Core Bike Trade Show 2016 - Randoms

Feb 4, 2016
by Olly Forster  
The Core Bike trade show is the first major UK industry get together of the year allowing retailers, distributors and manufacturers - many of which coming from all over the world, the opportunity to meet up and talk shop. It also serves as the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with all the latest products. Located near the world famous Silverstone race track, the Core Bike show is anything but your run of the mill trade show, lacking both the huge halls and bedazzling booths and instead, makes use of smaller rooms interconnected by a maze of corridors. These corridors have become the thing of legend within the UK bike industry, having the uncanny ability to get you lost and running in circles, not to mention the striking parallels they conjure up to that lovely hotel based movie, The Shining. Thankfully we made it out alive and here's a roundup of the random radness that we saw...

Hope Technology

Core Bike Show 2016
Machined from a single stainless steel billet that is heat treated, Hope are offering two 11-speed cassettes in ratios: 10-40t and a 10-44t, plus a DH specific 7-speed number with 11-speed spacing and a 10-24t ratio.
Core Bike Show 2016
Hope's new cassettes fit onto a specially made freehub that is machined slightly shorter to accommodate the small 10t sprocket and fit both the new Pro 4 hub as well as the older Pro 2 EVO hubs.

Core Bike Show 2016
Who doesn't love an exploded product display at a trade show - the inner workings of Hope's latest hub, the Pro 4, laid bare for everyone to see. British engineering at its best!

Identiti Mettle Prototype

Identiti, like many small bike brands, have in the past relied on 'catalogue bikes' to populate their range. 2016 marks a significant change of direction for the brand who have been busy designing and developing their own bike over the past 2-years with a scheduled release date for this summer. Michael Bonney, the driving force behind Orange Bikes during the Minnaar and Peaty years, is an industry heavyweight and wealth of knowledge when it comes to mountain bike manufacturing. Michael is heading up the project management and communications side of things while accomplished rider, racer and Identiti employee, Pat Campbell-Jenner, is heading up the development and testing side.

Identiti Mettle Prototype
There's no denying that the Identiti Mettle strikes an inviting silhouette, especially if you have a thing for rowdy trail and all-mountain rigs, and if the geometry numbers that are being discussed with the design team come to fruition, expect a bike that likes to go fast. Like, really fast...

Designing a bike from the ground up doesn't happen overnight and existing within an industry that evolves at a rate of knots, future proofing a bike in the development stage is crucial. Right now Identiti is aiming for production bikes to roll out this summer with the possibility of two models in the range. Both bikes will feature 650B wheels, with one being a 160mm enduro smasher and the other, a 140mm travel trail ripper, but this is yet to be confirmed. They do however have more concrete plans for the Mettle, which will be available in three complete builds including two SRAM options and one full Shimano build.

Identiti Mettle Prototype
Enlisting the expertise of UK industry legend, Michael Boney and Identit's very own in-house shredder, Pat Campbell-Jenner, they have big plans for the Mettle, which could deliver a bike to catapult the brand into the consciousness of riders who would have perhaps looked elsewhere...
Identiti Mettle Prototype
Where's the shock and what does NIPS stand for? Apparently it stands for: Nylon Intelligent Performance System... And the reason for the lack of shock? RockShox had this to say, "Our new platform is specifically designed to take advantage of forthcoming cutting-edge rear shock technology" - that's all we know for now! Watch this space.

Sunrace MX3 10-speed Cassette

There was certainly a growing theme amongst manufacturers offering their own cassette designs, but of all the cassettes on show, the MX3 from Sunrace could be a real game changer. Offering riders with an existing 10-speed drivetrain the ability to upgrade to a either 11-42t or 11-40t ratio 10-speed cassette that mounts directly to a standard freehub body. But what really separates this cassette from the crowd, is the price. Coming in at £59.99 and £69.99 (UK Pounds Sterling) respectively, the MX3 is cheaper than most of the gear extender sprockets out there right now.

Core Bike Show 2016
Could this unassuming cassette from Sunrace be one of the hottest products of 2016? It might lack the glitz and glamour of some other products making a splash in the drivetrain market, but what this represents to a huge swathe of the riders out there is highly significant and not to be sniffed at.

