Bike Part Availability & Prices

I can't imagine not having 12 speed anymore. I COULD run 11 on my race bike, but I don't want to. Only way I would want to stop running 12s on my MTB's is if I were to SS.

Maybe I have some mental bias, but I just don't like the feel of the 12s XTR compared to Sram. But the XTR and Sram both shift as well as I could possibly want.
 
Well in an unexpected turn of events it looks like I'm going to have to eat my words. Bike shop called me up this afternoon to say they had a frame for me. Guess there won't be an October update after all.

Now I just need to find time to go and pick it up. Won't be happening tomorrow, hopefully Friday I can sneak away from work for a bit and pick it up. Looks I'll be on bike assembly duties this weekend!
 
Since This seems to be my contribution to this thread.

https://www.popsci.com/technology/record-breaking-container-ships-awaiting-entry/

COVID is a main culprit
The implementation of COVID restrictions caused many of the problems at the ports. For example, officials noted that every shift change for port workers requires new protocols, including the cleaning of crane compartments and equipment, daily health screenings for staff, and other inefficiencies caused by social distancing measures.

And the number of backed-up ships has been unrelenting. As of September 15, a record 88 ships were sitting on the horizon, forming a line of vessels stretching south over 40 miles, from the entrance of the Port of Los Angeles all the way down to Dana Point. Prior to 2020, it was rare for a single ship to be held offshore, according to Louttit.
 
Just received a new rotor that'll go in the parts reserve. I'm probably still a few months out from needing it, but feel better having it there.

Passing on costs...no never.
Just got back from the store, a bag of coffee that was 9.99 last week is now 10.99.
Got home and noticed the bag is no longer 12 Oz either. Now it's 10.5 Oz. Well Sh!t howdy, looks to me like a 22.5% price increase in a couple weeks.
Double whammy....ouch. and this is one item only...

Freight from China and the EU was apx $3k pre covid. Last week, $9k-20k. That ain't much is it? And add on demurrage costs because the containers are late and not leaving the port on time.


Trust me, Maersk and such are getting fat as a pig and we are all paying for it. Maritime laws are extreemly antiquated, it's time to change than and bring up to modern times.
 
I gots me an air shock for the SquiggleBug for the days I need to haul her along with the SS hardtail crew. This will reduce significant weight and result in a cumulative increase in efficiency; the longer the ride, the greater the gains. I’m curious to see how she descends on an air shock vs the coil. The allure of a squiggly MTB is tangible in my head, but the feeling after 5,000’ of climbing kinda offsets the pure coolness factor of featuring a coil shock.
4EA89AA8-F82A-4BD2-A8CC-D36AF810D103.png

Chain Reaction Cycles won’t ship this item to the USA, so I am fortunate that my neighbor Sam of Strava KOM snatching E-bike 29x2.6 super knobby Zeb fork coil shock riding helmet crushing concussion serving when chasing down a precipice fame is in Worcestershire until Thursday to receive the item and bring it to me at half of MSRP. Wooo!

The SquiggleBug will become the FluffyBug next weekend.
 
I gots me an air shock for the SquiggleBug for the days I need to haul her along with the SS hardtail crew. This will reduce significant weight and result in a cumulative increase in efficiency; the longer the ride, the greater the gains. I’m curious to see how she descends on an air shock vs the coil. The allure of a squiggly MTB is tangible in my head, but the feeling after 5,000’ of climbing kinda offsets the pure coolness factor of featuring a coil shock.
View attachment 77983
Chain Reaction Cycles won’t ship this item to the USA, so I am fortunate that my neighbor Sam of Strava KOM snatching E-bike 29x2.6 super knobby Zeb fork coil shock riding helmet crushing concussion serving when chasing down a precipice fame is in Worcestershire until Thursday to receive the item and bring it to me at half of MSRP. Wooo!

The SquiggleBug will become the FluffyBug next weekend.

You could just get a single speed and be part of the club…

You did better than I did on my first try. Old Camp with 17 stops in the last mile… :Roflmao
 
I can't imagine not having 12 speed anymore. I COULD run 11 on my race bike, but I don't want to. Only way I would want to stop running 12s on my MTB's is if I were to SS.

Maybe I have some mental bias, but I just don't like the feel of the 12s XTR compared to Sram. But the XTR and Sram both shift as well as I could possibly want.
I’m Sram all the way mainly due to Shimano’s RD clutch design. Unless/until they redesign it to be similar to Sram’s clutch design, Im sticking with Sram. Otherwise, I’d say they are equal in shifting quality with Shimano’s being slightly more smooth or numb.
 
