My "other bike" is a Surly Long Haul Trucker with bar end shifters. I'd like to upgrade the 3x9 drivetrain to a wider range 3x11 or maybe 2x11/12, also with bar end shifters.

Does anyone know if there's a Chinese MTB rear derailleur that would be compatible with Shimano or MicroShift 11 or 12 speed bar end shifters? MicroShift's 11 speed bar ends are supposedly compatible with Shimano 11 speed road [edit: they have several models that work with Shimano road or MTB, or SRAM road], but their 12 speed shifters are compatible with Shimano DynaSys 12 speed MTB.

Thanks in advance.

I built up a wheelset from a pair of Goldix GDX 370 hubs a couple of months ago. I didn't have the bike frame to put them in, so they sat for a while.

Today I tried to install brake rotors for the first time on these hubs. I was PISSED when the very first bolt hole in the front hub stripped before I got to the spec'd 6.2 N-M torque!! I was even more pissed when a second bolt hole stripped.

I have a complaint in with the vendor. We'll see what happens. No matter what, though, I have to rebuild that wheel.

The rear rotor bolted on without incident, fortunately.

I have been ordering a variety of bike parts and tools since I placed the order for my Seraph/TanTan FM10 frame. Today, for the first time in 10 orders from AliX vendors, I got damaged goods.

I ordered a bearing press tool for the Dub/BB92 bottom bracket I will use on the FM10. "Have Fun everyday Store" had a press with drifts that had about a dozen steps each - looks like a ziggurat from the side. It looked like the most versatile cheap press I was likely to find. And the seller had the option of shipping from a US location. The store hasn't been open very long, but they had decent feedback. So I ordered it during the 11/11 sale.

The bearing press showed up on my doorstep today. When I finally had time to open it, this is what I saw.

And their promise of shipping from a US location, while technically true, happened after it had been shipped from China. The return address on the package says Jamaica, NY, but chinapost-track dot com showed it was shipped from Dongguan and landed in Los Angeles 10 days ago.

It looks like I will be able to use this press to install the BB in my frame (if the frame ever gets here!). The damage doesn't affect the 29mm step. So I suppose I got my US$33 worth. But I am not a happy camper, and I left feedback with these photos.

After reading all the issues people have had with TanTan (Seraph) frames, I have been looking for a frame to build up in case the FM10 I ordered isn't usable for one reason or another.

I found the Winowsports FS839 has geometry numbers very close to, but not exactly the same as, the TanTan FM10: http://www.winowsports.com/product/M10-enduro-mtb-full-suspension-mtb-frame-travel-135mm-and-150mm-adjustable.html

In particular the FS839 has a shorter wheelbase and front center, but a higher stack.

I don't see many Winowsports builds here, can anyone comment on their quality?

I've been looking at disc brake sets on AliExpress. I'm not interested in grey market major brand parts. The only brake set I like so far is the Meroca MT420: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003250515653.html

Does anyone have experience with these brakes? What about replacement parts, like pads and seals? Can the lines be shortened using standard cutters and bleed kits?

Are there any other 4-piston hydraulic brakes worth considering?