Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

In principle, the same process, but carbon fibre isn't such a good abrasive as alumina. Rubber bonded alumina is a common construction for abrasive blocks, discs and wheels, e.g. https://www.cratex.com/

Soft compound pads are chosen for carbon rims because they're gripper, which partially compensates for how grippy carbon fibre isn't compared with aluminium.

You can forget having the thread extended if the fork is chromed.

Hello Nunhead neighbour.

You don't ride a Dave Yates do you?

Ah. Headset bodge it is, then.

Wotcher and big up to the Nunhead massive.

Nope, that'll be someone else. Either a red Ciocc or a Triban RC520 for me, with the occasional jaunt on an old blue Cannondale.

I am usually on a Blue steamroller or the occasional old Kona.

What did Pete say about the fork thread? He extended one on a 1" carbon fork for the wife's Alan. Been a while though.

Is it chromed all the way up the steerer?

Far enough up for it to be an issue.

Didn't get there yesterday and it sounds like it's a non-starter anyway due to the chroming.

Do you want a light fork? I may have an old chromed 1" still in the shed, but it's robust. I can have a rummage if that's of interest.

Fair ‘nuff!

If you could have a look, yeah, that'd be great. Needs around 18cm of steerer. Cheers.

SRAM Omnium spider clearance - fine or danger zone?

Also, reckon the play in the crank in the clip is a shot bottom bracket? Everything is greased and torqued.

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danger zone?

Wouldn't surprise me to see paint disappearing when you ride it

reckon the play in the crank in the clip is a shot bottom bracket?

Something is awry, the end float in a properly assembled GXP is just the axial bearing clearance on the NDS cartridge, something like 30-60μm. You should be able to feel it but not see it.

Thinking of changing the latest Kaffenback fork (Selcof Carbon Gravel Fork / Tapered-12mm Thru) to a steel fork.

The most info I can find is a-c is 380mm and it takes 700 x 32c.

Are there any obvious options I should be looking into?

Pic of bike as it is currently setup for reference.

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I guess the obvious question is why? The suggestions you receive will vary depending if you want an adventure fork with all the mounts, or a more comfortable fork, or dynamo routing.....

I keep thinking about the case where what I understand to be an identical fork snapped. It puts a cloud on my rides on this bike.

Brand x ascent dropper post. Came used with a mountain bike I bought; it goes up and down, but when I sit on the saddle in the locked out position, it bounces, much like a suspension fork/front shock.

Googling around it seems the consensus is that it isn't user serviceable and it's off to landfill especially since I can't return it under warranty.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WF4J9urP3z4HmVBe7

video of the squish in action. suggestions of what to do outside of buying a new product and throwing this one in the bin welcome.

I had a brand x ascent dropper that stated getting a bit sticky going up and down. In the end it fixed itself with a bit of time and some silicone spray.
But before it did I looked into stripping it down and servicing it and it didn’t look too hard. There are videos on YouTube.
Though I’ve no idea if that would help fix your issue.

I think Spa do something along those lines, they also stock the surly ones, maybe the 700c disc trucker would work. It will look a bit funny with your tapered headtube because it's a straight steerer. But that's going to be the case with all steel forks.

Ye if you're worried about carbon (rationally or not) might as well get a nice safe steel one :) Although those forks cracking is mostly - I think - due to manufacturing defects so if it hasn't broken yet, it probably isn't going to. The case I think you're referring to was the bikes first ride, there was probably something wrong with that fork out of the factory and as soon as it was ridden, it broke.

Ta, it's perhaps irrational worry.

Surly a good shout. I already have a spare 26 qr Disc Trucker fork (a-c 376mm) so could maybe frankenbike it with a different wheel... I have a spare mavic cross-ride front since I got the Swytch wheel.... else make an e-frankenbike out of the Kaff & restore the inbred to a trail centre fun bike... there's probably other flaws in that idea though.

Two options. First, the cartridge may have a Schrader valve on the top underneath the saddle clamp. Stick a shock pump on it and check the pressure is good. Second option is it's a sealed cartridge, which you should be able to replace. Brand X (Trans-x) make dropper posts for a lot of brands, so the cartridge might be searchable under another name. You might have to pull out the cartridge to get the code before finding the correct replacement though.

I’m pretty certain it’s sealed non serviceable cartridges in brand x posts. I’ve had my 31.6mm one apart and don’t remember seeing any valves or anything.

The cartridges are/were available. You’ll likely have to find a part number and do some searching on that. I thought mine needed a cartridge and it seemed like the 200mm one was out of stock everywhere so I wondered about fitting a 170mm one but then a clean and serviced had it working well again.

They are pretty simple inside so worth stripping it, cleaning everything and regrading to see if it fixes it. I didn’t bother with buying any dropper or dissension specific grease or anything, just used bearing type grease that I already had.

They've had a few different versions, you can normally tell which one you have from how the collar looks. I've definitely seen Brand-X and OEM posts from the same factory with a valve.

Fair enough.

I also wasn't really looking for a valve, I mostly wanted to clean and lubricate it.