Your latest bike purchase?

[consularrider]

I intended to order a pair of 700X40 Clement X’plor MSO for the Rove, but I needed a new rear tire today, so I had to settle for one 700×32 Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard that the LBS next to Consulate had in stock to let me get my July century in. The rear tire has a small cut in the tread and the inside casing is fraying and I’ve gotten three flats in the past four rides. I’m still going to order the Clements since the promised Bikenetic delivery to Feucht never happened. Looks like Jan headed the other direction.

[Harry Meatmotor]

@hozn 143566 wrote:

Interesting. Mine look like this
Seems different shape — probably because these are MTB shoes come to think of it!

Kinda hard to tell from the pic (they look like MY12s), but I think you’d need to order Spec. PN 6110-9174:

http://wheelworks.com/product/specialized-replacement-s-works-mountain-shoe-lug-kit-213222-1.htm

oh and to clarify, my13&14 were the first model of the road shoes to feature replaceable heel lugs – MTB shoes have been doing it since ’09, I think?

[hozn]

@Harry Meatmotor 143588 wrote:

Kinda hard to tell from the pic (they look like MY12s), but I think you’d need to order Spec. PN 6110-9174:

http://wheelworks.com/product/specialized-replacement-s-works-mountain-shoe-lug-kit-213222-1.htm

oh and to clarify, my13&14 were the first model of the road shoes to feature replaceable heel lugs – MTB shoes have been doing it since ’09, I think?

Thank you; those do look correct!

[hozn]

@Harry Meatmotor 143588 wrote:

Kinda hard to tell from the pic (they look like MY12s), but I think you’d need to order Spec. PN 6110-9174:

http://wheelworks.com/product/specialized-replacement-s-works-mountain-shoe-lug-kit-213222-1.htm

oh and to clarify, my13&14 were the first model of the road shoes to feature replaceable heel lugs – MTB shoes have been doing it since ’09, I think?

To follow up, skateboard tape didn’t last long on the sole, so I broke down and turned the $1 shoes into $31 shoes by ordering that set of lugs through Spokes Etc. in Vienna. Installation was easy and now I don’t need to walk on my toes to avoid wearing out the carbon plate

Thanks for providing the link!

[hozn]

My new 12mm thru-axle road disc fork has arrived. Hongfu (aka “Avenger”) has gone decidedly upscale with their packing. Other than a little layup/interface imperfection around the axle “dropouts”, the finish quality is also very nice. I’ll use this when I buy new flat-mount hydro brakes (for my hopefully-soon flat-mount ti frame). Until then I’ll stick with my Whisky No 9 15mm TA fork.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]12296[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12297[/ATTACH]

Edit: 405g w/ uncut steerer. Quite impressive. (Whisky claims the No 9 weighs 375g, but mine actually weighed around 430g if I remember right.)

[vvill]

@hozn 144549 wrote:

My new 12mm thru-axle road disc fork has arrived. Hongfu (aka “Avenger”) has gone decidedly upscale with their packing. Other than a little layup/interface imperfection around the axle “dropouts”, the finish quality is also very nice. I’ll use this when I buy new flat-mount hydro brakes (for my hopefully-soon flat-mount ti frame). Until then I’ll stick with my Whisky No 9 15mm TA fork.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]12296[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]12297[/ATTACH]

Edit: 405g w/ uncut steerer. Quite impressive. (Whisky claims the No 9 weighs 375g, but mine actually weighed around 430g if I remember right.)

So – why 12mm? Just so it’s lighter?

I’m still in the land of “should I upgrade my geared CX bike”? “maybe/not really”. Haven’t bought a new bike for almost 12 months now.

More seriously I’m trying to decide on a pair of allrounder tubeless CX tires that aren’t >$50 ea. (Clement PDX/MXP are $70.) To be mounted on Iron Cross rims, for a SS CX bike.

[Raymo853]

@vvill 144753 wrote:

So – why 12mm?

The main reason provided by those pushing the standard is lighter. I think the secondary ones are:
– without the lever of a 15 or Qr, it can be marketed as more aero
– it is not the MTB standard
– the wheel makers of the world needed to increase sales to fund their chem-trails research

http://www.cxmagazine.com/enve-cross-fork-12mm-axle-test-review

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[hozn]

@vvill 144753 wrote:

So – why 12mm? Just so it’s lighter?

Yeah, I’m not sure about the industry motivations, but I chose that spec since this seems to be what the world has settled on for road/cx bikes (12×100/12×142). It does keep it simple. I think it was just decided that 15mm was overkill for road/cx wheels/forks.

I figure any wheel that converts to 15mm TA will (or already does) have 12mm TA end caps, so it’s not a big deal either way.