DMR's Alpine Division AXE Cranks

Renowned around the world for their dirt jump products, DMR's Alpine Division range continues to go from strength to strength. The AXE cranks have been out for a few months now and are packed with more than just great looks...

Core Bike Show 2016
Spinning on a huge 30mm axle, the AXE cranks are designed for a multitude of applications from DH to Trail.
Core Bike Show 2016
DMR are one of the only brands outside of Shimano to offer a hollow crank - and for good reason as this manufacturing technique is not easy!

X-Fusion's Revel-X USD Forks

Core Bike Show 2016
X-Fusion's head turning Revel-X USD enduro and trail forks feature a patented keyway system, which restricts twisting of the stanchions - a common problem which plagues this design's application in mountain bikes. X-Fusion's Roughcut HLR damper system handles the rough stuff giving riders a wide range of adjustment from high and low-speed compression and rebound damping.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES:

• 20mm pinch bolt axle
• Available in 27.5 and 29 inch configurations (and they will take a 26" wheel)
• The Roughcut HLR Damper is a fully bled bladder and cartridge based damper which features high and low speed, independently adjustable compression and rebound damping adjustment
• Nvolve wiper seals reducing seal drag and increasing durability
• Claimed weight: 4.5 Lbs
• Travel: 27.5" Travel - up to 160mm / 29" Travel - up to 140mm
• 34mm Stanchions
• Spring: Dual-Spring Air System
• Damper: Roughcut HLR
• Adjustments: High and Low Speed Comp., Rebound, Air Pressure.
• Steerer: Tapered only
• Colors: Gold or Ano-Black
• Offset: 46mm or 51mm.
• Max Rotor Size: 203mm

Morgaw Trian Enduro Saddle

The brand Morgaw might be a new one to most of you and no, it has nothing to do with Middle Earth or Hobbits. Based in Slovakia, Morgaw's saddles are designed around a unified, self-supported platform that uses elastomer shock absorbers. These are designed to absorb the impacts and stresses created between the rider and bicycle while riding - they are not, however, intended to be a suspension substitute.

Core Bike Show 2016
The 'Trian Enduro' model here is designed for - you guessed it - enduro and provides extra padding and increased support to help ease riders pushing their limits and focussed on the challenges of gravity stage racing.
Core Bike Show 2016
From the different elastomers, interchangeable rails (UD Carbon or Forged T6 alloy) and customisable bolt kits (available in 10 anodised colours) this really is a saddle that stands out from the crowd.

HT Components Pedals

From making pedals for other brands for years to creating their own brand and putting them on some of the fastest bikes in the world, HT Components have come a long way in a short amount of time.

Core Bike Show 2016
How many pedal manufacturers offer actual sizes of pedals? These guys, that's who, and if you've ever struggled with pedals that have been the wrong size for your feet, the new AW12 Flat could be just the ticket.
Core Bike Show 2016
From a huge range of flat pedal options to their World Cup winning clipless designs and a colour range which encompasses just about every colour imaginable, HT Components have you covered.


Nukeproof Mega Custom Build

Core Bike Show 2016
We were more than impressed with Nukeproof's latest Mega range when we had the opportunity to ride them recently and spotting this custom build beauty, dripping in Shimano, Chris King, WTB and Fox parts, only shows what you can do if you go down the frame-only, custom build route.

Halo Wheels Go Wide

Halo's range of affordable feature packed wheels continues into 2016 with the release of their 35mm wide rim. Designed for the all-mountain rider and optimised for 2.25 - 2.8" tyres, these 35mm wide tubeless-ready alloy rims have a 30mm internal measurement, which will increase tyre volume to increasing comfort and grip on challenging terrain. Aside from their spec, the other exciting element about the new Halo Vapour 35mm is the price, with complete fronts coming in at £119 and rear at £180 (UK Pounds Sterling) or $183.58 and $275.38 (USD) respectively.

