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What you’re describing is pretty common. The cogs and chains wear together, so when you replace one side of the equation it may not match up very well with the used side of the equation. Depending how bad it is, you might be able to get thru it with some careful adjustments to the derailleur. If not, then yes, you might need to replace both the chain and the cassette.
Hey RMap, I’d call that a solid PASS. Just the mileage and the Strava PRs makes it a great year alone!
I have the 2018 5010 Carbon. Its a great bike. My Upper Midwest riding and preference is similar to what you describe: more flow than tech, some jumping and drops, but not bike park level. 5010 is more than capable for that style. However, with that said, I kind of wish I would have gone with the Bronson (which I have since ridden as a rental/demo). Even though the 5010 is very capable and I would probably rarely push the limits of a Bronson, I feel like the suspension is so good now that you wouldn’t be sacrificing any climbing performance with a Bronson, and now you’d have a little more freedom to push the limits.
With that said, either 5010 or Bronson are great choices, and likely so are the Kona and Evolve. Whichever you choose, its going to be a great bike. Don’t over-analyze – make the choice and GO!
I’m a big fan of Fox Ranger gloves. Never noticed any seam irritation, they’re economical, and have held up really well for me including occasionally throwing them in the washing machine.
Aaron – welcome, and you’ve got a fine bike. I like to say that the “best” bike is the one that gets you on the trails. Ride the crap out of it!
As the other guys are saying, a new bike will stretch the cables a bit, and of course you need to always keep up on the cleaning and lube (mostly chain). Check with where you got the bike – many places offer a few tune-up within the first year.
With regard to the creaking near the bottom-bracket, certainly occasional creaks squeaks are normal. If it really is the bottom-bracket, that is not normal for a new bike. But I’ve also found that often the noises aren’t actually coming from where I first think. First place I always go is degrease and lube the chain. Second, check and tighten the crank arms and you might even try removing them, clean, grease, and tighten. The other places to check are the stem/headset and seat-post/seat. I know you might hear the noise elsewhere, but I’ve been fooled before. Good luck!
Garducio – temperature in Moab late November is borderline, depending on what you like. Average highs are high 40’s F (high single digit C). But temps could be in the 50’s or 30’s F too. Precipitation is usually minimal, but you never know. If you do go, you should definitely look into the trails around Fruita and Grand Junction, Colorado. Both have quality trails and less than 2 hour drive. If you’re willing to go farther, look into Hurricane, Utah. About 5 hour drive. Good luck!
Coming from the Upper Midwest, my go-to Winter destination is Arizona. I schedule the flight for Phoenix, and then preference is to drive to Sedona. But sometimes the weather in Sedona isn’t great, I’ll head south to Tucson. Trails in Tucson aren’t quite as good as Sedona, but still solid when the weather in Sedona doesn’t behave.
I can’t tell you what to buy, because ultimately there isn’t one perfect bike for everyone. But I will add that I am a big advocate of the dropper post and 1X drivetrain. Strongly recommend you look at these two key features, either factory or factored in as upgrades. And don’t worry about trying to find the “perfect” bike – make a good choice, ride the crap out of it, and don’t look back! Good luck!
I’m going to flip this a positive direction: “I don’t have the skills for that drop/rock garden/gap.” Until I get the balls to try it:-)
I’m a big believer in droppers for all types, especially for All Mountain (if what you’re referring to is mid-level suspension travel that will be going both up and down hills). You might convince me I don’t need a dropper for cross-country, but I’ll take one on every other type.
I second Plusbike. For that budget, I would suggest one of the plus sized tire hardtails that he recommends. A full suspension for less than $1500 will be hard to find, and the suspension won’t be very nimble anyway. Get a quality hardtail with a dropper post (for lowering the seat on command), and that is a great setup to get started. In fact, I’ll predict that if you go that route and really get into it to buy yourself a higher end full suspension later on down the road, I bet you’ll still find yourself riding the hardtail too. Good luck!
My two cents that Plusbike and Rmap bring up a worthwhile point that everyone shouldn’t just rush to tubeless because that’s the cool thing. I’ve got two full squish bikes, one tubeless and one tubes. My typical riding is not thorny or sharp rocks, so tubeless doesn’t have much benefit and frankly more upkeep than with tubes, including upgrading the tire because it kept burping at my local bike park. Periodically refreshing the juice is not a big deal, but still a small hassle 2 or 3 times per season. On the tubed bike, I still ride about the same 28psi, and I’ve pinched one tube in the last two years.
