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My Afterburner rear is
My Afterburner rear is asymmetric although that’s more to do with handling braking force than durability. Can’t say I’ve ever thought they look odd other than when first chucking them in the frame.
Buy secondhand and buy
Buy secondhand and buy Shimano’s new Linkglide group for longevity and serviceability. Oh and invest in a decent drivetrain lube which means your drivetrain lasts longer. Personally I hate the waste associated with poor maintenance – cable outers, inners, chains, cranksets, and cassettes are very hard to recycle so the longer you can keep them clean and running well the better.
At my heaviest I was 130kg
At my heaviest I was 130kg and had no issue with forks and wheelsets, and that included riding on unmade roads/gravel paths. In thousands of miles I broke one spoke and had one wheel go completely out of tension, but that was straight out the box and a poorly tensioned machine-built cheap Raleigh special from Halfords. I’ve ridden stock aluminium wheels, entry level Shimano wheels, heavy duty dynamo gravel wheels, and lightweight XC MTB wheels (FSA Afterburners). Forks either carbon with aluminium inserts, full carbon, steel, or aluminium. Never had an issue.
The main gain you’ll get over MTB will be in position and pedalling efficiency, rather than frame weight. It will take some getting used to but you will be faster over longer distances and you’ll feel fresher after the ride too. As a heavy rider on a relatively heavy bike on relatively heavy tyres, the switch to a gravel bike will feel like you’re riding a eBike for a while. I’m guessing you’re also riding 26″ or 27.5″ wheels currently? The switch to 29er/700C on skinnier tyres will enable you to maintain speed for longer once you’ve spun them up.
I think most stock wheelsets will be rated for either 100kg or 120kg but that’s often an arbitrary figure picked by lawyers/insurers rather than based on real-world results. You could always go with a downhill/enduro/eMTB wheelset – a bit of extra weight yes, but more than strong enough for road use. Something like Hope Fortus 30 for example, with the internal bracing. Fulcrum have a good range of eBike wheels too (E-Metal) which will do the job.
Given how bike supply currently is though your best bet – if you know what you’re looking for – is to buy secondhand. Just remember road geo and riding position is completely different to the more dynamic fit you have on an MTB, so it’s not a question of looking at the reach and saddle height/angle of your existing bike and just transferring it over.
More seriously, they do go on
More seriously, they do go on record and can be used in the event of a repeat offence. They’re not a formal caution though.No way of knowing. It’s the
No way of knowing. It’s the paper equivalent of the village bobby having a quiet word with your parents when they’ve caught you scrumping from the local Freemason’s orchardFourthed
Fourthed
I tried to buy high quality
I tried to buy high quality components which were future-proof to a certain extent, but the problem is that tastes and technologies change. I wonder how many sets of QR carbon rim brake clinchers are hanging up in garages and sheds. Fur me it was a bit like the high end camera game – spend money on lenses rather than the camera body. I do a lot of component swapping between frames and generally it works well. Easily convertible wheels are probably the biggest and most worthwhile investment. In terms of resale value for high end grants it might not matter, because buyers will just stick what they prefer on itI would say not. It’s
I would say not. It’s basically the difference between Ultegra and Tiagra. You’re paying a premium for 2 extra gears and lighter components, that’s it. Shift feel will be similar. And, if you actually used it as a gravel bike components will wear out quicker and you might bash a mech or a chainring, and the parts are consiberably cheaper for the 400 series. Unless you’re chasing every gram in weight saving or want the best, stick with 400/600.
Ah, that could be it, but it
Ah, that could be it, but it’s got a conventional 12mm thru end cap on it. Will get a photo of it.
Custom is probably the best
Custom is probably the best option, or maybe (providing the hubs fit a road bike) something from the downhill MTB world. Another option would be an e-MTB wheel as they’re built strong too. I’d imagine he’s breaking rear spokes more than the front? Hope Fortus 30 might work too, but possibly too wide for a road bike.
Also, despite being triple-butted and fancy Sapim CX-Ray spokes build an immensely strong wheel according to a wheelbuilder I was talking to. I’m a shade under 120kgs so not quite in the same boat.
Maybe try PT Cycles. Others would be Spa or JRA but many have very long lead times at the moment.
Agreed, I put the revised FD
Agreed, I put the revised FD-5800 on both my bikes which were running Tiagra 4700 to get the improved front shifting. Also improved clearance on the gravel/tourer for mudguards and big tyres. First one took 2 hours to get right, second one about 10 mins.
Same here. Subscription
Same here. Subscription renewal went through yesterday so perhaps that’s something to do with it.
The alignment method for
The alignment method for R7000 is very different to conventional front mechs, have a read of the dealer manual and watch a few videos on it. It’s tricky to get right.The main spring will fatigue
The main spring will fatigue over time, as will the main pivot bushing. But R7000 is pretty new so I’m surprised it’s already worn, unless you’re doing mega miles?
They’re pretty low down the
They’re pretty low down the pecking order I think. Half to a third of the price of a DT Swiss rim. I’ve got a well-used one as a stopgap until my new Hope wheelset arrives, and will be keeping an eye on it as I’m a heavy rider doing most of my riding offroad.