Core Bike Show 2016
Residing at 35mm wide with a 30mm internal width and an 18mm depth, Halo's new rims are accompanied by their existing Vapour series hubs.
Halo Vapour 35mm wheels
Available in both an anodised black rim with silver laser etched graphics or a more stealth looking option with an anodised black rim with black laser etched graphics.


E-Thirteen Components TRS Cassette

E-Thirteen's transmission components range is increasing all the time. Their stunning black anodised TRS cassette joins their existing crank, bottom bracket and chain guide ranges. All they need now is a derailleur, a chain and a shifter and they'd have the whole bundle...

Core Bike Show 2016
Featuring a 9-tooth sprocket, the TRS mounts via SRAM's X-Driver freehub and is available in either a 9-42t range 10-speed option or a whopping 9-44t range 11-speed option.


MENTIONS: @ethirteen-components / @dmrbikes / @hopetech / @x-fusion-shox



Author Info:
ollyforster avatar

Member since Jun 8, 2005
78 articles

150 Comments
  • 227 9
 "Enduro Saddle", time to leave Pinkbike for the day.
  • 13 26
flag duzzi (Feb 4, 2016 at 9:06) (Below Threshold)
 They have a XC/Trail version that is just less padded ... Very curious ordering one now.
  • 5 0
 You wont be disappointed, I have one of these from their indiegogo (or kickstarter or whatever) campaign.

Seriously firm saddle, but absolutely disappears under you. Immaculately constructed and seems pretty tough (had a few crashes and it doesn't show them)

However, due to the firmness, you need to choose a shape you're likely to get on with.
  • 8 10
 Never mind the saddle, anyone elses OCD screaming out when they see the shock on that mega? Frown
  • 2 5
 Quite...
  • 3 2
 9 tooth cogs make me worry about broken chains, but i would love to get more range out of my 32tooth front ring.
  • 2 1
 Usually most of us aren't putting down that much torque when we are in the highest gear. I think it's a great option to have an extra gear that you only use when you're spun out going downhill.
  • 5 0
 How many years of complaining did it take to get a real dh gear cluster? Now everybody has one.
  • 3 2
 What's wrong with the shock on the Mega? Looks like a sweet build to me!!! Smile
  • 1 9
flag tetopluz (Feb 4, 2016 at 18:46) (Below Threshold)
 The shock piggyback is gonna hit the frame under compression... Its backwards
  • 5 0
 Sounds like some solid desk-chair engineering you got going on there, tetopluz.
  • 3 3
 That bike would cost an arm and a leg, and it's not even carbon. Capra FTW.
  • 2 0
 @Scotj009 - I prefer to run my shock that way as it reduces the amount of dirt pushed into/past the seals during compression, and any lubricant/oil in the shock tends towards the seals. I'd say it is mounted spot on!
  • 1 0
 Yeah I can understand the performance benefits it's just it looks a bit weird Wink
  • 2 0
 enduro-specific ---> we buy: its the industry
  • 1 0
 it's a swing link. the back of the shock raises as the shock compresses forward. Not gonna hit...
  • 97 3
 Ah the inverted fork returns.... Shiver me timbers
  • 23 0
 X-fusion unicorn
  • 12 4
 @preach Don't worry, It's not actually returning.
  • 10 2
 wish they had 160mm 29
  • 5 0
 wish they had forks for my dragster
  • 9 6
 How can it possibly accomodate a 26" wheel?
  • 8 1
 @galliwasp sarcasm I hope
  • 4 6
 I dont no if I should Revel over or be Mega tronned over that Nukeproof custom
  • 2 0
 Looks like it uses the same through-axle design as a 99 Monster T! Of which I need......hmmm.....
  • 1 0
 you could totally squeeze a 29er into the 160
  • 4 1
 @galliwasp They'll be claiming you can run a 24" wheel next!
  • 31 0
 I can't wait to see an updated prototype Revel at the 2017 show. With the 2013 & 2014 prototypes, this has really become a tradition.
  • 7 1
 Vapourware, i tried in vain to buy the previous gold incarnation
  • 14 2
 Good news for you, that's a production not a prototype fork. They're taking orders for delivery around about... now actually. That Sunrace cassette is the important thing here though, it's what Shimano should have started developing four years ago.
  • 3 1
 I see they are finally due in at the UK distro in 4 weeks. shop.upgradebikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Forks/X-Fusion/X-Fusion-Revel-X
  • 2 0
 We need a review stat
  • 4 2
 So how do fit a marshguard fender on the revel? Crudcatchers and Honda style MX fenders are so out of style and just not enduro.