I’m not hating on tubeless – it has benefit for some, but not everyone.
First, I’ll fully support the notion that if an eBike gets you outside and riding on any kind of trail that can support it, DO IT! But I think the debate continues on trails that are susceptible to more wear and tear from either increased traffic and/or speeds. For example, this year I’ve had the pleasure to ride both both Soquel Demo Flow trail near Santa Cruz and Half Nelson near Squamish. Both require you to earn your elevation with significant climbs, and I have to believe these kinds of trails get less traffic because of that barrier to entry. If eBikes are allowed on that kind of uphill climb, I wonder the effect on the downhill? Does is turn into some of the runs at Whistler when they get “washboardy and rutty” from the traffic?
To me, that’s the debate on eBikes. I’ve got zero issue if it gets you moving, particularly if you need the assist and you’re riding paved paths and fire access road. More power to you – some day I might join you! But I am worried about impact on singletrack trail systems.
It depends on the type of lube. For an oil-based “wet” lube, I’ve found I can go much longer between re-lubing including when it gets wet. For that reason I use “wet” on my road bike and only need to clean it a few times per season. But I don’t use it on my two mountain bikes because of course it picks up more dirt and therefore takes more effort to clean. So on my mountain bikes I use a wax-based “dry” lube because it cleans much easier. The downside, to your question, is that I re-apply every 4-6 rides and after every ride it gets wet. If I don’t, I can definitely notice more noise and slower shifting.
If someone else has a better routine, I’m all ears;-)
Thanks Jeff. I actually found and read this article before my post, but your follow-on statement about your subsequent test on a “dense and curvy” trail really speaks to my question, so thanks! I totally agree it will depend on any particular trail, as opposed to a road or bike path that is wide open with relative “straightness.” Thanks for confirming! Still curious about what kinds of ranges other people are seeing on their trails?
Like everyone says, don’t overd0 the upgrades – just get riding. I agree with others that I would hold off on expensive upgrades like a fork or 1X gearing. But I’ll chip in a few thoughts to think about when you’re riding: 1) for true off-road trails, I’m a big proponent of a dropper post – there are a few mechanical models (KS, for example at $100 or less). It will help you build confidence on downhills and drops. 2) With all respect to some of my brethren, unless you are riding trails with sharp rocks and/or thorns, I would not be in a hurry to go tubeless. I ride both, and I don’t think the cost and upkeep is worth it UNLESS you’re riding rocks and thorns. 3) Another idea is a good set of flat pedals with pins. I prefer alloy but Race Face Chester composite goes for less than $50 on Amazon.
Good luck. Ride the heck out of it!
Colorado is so wide-open with possibilities, its hard to single out one particular place. Crested Butte is on everyone’s list, somewhat calendar dependent due to elevation. Grand Junction/Fruita area is drier, lower elevation and also near Moab. Then there are Breckenridge, Durango, Eagle, etc., etc.
Here’s a good article to get you started: https://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-trails/top-5-mountain-bike-destinations-in-colorado/
I haven’t been yet, but I’ve got Bend high on my list.
I think you’re on the right path – a quality hardtail is a great place to start. Marlin could be a very good fit if budget is a major concern, but if you’re willing to spend a little more, the Roscoe 7 could pay off in the long run. 1) hard tail with plus tires (2.8″) is a great combination – the plus tires will gobble up the smaller roots and rocks you’re likely starting on. And even if you do a serious upgrade to full suspension later, there’s a good chance you’d keep riding the hardtail+. 2) I’m a big fan of dropper post and 1X drivetrain – Roscoe 7 has both.
Marlin may be a very good fit, but just throwing this out there if you’re willing to stretch. Make the choice, ride it hard, and never look back – the trail is in front of you!
I fully respect your effort to save some money, but check on the 1X gear setup and dropper post – can’t recommend them enough. As for the 2.8″ tires, I certainly don’t know S.Florida but where they will come in handy is roots and smaller rocks. In my opinion the rolling resistance between 2.2″ and 2.8″ is barely noticeable. So with a hardtail I think the 2.8″ is a great combination. I would push you to a Roscoe or Fuse, but main concern is get you riding.
Here’s another thought – if you really start to get into off-road, there is a good chance you’ll be looking at a serious upgrade in 3-4 years and go full suspension. But even if you go that route, you will still find a quality hardtail with 2.8″ quite useful. I have two full suspension bikes and already thinking about adding a hardtail. Good luck!
