This is my setup. My ideal is there being no controls for the suspension up there and the dropper can route cleanly with the rear brake.
Admittedly you guys run your brakes the wrong way around so that makes things a bit messier. Though you could always run your dropper on the right and AXS pod on the left if you didn’t mind learning a new way lol.
Interesting reviews. Due a bike upgrade at the end of the ‘24 season, an Epic, Oiz or Supercaliber Gen2 will be on my list.
I’m very taken with the Oiz as I have and love an Occam LT as a trail bike (stock H30, train heavy race light 
) and Orbea currently seems to be one of those manufacturers whose bikes deliver more than you paid for in some respects, but the Supercal looks good with the longer travel as a dedicated race machine. I’m curious though whether suspension servicing is easily available (UK) and the shocks easily removed to be sent off by a home mechanic? Something I need to look into.
Oiz looks good only thing that gives me concern are those lockouts. I hate lockouts
I’m surprised he said he had problems with bottle clearance. I’ve had an Oiz since 2019 and have had no problems with fitting 2 full size bottles in the frame. Mine isn’t the latest design but the triangle looks the same.
On the bike in general, the updates look nice but I think I can get another year or two out of mine and am hoping for a more substantial technology leap like flight attendant for XC.
I’m riding a 2018 Spark so am due an upgrade. I think if I wait for “next best thing” I’ll be waiting together.
And annoyingly an XT shod H10 has appeared in a shop at 40% discount! Its Alu of course but a lot of bike for money that I don’t have currently, it’s tempting to dip into my life savings at the wrath of my wife…
I hadn’t read backward to see if the SuperCal Gen 2 pricing was listed, but as an example my preferred spec - XT - is advertised at £6100
About £1000 more than the equivalent OIZ I’d choose. Ouch.
Anyone on the new Mach4SL? How does it compare to the last version?
I’m getting the itch for the DW link again.
Hump
Looks like flight attendant for the XC side is right around the corner for the normal humans.
Nino is using it, Koretsky (Specialized Factory) is running it.
Hump
Well, normal humans with abnormal budgets lol
I think it’s a few years from mass accessibility. I’m very excited for it though
It’s been spotted on the Santa Cruz team bikes as well.
Advice please from the mechanics in the room.
I’m still using my Clarks CRS C2 brakes. Initial impressions were unflattering, mostly due to a lack of proper bed in, primarily because I was running interim rotors.
It came with standard 1.8mm thick rotors so I had Shimano XT ones on. The lever throw was too long so I tried HS2 and now have just installed TRP 2.3mm rotors.
I’ve replaced the pads with genuine Shimano and just completed a pretty thorough bed in (on the flat, much less enjoyable than on a downhill 
).
The question I have is, would a syringe bleed from the bottom help with the lever throw issue? The rear still pulls pretty close to the bar. Front is fine. Or is it a hose quality issue?
Did you rebleed with the new pads and/or rotors with original bleed blocks?
Bleeding from top / bottom doesn’t make a difference to the total fluid in the system, it only offers another route to remove air.
Spongy lever = air.
Long throw = not enough fluid in system or pads/rotors not right for the throw. You can usually cheat this by removing the wheel, driving the pistons out a little and replacing the wheel. Note that unless your pistons extend and retract evenly (ie are cleaned and greased) this can make this worse rather than better.
Hoses are hoses. Not enough power in a MTB hydraulic system for braiding to do anything but make things heavy.
I redid a cup bleed on the rear with the new rotors and pads. I couldn’t get a single bubble out. Maybe there is still air though, I would say it’s a bit of both. There’s minimal gap from pads to rotors, but the bite point is still a lot closer to the bars than I’d prefer. If I clamp down I could get them to the bars I think, which probably means still some air.
Sorry mate; you are conflating two things here again.
Lever travel from release to bite point. This is governed by hydraulic ratios (eg length of piston in master cylinder, size of caliper pistons, any force multiplying device like shimano servo wave cam). If problem here, wind pistons out, recenter calipers, or change parts (thicker / thinner pads, thicker / thinner rotors). I note you say you are not using the OEM branded pads…
Lever travel from initial bite point to when the lever stops. This is governed (largely) by how compressible the system is (air in system, flex in caliper, flex in lever body / mount). If problem here, bleed better (or fix a leak in your system eg a failed olive or rubber seal).
Identify which one the problem is and apply a solution to it.
If I want to put quarq/sram PM on my scott spark 2023 with SRAM XX SL i need to buy SRAM spider PM and compatibile threaded chainring. Do I need chainring with 0mm or 3mm offset?
Are current closeout deals on 2022 Epic Evo Expert/Pro models in the UK too good to pass up?
Pro (Fox/XTR) is available at £6500 from £9250 (30%) and retailers just opened up 0% finance on them.
Expert (RockShox/X01) is available at £4250 from £7750 (45%)
If not now I’d probably be looking at a 2023 Expert model (which moves to GX AXS and gets a nicer paint job) where RRP is £6250. No clue if I’d manage a discount in 6-10 months when I’m likely to be looking.
Last time I bought a MTB was an alloy hardtail in 2014 (it still had 135mm QR rear dropouts). I finally sold it a year ago after I realised I hadn’t ridden it in 2 years and there wasn’t really anywhere I wanted to take it where I wouldn’t have preferred one of my gravel bikes with a set of 700x50c tyres. So I’m kind of buying blind but I also know I’m looking for XC+, I generally get on really well with Specialized products, and Epic Evo is really well liked - I’ve been watching prices on these and Blur TRs for a year or so now and this seems like the first time we’ve had big discounts.
I wouldn’t normally look at the Pro model (and would never pay the premium for Dura-Ace or XTR over Ultegra or XT) except:
Is 2022 Expert the standout buy here at 45% off? Or Pro? Or hang on and try to pick up 2023 Expert with electronic shifting at a more modest discount in a few months time (guessing there will be chances for 10-15% but nothing like the current discounts til this time next year at least)?
Any thoughts appreciated. Cheers!
Expert seems like the best. If you really want axs you can buy an upgrade kid for less then the price
More power meter questions here. Just upgraded my '21 Epic Evo Expert with the full SRAM AXS GX T-type transmission, and want to add a power meter as well. Are there any options besides the XX/X0 AXS transmission crank with power meter? I would prefer dual-sided, non-pedal based power if possible.
Did some googling and was unable to find an answer.
I may not understand your requirements correctly, but you could go any spider based PM if you are still to buy the crank. Just spec the right offset chainring.
If you already have the GX cranks then it’s a bit more limited as you’ll need to go for the SRAM bolt etc.
Sigeyi are working on a new 8-bolt SRAM PM, but it’s not ready yet.