Yes I am half serious..
  • 27 0
 I see they subscribe to the Transition school of acronym creation.
  • 5 1
 not what i had pictured in my head when i saw the word nips, guess i better go back to bangbros
  • 1 0
 A friend of mine owns a Canyon Spectral and the exit ports for cable routing and the dropouts look very much the same un both frames. I bet they are made by the same company.
  • 1 0
 Giant?
  • 18 0
 Sunrace MX3 11-42 10 speed cassette is ace 390g (on my kitchen scales) isnt xx1 weight but its a fraction of the price, doesnt need a new driver or an 11 speed upgrade!
  • 6 0
 I got one and it works great
  • 3 0
 m8000 11-42 cassette is 445g. The sunrace is actually pretty light!
  • 2 2
 Don't be so happy about sunrace they always had flaws in their present components... Wear or vibration or both or ....
  • 1 0
 I was gonna say their a little late ... I've been riding mine for a bit. Not as refined as my shimano cassette it replaced but it does the job!
  • 1 0
 The 10 speed 11-42 sounds like a easy cheap option for my winter hack. so I can afford the E13 9-44 dinner plate for my strive.
  • 1 0
 seems like they're always out of stock
  • 12 0
 Sunrace cassette - I believe awesome stuff for the buck that offers wide range without unnecessary upgrades
  • 3 0
 I've got their 11spd on my hardtail with an XT set up and I've been very happy with it. I'd definitely give their other stuff a look when upgrading or replacing worn out parts.
  • 1 0
 Mine isn't as refined as the shimano stuff but it definitely does its job.
  • 13 0
 9-44T....hell yeah!
  • 7 0
 Sounds like a big loose chain and long cage rear derralier to me
  • 10 0
 That Identiti looks brilliant. Good work PCJ!
  • 1 1
 Also like an Orange, but probably way cheaper. They have some bang on bikes.
  • 5 0
 I run eight speed Sunrace casettes. Yes they still make them. Sunraces casettes can have small burs that are not removed properly so shifting is sticky at first. Then after a few rides flawless shifts. This wide range Sunrace cassette will be probably one quarter the price of any other wide range cassette.
  • 2 0
 Throw on one of the full-polished German Wipperman chains and it will polish itself right off!
  • 9 2
 Enduro saddle. Where is the vomit emoji on my keyboard?
  • 3 0
 Three products really catch my eye:
~ Hope's single stainless steel billet cassettes - nice to see a long wearing cassette, what's the weight on these ?
~ X-Fusion's Revel-X USD Fork - will be looking for reviews
~ Morgaw Trian Enduro Saddle - looks promising for sit and spinners, US vendor's ?

Thanks Olly
  • 2 0
 The big cogs are alu.
  • 2 0
 And Sram xx1 and x01 are not from single billet ?
  • 3 0
 PB: "Machined from a single stainless steel billet"
Hope's website: "Larger four sprockets machined from single aluminium billet, Smaller seven sprockets machined from single billet of steel"
  • 2 0
 nvm, I might be wrong, redacted.
  • 7 0
 Against all odds (eg. Hope's endorsement of compatibility) and for no apparent reason their new cassette employs a proprietary freehub body. Why Hope, why?
  • 3 0
 Well, they could have gone with the prototype that integrated the cassette & driver into one piece, so yay I guess?
  • 2 1
 @Mooka I wonder if it gouges as easily as their current freehubs. I do wonder, why not just go XD, so folks could try their cassettes as replacements, they do already make XD drivers for their own hubs... I'm guessing they'd have to license it from SRAM to make XD cassettes?
  • 3 0
 Nope, SRAM offers the XD driver license freely, as they're trying to drive adoption towards it, not away: www.xddriverbody.com

