Modern standards, what's worth worrying about?

[ishaw]

I'm not up to speed with all the new standards, so hoping to get some guidance on things that I should be aware of as I am toying with building something current.

I do have a ti 29er running 1x 10 xtr, and a 27.5er with 1x11 xt, but aside from a tapered head tube, it's all fairly standard.

So what's hot and what's not? Everything seems to have the word boost added, hubs, forks and chainsets. I get the former, but are those few extra mms worth it?

Dustbin lid cassettes? 35mm bars.

Glad to see press fit BBS are going away, but 30mm BB axles seem popular.

Have I missed anything?

Just trying to get the lowdown on what will future proof spares and also what's worth it. If nothings really going to make a huge difference I may just stick with the modern steeds I have instead of spending.

Oh, 27.5 Vs 29 seems a battle the 29er is winning, will that see the end of 27.5?

 

[slackboy]

I think boost & 12 speed microspline are the things to worry about.

Having said that, I think non boost hubs will be adding around for the foreseeable, and even if non boost forks aren't, you can still get adapter's to boostinate a 100mm hub.

12 speed is more of an issue as it uses a new free hub which isn't back wards compatible.

Using dt Swiss or hope hubs is a good way to hedge against both these issues i think.

35mm bars are a solution in search of a problem and haven't really gained that much traction from what I can tell.

The most disruptive change has been tapered headtubes - it's almost impossible you buy a new straight steerer fork. But there are companies that will press a straight steerer into a tapered CSU.

 

[ishaw]

Thanks, very helpful. I tend to use hope hubs, I have a set using XD driver I've just bought a cassette for, though it's 11 speed so the XD driver seems to be a solution to s problem 11 speed doesn't have.

I hear you about straight steerer forks, I've sort of solved that problem by keeping s stash of straight rock shox csus for the forks I have.

So boost hubs is the main standard to worry about. I don't do riding that I'd see the benefit from them, if there is any as it seems marginal from what I've read but again, no expert in these things.

Sounds like I should probably stick with what I have, it's fairly modern and does what I need it to, which is essentially allowing me to be almost up to date, and allow my retro garage queen's to stay that way.

 

[Carge]

Given the trend for 1xN setups - will there be a lack of front mechs and LH shifters when we need to repair our 3x8, 3x9 more modern bikes?
I was looking for a skinny front mech for an Orange R8 and there wasn't much out there.

 

[ishaw]

Good point on the mechs. For retro, I've got a stash but as you say not needed much for the modern drivetrain.

Did you get sorted?

 

[Carge]

I was between a rock and a hard place - I had wheels with XD, a 46-10 cassette and GXP cranks that were 3x10 but take Direct Mount rings - and a load of 9speed X0 that also clashed with the frame colour-wise.
So I've gone 1x11 and bought shifters and rear mech

 

[longun]

Brake mount adaptors. Recently had to buy different size mounts as the fork ones have jumped from 160to 180mm. The frame I have also needs a 180 rear mount for a 203 disc.......... never had these issues with cantilever brakes haha