I'm replacing the Shimano 105 derailleur on my road bike with a GRX. It's a 2x11 with 11-34 cassette. The GRX cage is longer than the 105 cage. Will I need a longer chain? The chain length calculators I've seen don't factor that in, but it seems like the chain would have a longer path with a longer cage...

While scouring AliExpress for cheap aluminum gravel frames for a commuter, I came across MOSSO. They have a really large selection of frames of all sorts on their website, and at least a few of them are on AliExpress. They have carbon and several grades of aluminum.


http://www.mosso.com.tw/


I couldn't find much online about them other than a thread on MTBR from ~2009 where the general consensus was that their aluminum mountain frames were pretty good. (Their current mountain offerings look rather dated though.)


Anyone have any experience with them?

I've been looking to get a full suspension bike and have been going back and forth for a long time between the Carbonda FM909 or a larger "name" brand. One of the arguments against getting the frame from Carbonda is that I would have to buy the shock separately and set it up.


I have very little experience with full suspension bikes. How hard is setting up a shock for the FM909 or a similar frame? I don't spend a whole lot of time dialing my fork in and don't need to have the perfect setup, but I do want something that rides well and pedals efficiently.

I replaced the rotors on my Carbonda CFR707 and I cannot get the brakes to stop rubbing. I'm using Shimano GRX calipers and levers and I just put on SLX rotors. I've tried pushing the pistons all the way in and lubricating them. After I squeeze the levers a few times, the gaps between the pads and the rotors are so tight that I can't get the rotor true enough to stop rubbing. I'm having this issue with both the front and rear brake.


Is there some trick I'm missing? I tried loosening the calipers before squeezing the levers and tightening them, but that doesn't get it anywhere near close. I feel like I have the calipers centered as well as I can but the clearance on the side is so tight that the slightest bend in the rotor rubs.


I haven't had this issue with the Shimano 105 brakes on my Canyon or the basic Shimano hydraulic brakes on my mountain bike. Are GRX brakes more sensitive? Or do I have some bad calipers?

I've been thinking about upgrading my bike for a while but keep going around in circles as to what I want. I thought I'd post my ramblings here and maybe someone will have some good insights. Or maybe just writing it down will help my get it sorted. 

I've been riding mountain bikes since the early 1990s (with some gaps), and always on a hardtail. I currently live in San Diego, California, and frequently ride Black Mountain. Del Mar Mesa, and Lake Hodges. My rides are mostly XC but with some chunky rocky bits thrown in. I don't do drops or jumps or anything too fast, but I do want something that can handle the occasional technical bit without throwing me over the bars, so something in the "downcountry" category should be what I want. My current bike is a Salsa Timberjack (previous model) with a 120 mm fork and roughly 67.5 to 68 degree head angle. I'm happy with the fit, and I could go a little more aggressive on the geometry, but I do like being able to maneuver on tight trails.

My biggest question is whether it's time to go full suspension or not. I've been on a hard tail my whole life, and my only experience on a full suspension bike was when I demoed a Santa Cruz Blur TR a few months ago. I loved it since it took the edge off the bumps but was still a very efficient bike. However, every time I ride my hardtail I have a good time, and I do enjoy the challenges of getting through things without the help of a rear shock. I'm worried that I would miss that, and I do like the simplicity of a hard tail. I was pretty sore at the end of my last long, rocky ride though.

Since I'm more on the XC side of the spectrum, I do want an efficient pedaling bike, but I would like to smooth the ride a bit. I want to keep my 120 mm fork. I am looking to do a frame swap, since I am happy with most of my components (120 mm SID Ultimate fork, SLX drivetrain, carbon wheels) and that would keep the cost down. I don't have room in the garage for another bike either. I am 6'3" / 190 cm, so I will need an XL frame, and that limits my options a bit.
Of the full suspension options, the most appealing open mold option is the Carbonda FM909, size XL. Carbonda seems like one of the safer options (I have a CFR707) and there are plenty of these out there. It is a much longer and slacker bike than I am currently riding - the wheelbase is about 6 cm longer, headtube about 2 degrees slacker - so I'm wondering how it would feel in the tight bits. It's also longer and slacker than the Blur TR I rode, and that felt about right for me. (Given the issues I've read recently about Carbonda's paint, I'd probably paint it myself.)


The Carbonda FM936 has a very long seat tube, so I'd have to get a shorter dropper (maybe 150 mm max?). Some of the review of the branded versions sound like they don't pedal as well, so it might not be as good of a fit for me. The Light Carbon LCFS917 looked appealing, but even the size 20 would be a bit small for me. I've only seen Large Lexons listed lately, so they are out as well.

The other appealing option may be a bit blasphemous on this forum. The Fezzari signal Peak TR looks to have good geometry and pedaling dynamics (very similar geometry to the Blur TR) and it isn't too expensive for a branded frame. (It is their own design, not sold elsewhere.) If I recall, it's about $2500 for the frame and shock. certainly more than a Carbonda, but a lot easier and the warranty is easier if needed. I've only seen a couple reviews but they were positive. It looks like it's a bit lighter than the 909 as well.

If I stick with a hardtail, it's between the new Cotic Solaris and a custom titanium frame, likely from Waltly. The Cotic geometry is also a bit long and slack, so I'd likely go with something in the middle if I went titanium.

Would a good steel or titanium hardtail feel much different than my alloy frame? I am running 2.6" tires so I wouldn't expect frame flex to add much compliance, but everyone keeps talkign about how nice bikes of those materials can feel.

Am I missing any other good full suspension options?

Should I just pick something and go with it?

So I just noticed that Amazon will sell you a 2 year warranty on pretty much anything for a bit under 10% of the product cost. I used this warranty once on a Kindle, and they refunded the money without a hassle.


I think I'm going to try this out on some cheap pedals (ZERAY ZP-108S). It only adds about $3 over Aliexpress and it should ship faster. The warranty claims to cover wear and tear as well as defects, so it could actually be a good deal...


Anyone else used the Amazon warranty on bike parts?

I'm looking to replace my EC90 saddle on my road bike. It's fine for short rides, but for longer rides I need something that is a bit wider and has more padding. I have a WTB Koda on my mountain bike in wide (150 mm width) and it's much better. Any suggestions for inexpensive saddles that might be a better fit for me?