edit: I just saw you meant the cassette part, but the question then becomes whether e*thirteen is paying I guess.
  • 2 0
 I may be way off here, but it seems to me, chains are breaking, not only tremendous Gwin power and the like, but making a 7 speed, with 11 speed spacing, requires the thinner 11 speed chain. Seems maybe a wider spacing - 9 speed spacing for a thicker 9 speed chain, coupled with the 7 speed cassette, would be a stronger combo. Forget any piddly weight penalty. I'll take reliability any day.
  • 3 1
 The width of the chain is based on how thick the gear is. Narrower chains can be just as strong or stronger than wide chains.
  • 5 1
 If you like that saddle 1998 would love to set you up with a suspension seat post to go with it
  • 2 0
 What was it, the Cane Creek Thud Buster (going from memory, not cheating with the interwebs like all the kids do)?
  • 2 0
 USE were one of the 1st that I remember
  • 1 0
 Then put some ridged forks on with a girvin flex stem! Rock hard in winter and marshmallow like in summer, elastomers need to remain in the 90's.
  • 1 0
 I was playing with a use suspension post the other day... it was crap
  • 5 0
 I like the look of that mettle; simple suspension, clean lines.
  • 3 0
 Speaking of... What is rockshox hiding I wonder???
  • 1 0
 I'm down with that kinda saddle on my hardtail.

Also, why is the Sunrace MX3 10-speed Cassette a big deal? Praxxis has been at this for a while and it is about the same price. I have one and, although not as good as XT, runs well enough and is basically bullshit (see adapters) free.
  • 11 1
 It's a little more than half the price of the Praxis, so there's that...
  • 2 0
 DMR's AXE cranks look amazing, but not a fan of the graphics, it's kinda like they are trying to make them look carbon with the envy/SIXC style graphics, not that it looks bad, just looks kinda ' wannabe ' to me.
  • 1 1
 I think they look awesome. Better than raceface anyway.
  • 3 0
 Some nice stuff here.

Btw Morgaw is not based in Czech Republic. Its a Slovak/Polish company based in Slovakia.
  • 4 0
 that mega is just.....i want
  • 3 1
 I see they're bringing the 9 tooth sprocket back into MTB...there's only so far in range a cassette can realistically have lol
  • 4 1
 Whoever downvoted you is dumb; SRAM even said they tested 9t when developing XX1, & that it caused problems. Polygon effect & chain wrap issues are real things folks.
  • 1 0
 Yeah man that's why 9t is usually only used on folding bikes lol. There has to be a point where the range is so wide on the cassette that it has worse shifting that just going with a double crank.
  • 2 2
 Were they using a SRAM chain during when testing the 9t? That could cause problems with any drivetrain. BMX guys have been using 9t for years and they use it all the time even under hard acceleration and uphill. We're talking about a gear you'd only use when spun out going downhil lie very little actual pressure on the chain.
  • 3 0
 Bmx bikes are also single speed and have special drivers to run the 9 tooth cog. They also have half link chains that have the ability to run more smoothly over a smaller drivetrain. If a wide range is what a person is looking for why not just use a double crank for uphills? If one isn't racing a front derailleur isn't going slow you down much to notice any difference in performance
  • 4 0
 BMX guys also have almost twice as much chainwrap. (and as @pikebait2013 mentioned, half-link chains do a lot to smooth out the pulses that a 9t cog generates.)

as for why not use a double, at least personally: shiftrings have much worse chain retention than even non-narrowide singlerings, the solutions to deal with that make noise & add weight, the current 1x drivetrains give me enough range to do what I want, it allows better suspension pivot placement, it allows better behaving suspensions(since they don't have to optimize for 2 wildly disparate chainlines) & it's simpler. Oh, & I think it looks better, too.

But give me a good gearbox bike over a 1X derailleur any day, they're just still too hard to get my hands on.
  • 1 1
 I do like the simplicity of a 1x but never needed a crazy large rear cog to operate lol.
  • 1 2
 With the 9t it would be practical to run a chainring almost as small as a bmx so it would have more chain wrap. Personally I don't care about shifting quality or durability of my highest gear because I rarely use it and when I do I'm not applying much torque.
  • 1 0
 If you rarely use it why have it that small? By the time you get up to the speed to spin out your largest gear you might as well just coast
  • 1 0
 Because sometimes when I am coasting I wish I could go faster?
  • 1 1
 been riding on the TRS cassette for several months, and on a SRAMchain. Just as reported by early users of the 9t Leonardi "General Lee" cassette, it works fine. With a 32t CG I spin it out fairly regularly ... and no pulses. Sorry to burst your armchair bike riding bubble.
  • 1 0
 "Following the development of the derailleur, the next step in the development of XX1 was figuring out an acceptable gear range. Early 10-speed prototypes had a 9-36 tooth range. Testing proved that a 9 tooth cog was too small to be pedalled comfortably. Such a small cog caused a shuddering sensation when pedalled under load. This is due to a phenomenon known as the “polygon effect,” which results from variations in speed as the chain transitions from one cog to the next.

“The smaller you get, the bigger the polygon effect,” said Henrik Braedt, a design engineer who worked on the development of the XX1 cassette. This effect exponentially decreases relative to the number of teeth on a cog. The addition of one tooth, along with carful machining of the tooth profile mitigated the polygon effect."

Think he's an arm chair bike rider?
  • 1 1
 You copy & pasted it from the internet so it must be true for eternity beyond all doubt, right? I don't doubt the concept, but maybe I and the other 9t cassette owners aren't sensitive enough to notice. Same for the companies producing them.

Maybe try one yourself and then report back with your own actual experience.
  • 1 0
 can't fit a 9t sprocket on my bike...lol
  • 1 0
 Ok, but I'm posting from my perspective of actually using one ...
  • 3 0
 I like Morgaw Trian Enduro Saddle because of its very big range of adjustment - that's very cool.
  • 1 0
 anyone try the HT pedals? I've seen them for sale in the PB buy/sell section and thought they were some random homemade off brand because of the price...but they look pretty legit
  • 1 0
 EDIT* these are not the cheap pedals I saw in Buy/Sell....but still anyone try them?
  • 1 0
 I've got 4 sets of HT AE01s. Love them. great quality. riding low BB Santa Cruz bikes, yet to damage one beyond repair thru many rock strikes - they seem super tough. There is a seller in Thailand that for the most part has the best price and color selection.
  • 1 0
 They even do a set at 212g for the pair. Literally the same weight saving as removing one of your existing pedals
  • 3 0
 Cool, I have an identiti suspension-corrected 20MM axle rigid DJ fork. That all I've got to add.
  • 2 0
 Wow a 9-44t would be pretty good. The reason I haven't gone to a 1x setup is they generally don't have the ratio range that I want, but a 9-44t would probably do it.
  • 1 0
 X-Fusion's Revel-X USD forks look pretty good. I'm glad someone cornered the market on that design again, but TONS of people used to complain about their single crown Shivers, even though they looked good.
  • 2 0
 Is there adjustable linkage on the identiti? As in where the shock is mounted.
  • 3 0
 That sunrace cassette is the best thing i read today
  • 1 0
 I am looking for these cassete months ago.
  • 2 0
 New Hope stuff looking tight as always. I'm confused about the cassette, does it fit a standard free hub body?
  • 1 0
 I don't believe it does. I understand that it needs a shorter freehub body.
The very bad news is that the cassette will be selling for £175 (prob around $325CAD), a cassette and freehub body will be £225 if memory serves.
  • 2 0
 No, you require a fitting from hope that is only compatible on the new Evo4 and older Evo2 hubs
  • 3 0
 The Sunrace cassette fits straight onto an HG spline.
  • 4 0
 No, Hope only body, basically a shortened standard freehub body, though the threading might be different(since the 10t is actually "floating" off the end of the body.) So even less hub options than SRAM, though I expect less people to complain, since it's Hope.

