.
I had a catastrophic loss of drive on a MTB ride a while back and (after a 2 mile walk home) I replaced the freehub with one I keep in my spare parts stash. So this one isn't for immediate fitting. Took the old one into the shop to compare, and the machining on the new one looks to be for a wider cassette (11-speed over my old one being 10-speed?) so the shop's mechanic threw in a couple of spacers to take up that slack. Pretty boring really, but these freehub bodies seem to be made of cheese, and it pays to have a spare one available immediately when I inevitably need to replace it again. I'd love to swap to a new wheelset if I'm honest, but £20 to £22 a throw on freehub bodies I can swallow, the price of new wheels means that they'd have to first be rendered unusable if I was going to replace them.
Had to gamble one of these a few weeks back for the Mrs's Scott Spark ... never seen a freehub like it and of course, I didn't have the correct sized hex to remove so had to improvise. Ended up guessing the model and ordering one ... it 'looks' like a few other manufacturers use the same freehub thankfully. ...from my local bike shop.
I had a catastrophic loss of drive on a MTB ride a while back and (after a 2 mile walk home) I replaced the freehub with one I keep in my spare parts stash. So this one isn't for immediate fitting. Took the old one into the shop to compare, and the machining on the new one looks to be for a wider cassette (11-speed over my old one being 10-speed?) so the shop's mechanic threw in a couple of spacers to take up that slack. Pretty boring really, but these freehub bodies seem to be made of cheese, and it pays to have a spare one available immediately when I inevitably need to replace it again. I'd love to swap to a new wheelset if I'm honest, but £20 to £22 a throw on freehub bodies I can swallow, the price of new wheels means that they'd have to first be rendered unusable if I was going to replace them.
BTW, 8/9/10/11 speed are all the same size freehub (spacers required) ... only 7 and 12 speeds differ. 8/9/10
GP5000s, to replace my only partly worn Gatorskins. Changed to latex inner tubes as well, and I've found a good improvement in comfort and speed.
But I'm a bit cautious about travelling the city cycle paths now. The gatorskins have survived many patches of broken glass and I've never punctured them.
But I'm a bit cautious about travelling the city cycle paths now. The gatorskins have survived many patches of broken glass and I've never punctured them.
GCH said:
Thats the thing...I'm not in the UK . North eastern US lift parks are pretty fast but also rocky and loose - in my humble opinion these tyres just don't suit it - I ride a hardtail (by choice) so maybe I'm more attuned to what I can feel, but they don't feel right on anything other than smooth hardpack.
But it's amazing the herd mentality & market dominance - at the weekend I would say 95% of bikes had maxxis - mainly DHF/DHR and some assagai, the other choices being schwalbe magic mary and some others... I was the only person on onzas, definitely the only person on white onzas, and one of only two on a hardtail.
Funny enough I thought the DHR2 was worst suited to smooth hardpack, where the drag is more obvious and it can't dig in for a traction advantage over faster tread patterns. . North eastern US lift parks are pretty fast but also rocky and loose - in my humble opinion these tyres just don't suit it - I ride a hardtail (by choice) so maybe I'm more attuned to what I can feel, but they don't feel right on anything other than smooth hardpack. But it's amazing the herd mentality & market dominance - at the weekend I would say 95% of bikes had maxxis - mainly DHF/DHR and some assagai, the other choices being schwalbe magic mary and some others... I was the only person on onzas, definitely the only person on white onzas, and one of only two on a hardtail.
My hardtail has Dissectors on it which I find a good compromise of speed vs grip too, I haven't tried Onzas - not sure if they are even available here!
GravelBen said:
I haven't tried Onzas - not sure if they are even available here!
They are - although stock was scarce last time I was back in the UK and the whites were being flipped for three times the price 
... so I ordered from r2-bike.com in germany - at the time the only place that had stock of the whites - and had them shipped to the UK and brought them back with me. Stock is better in the UK now I think.Went a bit mad today. My bike is in for its 1 year service (4k miles) on the 29th.
Everything on it is Shimano GRX aside from the Praxis crankset & that’s bugged me. It’ll be fitted come service.
I’m also braving “clipless” for the first time as a 50+ year old.
Kind of dreading it but everyone says it’s better.
Everything on it is Shimano GRX aside from the Praxis crankset & that’s bugged me. It’ll be fitted come service.
I’m also braving “clipless” for the first time as a 50+ year old.
Kind of dreading it but everyone says it’s better.
Squadrone Rosso said:
Went a bit mad today. My bike is in for its 1 year service (4k miles) on the 29th.
Everything on it is Shimano GRX aside from the Praxis crankset & that’s bugged me. It’ll be fitted come service.
I’m also braving “clipless” for the first time as a 50+ year old.
Kind of dreading it but everyone says it’s better.
You'll be fine.. Just remember to back the tension spring right off for the first rides.Everything on it is Shimano GRX aside from the Praxis crankset & that’s bugged me. It’ll be fitted come service.
I’m also braving “clipless” for the first time as a 50+ year old.
Kind of dreading it but everyone says it’s better.
Squadrone Rosso said:
I’m also braving “clipless” for the first time as a 50+ year old.
It is. But everyone has at least one sideways moment as they stop and forget to unclip.I also have SPD pedals on all my bikes. Avoids what happened when I was riding my son's bike back to his house after a service and forgot he uses flats when I went to bunnyhop a kerb.
I used to have the same model and it's still a good looking bike I reckon, especially with those wheels.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff