Any question answered...

Zipp Vuka Alumina Top arm-rest bolts, @mdcc_tester any idea what these are in cheap/stock form or are they really Zipp-specific? The stars in mine are corroding and I want to replace them and then cover them somehow so they stay 'fresh' and I don't have any trouble packing the bike.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zipp-Bolt-Aluminium-Mount-11-6618-000-000/dp/B01N8WTS8R?ref_=nav_ya_signin&

@mdcc_tester any idea what these are in cheap/stock form

I'll have a look when I'm over at the parents' later, pa has a set in his parts bin.

Cheers.

As much as I love paying Zipp premium I'd quite like to go to any hardware store for replacements instead.

SRAM 11-36T cassette

1130 or 1170? What's the difference? The blurb makes the 1170 sound like some CX specific thing. I want one that works with my Di2 shit.

"The PG 1170 11-36 Cassette is compatible only with the Force CX1 Medium Cage Rear Derailleur featuring X-HORIZON straight parallelogram shifting."

1130 or 1170? What's the difference?

54g. They're functionally the same, the 1170 just has more complex relieving cuts in the sprockets to reduce weight. Ignore comments about SRAM dérailleur compatibility, if your Shimano works with a 36T sprocket it will work with either.

Cheers dude!

Is there any difference between a friction shifter for a triple and a friction shifter for a double, or would any front friction shifter work with both types of chainset?

Trying to figure out whether I can use the Ultegra bar-end I took off a TT setup on my commute/touring mtb.

Sending a bike abroad.

I've managed to fit my bike down to a 110x77x22cm bike box and I still can't find a quote for less than £185 for shipping it to the UAE. What can I do to find (or create a situation to find) a better price?

I'm using a DA double bar end shifter as a triple downtube shifter without issue on my tandem, and a DA double downtube as a triple on my tourer.

Trying to figure out whether I can use the Ultegra bar-end I took off a TT setup on my commute/touring mtb.

Ultegra bar ends definitely work with road triple front dérailleurs, and probably with MTB front dérailleurs.

Get them to collect.
Honestly I don't think you'll get it much cheaper unless you send it on some kinda worldwide freight excursion that'll take months

You could of course try container sharing, will be a slow delivery probably.
https://www.dfsworldwide.com/Shipping-to-Dubai.html

https://www.shippo.co.uk/tips-and-tricks/how-lcl-less-than-container-load-shipping-works/

Problem being it's my own bike I'll be shipping to my new address. Worldwide excursion it might be then!

@freezing77

That looks promising! Thanks!

Does anyone here have @santino 's number. I had Julien's HK number until my phone broke 6 months ago, been meaning to say hey.

Wasn't it the article/research by Silca - the point being that tyre pressure was way more important than frame material?

That looks promising!

Beware of documentation charges to UAE if you're using the freight route. Parcel couriers handle all that for you under postal treaties, but getting the right customs forms for a freight consignment could easily add £100 for a retail customer, UAE are particularly bad in this respect.

I see, the plot thickens but how are you getting to the UAE? could the box not be luggage?
(sos if thats a bit of 'duuuuhhhh, think I hant thought of that?!' kinda question.)

I know Italy is a lot closer than UAE, but in the end I paid the excessive fee to have the bike box fly with me and saved a lot of hassle with courier-ing. Would recommend a hard box.

Thanks for the heads up!

@.mo. Employer is organising flights so I've got a 30kg limit, its a tough call but clothes won over bike.

@pdlouche I'll contact employer, see what they can do with regards to extra luggage. Or have someone bring it out to me as their luggage maybe when they visit?? I'll look into it. Hard case not financial viable unfortunately.

I did a trip by train/bus to Bath (from Swindon) to collect a hard bike box that I got on ebay for around £30. Definitely possible to pick them up cheap.

I'd say a clear plastic bag is better than a soft bag, at least the baggage handlers will see what they are lifting. The carbon bike went heathrow-hannover-heathrow complete with bars turned 90' and only wheel bags and some cling film, had zero damage lifted personally by staff.

You can often add luggage at check-in at the airport, though marginally more expensive, if your employer can't get the finance dept to purchase in advance.

arm-rest bolts

The ones which go through the elbow cups are just M5×25 countersunk, you can get them anywhere, I'd get these https://www.accu.co.uk/en/hexalobular-countersunk-screws/7586-SHK-M5-25-A4 but the postage is probably a deal breaker if you only want 4 screws. Other suppliers are available, try to get A4 stainless to keep the heads corrosion free in the sweaty area, but use Copaslip on the threads because stainless is worse than carbon steel or CrMo for electrolytic corrosion when screwed into aluminium housings. The other bolts are M5×15 cap screws with a weird spherical underhead, so you're stuck with Zipp unless you're buying 1000 of them.

Thanks!

What's the go with A2 vs. A4?
The Zipp ones are black, maybe with threadlock, I don't recall.

It's only the armrest pad bolts that are oxidising and they're also the ones I have to remove whenever I travel since the box won't close without them off. The other bolts are fine and untouched, normally.

What's the go with A2 vs. A4?

A4 has better corrosion resistance, if your preferred bolt shop offers you the choice, take the A4. It will cost slightly more, but we're talking a few pence per screw. If they only have A2, it's not a deal breaker.

Freehub has fallen silent. Will I die?

Yes, but in the mean time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_3dc6X-Iwo