I honestly don't see the point to this now. it was a great idea 5+ years ago when they first started showing prototypes, but at this point, with both 11 & 10 speed cassettes available for XD drivers, it's only going to sell to people who want it because it's made by Hope, or if they manage to price it cheaper than some of the other options on the market.
  • 1 0
 I like that they come "pre-exploded".
  • 2 0
 I agree with you grog. It's too late. The only thing they could do that would be really cool would be a short cassette for downhill.
  • 2 0
 Those DMR cranks are a fine looking piece of kit. Be keeping an eye out for those.
  • 1 0
 they rock! ive had a set for a few months now and there epic!
  • 3 0
 Identiti Mettle Prototype, clean lines looks like it would be fun to ride
  • 2 0
 Anyone know the a to c measurement on that x fusion? Looks like it could be a good 26 freeride fork.
  • 2 1
 It would be nice to see some improvements from Nukeproof; with warranty handling, response times and replacement parts availability.
  • 3 1
 I would like to see them knock the frame only prices down to something reasonable.
  • 1 0
 I have those Sunrace MX3 cogs. Not as smooth shifting as shimano or sram. But a lot cheaper than buying praxis or an 11 spd xt drivetrain.
  • 1 1
 HT Pedals are complete garbage. 2 pairs of X2s in a month. My buddy also went through a pair. The internals are a joke and the axle nut backs off within minutes of use. Just terrible.
  • 1 1
 Could a company that builds bikes really not find a single spare rear shock to put on a show bike..?

Good job they found a couple of wheels, or they might have just used Frisbee's.
  • 1 0
 WHERE CAN I BUY THE Sunrace MX3 10-speed Cassette ?
CANT FIND IT FOR SALE IN THE US, ONLY UK ....
  • 1 0
 The 10 speed trs cassette...can I run that with a double crankset?(if anyone at the hive is reading this)
  • 2 0
 the proto AM bike kinda looks like a futuristic scott voltage
  • 2 0
 2017 rockshox prototype on the identity?
  • 1 0
 MRP fork...
  • 3 0
 @George-west you take things very seriously, I was talking about that rad looking shock
  • 1 3
 If someone designed a super narrow high quality half link chain and a cassette specifically designed to work with it the system could outperform anything on the market today. No more need for narrow wide chainring, compatibility with 9 tooth, and I believe it would shift better.
  • 2 0
 halflink chains have their own (serious) issues. For example each link having a kink in it means they stretch to beyond useable on a geared bike in about 4 minutes.
  • 1 1
 I don't think you understand how chain stretch works.
  • 2 0
 Then I dont think you understand how halflink chains work...
  • 1 1
 Lol, I've used plenty of half link chains. Smaller gears cause more wear and many half link chains are not well made. A good half link chain will last just as long as a normal chain in the same application.

Get a micrometer and measure a worn out chain. The side plates are the same length as a brand new chain. Chain "stretch" is caused by wear on the pins.
  • 2 0
 yeah, on a normal chain that is true. Thats why they are better than halflinks...

you can buy halflinks in 3/32" if you want. buy one and try it on a geared set up. It wont work very well at all to start with, and it'll get rapidly worse with use.
  • 1 1
 Because the hyper glide cassette is designed to engage a standard chain and the profile of the cassette makes a huge difference.

Why don't you try actually measuring a worn out half link chain instead of just repeating what you read on the internet?
  • 2 0
 Erm...

I'm a professional bike mechanic. I have fitted literally thousands of half link chains. I have a whole bin full of stretched half link chains. I can post you a few kg's worth of them if you like? I can even chuck in a couple of my spare micrometers if you like. (at your expense naturally...)

How can you back up your claims? Or are you just basing them on what you have read on the internet?
  • 1 1
 Well I could post pics of my micrometer on my 2 year old half link next to a pic of the piece of chain I cut off when I fitted the chain. They are exactly the same length. But I would have no way of proving the miles on the chain. You on the other hand have "stretched" half link chains and new half link chains available to you so you could end the argument if you could produce pics showing that the plates got longer. You can't though because that isn't how chain stretch works even on a half link.
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 It would be difficult for me to post a pic showing a difference of 0.1mm. Even if I did, you could easily question the accuracy of my measuring. That is the difference between doing the micrometer up a bit tighter or not....