@vvill 144753 wrote:

More seriously I’m trying to decide on a pair of allrounder tubeless CX tires that aren’t >$50 ea. (Clement PDX/MXP are $70.) To be mounted on Iron Cross rims, for a SS CX bike.

For proper CX, I liked the Kenda Kommando tires I used to run, but you know a lot more about CX tires than I do. I have learned that G-One tires are terrible in any sort of muddy conditions, so I won’t recommend those.

@Raymo853 144755 wrote:

– without the lever of a 15 or Qr, it can be marketed as more aero

I don’t think this is a reason, since 15mm axles are widely available without levers too [and 12mm available with levers]. E.g. the lever-less SRAM Maxle Stealth I bought is available in a number of 12mm and 15mm sizes.

Probably just that it’s lighter, though I don’t see any side-by-side comparisons (e.g. Maxle Stealth 12×100 vs. 15×100). I can’t imagine it’s more than a few grams difference. I will weigh my 12mm axle at home, though I can only then compare it to mfr-claimed weight of the 15mm axle (37g).

[vvill]

It probably will be a very tiny bit more aero, and lighter, but I have to agree I think it’s probably just “new road thru-axle standard” bike industry stuff. After all, 15mm came about from 20mm DH to XC, I think?

I ran a 32mm Kenda Kommando last season for a few races. It was ok but not quite grippy enough for my mash-y pedaling style and poor cornering skills. Maybe need wider than 32mm, but for an all-round tire I’d want more knobs regardless.

I think any potential “next” bike for me would be more gravel grinder than CX/road, as I just do more miles of gravel than CX (and don’t race road), and they seem to have remained on 15mm TA for that market so I’m going to stick to that I think. But as you say, with end caps or even just a “well-machined sleeve of metal” adapter you can switch easily. I have one of those ebays adapters that lets me use either of my 2x 15mm TA front wheels with my 9mm DT Swiss thru bolt, or a 15mm TA (which means they can be used on 4 of my different forks/bikes).

[pdubs]

@vvill 144753 wrote:

More seriously I’m trying to decide on a pair of allrounder tubeless CX tires that aren’t >$50 ea. (Clement PDX/MXP are $70.) To be mounted on Iron Cross rims, for a SS CX bike.

A WTB Cross Boss (35mm) is $50 online at various sites and a Schwalbe X-One (33mm) is $53 from merlin.

[vvill]

@pdubs 144774 wrote:

A WTB Cross Boss (35mm) is $50 online at various sites and a Schwalbe X-One (33mm) is $53 from merlin.

Thanks. The Cross Boss has gotten high praise in many parts but I’ve also heard mixed things about WTB tubeless on Stan’s and even Stan’s website says not to use WTB TCS. Maybe I’ll try the X-Ones.

[hozn]

@vvill 144770 wrote:

It probably will be a very tiny bit more aero, and lighter, but I have to agree I think it’s probably just “new road thru-axle standard” bike industry stuff. After all, 15mm came about from 20mm DH to XC, I think?

Yeah, as far as I know. I’m happy with my 15mm TA. But another factor I forgot to mention when choosing 12mm was that I kinda wanted more material (carbon in this case) around the dropout. I don’t know what that means in terms of additional strength, but figured more is better here. Road forks like to be slimmer, so having a smaller-diameter axle does make some sense.

@vvill 144770 wrote:

I think any potential “next” bike for me would be more gravel grinder than CX/road, as I just do more miles of gravel than CX (and don’t race road), and they seem to have remained on 15mm TA for that market so I’m going to stick to that I think.

Yeah, I guess the 12mm is really embraced by road, but I have the sense that gravel is moving that way too (e.g. the Foundry Overland). Anyway, you can’t go wrong either way.

I may have a custom ti frame recommendation … (I hope I will have a positive recommendation after building up the new frame!)

[vvill]

@hozn 144822 wrote:

Yeah, as far as I know. I’m happy with my 15mm TA. But another factor I forgot to mention when choosing 12mm was that I kinda wanted more material (carbon in this case) around the dropout. I don’t know what that means in terms of additional strength, but figured more is better here. Road forks like to be slimmer, so having a smaller-diameter axle does make some sense.

Interesting! Never thought of that reason before, but it makes sense.

[hozn]

Yeah, I guess the 12mm is really embraced by road, but I have the sense that gravel is moving that way too (e.g. the Foundry Overland).

I see in bikerumor that the new Pivot Vault gravel/cx bike also just changed their front axle from 15mm to 12mm. I think that is where it is headed.

[mstone]

@hozn 144920 wrote:

I see in bikerumor that the new Pivot Vault gravel/cx bike also just changed their front axle from 15mm to 12mm. I think that is where it is headed.

F it, next year we’re going to take it all the way to 11!

[Author]

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