I gots me an air shock for the SquiggleBug for the days I need to haul her along with the SS hardtail crew. This will reduce significant weight and result in a cumulative increase in efficiency; the longer the ride, the greater the gains. I’m curious to see how she descends on an air shock vs the coil. The allure of a squiggly MTB is tangible in my head, but the feeling after 5,000’ of climbing kinda offsets the pure coolness factor of featuring a coil shock.
View attachment 77983
Chain Reaction Cycles won’t ship this item to the USA, so I am fortunate that my neighbor Sam of Strava KOM snatching E-bike 29x2.6 super knobby Zeb fork coil shock riding helmet crushing concussion serving when chasing down a precipice fame is in Worcestershire until Thursday to receive the item and bring it to me at half of MSRP. Wooo!

The SquiggleBug will become the FluffyBug next weekend.

I have this shock, it works great and you can really dial it in. I added the MegNeg Canister and not really a fan of it, due to its not really big guy friendly. One of these days I’ll pull it off and put it back to stock.
 
I have this shock, it works great and you can really dial it in. I added the MegNeg Canister and not really a fan of it, due to its not really big guy friendly. One of these days I’ll pull it off and put it back to stock.
Thanks for your input. I'm a big guy too, and the 2018 Guerilla Gravity Smash is rather progressive with it's rear squish leverage, so maybe my days of 250 PSI in the rear shock are numbered.
 
ha i just realized i need to replace both brake rotors, 3 years old and probly down to 1.5 mm. Like cassettes and chains theyre mostly out of stock except for pricier ones. Any tips for cheaper rotors, in stock, 6 bolt, 203 mm, standard 1.8" thickmess?
saw a bunch of wierd brand knockoffs on amazon for under $25 for a pair , capitalizing on the shortage...dont need to sink that low...
 
ha i just realized i need to replace both brake rotors, 3 years old and probly down to 1.5 mm. Like cassettes and chains theyre mostly out of stock except for pricier ones. Any tips for cheaper rotors, in stock, 6 bolt, 203 mm, standard 1.8" thickmess?
saw a bunch of wierd brand knockoffs on amazon for under $25 for a pair , capitalizing on the shortage...dont need to sink that low...
Buy the pricy rotors, and don’t look back. Last time I took advice to buy cheap rotors, I crashed on Leave It For The Critters and ended up needing to buy a new helmet.
 
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ha i just realized i need to replace both brake rotors, 3 years old and probly down to 1.5 mm. Like cassettes and chains theyre mostly out of stock except for pricier ones. Any tips for cheaper rotors, in stock, 6 bolt, 203 mm, standard 1.8" thickmess?
saw a bunch of wierd brand knockoffs on amazon for under $25 for a pair , capitalizing on the shortage...dont need to sink that low...

Not a lot of choices for brand name right now, but found these. Hope is a trusted brand too, And not too much $.

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/co...ducts/hayes-v8-disc-rotor-203mm-with-hardware
 
I stooped... The last few years I've run Amazon knockoff brake pads that went by the name "Corki". I liked the ceramic/organic pads. They had a decent feel... But even they were in short supply at times during the pandemic. o_O A couple months ago, I was looking at their pad selection, and noticed that they have rotors under the same brand name. Pretty sure the same ones are available on eBay under a variety of names. The red caught my eye as an accent color for the black bike. :laugh: I've been running them for the last 6 weeks on the Moxie. They were about as straight as the Shimano rotors I normally run- meaning I had to true them when I put them on. :Roflmao

And... I paired the new rotors with semi-metallic pads from the German company Miles Racing. This combination has been silent, even on the long downhills like the Gabrielino, Idlehour, front range, Toll Road, etc... Strava says they have about 60,000 feet of descending on them. I just replaced the rear Miles pads with another set... :thumbsup:

https://www.milesracing.us
 
Ha I’m fine with Hayes v8 cheap, doesn’t have to be Amazon CYSKY cheap. Running an Amazon Bibike cassette with no issues. might look at the Corki rotors. Brakes are trp quadiems, love their products and only their $60 rotors are in stock right now.
I use truckerco pads, have been available
Edit: Hayes v8s have gone up in price too
 
I stooped... The last few years I've run Amazon knockoff brake pads that went by the name "Corki". I liked the ceramic/organic pads. They had a decent feel... But even they were in short supply at times during the pandemic. o_O A couple months ago, I was looking at their pad selection, and noticed that they have rotors under the same brand name. Pretty sure the same ones are available on eBay under a variety of names. The red caught my eye as an accent color for the black bike. :laugh: I've been running them for the last 6 weeks on the Moxie. They were about as straight as the Shimano rotors I normally run- meaning I had to true them when I put them on. :Roflmao

And... I paired the new rotors with semi-metallic pads from the German company Miles Racing. This combination has been silent, even on the long downhills like the Gabrielino, Idlehour, front range, Toll Road, etc... Strava says they have about 60,000 feet of descending on them. I just replaced the rear Miles pads with another set... :thumbsup:

https://www.milesracing.us

these?:
upload_2021-10-14_6-54-21.png
 
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