However simple common sense will tell you a steel plate with a 2 kinks halfway along its length will straighten out under pressure.

Perhaps try this. Fit a brand new half link chain to a fixed gear bike (these put far more strain on a chain than average) preferably with a very small front ring (again, to increase the stress on the chain). Pull the rear wheel back until the chain is taught, and do the wheel up tight enough that you can be sure it will not shift in the dropouts. I promise you within days your chain will be super loose. I have experienced this exact thing hundreds of times. Now do it again with a normal chain. It will take months to develop anywhere near the same amount of chain slack.
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 If you put a chain on "taught" it will wear out very quickly, I agree. Doesn't matter if it is a half link or not. A tight chain doesn't significantly increase the load on the side plates but it does mean that the pins are now under pressure all the time which causes the pins to wear faster. That is why a chain should always be set with some slack. You are actually claiming that you have wasted thousands of your customers money on chains that wore out within days?

"Common sense" might tell you that the half link will deform but actual knowledge of the materials and forces doesn't back that up. The amount of force on a bicycle chain isn't enough to produce even a measurable amount of elastic deformation and not nearly enough to produce plastic deformation which is what would be necessary if what you claim were true.

If the half links were to elongate from the bends being pulled to a smaller angle it would cause the outer plates to come closer together and as the chain wore out there would be more resistance as they began to put pressure on the inner plates. But that doesn't happen, half link chains wear in the same way as any other chain.
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 Yes I am well aware of how to put a chain on properly. I am not a moron. Whats with the attitude problem? I'm not trying to insult you, I'm just saying I disagree with you.

What I am saying is doing the above experiment (and no im not saying pull the chain as tight as a guitar string before you start claiming thats why its stretching) will make it blindingly obvious how much faster half link chains stretch than regular ones. I work on a lot of BMX's and fixie/singlespeeds. Every single one that I see that regularly has a half link chain used on it, has a) a ton of chainring wear, and b) a chain that sags about an inch and a half unless it was tightened last week. I see all different qualities of chain. Some are ruined literally within hours, some impressively (in particular Shadow Conspiracy) last up to 6 months before they absolutely need replacing. I convince as many people as possible to use good quality standard style chains, and their problems all but disappear. Unless they have to deal with a particularly poor chainline, heavy mileage, or grinds, any standard chain that lasts much less than a year is unusual.

I'm unsure about your elastic/plastic deformation claims. I can bend half link plates with my fingers. (not standard link plates tho, somewhat unsurprisingly). The kink in the plate is a massive stress raiser. What you say is true for a standard chain as the link is not resisting any twisting force, only stretching forces which steel is far better at dealing with. A standard link chain will almost always snap by an outer link cracking around the pin hole (unless poorly fitted, in which case the outer link will fall off the end of the pin). Half links almost never snap around the pin hole. They always snap at one of the kinks in the links.Why?

Yes the straightening of the link does cause an almost imperceptible change in the geometry of the pin/plate arrangement. It wont really tighten them with any great force, it will just change the angle the plates meet the pin at. funnily enough this change will be the same for both inner and outer plates, which means no real extra friction. Ever wonder why the pins on every half link chain ever made (especially Shad Con) are much looser than any standard type chain? Perhaps its to deal with this slight deformation.

Halflinks are great if you do a lot of grinds or have short dropouts and need the adjustment they offer, but in my experience of many thousands of both types of chain, they don't last anywhere near as long under normal use.



Pretty sure everyone else is getting pretty bored of reading all our rubbish now. If you think it'll work, try it. I don't think it will.
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 E-13 All they need is a working free hub body Springs and pawls that don't crumble at the first sign of mud and water
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 Nice NIPS on that one!
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 I so badly want a Revel
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 Still doesn't need a water bottle cage.
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 The Identiti Logo looks like it says Dent-it
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 That Mega is one sick-ass lookin' bike!
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 Who strapped that enormous black dildo to that bike?
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 All acronyms seem stupid after Transition.
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 I thought they seemed stupid before Transition. Now they're funny
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 The Hope Cassettes look nice.







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